shawarma time

[finalmix]

[ some time after Atem's palace when everyone has had the time to get back from braphine's temple, and more importantly get that sand out of your everything (and enjoy NOT 40 degree Celsius weather)

everyone who was in Atem's palace will find themselves suddenly added to a group chat by joshua and he just sends a singular address

it's the address to a shawarma place that somehow magically has a big enough table to fit 14 people. amazing. we love fluid locations like this.

post palace dinner, y'all know the drill ]

Comments

[metagame]

[The unfortunate man of the hour looks and feels like shit. Dark circles under his eyes, and his hair a wet, wire-y mess in a ponytail. He's apphrensive about being here given all that he's done to everyone in this small-but-also-large restaurant. And, as same everyone else, he's picking at his food: a pita stuffed full of falafel, vegetables, and tahini.

There's no excuse for what he has done. The God of Conflict may have influenced his Shadow and caused it to go berserk, but that was still him. That was how he used to be before he learned a better way to behave.

...

He's surprisingly small in his chair without his usual bravado to make him larger than he is.

Maybe if he keeps to himself he can eat and go back to the dorm... he really shouldn't have come in the first place.]

[beathollow]

...

You feel guilty.

( she's speaking quietly- from one palace ruler to another. )

[metagame]

Yes.

[No point in hiding it.]

You were under his influence, too, weren't you..? Everything that happened feels like a blur to me... But I believe you mentioned it in the palace?

[beathollow]

I was. I don't remember my own palace very well, though. A shadow that took on the form of my mother wound up taking control of everything.

It wasn't inaccurate, but it was harrowing. And knowing that others got hurt because of my own pain is hard.

[metagame]

[He sinks further into his seat.

His appetite is long gone.]

That part of me you saw back there... I was in so much pain I wanted everyone to hurt just as much as I did, because I had the power to do so. Because it was so, so easy. I've tried for a while to bury that part deep within myself. Deny it ever existed in the first place.

I hoped no one would ever know the kind of monster I am.

And I thought... I was better. Because I thought I finally knew how to do the right thing. And I treated it like it was some kind of game. If I watched the other people around me, I could present the best version of myself for them. I could be kind and generous... Just like my partner, Yugi.

... But it's not that simple--- nothing in life is. I have to do more than just act kind.

[beathollow]

...

I have done something similar. Hurting others because I was also hurting- even if they were trying to help me, I lashed out and tried to get them to hurt themselves. And that was before this place.

I think ... you should forgive yourself a little, because even if that behavior was from your own history, you've clearly grown past it without the influence of another interfering.

Kindness is a choice for everyone. Its just that for some, it is the easiest choice.

[metagame]

Forgive myself, huh...

[That's not going to be easy.

Joshua almost died because of him.]

Sorry... I don't think I can do that just yet.

But I'll keep trying to be better. For you... For Yoon... And for my partner, too.

[beathollow]

Trying is all you can do. We're all people taking one step at a time, as best we can.

( she's quiet for a moment, taking a slow, contemplative drink of... something. she just picked at random, because it ultimately doesn't make a difference to her. )

... For what it's worth, I was never upset at you. The situation, yes, but- that would be like being upset at myself for being in the same situation.

[metagame]

[The way she says that sticks out wrong to him, sore and throbbing. He envies her inability to be upset with him with such remorse it causes his heart to twist and ache further. As far as he's concerned she should be upset. Everyone should.

What's there even for him to say to her?]

Thank you, Mafuyu.

[There's the tremble in his voice again, quiet and small.]

Thank you.

[He means it, truly.]

[beathollow]

...

( mafuyu stands, circling around the table just enough to pull him into a gentle, almost protective hug where he sits. lets him listen to her heartbeat, steady and even. its as if she's trying to shield him from himself. )

[metagame]

[Oh... This is nice. She's soft and warm... But also this is really awkward for him. He understands her gesture so he's not pushing her away. But he also isn't quite sure what to do?

Does he hug her back? Pat her on the back? Uh.

Now he wishes he could just hide in the Millennium Puzzle again.

He measures all his available responses, and settles for a stiff pat on her upper back with one hand. Pat. Pat.]

I'm fine, Mafuyu.

[finalmix]

[ man of the hour that atem is, Joshua's dumping a pile of fries onto his plate because-- ] You look like shit and you also look like you're going to topple over at any moment.

[ wow he does Not mince words huh. also it's definitely more cheerful than it should probably be, weirdly enough. ]

[metagame]

As if you're one to talk.

[that's so many french fries, Joshua. Atem can't eat all of that. he pushes them around his plate.]

And how are you in such a good mood?

[read: what's with the fake cheerfulness, Joshua? or at least Atem thinks he might be faking it. no way Joshua means it after what happened in the palace. but he was the one who invited everyone here...

why can't he ever get a bead on this guy? ugh.]

[finalmix]

[ yeah he may have ordered way too much and therefore is pawning them off to random people now it's Fine ]

Trying to keep the energy up.

[ don't be a downer, atem. but also: ] You're paying for this meal, why wouldn't I be happy with free food?

[ ok maybe that is a white lie but atem doesn't need to know that yet ssshhhhhhh ]

No one died, that's good enough cause for celebration.

[metagame]

[He's paying for this meal? He doesn't have that kind of money, Joshua!!

Do you think this man works?

Occasionally he'll run errands for some elderly person or do the Link Up equivalent of DoorDash, but he prefers to remain indoors and play card games all day!

The only other times he goes out is when he needs to buy new makeup and hair product! Do you know how difficult it is to take care of his hair?? He has tried ten different types of co-wash and not a single one so far---

interrupting this weird mash up of inner monologue and me as the player taking the piss out of Atem:]

You almost did.

[yeah he saw that Joshua]

[finalmix]

[ one day atem should go on a tirade about his hair and then joshua will offer to drag him to a salon for it ]

Eh. It's not the first time someone's come close to killing me.

[ he is so blasé about it. why is he like this. ]

If you actually did kill me though, you would have been in charge of Shibuya's Underground.

[ narrowly missed taking on a new job... ]

[metagame]

No thanks.

[Didn't even have to think about it.]

[finalmix]

[ that makes him actually laugh ]

You're the first person who doesn't want my job, actually.

[metagame]

What? Judging whether someone lives or dies through elaborate games? Maintaining order?

Been there. Done that.

I'm happily retired.

[strawsandals]

[ Yoon is not mad at Atem. He's really mad about what happened but that, in his mind, is different from being mad at the Palace owner. Or maybe he's just trying not to be mad because Atem is his friend...who knows.

Either way, he's going to use one of his utensils and gesture at Atem's food. ]

Hey. You need to eat.

[metagame]

[NOO

Not Yoon reprimanding him..!! He eyes at Yoon's utensil, Yoon, then his plate full of uneaten food.]

Have you ever tried falafel?

[Fine!! Yoon wins!! He'll take a pita and EAT IT. All while maintaining eye contact so Yoon can see him eat. Atem's definitely not asserting any sort of dominance; it's absurd and embarrassing that Yoon had to berate him into eating.]

[strawsandals]

No, never.

[ Heh. Hehehe. Good, though. He grins at Atem, pleased to see that he's finally shoving some food into his mouth. ]

What is it?

[metagame]

[He finishes swallowing his food before he places a fried ball of something from his plate to Yoon's.]

Deep-fried chickpeas. Try it.

[And he'll take another bite of his pita stuffed of said falafel.]

[strawsandals]

[ Huh, interesting. Yoon will take a bite out of the ball. The verdict is: ]

Oh, it's tasty...

[ Another bite! He seems to like it a lot. ]

Is this something you eat often?

[metagame]

No, not really. Cooking oil was expensive even for a king... And I don't know how to make it myself.

[Here, Yoon, have another! Atem seems to have a lot. Suspicious!]

I'm glad you like it.

[He wipes some tahini off the corner of his mouth with his thumb.]

It is pretty similar to one of my favorite foods, though. And it's probably the closest thing I can get here... In Egypt we didn't use chickpeas, since fava beans were more commonly grown. We call it "ta'ameya."