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 Posted: Sat May 10, 2025 10:59 pm
There was a lightness in Emer's steps. He'd told Autumn's parents that he'd found a place of his own, and that was true--though he'd certainly elided that it was moving in with his fiance and his fiance's Knight host. That was all details, though they were details he'd absolutely shared with Autumn themself.
They had been so kind to him since he'd arrived on Earth--it felt a little bad, to think of leaving them alone with people who cared so little for who they really were.
But the idea of spending any longer apart from Cyrus was...intolerable. So he would have to leave. And while he would miss Autumn, he would not miss the other costs of living with them.
Far more hiding than he liked to do, in his off hours. Lying was work. Maintaining a fictitious persona took effort. And the version of Emer Donlevy he was playing for Autumn's parents was...exhausting. Far too much simpering and sobbing for his tastes.
Still.
"Thank you," Emer said, "for all your help. I don't know what I'd have done, if I hadn't run into you so soon after I arrived here."
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 7:45 pm
Autumn smiled, unable to stop themself from leaning in and squeezing Emer in a gentle hug. "I only did what any good person would do," they said as they pulled away. "I'm sorry that living here wasn't so great. At least you get to leave, now! And I'm so excited for you to be with your Cyrus. This is so wonderful; it's like something from a fairytale. And you know me, I love those things." Giggling, they brushed some hair back behind their ear. "How exactly did you two meet, anyway? We haven't had a lot of time to talk about you two. Give me some of the cute gossip! I told you how Lete and I met the first time. And the second time. Aaaand how long it took me to realize I even liked girls. I don't know how my poor sweet Lete put up with me for so long, hah. So come on! Tell me fun stuff!!" They rose up on their toes and bounced on them excitedly, giving him their best puppy-eyed look.
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 9:32 pm
Emer shook his head. "It's more than you think it is, Autumn," he said. Or perhaps he was just well aware that there were plenty of people in the universe who didn't cross the basic bar of "decent."
Either way.
"It wasn't so bad. I think the worst part was pretending I was twenty and naive," he said, with a quiet laugh. "Though I do hope you can get out on your own sooner rather than later." They deserved better than trying to hide who they were in their own home.
"And I look forward to being back with my fiance, yes," he sighed, contentedly. "We met because I rescued him." Eliding over the details was easy; it wasn't entirely his story to tell. "My bureau was hired to recover him after he'd been kidnapped, and because he was a Senshi, I decided to handle it myself. Much to my delight, because...well. That was where it started, and now..." He sighed.
"It has been so many years. And we have been through all sorts of things together." He paused, briefly. "...You and your Lete. You know something will have to give eventually, yes?"
He hated thinking of it. He could tell how happy Lete made Autumn, every time they talked about bun. But they were on opposite sides, and....Emer could not imagine only knowing Amateru, and never Cyrus. What a painful thing.
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 10:06 pm
"Hah, yeahhh, twenty and naive, probably wasn't the best lie I could've come up with for you, but I had to think fast on what they'd accept for a boy moving in suddenly," they admitted with a soft sigh and a shake of their head. They listened to the short story with delight, practically beaming—it did sound like a fairytale. The not-quite-prince doing some kind of daring rescue—given what little Emer had told Autumn about his whole spymaster thing (investigation bureau just seemed too simple—too much like "I'm just a plain, simple farmer" or however the meme went), Cyrus must have been kidnapped or something. It was so romantic, that they'd met that way, gotten together because of that meeting. Emer's next words, though, made them wilt, shoulders slumping, staring at the floor as their hair fell in curtains around their face. "....I know. I just don't know what to do," they said, a bit of a whine in their voice. "All I know is that... I love Lete, and I'm scared. I'm scared of so much, Emer. I don't want to lose bun, but I don't want to lose my planet, but it would be so easy to get away from my parents then, but the... even if the court is... y'know, not got any murderers in it the way the agents can be... I don't trust any of them, but I won't be able to fight them if I join Lete, because I'll need to protect her from my own impulses against those jerks, and they're so powerful, that cannon up with the CH? It's terrifying, Emer." They looked up again, swallowing, face pale. "I just want bun and I to be safe," the whispered. "I'd do anything for that. I think. That's what love is supposed to be, right?"
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 10:23 pm
Emer shrugged. "I've played more frustrating roles," he said, lightly. "And you had to come up with it on the fly. I certainly couldn't help, since I didn't really know anything about your Earth. You did the best you could."
They were so young. With such a heavy burden on their shoulders. And such divisive choices before them.
Emer's expression became thoughtful and distant.
"...Your world is precious, yes. And you have a responsibility to it. But it was never so simple, even back in my day." It felt wrong, encouraging her anywhere near the embrace of Chaos, but...it almost felt different, here. Certainly Chaos wasn't driving people mad. "And you are still a person with a life. In a truly impossible situation." He exhaled. "Whatever you choose, I do think you deserve to live as yourself. Without having to lie to your parents every single day because they will not accept who you really are. But you should follow your heart, and speak to your Lete. You have to decide this together. That's what a couple does."
He hummed, briefly.
"And the Court has a Prince. That's a protection that cannot be discounted. Perhaps you ought to speak to him--though he'll likely try to sway you. One doesn't become a Prince without a loyalty to whatever empowers them."
He reached out, and patted Autumn's shoulder.
"Follow your heart. From all I've observed, it's a good heart. You'll make the right decision."
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 10:37 pm
Autumn really wished they had cool animal ears like the aliens so they perk them up and stuff. It seemed like such nice, extra body language. They felt quite surprised by him addressing the situation with such nuance, but... Well, maybe they shouldn't have. "Thank you," they said, hugging Emer tightly. Their best imitation of a bear hug, given how small they really were. "I'm going to miss seeing a friendly face around here. But you need to follow your heart, too. I get it."
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