#;drabble

Those were the words written on the paper slipped beneath my office door. I would love to say that I was confused, but I knew immediately what they were referring to. My other hand had shifted into my coat pocket, feeling the weight of the new watch that had been handed to me earlier in the night.

Beneficial, she'd said. Her gaze tender, her words wrapped in warmth that her hands could not replicate. I knew the woman I was working with and I knew what she was capable of. Yet in that moment as her hands folded around mine, pressing the watch down into my palm, I felt safe.

I should have heeded the warnings. I thought that I was playing her. That I would be the one man to conquer something that moved with the same fury as the sea. I was a fool who could not see that her coy smiles and gentle laughs were merely the call of a siren. It cost me everything.

Through me she spread like a plague to my business partners. They too fell into her hands, seduced by her strikingly cold touch and the addiction that was her bite. My men beneath me - my company - all withered as she drained me, body and soul.

What a fool am I, don't you think? That even now knowing the true curse that is the Madame that I find myself longing to feel her teeth sinking into my throat. Is this how the rabbit feels? Surely not as they run from the fox. No, I am no rodent. They are wiser.

I tell you now as I was told then, friend. Do not gamble against her. You will not win."

“What are you doing here, Unukalhai?” Elidibus expands the sphere of his influence, a shielding of aether to push away the swell of the darkness. This child should not be here; though Unukalhai had been brought through into the rift, surrendered his mortality as surely as any of the other souls here, he remained but a shard and there was no telling how the aether here might affect him.

“Is everywhere like this?” Unukalhai’s voice is quiet, and he tucks himself in close. Perhaps he is aware that he should not venture far from Elidibus’ protective aether.

“If you are hoping to find a part of the star unaffected by this calamity, then you will be disappointed.” There is no kindness in fostering false hope, and Unukalhai has already been made aware of the truth. 

“Not even a little bit?” His voice cracks with the pain of losing his home, a pain Elidibus still feels all too keenly. Centuries have yet to dull its edge, and even the slightest graze of it against his mind sets it bleeding all over again. The pain of such a loss… it resonates so powerfully with the souls that comprise Him it chokes the breath from Elidibus’ lungs. 

“Such is what happens when the balance is shattered,” he finally answers on the edge of his breath. Unukalhai’s grip upon his robes tightens. “There is no enduring it, nor escaping it. Any souls that remained after the flood would have eventually been corrupted by its influence.”

“But what about me?” 

“You endure because you no longer dwell in this place. Even the rift maintains its own balance that prevents such corruption. If you remain here too long, then you too will succumb to the same fate as these people.”

“Is there really no way to save them?” 

“I cannot say.” Perhaps there was, perhaps there was not. He has not exhausted every possibility, every avenue, but further action seems unwise. Elidibus has already lost too much in his ignorance of Hydaelyn’s curse upon the star and with Zodiark still dormant, his own ability to act was severely limited. 

For all his efforts, he could only save a single child. 

Day 5: Preservation

Hey Theo. Not sure if you still use this number, I dunno maybe I’m blocked so.. No estoy seguro de si escucharás este mensaje, pero..

I just wanted to say, it was good. Seeing you, uh.

At the diner. Last week.

I mean I know it went..

I know you left upset and all, but it was still nice.

Seeing you.

Yeah.

Miss you, kid. Para siempre.

alright?

Your mamá does too. So. Hope to see you again sometime soon. Love you.

claire? how’d that sound, think that was good? damn I’m really shaking. but i hope it was good. i fuckin hope he hears— Oh, it is? coño.

BEEP

End of voicemail ]

She knew, she just knew.

She knew he was having a bad day. It was something in her bones that felt it. There was something off about his texts and she knew. She knew something had happened. Something that had affected him.

She couldn't tell that much from the tone of his messages. She couldn't tell exactly what it was but it was likely one of a few things; a victim, a witness or a child being involved.

Iris had asked her to lunch but Maria turned her down, instead she was going to head to the lab and make sure that Horatio actually ate something. Make sure that he remembered what a good man he was, what he had waiting for him at home. Iris opted in that case to order in, there was a sandwich shop around the corner with a new, what Iris referred to as a 'gorgeous hunky and age-appropriate delivery man'. Maria just rolled her eyes because the fact that Iris was having to emphasize the fact the man was age-appropriate was just so her.

She left Iris, telling her she'd be back later and headed off to the lab calling at the little sandwich shop she knew they both liked on the way and picking up some dessert to. At the minute she was craving mango, very specifically this dessert that was layers of mango and cream that had been whipped with icing sugar to be sweet. So she picked up one of those in a little pot and then picked another one up that was orange flavoured for Horatio.

"Hey Maria!" Calleigh greeted her with a smile when she arrived at the lab. "You look positively glowin'"

"Thank you, how you doing?" Maria asked her.

"Good, I mean we had a two shootings this morning and then there was a pile up. We've been workin' flat out." Calleigh admitted as someone walked over to her with a file. "Horatio's in his office, he needs that." She gestured to the lunch in Maria's hands.

"If I'd have known how bad you were all having it I'd have brought enough for everyone."

"Oh, don't you worry, I'll send Ryan out for dinner later." She teased.

Maria said goodbye to Calleigh and made her way up to Horatio's office. It seemed she'd already been spotted, though, because she could see him stood in the window and she gave him a little wave. He was opening the door and taking the bag off her before she was even half way up the stairs.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" He asked her giving her a gently kiss on the cheek as he put a hand on her back guiding her into his office.

"I thought you might need lunch." She said and Maria knew he knew, she knew he knew that it was that sixth sense of hers that had kicked in and told her he needed a visit. Told her he needed lunch. "Calleigh said it's been a rough one."

"Hmmm, better for seeing you though." Horatio put the lunch on his desk, not even peeking in the bag before he came over to Maria, sliding one hand around her waist and the other going to move the hair from her face. "How are you two doing?" He asked looking between them and Maria grinned at him, reaching up to touch his face and then giving him a soft kiss.

"I bought another mango thing." Maria admitted, sheepishly.

"It's clearly what you both need." Horatio nuzzled his nose against hers and brought his hand round to her stomach.

"We brought daddy one too. Orange yours though." Then she paused. "If you don't have time it's okay. I just wanted to make sure you ate and that you had a reminder of how much we love you."

"Sweetheart, I will always have time for you." Horatio replied. "Especially when you come bearing lunch."

"I got juice too, though I probably should have got you a coffee."

i. "come on, you've been working hard. take a load off." A rich statement, one that draws a grumble from Nel, a dismissive wave of her hand following the coddling that she feels she's receiving. As expected, however, it only brings a smile from Olesya-- along with a ruffling of her hair; it draws a scowl from her, along with a swat of the hand. There's no one else in the universe that is her sibling aside from Rafal, but she cannot help but wonder... Is this what it was like, to be held under an elder sibling's wing? To be treated as a child, even when proven time and time again that Nel is more than worthy of her independence. Yet Olesya knows nothing of that, does she? Nothing of the vicious battles, nothing of the bid for a Father's approval that would never come. Nel has no sister. She never will. This is merely an illusion, a means to an end. A shrug of her shoulders follows, along with a sip of a strange drink from a can-- and she allows her eyes to fall shut with the memory of a cocky, affectionate grin on her companion's face carved into her mind. - "I am pleased to see that you are taking your rest where you can find it." Softened features and eyes crinkling at the corners as her lips turn upwards into a smile, Nel's arms remain crossed over her chest as she peers over at Rafal busying himself with some sort of task that holds all of his attention. It's endearing, the way that he grumbles to himself as his sister makes her way over, peering over the slope of his shoulder to take a look at whatever it is that he's begun. She's hit with the urge to place a hand on the top of his head, the desire to card her fingers through his hair gently. A rare surge of affection, and briefly, she wonders: what would he do? Feign his disapproval, and pretend that he's annoyed? When Nel knows better than anyone else that the pink that would dust his cheeks means that he doesn't truly despise it? It's easy, to give in for once. To gently ruffle the snow-white hair that she could spot from a mile away, a fond chuckle escaping before she opts to finally free him from her affections. ii. "you wouldn't be willing to just run away, would you? stow away to the day side or move off-planet, change your name… ?" What is there for her to lose in this? To agree with Lisia would be to surrender this fight that doesn't concern herself, and to stow away in a safer place where neither of them can be harmed by the contraptions of this world. Regardless of the fact that Nel doesn't belong to the narrative spun here, the truth remains that... she cares, to some degree. Perhaps not in the same manner that the other woman does, unable to be fully invested when the stark reminder remains that her other half is not here. Not by her side where he belongs, and her at his. But there's no denying the fondness that flashes in the depths of Lisia's eyes, one that Nel knows she's donned on her own face. One that reflects nothing but a love that runs deeper than anything else... and she has to turn her head to look away. If she stares too long, perhaps that would be reflected in her own gaze; and to do so would be a disservice to the life she truly leads. - "We severed ties with our father during the last war. We now fight against our misguided kin." To defy Sombron's will is to forfeit your life. Nel knows this well, in the way that she sees his oppressive rule and how any defiance is squashed far before it turns into any desire to rebel. Today is not the first time she's seen a fellow Fell Dragon torn to shreds at his hand, and she knows it will not be the last.

The vivid image remains in her mind, even as she lays on a dirty blanket with Nil tucked safely into her arms. As always, the stench of blood and death lingers in the air throughout the hallways of Gradlon Temper, a perfect offering to the Fell God's perverse love of carnage. "Nil... We should leave." A matter-of-fact statement, knowing damn well that it's not that easy. To leave now would to be hunted, to be chased to the ends of Elyos with the sole intent of being mauled until nothing remained of their bodies. Yet somehow, that's still better than the life they're leading now. But she cannot even begin to stomach the idea of Nil's lifeless body before her, his story ended before it ever truly began. Her grip on him tightens, face nuzzling the top of his head as she inhales deeply. We will have our time together. This will not be our life- I will find a way. If that means that she has to obey and endure, then so be it. She will do anything for him, without a second thought. Her duty as an elder sister, to become his shield... one she takes without hesitation. iii. "but if something endangers any of you, you know i'll do what i have to." Words for someone who intends to be a martyr at the end of the day. Nel's brows cant downwards enough to cast a shadow over carmine eyes, the long pause that follows making the atmosphere tense in nearly an instant. She's had this conversation before-- how there can be no equal if one constantly stands in front of the other to deflect harm. She wants to have it again. She wants to remind the other that there is no inequality between the two of them, and that-- A click of her tongue interrupts the train of thought, turning her back to the other. Nel is no child; she hasn't been for a long time. But somehow, with the way that Olesya breaks through her walls... perhaps she feels like a young fledgling dragon again, just learning how to spread her wings and fly. Instead of expressing any of that sentiment, what comes is an indignant squawk that sounds eerily familiar to a certain brother of hers. "I am not a child!" - "If we are two halves of a whole, then I must protect you as well." A jagged gash over the right side of her hip, mere inches away from being able to pierce through vital organs. Even a dragon cannot evade death in this manner, and the fact that it missed is a direct reflection of a similar encounter that Rafal held before. It's a drastic measure to get through to him, surely... but the fact that they both sport matching scars is a testament to the love they hold for one another. If there's a hint of a self-satisfied smile on her face, then there's no one around to point it out. Instead, her palm rests over the space where that scar lays, knowing full well that it's reflected in her other half. A physical reminder that there is nothing they are not together in, and evidence of her desire to protect. It's easy to die for someone. A single slice of a sword, or an arrow straight to the chest. It's much harder to live for someone, to persist through thick and thin, happiness and sadness. But she'll bear that burden for the rest of her days, simply for the chance to fit their hands together once again-- molded perfectly to the other's. iv. "and every breath that you'd give to defend us, we'd do the same tenfold. that's what it means to be 'family'." Drinks shared under moonlight had become more common than not, and it's far easier than it should be to fall into laughter with someone that Nel shouldn't know. Perhaps it's the fuzziness that's afflicting her, or perhaps it's the fact that she's spent too long in this world: but it's... refreshing. Yet underneath it all, that same dread remains-- this will not last, and there will come an end.

When she flops to the side on the couch shared with Olesya, there's a grumble of protest as some off-handed comment is overheard. Fatigue pulls at her bones, at her mind, and it feels as if every muscle in her body is made of lead. It would be so, so easy to simply drift off here, safe in the presence of another... and it's second nature to close her eyes. Nel hears those words. She's not quite asleep, conscious enough to process what's being said-- and it all strikes a chord deep within her that hits a little bit too close to home.

You see, that night it was his turn to cook (something new that they were trying out in the Jabberwock dorm), and he decided to make the one thing he really knew how to cook: Porridge. No it wasn’t a filling meal for dinner, but again, Towa doesn’t need food. Plus, he figured if the other two were really hungry, they’d just suck it up and eat it. So when Ren outright refused to touch his meal, and Haru pretended to like it even though he’d spit it out into a napkin when he thought Towa wasn’t looking, he knew he had to make a change. He hardly ever felt shame, but last night was particularly humbling for Towa.