2019-08-03 - Imagine if these people actually took the Rorschach test

The Memento Mori isn't exactly suitable to host private conversations, considering it's like a hoarder's dream up in here, but Violet's pushed aside a few of the bookshelves to create a miniature seating area using the furniture that's here for sale. There's a tiny loveseat and a mismatched armchair, and an end table that Violet has used as a tea table. The cookies are store bought, but the Victorian tea-set is lovely. Violet perches on the loveseat, where Alex presumably will also be sitting, considering a photocopied map in front of her. "Julia says she has something else," she murmurs to Alex. "Something that can help us find her."

Julia shows up after her work shift, with a break to shower and change so she smells like a normal person and not a deep fyer unit. There's a knock on the store door before she tests to see if it's still open so she can walk through.

It's on the tip of Alex's tongue to say something about what else it is that Julia has, so God bless Violet for pressing on before he managed to get that comment out. It almost definitely wasn't charitable. He swallows the breath he took in preparation for the comment he never got to make, and he looks over the map with the sort of intense frown men too commonly wear when looking at maps: he can totally make heads-or-tails of this nonsense, and he doesn't need any help, tyvm. Yes, he sits next to Violet on the loveseat, ignoring the cookies, quite pleased with the tea, despite what that frown looks like. "Hmm," is his contribution, coupled to a quick glance at his watch. Then he's putting away his tea and going to open the door, wearing a totally tolerant smile for Julia. He exchanges pleasantries in Spanish, accourse, but his heart's not in it (on account of the continued dislike).

Maybe Violet knows what was on the tip of Alex's tongue. Or perhaps the kiss she lays chastely on his lips is just out of thanks for being here for her. Either way, there's a small twitch of a smile when he goes to get the door, and she stands up to be polite. "Hello Julia. Is your friend coming?" she looks expectantly over Julia's shoulder to see, but when there's no one but Julia, she goes to sit back down. "I made tea. And made a copy of the map for you," the photocopy is motioned to, presumably she has one of her own tucked away

Alex gets cursory courtesy. The disdain is mutual, and the civility is solely from Violet's benefit. Though at this point, the fact that Violet is with Alex makes Julia inclined to be wary of her. "He may have had other obligations. I texted him. It's no big deal. He'll knock on the door if he can make it." She digs into her back pocket and produces a piece of paper. "I appreciate the copy, thank you. You can have this, though. Keeping it has given me nightmares." Gingerly she unfolds it and presents the Rorshach-esque drawing of Alice.

Alex sits back down and collects his teacup again. It suits him, sitting prettily and sipping tea. He really commits to it, like his whole plan is just to sit here quietly and contribute nothing. Not that he sticks to his plan, since that inkblot makes an appearance, and his brow hikes upward immediately afterward. "The Rorschach test gives you nightmares?" He'll just be over here, sipping tea and drawing conclusions about Julia.

Violet does not go and collect her teacup. Mostly because once she's settled, Julia comes to present the inkblot Alice. The inhale that follows is sharp, and she lays her hand on her chest, instinctively leaning away from the drawing. "I.." she swallows hard, lashes fluttering quickly behind her glasses to clear her blue eyes of tears that want to well up. There's a look volleyed between three - inkblot Alice, Julia, Alex, then back to Alice again. "Where did you find this? Alex, it's.. it's Alice." Those last two words are hushed, and she reaches warily out to take the inkblot from Julia, already flinching in expectation of feeling something.

Julia lets Violet have it, while Alex is ignored. "I saw her, only a few days ago. She was across the street and led me to follow her here. But when I followed her through the door, I wasn't here anymore. I was on the other side. In a waiting room, the waiting room of the asylum." She eyes the tea, but doesn't drink it. "There were nurses there, who said they were always moving, and that I was in the 'waiting room'." She goes into further detail, about the hallways, DR. Marshall, and the killer Rorshach papers. Exposition is fun for everyone!

There's a noticeable release of tension when Violet takes the paper and nothing happens, though she continues to stare at it with a concerned sort of look as Julia explains. Her brows collapse into a furrow, and she suppresses a shudder as she folds the inkblot and sets it aside. "I don't know how she could be traveling here and there," she murmurs as she looks back up to Julia. "Neither of us are like... you. The things you can do. It's different from what we could do. Unless.." she shakes her head. "But if she was able to get out.. why wouldn't she stay out? Why wouldn't she talk to me? Come see me? Come see you?"

Alex is ignored. That's fine. He sips his tea like Kermit, because Julia's sanity is none of his business, and stays quiet through the story. The only part that gets much reaction out of him is the bit about Marshall rotting away in the freaky hospital that no one can find. His, "Hm," is coupled to a flare of his nostrils, 'cause that has to stink, and then he just stays firmly in the STFU section of the sofa. (Violet knows this STFU; it's the 'oh they will have an argument if he says anything' kind of STFU.)

"I don't know." Julia confesses. "All I have are guesses. Maybe Alice is limited in how and when she can reach out. I think she's stuck in there. The asylum moves around on the other side, and when it's moved to certain spots, maybe it's easier than other times for Alice to reach through. And it being on the other side would explain why it can't be traced, why we can't remember details. And the asylum itself, it may not be simply a place that moves, maybe it's...like an entity. The asylum, it's like being in its stomach. We were being terrorized so it could feed off its fear."

Violet isn't ignoring Alex. Once she sets the picture aside, she tucks into him, frowning to herself as Julia continues on. "I don't like this," she admits. And then she gets even more logical, "Something doesn't seem right about all of this." Aren't you proud, Alex?! "Why would Alice show you how to get to the waiting room? You could have been captured. They could have kept you there. She wouldn't willingly put someone in danger.." she shakes her head. "Can we be sure it was her?"

Look! Alex found a few of his words. "And why go to all the trouble of luring someone in just to let them slip away?" He finishes his tea in one last sip, putting the cup aside, settling his arm around Violet absently once that's all accomplished. "Unless all of this," he lowers a nod to Julia, Violet, the ink-blot, et cetera, "is just part of the feeding, as you put it. We're all extremely worked up."

Well. Other people are. He's successfully composed .

"Perhaps that's been the point all along."

"No, we can't be sure." Julia says, with a shrug. "But I think part of the purpose was to show me that I could do something. How I can make doorways, and find the right paths, and get out. The nurses did say it was time for my check up. It was feeding off me, but it couldn't keep me." She makes a vague gesture of acknowledgment of Alex's point. "The asylum is like the Dark Men, but on a much, much bigger scale. Or maybe it's a mass of them. I'm still trying to figure out how to starve them, block them from feeding. But it's all guess work." She huffs at her hair. "You know what else is weird? Hannah and I both got out when we turned eighteen. Why didn't it keep us?"

Violet's brows knit together as she settles into Alex's side, seeking perhaps a bit of comfort in an increasingly uncomfortable situation. She absentmindedly pulls at a thread on her skirt while she tries to think this through, but she comes up with nothing more than a quick shake of her frizzy pale blonde head. "I don't know," she says to Julia, in a tone that sounds defeated. "It feels like with every question we have answered, there are ten more that crop up. All I know is.." and this makes her sigh. "Trying to get there, trying to find that place? It's going to be more than dangerous. Even if we do manage to find the hospital, and find where they are keeping Alice? There's no guarantee we can free her. And the chances of us getting out without incident.." she swallows hard again. "We need to know more."

There's no guarantee they can free her. "Or that she's still there." Skeptical Alex strikes again. Absently, he runs a thumbnail across the thread that Violet is fucking with, like stop that, and shoots a look toward her gigantic counter (for scissors). But now's not the time to be solving literal loose threads, Alex, so just sit there with an arm around Violet and be supportive and pretty and keep your goddamn opinions to yourself, sir.

"We have more than we did before, Vee." Julia says. "She may be dead. But even if she is, the thing that did this to her still needs to be stopped, so that it can't do this anymore. We'll keep figuring stuff out."

"She is not DEAD!" Violet doesn't cry; she snaps. So Alex's player loses, whomp whomp. It's such a sudden, nearly explosive outburst that it startles Violet immediately afterward, and she wilts instantly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Here," the map is thrust towards Julia as she scrambles to her feet, "But she's not dead. She's not," it's insistent. "You should go now. Thank you for the picture."

Whatever. She's gonna cry the second Julia leaves, mark my words.

Alex winces. Like, it's probably the world's most subdued wince, contained to the momentary closure of his eyes and the exhale through his nose, right on the heels of Julia's 'may be dead;' his eyes stay closed till Violet snaps like that. They open, flit between the two women, and he does a little quick mental math (how fast can he talk in Spanish divided by how many words he thinks Violet knows equals), "I'm so happy to you suggested that her twin sister is dead in the mystery asylum that no one can find, that's just fantastic, thanks." He stands up, too, because supportive boyfriend, etc., and gives Violet's hand a little squeeze, and says nothing in English.

"Actually, she suggested it, not me." Julia's reply is in English. "And I'm tired of the two of you treating me like your punching bag. Violet falls to pieces, but bitches me out when I suggest she needs to be careful. I make a point based off something she said, and you use it as an excuse to give me shit. You are a piece of work, Alex, you know that? You're an abusive piece of controlling shit and one day you're going to turn all of that nastiness inside you on Violet and she's going to fold like a card house. And you," to Violet, "Are going to let him, because you keep looking at him for strength instead of finding it yourself. When the two of you can talk to me without constantly expecting me to walk on eggshells or looking for excuses to be an asshole at me, let me know. I want to know about the car, but I'm not going to sit here and be blamed for something I didn't start." Now the Spanish comes, to the tune of fuck this noise, I'm outta here as she rises and heads for the door. She's outtie.

Violet doesn't say anything to Julia. She just tenses her jaw, watches the woman leave, and somehow doesn't burst into tears when the door slams shut. "I want to go home now," is all she says to Alex. But don't worry, meta. She'll cry in the car.

Alex smooths his tie and suffers Julia's reply unflappably. It's his super power. "Likewise." He has to clean up all this shit first, it's a compulsion, then go look up the word 'abusive' because now he thinks he doesn't know what it means. 🙁