[Joint Glimpse-Post SA] Hold me closer tiny dancer.
Aug 10, 2021 22:48:39 GMT -8
Riley Sorsa likes this
Post by Lucas Chevalier on Aug 10, 2021 22:48:39 GMT -8
How could life ever be seen through the same lens again after what the three of them witnessed?
Lucas stared up at the ceiling in his living room as if the answers were somehow written there. Except there were no answers to be had; only endless questions that if he was being honest with himself he feared the answer to those questions.
After patching himself up the Fairest took to the streets. He knew he wouldn’t find any answers there either but he couldn’t bring himself to sit at home any longer. Sitting on a couch after traveling through dimensions and literally being at death’s door was too surreal. He needed something to help keep him anchored to reality. His feet knew what he needed even if his mind wasn’t ready to admit it yet.
He found himself standing in front of Riley’s door. He raised his fist to knock on the door just as it swung open. TheGravewight found himself looking at the Bright One who looked like they were getting ready to hit the streets as well. Neither of them needed to say anything at that moment. There was an unspoken agreement that the two of them needed to be with the other because no one else would understand what they went through.
“Is that offer for a drink still good?”
There was a hesitation in the Darkling as they weighed their thoughts. The idea of being alone with a winter courtier gave the Wisp pause, however, after the events of today, with Lucas and Golden Boy...and that thing. It altered their priorities.
"I got a few thangs inside or the bar around the corner?. Ya know what, come in."
The idea of being around normies felt isolating at best. Riley turns and guides Lucas into the condo. It was messy, worse than usual for the Moth, with clutters and piles littering the surfaces. Moving to the kitchen cabinets, Riley pulled a key, unlocking the liquor supplies. They never locked alcohol before.
Pulling some vodka out. Turning to the counter, the Moth began mixing the two of them a cosmo each, silently focused on the task at hand. Breaking the silence of their concentration only as they began to pour.
" You Ah’rite?"
The only thing that stood out to Lucas was the alcohol being locked up. Otherwise, the mess barely registered with him. There was a reason he liked living in the motel; minimal maintenance required.
He kept his thoughts to himself. Tonight wasn't a night to play Freud. Tonight was a night to get wasted in hopes he would actually be able to sleep. He merely nodded his head at the question and accepted whatever alcohol was passed him way.
Several drinks later, the Gravewight finally shared his thoughts. His eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred although he was still able to put together coherent sentences.
"You know. It was never about you. Not really. "Lucas waved a hand in the air before looking at his empty glass with disappointment in his eyes.
"It was...it was about Necropolis. I could hear him that night. Telling me I wasn't worthy of love. Even now...even all this time later I can't escape him or at least the idea of him." He flopped back into the couch as the spinnies kicked in.
"How do we even...how do we even begin to move forward after this? "
The darkling was still nursing their first drink as the conversation rounded to the inescapable dread, and horrors of their past. There was a sudden stab in their gut as Lucas mentioned the fear of not being worthy of love. It wasn't the first time Riley had heard those words, and like the times before, it still hurt to hear. Lucas deserved better.
The spring courtier took a seat on the ground next to the couch, contemplating the reflections, and the old wounds that the events of the day had opened for the Fairest. After a moment RIley shared something they hadn't shared before.
They told him their experience during the Revenant Crisis, or more, their internal experience. How they had reached out in time and fate to try and understand. And what they touched, the mass of anguish, pain, and the horrific sensation of being dragged back from death, stripped of all agency, fueled by the will and want of another.
The words were painful and slow. Saying them out loud was difficult, Riley struggled to keep their words even, the threat of tears hung over the story. The wisp explained how it wasnt an observation, but they felt deeply as if they were one of the dead, torn back for this purpose. Riley knew it not to be true but the reality of that moment was impossible to shake.
“I have that dream, almost nightly in one way or another” They finally admit taking a long breath. Turning their black eyes to Lucas.
“But I still dance everyday, I still laugh and cry, I still party, and I still love. Maybe it seems meaningless in the shadow of whatever...that was. But we could say the same of our keepers. But we are here, we escaped, and that might not have some destined meaning, but we make the meaning of it.”
They fumbled for a moment finding their words. “We are the ones who plant tomorrow for ourselves. It's hard, but that bounty makes what we desire real. That...that's a powerful fuck you to them”
The weight of the past couple of months combined with other memories refused to be ignored any more especially with the lowering of inhibition that came from the alcohol in his system.
Lucas found himself crying with his face in his hands. He cried for all the suffering they had felt earlier in the evening. He cried for Agrippa and Linden. He cried for everyone who had died because of the rippling ephemeral energy in the area. And he cried for Riley and himself.
"You have to keep dancing, Riley. " He lifted his head up long enough to look at the mess in their apartment, over at the locked alcohol cabinet, and then over at them.
"Don't do anything stupid that will stop you from doing all those things, okay? We'll figure out the oath stuff and get it resolved. "
As the Fairest cried, Riley let a few tears slip. They had done so much crying of late it felt like they were dried up. But seeing Lucas in this state drew a few out. They weren't certain how to respond to the tears. Once they would have put their arms around him, held him tight and close. Kissed the salt from his cheeks and told him it would be okay. Once Riley would have been happy to see him cry, to see him in pain, some strange form of justice. But now? What were they to do?
At last Riley laid a hand upon Lucas' back and shoulder. Letting him have the moment, the grief and the exhaustion. They didn't say anything. Once he at last broke the spell of his sorrow by speaking to Riley, the Bright one responded with a soft sad smile.
“I am trying. Trying to keep dancing” it wasn't a promise, they knew better to promise that which they were uncertain about.
“You wanna stay the night? I got some extra blankets” The offer was sincere and earnest. A part of them wanted to talk about the Oath right there and then to explain and pull it all out. But the two Lost were exhausted, and for now. It was a kindness to let that sit unresolved, other matters needed attending to.
By the time Lucas lifted his face from his hands again he felt better. For months he had kept his emotions bottled up inside of him. The immense power of the sorrow he experienced forced all of the emotions to the surface.
When Riley made their offer, there was a moment of inward hesitation. He could still feel the sense of betrayal when he was with them. However, the feeling was considerably dulled by the fear that circled around his mind. The whole experience had shaken him. He knew the nightmares were coming. Riley was a familiar comfort and he needed to get through tonight. If he could wake up tomorrow and see the sun break through the darkness he would be okay in the long run.
"Thank you. "He rubbed his eyes. "Would you...would you stay with me until I fall asleep?
“I can do that” Riley said softly, bringing some folded blankets that rested on the tv. A collection of Dani’s anime sat beneath. Brushing off the blanket they passed it to Lucas before receiving a glass of water.
The Darkling was a nocturnal creature. A habit they had tried to shake, but under stress, they fell back to familiar habits. They sat and watched over Lucas, trying to keep their light dim so as not to keep him awake. They sat watchful upon the grave wright, when the serenity of sleep finally took him.
An absent thought wandered through their mind, seeing a sight they had not seen in nearly two years. Why had Lucas given up on the two of them?
Riley fell asleep just before day break. Curled up in the arms of their large chair.
Lucas looked instantly relieved when the Bright One agreed to stay with him until he slept. He thanked them for getting everything ready for him to crash on the couch and he was openly grateful for the glass of water.
Sleep didn’t come easy and when it did the nightmares came as predicted. He woke up a couple of times during the course of the night as fear gripped both his mind and his heart. When he woke up the first time, he was surprised to see Riley was still there. Knowing he wasn’t alone eased him back into sleep each time he woke up.
Upon waking up and seeing that Riley was asleep, Lucas picked up their glasses and then he washed them in the sink. While he was in the kitchen he made sure the alcohol was put away and the cabinet was locked. Lucas searched the kitchen and surrounding area before finding a small stack of Post It notes once more.
He wrote “Don’t stop dancing” and doodled a cartoonish moth that was twirling with a musical note over its head. The note was placed by the lock on the cabinet. He smiled for a moment, reflecting on his own progress, before he headed out to return home.
Lucas stared up at the ceiling in his living room as if the answers were somehow written there. Except there were no answers to be had; only endless questions that if he was being honest with himself he feared the answer to those questions.
After patching himself up the Fairest took to the streets. He knew he wouldn’t find any answers there either but he couldn’t bring himself to sit at home any longer. Sitting on a couch after traveling through dimensions and literally being at death’s door was too surreal. He needed something to help keep him anchored to reality. His feet knew what he needed even if his mind wasn’t ready to admit it yet.
He found himself standing in front of Riley’s door. He raised his fist to knock on the door just as it swung open. TheGravewight found himself looking at the Bright One who looked like they were getting ready to hit the streets as well. Neither of them needed to say anything at that moment. There was an unspoken agreement that the two of them needed to be with the other because no one else would understand what they went through.
“Is that offer for a drink still good?”
There was a hesitation in the Darkling as they weighed their thoughts. The idea of being alone with a winter courtier gave the Wisp pause, however, after the events of today, with Lucas and Golden Boy...and that thing. It altered their priorities.
"I got a few thangs inside or the bar around the corner?. Ya know what, come in."
The idea of being around normies felt isolating at best. Riley turns and guides Lucas into the condo. It was messy, worse than usual for the Moth, with clutters and piles littering the surfaces. Moving to the kitchen cabinets, Riley pulled a key, unlocking the liquor supplies. They never locked alcohol before.
Pulling some vodka out. Turning to the counter, the Moth began mixing the two of them a cosmo each, silently focused on the task at hand. Breaking the silence of their concentration only as they began to pour.
" You Ah’rite?"
The only thing that stood out to Lucas was the alcohol being locked up. Otherwise, the mess barely registered with him. There was a reason he liked living in the motel; minimal maintenance required.
He kept his thoughts to himself. Tonight wasn't a night to play Freud. Tonight was a night to get wasted in hopes he would actually be able to sleep. He merely nodded his head at the question and accepted whatever alcohol was passed him way.
Several drinks later, the Gravewight finally shared his thoughts. His eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred although he was still able to put together coherent sentences.
"You know. It was never about you. Not really. "Lucas waved a hand in the air before looking at his empty glass with disappointment in his eyes.
"It was...it was about Necropolis. I could hear him that night. Telling me I wasn't worthy of love. Even now...even all this time later I can't escape him or at least the idea of him." He flopped back into the couch as the spinnies kicked in.
"How do we even...how do we even begin to move forward after this? "
The darkling was still nursing their first drink as the conversation rounded to the inescapable dread, and horrors of their past. There was a sudden stab in their gut as Lucas mentioned the fear of not being worthy of love. It wasn't the first time Riley had heard those words, and like the times before, it still hurt to hear. Lucas deserved better.
The spring courtier took a seat on the ground next to the couch, contemplating the reflections, and the old wounds that the events of the day had opened for the Fairest. After a moment RIley shared something they hadn't shared before.
They told him their experience during the Revenant Crisis, or more, their internal experience. How they had reached out in time and fate to try and understand. And what they touched, the mass of anguish, pain, and the horrific sensation of being dragged back from death, stripped of all agency, fueled by the will and want of another.
The words were painful and slow. Saying them out loud was difficult, Riley struggled to keep their words even, the threat of tears hung over the story. The wisp explained how it wasnt an observation, but they felt deeply as if they were one of the dead, torn back for this purpose. Riley knew it not to be true but the reality of that moment was impossible to shake.
“I have that dream, almost nightly in one way or another” They finally admit taking a long breath. Turning their black eyes to Lucas.
“But I still dance everyday, I still laugh and cry, I still party, and I still love. Maybe it seems meaningless in the shadow of whatever...that was. But we could say the same of our keepers. But we are here, we escaped, and that might not have some destined meaning, but we make the meaning of it.”
They fumbled for a moment finding their words. “We are the ones who plant tomorrow for ourselves. It's hard, but that bounty makes what we desire real. That...that's a powerful fuck you to them”
The weight of the past couple of months combined with other memories refused to be ignored any more especially with the lowering of inhibition that came from the alcohol in his system.
Lucas found himself crying with his face in his hands. He cried for all the suffering they had felt earlier in the evening. He cried for Agrippa and Linden. He cried for everyone who had died because of the rippling ephemeral energy in the area. And he cried for Riley and himself.
"You have to keep dancing, Riley. " He lifted his head up long enough to look at the mess in their apartment, over at the locked alcohol cabinet, and then over at them.
"Don't do anything stupid that will stop you from doing all those things, okay? We'll figure out the oath stuff and get it resolved. "
As the Fairest cried, Riley let a few tears slip. They had done so much crying of late it felt like they were dried up. But seeing Lucas in this state drew a few out. They weren't certain how to respond to the tears. Once they would have put their arms around him, held him tight and close. Kissed the salt from his cheeks and told him it would be okay. Once Riley would have been happy to see him cry, to see him in pain, some strange form of justice. But now? What were they to do?
At last Riley laid a hand upon Lucas' back and shoulder. Letting him have the moment, the grief and the exhaustion. They didn't say anything. Once he at last broke the spell of his sorrow by speaking to Riley, the Bright one responded with a soft sad smile.
“I am trying. Trying to keep dancing” it wasn't a promise, they knew better to promise that which they were uncertain about.
“You wanna stay the night? I got some extra blankets” The offer was sincere and earnest. A part of them wanted to talk about the Oath right there and then to explain and pull it all out. But the two Lost were exhausted, and for now. It was a kindness to let that sit unresolved, other matters needed attending to.
By the time Lucas lifted his face from his hands again he felt better. For months he had kept his emotions bottled up inside of him. The immense power of the sorrow he experienced forced all of the emotions to the surface.
When Riley made their offer, there was a moment of inward hesitation. He could still feel the sense of betrayal when he was with them. However, the feeling was considerably dulled by the fear that circled around his mind. The whole experience had shaken him. He knew the nightmares were coming. Riley was a familiar comfort and he needed to get through tonight. If he could wake up tomorrow and see the sun break through the darkness he would be okay in the long run.
"Thank you. "He rubbed his eyes. "Would you...would you stay with me until I fall asleep?
“I can do that” Riley said softly, bringing some folded blankets that rested on the tv. A collection of Dani’s anime sat beneath. Brushing off the blanket they passed it to Lucas before receiving a glass of water.
The Darkling was a nocturnal creature. A habit they had tried to shake, but under stress, they fell back to familiar habits. They sat and watched over Lucas, trying to keep their light dim so as not to keep him awake. They sat watchful upon the grave wright, when the serenity of sleep finally took him.
An absent thought wandered through their mind, seeing a sight they had not seen in nearly two years. Why had Lucas given up on the two of them?
Riley fell asleep just before day break. Curled up in the arms of their large chair.
Lucas looked instantly relieved when the Bright One agreed to stay with him until he slept. He thanked them for getting everything ready for him to crash on the couch and he was openly grateful for the glass of water.
Sleep didn’t come easy and when it did the nightmares came as predicted. He woke up a couple of times during the course of the night as fear gripped both his mind and his heart. When he woke up the first time, he was surprised to see Riley was still there. Knowing he wasn’t alone eased him back into sleep each time he woke up.
Upon waking up and seeing that Riley was asleep, Lucas picked up their glasses and then he washed them in the sink. While he was in the kitchen he made sure the alcohol was put away and the cabinet was locked. Lucas searched the kitchen and surrounding area before finding a small stack of Post It notes once more.
He wrote “Don’t stop dancing” and doodled a cartoonish moth that was twirling with a musical note over its head. The note was placed by the lock on the cabinet. He smiled for a moment, reflecting on his own progress, before he headed out to return home.