Entry tags:
final week, mid-escape sequence because damn it mithos
[The minute Mithos skulks off down the trap door, Ris is quick to go after him.
It's been an awkward and painful week, but if she has herself at least kind of pulled together, there is no point at all in pretending he's not her top priority, among everyone here. She's glad to see him finally agree to move forward and quit pulling a Minato, but...
Once she's followed him down the trap door, she reaches out to grasp at a sleeve, or his wrist, or whatever she can reach before he manages to slip too far away.]
Mithos.
[It's pretty clear from her tone of voice that she's not taking no for an answer, here. Talk to her.]
It's been an awkward and painful week, but if she has herself at least kind of pulled together, there is no point at all in pretending he's not her top priority, among everyone here. She's glad to see him finally agree to move forward and quit pulling a Minato, but...
Once she's followed him down the trap door, she reaches out to grasp at a sleeve, or his wrist, or whatever she can reach before he manages to slip too far away.]
Mithos.
[It's pretty clear from her tone of voice that she's not taking no for an answer, here. Talk to her.]
no subject
But he can see that there's no way he's going to be able to take no for an answer. Even if he's not big about the idea of talking of what happened up there. ]
... What is it.
[ He still doesn't turn, though. He'll wait for an answer first. ]
no subject
At least this time, when she speaks, it's without accidentally pluralizing herself even once. This is Ris, the one Mithos has come to know, with nothing and no one else attached.]
...If you're going to be stupidly selfless, then allow me to be stupidly selfish, just this once.
Even if the possibility was naught-point-one percent that something might have happened to you if you took up the rear, that's a chance I'm not willing to take.
[She swallows hard. It's easier to stay this when he won't look at her, if she's honest.]
If something happened to you here and now... I don't know what to do or who to be without you.
[It's easier to say, but her voice is still trembling. There's no way to say any of this without sounding foolish and desperate, but if that's what she has to be, so be it.
Their game and their promise has been one of the few things holding her together this entire trip, and especially now. He needs to know.]
no subject
... It really wasn't my intention to stay behind. Staying behind where I'll lose myself is a fate worse than dying.
[ Though ... saying that would imply that he would simply stay back and die, huh. Not that ...it would be much different than if they escaped and he went back to his world but ...
He'll lift his head and look at her before speaking again. ]
Don't get me wrong. I wasn't planning on dying either. Not ... here. Not ... when I still have something here.
[ Even learning that he's lost everything back home to realize that ... someone depends on his survival here ... ]
... If you had done the same and something has happened I ... I also wouldn't know what to do.
[ Probably ... give up on everything given his situation. Honestly she's one of the reasons why he's trying to keep going and co-operate and yet, ironically, didn't consider her feelings.
Right intentions but bad way to go about it if you asked everyone else. Apparently the story of his life, including now. ]
cw: uhhh potentially mild suicidal ideation?
...I just don't even want to take that risk at all. I trust your intentions, I do. But...
Wherever you go, wherever you stay, just... we're supposed to go together, aren't we? That's our promise.
So please, just... just let me be beside you, at least. That's all I [and she has to emphasize this, because he knows just how much trouble she's been having with a sense of self] want.
[And there is little sense in "her" continuing on without that, in her mind.]
no subject
[ He's silent for a moment. He hears the emphasis and it isn't lost on him. It really cements everything that they're saying here. But that does leave one matter if they truly want to stay together ... ]
... We can't go back to my world. And I refuse to go to yours.
[ Not after everything he's learned about him. So it's definitely not an option. ]
So ... if ... when, we escape together where do we go?
[ They have options. It's just... which option do they go with? ]
no subject
When.
[If this is all she has left to cling to, she's going to cling to it, damn it, reaching out to take one of Mithos' hands in her own.]
...Right now, I couldn't answer that. I already swore to King I would never go back to my own, anyway.
We'll talk to the others. Figure out which of their worlds would have us, which of them would work best for the dreams we wanted to achieve. We don't need an answer right now, do we?
We just need to keep pushing forward until we can sit down and think this through. Together.
no subject
You're right. First we need to focus on getting out of this and surviving. Then once we have the time we can sit and look at those options. For now the answer doesn't matter.
[ He squeezes Ris' hands gently. ]
But it will. Once we find it. Together.
no subject
There's been a lot going through her mind since the last trial, not even including everything else that's going on inside her head. And now, especially with all of that, the nervous feelings she's left unspoken are bubbling inside her chest.
If this is all she has to cling to to retain this self... she can't just keep shoving them down. Not with everyone else bemoaning their fates, how they've never had this chance and never will.
For a moment, her brows furrow and she bites at her inner lip as she tries to think through what it is she wants to say, what she even can say. And yet, nothing comes.
...Maybe words aren't enough?
Taking a breath to steel herself quickly, she squeezes his hand back before moving closer, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his cheek.
At least this way, he knows. He doesn't have to return her feelings, but he knows.
If he doesn't stop her, she's going to just let go and then try to run off to catch up with someone further ahead, her face flushed fully red. It's too embarrassing to just stay and look him in the eye. But she will stay if called for or reached out to.]
no subject
going to do that instead.
His eyes widen when he feels the kiss on the cheek. This ... this is something he hasn't felt in so many years. And never like this.
He brings his hand up the cheek once she pulls away and blinks. His mind continues to try to process it until she let's go and turns to run off.
When she does he comes back and-- ]
W-Wait! Ris!
[ Don't leave him after something like that! ]
no subject
I'm— I'm sorry. It's fine if you don't feel the same way. I just...
Whatever happens from here, I wanted you to know. That's all.
no subject
[ He stops speaking and decides to just... close the space between them again. So he walks over to her and stops when he's right next to her. It'd be awkward to try to hug when she's not completely turned so when he stops he reaches for her hand instead. ]
I... I do. Feel ... the same way.
[ A small realization when Charlotte brought them up at the trial, though like Ris tucked them away since he didn't know what to do about it. Then there was remembering all those years of loneliness and betrayal and ... having something to hold on too ...
The feelings are still there. And now knowing Ris feels the same way he couldn't let her walk away without letting her know that the feeling is mutual. ]
no subject
She... wasn't actually expecting to be accepted, and it shows.]
Mithos...
[Sorry, give her a minute for her thoughts to catch up with her. Or don't. Your choice, really.]
no subject
But after a minute, now that Ris is standing fully towards him, he closes whatever gap that might be between them and lifts his hand to brush her bangs away.
And gives her a quick kiss on the forehead.
He may have been able to say it, but ... actions do speak more volumes, right? So if Ris gave him one it ... felt right to return the feelings in the same matter. ]
no subject
She may actually look the happiest she's ever looked right now, despite everything. There's certainly more life to her eye than there's been in a long, long time. It's practically sparkling.
All she can do is make a happy little noise at the back of her throat before throwing her arms around Mithos' waist. They can let their actions speak for them right now, it's fine. They both seem to understand, after all.]