Dictation - 4 [Text] (Forward Dated to the 7th)

[drabsolutelynot]

[When he had blinked back into life upon Hope's altar, Rosen had felt neither joy nor sadness at the fact. He had stared dumbly at the ceiling, noting with vague surprise and disappointment that death seems to do nothing for alleviating a person's mental and emotional exhaustion. They, or at least he, simply felt the same heaviness and dull discomfort that seems to come with owning mortal flesh. Mortal flesh that has aged and withered, had grown gaunt and grey.

There was no ceremony or eagerness to the way he pulled himself up, sat for another moment or so, and gathered himself onto his feet. 

There was a slight haze. A disorientation that felt like heavy fingers gripping lazily at the back of his brain, just tightly enough to be a constant drain but not an actual impairment, and with the same slow, apathetic demeanor he had begun the trudge back to the spires, climbed the steps, opened the door, then tucked himself away inside his apartment, slumped into a chair at his kitchen table. 

What now? 

Should he call someone? Inform someone that he was back? In his tired fog he couldn't really see a point to telling anyone. What difference would it make? Was it even important? His empty apartment almost felt, in that moment, like evidence confirming that no, it was not. 

At some point his fingers crept into his sweater pocket and fished out his phone, and at last he typed out a simple and emotionless text]

Has anyone seen my satchel? 

Comments

[text]

[lifetothefullest]

Will has it.

Are you at your apartment?

[Lance has a lot of feelings about all of this but he's keeping them under control for now; he's mostly just concerned with Rosen being alone after everything that happened. But he is really, really glad he's back.]

Re: [text]

[drabsolutelynot]

['Will has it'

Oh. Yes, that would make sense, wouldn't it? It's coming back to him now. While he hadn't forgotten how or under what circumstances he had died, everything about his last days right now seem like simple bullet point facts, stripped of the memories, the sights, sounds, and the feelings that should come with them.]

Yes.

[He should probably say something more shouldn't he? or ask whats happened since he's been away.

He doesn't]

[text--> action]

[lifetothefullest]

Okay. I'll be there shortly.

[They're not going to talk over text.

And as promised he shows up not long after; he looks pretty much the same as last time Rosen saw him, just maybe a little more awake--he's gotten more sleep--and with somewhat shorter hair. It may not be the most evenly done hack job in the world, but it could be a lot worse.

He lets himself into the apartment with his key, stepping inside slowly and glancing around before spotting Rosen at the table; he should've known, honestly.]

Dr. Rosen?

Re: [action]

[drabsolutelynot]

[Rosen is slow in turning his head. He hasn't really done anything aside from sit and stare at the surface of his table, phone resting in the cradle of his fingers.]

Hello, Lance.

[lifetothefullest]

Hello.

[Although Lance is thinking of plenty of things to say or ask, he's at a loss--unusually, for him--for what he should say or ask. This is not exactly a situation that they go over in school.

So for now he just wanders further into the apartment, taking his usual seat at the table, and decides not to overthink it.]

How are you feeling?

[It isn't the stereotypical psychologist line, or even a variation on it, just a genuine question. He doesn't know how the whole 'coming back to life' thing works, after all.]

[drabsolutelynot]

[Lee's eyes follow him. Once again he logically knows Lance is someone he is happy to see, but the usual sentimental feelings that come with that seem somehow delayed in coming. As if his emotions missed the train that his intellect managed to catch]

Well...I know my name is Lee Noah Rosen. I know where I am. I know what happened. I know who you are...

[He sighs, shoulders sagging]

...but none of it feels real yet.

[His fingers spread on the table surface and he drops his gaze to watch them]

It is somewhat like I've been under anesthesia.

[lifetothefullest]

That's probably pretty normal.

[Unless there's something specific to the process of coming back, dying and returning is likely somewhat similar to suffering from any other sudden and very serious illness or injury. Emotional or mental shock is common and to be expected.]

As normal as anything about this situation is, anyway.

[drabsolutelynot]

[Rosen nods in agreement]

That is unfortunately true

[His gaze then settles on Lance.]

Are you well?

[Have I missed anything important probably should have been his next question, but really it is much farther down on his list of priorities than Lance's wellbeing]

[lifetothefullest]

I'm fine.

[He'll discuss Rosen's priorities later on, after he's had more time to recover, so instead he'll just reassure him for now and move on; it just so happens that he does so by answering the question Rosen didn't ask.]

Things have been quiet, for the most part. There was something... Noteworthy, I guess, that happened, but it can wait.

[It's not an immediate issue, there's just trouble brewing and he's sure there probably will be some trouble with individuals in regards to it, but that'll be at least a little down the line.]

We have the Clinic covered, so no need to worry about that either for now.

[drabsolutelynot]

If it is more about the gods and their nonsense then I don't want to know until absolutely necessary

[They currently rank at the bottom of his priorities list, and Rosen doesn't see the point of pretending otherwise]

Were there many casualties? Of the..the ghosts.

[lifetothefullest]

[Well, Lance feels even better about the decision not to go into it just yet.

His gaze shifts to the table briefly at the question, thinking over a few conversations he'd had during that whole event, and then gives a weak shrug.]

I don't know. Few people came into the Clinic for any sort of assistance, and although I spoke with some who did about what their plans were I'm not sure how many decided upon what course of action in the end.

[So there's very little way for him to have tracked how many deaths there were. He hopes not many, but realistically it was probably at least a few.]

[drabsolutelynot]

[Lee knew that at least Ronan had chosen the same course of action, but couldn't be sure if anyone had managed to save him or not. Same for Sans. And the children, what became of Frisk and Duck?

He takes in a particularly sharp, wavering breath at the thought but does not voice his fears.]

And I assume you spoke to Will.

[The question had to be asked at some point]

[lifetothefullest]

[He notices that reaction, but doesn't ask just yet. There are a lot of things he's waiting to address until later, and so he just nods at Rosen's words.]

I did.

[A few times.]

He wasn't aware you'd return.

Speech to Text

[sonofacesius]

I have it. It's at the clinic.

Do you need some time?

Text

[drabsolutelynot]

Thank you for keeping it safe, Will.

[He doesn't really know how to answer that question, however]

I will be staying in Lance's apartment for a while if you need me for anything

[Or just wish to speak to him. He's dazed but he knows he does need to speak to Will given what happened]

Re: Text

[sonofacesius]

Of course.

Why don't I give you a day or two to settle in. I imagine you're pretty disoriented right now.

[Will needed a moment to wrap his head around this to. Rosen was back. And he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.]

Re: Text

[drabsolutelynot]

Alright.

[Disoriented, disconnected. He's never died before, and certainly for most of his life he assumed that death would be one of those 'once in a lifetime experience' type things.]

Just let me know if or when you'd like to speak.

Re: Text

[sonofacesius]

How does tomorrow sound to you? Make sure you get a good night's sleep and something to eat.

Re: Text

[drabsolutelynot]

[Though he is still feeling separated from his own emotions, Rosen still finds himself vaguely smiling at the fact that Will still prioritizes healthy living habits as strictly as he had done when Rosen was ill]

Tomorrow is good.

Text to Action

[sonofacesius]

[Will knocked on Lance's door mid-morning. He wasn't entirely sure if Lee. Dr. Rosen. If he slept in, and dying was kind of hard on the body. He probably needed more sleep than usual. So Will waited, he checked in with the clinic and then headed back to make sure he was alright. Emotionally. Physically. Having never come back to life before, he wasn't sure what to expect.

He held up a bag of tea he'd found, and not knowing if Rosen was more of a tea or a coffee person, he figured it was a safer bet than accidentally giving something an allergy or raising their insulin too high when he didn't know his medical history. Not that he wasn't above checking Rosen's chart to double check that. ]

Action

[drabsolutelynot]

[Rosen had always been an early riser. His days back home had always started with a 6 am start, a 6:30 am 2 mile swim in his pool, then picking up Gary for the start of the day. A naturally restless mind and spirit, Rosen did not like to be idle for long periods of time.

So even despite his lingering tiredness from his temporary bout of death, and the sense of disconnect that seemed to be following always a pace or so behind him since he's returned, he was still awake on the early side. So by the time Will knocked, he was in the middle of cooking breakfast.

When he tugged open the door he managed a tired but friendly smile]

Hello, Will. Please come in.

[Lee gestured inside the apartment]

Are you hungry?

Re: Action

[sonofacesius]

[They had that in common. Having what mortals diagnosed as ADHD, in reality it was the demigod's battle reflexes, Will never liked staying still. Most demigods found it hard. He preferred movement, it made the training they had at camp so much easier, natural.

Will gave Rosen a friendly smile and walked inside. You were asking a fifteen year old teenage boy if he was hungry? Will nodded.]

I'd love some. But...should you be doing that? How are you feeling?

[That food smelled amazing, especially since Will had been eating out of can, although he had been experimenting with the 'microwave', if that thing could be called one.]

Re: Action

[drabsolutelynot]

[Rosen shook his head, closing the door before heading back into the kitchen]

I don't know that it is any worse for me than doing nothing.

[He added a few more eggs into the pan]

Besides. I've never been very good at 'resting'.

[For the moment he avoided answering the last question, pretending to be wholly focused on cooking]

Re: Action

[sonofacesius]

[Will took a stance next to Rosen, watching, but not quite hovering. He was up, moving, that was good. Whether or not he was facing what he had been through was a different story--and probably one best left to Lance Sweets than him.]

I don't suppose it is. You're not sick. Just make sure if you start to feel weak to take a seat.

[Will didn't know the effects of Hope's resurrection, if there was any. He wanted to be sure Rosen was okay--maybe he could brush against his arm when he was done cooking.]

Re: Action

[drabsolutelynot]

I will do that

[Lee nodded in faux obedience as he splashes some of the butter over the eggs, and with his eyes never leaving the pan, he shifted the subject]

I owe you an apology, Will.

[He looked up then, glancing at the boy]

I honestly did not realize you didn't know that death was temporary in this cave.