breakaleginhalf | dataBURST: IC Inbox

[ Way too real, and it earns him a startled look before Artemis commits to moving past that just as hard as Gil is. This conversation is difficult enough without doing all his thinking about it at once. ]

I don't really need to see it. I believe you. [ He takes a deep breath and runs his free hand through his hair, getting it out of his eyes and then letting it fall right back. ]

I just need to ask one question: how likely are you...

[ He needs to ask, but he can't make himself quite finish the sentence. ]

[It possibly takes a moment too long for the answer to come.]

...no. [But his tone has a finality to it, a firm and quiet certainty.] I thought about it, when I first got Out, but I didn't. So, I won't.

Good. [ There's relief, there, but also a certain sort of vehemence that's almost anger. Artemis glares at the TV for a moment before making himself relax. It's - fine, it's over, there's no reason for him to care about any of this. He wasn't there. ] It would be really stupid to have survived everything you did and waste it.

[He almost smiles; certainly a small huff escapes him, the ghost of an amused snort.]

Yeah, well. People found a better use for me, is all. Got me into a routine so I don't have to worry about finding reasons for myself.

Pretty much anything's better than being recycled early, c'mon. [ Artemis rolls his eyes at Gil, though his expression's softened. ] Or... turned into worm food. Whatever the fuck you guys do.

[ Not important, Artemis, focus. ]

So that's the suicidal one. The other one...?

[...ah. This one's less fun.]

We've both said before that being Taken changes us. Turns us... less than human, more like Them. But that's only if we get out. If we don't, we, uh. Don't stop changing.

[He lifts a hand and runs his fingers through his mane idly, only halfway consciously.]

That memory you saw of mine... that was my breaking point. And after that, I had to make a choice. Fight harder, get out, save myself... or give in. Let myself get turned into whatever the Director wanted.

[He's silent for a few moments.] That me got turned nearly fully into one of Them, and Summer-Coda killed it because it was too dangerous to let live.]

Not going to ask how you're feeling about that.

[ He's worried, of course he is, but - well, the Gil that matters got out just fine, since he made a better choice, and he's not going to off himself when shit gets stressful. Both of those things make Artemis feel like this is the right Gil, or at least the one he likes best.

He's also the one that probably doesn't need to talk to Artemis about his emotions, or so Artemis is choosing to believe. ]

I am going to ask how Coda killed you, though. If you'll tell me.

[ It's probably easier for everyone involved than asking Coda themself. His eyes flick down to check that they're still asleep. ]

Edited 2021-05-05 09:01 (UTC)

[Artemis doesn't ask, so Gil just shrugs one shoulder.

He'll answer the question that does get asked.]

Electrocuted it, used their Blessing to terrify it into submission, and killed it with a spear.

A spear?

[ His eyes dart between Coda and Gil, because he's got some serious doubts about the upper body strength involved in pulling that off. ~~Maybe Summer!Coda is shredded?~~ ]

-Wait, no, that's not exactly what I meant. You guys keep talking around the blessing thing.

[Gil doesn't look at Artemis for a few seconds, before he sighs quietly.]

I'm calling in that Favour. [He turns to Artemis then, and there's a stone-cold seriousness very rarely seen on Gil's face - probably ever, really.] You can't tell anyone about Coda's Blessing, or their Kith, unless someone else tells you word for word that they know what it is. Not anyone, not even Bugsy.

[And a cool breeze suddenly ghosts through the room, bringing the faint smell of leaf mold and a chill that makes Artemis's heart race for a few quick seconds. It's there in a second and gone again just as fast, before Gil continues in a more natural, albeit still somewhat urgent tone.]

Like, I trust that you have Coda's best interests in heart, I do, but this means something to them. They're a Moonborn. Their entire, I dunno, idiom is driving people insane. Their blessing is called Lunatic's Kiss - they can drive someone literally insane, for a whole month if it's someone without magic.

Edited 2021-05-06 12:17 (UTC)

[ There's a certain relief in the Favor called in being something Artemis would have done anyway. He is, if nothing else, excellent at keeping secrets. He looks back with equal seriousness - and a subtle widening of his eyes as his heart goes nuts - before the moment passes and things feel normal again. ]

-Oh. [ They'd promised not to, and Artemis believes them, but the idea of anyone fucking around in his head is ... he doesn't like it. He gets why Coda doesn't, either. ] That's some blessing, what the fuck.

[ He looks back down at Coda, a little incredulously because... he can be told they're not human all day, and he can see the horror in someone like Bugsy or Gil, but Coda? Coda's never felt anything but harmless. Safe. ]

How did you find out?

[Gil's hand drifts down to brush Coda's hair behind their ear, an innocuous gesture made tender by just how delicate he's being with them.]

Like I said, saw their Summer copy use it on the Beast. It was geared up to attack them, then they just-- shone like the moon for a second, and the Beast started backing down. Acting all twitchy and nervous, it's-- not allowed to run away from a fight, but it didn't want to be anywhere near them. They gave it just... pure, mindless terror of them.

[ Artemis watches the gesture, unable to untangle the mix of emotions it inspires in him - tenderness and longing and just a little bit of jealousy all at once. Nothing that would take him anywhere good, so he focuses on the image Gil's painting with his words. ]

That's powerful. [ Coda probably weighs like ninety-eight pounds soaking wet, and they'd taken on something even bigger and badder than the Gil sitting next to him. Artemis decides: ] Good. All this shit freaks me the fuck out, but this probably won't be the last time there's something to fight in here.

Unfortunately, there's the catch. [He doesn't miss that emotional cocktail, but he chooses to ignore it, looking back at Artemis tiredly.] Most Blessings don't have Catches - Coda's does.

[You can practically hear the capital C there.]

Whenever Coda uses it, they get backlash. Whatever they give to someone else, they suffer from a less intense version. Give someone terror, give yourself panic. Give someone a fugue, make yourself dissociate.

[ Artemis makes a face, wondering why exactly everything seems to have to suck for them. Magic powers? With a catch? Bullshit. Still: ]

-That's okay, here. We'll just have to have their back. [ The same as he's planning to keep an eye on Gil's mental health. Never mind that he's just as unequipped to deal with that as he is a fight. His foot, the one hanging off the mattresses away from the other two, jiggles restlessly. ] If they need it. If they'll let us.

And if they don't, we'll lock them in a rubber room with a book until the crisis is averted. [He's taking the piss, though, nestling down slightly lower so he can rest his head back on the couch. The motion makes his knee and part of his thigh press against Artemis's; but if he notices, he certainly doesn't care.]

Feel free to go to sleep too, man. I'm gonna be up for a while.

[ Artemis snorts and lets his knee press a little more firmly into Gil's, intentional but quick, before he relaxes again. ]

Not sure I'll be able to, but who knows. This turned out pretty cozy, considering.

Yeah. [He glances briefly down at Coda with fondness, before turning that onto Artemis; and the fondness doesn't fully dry up, just buried behind amusement.] They're a surprisingly good cuddler, who knew.

[ There's something surprising in that look, but Artemis isn't going to overthink it. He grins back. ] Starting to think a hug longer than three seconds is all it takes to get them to actually go the fuck to sleep. Might need more than two trials on that one, though.

Well, keep bringing them here and we can test that theory some more. Text each other results and shit, it's not proper science without proper note-taking.

Hmm.

[ Artemis looks down, because looking at someone who is too asleep to witness vulnerability is a lot easier than looking at Gil, who might very well give him shit about it. ]

Maybe we could, uh. Skip a step? I was thinking...

[Well that's one way to get Gil's curiosity, and both ears perk towards Artemis. There might be a light tease in his voice, but he's curious more than anything else.]

Like what, letting them move in with us permanently?

[ Artemis waves his hand in a so-so gesture. ]

A lot of guys would kill to be this up close and personal with me all the time, but I'm thinking you're probably pretty sick of sharing a bedroom. [ That's good, couch it in a joke, that'll work fine. ] We could find a bigger place, take them with us? Maybe?

I would not mind someone else picking up your laundry once in a while.

[So yes, he'll give Artie a little shit. But he's glancing away as well now, ears pricking down - not upset, just thinking.]

But, like... yeah, actually. I'm not opposed to that.

dataBURST: IC Inbox

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject