[ the way they are both convinced she's going to die tonight
she doesn't drink, just yet. there's a scribbly thought above her head that is like - hungry, why the fuck am i so hungry - before she shifts, trying to get comfortable. this is impossble, because the wound on her back is throbbing, and she's covered in burns, but she's trying. ]
I don't want to sleep anyway.
[ she also doesn't want to think at him. that's weird, and all of her brain problems are so much more apparent when she does that. for a moment, she just focuses on breathing properly. ]
Where... where are we going tonight?
[ for curfew. resigned, almost. like she's not terrified of waking up. ]
[ jesus he's just failing on every single fucking count today huh. he opens his mouth, closes it, jitters a little in place and shakes his head. ]
... Sorry. He - came back, while you were passed out. Must've gotten picked up on one of those trips and dropped back in. Her highness said they tried to travel here the day we did and got sent somewhere strange, so it's not out of the question.
[ thank you. god. this takes his stress level down exactly one tick which is something, and he reaches out to gently steady her hand as she does, expression complicated.
I don't want to lose you again. a thought, brief, skittering across. ]
[ that thought makes her eyes burn. she reaches for him, after she's finished drinking. just, like. she knows she's injured, but please. come here. that's what you can do. ]
[ okay, good. she just. hugs him. she wraps her arms around him and holds onto him like he's a lifeline. it makes her feel safer, like always. the tension in her shoulders comes down just a little bit. ]
M'tired of losing you. [ she says, small and against his shoulder. so like. same big feelings. ]
[ this is fine. he adjusts, a little - shifting to sit back against the pillows, to make space so vi can just lean against him, so he can half pull her into his lap for the sake of closeness, because if that's what she wants, it might settle them both.
his heart lurches. i'm tired of losing you. they've been separated for so long, one way or another; got lucky, to be brought here again, only for this to happen all over. the deja vu is terrifying. and the very thing that motivated vi to finally agree was the chance that she could save his life, and he trusts her to do so, intimately, trusts that she'll have his back like she promised, but they just have to get there first. ]
Yeah. [ softly, barely vocal. he has to take a breath to keep his composure. Tired of grieving. ] ... Yeah, me too.
[ this is exactly what she wants, actually, she just crawls half into his lap and wraps her arms around him. it feels familiar. it feels like sitting on the couch in a basement, falling asleep with three other kids all collapsed on top of her, worn out and sugar-crashed. the room around them shifts slightly, a daydream to provide a little comfort.
she's so tired of grieving, too. she thinks about that happy village, she thinks about the circles under his eyes being gone, she thinks of getting to live and getting to prosper, and how much she finally just really wants to go somewhere that feels like home.
in an exhausted, wet tone: ]
I'll be back soon.
[ if she dies. she swallows hard, and then: ] It won't be as long this time, if...
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she doesn't drink, just yet. there's a scribbly thought above her head that is like - hungry, why the fuck am i so hungry - before she shifts, trying to get comfortable. this is impossble, because the wound on her back is throbbing, and she's covered in burns, but she's trying. ]
I don't want to sleep anyway.
[ she also doesn't want to think at him. that's weird, and all of her brain problems are so much more apparent when she does that. for a moment, she just focuses on breathing properly. ]
Where... where are we going tonight?
[ for curfew. resigned, almost. like she's not terrified of waking up. ]
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but, the mention just has his expression tighten a little, and he glances away, folding his arms across his chest. don't think. just don't. ]
...Back to the lounge. Boothill'll likely be there, too.
[ injured folk all together. ]
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-- Boothill?
[ a panicked pulse of but i thought we're not dead as she looks up at him. her soup brain. she did not register he was here. ]
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... Sorry. He - came back, while you were passed out. Must've gotten picked up on one of those trips and dropped back in. Her highness said they tried to travel here the day we did and got sent somewhere strange, so it's not out of the question.
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Oh. [ ... ] Okay. I.. yeah. I got mail like that too.
[ a beat. ]
Quit apologizing.
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Just need to watch my mouth, as it were.
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REACHES OVER TO TRY AND PUNCH HIS ARM it's lame and she probably misses ]
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Vi. [ EXASPERATED. ]
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[ a little sharply. ]
You're not doing anything wrong.
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I'm not doing anything. [ christ. he makes a gesture at the water again like come on. ] Humour me.
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she'll reach for it and drink it. slowly, with shaky hands, but she does. ]
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I don't want to lose you again. a thought, brief, skittering across. ]
... Tell me what I can do for you.
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M'tired of losing you. [ she says, small and against his shoulder. so like. same big feelings. ]
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his heart lurches. i'm tired of losing you. they've been separated for so long, one way or another; got lucky, to be brought here again, only for this to happen all over. the deja vu is terrifying. and the very thing that motivated vi to finally agree was the chance that she could save his life, and he trusts her to do so, intimately, trusts that she'll have his back like she promised, but they just have to get there first. ]
Yeah. [ softly, barely vocal. he has to take a breath to keep his composure. Tired of grieving. ] ... Yeah, me too.
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she's so tired of grieving, too. she thinks about that happy village, she thinks about the circles under his eyes being gone, she thinks of getting to live and getting to prosper, and how much she finally just really wants to go somewhere that feels like home.
in an exhausted, wet tone: ]
I'll be back soon.
[ if she dies. she swallows hard, and then: ] It won't be as long this time, if...
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[ immediately - it's rough, more exhausted and worn down than angry. ] Please.
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