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 Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 12:38 pm
Monoceros sighed as he and Michel were left alone. Together, they'd been the people holding everyone up, escorting the rest of the court to their homes after leaving Adria at the hospital. He shivered, thinking of how cold and lifeless he looked lying there, the only thing reminding Monoceros that Adria was alive being the fact that he wasn't being taken to the morgue. Still, he'd put on a brave face for everyone else, and now it was just him and Michel and his utter failure hanging in the air between them. "Hey..." he swallowed suddenly around the lump in his throat, keeping his question stuck in there and not voiced. Instead, he said, "We'll save her."
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:40 pm
Michel had watched as the group powered down and went inside; they were a large cluster--Evan, Tobias, Ahri and Soleiyu. Michel should have been going in with them, to his house. Their house. But, Cambria wasn’t there.
So, there wasn’t any point in going home yet, either.
His lip twitched and he was visibly agitated but he buried away the annoyance. He still had to get Monoceros home, and then he could go out and look. He could check on Malcolm later, but there was no point in him just standing around while they patched him up.
“I know,” he answered, because there wasn’t really any other alternative. Michel sounded bitter, like he had a simmering rage that was just barely pressed down enough not to boil over. He’d powered down when they took Malcolm to the hospital, and it had in part been done just so he could power up with a fresh outfit--not cut, or burned. Something clean, like he could pretend that they hadn’t just been in a battle.
Like he could hide the damage he’d taken. It wasn’t enough to slow him down; he’d been down this road before.
He didn’t know how to stop.
“So you need to get home. Go on, where is it,” he said, nodding for Monoceros to lead the way so he could make sure he got home safe.
Because, it was what Lysithea would have wanted. Her Court, protected. Michel wasn’t going to let any of them power up and out of his sight if he could help it. If the Negaverse could get her, it could have gotten any of them. Without her, someone needed to look after them.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:51 am
Monoceros took a moment to just breathe. The tone in Michel's voice... It didn't spell anything good to happen after Michel dropped Monoceros off at his apartment. "And why aren't you going home, Michel?" he asked in the most even tone he could manage. "Because whatever you're thinking about getting revenge.... Don't. If we want to save her, we have to work together. Gather information first. And in order to be thinking right about this... we all need to get some sleep. Including you." He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. Probably Michel, too. But he'd at least try and get some rest. Even if he wouldn't sleep, slowing down and doing something productive with minimal energy output would help him get there eventually.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:34 am
A muscle twitched in Michel’s jaw and he didn’t look at Monoceros. “Really don’t think you’re in a position to be giving me suggestions right now. I said I’m taking everyone home, so the only thing you know I’m doing is making sure you get home safely.”
Because, obviously it was too dangerous for them to be out.
He wasn’t looking for advice, or guidance, or even approval. He knew what he was doing.
“You got a problem with that? Stop stalling and lead the way. The faster you get home, the faster you get to sleep. I need to check on Adria before I go to bed, anyway.”
And maybe see if he couldn’t find some straggling Negaverse officers and shake them up, but. He didn’t know what else the night was holding for him.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:49 am
Monoceros's jaw clenched and his gaze hardened. "Perhaps that's all that I know," he said snidely, "But I sure as hell can put the pieces of the puzzle together from the way you're acting. I'm not stupid, Michel." He closed his eyes, inhaling sharply. Getting angry at the person he wanted to be helping wasn't doing either of them, or the rest of the Court, or Lysithea, any favors. "We both know that checking on Adria isn't the only thing you're doing. C'mon, man. We're a team, right? Either get some rest, or let me help you with whatever you're about to do. Doing anything like this alone... it's not good for you, Michel," he said, tone much softer. He tried not to think about how he lived alone. How he did like it that way, but how he was sure, now, that if he went home, it would feel cold and empty, and he'd be jumping at every shadow. He didn't need that. He didn't want to go home. At least the Court lived together. They'd have each other any moment they wanted during this. His heart twisted and he realized he'd been thinking about despite trying very hard not to. What was that saying again? Something to do with pink elephants, but that wasn't really appropriate to start thinking about right now anyway.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:52 pm
“Look,” Michel said abruptly, maybe even a little coldly. “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’m capable of, and I don’t want you to know. If I wanted to involve anyone else in this, I would have shared an invitation.”
He stopped and looked at him, and it was obvious that he was holding back.
“I’ll get some rest when I’m ready for it, and I’m not right now. I didn’t just lose a friend, you get that? She wasn’t just--”
He made a low, grumbling noise that might have turned into a growl if he wasn’t trying to be gentle. His hands clenched into fists at his side and he shook his head. “She was more than that to me. And she’s not here right now, and if you think I’m going to just go home and sleep it off, you’re wrong. That’s not who I am, and that’s not what I do. I’m making sure you’re all safe, and then I’m going to go see if I can’t find her.”
Could he find her? Tonight? No, probably not. He knew he was high on adrenaline and anger and that was the only thing pushing him forward. Desperation, too. Love, even, if he’d been sappy enough to admit it.
“So, since you’re not stupid, I know you’re not going help me with what I’m about to do. You’re gonna be a good boy. You’re gonna go home. You’re gonna rest, and plan, and meet up with Evan tomorrow to talk about how you’re going to try and get her back. And you’re not gonna follow me. You’re gonna go the safe route, because if you do what I’m going to do? The Negaverse is going to eat you alive. You get that?"
He didn't really wait for a response.
"Walk, you’re supposed to be heading home."
Another pause, brief, but Michel was having a hard time slowing down. He was impatient, he wanted to go.
"Or do you want to stay here with the rest of them?” he asked, and it was the kindest invitation he could muster.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:11 pm
She was more than that to me. Oh. Oh, oh dear. Monoceros swallowed. Okay. Maybe he was a little bit stupid. He didn't respond beyond a nod as Michel ranted, feeling rather small. Yeah, okay, he'd go home. And he'd stay up all night worrying about Michel. He refused to let himself flinch, shoulders hunching. As he was commanded to walk, he slowly turned, taking a step forward, but then— "Please," he said in a strangled voice, turning back to Michel but not looking him in the eye, "I... I'm sorry. I don't want to be alone. I don't even have, like, any pets to worry about." He chuckled awkwardly, fiddling with his fingers.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:31 pm
Michel was quiet, slowed, and then nodded. He surveyed the area; there wasn’t anywhere for anyone to hide, there weren’t any power signatures.
He nodded to the house; it had only been a moment since the rest of the group disappeared into it.
“Power down out here, you can go in. If Evan’s not in his right mind to play host, Tobias’ll be able to manage it. I suspect they’ll be setting up camp in the living room. Extra blankets are in the hallway closet. Pillows, too. You go in and get settled. Have whatever you want in the kitchen. Or--you want a pizza or something? Make sure they eat something. I was supposed to go out with Cambria for dinner so I don’t know if they’ve eaten yet.”
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:27 pm
Monoceros gave him a grateful smile and powered down, becoming Ryan in a flash. "As long as there's some food ingredients in there, I can whip something up. And I'll make sure to save some leftovers for you, okay? Even if they don't play host well, I can play extremely awesome guest well." He chuckled a bit. Somehow, being powered down helped him feel just a bit more distanced from the current state of absolute <********> Like he could pretend to be normal, when he was anything but. "Say safe. Thank you," he said quietly, turning to go into the house. The least he could do was make something delicious for everyone.
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