folklorist | ϡ - Chapter ThirtyThree; An Unusual Return [Action|Voice] (backdated to early afternoon)

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ϡ - Chapter ThirtyThree; An Unusual Return [Action|Voice] (backdated to early afternoon)

[Action: Locked to Robert and Helios]

[ It’s a normal day and everyone has gone back to their own worlds. The cacophony of unknown voices over the journals has ceased and there is simply silence. But it’s not as if either of these two would have remembered. They were both taken by the droids just before such events took place, and were replaced with ones that looked and acted just like them. No one knew they were gone and no one would have to.

Except…except things weren’t exactly right upon their return. They usually never were, to be fair. But this, this was something beyond anything Helios thought the Malnosso were capable of.

He was… he was warm...and the pain... The pain was gone; that constant dull pain that had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember...for as long as Elise has been gone. It wasn’t right.

Something is so very wrong right now, and he doesn’t know what to do.

Helios looks over at the scientist lying off to the side and he finally realizes that they’re in some random, empty, unclaimed house. Robert is sprawled on his side, wings twitching a little under his lab coat, but he otherwise looks normal.

It's only when Helios stoops close to shake him gently awake that he realizes something is wrong with him, too. Robert's hands are deathly cold against his palms...just like his usually are.

...They're going to have to talk.]

[Later action: Open to all]

[Eventually, Robert and Helios walk out of the building together, composed (enough) and ready to face all the inevitable accusations...though they will be very careful and recalcitrant about any major questions. And also a little reluctant to leave each other alone...especially not in their current conditions. Feel free to run into either of them on their meandering way back to House 55...they'd love the company.]

[Eventually, however, they'll get inside and be able to fish out Robert's journal...and then Helios fetches the journal to say a few words.]

Where is it? Oh! Yes it's on. [ He's always a bit more absentminded when there's a lot on his mind, forgive him. ]

It's b-been two days? N-No…around three, I believe. Ah, well, we’re both back. We’re both f-fine and, and there’s nothing to worry about! [ Oh yes. Nothing at all. ] W-We meaning Robert and I. H-He’s fine and-and if you want to speak with him you can. The Malnosso left us in better shape than usual. Ha...perhaps they are learning how to be compassionate. [ A light chuckle. ]

Yes, well, d-did anything happen? Is everyone…is everyone alright? [ A lot can happen in two days in Luceti after all. ]

[ OOC: Robert and Helios return from their mallynap! Feel free to specify in the subject line of your reply where your character is and who you want your character to talk to – either will talk if asked, though most action replies will probably be three-way threads.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[WHAM!

This is the sound of a fist being driven very hard into a wall. Someone still feels a bit like crap after getting killed - a fact that's probably audible in his voice - and this is not helping.]

Stop. Doing. That.

[ Helios visibly winces on his end as he hears this reply over the journal. Giles what... ]

G-Giles? Wh-what's wrong? [ Because, no, you sound very bad at the moment. ] A-Are you alright?

Y-You both. Both of you, I, I mean. You... [No. Stop that. He shakes himself.]

Y-You're, you're always... [Not their fault. Giles sighs in frustration and pages rustling might be heard as he almost throws the journal at the wall.

He's fine. Adele and Grune have probably had to keep a very close eye on him, but he's fine.]

E-Everyone just keeps...vanishing. S-Stop that.

Edited 2012-01-31 22:29 (UTC)

I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't hear them until... [ until it was too late. He sounds so apologetic. ]

I'll be b-back at the house soon. I-I was just walking Robert back home. [ He doesn't know about Ginia not being there. But something tells him that there is clearly something amiss back at the house.

But he's going to have to walk and it might take awhile longer than usual to get back tonight. ]

[...and now Giles feels so guilty, which only contributes to him feeling worse all around. He'll never know how badly this weekend messed him up, of course, but Schwartz at least left a mark.]

T-Take your time. It, um, i-it will take me a while to, um, t-to get back, in any case.

[ The only saving grace Helios had this weekend was it not being the actual Helios but some other form of him. But still he doesn't want to press Giles and yet...there is clearly something very amiss. He wants to agree with that statement. Awhile indeed. ]

Where are you?

Take Robert home.

[It isn't quite an order, but it's close. And just like that, Giles is back to sounding like someone who had the night he had. Apologetically:] I'll, um...s-see you later. S-Sorry.

[And with that, Giles hangs up.

However, should he choose to go looking, Helios will find Giles sitting by the river not very far from the house, staring at nothing, looking exhausted and sad.]

Giles w-wai- [ Helios sounds...tired when the other hangs up on him. He doesn't want to leave Robert alone. But he can't just leave the other like that. He'll say his apologies to Robert, tell him he'll stop by later, and possibly will continue to do so until everything goes back to normal. He'll leave a little while later from Giles initially hanging up on him.

After everything that's happened today the walk back to the house is very much welcomed by him. His thoughts are all but muddled and confused and so deeply sorry for what Robert is going to have to deal with. But everything will be fine again when he finally gets back that which he deserved.

He'll happen upon Giles walking back to the house green eyes widening slightly as he quickens his pace. He's all but out of breath when he comes up on the side of the other. He notes the look ] Giles. Y-You should head inside. It's-it's far too cold out for this. [ Helios himself sounds exhausted he looks it too along with being absolutely freezing. There's other emotions ones he couldn't even begin to feel anymore, surfacing now, painfully so. Those feelings are causing such a strain because he doesn't exactly know how to deal with them right now. This was all so jarring the emotions, the cold air actually being cold, the fact that he can't use his magic at all...

He blinks and turns towards Giles. ]

C-Come on. I-I think we could both use some t-tea, hm?

[What does it matter?

Such thoughts have been plaguing Giles all morning and afternoon and he doesn't know why, but they're taking their toll. And if Helios didn't sound so honestly awful, and if Giles didn't feel so horrible about how he reacted earlier, he probably would just keep sitting here.

He gets to his feet and, without looking at Helios, takes off his coat and holds it out.]

Y-Yes. Um, I th-think we, we probably could.

S-Sorry.

[ Helios takes a step back when that coat is handed out to him. Not entirely sure why he did just that he did. ] Y-You don't have to d-do that, Giles. I-I'll be alright. The house isn't that far away. I-I'd feel dreadful if you caught something because of me. [ Giles is not looking at him...Helios' stomach drops slightly. ]

What's wrong? [ Because you are seriously starting to worry him bro, a lot. After everything that happened before New Year's and now acting like this again? Helios is getting so very worried was it something he did? No. No. He didn't. If it's one thing Helios knows how to do it's put aside his own problems and focus on other's instead. It helps getting his mind off of things at least. ]

Edited 2012-02-01 00:44 (UTC)

Wear it. [Remembering himself, at least for a second, Giles adds in a tone a bit more like himself:] Please. I, um, I h-haven't been wandering about without a coat all day. [He manages to look up at Helios long enough for an affectionate, if wan smile, before even that is too much and he looks down at the ground again.] And I, I-I haven't just been a guest of, of the Malnosso.

[Besides, Giles is dead, after all. How much worse off can he get?

No, Helios, it isn't you. It's him. It's always his fault. He sees that now.]

I know you probably can't feel it, Helios, but I know you can still freeze.

[He turns towards Helios just so he can take hold of the other's good hand and press the sleeve of the jacket into it. And then he feels the other's skin.

And then he stops.]

...o-oh.

Edited 2012-02-01 00:52 (UTC)

I-I'm fine. There isn't...they left me rather well off. [ For the most part. It's Robert who got the short end of the stick in this whole confounding mess.

His reply back never escapes his lips and instead there is a small gasp from him. Feeling the other's hand brush against his own Helios pulls back almost as if he's been burned. He's not used to this yet. Maybe he never will be because when it's all said and done come a week or so he'll have that cold, icy, touch again and that pain. He opens his mouth to explain but nothing comes out. He bites gently on his lip as he looks away. ] Th-they. Ah. Y-You weren't...

[ You weren't supposed to find out. ]

[Giles pulls back at almost the same instant, just as startled. When all is said and done, despite Helios' aversions and phobias, Giles had come to expect that cold, had come to see it as a part of Helios and forget that there was anything strange about it.

For a second, he looks utterly at a loss. He looks more than a little wary besides, as though he was the one who was burned. Suddenly feeling warmth under his friend's skin after so long, it had felt much the same.]

...s-so they did.

Edited 2012-02-01 01:06 (UTC)

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[Action] and now we progress into all the angst!

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Re: [Action] ;~; Helios, why is your life so horrible?

consultmybooks - 2012-02-01 04:26 (UTC) - Expand

[Action] ;~; because I'm a horrible person

folklorist - 2012-02-01 04:39 (UTC) - Expand

Re: [Action] ;~; because I'm a horrible person

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[Action] feel free to ignore this. I just wanted to reply~

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[Robert, meanwhile, just flinches and it's awhile before he responds.]

S-Stop... stop doing wh-what...?

I... I am s-sorry, I... [And trailing off uselessly, now. Mostly because Robert doesn't know what else to say.]

[Sigh. Head in hands. Count to ten. Try to remember how to communicate without screaming, try to remember that these are two people that will actually hear him, try to remember just what the hell is wrong with him...]

Don't apologize, Robert.

[If Robert knew what he was doing wrong - or rather, if it was something fixable - he would stop immediately. As it is, now he's just getting mixed signals.]

I... I...

... a-alright.

[Softly:] A-Are... a-are you... alright, Giles? D-Do you need something...?

[... Even in his current state he'd rather focus on someone else.]

[And if Giles knew just what was wrong with him, he'd stop giving off so many mixed signals.

Now, of course, he just sounds as tired as he feels. There's really no hiding it, not just yet.]

...s-suppose I, um, m-must have gotten kidnapped as well. Only, um, only sensible explanation.

You, you say you both have been gone three days, is that right?

[Robert wants Giles to feel better; the fact that Giles might have been kidnapped too just worries him even further.]

... A-Approximately, yes. Technically speaking, it was... about two and a half...

... N-Not the most... unpleasant stay, to... to be completely honest.

[For whatever reason, the rogues were gentler with them this time.]

... But, at the same time... it is n-not exactly something I... wish to repeat...

I just woke up, um, a few hours ago.

...that must have been it. [It wouldn't be the first time he returned from the Malnosso feeling like this, although memories of the last time still make him sick.] Certainly not, not the first time someone's come back not remembering their stay there.

...are you all right? Actually all right, I mean, and not what Helios calls 'all right'?

...

[Robert doesn't answer that at first, but...

... he really can't lie to Giles.]

... N-Not... not particularly...

[... His voice hitches, there, as another wave of the constant pain hits him. He doesn't even understand how Helios deals with this without going insane...]

... ... It has been... d-difficult... But please d-do not trouble yourself...

[Most people can't. It's a blessing and a curse, especially when Giles is entirely capable of lying back.

Giles keeps his voice very slow and deliberate, so as not to snap again.]

Robert. I am hardly troubling myself. Not when someone has just been kidnapped, and particularly not when that someone is you or Helios.

[Besides. It's easier and the world seems to have less jagged edges if he's focusing on their problems.]

What can I do to help?

[... What can Giles do to help?

...

Robert really doesn't know.]

...

I am... u-uncertain...

... Other than... m-making sure Helios is... a-alright, as much as p-possible...

... B-But. ... As for, er, m-myself... I do not th-think there is much that can be done...

I'll look after Helios. He does live here, after all - apart from his ordinary stubbornness, that should be the simplest matter of them all.

There's always something that can be done, even to mitigate the damage. What, um... [Here he sighs, mentally cursing himself for how much difficulty he's having in keeping up at all.] What...has happened to the both of you, then? If, if you don't mind my asking, of course.

[At this, Robert freezes up.

"I don't want anyone to ask questions."

And of course someone has to ask them. And that someone has to be Giles.

... Derail...?]

Y-You mean he... has not mentioned himself...?

[That someone is always going to be Giles. Benefits of a Sunnydale education.

...Giles does not mention here that he hung up on Helios and isn't quite in any fit state to advise or assist anyone directly right now. Robert isn't the only one who can derail.]

I haven't asked. Um, not yet, at least.

I thought I could ask you first.

[Voice]

[Voice] do you want robert and helios both to respond? :c

Re: [Voice] Separate threads might be best, given my slow, but yes!d? :c

[Voice] Okie dokes!

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[Voice] | Separate thread is a go! <3

Re: [Voice] - Apologies for Giles, he just woke up from being dead.

[Voice] | We're all allowed some crankiness after dying. |D

Re: [Voice] And, y'know, being mentally tortured by a goddess of suffering.

[Voice] Oh yeah. Can't forget that. Robert escapes it by virtue of not existing anymore.

Re: [Voice] Lucky bastard. Of course, there was also Grell and Mirror!Helios...

[Voice] And Robert got Fell. And Monster Leo. And some others.

Re: [Voice] Except it wasn't actually him, so there!

[Voice] True! 8D ... poor Giles.

Re: [Voice] And he got off lightly. No one brought in any of his villains.

[Voice] :'[ Gods know he doesn't need anything worse.

Re: [Voice] Well, no, when does he ever need to get hit with someone like Mirror!Helios?