Floor 2, Room 4

[mirristry]

Phillip Biqe Reston

code

Comments

[troublereduction]

[ Somehow this is even more depressing. It doesn't feel like acceptance that leads to resolve so much as resignation. ]

Not ever?

[ Because it just sounds...lonely. ]

[mirristry]

No. It's my responsibility... no one else's.

[And he can't shift any of it onto anyone else. He's already done enough of that back at home.]

I know I thanked you for caring the other day, and... I truly am grateful. I don't want it to seem like I'm not. But...

[troublereduction]

Like I said, I won't press if you don't wanna talk. [ A small smile. It's not a happy one, but one meant to say that there's no hard feelings. ] I just wanna make sure you'll be okay.

[mirristry]

I will.

[He sounds sure enough when he says this, at least, because it's a front he's perfected by now after so many years.]

And... thank you again. I'm sorry I've been doing nothing but causing you trouble.

[troublereduction]

[ Will he be, though? That's what Day wonders when he remembers how Phil looked when he answered the door earlier. But it's not as if Day can really call him out on it right this moment, either. ]

...If you say so. And you don't gotta apologise. Just make sure you're eatin' and restin' up properly.

[mirristry]

I-I've been working on that...

[He Has Not. Not the sleeping part, at least.]

[troublereduction]

[ ...

Squinting at Phil, watching for any signs of poor rest or sleep deprivation, ]

[mirristry]

[Are the perpetual dark circles beneath his eyes not enough of a clue...]

[troublereduction]

[ Look, ]

You ain't sleepin'.

[mirristry]

I-I am!

[...]

... well, sometimes I lose track of time when I'm reading, but I do end up sleeping in the end!

[When he quite literally passes out.]

[troublereduction]

Passin' out don't count.

[ He's just saying. ]

[mirristry]

......

[It achieves the same result!!]

[troublereduction]

Maybe I should start lookin' into whether magic can help with sleep...

[mirristry]

Th-that really won't be necessary...

[How did this get turned around on him like this... he is being bullied...]

[troublereduction]

[ Then maybe stop being bullyable, Phil? ]

It'll stop bein' necessary when you get some damn sleep on the regular.

[mirristry]

[The reaction Day gets to this is... probably very much NOT what he was expecting, because those sure are tears in Phil's eyes right about now.

And yes, he's sniffling a little too.]

[troublereduction]

[ He definitely wasn't expecting this. Immediately he panics, because making people cry is at the bottom of his list. ]

W-wait, what're you...

[mirristry]

I-I'm sorry... it must be because of my age...

[He does try to wipe his eyes on his sleeve in an only semi-effective attempt to stop the tears, though.]

[troublereduction]

I ain't sure what your age's gotta do with this?

[ Please hold, he's summoning a handkerchief and handing it over to Phil. ]

[mirristry]

You'll understand when you're my age.

[It is, quite possibly, the stupidest excuse of all time but he's sticking with it. Still, he accepts the handkerchief with a nod of thanks and removes his monocle so that he can dab at his eyes.]

[troublereduction]

Again, I don't see what age has to do with this when Ginger's way older than either of us and also cries?

[ Y'all!!! ]

[mirristry]

He does? [PHIL ISN'T ALONE???] ... well, I would think that's just more proof that it is in fact a matter of age.

Anyway, I'm all right now. I'm sorry about that...

[troublereduction]

You...really just started cryin' for some reason?

[ Day is so confused, as someone who tries to avoid crying as much as possible. ]

[mirristry]

Y-yes... it's something of a bad habit of mine, I'm afraid. I never intend for it to happen, but the tears always just end up coming before I can stop them.

[It's more than a little embarrassing, to be honest...]

[troublereduction]

Wonder if that means you have a soft heart.

[ Though he doesn't say this as if it's a bad thing to have. ]