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 Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 6:33 pm
He wondered, not for the first time, whether Sessrumnir would just...walk away. If he would leave him there, if he would decide that this was it, he was just going to cut him off entirely. Say never mind, I changed my mind, you can stay here, goodbye.
But he didn't. Instead, Sessrumnir simply leaned out and let the rain hit his face, and Remus watched him silently, at the space that now lay between them. He had the cape still bunched up in his hand; he glanced at it now, then back up, hating the silence more than anything.
If you think I'm going to walk away that easily, give up that readily, you don't know anything.
Remus's hand tightened on the cloth, then loosened.
"You might as well make yourself comfortable," he said. "That rain's not going to let up anytime soon. We'll just have to wait it out, it's not like this place is going anywhere, so..."
He shrugged, and there was a ripple as the glamour faded away, revealing Caspian standing there, still a little damp, in a surprisingly simple and mundane outfit that consisted of a long-sleeved DCU shirt and sweatpants. Far from his usual attire of neon colors and bright patterns, but Caspian just stood there, feeling small and insignificant.
"Here," he said, holding out the cape. "In case you need it. Or want to power down, too."
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:05 pm
Sessrumnir drew in a deep breath as the rain washed over his face and down the front of his tunic, soaking into the fabric that he’d managed to keep dry before. The cold rainwater seemed to be enough to get him to stop his ridiculous arguing with Remus over things that he didn’t even truly believe.
And Remus still stood there, watching him, holding onto his cape, and then Sessrumnir could feel him powering down. He turned to look and saw Caspian standing there, some of that stubborn desire to stay powered up from before seeming to fade. Or maybe he’d finally given up and realized that there was nothing he could do to get Sessrumnir to change his mind, so he might as well relent.
It wasn’t a great feeling, but he’d already gone past the point of salvaging whatever tiny friendship they’d developed.
Wait, when did his… acquaintanceship with Caspian turn into an actual friendship? It made Sessrumnir uncomfortable knowing that he might actually think of Caspian as a friend.
Or thought of him as a friend, Sessrumnir reminded himself, since he’d been the one to push away as hard as he pulled away, potentially breaking whatever they may or may not have had. And the thought scared and confused him. So much that he stared at Caspian in surprise when he offered the cape back to him.
His hands were still balled into fists, and his shoulders were still tense, but his expression had softened to one of resignation, knowing that not only had he hurt Caspian, but that he’d done it on purpose. He wasn’t proud of himself for it, but it was the best chance he had at protecting Caspian from being hurt even more, later.
At least that’s what he’d convinced himself.
Slowly, he reached out to take the cape, lifting it to wipe at his face as he stepped away from the door, and then with a shift in power, the cape faded along with the rest of his Jupiter uniform. Michael wore a pair of old sweatpants with a coat of arms on the left side near the waistband; two torches on either side of a shield that showed a ship with a sail above an open book. At the top of the coat of arms was a hand holding a trident, and a wavy banner wrapped around the whole thing to complete the squared shape. He wore just a plain, short sleeved tee shirt, and was quick to step on the back of his heel to remove his shoes, no longer caring about the possibility of getting tetanus.
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:18 pm
Hadn't it only been twenty minutes ago when Remus had been delighted to find out that Sessrumnir knew how to joke? Or talking about how it was okay to feel wary about visiting somewhere unknown and feeling the reassurance of knowing that he wouldn't have to do it alone?
It seemed like an entire day had passed in the space of five minutes.
Caspian's eyes flickered across Sessrumnir's face, watching the faint shifting of expressions, the way he froze when Caspian held out his cape, the way the water slid down his shuttered face, so careful and so intent on staying closed off to the rest of the world.
For a few seconds, he thought it wouldn't be taken, but Caspian stood calmly and resolutely with his arm outstretched until finally he felt it lifted from his fingers. He dropped his hand and stepped back, and though he could no longer feel the aura, he saw the guise of the knight dissipate. Michael stood there instead, casual clothes similar to his own except with a different logo.
It took a great deal of effort to bite back the impulse to shout at him. To do something stupid, or anything at all except stand there and watch him and feel that terrible sense of mingled anger and frustration that was also paired with a fair bit of stubbornness and determination that had not receded, no matter what Michael thought.
After a moment of silence, broken only by the howling wind and the pounding of the rain, Caspian said, "I think I'll try and rest a bit."
And then, "If it's all right with you, I'd like to at least sit next to you. It's warmer that way."
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:32 pm
There was anger there in Caspian’s expression. Good. Maybe that why he would realize what it meant to have someone like Michael around, someone who couldn’t be expected to take into consideration anyone else or their feelings. But he could also see the stubbornness in Remus’s eyes. If there was anything else, any glimmer of hope or confidence that things would just go back to normal, Michael didn’t see it.
He knew he wouldn’t see it, not after what he’d done, after what he’d said. That was the point, he told himself, although a strange pressure in his chest seemed to be arguing otherwise. His desire to be alone managed to push one more person away, and this time it was harsher than he’d probably ever been.
Part of him wanted to apologize, to tell Caspian that he didn’t really mean it, that he just didn’t know how to handle whatever this was. But the other part refused, convinced that this was the only way to keep Caspian from getting killed or pulled into something that he would not be able to escape from. And more selfishly, it would protect Michael from being hurt when Caspian did, eventually, step away. Because despite what he said before about not leaving, he hurt and anger now in his expression said otherwise.
Hair wet, but at least in drier clothing, Michael simply nodded, feeling too guilty to do anything but agree. Although he wanted to keep his distance, he still didn’t like being an a*****e. Moving over to what seemed to be a clear spot on the ground, he turned with his back to the wall, and sat.
Of the two people there, only Caspian was the one acting like an adult that night, and Michael knew it.
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Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:44 pm
When the answer was a somewhat reluctant nod, not a dismissal, Caspian considered it at least one good outcome in a sea of crappy ones. But he'd known, somewhere inside, that Michael would not have said no. For all his faults and scowls and coldness, he was not heartless, no matter what he tried to pretend.
The silence was frigid, so tense it felt like it was physically present. Caspian waited until Michael had sat down before moving at all, watching as he pressed his back against the wall and then slid until he was seated. After another moment had passed, Caspian took a step forward and did the same, slowly easing himself down.
There were a few deliberate inches of space between them, but not enough that it meant an entire person could fit between them. Caspian tilted his head back and drew his knees up, wrapping his arms around them, staring wordlessly at the ceiling. Then he leaned forward once more and rested his head on his knees, looking sideways at Michael.
There wasn't much else to be said, he knew it, but -
"Don't let yourself be too lonely, okay?" said Caspian quietly, and then turned away and closed his eyes.
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