[closed] Sometimes I feel a little homesick too.

[oathkeeper]

Who: Sora & Yurick, Sora & Nageki
What: More pals are gone sadface
Where: Xargi’s temple, Baldr’s temple
When: May 8th
Warnings: TBA


[ Closed to Yurick: Xargi’s Temple ]

[He hasn’t heard from Kuroko in a while. No texts about dogs or getting lost underground again or about doing some training work with his god or anything...

After the last few long days it kind of makes him worried. He doesn’t want to jump to conclusions, especially after losing so many friends recently. But there’s that nagging feeling at the back of his mind.

So he heads out to Alucard’s place to check in on his friend. He arrives and heads inside, looking about. He’s gotten fairly used to the layout of the underground tunnels so it only takes him one trip this time.]

Hello? Anybody home?

[ Closed to Nageki: Baldr’s Temple ]

[As usual, Sora can be found sitting on the beach behind the temple. It’s not his usual sun napping or cloud watching though. Today he’s sitting up and staring at his phone in his lap as he looks at his contact list. Names listed that he can’t bring up the courage to delete. He occasionally scrolls through the names. He’s even tried calling Riku only to be rewarded with an out of service dial tone. Sonic would make fun of him right now. But he’s not even here to do that.

And now Roxas isn’t answering him either. He’s around, the temple is there but… After everything with Add…

Sora just feels grumpy and kind of lonely. He’s never missed home more in his entire life.

His dream eater curls up close to his leg and coos softly. He reaches down to pet him.]

Comments

[readerofthestars]

[With Joshua out, Nageki has nowhere else to go than Roxas and Sora's temples. He doesn't know what's going on with Roxas, but it leaves him with one single option when it comes to places to go.

It's hard not to notice that Sora's down. It's Sora and Nageki's gotten pretty good at noticing how he acts. Maybe he wants to be alone. But Sora told him he hated being alone. And Roxas told him that Sora didn't do well on his own.

He has nothing comforting to say as he sits down next to Sora. He knows loss, even if it's only through the gods who left him behind or the memories of the family he must have had. He knows loss and he knows it sucks. And there's nothing you can ever say to make it better.

So instead of saying anything, he sits down next to Sora. He feels almost like he's making himself a nuisance. But he doesn't want to leave Sora by himself.

He hesitates before pulling out his own phone to text Sora. Maybe it'll jolt him out of his scrolling.]

Is it nice to be outside again?

[oathkeeper]

[He noticed when Nageki sat down next to him of course but he was still pretty engrossed with looking at his contact list.

The message comes through and pops up on his screen and Sora looks up at Nageki. He gives him a small smile and nods, turning off his phone and shoving it into the sand.]

The fresh air is nice.

[Nageki would be right that Sora hates being alone. Just having Nageki sitting with him makes the ache in his chest go away a little.]

[readerofthestars]

[The bird just wants to help. He's quiet as he drops his own phone into his pocket. He takes good care of his things--he doesn't think he can replace them.]

For wanting to be outside so badly not all that long ago, you don't seem happy. [It's not a question. But if Sora wants to take it as one, Nageki accepts that.]

[oathkeeper]

[And Sora on the other hand... If Nageki looks at Sora's phone the screen is actually all smashed up. He'd thrown it at the wall when Roxas posted about Riku being gone... Now it sits shoved in the sand. Yep.]

It's kind of hard to feel happy right now.

[Sora's voice is softer...lacking his usual energy. But he smiles anyway.]

[readerofthestars]

You don't have to push yourself to smile, then. Sometimes it's nice to just... let yourself feel like you do.

[Actually this is something Nageki has never experienced. He tries to never feel. He just imagines that it's something Roxas would tell him.]

[oathkeeper]

[Sora is quiet for a moment. He stares at his phone sitting in the sand and then kicks out a foot to kick it.]

Is it though...? It seems dumb to just sit here being upset.

[readerofthestars]

You were just sitting here being upset when I walked up. [Nageki raises an eyebrow. It's not like Sora was being productive.]

I don't think it's dumb.

[oathkeeper]

I guess you have a point.

[Sora sighs and stares at the water crashing back and forth.]

Ever feel like you wanna just jump up and scream really really loud?

[He doubts Nageki will ever get an urge like that but Sora is more asking himself that.]

[readerofthestars]

Nothing like that. But I've felt different things. [He'd wanted to scream when he'd remembered the orphanage. But it was more of a "my heart feels like it's being ripped in half" scream than an angry one.]

[oathkeeper]

Like what? How do you deal with it?

[Because Sora would love to be able to repress his wild emotions for once.]

[readerofthestars]

The day my memory came back... I felt like it hurt so badly that I couldn't breathe. I felt like I'd lost something irreplaceable, and that the people who care about me would come to hate me.

So I... [He turns to examine Sora.] I went to you. And Roxas. And Miss Tosaka.

[oathkeeper]

[At the mention of Roxas, Sora's expression falls. But he shrugs it off quickly.]

I'm glad we're friends, Nageki. I don't think anyone could ever hate you.

[It's nice to know that he can talk with Nageki.]

It hurts a lot losing so many friends lately. Like I can't breathe too.

[readerofthestars]

[He's quiet. Now's not the time to argue how much humans wanted him dead.

Nageki studies the name Sora gave him on his hand. He can't imagine a day where he lost any of the few people this important to him. But Sora forms bonds so fast and he feels passionately. It's something Nageki can't understand... He doesn't know how to comfort him.]

But you are still breathing. We're both still breathing. [If Nageki can count it as that.] The world won't stop. And... there are more people you have to meet.

And some of us are still here, aren't we?

[mementodagger]

Since Sora knows the way to the cavern containing Kuroko's bedroom-- briefly shared by the athlete and Alucard's new shinki-- then he'll discover an unfamiliar young man sitting on the bed there with Satan in his lap. Both dog and teenager look incredibly down, the pale youth petting his whimpering canine companion listlessly. He looks up as Sora calls out, his right eye covered by a black patch but his left reflecting fatigue and quiet sadness.

"Who are you?" he asks in a strong British accent. His voice is soft and hollow, not accusing but not exactly welcoming either. His mouth naturally turns down slightly at the corners, deepening his slight frown. Though he's probably about Riku's age his demeanor makes him appear older somehow, careworn in a way that only someone badly traumatized can be.

[oathkeeper]

This isn't who Sora was expecting. The energy in the room itself and how unhappy the residents look sends a roll of uncertainty through Sora.

He reaches up to rub the back of his head.

"Umm. I'm Sora, I'm looking for Kuroko? Is he here?" His voice is gentle. He's got a feeling Kuroko is gone already... But he has to make sure.

[mementodagger]

The look on the pale boy's face is all the answer Sora needs. He shakes his head slowly, turning his attention back to the sad puppy on his lap. Even head scratches and belly rubs won't cheer Satan up.

"I think... the Heavens sent him away because of me."

[oathkeeper]

Concern flashes in Sora's eyes. He feels that awful dip in his belly that Kuroko really is gone but he can't help but be curious about that statement.

"Because of you? I doubt that." Sora smiles and shakes his head.

No, the heavens wouldn't send someone away because of another person. That couldn't be right.

"He probably just went home! I bet he has lots of friends there."

[mementodagger]

"I thought we were friends. But he acted strangely around me, something just didn't seem right...." He sighs. "And what good is going home to a shinki? We're dead, after all."

He sweeps a frustrated hand through his hair, and for a moment his shinki mark is visible beneath his bangs, on the part of his forehead above the patched eye.

"Arikado-sama is even more quiet than usual. He hasn't even tested me as his shinki yet, I have no idea what form I'm supposed to take."

[oathkeeper]

Sora wasn't even aware that Alucard got a second shinki. He remembers talking to Kuroko about what he would feel if Alucard ever got a second shinki. He'd been so unsure of himself, but Sora had tried to reassure him that it would be a nice thing to have another shinki around. Especially with how Alucard is.

Before he says anything Sora moves to sit on the bed and scoots to sit next to Yurick.

"I'm just saying that wherever he went, I'm sure he's safe and he's happy. It's not your fault that he's gone at all." He gives him a smile. "And he was strange with everyone, did you know he made a bunch of people think he had a demon for a pet? Kind of awesome, but super misleading. The things people told him to feed Satan with..." He reaches out to pet Satan.

At his comment about Alucard Sora furrows his eyebrows. No offense to Alucard, but he's not great at taking care of his shinki... He'd been iffy with Kuroko too. And it's making Sora pretty upset.

"I think it might be best if you go straight up to him and tell him how you feel about that. He's not that great at realizing he needs to help his shinki and help them grow."

[mementodagger]

Yurick really doesn't want to talk about Kuroko anymore. It's not like missing the other shinki will bring him back. Kuroko and Alucard were supposed to help him, too. It's not the responsibility of other gods and shinki to pick up the slack left by his god and missing partner.

"I can't do that. Even if Arikado-sama is in the wrong, it's disrespectful for a shinki to question their god. My purpose is to serve and protect him." He used to hope they could be equals, but now that feels like a far away dream. "I wouldn't know how to fix this without potentially incurring his wrath."

[oathkeeper]

Okay. Sora blows a loud raspberry.

"You don't really think that, do you?" Sora looks puzzled. "Your purpose is to be his partner and his friend. Not some weird bodyguard person."

Sora has... a lot of feels about this. A shinki isn't a tool and isn't something used to serve and protect. A shinki is still a soul that is a person. Sora doesn't believe in gods being held on any kind of pedestal higher than anyone else.

"You have every right in the entire universe to question him. He's supposed to be taking care of you. It's not fair you're upset like this."

[mementodagger]

Yurick sighs again, holding Satan closer. "Do you question your god like this? I can't imagine he or she would be very happy with it, unless they're one of the friendlier types."

Alucard really isn't the type to be friendly, not from what Yurick has seen. The last thing the mage wants is to damage the god's opinion of his capabilities by complaining about less than compassionate treatment. Perhaps it's what needs to be done in a time of battle, not getting attached to others in case they're killed.

Loss... is such a terrible, sickening thing....

[oathkeeper]

Sora shakes his head. "I don't question a god because I am a god. And I know how much of a stick in the mud Arikado is too."

Really, Kuroko had the same issues with Alucard. A shinki feeling uncertain about themselves, feeling useless and neglected... He's about up to here with the death god. He's going to end up stomping right up to him himself at this rate. Tall god of death meet a smol god of light. Have a lecture on the power of friendship.

"You have to be honest with how you feel. You have to tell him what's upsetting you, or nothing will ever change. He won't learn that his shinki are friends first and weapons second."

[mementodagger]

This tiny, sweet boy is a god? Yurick cringes and draws away slightly, keeping his gaze down. His reflex is to apologize for any possible insult, but seeing how Sora acts makes him hold his tongue. Still, he needs to be polite.

"I-- I'm sure he has his reasons for being the way he is. It's not my place to...." He trails off, knowing Sora will disagree. He simply can't imagine marching up to Alucard and telling the man off for all the sadness he's felt.

[oathkeeper]

What's with the draw back? It's not like Sora has cooties! He's a very nice tiny sweet god.

He grins and shrugs his shoulders.

"Like I said... I think it is your place to say something if you need to. If you want, I can do it. Or I can go with you."

He offered the same thing to Kuroko.