[ video -> voice | un: keith ]

[tempredmental]

[The video was brief, kind of like that moment when you activated the camera on your phone and forgot it was in selfie mode. The omni shook and rotated, leaving the viewer with a dizzying array of scenery that was kind of blurry and hard to make out. It was dark, though, like the person broadcasting was in a closed room with no lights on.

As the video shifted, glimpses of a person could be seen. A hand... the fingernails-turned-claws bitten down short as if trying to cover the transformation... a burn scar on the right side of a face... dark, almost black, hair with a purple tint, long-ish, shaggy looking, a thin white streak with a extremely slight violet hue to it near the left temple... pale skin... deep cobalt eyes that looked exhausted with dark tired bruises underneath from lack of sleep...]

Shit-...

[And the video was gone. It was just voice now, Keith's voice, but raspier than usual, worn sounding, loaded with regret and guilt and just... sad.]

I um... [He was hesitant. Unsure.] I wanted to... apologize. [His tone faltered, like he was searching for words, having trouble forming them and getting them out.] I... I did a lot of stuff last month. Just um... Yeah. The Reckoning took care of it.

But... if you still want... you know. Fine. I understand. I won't stop you.

[And then the feed shut off.]

Comments

[shiro2hero]

Okay. Deal. We sneak you in with Cosmo, and you bundle up in your room.

[He's absolutely going to hang out in there though. Or just outside. He's got research he can do. Papers to go over. Easy enough to set up there.]

[Still, he doesn't make any move to get up.]

Let me know when you're ready. Until then, we can just stay here.

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded.]

Okay. [He gave Kosmo a soft pat, and the wolf shifted to look back at the two of them for a moment before standing.] We can go now.

[As much as Keith didn't want to move, he didn't exactly want to stay, either, so maybe just doing it and heading over there now would be better. At least it wouldn't smell as stale and musty as an old barn loft filled with old and somewhat moldy furniture. Keith moved to get up, taking it slow. He was tired and felt a bit unsteady still, but he managed.]

[shiro2hero]

Let's go then, Kosmo.

[He moves to stand when Keith does, shifting to better support him as he stands. Arm around his shoulders.]

[... Hopefully this teleport won't have the side effects it did back in Deerington. The last thing either of them need is turning up naked.]

[tempredmental]

[Thankfully not! They arrive in Keith's room still in their clothing! It was a bit of a stretch, not that the barn was that far from the Mouse House, and Kosmo was quite ready to climb on the bed and curl up for a nap. But he made it!

And, really, Keith wasn't far behind on that idea. Curling up on the bed sounded like the perfect idea.]

[shiro2hero]

[Shiro, for his part, sticks around in the room long enough to make sure Keith gets settled. Then ducks out for a minute.]

[He's back with a water bottle, and a couple extra blankets he dragged from somewhere.]

Here. Want me to lock the door behind me? Or want me to stick around?

[tempredmental]

[Yes, water. That sounded amazing right now. Keith took it immediately and took a long sip. Then, it was time to create that blanket nest because that also sounded amazing right now. Kosmo was quite happy to settle in with the blankets, too, and just be a warm, fuzzy comfort pillow, providing physical contact and pressure to help Keith feel better.

Keith seriously considered the question for a moment, visibly weighing the two options against each other in his head. Making decisions could be hard on a good day, but his head was frazzled, and he was tired. That made it harder.

Eventually, though, he nodded slightly, not looking up at Shiro, yet, but still responding to him.]

I wouldn't mind you staying if you can. [He didn't want Shiro to feel obligated to stay, but just having someone else's presence in the room, someone who understood him and helped him feel safe, would be a comfort right now.] Could we still lock the door, though? [Just Shiro. No one else for a little while longer.]

[shiro2hero]

I can stay.

[An easy answer, that. He can, too. And, once Keith makes his decision, he turns, locking the door. Just like that. No argument, no deliberating. Just to make sure, he sits cross-legged in front of the door, leaning up against it. The only things coming in would have to be paper-thin.]

[... Or his own Omen. Gently manifesting at his side, before the big lioness pads over to the bed. She hops up - lighter than she should be, and settles like a statue at the foot of the bed, golden eyes alert and watchful.]

... She's got your back, too. I'll do some reading, but I'll be right here. Okay?

[tempredmental]

[Keith nodded, taking a deep, but slightly shaky breath. He took another sip from the bottle, smaller this time, before closing it back up so it wouldn't spill. Putting it aside, he then sort of rolled himself up in the blankets, settling in between the two warm fuzzies that now flanked him. Kosmo shifted just enough to rest his head on Keith's side for that extra pressure.]

Thanks... [It was soft and maybe a bit muffled from the blankets, but Keith appreciated Shiro's quiet and easy support right now.]