[Things aren't better. Things are very much not-better, but he's been doing what he can to make them more manageable. He's avoided most people and he's lurked in dark corners to hide himself away. He sticks close with one person he's sworn to protect though and it's for that reason this late in the evening he's coming back from sneaking into the cafeteria with what is clearly enough food for two people.

He had timed it perfectly. He timed it to avoid everyone else.

But that doesn't stop the slide of a door and footsteps coming toward him. He looks up, pinpointing the sound as coming from the unit of Jason and Jack and he lifts an eyebrow as he stops to wait. He's valued this week. He's unafraid. And soon out of the shadows steps Elizabeth...and a broad smirk crosses his lips. It doesn't quite meet his eyes and it twitches more to one side than the other, but he tries.]

Question for you. Did they have condoms in 1912?

[It's much, much better than starting off in the most depressing state of mind right away. A joke, he thinks, to send her away and think he's disgusting. And then he can hide away as planned.]

[There were way, way too many things to process during this trial. It had worn him out both mentally and physically and that would have been enough. It's what happened after the votes were tallied that really ran them all through the ringer.

Who the fuck would have suspected aliens? …well, that's not true. Luke had wondered about what else was on the ship. After finding Todd's body and the blood in the vents, he'd wondered if they were really alone.

Elizabeth hadn't deserved this. Rhys…okay well. That's a subject he's not going to touch but Elizabeth's situation had hit a couple of hot button issues for him. Namely…being bodily possessed and forced to hurt and kill people she considered a friend while not having any control what-so-ever and then her body almost being completely destroyed. So that was fun for the whole family. The alien itself was pretty damn horrifying, too, but he hadn't thought to stick around after it was killed and they were freed from the conference room. Marinette and Jason had seen to Elizabeth to tend her wounds and Luke and Adam had absconded.

Later in the evening though…he sought her out. He had questions to ask, theories to test, but more importantly…he understood. He understood that she was probably freaked the fuck out by what had happened and if he's honest he's a little concerned about her. It's not really his place. They're not close or anything, but she's always been generally kind and cooperative. It's the least he could do. It takes him a little bit to find where she's been moved, but when he turns up he's alone.]

…know you're probably tired of seeing everybody, but got time for one more visit? [He skews his expression into one of vague hopefulness and also concern, but his eyes are studying her closely. The one thing is though he's not afraid of her. Small blessings, maybe.]

[Even if Luke's never said so, he's a fairly perspective person. You have to be if you want to survive where they're from and even moreso in a place like this. Due to this, he's not too surprised that Arumat's taken Kazuma's betrayal harder than most. He doesn't know how close they are or anything, but he can imagine it's a lot the way he felt when Lavi hit betray. That weird feeling where you don't know how to channel how blindsided you are.

So with one last night as a valued player, Luke's wandering around the halls to seek out the space-elf friend toting a bottle of wine in hand that he's confiscated from the trial room again. Dorian had a great tradition going. Even if Arumat won't partake it seems better to have some kind of offering when he shows up at the guy's room.

He even has the audacity to knock on the door to his room with the bottle, waiting patiently.]

Hey, Arumat. Open up. [Luke is apparently not taking no for an answer either.]

[By the time he killed a bottle of wine with a little help from some people, Luke realized he still wasn't entirely feeling better about...everything. Granted, he was also probably a little drunk but whatever, that's besides the point. It's for that reason that he seemingly forgets he could ask the robots to deliver wine and food to his room and he leaves, Backbiter strapped to his back still and not-quite stumbling his way to find a robot to bother. With a new bottle of wine obtained he decides that his room's too far away and makes his way for the viewport instead.

And that's how it became late at night and Luke Castellan's alone in the viewport drinking from a bottle of wine and staring out into space. Even with his abilities nuked a little, and even with his senses slightly impaired, he hears footsteps after a short while and looks up, spotting someone familiar and whistling to get Clover's attention.]

Shouldn't you be in bed? [But he doesn't sound like he cares one way or another. Actually, he sounds pretty happy to see her.]