AUDIENCE 🚀 GREGOR

[dropoffs]

Comments

[verminous]

...good, but... still worrying for almost all of you to go down from that at the same time.

[bulls]

Some of us are almost sure it was to keep us from preventing what happened. We were taking our turns, making the rounds. She wouldn't have...

[ a breath. ]

It wouldn't have happened if...

[ it's fine. just shuts up. ]

We're alright now. For the time being.

[verminous]

[...he reaches over to rest a hand on his arm, since they're both safely bundled up.]

Maybe not. Maybe she'd have just found another time and another way. It's-- what she wanted.

[bulls]

[ safely bundled. io just looks downwards. ]

It... it is...

[ they trail off. silence. unfinished thoughts as they just carefully pat his arm in turn. ]

... Shouldn't have had to. Sweet girl.

[verminous]

No. It wasn't-

[his fingers curl a little tighter around his arm.]

It wasn't right that it had to be her.

[sometimes all of it just makes him so--

...breathe, gregor.]

[bulls]

[ just. sliding his thumb through the hole in his jacket sleeve to cover his palm in fabric he just moves to hold his arm as well. he keeps his touch light in case too much pressure registers on rusted old wounds. ]

Easy... easy, my friend... breathe. With me...

[ steady... slow... but always steady. ]

I know...

[verminous]

I'm fine. Just... I guess it's just getting a little rough.

[losing people they never should have lost, both to death and to their hands being forced. to seemingly losing control.

the contact helps, at least, so he just-- breathes.]

[bulls]

[ concern etches itself onto his face for a moment, and then he sighs. ]

It is... even if you're seasoned at this sort of thing. "Good" at losing people. Everyone has a point where it starts to break.

I understand.

[verminous]

Mm. I don't know if I'd say it's a breaking point yet, but... ah, this is a long time to deal with this stuff.

[that's all.

looks at this weekend looks away. anyway.]

[bulls]

[ yeah. yeah. ]

Not to say you are at it, but rather tremors.

[ foundations shaken.

don't talk to me about this weekend i feel so fucking betrayed and i'm a mod. ]

[verminous]

Just cracks, maybe. Nothing that can't still get shored up.

[hehe? listen sometimes you have to slap betray...]

I'm still-- hoping it'll all work out in the end.

[bulls]

I believe it will... feel it in my bones.

[ a small smile. ]

Even with every disaster, I think we're getting closer.

[verminous]

Well, if those bones of yours say so, it must be right, 'ne?

[giving him a little nudge, with a small grin of his own.]

[bulls]

[ a soft laugh, closing his eyes with a sigh. ]

The faith in them is... appreciated. They're stubborn at least.

[ a chuckle ]

And frozen. How about something hot to drink?

[verminous]

Please. Think going from the inside out is the only way we're gonna be warming up at all, at this rate...

[a little shiver, as if right on cue. ughhh it's too COLD for a bug.]

[bulls]

[ bugs do not belong in the cold :nyeh: io will get up, albeit a little slowly with an "oof", moving to turn on a small electric kettle by the desk. a pair of mismatched cups. skimming a drawer briefly. ]

Don't have variety, so you'll get whatever I've got already made... sorry about that. But it'll be hot, so, I hope that'll do?

[verminous]

You say that like you think I've ever been picky, Io bud. If it's hot, it's all right with me.

[just watching him work, for the moment.]

Tell me if you want a hand.

[bulls]

Nah, it's soothing for me.

[ a huff and just prepping a couple of leaves. ]

Reminds me of the work left to do back home.

[verminous]

You've got business to get back to, huh. ...with the plague?

[io your kids. your earth.]

[bulls]

I am the menkhu... I'm their only physician left. Dankovsky's gone off the deep end.

[ the kettle just bubbles, almost there. ]

I need to... save that idiot too.

[verminous]

No pressure, or anything...

[geez.

being the only physician they have to save them from the plague, having someone else to save on top of it all--]

It must be heavy.

[bulls]

[ a low hum. ]

It is.

[ pouring quietly, just staring downwards for a long moment, like maybe he's falling asleep with his eyes open? no it's fine. he blinks after a long stretch and sets his hands on the desk. ]

But I took my brand knowing what it would entail. [ offering him a light smile. ] Mostly. As with most things.

[verminous]

[that light smile gets an attempt at one in turn, but. not quite.]

Well... knowing most of what it'd entail isn't the same as having much choice in it.

[it's an unasked question, something he's leaving to io, if he feels like answering or not. gregor is all too familiar with a lack of choice, and if he's the only physician left, there couldn't have been many options in the beginning.]

[bulls]

... The Kin must always have their menkhu to read the Lines. And it's in my blood.

[ a choice willed into existence. it needed to be. he finishes up and brings over a hot cup, handing it over with care. a smile. still. ]

What's been willed simply... will be. And I'm okay with that if it means I can save my town.

[verminous]

Guess being able to do that for them must make it a little easier to swallow.

[something that had to be, but that-- at least ends up doing some good. ends up with saving people, with being in a position to help.

gregor takes the cup carefully, human hand curling around it to soak up the warmth.]

... you're a good man, you know.

[it's part of what makes gregor so fond of him.]