voice; un: lowell

[vibing]

cw: grief, talk of death, suicidal thoughts, language

[ The feed clicks on to ragged breathing, too close to the Omni ]

Who the hell killed Flynn? Some guy with a light sword. Give me names.

[ Yuri's voice is low and rough, somehow both heated and emotionless. His emotional state has been degrading since Flynn's omen led him to Flynn's corpse. He growls and there's rustling over the Omni ]

If you killed him, be at the Gate at midnight.

Comments

cw: self harm

[vibing]

[ Yuri wants to reject the care in Diluc's gesture, in his words. He doesn't need it. Flynn needs it, he's the one who's dead. Yuri is still alive, he's here, he's fine, he just feels like half his soul was ripped out.

But if there's one thing he's learned in the last year, it's that being alone isn't the best way to do things. Being alone leads him down a dark path, to make poor decisions, to take things into his own hands. He's not going to do that. He's not going to do that, and he won't do that if he's held accountable. If someone is here.

But sitting around, that won't help him either.

He doesn't take Diluc's hand, but he doesn't tell him to leave, either. Instead, he gets up on his own, walking toward the kitchen. His space, really, but there are signs of Flynn here. The dishes are clean and put away, the table is spotless, the napkins are folded. The vegetables Flynn bought for him to use are waiting cheerfully on the counter. It hits him again. He's gone. ]

What is there to handle.

[ He mutters it mostly to himself, but his eyes land on the flowers he and Flynn planted not even two weeks ago. His own is small, a tangle of dark leaves and purple flowers. Flynn's is tall, soaring, with beautiful white lilies. And it's still there. It's still alive, like nothing happened. It's supposed to be connected to Flynn, and Flynn is lying dead in the other room.

His hand curls into a fist and he lets out a yell, smashing it into the wall. Pain sears through him, rocking up his wrist and arm. The wall, made of sturdy bricks is unharmed except for blood now embedded in the brick. Yuri's hand isn't quite so undamaged, his knuckles bloody and busted ]

[searingwing]

[Diluc ventures into the kitchen but doesn't impose on Yuri's space. His eyes sweep the room and settle on the flowers. His arm tingles at the memory of creating his own. But there' not enough to tell him that's what they are.

He undoes the sword belt that keeps his sword strapped to his back and settles it safely down. In time for Yuri to lose it. Smoke pours out of Diluc's chest and drifts down to shape his omen, Dellingr. The wolf-sized dragon spreads wings with scales of red, orange, and gold. Wolf-like ears on the sides of the narrow, arrow-shaped head shift.

Diluc motions to the dragon to go watch the other room as he takes off his coat. Dellingr snorts, trotting into the next room with the click of his claws. As he passes out of the light he looks dark, like smoke. Diluc walks over to join Yuri.]

Whatever is happening to him, you want to be there for him. Correct? Then tell me where your bandages are. I'll set your hand.

[vibing]

Yeah. Uh, bathroom.

[ Yuri waves his other hand to a door under the stairs, keeping his hurt hand close to his chest. The pain is helping, it really is. It gives him something else to focus on.

And Diluc's matter-of-fact way about dealing with this helps, too. It's better than the offers to help him, emotionally, it's better than asking what he can do. He's just doing, just being, and Yuri needs some sense of normalcy right now so he can pretend that Flynn's body isn't in the other room. ]

[searingwing]

[He slips out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. He retrieves what he needs and takes what wasn't there out of his coat on his way back. He lays the articles out on the table then pulls off his coat.

His gloves are tucked into his coat pocket. As he rolls up his sleeves he says,]

Keep it over the sink. ...I don't think either of us can be burned by our blood. [With his sleeves rolled up there are bandages wrapped around his injuries from the arena. He shakes his head and if allowed, gently takes Yuri's hand to set to tending his busted hand. His work is brisk and efficient.

With clear practice involved.]

[vibing]

[ Yuri does as he's told, and doesn't talk the whole time. It's kind of mesmerizing, watching Diluc work. He's quick, and he doesn't hurt Yuri too much, but he isn't too delicate either. Yuri appreciates it.

When it's bandaged up, he moves his fingers as best he can. Pain aches in them, and he's glad for it. ]

Thanks.

...our blood burns?

[searingwing]

[Diluc washes his hands after he's done and puts away the remainder of the supplies. Including what he brought with him. He has spares and Yuri is the one with a busted hand.

As he returns he says,] Yes, at first I wrote it off as relearning control of my vision but, that's not what it is.

[vibing]

Good to know.

[ Yuri sighs and drops down into one of the chairs by the table, leaning on his good arm. Good, something else to think about, even if his thoughts aren't very cohesive right now. They're muddled with pain and grief and he stares at somewhere on the opposite wall ]

Fuck. This place just doesn't stop hitting, huh?

[searingwing]

It doesn't. If it's anything like the dream realm was, this is the first of many. [He drops into another chair at the table and sighs. That's when his calm cracks. He looks worn down and sags in the chair, rubbing his face with one hand. It's all he allows of his mood to show.]

Back there I was told by trusted sources to seek The Snake if I wanted to figure out what was going on. I've been looking but I haven't found anything of merit. Not yet.

[vibing]

[ Good. It makes Yuri feel better to see behind that mask, to see how Diluc's really feeling. It's fine to feel bad. Yuri feels like shit.

He isn't really here to figure out riddles, through, and grimaces ]

The Snake, huh? What the hell does that mean?

[searingwing]

I'd say it's a title. [Diluc sighs and rubs his temples. He can feel a slight headache starting to set in. He's written down everything the Wastes told him. In his mind's eye Mother Superior looms with her chair hitting the wall and fragments of other possible lives fly up like glittering shards of glass. Such...power.]

They might be like Dog Keeper, someone you can trust, or they might be like Mother Superior was, a Pthumerian.

[Diluc stares out the window but can't hide the faint edge of grief in his tone.] And we can't ask for clarification. If he returns, he won't remember.

The other has been dead for years. He won't return.

[vibing]

[ None of this makes any sense to Yuri, and he's too tired to try and figure it out. It sounds like a problem for another day. He shakes his head ]

No clue, man. But I'll keep an ear out, see if I hear anything about a Snake or a dog keeper or something.

So it's just gonna keep happening? We're gonna keep-- keep dying, keep getting our pasts thrown in our faces? Shit.

[searingwing]

[He sets both hands down on the table and there's a moment he stares at it. Diluc's fingers lay flat as he says, truthfully.] I don't know.

I can't tell you if this will mirror Deerington or not. All I can tell you is I'll do what I can to help. However, that help has to be. [He says as he lifts his head to meet his eyes.]

This is the start and where things go from here...we'll find out. I think we can count on both of those but how often is difficult to guess.

[vibing]

...thanks.

[ Yuri holds his gaze, and he means it. He usually doesn't ask people to have his back, but in this place? A place where someone like Flynn could bite it so easily? He needs back up, and he needs someone he can trust.

He thinks he can trust Diluc. He's deciding he can. ]

I'll help, too. However I can.

[searingwing]

I know you will. [He seems to consider something then reaches out to offer his hand. They could shake on it just for their own sake.]

During our match that was good use of ice magic, coating your fist with it.

[It had caught him off guard. Most ice users he has met never put it on their hands. And they aren’t here to ask why.]

[vibing]

[ Yuri hesitates for just a moment, then takes his hand. Yuri's is cold, coldblood cold, fingers thin and strong ]

Uh, yeah. It keeps doing that. Even if I don't mean to.