text; un:mako; with bonus ruby

[arclightning]

Attention Trench:
1. If you need a safe place to go with less pollution, the safehouses are up and running. I put a map here. They have masks to filter the air and most of them have incense.
2. If you have spare incense, the safehouses could use more. Also, non-perishable food.
3. Wear a mask. Seriously. Yes, all the time.
—Mako

4. If you end up encountering any of those weird cultist people. I'm going to teach you my Uncle Qrow's method of escaping an encounter like this. It might not prevent you from getting kidnapped but it'll help you fight them off with weird psych out Mistral violence.

Just chew up one of these mushrooms that I found that makes you foam at the mouth—it'll make them think you have rabies and throw them off their rhythm. Then you grab a telephone book and beat them on the torso with it. Because as any cop will tell you, phonebooks don't leave bruises.
—You're Pal, Ruby Rose

[ Attached at the end of the post is a map with safehouses marked in each district. One is the Raccoon Room, anyone who's volunteered their house will be on there, and several are out in the farmlands beyond Trench itself. One is in the woods.

Edited in a minute later: ]

Don't listen to Ruby. No cop will tell you that. Phonebooks definitely leave bruises.
—Mako

((ooc: both Mako & Ruby will be responding! action prompt in the comments for anyone interested. ))

Comments

[shiro2hero]

Hey. I know.

[He steps back up to Mako, to clasp him on the shoulder. Squeezing. For a moment, his eyes roam Mako's face, seeing... well. Seeing someone who looks all too familiar to the person in the mirror lately.]

I know - but you've got to try and take a victory where you can. Okay, they'll come back.

But you cleared the alley. Got some breathing room. Right?

[arclightning]

Oh, yeah, one alley, mighty war victory. Send in the... trumpet guys.

[ Okay so Mako doesn't actually know a lot about war, and also his own words reach his ears and he grimaces, glancing away to the side. Under Shiro's hand, Mako's skin is much colder than usual. It's like touching a wet bedsheet. He barely notices anymore. ]

I know you're right.

[shiro2hero]

Trumpet guys?

[There's a lot of amusement in that question. Amusement that fades considerably at the contact. He looks down at his hand, then at Mako's face.]

I know it's hard to feel like any progress got made, harder not to take it out on yourself. Just... try, all right? [He chews his lip a moment, before he adds:] Are you okay?

[arclightning]

Fine.

[ Too quick, and accompanied by a sharp tug of Mako's scarf a little more tightly around his neck. He doesn't meet Shiro's eyes, turning on his heel to head out of the alley. ]

Let's go deal with the ones inside.

[shiro2hero]

Mako -

[There's more urgency in his tone now. Because Mako has just used the word. The word Shiro uses constantly when he is, exceptionally not fine.]

[Shiro doesn't lag behind. He catches up, pulling alongside Mako. Determined not to let this lie.]

What's happened? Is everyone okay?

[arclightning]

Shiro—

[ Mako whips around, blue-cheeked and narrow-eyed, as a wisp of smoke curls up from... somewhere. He ignores it. His eyes are burning. ]

I'm fine, everyone's okay, I'm just—I don't like any of this, this month.

[shiro2hero]

Okay.

[He lifts his hands. The gesture both one of "calm down" and reassurance. Okay - I believe you. That everyone's all right, at least. Everyone... besides Mako.]

[Is this how it feels for other people to be talking to him?]

I get that. I don't like it either. I... really don't. [It feels too much like Deerington. With lives in danger every day.] I just want to offer to help. Even if it's just an ear.

[Like Mako had done when they'd arrived here.]

[arclightning]

Shiro, you have enough to worry about. Half the people in this city take your ear and your shoulder, and—

[ And I can't, he doesn't say. He can't be another person to lean on Shiro, he has to be able to do this alone no matter how fractured he feels. ]

[shiro2hero]

- And I'm telling you. If you need it, I don't mind taking more. You'd do the same for me. You have done the same for me.

[When he'd been there. When he'd been crumbling, leaning only on himself.]

I can't force you. Just know I'm here. Okay?

[arclightning]

[ Mako stares at him for a long, quiet moment, his face working while he tries to figure out— He can't just—

Shiro takes on so much. Mako would be the worst kind of person to pile more onto his shoulders, and while normally he would be rational, right now, with his thoughts in a whirl and corruption creeping up unnoticed, now it just seems like an unacceptable thing to do to a man who does so much already.

So he shrugs, looking away. ]

Come on. We need to clear the other safehouses, if you're really looking for a way to be here.

[shiro2hero]

Mako ...

[It's just a shrug. That's all. It's Mako turning away. That's all. There's no reason for it to feel like a physical blow. None whatsoever. Like a slammed door. Mako's name is all that can make it out of Shiro - he's left staring after Mako as if expecting there to be a change.]

[we don't need you anymore]

[No, that's true. That's right. Not enough, right? Deerington, and now Trench, has made that patently clear.]

Yeah. Right behind you.