Skeleton City // PSL

[birdsbirdsbirds]

They call it the "Market", and it's always buzzing like a hive. The vast caverns are warmed by the hundreds of bodies all hauling, shouting, pitching, laughing, exchanging things from one hand to another. Even more people stroll up above, their voices lost in the tangle of bridges made of stone and wood and metal. The place is lit by dozens of electric signs, spilling brightwarm colors where the hanging lanterns cannot reach.

There is a lot to look at. One person seems to trade a bolt of rich red cloth for some nails and hinges. One man is trying very hard to convince another that the chicken he is holding is worth at least three bags of grainmeal. And then there is whatever Phalanx is holding, which they most certainly did not trade for, and it most certainly leads to someone reaching out over their stall table and grabbing them harshly by the arm.

"Hey, you little theif!" Says an irate, heavy-set woman, "What do you think you're doing?"

Comments

[pileofspirits]

Robin at least has eyeballs to see how disheveled Phalanx looks--which is saying something, considering the creature's usual appearance, and that the difference is even apparent in the dark. Whatever they had once been using as a hood and shawl is gone, their hair is a mess, and their already dark eyes are just sad, puffy, hollow pits.

They look pretty pathetic (and even younger than usual) huddled up in Vincent's giant lap.

[hatesblindjokes]

Once Robin can see that Phalanx was clearly distressed, he stops his whining in favor of leaning closer, quickly reaching to run his fingers through their disheveled hair.

"I had no idea..." He admits, sounding a little guilty (which is rare), "Phalanx, what happened?"

But before Phalanx can even start to consider pulling some kind of an answer together, Vincent fills in the words for him: "He said something about there being... something, and then everything was gone. Like, uh, and end of the world thing. Except emptier, probably."

Vincent doesn't mean to rob Phalanx of the chance to talk... But if it was tough for them to explain the first time, he doesn't want to make them repeat the effort another time if they don't have to.

[pileofspirits]

Phalanx doesn't seem to mind one bit that someone else is putting words in their mouth. They don't even echo or try to add anything to it. So, however accurate Vincent's description may or may not be to the truth, Phalanx doesn't feel the need to correct it.

Relieved to not have to put forth effort into an answer, and grateful that there is another person there doting on them, they just close their eyes when Robin combs his fingers through their hair.

[hatesblindjokes]

"It's kind of weird," Vincent adds, after a moment of silence between all of them, "That's the dream I had too, I think."

Robin looks up at Vincent, though Vincent can't see him doing this. Then his gaze goes back down to Phalanx, a thin frown forming on his face. He knows what Vincent is talking about, though that's not necessarily a good thing.

"Strange..."

But ultimately, he decides not to say anything else about it. He forces his frown back into a smile, saying something nicer to cheer himself up.

"Good thing you woke up, then. I'm surprised I didn't wake up myself."

That's all Vincent needs to start talking about something else, "Seriously, you were out like a goddamn light. I kicked you."

"You kicked me?" Robin asks, surprised.

"Sure did," Vincent responds, smiling fondly again.

[pileofspirits]

"Kicked," Phalanx helpfully agrees, eyes now open again. They sound a little serious about it. It could be lingering dread just hanging around from their dream, or the tone could be commenting on the impressive depth of unconsciousness that Robin had been sunk into.

[hatesblindjokes]

"...Thanks," Robin says uncertainly to the both of them.

"Anyway, you guys gonna go back to bed, or what?"

Vincent doesn't move to let go of Phalanx or anything, which Robin notices. There's a reason he hasn't rushed in to take his strange pet back, after all.

"I suppose. Phalanx, how are you feeling?"

As Robin asks this, Vincent actually settles back against his comfortable old couch, tipping his head back to rest on the back of it. He's starting to remember how tired he is, and how he had been trying to sleep before all of this happened.

[pileofspirits]

"Out," Phalanx answers, which of course doesn't make any sense.

While they think about it again, mulling things over before making a second try, they settle down as Vincent does, looking terribly comfortable right where they're at. There's nothing going on right now that gives them any reason to want to leave the safety of a giant lap.

When they finally make another attempt at an answer, they come up with, "Dizzy."

[birdsbirdsbirds]

And now before Robin can answer, Vincent mumbles, "'Cause of all the falling, yeah."

Robin looks at the both of them. Vincent's eyes are closed, and he sounds like he's rapidly falling back asleep. Phalanx seems exhausted, but very comforted to have someone to rest against. He imagines that, if he just lets it happen, the two of them may just pass out right there, and then he'll have two of his favorite people to curl up against.

And that's a very nice thought. He doesn't give a whole lot of thought to the talk of dreams, now. He'll deal with it in the morning. Instead, he pets Phalanx's hair and thinks of some more things to say that might help them both drift off.

"Vincent's pretty nice, isn't he?" he asks them.

[pileofspirits]

Affirming Vincent's comment, Phalanx nods a little bit while their eyes are still closed.

However, Robin's question about Vincent gets them to momentarily open their eyes again and nod more definitively. They totally see why Robin likes him so much.

"Pretty very," they agree.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Robin hums a little in counter-agreement. 'Pretty very' indeed.

And then he waits for a little while, until it seems like the two of them might really be nodding off, before reaching down and carefully lifting a blanket over the two of them. He and Phalanx had been covered with it earlier, but it'll go to much better use on these two.

Then, with a little smile on his face, he leans his head on Vincent's shoulder and closes his eyes. The pile of them reminds him of distant, much happier times. It's easier to start drifting off to sleep along with them.