#phoenixsaria

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“I.. What?” Damien’s voice shook. “But.. I didn’t say anything about that. I just had you had a fiery personality... Surely that wouldn’t...?” She seemed so firm that she was a phoenix, but Damien knew better than to blab about it to another. But he had thought that making a reference like would be a way of showing his support...

The game was over, and a rather drunk Damien was sprawled on the couch beside a rather tired assistant. The shot glass had been swapped for the tumbler, and said tumbler had been refilled twice.

"Never have I ever... Eveeer.... 'm a terrible friend..." Damien murmured, head lolling back. The assistant looked worried as she turned to him.

"No you aren't. You're a great friend," she tried to argue, but Damien sat up slowly. He looked very sorrowful right now.

"Noo no. I-I... I am. Iz m'fault Mark an' Will don't talk. Should've known somefin was wrong... Ahcould've stopped it..." Tears were starting to fall. Ever since he had mentioned the two in passing, it was nigh impossible for him to get them out of his head. It had been two years since he had gotten this wasted, and both his best friends were at his side. Now, neither talked to the other, and he was stranded in the middle, trying to remain friendly with both. "They... They could've talked. I could've saved everyfin..."

"Damien..." The assistant sighed as Damien dropped his head onto her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't know what was going on at the time. You're a great friend." When she didn't get an answer, she decided to continue. "Like... You insisted Yen go to the doctor when they kept acting like nothing was wrong... You asked a complete stranger if you could mind his dog when they mentioned they had to work. Or remember how you forced Saria to take a break from her assignments?" Damien gave a weak nod and a sniff. "Let's see... You took extra time off while attending meetings out of town to check in on Riley; and you let a bunch of gangsters crash your party and agree to find you a partner when you finish your term. Then there was the time you told a bedridden Marion stories to keep their mind occupied after their leg injury... Oh, and don't forget how you let a snow elemental give the entire city a snow day, or how you and Reika kept sending each other cute photos of animals...." The assistant paused, peeking down to gauge Damien's reaction. Half-lidded eyes peered up at her. They were puffy and red.

"You think 'ey hate meh?" It was a genuine worry in his intoxicated mind.

"Of course they don't. I promise you they don't." She gently patted him on the head, before carefully pushing him back toward the couch. "You have a whole bunch of friends who think the world of you. That's only the tip of the iceberg, but it's nearly 2am and I really need to sleep." She glanced over her shoulder as Marion poked their head into the room.

"Get some sleep, you numpty."

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“Damien?” William poked his head into the office. This was where to find him.... But instead there was a woman in there already. William stared for a hard three seconds with an expression that was hard to read because of the moustache and hat. 

“... Damien, I know it’s April Fool’s Day but this is utterly ridiculous.”

A letter to open when ✎: you miss me ✰: you’re staring up at the stars, looking for me

//lol I hear ya//

Dark let his shadows loosen their grip on her, but not much.

“You are, and I’m not giving into it for a second!” Damien grins, winking playfully, before returning to his paperwork, glancing up at her from it every few moments.

“Come now Saria. Honestly, If you think I’m going to say anything, you really don’t know me as well as I’d thought.”