⚡ hadriel - ic inbox

[evocation]

This is Kyna. You should just text me if you actually want me to answer.

Comments

[evocation]

[Oh, Ephemera. Kyna sighs and gives his arm a little poke with her free hand.]

It's okay. I'm not mad at you. We're still okay.

[requiemshark]

[He reaches out to flick at her hair. Just a little.]

I get stuck on that stuff. With Washington. 's not on you. That's my shit.

[braveoff]

[ Drake cannot teleport, so he isn't there yet, but he did leave basically the second he got that message. The last time someone said "Ephemera needs you" he was. Fucked up. He shoots a text back on his way. ]

Whatever it is, keep him talking. I'll be right there.

[evocation]

[Kyna sticks her tongue out at Ephemera.]

Yeah, I know. Plus, you're a jerk.

[It sounds almost affectionate, though, the way she says it. She's really starting to like Ephemera, which is weird to think about. Drake gets a quick answer—"He's up and talking"—and then Kyna looks up again.]

Drake's on his way.

[requiemshark]

You're an ass.

[He says it fondly, despite everything. He gets Kyna, most of the time. She makes sense. One day they might even be friends. She hasn't made a move to pull away and he doesn't either. Just holds, careful not to lean on her. With all his armor on, he could hurt her. That wouldn't be right.

Then she says Drake's coming.]

Oh.

[He's quiet for a moment.]

I fucked up pretty bad, huh?

[evocation]

No, you didn't. God, you and Wash...

[She hesitates, not sure if she should make that comparison, but then decides that leaving it hanging is worse.]

You guys always think you did something wrong.

[requiemshark]

[Him and Washington. Once, the thought that they had anything in common would have made him bristle. Ephemera feels too tired for that right now. And she has a point, in the end.]

Being crazy does that. I think. Even if you're not crazy all the time.

[He remembers the dream. The room with soft walls. Washington begging for clarity. Lost in his own skull.

Yeah. That. Sometimes Ephemera wishes he didn't understand, in small ways. It would have made things so much simpler.]

[evocation]

[She thinks of Lance giving her a lecture for using the word "psycho", and she frowns.]

You guys aren't crazy. You just... You know. You've been through a lot of shit and you're way too fucking hard on yourselves.

[requiemshark]

What?

[Ephemera blinks, glancing down at her.]

You're...you mean that.

[evocation]

What? I mean... yeah. I'm not saying you both didn't fuck up, but...

[She shrugs a bit.]

Your world sucks. No offense. I probably would have fucked up way more.

[requiemshark]

[Their world sucks. Ephemera thinks about that for a moment. Tries imagining Kyna in armor. She wouldn't be a Freelancer, no - something else. But she'd be different in their world, inevitably. Changed by it.]

I guess it does.

[braveoff]

[ It's then that Drake comes around the heap of rubble that is what's left of the bar, looking concerned. Seeing Kyna under Ephemera's arm holding him steady isn't encouraging. He glances between them as he steps in -- it's the first he's seen Kyna since he nearly turned. She'd seemed cool about it at the time, but. There's a bit of uncertainty now. ]

Hey. What happened?

[evocation]

[Kyna doesn't seem particularly bothered. One of the perks of being from a world with revenants and werewolves and vampires, maybe.]

Um... Ephemera?

[requiemshark]

[And then Drake is there. Not running, not out of breath, but looking worried. Like he just got a text out of the blue saying his partner--what?

He doesn't know what Kyna said. It doesn't matter. Not really. Drake's here now.]

Had a seizure.

[He glances at Kyna.]

Lost a little time there.

[braveoff]

[ Well Kyna said he was okay, and with her and up and talking, so. No, he didn't run. He probably wouldn't have made it the whole way if he'd tried, honestly, he's still not quite up to par. But he's strong enough to take over holding Ephemera steady, and some of his weight if necessary.

The worry just intensifies when he hears it was another seizure, his brows drawing together. They have to find someone who can check the implant properly. Figure out what's going on. But not right now. ]

Okay... enough excitement for you today, huh? [ He tries to keep his voice light, at least. ] Thanks, Kyna. I'll get him home.

[evocation]

[Kyna's used to the Hollywood style seizures, the dramatic ones, so she didn't peg what happened to Ephemera as one. When he says it was, she frowns, shooting him a concerned look. Drake takes over, and she steps away, crossing her arms again.]

Um... Yeah, sure. No problem. Are you sure you're gonna be okay, Ephemera?

[requiemshark]

[Despite how vehemently Ephemera had been with Kyna about not telling Drake, he relaxes almost instantly upon seeing him. Drake comes to him, looping an arm around his waist, and Ephemera breathes a little easier. Leans forward to bump their foreheads together. Kyna's watching, but he doesn't care.

It's just for a moment. Just a moment.]

Cross my heart, [he murmurs.] Sorry I freaked you out.

[braveoff]

[ For what it's worth the gesture seems to comfort them both -- Drake's little frown dissolves and when he glances back at Kyna it's with more understanding than anything. ]

It's not like in the movies, huh?

[evocation]

[Kyna shrugs in response, looking awkward. This is sweet, but she feels like she's intruding on a moment she shouldn't intrude on.]

Um... No. Sorry. We were arguing, and...

[She tugs on her braid absently, turning her attention to Ephemera.]

I shouldn't have gotten you all worked up.

[requiemshark]

Not your fault.

[They just happen sometimes. He shouldn't have yelled at her. Shouldn't have thrown his helmet. It spiraled. Got away from him.

Ephemera shifts, leaning against Drake. Just a little.]

Shouldn't have yelled at you.

[braveoff]

[ Obviously Drake wants to know what they were arguing about, and his eyes are curious, but. If it's important, Ephemera can tell him at home. No need to rehash it with Kyna and risk either of them getting upset again. ]

Hey, at least you didn't fight this time? That's a step up.

[ A big one. ]

[evocation]

[Kyna rocks back on her heels, lips quirking up.]

Yeah, well, I guess Ephemera's okay sometimes.

[requiemshark]

You're an ass, [Ephemera informs her, fondly. No matter how it ended, that's true. ] I will show you how to throw a punch sometime. A real one.

[braveoff]

Sometime. Not now. [ He tries to spur Ephemera into motion, back towards their place. Where they can talk about the frequency of these episodes in private. ] Let's go, man.

[evocation]

Yeah, yeah, go ahead. Hurry up.