[ speak of the fucking devil. strohl's over dealing with the suitcase while this is happening, which means when he finally gets the bag off of the poro's leg and checks it, his heart drops almost into his stomach, and his head snaps up.
it looks comical, from a distance - he's holding the poro out at arms length, and the look on his face is almost gutted as he whips his head around to search the crowd of figures. no prince, no glodell (thank fucking god, he almost forgot about that guy), no basilio or heismay, but - ]
[ when she spots him, she nearly drops her phone. she doesn't, just shoves it in her pocket hastily before pulling herself up to her feet and - not scrambling, not really, but there's an urgency to the way she moves, half-running across the airport to get to him and to the stupid little poro he's holding in his hands.
she skids to a stop in front of him, reaching - almost stops before she grabs his arm, and then shaking her head and taking it anyway, holding onto him. ]
Hey - hey, you good? Shit, I thought - never mind, where'd we end up?
[ she looks the same as always, at least. like no time has passed at all. ]
[ he's the same - stumbling, practically, in his attempt to get up, rushing across the dingy carpet in this shitty warehouse, still holding the stupid goat because he didn't even think about putting it down.
the last thing he remembered of vi was that train station - the way out. the promise of a future, and climbing onto the train only to realise that she was gone from his side, that their plan to get vi out failed. her circumstances have been on his mind every time he's laid down to go to sleep at night, a constant thread of guilt and stress underneath the daily worries of the tournament, of will, of everything happening all at once, and now - here she is. here they are.
he drops the poro at his feet (sorry little guy) at the same moment she starts to grab his arm, and ends up grabbing, too, clutching onto her sleeve. ]
You - you're alright. You're here? Vi, I - [ but she's got a point, stumbling through the words. ] I ... no idea, I've not a clue.
[ it's okay, the poro does not mind and still loves him. it hits the ground and bounces a little before settling at his feet.
she gives him a little harried smile, forced, but mostly because she wants to reassure him. he looks upset, and her instinct as always is to soothe, so she takes his arms in both her hands and runs them up and down briefly, head tilted. he can clutch her sleeve, she's fine with that. ]
Yeah, I'm here. [ her usual rough tone softens just a little. ] Never mind the place, we can figure it out. It's probably just another part of the resort or something. You're okay?
[ just another part of the resort does make him frown, nose scrunching briefly with the force of it, but - he squeezes her shoulder when he looses his grip, managing to match a brief, slightly helpless half smile. too many thing to think, to say, too little time.
but then she asks, if he's okay. and that's a question, it's a whole question that sets off an entire other path, and he swallows. ]
...yeah. [ yeah, he's...fine, ish. he scans her face again, mouth pulling tight. ] - How... [ ... ] Things were bad, for you - I should be asking you that question.
What do you mean? [ there's an instinctive movement, the sort of thing she used to do for mylo and claggor and powder, so long ago - she brings a hand up and tucks his hair behind his ear, out of his face. it doesn't register that she's doing it so much, watching him. ]
I just saw you like five minutes ago. Shit's the same, just repackaged.
[ huh??? is the exact mood, because that's all over his face - he looks like he's feeling about fifty emotions at once, mouth flopping open and closed briefly. ]
No, you got on the train, we got off the train, and you were gone, and - the tournament's done, everything's changed, and - it's October, Vi.
[ was
was he really stressed for nothing - well, not nothing, but still. ]
[ maybe someone else would just answer those questions - when vi laughs, though, all that stress and all that worry just compounds and then collapses, and he reaches up to put a hand on his forehead, suddenly feeling somewhere between exhausted and relieved, maybe a little hysterical at his own damn self. all of that freaking out for... nothing? well. maybe not. the fact that they've been reunited in this...whatever this can't actually be that good, but the fact of the matter is that they're reunited.
he exhales out noisily and rubs his temples. ]
... Bloody hell. [ god. GOD!!! ] Alright. Alright then. Sounds like we just have to do it correctly this time, right? Whatever got in the way, we'll have to figure it out. Second chance.
no, it's fine, she's more concerned about him than anything. he just sort of sinks down, relieved like that, and there's something in her that gets twisty and wrung out thinking that he worried that badly. that he didn't just forget, even though it's been months. we'll just figure it out. we'll just make it work this time. like it's easy. like she's not thinking maybe that was the universe telling her she doesn't deserve that.
a beat, and then - she just tugs him closer and hugs him. big, warm, tight hug. ]
it surprises him, at first - hands flexing briefly in the air, startled, but...well, in their short time together, he'd started to get used to vi's easy affection, found himself missing her presence something fierce in the bare moments he had to catch his breath before.
... his hands curl, and he returns the hug with an exhale, half of a laugh, and then returns it full force, clapping his hand against her shoulder. ]
... Bloody good to see you again. [ strohl says, eventually, voice rough - as honest and genuine as it always is. ]
[ she teases, but her voice is a little rough, too. more genuine than she really means for it to be, in her relief that he hasn't changed at all. that he's still around, and that she doesn't have to do all of this alone. she rests a hand on the back of his head and just stays there for a minute. it is. maybe clear that she's a little touchstarved, sorry buddy. ]
[ the tease has him thump his fist against her shoulder - not too hard, but also the most nonverbal shut up you've ever heard. it's another chance to fix everything, to bring vi back, to keep her safe. it wasn't all lost. sometimes - sometimes he gets lucky.
right person, right time. ]
Yeah. [ matching in tone. ] Yeah, me too. [ ... ] Let's get the hell out of here. For real, this time, if you still trust me.
[ she laughs, squeezing him tightly. the thump against her shoulder is so familiar. it feels like home, it feels like seven years ago in a cramped basement under a bar. ]
Yeah, of course I do, stupid. [ of course she still trusts him. don't go changing on her.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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it looks comical, from a distance - he's holding the poro out at arms length, and the look on his face is almost gutted as he whips his head around to search the crowd of figures. no prince, no glodell (thank fucking god, he almost forgot about that guy), no basilio or heismay, but - ]
--- Vi.
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she skids to a stop in front of him, reaching - almost stops before she grabs his arm, and then shaking her head and taking it anyway, holding onto him. ]
Hey - hey, you good? Shit, I thought - never mind, where'd we end up?
[ she looks the same as always, at least. like no time has passed at all. ]
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the last thing he remembered of vi was that train station - the way out. the promise of a future, and climbing onto the train only to realise that she was gone from his side, that their plan to get vi out failed. her circumstances have been on his mind every time he's laid down to go to sleep at night, a constant thread of guilt and stress underneath the daily worries of the tournament, of will, of everything happening all at once, and now - here she is. here they are.
he drops the poro at his feet (sorry little guy) at the same moment she starts to grab his arm, and ends up grabbing, too, clutching onto her sleeve. ]
You - you're alright. You're here? Vi, I - [ but she's got a point, stumbling through the words. ] I ... no idea, I've not a clue.
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she gives him a little harried smile, forced, but mostly because she wants to reassure him. he looks upset, and her instinct as always is to soothe, so she takes his arms in both her hands and runs them up and down briefly, head tilted. he can clutch her sleeve, she's fine with that. ]
Yeah, I'm here. [ her usual rough tone softens just a little. ] Never mind the place, we can figure it out. It's probably just another part of the resort or something. You're okay?
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but then she asks, if he's okay. and that's a question, it's a whole question that sets off an entire other path, and he swallows. ]
...yeah. [ yeah, he's...fine, ish. he scans her face again, mouth pulling tight. ] - How... [ ... ] Things were bad, for you - I should be asking you that question.
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What do you mean? [ there's an instinctive movement, the sort of thing she used to do for mylo and claggor and powder, so long ago - she brings a hand up and tucks his hair behind his ear, out of his face. it doesn't register that she's doing it so much, watching him. ]
I just saw you like five minutes ago. Shit's the same, just repackaged.
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...What? [ five minutes? ] ...Vi, it's been months.
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she stares at him. ]
Huh? [ dumbly. and then: ] No? I just got on the train with you guys and then woke up here.
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No, you got on the train, we got off the train, and you were gone, and - the tournament's done, everything's changed, and - it's October, Vi.
[ was
was he really stressed for nothing - well, not nothing, but still. ]
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so she kind of just - laughs, a bark of a sound, and: ]
It's... [ she trails off, frowning. and then: ] Okay, maybe that happened for you, but it didn't for me.
[ ... ]
Shit, the tournament is done? Did - did your Captain win?
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he exhales out noisily and rubs his temples. ]
... Bloody hell. [ god. GOD!!! ] Alright. Alright then. Sounds like we just have to do it correctly this time, right? Whatever got in the way, we'll have to figure it out. Second chance.
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no, it's fine, she's more concerned about him than anything. he just sort of sinks down, relieved like that, and there's something in her that gets twisty and wrung out thinking that he worried that badly. that he didn't just forget, even though it's been months. we'll just figure it out. we'll just make it work this time. like it's easy. like she's not thinking maybe that was the universe telling her she doesn't deserve that.
a beat, and then - she just tugs him closer and hugs him. big, warm, tight hug. ]
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it surprises him, at first - hands flexing briefly in the air, startled, but...well, in their short time together, he'd started to get used to vi's easy affection, found himself missing her presence something fierce in the bare moments he had to catch his breath before.
... his hands curl, and he returns the hug with an exhale, half of a laugh, and then returns it full force, clapping his hand against her shoulder. ]
... Bloody good to see you again. [ strohl says, eventually, voice rough - as honest and genuine as it always is. ]
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[ she teases, but her voice is a little rough, too. more genuine than she really means for it to be, in her relief that he hasn't changed at all. that he's still around, and that she doesn't have to do all of this alone. she rests a hand on the back of his head and just stays there for a minute. it is. maybe clear that she's a little touchstarved, sorry buddy. ]
Sorry you're here, but also I'm not.
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right person, right time. ]
Yeah. [ matching in tone. ] Yeah, me too. [ ... ] Let's get the hell out of here. For real, this time, if you still trust me.
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Yeah, of course I do, stupid. [ of course she still trusts him. don't go changing on her.
she pulls back finally, hands on his shoulders. ]
You got it. You got me.