Comments | folkloristic: ϡ - Chapter TwentyFive; the price of battle [voice/action]

folkloristic

ϡ - Chapter TwentyFive; the price of battle [voice/action]

Jun 19, 2011 14:44

[ It’s almost surreal, really, how at one moment the person you cared deeply about is there next to you alive and well and the next moment not. If he had only been a little bit faster a little bit more conscious of where Giles was during all that chaos...none of this would have happened. Instead he’s sitting in his room and has been for the past ( Read more... )

action, pain, somber headmaster is somber, unamused headmaster is unamused, this wasn't supposed to happen, sad times, a little bit shaken, voice

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[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 19 2011, 18:50:17 UTC

[ she holds her breath throughout the news. it's worse, hearing it again.

of course, helios had told her already -- and she had fled to jack's house on the shore in a rather instinctive attempt at...what? finding comfort? getting answers about what death here was actually like? or just to hide?

it isn't until much later in the day -- practically the evening -- that she tries to contact helios in a heavily filtered message.

her voice is quiet and oh-so-carefully controlled: ] Thanks. The -- the announcement.

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 19 2011, 19:27:44 UTC

[ Helios would have filtered it himself but he can't read. He knows it's his death penalty now. No use denying it but there's no oomf there to tell anyone just yet either. So he's sorry about any undue unwarranted attention his unfiltered announcement might cause.

But he'll look up from his position still at the bridge; he's been there for awhile, just to collect his thoughts. The voice isn't a surprise. ] You don't have to thank me, Buffy. How...how are you doing?

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 19 2011, 19:29:29 UTC

...Do you want the honest answer or the brave one?

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 19 2011, 20:02:23 UTC

[ Honest or brave. What a funny question to ask. ]

You-you don't have to be brave. At least...not with me. It doesn't matter to me either how it makes you look or the weakness it might show. [ It's true. He's not even staying in the apartment right now because it kinda hurts. How brave can he be, right? That he can't even stay in a place that reminds him right now of Giles. A pause. ]

I don't care about any of that. I-I just hope you're all right, hope you'll show someone else then. If-if you need to.

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 19 2011, 23:20:54 UTC

He'd been -- [ she starts again, aching: ] Since I was fifteen. That's...that's ten years ago. It's not the kind of loss that allows for words like all right.

Even if he'll be back.

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 20 2011, 01:33:39 UTC

I know. It doesn't allow for many words at all. Or, at least, most of them would be unpleasant.

It still doesn't seem possible. But it is...but it doesn't take away from the pain. [ A pause. ] I don't think it ever will.

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 20 2011, 12:38:43 UTC

I just -- it's the simplest thing. But I just want to hug him.

[ the way he hugged her when she had come back from the dead. the way that had managed to make her feel alive. just for a second. ]

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 20 2011, 19:01:45 UTC

When he gets back. When he gets back you can. [ Helios will too cold skin be damned at this point. ]

He'll appreciate it. I did...when he did so last week. [ A simple thing can convey so many things after all. ]

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 20 2011, 19:31:11 UTC

It's only fair I return the favour. [ she admits. ]

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 20 2011, 21:56:48 UTC

Favor? Ah, I'm sorry. It's-it's none of my business. [ Helios doesn't think Giles would care about returning favors at that point. Then again Giles did repay him that one time not long ago for whatever reason he saw fit. But Helios knows a little about the rough patches Buffy and Giles have been going through so he understand to an extent. ] But I suppose I have one to return as well.

[ He admits also. Even if they'll keep up a cycle of repaying one another. ]

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 21 2011, 01:39:55 UTC

I just meant...when I -- when I came back, back home. It's...sorry, never mind.

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 21 2011, 12:11:20 UTC

No I should apologize. That's something between you and Giles. I-I don't have any business in that. [ A pause. ] Besides I was thinking we might do something for him when he gets back. If you don't have any objections that is?

[ Dying once is hard enough...dying twice, however, Helios can't even imagine. Giles probably deserves something in those regards...and in general. ]

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 21 2011, 12:23:35 UTC

...I'm objection-free.

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 21 2011, 17:27:41 UTC

[ Helios nods. ] A party perhaps. Or, or something to put this nastiness behind all of us. [ Because this month probably has been hard on just about everyone. ]

Just have to think about it see what we can come up with.

[ voice; filtered ] slaying June 22 2011, 01:59:46 UTC

...He's not a big one for parties. Unless -- unless that's changed. I don't know.

[ voice; filtered ] folkloristic June 22 2011, 19:21:25 UTC

Hm. He was rather enthused about the idea of a house party last week...I suppose it was an experiment then. [ This makes it a bit more clear. ] He never did come off as the type to be honest. Might be too much, anyway. [ There's a slight smile in his tone. ]

Not a party then maybe just...just a dinner or something like that.

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