awashlogs | o toi, le plus savant et le plus beau des anges

WHO: Akira, Dextera, Ryo (+ Pyra in the second thread)
WHERE: The woods
WHEN: 3/14ish
WHAT: Satan, a Devilman, and God walk into the forest to kill a guardian.
WARNINGS: Character death, violence; I'll update this if anything else comes up.

[ Link had cautioned him against harming the guardian, and while Ryo agreed that he had a point since the forest is sentient to some degree and that killing it could very well incur the forest's wrath, he decided to ignore the suggestion to leave it alone—he wants that thing dead, and he wants to know what it might be guarding. One must sometimes take risks in the pursuit of knowledge, after all.

A few weeks after learning about Dextera being in possession of a bullet capable of killing even even a god, Ryo, Dextera, and Akira decide to make the trip into the forest with the intention of tracking down and killing the creature.

It's been a couple of hours since they left town. Their surroundings are growing darker, the trees becoming more twisted and gnarly as they venture deeper. It can't be far now, and Ryo feels unease knot in his stomach—it's as though they're being ushered toward the creature, with nothing hindering their way. They haven't even seen a single animal since they left town. ]

I hope we're not being led into some sort of trap. [ He says, eyes scanning for movements between the trees, fingers tightening around his rifle. ]

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[You're alive. So he really had died after all, and it hadn't just been a bad dream.] What worked...?

[Is she talking about the book? Why is she smiling, when all of them look exhausted? He glances at the grimoire only briefly, and something about this situation seems wrong, even if he doesn't yet understand why. He's starting to panic, so Akira moves over to Ryo's side next, dropping to his knees and gathering him up in his arms.]

Ryo? [His voice trembles, remembering how Ryo had held him like this as he died. Then, with a little more urgency--] Ryo, talk to me.

[He's breathing, at least, but he and Dextera look even worse off than Pyra.]

Akira. [ Despite how tired his limbs are, he manages to lift a had to Akira's cheek. His touch is soft and gentle, but his fingers feel kind of cold. ]

We used the grimoire to revive you. It-- it took our energy in exchange for bringing you back.

[ He exhales quietly, leaning his head against Akira as he lowers his hand. ]

[The tears welling in Akira's eyes spill over, and he catches Ryo's cold hand in his.]

You all... did this for me?

[He didn't ask for this, for them to give up so much for his sake. The town would have brought him back on its own, wouldn't it? But then, he didn't ask for a lot of things Ryo has done for him. Akira wraps his arms around him, hugging him close.

For once, he won't get angry at him for going this far. He couldn't possibly, not now.]

Everyone... Thank you.

[ dextera has died before, and it doesn’t seem wrong now to spare akira from the pain of coming back the way he had. if it can feel like nothing more than a long sleep with a shocking sight waiting for him back at home, isn’t that the best? as they all talk to each other, with ryo and pyra explaining what they can, dextera merely watches—watches ryo, specifically, and the way he moves with something as close to affection as dextera suspects ryo will ever get. ]

…

[ he exhales, and relaxes against the floor. it’s someone else’s moment, right now. ]

[ She can smile tiredly at Akira as he thanks them, quietly watching how he interacts with Ryo so... tenderly and fondly. Akira is a lucky man, to have both of these friends to go to such lengths to bring him back from the dead using some dangerous, mysterious means.

She can't say, "Anything, for you. I would do anything for you." Because she wouldn't, she choose not to, even when she could have. But-- that maybe she didn't need to. Maybe that is the lesson she is to take from this, that with others' help, they can make miracles on their own.

The crystal upon her chest is blinking; she feels as if she might lose her corporeal form any moment if she doesn't focus on conserving her energy. She'll be alright so long as she doesn't overexert herself, and she's content with simply resting here for now. Closing her eyes, she lies herself down upon the couch and just.... watches for now as well. ]

[ Akira is so warm and Ryo thinks he could fall asleep like this, comfortable in the arms of his best friend. If he had any energy left, he'd put his arms around his neck and hold him close and probably not let go for several minutes.

It's been a long day. His abdomen aches and he's tired enough that he's probably going to sleep for a full twenty-four hours, but he doesn't regret a thing. The guardian is dead, they've learned something new about the forest, and Akira is back. ]

....Carry me to my bed, Akira. Dextera, too. [ Just because Dextera looks like he's about to pass out on the floor doesn't mean they should leave him there. ] Pyra can take the couch.

[Akira's grateful for the suggestion before he becomes a complete blubbering mess, wiping his eyes with a forearm. Then he picks up Ryo, and looks across the room.]

I'll come back for you in a minute. [He feels bad just leaving Dextera there, but he can only carry one of them at a time. So he'll take Ryo upstairs as instructed, and lie him down on the bed. Once he's sure his friend is comfortable, propping him up with pillows and tucking him in, he'll return for Dextera. As he does so, he brings down some sheets and a pillow for Pyra so she can rest on the couch.

That done, he picks up Dextera carefully, as if handling someone a lot more fragile than Ryo.]

Is the couch okay with you, Pyra? [She'd taken it for herself, but he didn't want Ryo just deciding things when she might have just taken a moment to rest.]

[ The sheets and the pillow are the proverbial straws upon the camel's back, and at last exhaustion takes over her. She'll be asleep on the couch by the time Akira returns to find her.

That is to say, yes, the couch is okay with her. ]

[ dextera isn’t in much better shape, but he’s able to follow everything that’s going on. by the time akira gently picks him up, and he’s probably not wrong to think that dextera is a lot more fragile than ryo, dextera sighs and relaxes into his arms. he’s exhausted, he’s cold, he’s unwell—but like ryo, he’s just relieved that akira is alive. ]

…thank you.

[A sad, yet fond expression crosses his features when he realises Pyra's already asleep. He won't disturb her any further, instead taking Dextera upstairs to Ryo's room as asked. There's enough room on the bed for another, so he sets him down to rest alongside Ryo.]

Thank me when you're better. I'll take care of you, just like you looked out for me.

Mm.... [ He's only half listening to what Akira is saying, in mind already on its way to drifting off into sleep. He shifts a little when he feels the mattress dip next to him, unconsciously pressing his forehead into Dextera's shoulder. ]

o toi, le plus savant et le plus beau des anges

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