synflux | PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

CONTENT WARNINGS: natural disaster, PTSD, mind-control, psychological trauma, violence, delirium from heat, temporary blindness, hallucinations, dead bodies.

▶ 001. STORM CHASERS.

After weeks of searching for clues on the kaiju and missing people, the desert landscape begins to blend together. Didn’t you pass that cactus earlier today? That rock formation looks exactly like the one you passed the other day. It’s natural to loop back around when conducting a search but doesn’t it feel like everyone has been going in circles more frequently?

The heat isn’t helping either. Temperatures start to rise and continue to rise to all time highs. The sun is unrelenting and the only reliable shelter they have are their campers. Prolonged exposure outside will result in heat exhaustion, dehydration, and delirium.

Warnings will be sent to the Outsiders via their implants to keep them up to date with the weather as well as providing health tips such as reminders to stay hydrated or seek shelter during the hottest parts of the day. They will also receive warnings for sand storms and tornadoes called dust devils. The storms start of short and relatively weak but gradually begin to last longer and become more powerful. Pretty soon, Outsiders will not be able to see ahead from the dense sand and wind.

Outsiders will be told to chase after the storms and if they progress far enough, they will begin to find traces of people. They will find random belongings, articles of clothing, and occasionally, human remains in varying states of decomposition. Eventually, however, they will start to find survivors suffering from extreme fatigue and dehydration. They speak incoherently to themselves and as soon as they regain their strength, they try to run into storms while calling out to things that people can’t see.

Outsiders can wait for emergency caravans to arrive from Vegas to take survivors back to the city or they can take back the survivors themselves and use the opportunity to restock on supplies.

▶ 002. THE STORM CALLS.

The sandstorms increase and grow stronger until eventually, they last entire days. The sands shift, the grounds shake, and something thunderous can be heard in the dust. It becomes harder to see out in the desert and it’s almost like the storms are trying to hide something. At the edge of a storm, sharp eyed Outsiders may catch sight of a great shadowy serpent in the heart of the storm. Messages to their implants will urge them to get closer and investigate but be careful.

The storm grows stronger as they approach and the camper vans may slow down or get stuck in the shifting sands forcing some of them to proceed on foot to make visuals. Eventually, they will get close enough to finally establish clear visuals on their target: A giant sand worm. It’s size is not immediately clear due to the poor visibility and it being partially underground. However, the worm also sees them and when it does, it glows. The light catches on and reflects against the sand particles and that’s when it hits some of the Outsiders: A sudden splitting headache followed by an inability to look away.

Some outsiders may suddenly find themselves entranced by the worm; hypnotized. They will begin to see mirages and hear voices calling out to them in the storm. Captivated Outsiders will find themselves wanting to run into the storm to chase after the phantoms, some of them images and figures of people from their past and present back home. If anyone attempts to stop them, they will become irrational, violent, and turn on their friends and allies. Some Outsiders may begin to view their allies as enemies and attack, turning on one another in a gruesome frenzy. Some of the hypnotic beams will effect those still in their campers, turning on their friends and other Outsiders.

Outsiders will have to restrain each other to keep them from running into the desert or harming each other. In the chaos, the worm disappears into the storm. The psychic effects of the monster will weaken after the worm disappears and the storm dies down but it may leave some characters feeling overwhelmed and confused in the aftermath. Some will remain in an erratic state for several days, occasionally acting normal. In the insanity of all of this, Outsiders may have picked up another Outsider into their camper van for their protection or camper parties remain shuffled. It's up to the ones unaffected by the psychic attacks to watch over the others while retreating from the desert.

▶ 003. CITY OF DREAMS.

Following the disaster of the first sighting, LILITH will order characters to return to Vegas so they can assess what happened. En route to Vegas, some Outsiders may notice some side effects from the prolonged exposure to the sandstorm. They may experience shortness of breath and coughing as a result of breathing in so much dust. Furthermore, they may experience a splitting headache or pain behind their eyes. Their implants may lag, glitch, or go completely offline which will render them temporarily blind in one or both eyes. It seems that the fine sand and dust combined with whatever psychic damage the worm did may have messed with their implants and crossed some sensors which is all the more reason to return to Vegas for treatment.

Outsiders may become lethargic and experience vivid daydreams while they are awake or regular dreams while sleeping. In these dreams, they may relive memories. Some of these memories may be pleasant but others may be traumatic or things characters would rather keep secret. Unfortunately, being in close proximity to someone suffering from these effects will force a link through a glitch in their implants and drag other characters into the dream.

These links will function similarly to how simulation training works. The dreams they visit appear to be very realistic and characters can experience pain and be hurt within the memory. They will be able to interact with the memories. While in these memories, they can try to wake up the memory holder to bring them back to reality. Who knows, maybe helping each other understand what is real and a dream may even make them more resilient to the worm’s attacks the next time they go into the desert...

▶ 004. REST & RECOVERY

As characters recover from the psychic effects and implant glitches, LILITH will try to assess everyone’s biometrics to understand what happened. Characters who need therapy or counseling after reliving some horrible memories of theirs will be provided sessions via their implants. They now understand that the worm has some sort of psychic mind control power that it can use on victims. It is currently too dangerous to go back into the desert until they can come up with a proper defense against it.

Outsiders will be ordered to stay in Vegas and focus on recovery, given two queen side bed hotel rooms again OR if they would prefer to stay in the camper vans, that is also fine, with their same room mates or new ones. They are confident that they can fix the implants with the right upgrade but they aren’t sure what to do to stop people from following the call of the desert and making them act erratically. What is important is that LILITH sticks together.

In the meantime, those who have recovered, and even those who are experiencing these issues are ordered to remain close to one another; a buddy system of sorts. Each Outsider will be given designated groups to keep tight watch over one another while in Vegas. They will be responsible for physically checking on those in their groups and making sure one another’s whereabouts are properly tracked in order to avoid losing anyone to the desert.

LILITH encourages Outsiders to hang tight and wait for instructions before adventuring back out into the desert.

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

In light of the results of the scheduling poll, here is our first event with a preview of the kaiju. All side effects from either the sandstorms or the worm kaiju can last for as short or as long as players would like.

For the daydreams/memory share, players can decide how they would like characters to experience the memories, whether it plays out in front of them like a movie or if they're reliving it by acting out the scene all over again or a mix of both. We encourage you guys to have fun with it and use whatever format feels most comfortable.

As always, feel free to leave questions under the QUESTIONS thread. All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards June AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. STORM CHASERS: Outsiders, still in the now expanded Mojave Desert, face problems with heat and sandstorms, resulting in dehydration and delirium. Still, LILITH encourages them to press onward in their camper vans and desert approved attire. Many dead bodies are found, but those that survive, Outsiders can keep an eye on survivors until emergency care can come pick them up.

2. STORM CALLS: A glimpse of the creature causing the problems is seen beneath the sands surface: a giant sandworm. It attacks LILITH recruits with psychological damage, causing Outsiders to hallucinate memories of their past, act erratic and violent and turn on LILITH crew. Outsiders are tasked to wrangle in one another and retreat back to Las Vegas to recover.

3. CITY OF DREAMS: Seeking refuge back in Las Vegas, character's implants go haywire from the psychic attacks, causing a memory share between characters that are close enough to one another.

4. REST & RECOVERY: Outsiders are placed in hotels again, or if they prefer to stay in the camper vans. They are tasked to keep an eye out on one another and sit tight for further instructions while LILITH assesses their data and next move to wrangle in the sandworm. Outsiders are to wait until given instructions.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He exhales sharply, amusement bubbling in his chest and colouring his words with fondness as he replies almost immediately. ]

Only you would think being held at gunpoint and forcing me to fire thrice is a pleasant memory, damn gambler.

[ Then he falls silent. There are certain memories that Aventurine does not want him to see. It is not because he considers them private. Then it is because he is afraid of how it will affect the scholar. Is he trying to protect him from the gruesome scenes of his past?

No, that is not quite correct. Aventurine knows he does not need coddling. But it must be those scenes he does not want Ratio to see. Not for the gore and violence, then, but because... ]

You are afraid my opinion of you will change.

Edited 2024-06-02 16:47 (UTC)

( That fondness does something to him, his miserable expression twisting up into one that matches the tone in Ratio's voice. He lived, didn't he? He lived and had made his luck clear, and what he was willing to risk for the sake of a win. It was vital to their partnership, and not once has Aventurine regretted it. )

But you can't argue that it didn't make an impression.

( Sometimes Aventurine wishes Ratio wasn't so smart, so perceptive, as he is. An empty wish, because he wouldn't be so endeared to the other man if he wasn't. Doctor Veritas Ratio is a genius, even without being acknowledged by Nous, and he's capable of going toe to toe with Aventurine in whatever scheme or rhetoric he wants to throw at the other man. But it does mean that sometimes he feels as if he's an open book for him.

Aventurine's silence is enough of a confirmation than anything he could say. He doesn't want Ratio's pity, and he doesn't want Ratio's hate. He wants--

He wants Ratio's acceptance and love.

Oh fuck. )

[ Aventurine doesn't have many allies in the world. Not even the other Stonehearts, he knows. The Sigonian keeps them all at a distance—because they are IPC. Because the IPC allowed his people to fall into ruin. Because he is owned by the IPC, and not working for them by choice. Because he is always one step from falling into a bottomless abyss, a gamble he plays between life and death, betting his life every time, because it is the most powerful chip in his hands.

Even Ratio, the solitary man that he is, belonging not among the mediocres, but neither able to count himself as a true Genius, cannot begin to fathom how lonely it must be, to feel as if the whole universe is against you, wishing for your unsightly, gruesome downfall. How painful it must be that even the man himself wishes for it.

Ratio, then, might be the only person in all of the cosmos he considers more than just a chip, and more than just an acquaintance. A singular thread keeping him from letting go and throwing it all away. The one hand leading him away from the numbness of Nihility, and the freedom of death.

How terribly heartbreaking, that he believes maintaining his friendship with Ratio is a gamble he won't win.

Ratio sighs, placing a hand on the door, leaning in, as if to reach out to Aventurine. ]

My dear gambler, what is it that you think you're hiding that I have not already surmised you've experienced? I would never pity you. Your strength and resilience is born out of the experiences of your past. That you are still here [ with me ] is a feat worthy of the admiration and respect I hold for you.

Nor would I hate you, for what you have done up until now to survive. You know just as well as I that my hands are not clean. They will never be clean, even if I were to save thrice the lives I extinguished. Every life is priceless—and by my hand, they have been reduced to nothing. How could I castigate you when I bear the same sin?

[ I am here for you. Let me carry your burdens in your stead. You have nothing to fear from me. Let me be your refuge. ]

Place your trust in me.

[ You are not alone. ]

( "Do you trust me?" "That depends on you."

Trusting people is dangerous in his line of work. Aventurine expects a knife in his back as a constant, present possibility. He's made plans and schemes that hinge upon it, some poor fellow who thought that they'd be the ones to slip a knife through his ribs and rid the universe of the Avgin for good only to find that it's been Aventurine who held the winning hand. And just as sure as he is that no one would hesitate to sell him out, Aventurine would do the same to whoever he needed to in order to get what he wanted. It was a price he was willing to pay for the end goal, the greatest, biggest gamble he'd spent every moment since he was eight working towards.

But that's not it, is it? Oh, it's a large part, but the more Ratio talks the more Aventurine wants to ball up his hands and beat against Ratio's chest while trying to drive home that the person to which he's extending such unbearable kindness to, the person he thinks Aventurine is, past the blood and the horror, that person doesn't exist anymore. )

Ratio--

( Aventurine is silent for a long moment, before the door clicks open to reveal the Stoneheart. He feels small, almost as small as his statue truly is, one arm wrapped around his middle, hand clutching his arm in a desperate grip. He can't bear to look at Ratio just yet, especially not with the way his eyes are wet with unshed tears. )

You'll find I'm out of practice at it. Rather notoriously bad at both sides of the equation, as it were -- I don't trust people. People don't trust me. And for good reason.

( He's started talking, now, and can't quite begin to stop. )

There's nothing left, once you get past Aventurine. Just a-- ( loser, pathetic, worthless, one step from failure, a doomed thrall to the IPC who will gladly toss him to the wolves the moment he stops making their investment worthwhile-- ) shell. And the moment you see that you'll...

( He shakes, but the movement is nearly invisible, though the swallow around what feels like a stellaron, suddenly lodged in his throat is less so. )

Leave. It's only a matter of time. I just... wanted it to be longer.

[ Ratio isn't exactly sure what to expect when the door opens, but seeing Aventurine shrunken in on himself, clutching his own arm, faintly trembling; he looks far, far too small, and Ratio realizes—this is the man behind Aventurine of Stratagems. This is the boy that should have died in the sands of a broken planet all those years ago, and was instead left with a sea of blood that has eternally painted his soul and seeps out of him every time he takes a step forward, leaving bloody footprints in his wake.

This is the boy who is still trying to protect himself, because he is too afraid of losing everything once again. Who can't trust Ratio, because he can't even trust that he still exists under the layers and layers of finery he's donned upon himself, putting on a mask of glittering teal gems, because that was the only way he could survive; the only way he could accomplish the one thing he's set out to do ever since the world fell out from under him and nothing but a black abyss was there to catch him.

Ratio's heart twists, and unbidden, he finds himself raising a hand to cup the Sigonian's cheek, stepping closer to narrow the gap between them. Gently, he tilts the man's head up so that he's looking at the scholar. Those eyes, vibrant as the dawn, and shimmering with unshed tears, drive another spike through his heart, and he thinks oh-so foolishly; right now, he would give him his heart, his soul, everything—even the part of him that is the genius, that he had supposedly given to humanity years ago, if it would mean that this man would have somewhere he could call home—a place where he can bask in the warmth of someone's love and rest his feet when he is too tired to keep walking.

He runs his thumb under an eye, collecting the tears that have yet to be shed. In a low murmur: ]

Then, as a teacher, I suppose I shall have to teach you how to understand this equation, as well as show you the value that can still be found in this so-called 'shell'. I understand that this may be a subject that you will struggle to comprehend, so our lessons will continue indefinitely, until you receive a passing mark from me.

[ He leans down slightly, leaving only an inch of space between their faces. His eyes never leave those beautiful dawn tones. ]

Allow me to correct your first error. There is someone who has given you their complete and unconditional trust, and they would like you to know that you will have to try much harder to get rid of them.

[ He waits only a moment for a sign of refusal, anything that might indicate discomfort, before he closes the gap. ]

Edited 2024-06-03 05:04 (UTC)

( At the brush of a hand on his cheek, Aventurine freezes, his eyes snapping to Ratio's --

There is no refusal in Aventurine's eyes, the curve of his mouth and the set of his brow. Just a surprised sound in his throat as his eyes drift shut and he tries to focus on this -- Ratio's lips against his and the warmth building in his chest. It's all he wants to think about, though the doctor's words run through his mind regardless. Tears leak out the corner of his eyes, no matter how gentle Ratio might have been to brush them away, yet they don't make him feel shame, or wish to curl in on himself the way he used to as a child. Instead, now, they're falling with something like joy behind them.

Relief. That he can reach out and touch Doctor Veritas Ratio, sliding an arm around his neck and fisting one hand in his shirt, over his heart to keep him there. It's not a chaste kiss, Aventurine feels too strongly about kissing Ratio for it to be, but he doesn't deepen it. Not yet. Instead he allows himself to enjoy this, to enjoy kissing the man that he loves.

Even if he can't voice that yet, the words sticking in his throat. )

Veritas--

( He's right, of course. It is something he struggles to comprehend, and no matter how badly he wants the simple press of Ratio's lips against his to send the thoughts that claw at him into the darkness, it is only a temporary banishment. But he'll keep doing it. He says he will, and Aventurine--

He'll trust him. )

It won't be easy. ( He finally says, breath ghosting across Ratio's lips because Aventurine isn't pulling any further back than he needs to. As if Veritas doesn't know that already. Out of everyone he's ever worked with, spent time around -- his doctor has seen far more of him than anyone else. And now? He's seen it all. ) Don't worry, doc, I won't hold it against you if you ever decide you can't.

( It would be the worst thing he could do in repayment of this kindness, his affection. So if Ratio wants to leave, if he ever decides that Aventurine is too difficult, too much, or not enough as he hoped he might be -- he can, and Aventurine will let him go without complaint. )

[ Something unknots in his chest when Aventurine reciprocates, and his free arm circles around the gambler's back, pulling him even closer, into an intimate embrace. He had intended to be chaste, meaning only to comfort the hurting man before him, but Aventurine's ardor draws him in. He can feel the tears running down the hand on the smaller man's cheek and continues to run his thumb along Aventurine's cheek, wiping them away as best he can.

It is pleasant, to hear Aventurine speak his name. Maybe a little too pleasant, as a flash of heat passes through him. When was the last time he was addressed solely by his forename? He can feel the other man's breath dancing on his lips, and oh, when had he closed his eyes? He opens them and focuses on those dawn-hued pools, which have become even more beautiful with the affection sparkling in them.

Ratio smiles, soft and sweet, and tightens his grip around the man's waist, a tinge of possessiveness inherent in the gesture. ]

I fear it is you who will be begging to leave soon enough. I am a harsh teacher, and I will not relent until you understand.

[ He leans in for a kiss, and gently nips at Aventurine's bottom lip before parting for a moment to speak once more, voice low and heated. ]

In this subject, I will not tolerate my student failing.

Edited 2024-06-03 08:17 (UTC)

( Perhaps, if Ratio was any other man, Aventurine would find his possessiveness off-putting. Instead the tightening of his arm, the press of his chest against Ratio's -- Aventurine welcomes it. He might not believe he deserves it, that Ratio won't take one look at him one day and decide that the time and effort he's spent on Aventurine isn't worth it, but Ratio is right. There has never been a moment where he hasn't proven worthy of Aventurine's trust.

So he will do it again. )

Begging, Veritas? ( A brow raises, and for the first time Aventurine allows himself to cup Ratio's face in his hands, his fingertips soft -- as if all the blood and dirty work Aventurine has done has left no mark on him save the scars across his back. But he is eager to map out the planes of Veritas' face, the sharp curve of his nose and the high rise of his cheekbones. His fingers smear the lines red beneath his eyes, his own eyes practically glowing with the affection that bubbles up in his chest. ) Why, Doctor, I didn't think you had it in you.

( Now that the deck has been shuffled, the cards redealt -- Aventurine feels more on solid ground, better suited to gamble with his good doctor. Given the way that he holds him, the nipping of his lip that pulls a welcome gasp from Aventurine. He wishes, offhandedly, that he could give Ratio everything all at once. But the memory of Penacony is too pressing, the desert and the worm too consuming.

Perhaps, once everything has settled, if they're allowed to come back to Vegas--

He will make it worth Ratio's while. For now he's content to pull him closer, to press himself flush against the other man and kiss him until he needs to breathe, asking with a press of his tongue against Ratio's lips if he can deepen it. )

[ Ratio will do all that he can to assure Aventurine time and time again that that day will never come to pass. He has always been the sort to take commitment seriously, and this is a commitment he has sworn to uphold until one of them passes—a circumstance he hopes will not occur until they have both lived full lives and are in their twilight years.

He leans into Aventurine's hands, content to let the gambler do as he pleases, and hums with a satisfied note. ]

I may be lacking in experience, but rest assured, I am a quick study.

[ Tonight, however, he has no intention of doing anything more than this. His utmost priority is Aventurine's comfort, so he allows himself to be pulled into a deep kiss, obliging the gambler's request by parting his lips even as he can feel a flush sweep up his neck and settle high on his cheeks, unused to the intimacy, and the way Aventurine's lips feel, hot and searing, and so greedy. ]

I have no doubts about that.

( He says before kissing him again -- nipping at Ratio's lips, his tugging his lower lip between his teeth before licking into his mouth with a soft sound of want. Aventurine attempts to go slow, to show Veritas all the different ways one can kiss. Slow, though the warm weight of the other man is distracting, pushing him to want everything that he's willing to offer him.

And he's already offering so much, but Aventurine is greedy now that what he wants is within his grasp. )

You should... tell me how much you want. ( For a moment, though, Aventurine wavers. Letting himself trust is annoyingly difficult, so it takes him a few moments longer before he sighs: ) While I'd normally be happy to go all the way with you, this place is really messing with my head, doc.

( He'd have to swallow a lot to do so, and he doesn't want to do that to Ratio. )

[ The tug on his lower lip wretches a startled gasp out of him, quickly followed by a soft moan at the sensation of Aventurine's tongue sliding over his. The motions may be slow, but he can tell they are driven by want, heavy and barely restrained by the gambler. It already has him reeling, and suddenly he's not certain how he will handle the smaller man's desires when they're fully unleashed.

(If he's honest with himself, the prospect of being overwhelmed sends an anticipatory shiver down his spine. This... he shouldn't tell Aventurine, lest the man start teasing him about it.)

Ratio is already panting when their lips part, his face flushed a pleasant red and his eyes just the slightest bit hazy. ]

I— [ He pauses for a moment, taken aback by how rough his voice already sounds.] I-I'm willing to go at the pace you set, my dear. And regardless, it would be unwise to have sexual intercourse without proper preparation.

[ He takes a moment to wipe any lingering tears on Aventurine's face, trying to convey the affection he feels with his hands. ]

Do not feel pressured to do anything you do not desire to.

( Aeons, does he know what he's doing to Aventurine? Every little sound sends a bolt of heat through him that makes him wish he could force past the rotten feeling sitting in his chest. Just for his dear doctor. But Ratio would never want him to, and would take it as a personal failing of Ratio's that he allowed Aventurine to do such a thing. So for his sake (and not his own, not yet at any rate) he'll refrain.

But that doesn't mean he can't enjoy what Veritas looks like now. He can't help but smirk as he takes in Ratio's flushed appearance, the way he pants.

So this is how it's going to be, huh? )

If I say that you're too good for me, Veritas, are you going to scold me again? ( Aventurine huffs a laugh then, his grin growing sharper. ) But red's a good look on you. I wonder how far that flush goes--

( All he wants to do is just curl up in Ratio's arms for the night, to enjoy being close to him and let the fear of having his memories flood into the doctor's mind ebb away. But that doesn't mean he can't tease Ratio. )

[ He can see Aventurine regain his stride, his demeanor shifting from hesitance and open expression to something teasing, sharper, yet no less affectionate. He's pleased to have restored the man's good cheer, but flusters when his affected appearance is brought to attention, the change of topic sudden and unexpected. He averts his eyes, his cheeks heat up even further, and his voice pitches up as he responds to the teasing. ]

A-As I told you before, I am unused to such acts of intimacy! My physiological reaction to these novel sensations should be well within the realm of expectation.

[ He's not going to let his embarrassment stop him from addressing Aventurine's initial sentence, however, and he refocuses his gaze on him, expression shifting into something more earnest. ]

And yes, I will scold you. Any such comparisons of our individual worth are meaningless in the context of our relationship. It is you that I have chosen to be my partner, and you have chosen me. As long as we desire each other, nothing else should matter.

( The chuckle that escapes him takes him by surprise, but he is unwilling to swallow it, to keep Ratio from hearing it. )

That doesn't make it any less fetching, dear Doctor. ( Aventurine points out, pressing a kiss to the hinge of Ratio's jaw. But there is something aching, in a warm way, about the way that the other man swears himself to a place by Aventurine's side. They may not be able to have a perfect life together, even upon returning back to their world, but they'll have this. They'll have something. And for Aventurine, who has spent so long with nothing, that is enough. ) It's going to take a while for me to get used to that. Not choosing you, that part is easy.

( But that nothing else should matter. He feels like he should argue, to put up more of a fight against Ratio's kindness and understanding. Yet the other man had made his position clear, and Ratio's just as stubborn as Aventurine is when he wants to be. )

[ He accepts Aventurine's affections with a small grumble, but the chuckle is more than enough to stifle his complaints. He doesn't mind making a bit of a fool of himself just to make him happy, and boy, that's how he knows he's truly and fully fallen for Aventurine. To put aside his pride just for this one man...

Again, this is something he can never let Aventurine know, because he is too mischievous for Ratio's heart to bear.

Ratio gently nuzzles Aventurine, returning the kiss with one to the smaller man's temple. It's so easy, trading affectionate kisses like this. He finds himself enjoying it so much he presses a second kiss a little lower, along the edge of Aventurine's cheekbone. ]

I will tell you everyday if I must, if that means you will not doubt my affection for you.

[ In truth, too many things still matter, especially for the two of them. A high-ranking IPC executive and a scholar of near genius repute from the Intelligentsia Guild. Both of them hold power and responsibility, and their positions are far more precarious than most would realize. A relationship between the two of them is one that cannot be considered lightly for all the challenges it will present.

Yet Ratio is more than willing to weather it all, because he has never been the sort to take the easy route.

Ratio gently tugs Aventurine forward, taking a few steps backward to lead the Sigonian back into the bedroom. ]

Come, let us return to bed. We are both in due need for plentiful rest.

( Aventurine's eyes close, the corner of his lips twitching upwards with the press of Ratio's lips against his skin. It's dangerous -- he could get used to this, affection offered freely without an expectation or demand for anything other than what Aventurine can give. What he wants to give. It's going to take some getting used to -- a task that may take months, if he's being truthful. But for now he's alright with how things are, given Ratio's willingness to help him.

Without strings, without conditions.

There is so much in his life he has been at the mercy of, is still at the mercy of, and while it rankles and pulls and sets him on edge -- Ratio isn't one of those people. He isn't going to use who they are, their jobs and their duties, as leverage against him. Aventurine trusts him. And if he weren't certain about the strength of Ratio's characters, it would be a dangerous thing.

For now Aventurine presses another kiss to the corner of Ratio's mouth and lets himself be led back to bed. )

Mm. We've both been short on our beauty sleep lately, haven't we?

( It's Aventurine who falls back into bed first, though he takes Ratio's hand before he does, attempting to tug the other man down with him. He's gotten used to sharing close quarters with his dear doctor during their time in the campervan and he's not interested in changing that any time soon -- he'll sleep once he's wrapped up in Ratio's arms. )

[ Ratio follows easily, allowing Aventurine to tug him down. He settles into bed next to the smaller man, shifting so that he's on his side facing him. A familiar position, for when they had no choice but to entangle their bodies just to fit in the narrow beds installed on the camper van. He had been far more apprehensive to be in such close proximity to Aventurine, both because of his own feelings and because he worried about Aventurine's comfort.

Now though, he has no such reservations. He loops an arm around the Sigonian's waist and tucks the man into a cozy embrace. Perhaps he would not have been so bold if this were the first time they were embracing like this, but the few nights in the campervan had taught him that Aventurine had quite liked the comfort Ratio's presence brought him.

Now settled, he releases a content sigh, and the remaining tension in his body drains out of him. His hand reaches up to run through Aventurine's golden locks a few times before he leans in for a short, chaste kiss. ]

Let us make a little wager on our sleep, my dear gambler. How rested do you think we will be tomorrow?

[ It's a little silly, for a learned scholar like him to be making bets, and on quality of sleep, of all things. But Aventurine must still worry about what he might see once they both fall asleep and are at the mercy of the glitching implants. He wonders if perhaps the Sigonian's luck can be used in their favour—a little experiment to ascertain when this luck comes into effect. ]

Edited 2024-06-05 05:31 (UTC)

( The size and warmth of the other man had been just as welcome in chasing Aventurine's nightmares away as the simple weight of his hand. Likely, he realizes, because he'd simply wanted to enjoy the feeling of being loved by him -- something that he no longer has to convince himself he's feeling when, by all accounts, Ratio does. Not that either of them have said so in so many words, it's true, but Aventurine finds himself not needing them. Ratio might be a man of words, but Aventurine has always been a man of action, and what the good doctor has shown him is that the affection he holds for Aventurine is as strong as any love, regardless of how either of them wish to describe it.

As he settles in against Ratio's chest a thought occurs to him: while he doesn't need to repay his kindness nor his affection, he wants to. And in words, too. But first he can't help the smile that crosses his face at the concept of making a bet with Ratio about their luck, at being his dear gambler. )

You can hardly say you're immune to my way of thinking now that you've started gambling with me. But... if I had to make a bet-- I'd say better than we've felt in the past month. ( It's a tall order, true, but if there was ever a time to manage it, Aventurine thinks this night is it. He's almost lulled into silent contentment by the warmth of Ratio's arms and the sound of his breathing before he remembers, a hand going up to cup Ratio's cheek. ) Kakavasha. ( It feels heavy on his tongue, unsaid ever since he picked up a new identity, leaving it in the sands of his homeworld. But Ratio should hear it all the same. ) My name, or-- what it used to be.

[ It's true that neither of them have said the cliché three words that everyone expects to hear in such relationships, but truly, there is no need for them. Ratio can express in words the love he feels far more eloquently, and earnestly, in ways that he is certain Aventurine will be more receptive to. 'I love you' is far too shallow to encompass all that he truly feels, and so he feels no need to say it.

(No one needs to know that he's actually just too embarrassed to say such sappy words, as if what he actually says isn't sappier and more embarrassing.) ]

On the contrary, gambling has always been a matter of probability, a subject in which I am quite familiar. And against your luck... I would wager the same.

[ Because he finds himself believing in the irrationality of Aventurine's luck. It has been shown time and time again that luck is truly on the Sigonian's side. He has even, without the man's knowledge, begun to record all these instances of luck, to verify its existence. He is not so stubborn as to ignore all the evidence in front of him, but he is not foolish enough to believe it without proper analysis.

He's brought out of his musings by a hand to his face, and then his eyes widen at the disclosure. Kakavasha... He was named after the Avgin festival that celebrates their goddess. Because his birthday is on that day. It all clicks together now.

There is a certain weight to the name, which he hears in the way Aventur— Kakavasha intones it. Hesitance. Ratio presses his own hand against the one cupping his cheek. ]

Do you wish for me to use it when we are alone together?

( He doesn't answer right away, and Ratio can see that it isn't because Aventurine is avoiding the question, but rather giving it a heavy amount of thought. Kakavasha only exists in his memory, a child who -- while willing to do whatever he could to make his and his sister's life more comfortable, was still full of naivety. The name is as empty as Aventurine feels -- a shell, absent of a soul, a person. But Ratio is offering a chance to fill it with the memories of them, together. To give it some life once more, if Aventurine wants it. He chews on his bottom lip before nodding. )

I'd like that. ( To make it have meaning again, to give it weight. ) You don't have to use it all the time, I'm still Aventurine. ( He's risked so much, made so many gambles to get to where he is, with that title. With that power. It is a part of him, the shell that holds the nothingness together. And until he can start to fill that emptiness up again with something, it's still him. Will still be him after. ) But if you wanted to, there's no one else I'd trust to use it.

[ Ratio waits patiently, feeling a wave of sleepiness wash over him as the silence stretches comfortably between them. He takes in the sight of Aventurine lying next to him, the warmth emanating from his body, how comfortable he feels and how quiet his mind is, suddenly devoid of the myriad of problems, equations and considerations that usually occupy his mind at every waking moment.

The only thing he can think of is how lucky he is to have Aventurine by his side now.

He blinks back into awareness when Aventurine finally responds, and his mind is noisy again. There must be a lot of sentiment attached to the name, but neither does he reject his identity as Aventurine. Just as how Ratio is both a painfully human individual who has perhaps never thought of his own desires until he met Aventurine, as well as a genius who has saved as many lives as he as regretfully taken with his inventions, Aventurine is both the last of his clan, a young man from a broken planet, as well as the ostentatious, flashy IPC executive who gambles his life.

Neither of them can be defined by just one role, but it has been a long time since the hidden, quieter side of them has been given the spotlight. ]

Kakavasha.

[ It is a test, to see how the name feels in his mouth, but said softly, reverently, as he brings the hand on his cheek to his lips and presses an adoring kiss to those skilled fingers. ]

Aventurine. My dear gambler. [ Another kiss to his fingers. ] Thank you for sharing this with me. I will treasure it dearly.

( Who would have thought that Doctor Veritas Ratio could have his heart skip so many beats so quickly, one after another, with every word and every press of his lips to his fingers? Aventurine should have seen this coming, should have realized that the man who was so talented at meeting him word for word and wit for wit would be capable of undoing him so completely. His own flush deepens, warmth spreading from the point of contact and racing through him. )

Veritas-- ( There is an attempt at a huff, at playing it off as if he is unbothered and unaffected. But it's likely Ratio can see right through him, for he doesn't attempt to hid it that much. ) It's just a name. But who knew my dear doctor was such a romantic at heart, huh?

( His romantic. His doctor. There are so many things that Aventurine doesn't have claim to anymore: his name, his freedom, his home, his family. But he has Doctor Veritas Ratio, his reason. Soon to be lover, partner, whatever other names either of them can use to describe this intimacy. And it's going to be enough, he realizes.

It won't be easy, and he won't be satisfied until he does what needs to be done about the IPC, but-- just having Ratio there, in his corner, at his back.

It'll be enough. )

[ It's not just a name. A name can carry the hopes and wishes of many people, but it can also bear the weight of responsibility and duty. It is also a symbol of his past, and the part of himself he doubts exist, as fractured as it is. That is why Ratio treasures it. He can be the one who remembers Kakavasha when Aventurine can't afford to.

But he doesn't say any of that. Instead, he just chuckles in amusement at Aventurine's flustered countenance and reaches out to capture his lips in one more soft kiss. ]

If I had known it would be this easy to fluster you, perhaps I would have done so earlier. I hope you're prepared, my dear gambler.

[ Because he won't be as reserved about flirting and teasing Aventurine as he was before. A new game is afoot—one he hopes will last for years to come. ]

But let us sleep for now. A new day awaits us.

[ A new day of them, together as partners in every sense of the word. ]

( He isn't prepared. But for once he's fine with letting the cards fall where they may when it comes to Veritas Ratio's affection for him. If he can find him worthy of love regardless of what memories he's going to see, about what he might learn -- then Aventurine can trust him on this. But the nickname makes him flush deeper, a smile stealing across his face as he buries his face into Ratio's chest. )

Doctor's orders? I suppose there's no harm in listening to them this once.

( And there is no place, in this universe and there own, that he'd rather be than in Ratio's arms. Loved and valued, things he never thought he'd have again. )

Good night, doc.

[ He wraps his arms around Aventurine. Not constrictive, merely comforting. This closeness, without any of the pretense they had before... it is extremely pleasant. ]

Good night, Kakavasha.

[ Because this is a moment that should belong to the man who has lost everything, and now has him by his side.

In the morning, they will have to discuss how open they are willing to be about this newfound relationship, and discuss any memories they may share during the night. But for now, there's only this. Warmth, comfort, and happiness.

Ratio closes his eyes and allows himself to be lulled to sleep by the soft, slow breaths of his partner. ]

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PRE-FIGHT EVENT #1

▶ 001. STORM CHASERS.

▶ 002. THE STORM CALLS.

▶ 003. CITY OF DREAMS.

▶ 004. REST & RECOVERY

▶ 005. AFTERWORD.

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