teaism | pls don't judge me I have so many injured guren icons okay

pls don't judge me I have so many injured guren icons okay

[Compared to this, the talking furniture from ages ago seemed almost pleasant. The door clicks shut behind them, and Guren almost wants to drop down right here. It's the first building they've come across in a while now— some sort of cabin in the woods that's falling apart just like the rest of the town they'd started in. Guren was bleeding from a variety of areas— a number of spots on his torso, his head, his face, his thigh— and that doesn't even start on the broken bones he's sporting, but he had a demon to take care of those injuries.

The man he was trying to support next to him was a different story. Hadn't they said something about not wanting to test if he could die and come back...?]

Look at me, Dex. [Guren wasn't trying to hide his worry now. He'd arrived too late, or at least that's his perspective. He shows up and something is nearly finished toying with Dextera like he's some sort of doll— something grey, with wings. Guren couldn't grasp what was happening, but interrupting had shown him that he was nearly outmatched. Nearly. With some biting words, he'd slain the creature(?) just before he was about to be offed himself. It was risky, to say the least.

But they're indoors now. Indoors, and there have to be supplies they can make use of somewhere. He staggers his next step forward as he tries to lead Dextera in, coughing blood against the back of his own hand. He's noticing that even his own injuries are staying longer than usual, somehow...]

Damn it...

[But he needs to know how Dextera is doing. How much can he handle? Guren doesn't want to find out his limit right now. One hand grips at Dextera's shoulder. They've been supporting each other the whole walk here, and he's trying not to weigh him down. His other hand, though the back of it is bloody now, rests against Dextera's chest carefully.] Sit down here.

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[ it is a pretty low bar when the only people dextera knew before he came here all kind of hated him or were so obsessed with their own baroques that they didn’t have the ability to think anything of dextera.

oh well! ]

...I’m glad to be able to talk. [ with his free hand, he touches his throat. ] There were so many things I wanted to say to you, before... and things I still do. Things I will, when I’m ready.

[ Guren’s feet slow their walking, and he turns to Dextera more completely after those words, stopping them in the path. ]

I’ll wait for whatever you want to say. [ Dextera is just too sweet... how’s a guy supposed to walk? He brings his free hand to his cheek, cupping it there as he leans in for a warm kiss, slow and adoring. ]

[ dextera thought he could get away with walking and talking...! guren proved him wrong by stopping him to kiss, of all things, but that isn't at all unwelcome. he kisses back, and the silence of this forest seems to frame the moment. when they part, he's smiling. ]

It's not very exciting. But I want to tell you anyway.

Hahaha...

[ It’s a genuine little chuckle, and he doesn’t move his face far back, nuzzling against Dextera’s instead. He’s never had reason or chance to be this affectionate? He wants it... he just wants this. ]

It’s not about being exciting.

[ dextera takes his hand away from guren's, but it's only so he can wrap his arms around guren's neck. that's where he likes to be! he seems relaxed and content, considering everything that's happened in the past few days—in the past few hours. ]

Then... [ he's pausing, genuinely considering something. ] If it's okay to be honest...?

[ His arms settle automatically around Dextera’s waist in turn, and he’s quietly enjoying that when Dextera speaks again. Words like that are almost ominous? He wonders if he did something wrong, or messed up somewhere, but his expression is unchanging as a hand smooths over Dextera’s back. ]

You can always be honest. What is it?

[ guren has never messed up in his life. dextera is a guren apologist. ]

You're too rough with my chess pieces when you get competitive. [ it was such a small thing, after all—and he knows it, because he's still smiling when he says it, like a little asshole! ] Does it bother you so much to lose?

[exCUUUUUUSE YOU]

Does it bother you that you're a little shit? [Immediately, he retorts with this, bringing his hand up to tug harshly at Dextera's ear in punishment.] Is that too rough, too? You liked it that way, earlier.

[GUREN]

Ah!

[ dextera can dish it but he can't take it!! guren is going to come out the winner of this little clash, simply because he has shamelessness on his side. dextera is only human. he can't keep up with this. ]

Th— That's different! [ but he's laughing, trying to push guren away from him now. ] I'm sorry.

Like hell you are, brat.

[Tug tug!! But then he's done, and he's tugging him closer with the arm still around him, refusing to let him get away.] Doesn't it bother you to lose just as much?

[ yeah, maybe he's not that sorry... he just wants to escape from this punishment! but guren makes a compelling case for staying by keeping him close, and dextera isn't trying to wriggle away anymore. ]

A little. [ he'll admit that much. ] But I just like to play. Even if I lose... it's nice to spend the time together, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah. It's nice.

[Of course it's nice... He loves that part. His hold loosens a little but doesn't completely drop.] It's just... [He interrupts himself and shakes his head with a laugh, like he's embarrassed, or ashamed. He can't admit it.]

It's stupid. It's just a game, I know. I like playing it no matter what.

My brother...

[ dextera blinks, the words rising from his chest before he can think about what he’s saying. it’s a memory, and one he wants to pursue. ]

My brother was always asleep. We had to take turns. I’ve never gotten to see anyone react like you do, during a game.

[Guren widens his eyes a little in quiet surprise at that, staying silent so Dextera can complete the thought. A memory? About his brother? He knew he had said he cared very much about him, but not much other than that... His hand rests comfortingly at Dextera's hip, not even aware of what the scar nearby means.]

Yeah? [...Carefully, he tries to encourage more.] Were you asleep each time he woke up, then?

[ the weight of guren’s hand at his hip is a comfort he appreciates, without thinking much of it either. it doesn’t hurt, when he’s with guren. ]

...yes. [ he speaks slowly. ] I don’t think we ever spoke to each other. Not like this.

[ in notes, but... ]

That must have been difficult.

[He's worried his lines sound generic, but he doesn't want to interrupt something like this, and anything more than these words offering to listen to more just doesn't seem right. It doesn't matter that they've been in one place on this path for a while now. They're going their own pace, and this is more important.]

...I was happy.

[ that’s all there is to it. even if it was difficult, he didn’t know anything else. he had his brother, and that was the only thing he ever wanted.

he shakes his head, and reaches up to cup guren’s face. ]

I’m happy now too, and it’s been a long time since I’ve felt like that. Thank you.

[Oh... It's still so sweet, and Guren's heart flutters for it. But there's worry, too, behind all of the light words and adoring looks.]

I hope you can stay happy. [A dumb, lame thing to say, but it's all he can think. Turning his face into that hand, he kisses the palm slowly.]

...And, I guess I don't like losing because I already lose at everything. I want to win at whatever I can, because my whole life I've always been told that I can't. I can only go so far.

It's just a game, but I take it seriously. [He's a nerd.]

[ ...he is a nerd, but a reason like that is impossible not to respect. guren has feelings about winning, about succeeding, that have never crossed dextera’s mind in his life.

that’s not a wrong way to live. it’s admirable. ]

You don’t lose at everything. [ he rubs his thumb slowly over guren’s cheek, reassuring, since he’s feeling pretty good about himself. ] I tell you all the time. You’re amazing.

[ a small kiss. because he can. ]

But I’m not going to just let you win, either.

Edited 2018-04-24 07:44 (UTC)

[ It’s sad to say that the more Dextera says sweet things like that, the more Guren thinks something is going to come and rip this all apart, but that’s what he’s used to. That’s how it’s always been. He smiles warmer at that little kiss and tries not to think about it, all while trying to stay as alert as possible. Just in case. ]

You’d better not. That’d piss me off even more. I’d be able to tell. [ He leans in for a short kiss of his own, and then he’s pulling back just enough to tug Dextera’s hand in reminder. They can start walking again. ]

Heh heh.

[ that is, unfortunately, what dextera is used to as well—but he has the benefit of amnesia on his side, so it’s easy for him to forget just how poorly every attempt to get close to someone has gone.

he lets himself be pulled along until he remembers how to walk, and he falls back into step beside guren.

they have been walking for a while now, not enough to stop already, but the scenery—while beautiful, even in greyscale—doesn’t seem to be actually progressing much. are they even going anywhere? ]

...where do you think we are?

[ no matter how many times he gets relaxed or enjoys a quiet moment, it’s always back to how lost they are. This is bad, no matter how he tries to spin it. He can’t hold direction in this place, and he’s getting hungry. They have water, he’s been fine on that, but they probably can’t live on berries. At least, Guren can’t. ]

It’s still the same forest, I think, even with that fall. We’re pretty thoroughly lost.

[ He’s starting to wonder if they’ll ever get out, honestly. ] It never seems to matter which direction I pick for us to go, either.

[ maybe you just have a bad sense of direction, guren!! ]

Do you think there's a trick to it?

[ he's just tossing thoughts into the air now, but it feels like something this forest would do, doesn't it? going forward offers no progress, but maybe if they walked back to the place they fell in... or they might just undo everything they've done already. ]

Or... it's just a deep forest.

I think... it might be sentient.

[ While saying this, he reaches out to mark a tree like he always does, staring at the chip in the wood as they pass it. ]

It changes by chance, and that feeling of being watched that occasionally comes without any other presence— I can’t imagine what else would explain that. [ He frowns a little deeper. ] It’s bad news for us.

[ dextera realizes what guren is doing, and he thinks it's a good idea—enough of one that it feels like something they should have been doing earlier. ]

So... what do you think it wants from us?

[ if it wanted them out, it would have sent them out by now. right? unless it means to kill them in here, but even that could have been accomplished long ago. if it's got the ability to suppress guren's demon, it can do anything to them. ]

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swordfucker - 2018-04-25 13:52 (UTC) - Expand

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