Naviadna Mingle

[thespaceopera]

Who: Everyone
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: Anywhere on the fleet or in the system
When: The month of June



Welcome to Naviadna! Enjoy the beautiful sights, amazing technology, and all the other wonderful things this system has to offer! Where will you go? What sort of shenanigans will you get up to? How are you dealing with the planet's insistent singing at you?

Have fun!

(( System Info here ))

Comments

iii

[deviances]

[ That meeting sure was intense. And pretty final-sounding. And... everything a last hurrah should be. Really. And that's... great. It is! It's a good thing. It's just... Well, yeah, there is definitely a lot to think about. To put it lightly.

Eithan's been pretending that there isn't anything heavy on his mind, and for just about everyone else on the fleet, his carefree facade totally works. No questions asked, no well-intentioned prying, no nothing. He's grateful for it, he doesn't really think he's ready to talk to just anyone about it. But he's about 99% sure Belth can see right through him. And, honestly, Eithan can tell he's been thinking, too.

Again: there's a lot to think about.

But a trip to the beach should be fun! And for a while, it is. Eithan runs around in the sand, throws himself into the water, sets off explosions like fireworks above the waves just to watch 'em crack. But of course his mind catches up with him, and when his antics become more and more muted, he figures it's probably best to just... sit for a little while.

Belth's gigantic sunglasses make it hard for Eithan to tell if he's paying actual attention to anything or not, so instead of waving at him and then teasing him for being caught up in reading while out on the beach (probably the first sign things aren't completely fine) he just makes his way over, brushes some sand off of his trunks before he sits next to him on the blanket. ]

Hey. ... You're pretty quiet for bein' on a beach trip.

[ Says the pot to the kettle, honestly. ]

[spellsteal]

[Belthazar hasn't brought it up yet because he isn't sure what to say. He isn't sure what to feel. He should be... happy, for the chance to go home. It's something he's been working toward every single goddamn day he's been here, every single unfortunate stint on this so-called reality show. Every planet had a clue, a key, a resource that he could incorporate into his plan.

But now, faced with the actual chance to go home, he's just... listless. He's lost. And that's why, even though he recognized the same hesitation in Eithan that was in himself, he kept quiet.

Maybe today is the day to talk about it. He feels like he's going to burst, something he doesn't realize until Eithan sits beside him-- a warm presence felt as much as heard or seen.]

It's not--

[His voice cracks unexpectedly. He pauses, takes a deep breath. Reaches up and takes the edges of his sunglasses, and pushes them up over his bangs. His glowing gold eyes are red-rimmed as if he's been crying recently, which is... true. His eyes fall back to the journal in his lap.]

It's not fun to burn to a crisp out there. You're ginger, you should know better.

[deviances]

[ Eithan's heart just absolutely sinks. He knew Belth had been quiet, knew that both of them had been stewing in their own worry and uncertainty about the road ahead, but he didn't realize the extent of it.

Yeah. Today should probably be the day to talk about it. No more putting it off.

Eithan wraps an arm around Belth's shoulders, leaves him room to move as close as he wants (or not, if that ends up being the case). He take's a deep breath, and though he tries to keep that smile on his face, it's as muted and clouded as his own mind has been. ]

Yeah, I'll probably pay for it later, 's not important right now. ... You are, though. ... Wanna talk?

[ Because they should. ... But where the hell does it start? ]

[spellsteal]

[Eithan is always so cognizant of the space he invades, but this time, like many times, Belthazar slides right up against him like a perfect puzzle piece. The elf closes the journal and shoves it off his lap even though he'd like something to fidget with in the absence of sleeves. That's fine, because he isn't saying anything at first. He simply turns and buries his face into Eithan's shoulder, thin arms wrapping about his waist.

This is what he wanted.]

I don't know what to do, [he whispers.] I'm afraid to ask what you want to do, because what if what we want to do isn't the same thing?

[deviances]

[ Eithan's other arm finds its way around Belthazar immediately, and he holds him close, like he's afraid of letting him go - which he is, honestly. Eithan doesn't usually "do" fear, for whatevr that's worth. But this? This is... massive. And not something he can just ~instinct~ his way through to some kind of decent solution. And that makes it all the more frightening.

He takes a deep breath, lays a gentle kiss on the top of the elf's head before he answers - quiet and careful. For once in his life. ]

Then we'll talk about it. I know, I know-- it's not like it's that easy. But like... we gotta start somewhere. We can figure it out, yeah?

[ There's no right answer. There's no pretty, perfect solution. But they have to try, don't they? ]

... So, what's the first thing that came to your mind?

[spellsteal]

[Quiet and careful is the way to go. He feels so fragile, like a stray breeze could collapse the house of cards about his soul and send him spiraling. He's only felt this unsure of himself a few times in his life.]

I... I suppose. Then let's t- talk.

[His knuckles turn white against Eithan's back. He's clinging hard. Not painfully so, but like a cat pulled away from its comfy place. There's a pause when Eithan asks that question, a hesitation, and then finally a weight slumping against him in a defeated manner.]

... Alrune. Daugion, and Galen too. They need me...

[He knows his father can handle himself should he choose to stay with Eithan when this is all over. It would be terrible to trade one family for another. But he's an adult, and... to some degree, this is expected. But with siblings, it changes. And Adra isn't the Adra who took him in, not exactly, so going back to his world isn't an option either.]

My world is in the middle of a war, and my father is a talented healer. He's needed on the front lines. With Father's absence, running the estate falls to me. Raising the children... falls to me. They're so young, all I've thought about is finding my way back to them. Every day I've spent here is a day I could have been teaching Daugion arcane spells, or showing Alrune how to bake her mother's favorite fruit tarts, or teaching Galen his letters—

[He chokes on tears because he knows this is the kind of decision he can't budge from.]

I can't leave them like Melchior left me and Caspa. I can't.