[muffled spooky scary skeletons playing in the distance]

[geonomy]

Who: You! Me! Everybody!
Broadcast: idk but we've sure got a pretty broad cast of folks eh, eh
Action: HECK YEAH PLANET MINGLE
When: 10/7 until plot update or recaptcha

It's a deep, deep forest filled to the brim with fungi, mysterious life forms, and pitch black darkness. Explore if you dare and discover all these things and more! Just don't get lost...

Comments

[arcanepower]

[Belth isn't expecting it at all, since Allen is usually very reticent with his physical affection around him. It's probably the orphan thing. He understands. Belth has always known he's understood, though. After the initial moment of surprise, he leans into the hug and curls up against his friend, burying his face in his shirt and clinging quite shamelessly.

He's not wailing, but crying silently isn't necessarily a major improvement.]

[save_the_souls]

[Allen does understand. He knows that losing people you care about when you're so young doesn't make it any easier when you lose people older as well. Each one hurts...and each one you need to take some time to grieve. So he'll hold onto him, letting him have support]

It's okay...go ahead and cry, it's fine.

[arcanepower]

[His shoulders shake with the effort of holding back sobs, but Allen's words encourage him to let it out. It's been a while since he cried like this. Syeira, maybe? But even then, he hadn't let out a single peep.

It isn't just Hiro, it's Tadashi and Ino and Adrasteius too, and soon enough, he's missing home all over again.]

H-he promised. He promised he wouldn't--

[He sucks in a breath.]

-- go where I couldn't go!

[save_the_souls]

I know...I know.

[He knows those kind of promises, and how hard they are to truly keep. He's lived it, many times]

He wouldn't have gone if he had a choice. I'm sure of it.

[arcanepower]

I know... I know that. [A pathetic hiccup.] I just... I...

[It hurts. It hurts so desperately to have his friends ripped away from him. One day, Allen might disappear too. That doesn't make this any easier for sure.]

E-everyone always leaves, and I-- I don't want to be alone anymore.

[save_the_souls]

Yeah...being alone isn't easy, is it.

[He knows that feeling well. The deep pangs of loneliness, that hurt as much as any wound. No one would want that.]

But you're not. There's still people here who care about you.

[arcanepower]

[Belthazar doesn't say anything for a long moment, though his grip tightens on Allen's shirt until his knuckles go white.]

I'm glad you're here, [he whispers.] I-I'm really, really glad you're here.

[He is, even if he's not going to show his face over it-- he's got tears and cherry-red cheeks and probably a runny nose on top of all this, and it's quite embarrassing.]

[save_the_souls]

[Awwwww kid. There's a definite soft smile on his face as he looks down at that crying heap of elf ruining his shirt]

I'm glad you're here too.

[arcanepower]

[No one likes having Belth around... but then again, he does feed the Blue Fish a lot. He hiccups in surprise at the words.]

... Thank you.

[He sniffles and sits up a bit, but before he looks up, he makes sure to scrub his face with his sleeves. He smiles, then-- tearfully, but it's progress.]

S-sorry for crying all over your shirt, Allen. I can wash it.

[save_the_souls]

[It's definitely progress. Allen knows it's probably going to be awhile before Belthazar truly feels better. But...a smile is a good start]

It's fine, Belthazar. I get worse on my shirts all the time.

[arcanepower]

[He doesn't detach himself completely, now that Allen's made it clear he doesn't mind. He curls up against the older boy's side just under his arm. His small size makes it easy to do.]

... You're the only one who gets it. I... don't have to explain certain things to you. Like why I sleep in shifts, or why I don't like to sleep in beds, or... why I eat like it won't be there tomorrow. It upsets people so I try not to draw much attention to it, but it's always there. I can't just pretend those things never happened.

[save_the_souls]

...I know what you mean.

[His shoulders shift a little to make himself more comfortable while Belthazar clings to him. He knows what the kid is talking about. Maybe he doesn't have all the quirks that the kid just listed, but he has a few of them, and his few own unique ones.]

People think you're strange if you don't explain. And if you do explain, they just get upset. You don't win either way.

[It's one of the reasons Allen tries so hard to maintain composure. To look okay. He knows it's often a front. If Crowley, Clay and the Blue Fish crew weren't here? He'd be much more of a mess. He knows it. ]

[arcanepower]

Yes, that's exactly it. I don't like pity-- never have-- and I don't want people to feel bad because of something that happened a long time ago.

[He shakes his head.]

It's easier just... not to think about it.

[save_the_souls]

Yeah. That's what I've found too.

Try not to think about it, and make the most of what you have now.