Accidental Video

[breakthecurse]

[Poor Tohru's been working incredible amounts of overtime lately.

Aerith vanished not long after Ruby did - and Tohru is sad, of course, and she will always miss them both, but she's barely had any time to grieve. She just launched herself right back into her work, because if she didn't, then who would run the diner?!

She knows without another cook or two that the diner can't possibly survive much longer, but she's barely had a minute to even think about that. For the last several weeks she's practically lived in the diner, and when the diner had moments of slowness she's had her nose in books, trying to teach herself some of the recipes that Ruby had never gotten the chance to. She's doing everything she can, and she's appreciated all of the help she's received, even if all of her offers have been for waiting tables and washing dishes.

Very early this morning, the camera catches Tohru...sleeping. She's sitting in one of the booths with a rag in her hand and her head resting on her arm. It's entirely obvious what happened - she was cleaning up and closing when she just started to nod off, exhausted from her long days. She might have thought that she'd just rest her eyes for just a minute or two, and then just...accidentally fell asleep there for the night.

And that's it. That's the video. Just a small glimpse at how tired she's been. First person to turn up gets to wake her up, everyone else still gets a mortified Tohru who is super embarrassed that the network caught her sleeping that way, oh no!]

Comments

[vid response] h...i...>> (again)

[paper_knight]

[Generally he tries not to bother people caught unawares by the network, but he knows that sort of tired. It draws an impulse response out of him.]

Hey, kiddo.

[video] why hello there

[breakthecurse]

[The communicator buzzing against the table makes Tohru stir a little. And then, all of a sudden she sits up and oh goodness was she asleep just now?! What time is is?!?! Is it morning already? She scrambles and looks at her message and...oh, it's Mr. Meltzer.]

U-Um! Good...good morning!

[She's all pink and embarrassed and a bit disoriented from having just woken up.]

[paper_knight]

Late night?

[Despite the question, his tone is relaxed, without any sense of prying or patronizing.]

[breakthecurse]

M-mm! I guess it must have been!

[She sits up straight, but she looks away from the camera a bit, still mortified by everything.]

I must have dozed off while I was cleaning tables last night. I'm...I'm sorry you had to see that.

[paper_knight]

Not at all.

[If anything, he's sorry for sticking his nose in, if it's upset her so much.]

Is it really busy up there?

[Action]

[lightgunhustler]

[Jo opts to head up to the diner rather than respond over the network, having been feeling in the need for a cup of coffee regardless, though whether she's the first to make it up there remains to be seen. She's frowning when she first pokes her head through the door, curiously peering around the corner.]

Tohru? Are you okay?

[Action]

[breakthecurse]

[Tohru had only just been woken up by a network message not long ago, and she's sitting down at the lunch counter with some toast and juice before she opens the diner more properly, trying to wake up a little more.

The door's still open though, and Tohru turns when she hears someone.]

O-Oh! Good morning, Jo.

[She seems a bit confused, and then she remembers that oh, right, her nap got broadcast to everyone. That confusion shifts abruptly into embarassment, but she tries to laugh it off a little.]

I'm fine! Really, I'm okay. You, um. You must have seen that post, right? I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry anyone or cause anyone trouble. I didn't mean to post it at all...

[Well, obviously not. She was asleep and the mansion clearly just thought it would be funny or something.]

[Action]

[lightgunhustler]

Mornin'. Yeah, I saw it.

[Jo offers her a reserved but still sympathetic smile, heading over to where Tohru is sitting at the counter and hoisting herself up onto the next stool over.]

I think everyone's made an accidental post at some time or another. You've been working pretty hard lately, huh.

[She hadn't needed to see the video to figure that out. Ruby had been gone awhile, and Aerith had vanished sometime after.]

We need to see about getting you some help up here.

[Action]

[breakthecurse]

Mm...it's been a little difficult. Oh, but I'm not complaining! Plenty of people have had it a lot worse than I do!

[Things could be so much worse, and she still has her health and a roof over her head, even if she's a little tired. She's reluctant to complain about anything at all.]

Still, it would be nice to have some more help in the kitchen. I've found a couple of people and really, they're all wonderful...but I'm still the only one who knows how to cook at all.

[She doesn't say it, but it gets exhausting. Everyone's been such a big help, but Tohru's often the only one in the kitchen and working as hard as she can constantly gets a little exhausting.

But she's still happy to have Jo's company!] Oh, would you like any breakfast, or maybe something to drink? [It's pretty much an automatic offer at this point.]

[Action]

[lightgunhustler]

[Tohru, Jo is pretty sure your optimism is going to be the cause of you working yourself to death.]

Have you advertised specifically for cooks? I'm sure someone must be able to.

[She's glad, however, that people are helping in other ways. Every little bit adds up. She shakes her head at the offer, putting a hand up.]

I'm okay. I came to check on you. You know, I spend a lot of time down at the bar, but they don't really need me there twenty-four-seven. Dean and Xander are there, too, and sometimes it's self-serve. I could come and help you out for awhile -- until you get someone more permanent? I'm pretty good in the kitchen. Might even be able to rope in a dedicated vegetable slicer.

video;

[eatsyourscience]

....Wouldn't your room be more comfortable?

[They're not acquainted (yet), but he's not judging. It's more like he's concerned and curious.]

video;

[breakthecurse]

O-Oh! Well, um, yes, it probably would be, wouldn't it?

It was an accident though. I was really tired when I was cleaning the diner last night, and I just, well...yeah. That's what happened.

[She's a little red in the face and horribly embarrassed that she's made people concerned about her.]

video;

[eatsyourscience]

Were you taking care of it by yourself?

video;

[breakthecurse]

Mm-hm! Oh, but I've had some waiters and dishwashers to help me, so I'm not totally alone or anything like that.

[She seems to belatedly realize it sounded a little worrisome. She is alone in the kitchen, but she's been fortunate to have some volunteers, even if none of them know how to cook.]

But, their shifts had ended and I let them go for the night. I only had to clean up a little - I didn't think I was going to fall asleep!

video;

[eatsyourscience]

You still sound overworked. I can come help if you want.

[He doesn't know she needs additional cooks, but he knows how to.

Oh and also:]

I'm Souji.

[action]

[seekingbrother]

[Al is half-surprised to see Tohru like that--she's like his brother that way, over-working himself to the point of exhaustion for the sake of others. Maybe the comparison isn't quite perfect between their personalities and reasons, but it's the only one he can think of as he heads up to the diner to wake Tohru.

Of course, when he comes in he sees that he's not the first to have that idea, and waves with a small smile to her.] Hey. I thought I ought to come and check on you.

[action]

[breakthecurse]

[Tohru's awake when Al turns up, and getting the diner ready for another long day. She doesn't seem to be bothered by it though. She has that same smile she always has, as if she's determined that today is definitely going to be a good day.]

Good morning, Al!

[And then, yet again, she realizes why he might be a little concerned and gets embarrassed.]

O-Oh, um, that's really kind of you! I'm okay though, really! I guess I was just a little tireder than I thought last night! Haha...silly me.

[action]

[seekingbrother]

[Al lets out a small sigh and gives her a knowing look, but doesn't admonish her.] I've certainly found Brother like that a few times in the past, so you're no more silly than he is. You're not sore or anything from sleeping like that, are you?

[He steps forward to help her get things ready--he knows a bit of what goes where, at least.] You still need someone to help in the kitchen, right? I could give it a shot, at least doing the simple things so you can focus on the more complicated dishes.

[action]

[breakthecurse]

No, no! I'm completely fine! I'm not sore at all! But, um. Thank you, for worrying about me.

[She might have been a little sore at first, but it's faded now. Besides, she has too much to do to be sore, and so she will be fine through sheer force of will! Yes!]

Really? You would do that? [She sounds incredibly grateful already.] That's wonderful! I could really use the help around here, and it really means the world to me! So thank you! Thank you so much!

[She's not exactly in a position to say no, after all. She needs the help desperately.]

If there's anything you want to know, tell me right away and I'll do my best to teach you!

[oncefairytale]

[Amy catches the video as she's on her way up for her shift. She's been helping out often and finds it a nice way to forget about what has all been going on and meeting up with the others. She does wish that Tohru would give herself a break one of these days. It's hard without the added help, but the girl deserves it.

She enters the diner to find Tohru already moving about. She walks over to the girl and puts a hand on her shoulder.]

You really should take a day to yourself, you know. You'll burn yourself out working too hard.

[breakthecurse]

[Tohru jumps a little, but she eases when she turns and sees who it is.]

Oh, Amy, good morning!

[But then what she proposed sinks in and she shakes her head.]

I couldn't possibly! It's a nice thought, but who would cook in the diner if I took a day off? I couldn't leave everyone alone with it while I took a day off! That wouldn't be right...

[oncefairytale]

[Amy will eventually convince her to at least take an extended break! And then everyone got bacon and fish fingers and custard for the rest of the day :|a And everyone will be so glad when Tohru returns.]

[text forever]

[hamburellakind]

i think you'd better take a vacation, tohru.
or get some help.
i could make grilled cheese sandwiches forever and ever if that would be at all worth anything to anyone.

[text forever]

[breakthecurse]

That's really kind of you, John!
Don't worry though! I'll be okay! I've been through much harder things before, so this is nothing, really, I promise!

[hamburellakind]

well just because something before seemed harder doesn't make this right now any less hard!
and here you have a lot of people to support you and stuff.
the diner probably won't disappear or anything if you take a day or two off.