heartstones | we are the sword, we tame the fire, the flame

we are the sword, we tame the fire, the flame

[It's wonderful to be home.

Oh, sure, it hasn't been an easy transition into this particular version of Terca Lumireis. After all, that involved tracking down and killing this version of himself, which was far harder than it needed to be. Waiting for the proper moment to ambush himself while Gauche and Droite were nowhere nearby was the most difficult part. His original plan had been to actually fight, he took the more merciful option and simply sniped his other self. In some ways it was sort of traumatizing, in others it was completely liberating.

(But as long as he doesn't think about it for too long, things are fine, as usual.)

Regardless, he disposed of the body and slipped right back into his old life without missing a beat.

Of course, some things had to be handled immediately - namely, that whole mess with Altosk, the Don's grandson, and Belias - but somehow things had managed to work themselves out. Well, somewhat, Yeager's banned from Dahngrest again, but it's not like that's anything new, and it certainly won't keep him out of the city.

(Given that this was the Don's punishment for his guild's incredibly stupid and dangerous actions, Raven really did work hard to get him out of trouble.)

And so they return to their lives. For the time being, Leviathan's Claw is keeping a lower profile and taking on far fewer jobs, which is mostly to make Raven's life easier, not that Yeager will admit that. He's met with the other two several times since returning home - Raven more than Alexei, for obvious reasons - and while it's always nice to see them, it's almost always been exclusively about business.

Not that he minds that, truly. There's something wonderful about picking up right where he left off, without the consequences of his actions in his world to actually feel marginally guilty over. The Don is alive and well (and pissed at him) here, after all. Zaude hasn't been raised from the ocean floor, and the guilds and the Empire seem to be handling each other decently well... for now.

...But.

It's hard to pretend that his time away hasn't changed him. Droite and Gauche have noticed it too - they stare at him when they think he won't notice and whisper amongst themselves, and there's always the feeling there, whenever he talks to them, that something is off. With their behavior, with his, it isn't entirely clear. Maybe both. They don't know, of course - he took care of his other self's body so that it would never be found, after all - but they recognize that he's changed, they just haven't figured out how.

And really, he wouldn't know how to begin addressing any of that with them, so he simply doesn't.

Oh, he'll get around to it someday, probably. They are his daughters and he does want to treat them as such - but for now he wants things to be normal. He wants the normalcy he so desperately craved while in that horrid place, so maybe he can have this for a little bit. As a treat.

Still, he always leaves those meetings - particularly the ones with Alexei - feeling like talking about business (and strictly business) is sort of... frustrating.

(If only he could drag the Commandant out to set something on fire again.)

It's one of those meetings that's brought him into Empire territory today - he had business here anyway, so it's not like it was just to see Alexei - and he shows up to the appointed meeting place on time, dressed as always in the usual suit, with the usual briefcase at his side. Were it not for the (slightly) more genuine expression, it would be easy to assume that everything was just as it once had been, without a single difference whatsoever.

It's nice, in some ways. In others, it's maddening.]

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Has it?

[In fairness, Alexei also seems inclined to say that this is more than enough deep social interaction for the next decade; they're both said a lot of things, and after a while he settles on the notion that he doesn't completely hate it.

Sometimes he has to take time to process things; sometimes the most one can expect from him immediately is the notion that he doesn't hate something, and that's going to have to be enough. But honestly, this time saying what they've done is enough for now doesn't bring with it the feeling deep down that it really isn't - this has been progress, and admittedly far more than he planned on making today.]

As long as you consider it helpful, that's...it's acceptable.

[...alexei for fuck's sake]

[You've been doing so well and then you throw that out there...]

Acceptable? I think I deserve at least a "that's good", ja?

[Surely you didn't think you'd leave here without him teasing you, right??]

Would you like me to pat you on the head as well?

[Ah yes. This Again.]

[Back to bullshit, baby!!!]

I did try very hard, just for you~!

[WINK ☆]

[...]

Perhaps "acceptable" was being overly generous.

[we are so back on our bullshit and it feels great]

Ah, I've disappointed you yet again, haven't I? What a shame that it keeps happening.

[no thoughts, no feelings, head empty]

Do make sure you've gotten yourself more acceptably together by the time we meet again, hm?

[wow!!]

My, what an insult... But I suppose we'll see, won't we! Are you sure you'll be fine without my charming presence until next time?

That depends on how long you feel like keeping me waiting next time.

Edited (fingers ffs) 2023-09-25 05:23 (UTC)

[o-oh, he didn't expect you to roll with it...]

Well, Zaphias is rather out of the way... But if you miss me that much, I suppose I can try to make it back out here sooner.

[He isn't exactly full of surprises, but sometimes he manages.]

See to it that you do. As long as you're not endangering yourself any by doing so.

Oh come now, surely you know how careful I am! I've no interest in putting myself in danger, even for you~

[It's not a terrible way to end a meeting, all things considered; it was...far, far more emotionally involved than he'd planned for, but at the very least he does tend to be learning that not all things can be planned for.

Among the unplanned things: being able to return to Dahngrest before Yeager can return to Zaphias.

It's not a bad outcome; it shows that Don Whitehorse continues to be receptive to peace negotiations, as pessimistic as Alexei tends to be about them nowadays - not through any fault of the Don's, or even his own, but more due to the goddamned Council needing him every five minutes in Zaphias in what's clearly an attempt to stall. But today he's ignoring them, and if they need him that badly they can send for him, and he's more than content to return to Dahngrest for now.

He isn't sure what does it, or even what's happened once it has; he knows it's well outside the city, and his usual group of attendants is with him, and they've paused for a bit and there are no monsters in anyone's immediate line of sight and Alexei thinks there's a loud noise from somewhere before there's a far more distracting round of pain searing through the left lower portion in his chest. It's...confusing, and his breathing isn't wanting to cooperate very well, and he spends a few moments trying to get air before he realizes that someone in the group has him and he's on the ground (when?) and then whatever else is going on really isn't his concern anymore, seeing as that's when the darkness suddenly consumes him whole.]

[Yeager learned of Alexei's return to Dahngrest approximately two hours before everything went straight to hell; for a brief moment, he'd actually been entertaining the idea that everything would go about the same as usual, which would have been a nice alternative to their current situation.

He'd learned of the incident by way of one incredibly proud new recruit telling him that the Commandant was dead to a contract Leviathan's Claw has never accepted. Needless to say, he took care of that problem and left it in the woods for the monsters before immediately heading straight for Dahngrest.

Word of what happened has already reached Gauche and Droite - no surprise, given how quick Leviathan's Claw is to gather information - and they fall into step beside him easily as he enters the city. His irritation must be showing on his face, for neither of them ask anything about what happened and simply follow along as he stops to buy flowers for the Commandant - a showy gesture that will undoubtedly earn the Don's usual eyeroll of disapproval, but one that gives him an excuse to spend some time at the man's bedside anyway, because Yeager's certainly not leaving until he's made sure Alexei is alive and... well enough, he supposes.

Of course, given the severity of the situation, he should have expected to run into the Don personally - and to be damn near hoisted up off his feet by the man on sight. The Don's a little more receptive to the idea that this wasn't intentional and that the problem has been resolved by now than Yeager was expecting, but then again, had this been a proper assassination attempt, the Commandant wouldn't still be alive. The Don lets him go, rolls his eyes at the flowers, and tells Yeager he'd better apologize for all he's worth before actually allowing the man to enter the room.

Depending on how awake Alexei is, he may have noticed any of the aforementioned commotion - the Don is not a quiet man and neither is Yeager - or the quiet footsteps of the twins slipping into his room to leave the flowers. They're in and out very quickly, making very little noise and moving to stand watch as Yeager enters the room. His flowers join the others (fire lilies, because even now there's only one flower he could ever choose) and he moves to take a seat at Alexei's bedside.

So... he's not expecting anything great here after literally being shot, but how's Alexei doing?]

[For what it's worth, Dahngrest knows how to take care of its own - and without any assistance from the Empire, its healing tactics are different. Highly efficient in their own way, which is necessary due to the occasional violent outbreaks and the fact that more than a few of its denizens do unfathomably dangerous things for fun; quite frankly, it's an angle Alexei had never really considered with regards to the guilds, but he's likely going to be thinking about it for a while in the coming days given that this is currently the reason he's not outright dying now. Stabilization, at the very least, was ensured rather quickly; he's not really aware of it now, but he'll be grateful for it later.

Right now there's... Well, there's pain, and breathing still isn't great, and he's having some difficulty staying awake; he's trying really hard to focus and not let his mind wander, because when his mind wanders it goes to places he hasn't been in years, as immediate and sharp as though they were yesterday. His thoughts go to the tower, and to being told that all of his men are dead, and to knowing that he should be dead with them; there had been pain like this then, too, and there are flashbacks now that are just making it harder to breathe, and every time he sleeps that focus slips and it's... It's not something he can handle a second time, not right now, anyway, and-

...And then there's yelling, because the Don can't do anything quietly if he tried, and those girls are managing to look both awkward and apologetic as they're leaving the flowers off (he'll recognize them later, once he thinks about it, but right now they're just...girls that are here, also with flowers), and then there's Yeager because why wouldn't there be Yeager.

He can think of a lot of reasons why Yeager wouldn't be here, actually, but he's not going to try to sort through them right now; the fact of the matter is that he's just grateful to see someone familiar. He's lying back and his breathing is still labored, but like hell if he isn't going to try to at least stay awake.]

...It seems he's still not pleased to see you.

[The Don.]

[Alexei's certainly seen better days, but that is what tends to happen when one is shot. Honestly, maybe he shouldn't have spent so much arming his goons with guns... Oh well, that's something he can consider later.

For now, he merely shrugs, expression and words light as always despite the situation.]

I think we'd all be very, very shocked if he ever was pleased to see me!

[They're getting along better than they have in years lately, but that doesn't mean much coming from him. After all, he's always the one pissing the Don off, not the other way around.

But that's also not important right now, and Yeager settles back against the chair, crossing one leg over the other and folding his hands on his knee.]

You have my apologies for what happened. I have already taken care of that particular problem; I'm sure it goes without saying, but I have no interest in picking a fight with the Empire.

[The words are remarkably serious, for once - the apology the Don wants him to give, if not the one that Yeager himself would offer. It's best to start there, he thinks; after all, they are leaders of the guild and the Empire first and foremost. Anything else simply has to come afterwards.]

[It takes him a moment to respond; he's keeping up, at least, it's just difficult to force himself to be entirely professional at this exact point in time.]

...I didn't believe that you ordered this.

[Because if he's offering an apology, then this presumably was someone Yeager is in control of; at the same time, he's fairly sure even Yeager isn't willing to commit to something like this without the general approval of the guilds behind it. Their current interpersonal situation notwithstanding.

Give him a moment.]

I'll ensure that no attempts at justifying any sort of retaliation go through. I'm sure the Council both loves and is greatly disappointed with this current turn of events, but I'll see to it that no declarations are made.

[Sorry to make you put on the professional act immediately, but better to get this out of the way first, right?]

I appreciate it. I know how hard you two have been working toward peace, and the Don would kill me if I were to get in the way of that.

[It's lighter, but also entirely serious. While it may not be great for business, he's certainly not going to get in the way. Yeager has enough regrets about what happened to the Don once before, he's not going to make that mistake again.

Of course, once that's out there, he shifts a bit, fingers absently coming up to toy with his bangs for a moment before he resettles.]

And... you've my personal apologies for all of this, Alexei.

[It's a bit stilted, but it's honest, and that's got to be a good enough start for now.]

[He'd sigh if it hurt less. As it stands, his breathing just catches in a way he finds deeply annoying.]

Again, I...never thought this was you. For one, you wouldn't have waited this long, and I don't think you would have wasted the shot.

[...Just saying.]

You said you've handled it. Who...was it, I doubt it's anyone I know, but I'm curious about who made the error.

[Yeager nods at the assumption, because Alexei's right. If he had accepted this contract, he would have handled it himself, because there's simply no room for error with a target this important. But it's a moot point anyway, since he wouldn't have considered it at all because it's Alexei.

Which probably says something about him, but he doesn't care to consider that now.]

You wouldn't know him, he was a young recruit; barely out of training, really. He was so determined to prove himself, but I never would have thought he'd be so brazen.

[Something he maybe could have appreciated, once. But there isn't any of that now and Yeager sighs with a shrug.]

Regardless, the rest of them won't be entertaining such ridiculous ideas. I've made my rules clear from the moment I took over as the leader of Leviathan's Claw and that much certainly isn't changing any time soon.

Well, I can appreciate having the confidence to make the attempt. Even if it is more than overbalanced by having the lack of foresight to entertain the idea in the first place.

[Alexei definitely does value rigid obedience in his knights, as well as generally having a sense of foresight to begin with, but he can appreciate the notion that someone had the balls to attempt something that insane, even if he's going to go about voicing it in a way that implies damnation by faint praise.]

Fortunately, more competent people have tried and failed. This one isn't going to succeed, either.

Indeed, I know.

[And he does know - both that this isn't the first time someone's tried to kill Alexei, and that this won't actually succeed either. Though, admittedly, his rush to get here and see for himself isn't exactly... usual... But he can see that Alexei's doing well enough, so that should be that.

He likely could finish their conversation shortly; reassure him that nothing like this will happen again, once again apologize and take his leave so Alexei can rest (or deal with the Don) and that would be that. Alexei undoubtedly has more important things to be doing than listening to Yeager, even if those more important things are just getting some damn sleep.

But he's still here and he's still antsy in a way he can't place and Yeager shifts again, crossing his other leg this time.]

Still, I'm... glad to see that it won't. It truly would be unfortunate if anything were to happen to you.

[Not because he's the Commandant of the Imperial Knights.]

[Maybe it's because Yeager has some weird energy going on that he can't place; maybe it's because he's spent too long thinking about the fact that this isn't the first time that this has happened, and it probably isn't going to be the last, either. Either way, he doesn't exactly want this to be it, either.]

...I've been left behind enough times to know that it's a cruel thing to do to someone. Even if it's unintentionally so.

I'm not interested in doing that to either of you.

[His first thought is to play it off, to turn it into a joke, to put some distance between himself and all of this, because even here and now Yeager's still dreadful at dealing with the past... or any genuine feelings at all, really.

But he takes a moment to suppress that, both because it isn't helpful and because it's not what he really wants to say.]

...Thank you, then. I would be... very angry if you were to leave us now.

[And a lot of things other than "angry", but that's the safest way to word it.]

Yeager, you have no concept of how angry I would be if a new recruit of all things succeeded where approximately the rest of the planet hasn't.

[That is a statement he will later chalk up to the mild delirium and the general malfunctioning of his system due to having just been shot, but at the same time he's not going to say it isn't true.]

...I do mean it, however. That I have no interest in doing that to you. It's... I think we've all dealt with that enough.

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