#“for the record I always trusted you”| HORACEW KNIGHTKLEY YOU ARE MY POISON/VVVPOS

[knightley-gambit]

[ *> Horace moved a pawn, and stole a glance at Simon. ]

[ *> Although it was just a quick glance, it was obvious. There was the Simon from his memories. Something close to the same one from when they were little kids playing around in the orphanage together. Admittedly, horace hadn’t known that Simon’s whole act around him was a facade until just now; it might’ve been a bit stupid of him to not realize sooner, but really there’s only so much you can figure out when the closest thing to seeing your best friend is back and forth chess plays through the mail. ]

[ *> This Simon, sitting across from him wasn’t exactly new, but familiar. He seemed more ‘real’, more comfortable, more ‘himself’. more— Horace was getting off track. ]

[ *> He considered Simon’s question. ]

”maybe..? i’m not sure honestly.”

[ *> He looked down, waiting for Simon to make his move. ]

[ *> It wasn’t that he wanted to leave, Horace was perfectly fine with staying for Simon for the rest of his life if Simon had wanted it. He just wasn’t sure of the limits in him being a spirit to haunt Simon. ]

[ *> Horace chuckled, Simon had become so different in the little amount of time they’d been together tonight. ]

“So you want me to stay?”

[ *> The way Horace said it wasn’t upset, quite the opposite in fact. He was teasing Simon again. The conclusion made obvious by that stupid lopsided smile of his and the way he looked at Simon. ]

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"

[people-can-be-tamed]

Simon glanced over at the chessboard, gaze lingering for a moment before he lowered himself to the floor and crossed his legs. Normally he would bring his knees to his chest, but today he was more open and comfortable, both posture and mind.

His eyes looked at the pieces Horace arranged. This time, his friend had the black pieces. A small difference, but an impactful one. At least, to Simon it was.

Knightley always took the white side. Purity, righteousness and good... those were the associations that Simon had always linked to the white pieces, and perhaps to Horace, too. He’d never really thought about it before- not like this- but with his mind no longer running on adrenaline and paranoia, there was room to notice things he hadn’t before.

The Simon Keyes that sat in front of the board was different, too. He no longer had his warm, dopey smile and closed eyes. Instead, his eyes showed concentration and the rest of his face neutrality. Though more open right now, he still hid the joy he felt as he prepared to play with his best friend again.

"Horace..."

He didn't look up from the chess board.

"After this game," He moved a pawn forward, "Are you going to... leave? Disappear?"

Without missing a beat, he continued, "I just... feel like this is too good to be true. We say our goodbyes and you go away again. I don't want that."

{POST AAI2–BEFORE SIMEONS TRIAL/IN THE HOLDING CELLS [horace’s old cell in specific if you wanna go that way<3] also!! i typed a lot, you don’t need to match me, i wanted to set the scene a bit :] }

[ *> ‘krrshhh..’ ]

[ *> The wooden sound of a few blocks—no, pieces? rolled onto the floor just across the cell. ]

[ *> It sounded like somebody was tampering with something they shouldn’t have been, and had made a mess. ]

[ *> The pieces on the floor rolled around a bit. tumbling around. like somebody were trying to pick them up, yet was failing miserably in their task.. ]

[ *> Simeon was alone in his cell, wasn’t he? He should’ve been, and he was last time he had checked. ]

[ *> Even so, to maybe suggest otherwise, a faint teal glow emanated from the desk just across the cell where the pieces were still being shoved around and away from whatever what disturbing them. ]

— @knightley-gambit [ooooo spooky ghost horace, haunting simeon<33]

[also also, unsure if you got the notif or not but i did reply to that other thread we had going, if you didn’t wanna continue it then thats fine, disregard, i just can’t tell for my life <3]

((I DIDNT GET THE NOTIF MY BAD. AUGH.))

Simon looks up from where he was wallowing, snapping out of his daze.

Truthfully, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all if the situation were not so bizarre. He made no effort to talk to anyone at his new home other than Dogen, and even then he attempted not to embarrass himself by being too vulnerable. Being alone allowed him to process his life after he had been driven by fury, paranoia and mania. He could take things slow- and even then, it seems his heart would start to race once more. Life never truly stopped tormenting him, huh?

He slowly got up, using his experience to tiptoe without a peep. He was a child at the orphanage again, hearing some people talk about their wretched plans. Truthfully, he had never gotten rid of his overly-paranoid habits and he didn't plan to. Not now, especially not now. Everyone was out to get him in one way or another- including whoever this was.

Simon approached. Carefully, slowly, silently, until he could peek and see where this strange light was omitting from.

"...Who's there?"