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 Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 7:53 pm
Devyn was quiet now, for a very long moment. His heart was steady, and though the necklace was a bit heavy it seemed only to reflect how seriously he was taking everything. He looked at the food for a moment, and though it never lost its appeal, it still took him a few seconds to think about what they were talking about before he could get distracted by how good it looked or how smelled.
“You have a fair point,” he relented, because if he did kill a Negaverse Agent, if it was a kid–much less one he knew...
He didn’t want that blood on his hands. But then, he didn’t know where to draw the line between ‘kid’ and ‘old enough to know better’. Especially when he’d had all this time to figure things out and they were still struggling.
He didn’t want to kill any of Michael’s students. He didn’t want him to have to suffer any more loss.
“...Things seemed so much simpler on Alastor,” he sighed. He’d been here for months already and felt no closer to understanding things. He chanced a look at Michael because he knew he was still hurting from his father’s loss. “But no matter what, I know you did the best that you could. I have no doubt that something worse could have happened if things had gone differently. And, if you still think people are worth helping, I will. But also, I really wanted to hit that Corrupted Senshi. He was a brat. I’ll…” He paused and sucked in a breath. “...Do my best not to let any instinct kick in. I’ll try to talk to them. The Chaos is,” another pause, like he really needed to sift through his mind to find the words, “Difficult for me to be around. It feels sick. I’ve been fighting it for so long.”
Not this Chaos, not the Negaverse. But whatever variation had swallowed up his world and was continuing to choke the life out of it.
“...But it’s not their fault my world was overrun with it,” he supposed. “...I’ll give them a chance. If that’s what you would do.”
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 8:05 pm
Michael set the glasses on the table after the food, but before he took a seat himself, he reached up to place a hand on Devyn’s shoulder.
It was almost like a compulsion, to be closer to Devyn. He knew it was probably just because he was lonely, or maybe because Devyn was different. Devyn saw him and not just the illusion he tried to put up around himself. He hadn’t known Devyn for very long, but Michael still felt as though Devyn could see through him easier than anyone else.
“Not all of them deserve a chance,” Michael admitted, his voice low with regret for the things he would likely have to do in the future. “Elliot and Chad are safe. There’s no way such good kids could be caught up in that. And I trust Elliot would tell me if there was something wrong, even if he can’t tell his parents.”
He didn’t know why he said it, as though he had to convince himself of it. Maybe to make himself feel better.
Maybe it would be a good idea to educate his friends about the Negaverse and what it did. He couldn’t imagine Oliver or Asher being involved either.
“You don’t have to fight alone any more, Dev,” Michael reminded him, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze before pulling it away so he could sit across from him. “We’ll save Alastor, and then we’ll focus on wherever else needs our help. Sound good? We’ll deal with the Negaverse when we have to.”
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 8:13 pm
Michael’s hand on his shoulder warranted Devyn’s attention, and he immediately looked at his face to see if there was more being said there than he was saying out loud.
This was a serious conversation. He didn’t want to miss anything.
He listened intently. He didn’t miss a word, a tone, a blink.
He did miss Michael’s hand on his shoulder.
“All right,” he agreed, and with one steady breath, calmed himself. He rolled his shoulders to work out whatever pressure he’d let build up and exhaled, slowly.
“I’m sorry to make you keep promising me these things. I didn’t realize I’d ever need this much reassurance. But hearing you say that always brings me back to the present and gives me hope for the future. I know I don’t have to fight alone. Honestly, I was a little surprised that you didn’t show up at the park.” He smiled, because he was teasing, but he hoped Michael understood that he was confident it was something he could handle. If he hadn’t been, he’d have done what they talked about; he would have run. With Chad, of course.
“But I’m happy to come home to dinner. Maybe we can go out and spar tomorrow, or see if anyone’s up to no good. I’d rather make sure the neighborhood was safe, if Chad’s going to be sneaking around at night. I want to be strong enough that when you hear I’ve gotten into a fight, the first thing you think about is how unlucky my opponent is. I wish you could have seen me in my prime. Or,” he shrugged, “I hope I get back there soon so you still have a chance. But I haven’t had a good opponent in a while. And maybe I can get a little extra practice in before I see Soleiyu. I want to ask him to make me a few more things.”
He was lucky he could pay the Mauvian in praise, at least.
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 8:28 pm
“Don’t apologize,” Michael said as he looked across the table, although he gave Devyn a somewhat exasperated look when he teased him. He would have gone out to the park if his necklace indicated any additional distress. But he felt as though he’d grown pretty good at determining how Devyn was feeling.
“Sure, we can spar if you want. Might be safer off world,” he suggested, because then they wouldn’t have to worry about the Negaverse showing up. And he knew Devyn was in a better mood when he could see Princess.
He was glad the pen Soleiyu made for Chad worked, and was glad that Devyn had a chance to go and help him without Michael there to hover around him. Michael did trust him. And if a spar or two would help get Devyn back in his prime, then Michael would be happy to help him.
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