<h3>Are You Ok?</h3>
//Music by: Cigarettes After Sex
Game by: <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/jlevstein">Jonathan Levstein</a>//
[[Begin->p1]]
"How are you" you ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")["Today, I'm ok" they [[say.->p2]](stop:)]]
"How are you" they ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[["I'm always good."->p3.good]] you say.(stop:)]]
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[["I'm always fine."->p3.fine]] you say.(stop:)]]
And you are //good//.
You love them. You love them so much. There are good days and bad days and they're always [[worth->p4]] it.
(set: $p3 to "good")
And you are //fine//.
You love them. You love them so much. There are good days and bad days and they're always [[worth->p4]] it.
(set: $p3 to "fine")
"Yeah, today is ok."
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[Good. Today is ok.
Yesterday wasn't. Neither was the day before.
But you understand.
They have days that are good too.
(if: $p3 is "good")[What they go through is [[hard.->p4]]]
(if: $p3 is "fine")[What they go through is [[difficult.->p4]]]
(stop:)]]
{(set: $today to true)}
They nod intensely.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")["Ok, I was bored anyway." you say.
The party was just starting but you didn't care.
You just want them to be [[okay.->p4]]
(stop:)]]
(set: $leave to true)
"No, I just need to go through it."
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You nod. You don't quite understand.
You don't suffer from anything in particular.
But you want to support them as much as possible.
Sometimes that means just letting them go quiet and focusing on [[themselves.->p5]]
(stop:)]]
''You ask them''
//[[Is today ok?->p4.today]]//
//[[Do we need to leave?->p4.leave]]//
//(if: $today is true and $leave is true)[[[Can I help?->p4.help]]]//
"How are you" you ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")["Not good" they [[say.->p6]](stop:)]]
"How are you" they ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[["I'm good."->p6.good]] you say.(stop:)]]
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[["I'm fine."->p6.fine]] you say.(stop:)]]
And you are mostly //good//.
Bad days, good days, it doesn't really matter, so long as you're with them.
Today's a bad day but they're always [[worth->p7]] it.
(set: $p6 to "good")
And you are mostly //fine//.
You smile and wrap an arm around them, pulling them in close.
You'll make it through the bad day.
Today's a bad day but they're always [[worth->p7]] it.
(set: $p6 to "fine")
''You ask them''
//[[Is today ok?->p7.today]]//
//[[Do we need to leave?->p7.leave]]//
(if: $today2 is true and $leave2 is true)[[[//Can I help?//->p7.help]]]
They shrug.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[Silence.
It's the hardest part for you to deal with.
You know they're only silent because it's hard to talk during episodes.
They still love you very much.
You know this.
But the silence is the hardest to deal [[with.->p7]](stop:)]]
(set: $today2 to true)
They tug on your arm sleeve.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")["Oh, yeah. Ok, let's leave" you say.
The party was just starting and you were beginning to enjoy yourself.
But you want them to be [[happy.->p7]]
(stop:)]]
(set: $leave2 to true)
"Maybe you could just talk to me?" they ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You nod. You don't quite understand.
You're not sure why you talking would help.
But you want to support them as much as possible.
Sometimes that means you talk about video games, candy shops and how much you dislike [[Ponyo.->p8]]
(stop:)]]
"How are you" they ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[["I'm ok."->p9]](stop:)]]
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[[["Same old, still doing alright."->p9]](stop:)]]
But you're not.
You don't ask them back because you know about what the answer is going to be.
It's hard to look at them right now.
It's probably a bad day for them, you tell [[yourself.->p10]]
(set: $p6 to "good")(click-replace: "you know")[you're worried]
(click-replace: "for them")[for you]
''You tell them''
[[''"It might rain today."''->p10.today]]
[[''"Let's get going."''->p10.leave]]
(if: $today3 is true and $leave3 is true)[//[[Are you ok?->p10.help]]//]
"Let's just stay inside" you say.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[It's easier to avoid conflict when you don't have anything that can trigger them.
"Ok."
They smile at you as they say it.
You smile back.
(stop:)]]
(set: $today3 to true)
(click-replace: "smile back")[smile [[weakly->p10]]]
"Are you sure you want to leave?" they ask
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You notice that they're not doing great at the party.
But you've seen your friends before and not really enjoying yourself.
"Yeah, it's probably for the best." you resign
"It's ok if you want to stay a bit longer, I'll be ok."
"No, it's fine. I can see them any time." you reply.
They're what's most important.
(stop:)]]
{(set: $leave3 to true)
(click-replace: "you've seen your friends before")[haven't seen your friends in a long time]
(click-replace: "not really enjoying yourself")[you're really enjoying yourself]
(click-replace: "reply")[[[lie->p10]]]}
You don't nod.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You can't even look them in the eye.
And how can you?
It's impossible to admit that you're not having a good moment.
"I think I just need to sort out some thoughts" you say.
They frown and hug you tightly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" they [[ask.->p11]](stop:)]]
{
(click-replace: "good moment")[good day]
(click-replace: "good day")[good week]
}
If there is one single truth, it is this:
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You love them.(stop:)]]
(live: 4s)[(transition: "dissolve")[And how dare you hold your small annoyances higher than theirs.
They go through such a hard time on a daily basis.
You're having difficulty navigating their ups and downs?
Have you even thought about how their conditions hinder even the smallest things?(stop:)]]
(live: 8s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You fuck.
Toughen up.
Stop thinking that you have it [[hard.->p12]](stop:)]]
"Have you ever heard of caregiver burnout?" they ask.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[You pause.
They're looking into you with empathy.
You're not used to it, but it feels comforting.
"I.. uh.. no. Do you think I might-" you choke on the last part.
"Well, I've only heard about it. But it might be something for us to look into? Together." they say.
They step closer [[to you.->p13]]
(stop:)]]
You let them in.
(live: 2s)[(transition: "dissolve")[Your concerns.
Your silly little concerns.
It's nothing compared to what they go though.
And it doesn't matter how you feel.
Because you're the rock.
And how could that ever take a toll on you?
But it does. And that's wrong.
You love them.
And you can work on this on your own.(stop:)]]
(click-replace: "silly little")[very real]
(click-replace: "And it doesn't matter")[And it matters a whole lot]
(click-replace: "And how could that ever take a toll on you?")[And it ends up taking a toll on you.]
(click-replace: "the rock.")[human.]
(click-replace: "And that's wrong.")[And that's ok.]
(click-replace: "love them")[love them and they love you]
(click-replace: "on your own")[[[together->end]]]
//End//
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