driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Mikleo + OTA
Broadcast: Voice
Action: Huntress + Iskaulit
When: Today

( a. huntress )

[This place sure is good at getting you complacent and then slamming the door in your face. Mikleo's having a perfectly normal day, playing post-battle catch-up in his room, when Sorey tracks him down to give him the bad news. After that the rest of the day is a write-off; he just can't find the energy to focus on anything but the gut-wrenching loss. Dezel's gone. More than gone home, but rather...

It's hard to think about it, but there's no avoiding the truth. It's something he's been dreading for a long time now- something that's come up in discussions about Zaveid and Eizen. In just a moment, without warning, it could all be over.

Speaking of Zaveid... when he can bring himself to leave Sorey's side, that's his next stop. It'd feel wrong to do this any way but in person.]

( b. voice )

I'm sorry to be the bearer of more bad news- we've had more than our share recently. For those who knew him, Dezel is no longer with us in the fleet.

...while I can't imagine he'd ask for it, if you're so inclined... offer up a prayer in his name. It's how our kind draws strength.

( c. iskaulit )

[Once the hardest parts are done, he starts doing the busy work, so no one else will have to. Step one is to gather up all the creatures Dezel's collected from various planets - the fish, slugs, and lizards - and carry them over to the Iskaulit. The fish go to his water tank, and for a while he watches them flutter about contentedly in their new home amidst the sea greens. After that, he ventures to Edna's mountain to see if they might find a home in all the nature there, though only with Edna's permission. Finally he spends a few hours in the interfaith center, curled up against the seraph altar, idly spinning about the pinwheel. During his whole Iskaulit visit, he's wearing a quasi-replica of Dezel's hat. It takes him a while to get himself home again.]

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[Mikleo drops to the floor with him, hugging Sorey against his body and petting his hair, his back, doing what little he can to try and soothe the fractured mess in his arms. His chest hurts, and he shoves it aside as best as he can, knowing it's scarcely comparable to what Sorey must be feeling. Dezel was a part of all of them, but Sorey most of all, literally tied to his heart and soul the way they all are. Losing Lailah had been hard, of course, but it hadn't been like this.

It's not as if Dezel will be waiting for them when they go back.

He closes his eyes tightly, burying his face against Sorey's hair. He doesn't want this. He'd never wanted them to feel like this again, ever. This pain, this loss- the familiarity of it makes it worse. All the promises in the world mean nothing at all when they have no power in this place.]

[Sorey clutches at Mikleo's arms, folding his knees beneath him, gathering himself up to steady his breath, fortify his heart and soul. He cannot allow himself to fall apart. Lailah would know what to say; she would know how to acknowledge Dezel's departure with all the respect and sorrow and reverence it deserves while still rekindling hope within them but Lailah isn't here.

It's just him, and Mikleo, and the rest of their family.]

I'll- [Sorey swallows, pulling back to look up into Mikleo's face, eyes red but cheeks dry,] We will get him back. We'll get him back, and we'll bring him home.

[It's faster than he'd expected; that's a good sign, he thinks, and he studies Sorey's expression, searching for tells, for what he might be pushing aside the way he sometimes does. That determination is something he's always loved about Sorey, though, and he likes what he sees in those green eyes. His hands lift, touching either side of Sorey's face, cradling him gently.]

Of course we will. One step at a time- we find them, we find out how they bring people here- how they bring people back. And then we find a way home, all of us.

[Maybe they've grown complacent- their job back home was done, after all, and there's a certain level of comfort to be found here, among friends and family they'd lost, among pieces of history to learn and understand.

And now? Now, they've got a to-do list.]

[Sorey leans into Mikleo's touch a little, but just reaches up to cup his hands in return, pressing them against his cheeks.]

Yeah. Yeah, we will. And we'll bring Eizen back with us too, we- we'll figure it out. [He switches to hold Mikleo's face in return, leaning forward to kiss him quickly before pulling back and sniffing hard.] Mikleo...I'm- I hate to ask you this, but could...could you tell the others? ...I need some time.

[There's a moment of indecision and discomfort, mixed emotions flitting across his face. Bad enough to have to leave Sorey when they're both like this, stricken and grieving, but the thought of facing the others and telling them directly, the thought of announcing Dezel's departure, finalizing it, making it real... it makes his heart twist all over again. A single look into Sorey's eyes tells him all he needs to know, though. Sorey can't do this. It would be cruel and unfair to expect him to.

So after a moment he steels himself, closes his eyes, and nods, leaning in to rest his forehead against Sorey's.]

...Okay. I'll take care of it.

Thank you, [Sorey whispers, thumbs stroking over his cheeks as he touches his forehead to Mikleo's, the cool cut of his circlet against Sorey's skin. He can hear the reluctance in Mikleo's voice clear as day, knows that he's doing this for him. He hates to ask, hates it so much, but he knows Mikleo would be more hurt if he found out later that Sorey pushed himself because he thought Mikleo couldn't handle a favor.]

When you're done...come find me. [I'll be ready then, he doesn't say, but he knows Mikleo can hear, to take care of you.]

[Mikleo offers back a wan smile, recognizing the offer for what it is. He can't help feeling guilty for it, but it comes with no shortage of relief regardless. Much as he'd like to be infallible, he isn't- and never will be, most likely. He needs to grieve this loss as much as anyone.

Not yet, though. Not just yet. He can fall apart at the seams when the job is done.]

You should go lie down before you do anything else, you look like you're about to pass out.

[He probably does look like garbage, which is fitting considering how he feels, but he knows laying down won't do him any good if all he's going to do is mope or stress himself out.]

I wanted to go to the Center and pray for a while, actually. I don't know if he's anywhere he can hear it, but... [Sorey pushes himself up with Mikleo.] I'll lay down after...I promise.

[Mikleo reaches up to fluff down Sorey's hair, a habit and a quiet indulgence; there's nothing wrong with it, it's just hard to let Sorey go just yet. There's something deeply frightening each and every time someone leaves this place, regardless of how close they might be to him, and the Huntress has had a very bad time recently. He hates the thought of turning away and not finding Sorey there when he looks back.]

I'm sure he'll hear it, somehow. He always had a way of hearing us when it mattered, no matter where he was.

That's true. [Sorey tilts his head into Mikleo's hand; he's never been the touchy one between them. He's probably worried about the same thing Sorey is, losing a friend the second you look away. And with nothing but a great long sleep to look forward to...

Sorey lifts his arm.] Promise I'll still be here if you will. [It's a silly thing to promise, but it makes him feel a little better.]

[Mikleo's brows lift, and it doesn't take long for him to raise his arm to bump it against Sorey's, the gesture habitual but greatly appreciated. He lets it linger longer than it usually does before he lets it drop.]

I promise. I'll be here, right where I belong.

[With you.]