[ it took a while, but they managed to suppress the yamadenki through sheer effort. it's like fighting off the shock centipede in the mirror dungeons at the back of the bus, bringing back memories of getting zapped and coiled around in its metallic hold...
but of course, their fight's not yet done. it's never going to be that easy, as far as ishmael is concerned. the rift manifesting underneath the haunted mansion and summoning forth more electrical hybrids felt like the second phase of a fight, and with the flurry of chaos going on around them with this new phenomenon, it can be hard to keep track of every little thing now.
except for one. in her peripheral vision, she sees wriothesley doing his thing, and further behind him is a stray hybrid aiming to jump him. if it gets too close-- ]
Wriothesley!!
[ she sprints towards him, even though it might be too late. still, she wields snagharpoon with a blink of an eye and throws it at the monster, hoping that she can still make it in time before it zaps him. ]
[ Here they are, back at it again at Krispy Kreme.....
Turns out that a) going through the whole song and dance once and b) making a few preparations in the name of sucking it up and getting a few nanobot injections really make fighting giant monsters a lot easier. Not a walk in the park easy but at least he isn't being batted around left and right each time one of the giant lizard things makes a dive at him.
He holds his own well-enough, focus extra sharp after it turns out the kaiju are particularly susceptible to cold. Time for him to pull his weight. But he's only one man, with only one set of eyes and ears, and the gradual wear of time and effort on his concentration means that eventually he's caught unawares.
Ishmael's shout comes a little too late, and he pivots on one foot just in time for a particularly large shock of electricity to beam him in the chest. Fucking ow. Don't mind him as he drops to the ground, convulsions momentarily rippling through his body.
It's fine though! It's fine. Just give him a minute or two to recover. Hopefully there are no other monsters in the immediate vicinity ready to take a bite out of him (there are probably more monsters in the immediate vicinity ready to take a bite out of him. ]
[ is it truly fine? he'd probably insist that he is, but ishmael is not going to take any chances -- especially not after the injuries he'd gotten from the previous attack. her harpoon may not have reached him in time, but it still manages to pierce through the monsters' heads with scarily accurate precision, and ishmael pulls it back with the rope bound to the end of it before rushing to wriothesley's aid. ]
Wriothesley?! [ she kneels beside him, checking his vitals by pressing her ear onto his chest, frantically touching his face and making sure he's still breathing. okay, good. ] Hang on, I need to get you out of here...
[ her mind races. they could be safer if she uses ardor blossom star to fly him out of here, but she'd be risking corrosion much faster since it's a higher-level E.G.O. calling for help might be too late in the midst of all this mayhem. so the only solution left is to--
hm. she should be able to handle it with her own augmentations. and sorry if she's going to be a little rough here, but she will lift wrio up and hoist him onto her shoulders like a bag of potatoes, hightailing it out of here. it won't be easy dodging lizard corpses and other things that are incoming, but the medbay shouldn't be too far from here if she keeps going this way. ]
[ It's fine? He's fine. Nothing a few minutes rest won't fix...which is the crux of the problem here when there are a handful of scattered enemies left that need to be taken care of.
But Ishmael clearly has everything under control as she races towards him and proceeds to....casually toss him over her shoulder? That's new. The whole experience is actually so jarring that he doesn't even have the wherewithal to protest, his eyes widening as his mind races to catch up to what's just happened...by which point they're already halfway to medbay.
He can't really protest her course of action when the alternative would have been to let him lounge around being a liability, but something about bandied about like a sack of potatoes doesn't sit well with him and he's frowning deeply by the time they reach medbay and Ishmael deposits him back down. ]
Was it really necessary to carry me like that?
[ Sometimes a normally reasonable man gets hecked up from hanging out near a rift for too long... ]
[ huh, so he can still talk after taking a hit like that. ishmael would've been impressed if it weren't for her survival instincts kicking in, as she'd requested some of the medical staff to get some medication anyway -- mostly for her growing migraine. she'd placed him on the cot and was ready to leave wriothesley when his question stopped her in her tracks. ]
Can you really afford to be picky in a life-or-death situation? I thought you'd be more sensible than that.
[ her frown mirrors his as she rubs at her temples. she doesn't mean to be snippy, but the headaches and the ensuing chaos outside the medical area are not helping her mood at all. ]
Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm going back out there again as soon as they get back here with meds. Just stay put, okay?
[ When the only part of him he can reliably move is his mouth, what else can he do but talk? Though the tingling all thruoghout his body is starting to subside little by little, and he slowly works on flexing his hands and toes whlie he stares at Ishmael. ]
Shouldn't you also be taking a break?
[ She definitely looks worse for the wear - though who among them doesn't right now - and all that massaging at her temples can't be a good sign. ]
I'm fine. [ she insists through clenched teeth. ] This is... the least of my worries. I've had way worse, and at the very least we actually have medical help this time.
[ there's a version of herself in another world who had to suffer constant headaches just to be able to work the mind-controlled weapons they'd been given her, who had no choice but to endure all that with minimal pain relief. this little migraine? it's nothing compared to that.
unfortunately, it does make her more irate than usual. maybe a little nitpicky. and wrio just so happens to be right here for her to vent her frustrations at, however misaimed they may be. ]
Besides, this pain is nothing compared to the hit you just took. What were you thinking? If I wasn't there to cover your blind spots, you could've...
[ she can't say it. she can only clench her fists at the thought. ]
[ If she won't say it then he will. Not like the topic hasn't occupied a small corner of his brain every since the revelation that people in other worlds can simply die and come back to life again with varying results. It's not as though he has any desire to give up his life in some reckless noble sacrifice, but he's also a realist. Things happen even with the best-laid of plans. ]
I'm well aware of the risks, Ishmael. I think we all are, after last time.
[ So stop harping on him??
He can't remember the last time he's felt this annoyed over such a minor grievance. Maybe it's the adrenaline still running through his veins from the battle beforehand, or maybe it's the nagging fear that if she turns around now and goes out there and something happens, he wouldn't be able to cover her the same way she had for him.
The tingling in his arms worsens briefly as the stiffness and numbness slowly works itself out, though sadly the annoyance in his voice remains lodged right where it is. ]
Whatever pain you're experiencing doesn't have to be serious for it to cause problems later on. Who's going to cover your blind spots if you go back out there now? At least have a plan in mind before you go running back out there.
I do have a plan! You think I'm that stupid to go out there without one?!
[ just... the nerve of it all. normally these things don't rile her up as much anymore, but with various emotions running high couple with the splitting headache she's sporting at the moment, she can't help but snap back before managing to reel herself back in with an intake of breath. ]
Other people can cover for me. I won't corrode out there, if that's what you're thinking.
[ that's not what he's thinking at all, but her harried mind is going to fill out the blanks for them. thanks! ]
I'm already experienced in things like this, Wriothesley. I've been doing this for half my life! Why won't you believe in me now?! If one of us is going to get hurt, it may as well be me.
[ she just panicked, okay. seeing him collapse back there reminded her of less than pleasant things that happened back on the Lake, and now that they're friends, she can't risk it. not anymore. ]
[ He wasn't thinking that but now he definitely is thinking that and the cloud across his face only darkens at the reminder, reminiscent of the murky depths that surround the Fortress of Meropide. ]
I don't—
[ Well, it doesn't really matter what he thinks when he can barely fit a word in edgewise, and then it really doesn't matter what he thinks as soon as she drops that particular bomb. She should be the one to get hurt just because she has more experience? Absolutely not.
His whole body tenses, as though he'd just been slapped, and then he's lurching clumsily to his feet, one hand reaching out to grab her upper arm both for support and to try to squeeze some sense into her.
And maybe also to stop her from pivoting on her heel and leaving when all he can do is stumble behind. ]
Do you really think our lives and well-being can be weighed like that, with one worth more than the other based on some arbitrary measure? Do you think I'd be happy to see you get hurt in my place just because you're used to it, or that any of your other friends here would? [ The edge to his voice, so noticeable now after being sheathed for so long, should probably be enough of an answer. ] I don't want you to go back out there right away because I'm worried about you, not because I think you can't handle yourself.
[ Not that he really made that clear the first time around, RIP. ]
[ she was going to take a step forward to stop him from getting up to his feet, only to be grabbed by the arm and be scolded by him in a tone of voice that she never thought she'd hear from him. every word from him cuts like a cold knife, and all she could do is stand there, shaking slightly as her migraines grow worse. she has her head ducked low, not wanting to meet his icy gaze for once.
he really could've made himself clearer about that from the start, tbh. for a while she's silent, taking a deep breath so that she won't explode of him like she used to do back on the Lake, when everything was spiraling out of her control. ]
...I was worried about you, too. [ she tries to make herself sound steady. ] But I am not planning to sacrifice myself. Nothing good ever comes out of killing yourself for any goal, noble or otherwise. I have to do it because I know I can, and most of the time, I don't have a choice but to do what needs to be done.
[ her grip is tight as she takes his hand from her arm and placing it down, holding him by the wrist. ]
Just seeing you collapse back there... It reminded me of the friends I had lost. And the last thing I want is to sit here and be useless while I'm still capable of moving while they no longer could. [ now she cants her head up to look at him, her eyes pleading. ] You get that, don't you?
[ You get that, don't you she asks, and he falls silent as he stares down at her.
His own experiences are, of course, different from hers. He didn't spend half his life out among the vast horrors of the ocean but rather trapped in a bubble deep within—not that life in the Fortress had really been that much safer. The same risk of hunger and dehydration if he didn't work hard enough, the same risk of losing his life due to a single misstep or just sheer bad luck. The same desire to claw his way towards survival and the assurance of continued breath in his lungs, both for himself and others.
It doesn't make any of this any easier, the concern that gnaws at his heart or the volatility of his emotions that he's not sure how to control or the lingering numbness still present in all his limbs. Reflexively he grabs her other hand, fingers twining through hers. (For support obviously, nothing more.) ]
I know. [ He gets it. ] It's just been a long time since I've felt like this. Unable to do anything.
[ Turns out it still sucks as much as it had the first time! He takes in a deep breath and slowly lets it out, and then drops his forehead down until it's resting on hers. Still for support.....obviously................(?) ]
Be careful. Please. If anything happens you can't handle, get out of there.
[ his circumstances and hers may be different, but they both involved the cruel ocean in some way and how inescapable it can be. not only was ishmael was fighting to stay alive as her mates die by one natural disaster after another, she was also struggling to keep her head afloat with what little air their obsessive captain had given them as everything was dedicated to hunt down the bane of all evils no matter what.
but now, she's able to breathe easy again. well, for the most part. ishmael was expecting him to have the final word before she storms off, not having her hand held like he's desperate not to let go of her. his voice does something rattly and vulnerable and she's immediately enraptured by yet another side of him, as if the impenetrable walls he's worked so hard to put up and enforce has crumbled a fair bit.
and at the end of the day, he just can't resist touching her face again, huh. one day she'd point it out and tease him about it, but right now she's completely speechless as murky green eyes meet piercing blue. she has to say something - anything - to reassure him that she'll come back right as rain, like she somehow does. ]
[ and so, with wriothesley's face so close to hers, it's made so easy. maybe even too easy with how distant he can be despite being so warm and welcome most of the time, but with everyone's emotions running high since the opening of the rift and the splitting headache ishmael's still sporting, she is going to push through the pain by going much further and pressing her lips against his for a kiss.
it's chaste, and it's painfully apparent that ishmael doesn't know what she's doing right now. but at the same time it's so genuine that it probably feels... normal, as if she had every intention of doing this. it lasts longer than your usual short peck too, her lips even lingering over his as she hesitates to pull away and face the music, her own heart thundering louder than whatever the kaiju outside had to offer. ]
[ Ishmael truly living up to her role of pursuer.....except jk, both of them can take turns right now.
It may be a chaste kiss, same as the last time, but somehow it still manages to catch him off-guard, the brief press of her lips against his enough to send a little jolt across his skin (or is that just the lingering effect of being zapped by a giant lizard...?). And yet it only makes sense, the natural next step in closing the distance between them (in more ways than one).
And maybe it only makes sense that the natural next step after this one isn't him pulling back so she can run out to the battlefield a second time, but for him to lean back in again so he can kiss her again—though there's nothing chaste about this second kiss, lips parting and the tip of his tongue slipping out.
Maybe that electric shock really fried up his brain more than he realized. ]
[ she was hoping he'd reciprocate a little, if only for her to save face in case this backfires badly on her. she knows he won't leave her hanging, after all. but what she didn't expect is being pulled in for another kiss, this time with tongue, enough to shortcircuit her entire brain and send sparks down her spine. at least her migraines stopped for the time being? probably a coincidence.
still, it isn't like this is her first time kissing like this and it shows, a soft moan escaping her throat as she parts her own lips for him, eagerly lapping into his mouth while her eyes flutter shut.
she's clearly enjoying herself, and she gets very much into it that she's completely shut everything out of her hazy mind, like the mayhem outside the medical area and the polite coughs of the LILITH staff who have just arrived with their medication. lmao. whoops!! ]
[ When was the last time he let himself indulge in something like this? To let his gut guide him rather than rational thought and careful reason? The part of his mind still hopped up on fatigue and electric shock thinks that he really should start doing this more often—though truthfully there's not much room to think at all right now when Ishmael's meeting him halfway, lips parting easily for him so he can slip his tongue in further.
Like her, he moves on instict, one hand tightening around hers to pull her closer while the other shakes free of her grip to lift and sink deep into her hair, fingers pressing against the back of her head to tilt her face up a little more.
It's really a shame he only gets to enjoy about ten more seconds of this before an extremely loud ahem snaps him back to reality. It only takes a second for him to pull away and also look away, a rare flash of guilt crossing his face. Wow, is that a faint blush too? Incredible. He coughs softly. ]
Sorry.
[ Is that to Ishmael? The poor medbay staff? Who knows. 🧍♂️ ]
[ and just like that, the spell is broken. ishmael's eyes widen as she also looks away from wriothesley and the medics, a even furious blush blooming across her cheeks. what was that all about? no, more importantly, what were she fucking thinking?!
luckily the medics are good sports, sporting amused looks as they start prescribing them their respective medicine. ishmael only had to take a mouthful of painkillers, something that she'll gladly swallow in one go and chase it with a tall glass of water. when asked if she could leave, they say that the amount of painkillers she just imbibed is going to affect her concentration in the battlefield and therefore she is advised to nap it off until further notice.
so basically, she was being dramatic for nothing. fuck.
sighing the longest ishmael sigh, she plops down onto the cot with a pout, refusing to look at him. she wanted to leave because it's embarrassing to stay here with him, so now she has nothing to say and her lips continue to tingle from that electrifying kiss. damn. ]
Ishmael gets her painkillers and he gets a quick check-up and an accompanying dose of painkillers, along with clear instructions to (wowee, what a surprise) also sleep it off.
Somehow this wasn't what he had envisioned would happen—though it's definitely a better outcome than what he had been on the verge of imagining, so maybe it's for the best. Even if the silence that hangs between them now is stiff and heavy.
He follows suit behind her, letting out a long sigh before running his hand through his hair and letting his head fall back so he can stare up at the ceiling. Easier to look at the ceiling than at Ishmael right now. Here he is, a man well over thirty, being reduced to feeling like he's eighteen and clumsy all over again. Ridiculous. ]
You know, if this had been a stage play back home, the entire audience would have left by now. [ What a terrible ending. ] No impassioned confession, no whirlwind romance...not even the tragic death of one of the lead characters.
[ If he makes fun of the situation then they don't have to have a serious talk about it right.... ]
[ she would've been fine with giving him the cold shoulder the entire time, but he just had to run his mouth. is this just some performance to him, then? but for whom?! it's enough to make her turn her head around to glare at him, albeit with a lot less intensity than usual. ]
You would've liked any of those three to happen, wouldn't you?
[ and then she realizes that the first two is too much for her compared to the tragic death that she would've been oh so used to back home, and she bites on her lower lip. sorry to disappoint either way, wriothesley.
and then, after holding her peeved gaze at him, she lets it go with a sigh as she hides her face in her hands in utter defeat. ugh, this sucks. she's not some hormonal schoolgirl anymore, for wings' sake. may as well take the L for this one, now that her migraines are starting to subside. she swallows. ]
I'm sorry. For exploding at you just now. I don't know what came over me up to that point.
[ Damn, so much for lightening the mood. He lets out another sigh, expression dropping back into an unhappy scowl. ]
Actually, I could do without any of them, especially the last one.
[ Didn't they just go over that like five minutes ago?? Whatever.
Whatever anger-adrenaline mix had kept him upright before is quickly draining out of him now, and he shambles back to take a seat on the cot, grimacing as as painful aches start flaring up again. Being zapped by a giant electric lizard? Really not all it's cranked up to be. ]
It's been a long day. I haven't exactly been the perfect example of good behavior myself. [ Considering that he just shoved his tongue into her mouth. ] You should get some rest. Unless you actually want that last thing to happen...?
[ so no romances and confessions... damn...... though his answer does give her some relief. at least they're on the same page on that (for now).
usually ishmael would argue right back, but she's just as emotionally drained and physically exhausted, so she's going to scoot back a little and lie down on the thin mattress, her hair spilling over the cot and touching the floor. that's a no from her, chief. ]
...Don't force yourself to stay up either. You need the rest more than I do.
[ don't deny the OG "there's only one bed trope" this one thing i swear to god ]
Too bad other people are not on the same page about this! Which is to say that Wriothesley is a little less amenable to passing out next to her, tired though he is. Watch as he continues to sit right where he is. ]
Someone else has to make sure this place doesn't burn down in case something goes wrong.
[ No, he's joking, she's definitely right about him needing the rest. Unfortunately he is still thinking about how they were making out less than ten minutes and how it's probably a Bad Idea to sleep next to each other (even platonically) after that. ]
I'll take a nap after you're done. [ It's fine, don't worry about it— ]
[ it's not fine!!! and ishmael is frowning at him again. then again, she does realize that the last time she shared a single bed with someone, they started fooling around and stuff, but wriothesley would never do that to her, right? even if they'd just made out a little while ago. ]
I already gave up in going out there, okay? [ at least for now. ] I just-- I still want you to be comfortable around me, like how I am around you. And I think... what happened earlier was proof of that.
[ if he won't acknowledge it, then she will. fuck you ]
So... please. Let's give it a rest already. [ literally. she closes her eyes and waits, and whether wrio decides to take her up on her offer or not, she passes out like a light. it really has been a long day. ]
[ She's really gonna bring that up immediately, huh.
A look of—exasperation? contrition? passes across his face, a brief stormcloud that's sent scattering as he closes his eyes and lets fatigue set back in again, shoulders sagging down as he props his elbows on his knees and rests his forehead against his hands. ]
I am comfortable around you. More than anyone else here.
[ Most than most people back home too, save for a few exceptions. That's the danger of it all, coupled with the erasure of image he'd built and mantained for himself over the past dozen years. Here, none of that matters. Here, he is no one. It's a second chance to start all over, in a place so much more conducive to experiencing something close to normalcy.
There's a lot he could say. About the blurring lines of their friendship, and his own deep-rooted flaws. A lot he almost says, except the artificial lights in medbay make the tired lines on her face that much more prominent when he finally glances over at her. Instead he says nothing, his sigh drowned out by the creaking of the cot as he pulls his legs up and settles into the space next to her on the cot.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
🍵 wriothesley
but of course, their fight's not yet done. it's never going to be that easy, as far as ishmael is concerned. the rift manifesting underneath the haunted mansion and summoning forth more electrical hybrids felt like the second phase of a fight, and with the flurry of chaos going on around them with this new phenomenon, it can be hard to keep track of every little thing now.
except for one. in her peripheral vision, she sees wriothesley doing his thing, and further behind him is a stray hybrid aiming to jump him. if it gets too close-- ]
Wriothesley!!
[ she sprints towards him, even though it might be too late. still, she wields snagharpoon with a blink of an eye and throws it at the monster, hoping that she can still make it in time before it zaps him. ]
not the tea emoji.....
Turns out that a) going through the whole song and dance once and b) making a few preparations in the name of sucking it up and getting a few nanobot injections really make fighting giant monsters a lot easier. Not a walk in the park easy but at least he isn't being batted around left and right each time one of the giant lizard things makes a dive at him.
He holds his own well-enough, focus extra sharp after it turns out the kaiju are particularly susceptible to cold. Time for him to pull his weight. But he's only one man, with only one set of eyes and ears, and the gradual wear of time and effort on his concentration means that eventually he's caught unawares.
Ishmael's shout comes a little too late, and he pivots on one foot just in time for a particularly large shock of electricity to beam him in the chest. Fucking ow. Don't mind him as he drops to the ground, convulsions momentarily rippling through his body.
It's fine though! It's fine. Just give him a minute or two to recover. Hopefully there are no other monsters in the immediate vicinity ready to take a bite out of him (there are probably more monsters in the immediate vicinity ready to take a bite out of him. ]
🥺 he's tea-rrific what can i say
Wriothesley?! [ she kneels beside him, checking his vitals by pressing her ear onto his chest, frantically touching his face and making sure he's still breathing. okay, good. ] Hang on, I need to get you out of here...
[ her mind races. they could be safer if she uses ardor blossom star to fly him out of here, but she'd be risking corrosion much faster since it's a higher-level E.G.O. calling for help might be too late in the midst of all this mayhem. so the only solution left is to--
hm. she should be able to handle it with her own augmentations. and sorry if she's going to be a little rough here, but she will lift wrio up and hoist him onto her shoulders like a bag of potatoes, hightailing it out of here. it won't be easy dodging lizard corpses and other things that are incoming, but the medbay shouldn't be too far from here if she keeps going this way. ]
that was not whale done of you
But Ishmael clearly has everything under control as she races towards him and proceeds to....casually toss him over her shoulder? That's new. The whole experience is actually so jarring that he doesn't even have the wherewithal to protest, his eyes widening as his mind races to catch up to what's just happened...by which point they're already halfway to medbay.
He can't really protest her course of action when the alternative would have been to let him lounge around being a liability, but something about bandied about like a sack of potatoes doesn't sit well with him and he's frowning deeply by the time they reach medbay and Ishmael deposits him back down. ]
Was it really necessary to carry me like that?
[ Sometimes a normally reasonable man gets hecked up from hanging out near a rift for too long... ]
no subject
Can you really afford to be picky in a life-or-death situation? I thought you'd be more sensible than that.
[ her frown mirrors his as she rubs at her temples. she doesn't mean to be snippy, but the headaches and the ensuing chaos outside the medical area are not helping her mood at all. ]
Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm going back out there again as soon as they get back here with meds. Just stay put, okay?
no subject
Shouldn't you also be taking a break?
[ She definitely looks worse for the wear - though who among them doesn't right now - and all that massaging at her temples can't be a good sign. ]
At least get yourself checked out first.
no subject
[ there's a version of herself in another world who had to suffer constant headaches just to be able to work the mind-controlled weapons they'd been given her, who had no choice but to endure all that with minimal pain relief. this little migraine? it's nothing compared to that.
unfortunately, it does make her more irate than usual. maybe a little nitpicky. and wrio just so happens to be right here for her to vent her frustrations at, however misaimed they may be. ]
Besides, this pain is nothing compared to the hit you just took. What were you thinking? If I wasn't there to cover your blind spots, you could've...
[ she can't say it. she can only clench her fists at the thought. ]
no subject
[ If she won't say it then he will. Not like the topic hasn't occupied a small corner of his brain every since the revelation that people in other worlds can simply die and come back to life again with varying results. It's not as though he has any desire to give up his life in some reckless noble sacrifice, but he's also a realist. Things happen even with the best-laid of plans. ]
I'm well aware of the risks, Ishmael. I think we all are, after last time.
[ So stop harping on him??
He can't remember the last time he's felt this annoyed over such a minor grievance. Maybe it's the adrenaline still running through his veins from the battle beforehand, or maybe it's the nagging fear that if she turns around now and goes out there and something happens, he wouldn't be able to cover her the same way she had for him.
The tingling in his arms worsens briefly as the stiffness and numbness slowly works itself out, though sadly the annoyance in his voice remains lodged right where it is. ]
Whatever pain you're experiencing doesn't have to be serious for it to cause problems later on. Who's going to cover your blind spots if you go back out there now? At least have a plan in mind before you go running back out there.
no subject
[ just... the nerve of it all. normally these things don't rile her up as much anymore, but with various emotions running high couple with the splitting headache she's sporting at the moment, she can't help but snap back before managing to reel herself back in with an intake of breath. ]
Other people can cover for me. I won't corrode out there, if that's what you're thinking.
[ that's not what he's thinking at all, but her harried mind is going to fill out the blanks for them. thanks! ]
I'm already experienced in things like this, Wriothesley. I've been doing this for half my life! Why won't you believe in me now?! If one of us is going to get hurt, it may as well be me.
[ she just panicked, okay. seeing him collapse back there reminded her of less than pleasant things that happened back on the Lake, and now that they're friends, she can't risk it. not anymore. ]
no subject
I don't—
[ Well, it doesn't really matter what he thinks when he can barely fit a word in edgewise, and then it really doesn't matter what he thinks as soon as she drops that particular bomb. She should be the one to get hurt just because she has more experience? Absolutely not.
His whole body tenses, as though he'd just been slapped, and then he's lurching clumsily to his feet, one hand reaching out to grab her upper arm both for support and to try to squeeze some sense into her.
And maybe also to stop her from pivoting on her heel and leaving when all he can do is stumble behind. ]
Do you really think our lives and well-being can be weighed like that, with one worth more than the other based on some arbitrary measure? Do you think I'd be happy to see you get hurt in my place just because you're used to it, or that any of your other friends here would? [ The edge to his voice, so noticeable now after being sheathed for so long, should probably be enough of an answer. ] I don't want you to go back out there right away because I'm worried about you, not because I think you can't handle yourself.
[ Not that he really made that clear the first time around, RIP. ]
no subject
he really could've made himself clearer about that from the start, tbh. for a while she's silent, taking a deep breath so that she won't explode of him like she used to do back on the Lake, when everything was spiraling out of her control. ]
...I was worried about you, too. [ she tries to make herself sound steady. ] But I am not planning to sacrifice myself. Nothing good ever comes out of killing yourself for any goal, noble or otherwise. I have to do it because I know I can, and most of the time, I don't have a choice but to do what needs to be done.
[ her grip is tight as she takes his hand from her arm and placing it down, holding him by the wrist. ]
Just seeing you collapse back there... It reminded me of the friends I had lost. And the last thing I want is to sit here and be useless while I'm still capable of moving while they no longer could. [ now she cants her head up to look at him, her eyes pleading. ] You get that, don't you?
no subject
His own experiences are, of course, different from hers. He didn't spend half his life out among the vast horrors of the ocean but rather trapped in a bubble deep within—not that life in the Fortress had really been that much safer. The same risk of hunger and dehydration if he didn't work hard enough, the same risk of losing his life due to a single misstep or just sheer bad luck. The same desire to claw his way towards survival and the assurance of continued breath in his lungs, both for himself and others.
It doesn't make any of this any easier, the concern that gnaws at his heart or the volatility of his emotions that he's not sure how to control or the lingering numbness still present in all his limbs. Reflexively he grabs her other hand, fingers twining through hers. (For support obviously, nothing more.) ]
I know. [ He gets it. ] It's just been a long time since I've felt like this. Unable to do anything.
[ Turns out it still sucks as much as it had the first time! He takes in a deep breath and slowly lets it out, and then drops his forehead down until it's resting on hers. Still for support.....obviously................(?) ]
Be careful. Please. If anything happens you can't handle, get out of there.
1/2
but now, she's able to breathe easy again. well, for the most part. ishmael was expecting him to have the final word before she storms off, not having her hand held like he's desperate not to let go of her. his voice does something rattly and vulnerable and she's immediately enraptured by yet another side of him, as if the impenetrable walls he's worked so hard to put up and enforce has crumbled a fair bit.
and at the end of the day, he just can't resist touching her face again, huh. one day she'd point it out and tease him about it, but right now she's completely speechless as murky green eyes meet piercing blue. she has to say something - anything - to reassure him that she'll come back right as rain, like she somehow does. ]
sighs
it's chaste, and it's painfully apparent that ishmael doesn't know what she's doing right now. but at the same time it's so genuine that it probably feels... normal, as if she had every intention of doing this. it lasts longer than your usual short peck too, her lips even lingering over his as she hesitates to pull away and face the music, her own heart thundering louder than whatever the kaiju outside had to offer. ]
hehe
It may be a chaste kiss, same as the last time, but somehow it still manages to catch him off-guard, the brief press of her lips against his enough to send a little jolt across his skin (or is that just the lingering effect of being zapped by a giant lizard...?). And yet it only makes sense, the natural next step in closing the distance between them (in more ways than one).
And maybe it only makes sense that the natural next step after this one isn't him pulling back so she can run out to the battlefield a second time, but for him to lean back in again so he can kiss her again—though there's nothing chaste about this second kiss, lips parting and the tip of his tongue slipping out.
Maybe that electric shock really fried up his brain more than he realized. ]
no subject
still, it isn't like this is her first time kissing like this and it shows, a soft moan escaping her throat as she parts her own lips for him, eagerly lapping into his mouth while her eyes flutter shut.
she's clearly enjoying herself, and she gets very much into it that she's completely shut everything out of her hazy mind, like the mayhem outside the medical area and the polite coughs of the LILITH staff who have just arrived with their medication. lmao. whoops!! ]
no subject
Like her, he moves on instict, one hand tightening around hers to pull her closer while the other shakes free of her grip to lift and sink deep into her hair, fingers pressing against the back of her head to tilt her face up a little more.
It's really a shame he only gets to enjoy about ten more seconds of this before an extremely loud ahem snaps him back to reality. It only takes a second for him to pull away and also look away, a rare flash of guilt crossing his face. Wow, is that a faint blush too? Incredible. He coughs softly. ]
Sorry.
[ Is that to Ishmael? The poor medbay staff? Who knows. 🧍♂️ ]
no subject
luckily the medics are good sports, sporting amused looks as they start prescribing them their respective medicine. ishmael only had to take a mouthful of painkillers, something that she'll gladly swallow in one go and chase it with a tall glass of water. when asked if she could leave, they say that the amount of painkillers she just imbibed is going to affect her concentration in the battlefield and therefore she is advised to nap it off until further notice.
so basically, she was being dramatic for nothing. fuck.
sighing the longest ishmael sigh, she plops down onto the cot with a pout, refusing to look at him. she wanted to leave because it's embarrassing to stay here with him, so now she has nothing to say and her lips continue to tingle from that electrifying kiss. damn. ]
no subject
Ishmael gets her painkillers and he gets a quick check-up and an accompanying dose of painkillers, along with clear instructions to (wowee, what a surprise) also sleep it off.
Somehow this wasn't what he had envisioned would happen—though it's definitely a better outcome than what he had been on the verge of imagining, so maybe it's for the best. Even if the silence that hangs between them now is stiff and heavy.
He follows suit behind her, letting out a long sigh before running his hand through his hair and letting his head fall back so he can stare up at the ceiling. Easier to look at the ceiling than at Ishmael right now. Here he is, a man well over thirty, being reduced to feeling like he's eighteen and clumsy all over again. Ridiculous. ]
You know, if this had been a stage play back home, the entire audience would have left by now. [ What a terrible ending. ] No impassioned confession, no whirlwind romance...not even the tragic death of one of the lead characters.
[ If he makes fun of the situation then they don't have to have a serious talk about it right.... ]
no subject
You would've liked any of those three to happen, wouldn't you?
[ and then she realizes that the first two is too much for her compared to the tragic death that she would've been oh so used to back home, and she bites on her lower lip. sorry to disappoint either way, wriothesley.
and then, after holding her peeved gaze at him, she lets it go with a sigh as she hides her face in her hands in utter defeat. ugh, this sucks. she's not some hormonal schoolgirl anymore, for wings' sake. may as well take the L for this one, now that her migraines are starting to subside. she swallows. ]
I'm sorry. For exploding at you just now. I don't know what came over me up to that point.
no subject
Actually, I could do without any of them, especially the last one.
[ Didn't they just go over that like five minutes ago?? Whatever.
Whatever anger-adrenaline mix had kept him upright before is quickly draining out of him now, and he shambles back to take a seat on the cot, grimacing as as painful aches start flaring up again. Being zapped by a giant electric lizard? Really not all it's cranked up to be. ]
It's been a long day. I haven't exactly been the perfect example of good behavior myself. [ Considering that he just shoved his tongue into her mouth. ] You should get some rest. Unless you actually want that last thing to happen...?
[ Please say no. ]
no subject
usually ishmael would argue right back, but she's just as emotionally drained and physically exhausted, so she's going to scoot back a little and lie down on the thin mattress, her hair spilling over the cot and touching the floor. that's a no from her, chief. ]
...Don't force yourself to stay up either. You need the rest more than I do.
[ don't deny the OG "there's only one bed trope" this one thing i swear to god ]
no subject
Too bad other people are not on the same page about this! Which is to say that Wriothesley is a little less amenable to passing out next to her, tired though he is. Watch as he continues to sit right where he is. ]
Someone else has to make sure this place doesn't burn down in case something goes wrong.
[ No, he's joking, she's definitely right about him needing the rest. Unfortunately he is still thinking about how they were making out less than ten minutes and how it's probably a Bad Idea to sleep next to each other (even platonically) after that. ]
I'll take a nap after you're done. [ It's fine, don't worry about it— ]
no subject
[ it's not fine!!! and ishmael is frowning at him again. then again, she does realize that the last time she shared a single bed with someone, they started fooling around and stuff, but wriothesley would never do that to her, right? even if they'd just made out a little while ago. ]
I already gave up in going out there, okay? [ at least for now. ] I just-- I still want you to be comfortable around me, like how I am around you. And I think... what happened earlier was proof of that.
[ if he won't acknowledge it, then she will. fuck you ]
So... please. Let's give it a rest already. [ literally. she closes her eyes and waits, and whether wrio decides to take her up on her offer or not, she passes out like a light. it really has been a long day. ]
no subject
A look of—exasperation? contrition? passes across his face, a brief stormcloud that's sent scattering as he closes his eyes and lets fatigue set back in again, shoulders sagging down as he props his elbows on his knees and rests his forehead against his hands. ]
I am comfortable around you. More than anyone else here.
[ Most than most people back home too, save for a few exceptions. That's the danger of it all, coupled with the erasure of image he'd built and mantained for himself over the past dozen years. Here, none of that matters. Here, he is no one. It's a second chance to start all over, in a place so much more conducive to experiencing something close to normalcy.
There's a lot he could say. About the blurring lines of their friendship, and his own deep-rooted flaws. A lot he almost says, except the artificial lights in medbay make the tired lines on her face that much more prominent when he finally glances over at her. Instead he says nothing, his sigh drowned out by the creaking of the cot as he pulls his legs up and settles into the space next to her on the cot.
She better be happy now. :/ ]