monolike | IC CONTACT

[look when you live on the s.s. malevolence a guy is allowed to be mildly concerned]

Oh, sure! I'll meet you in the cargo bay.

[That's true. Anders and Naruto are gone, but... still.]

I'll be there soon.

[True to his word, he is there in about ten minutes, maybe fifteen. He steps out of the shuttle with two flat-ish boxes in his arms. They don't look very heavy, and the boxes themselves are plain white.

His movements are only a little slower than usual, but the part of his face that is visible seems flushed.]

Sorey.

Dezel! -Dezel? Are you- [He'd felt it once Dezel entered his domain, that sense of unevenness, that something was off balance but he'd just figured it was that weird way his powers were settling here. Maybe he'd have to readjust every time.

But no, there's definitely something wrong. Sorey hurries closer and takes the packages from Dezel, peering up at him worriedly.] You look like you're sick, are you okay?

[Dezel tries to avoid Sorey's gaze and he's not too successful.] I'm fine. I don't get sick. [It's probably just the malevolence. Being around Sorey ought to make him feel better.

He taps the topmost box.]

Open it. [... It's exactly what you were expecting. The other box has something for Mikleo.]

[Dezel gets a vaguely pouting look because Sorey knows this isn't just malevolence, but he'll come back to that. Dezel came all this way while feeling unwell to give him a gift so he's gonna open that shit up and mothERFUCKING LOVE IT.]

Oh my god. This- [PULLS IT ON] It's so warm! Dezel, thank you! I love it.

[Dezel is surprised that Sorey loves it simply because Dezel isn't used to giving gifts. At all. It's not like he used to bring Rose dead birds or something. But he did see that and think of Sorey, so it's not as bad as it could be.]

The other one is for Mikleo.

[Mickey has been helping him purify the moon, so he deserves something too.]

[Sorey peeks at that one too before shooting Dezel a grin. Mikleo will probably rant about 'childishness' or some other such nonsense, but secretly he'll like it. Sorey knows him.] Thanks Dezel, he'll love it too. I'll be sure to give it to him.

Now. [Sorey sets the boxes aside and maybe his sternness is offset by the dopey puppy hat he's still got wedged onto his head, but his hands are on his hips and he's going for stern nonetheless.] How about we discuss why you look so under the weather?

[Dezel nods, but he should've known better. Sorey knows something's up and he's not going to let go of it until he has an answer. Sometimes it's easy to forget that Sorey is firm in his beliefs, and he is absolutely committed to and loyal to his seraphim. He won't leave them behind. Not on anything. Even Dezel, who wanted to be left behind.]

I'm not under the weather. I'm a wind seraph. [HE CONTROLS THE WEATHER, BASICALLY.

-- but then he rubs at his forehead, bumping his hat up a bit, and it's clear he's hotter than he's letting on.]

... Ugh, damn it.

You need to rest before you go back. C'mon, you can lay down in my room. [Sorey taps his chest insistently. Go on, get in here, he'll walk you over.]

[Dezel is really not feeling that well. He's held up well until now, but that was because he didn't have an alternative; now that he's close to a safe place, all his pain and sickness is catching up to him.

For once, he doesn't protest. He's done enough of that. He just accepts it and nests back into the Shepherd, silently grateful for the chance to get off his feet.]

[It's not nearly as uncomfortable as it was before, so that's good; Dezel feeling claustrophobic on top of feeling ill wouldn't be a good time for anybody.

Still- Sorey can feel that Dezel's not well. He doesn't feel sick himself, and it doesn't hurt to have Dezel there, inside his soul, but still he can tell something isn't right. It's like whenever the seraphim are wounded in battle and retreat inside of him to rest. Maybe this'll help him recover more quickly.

Sorey makes good on his word, heading straight for his quarters and having a seat on the edge of his bed.] You don't have to come out if you don't want, I know you're not big on sleeping. ...if, um, if being in there is helping you out though, you can stay. I'll just take care of my duties, and whenever you want to go back you can just let me know.

[That's the idea. Being around Sorey helps a little, but there's no denying it's something physical. He ought to be resistant to fatigue!!!! But it's more than that, apparently.]

This probably isn't what you meant by sleepover.

[Still.]

If it's all the same to you, I'll stay in here for a while.

You can stay as long as you like, Dezel. Get some rest, okay? [It's frustrating, that Sorey can't do anything more than just act as a vessel for him, but he'll do his best to keep his soul nice and calm and shove all those anxieties in his heart as far away as possible to protect Dezel for them while he's trying to recuperate.

Sorey continues along his day, mindful of keeping quiet and calm while he's working and taking various engineering requests and trying to keep a ship in shape when he only knows about half of what he's actually doing. It's an exciting learning process with this kid. Once or twice he brushes against the edge of Dezel's soul to check on him, but more or less he leaves him to his own devices. Hopefully it's not lonely in there without the other seraphim. Maybe he should go get Mikleo and see if he'd be willing to tag along...]

[Dezel is present, but lost in thought. It really is like when seraphim recover from a bad fight. He can practically feel Sorey's concern, and it nags him, but there's not much to be done.

Towards the end of the day he finally stirs, feeling stronger. He materializes without any real warning. He's so used to people being unable to see him that he steps out whenever he wants.]

Hmph. Maybe it is the air after all. [What.]

The...air? [At least Sorey's still used to it, though he's starting to forget what it's like to suddenly have people beside you after being here for so long.

He pulls himself out from a maintenance hatch and sits on his heels, staring up at Dezel as he wipes his hands off.] Do you mean the polluted air from the surface?

[Dezel leans against the nearest wall. It's his greatest superpower.]

Yeah. I thought only humans were affected by it. I was there for weeks without a mask and I didn't feel bad until recently.

You were trying to clean up, right? [Mikleo was, and Sorey remembers hearing something about it.] Do you think it's because you interacted with your element? Mikleo was doing the same thing.

Probably.

[He braces himself for the part where Sorey gets upset that no one asked him to help. The worst part is that he might not even get angry, he'll just give Dezel that look and even being blind won't fucking help him.

But maybe he'll be okay this time around.]

Are you mad that we didn't invite you?

I'm not mad, [Sorey answers, maybe a little too quickly. Anger is a thing he tries real hard to avoid.

Well, that and bitterness and guilt and anything else negative. Gotta stay pure! For everybody's sake.]

I would've liked to be included, but I know you guys were thinking of protecting me. But, hey! I'm pretty useless without you guys. Even if all I can do in a situation is amplify your powers, let me know.

[GOTTA REPRESS EVERYTHING!!!!! YEAH!!!!

That said, Dezel still... feels bad. Maybe he's growing a conscience. Maybe he's starting to acknowledge it exists.]

You're not useless.

[He is somehow very firm on this fact.]

The only reason I haven't become a hellion is because you're here.

[this tsun motherfucker has always had a conscience, he's just too busy being vengeful to listen to it]

Is that so? [Rather than making him feel relieved, Sorey's even more worried. He'd known the malevolence around here is bad and depressingly prevalent, but he hadn't known it was that critical.] Dezel maybe we can move to your ship. Or you can come to ours. I know you like your space, but with my domain so limited in reach-

It's not a problem with your domain. [He doesn't let Sorey finish.] Before I made the pact, I... had Rose. That was enough to keep my desire for revenge from overwhelming me.

[He's still full of issues. Full of regret and sadness more than anger, now. Any anger he feels is directed at himself; he's been avenged in a way, and he's had a taste of heaven.

But he still wants what he can't have. And besides that--]

The fleet is practically dripping with malevolence. I don't know how you've managed.

It's not as bad for me as it is for Mikleo, or you. It's not pleasant, but...we've managed worse.

[Dezel still wants revenge? Well...it makes sense. He died before avenging any of his friends. Sorey can't tell him that they've taken care of Symonne either, since she and Heldalf are still very much at large and more or less running the show.

Would Dezel even be happy to hear she'd been defeated? Maybe it's something he feels he needs to do with his own two hands.]

I know I'm not Rose, [Sorey says simply, without any kind of self-pity. Rose is someone special to Dezel. Not just because of her purity, but because of who she is. Whether or not she knew it, she was his companion for years. To be without that familiarity, and in the middle of all this, after something as traumatizing as what had happened to him- Sorey, he hasn't been giving Dezel the concern he should. He needs to be more attentive.] I'm not Rose, [Sorey starts over, and this time he shifts so he's kneeling before Dezel, fists on his knees. This'll probably make him uncomfortable, but it helps Sorey feel more grounded, more sure.] But I'm still your Shepard. If there is anything I can do for you, I want you to tell me. If you feel like you can't- then you can just come to me and I won't ask. I'm still your holy vessel, no matter what, Dezel. I will be for the rest of my life.

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