@vdova ; video

[waytodie]

[Her hair is in two messy twin braids. Her eyes are glassy. The sharp-eyed might notice she's probably, definitely drunk. The less-so might just assume she's overly tired. Her tongue presses into her cheek as she considers how to start this one, but in the end she just rips the bandaid off quickly: ]

So, tell me, how is it that you handle grief?

[She probably won't be elaborating on why she's asking, unless she has a certain level of familiarity with you, but you can try. People closest to her probably already know what this is really about: Her sister is gone. From Moorecroft. From Etraya. From the top side of the dirt. Gone and back to dead, and Yelena is spiraling.]

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video | @theball

[stresstokens]

Knowing you'll get to see them again one day helps.

[ He's not getting much more personal than that, but he does need to ask... ]

...did something happen? At Moorecroft?

[waytodie]

I do not have much faith in that way.

[She shrugs at the question.] I don't think so... she was there, but... when we came back to Etraya, she was just... gone.

[stresstokens]

Oh. Right. Different worlds. Where I'm from, it's not really a matter of faith. Just a matter of reality. We met my friend's Dad in hell, like, three months ago.

[ That's probably not that reassuring, in hindsight. Hastily: ] He was cool about it.

But -- could you be talking about Ms -- about Natasha? I was living with her in Moorecroft, but by the time we got back, I couldn't find her again.

[waytodie]

Maybe there is a real afterlife in my world, too. But I have not seen it, nor evidence of it, and I am not sure how much it would take for me to believe it, either...

[Which is kind of sad, in a way she refuses to think much longer on.]

Yes... she is my sister.

[stresstokens]

[ So she's dead, is she? He didn't know. She'd never said. He pauses, glancing away for a moment, then sets his shoulders. ]

She was really kind, even if we only lived together for a couple of weeks. I'm sorry for your loss.

And... for what it's worth, I think it's worth holding out hope for.

[waytodie]

She was a really good person... she always was.

[She shakes her head and sniffs softly.] Hope is so dangerous, to me. There is so much more to lose if it turns out wrong.

[Although maybe not so much in this case, specifically; if she's wrong, and there's an afterlife, she wins, and if she's right and there's nothing after she dies... she's just gone, and she won't know anything anymore. But the sentiment is one she still feels quite deeply all the same, having had her own heart broken far too many times for holding out for something that never came.]

[stresstokens]

Well, in this case, it'll be too late by the time you find out.

[ Oops. That's probably insensitive of him to say. Sometimes his tongue wags before his mind does. ]

...but I get what you mean. It's just something to keep in mind. If entire worlds are built like that, yours might be too. And, um, if you're still looking for tips? Books help.

[waytodie]

[It may be, technically, a little inconsiderate in most cicles, but if an assassin doesn't have a terrible, gallows sense of humor, what do they even have?

Yelena snorts in mild amusement at the comment all the same.]

I guess that's true.

[She nods a little.] Books, huh? I cannot remember the last time I actually read something for enjoyment. Maybe you are onto something.

[stresstokens]

It's all about getting sucked into someone else's world for a little while. TV and movies and stuff work too, but I've always liked books more. Probably 'cause we only had a couple of channels, so most of our TV kinda sucked.

[ It's not a matter of intellectualism, he knows -- it's access. ]

You gotta get out of your own head, is the big one. Normally, I'd suggest getting lost in your work, but we don't really have that here, so entertainment it is. The youth centre has a pretty cool gaming system too, if you're interested.

[waytodie]

[She nods a bit.] It makes sense. Distractions are nice, whatever shape they may decide to take.

What could be considered my 'work' would be a terrible thing to focus on, anyway, so it is probably best that's not really something to worry about here.

[#JustAssassinProblems]

I've not played many video games, it could be worth a try.

[stresstokens]

They're really fun! You should check 'em out. I like the shooters, even if the guns are totally unrealistic.

...did you by any chance share a profession with your sister?

[waytodie]

Do they have them in the rec room at the apartments? Maybe you show me sometime.

Depends on exactly what she told you she did, but... something like that.

[stresstokens]

You know, I think we do! I'd be happy to show you, as long as you're okay with me whupping your ass.

[ He will not be. ]

I can read between the lines. She told me enough. In which case, I'd say definitely go for video games and not the job. I'd say this should be a vacation away from all that, but this place has got other ideas.

[waytodie]

That would be very cool. [She nods and laughs at that.]

I do not think my life is made for vacations, this is true. But I will try your video games. We'll see.