[Damian releases a quiet, long exhale. The fists loosen, and he finally lifts his head. Dextera wasn't wrong. The room is a mess, but Damian doesn't fault Dextera for it. Guren was familiarly methodical in keeping things. Plus, Guren had been here for a long time.
His eyes shift over everything, fall onto the amethyst ring then look away.
The town is awful. They hadn't even had the chance to really say goodbye. There's no closure just disappearance.] He was supposed to stay. The two of you... [Damian's jaw clenches. Carefully, slowly, he moves further in, though the tight expression fades into something softer.] The two of you were supposed to help us retrieve the hen.
[Damian crouches down in the midst of the things without stepping or touching anything.] Is this the town's way of trying to remind us of the story it's telling on the forums? [How it feels to lose so suddenly and unexpectedly.] It's not funny.
[ dextera wonders if the hen would stop for him now—if there would be any point in chasing it, when the person he loves is more than a world away. this town always felt so limitless in possibilities for the two of them, and now it feels hopelessly small. still full of friends, full of people he cares for, but it’s suddenly a cage and he thinks he understands why so many other people want to go home.
helpless, a few tears drip down his cheeks. he doesn’t seem to be making any other motion of crying, though. his eyes just keep producing tears and there’s nothing he can do to stop it. he places guren’s jacket down. ]
He…
[ …dextera exhales, wiping his sleeve across his face. he’d promised. the only reason he would break that promise is because the town forced it. ]
[Oh no. The one thing Damian isn't good at in the slightest: comfort. He frowns at Dextera, wondering whether or not to say or do anything. Then again, maybe Dextera just needed to get it out one way or another.
Kind of like he did when his father similarly vanished.]
If he wasn't anything like he was now, he'd be hard to ignore. [Feels bad.] I'm sure he was trying to stick his nose into everything. He always thought he could handle it all on his own.
He scolded me. I was scared of him. But he was the first person to show me kindness, too.
[ dextera sighs again, harder this time, blinking rapidly as he tries to stem the flow of tears before they become an actual problem. he can’t help his own sadness, though—he’s never been good at keeping his emotions hidden away. ]
Right up until the end, he was trying to help everyone… he still is.
[ a beat. ]
Is there anything here you want? He’d only be mad for show, if I gave something to you.
[For once, Damian actually frowns. He watches Dextera quietly, wanting to offer some kind of help but not knowing how. He wishes he had some kind of handkerchief to give at least. Just use Guren’s jacket, Dextera, it’s fine.
His eyes drift back over the things.] I can keep something hidden if needed, but... You should have them. I think Ichinose would want you to use them or have them. [Though, yeah, Guren would probably fuss for the sake of fussing. His eyes peer at the ring again before looking away.] Do you know what everything is?
[ there are some items, of course, that dextera will keep—even if it’s to his own detriment, like the ring meant to wipe memories that he gave to guren in fear in the first place. it’s not a good idea, but it’s better in his hands.
other things, though, can probably afford to be cleared out. ]
Yes. I think so… he kept good notes.
[ he wipes his face. ]
There are just… things. There are a lot of things. He worked hard.
[Even with a thousand scoldings from a large handful of people. Stupid.] In my opinion, our biggest goal may be to retrieve the rainbow hen. If that is the case, you should put together and keep anything which can help us navigate the forest and its trials.
Next should be anything beneficial to our comfort or survival here in town. If there's anything here to be used more effectively by someone else, you should give it to them. If not, keep it. We can hide them until we need them. No matter what happens, don't use them out of desperation. [He glances back at Dextera.
Reaching out, he gently puts a reassuring hand on Dextera's shoulder.] I'm not going to pretend like he'll return, like anyone who has left will return. But... there's almost a hundred percent probability they went back to their own worlds.
It might not be much to go back to, but they went back home.
[ dextera believes guren went back home. kaoru’s mirror is likely proof that all the people who have come and gone are back in their worlds—perhaps without memory of anything that happened here, but dextera has to trust that if he were to find guren at the end of it all, guren would remember him. or at least like him. ]
…yes.
[ to all that, a simple yes. he glances to damian’s hand, letting his eyes close as he takes comfort in the tactile weight of the warmth of another person. take care of things here. that’s what guren told him, and that’s what damian is telling him now. it’s good advice, of course it is.
it’s just difficult to follow. ]
I just…
[ …he squeezes his eyes a little tighter, then opens them. ]
I was going to go with him. I’m afraid of being alone, Damian. I’m afraid everyone else is going to leave.
[Gently, slowly, Damian frowns.] You aren’t the only one afraid of that. [He thinks about Kisa briefly.] I can’t promise you it won’t happen. I don’t believe it’s likely, that everyone will disappear, and you shouldn’t let the watch increase your doubts. Any visions the town gives you are only possible outcomes or past outcomes. They aren’t set in stone.
Still, even if you’re the last person here, I know you could find a way. To go home, to break the curse. Whatever it takes.
[Not everyone is like him, he knows. Kisa told him the same. They aren’t as persistent as he is about things. Determined. But he thinks it’s better to hear it than not.]
No matter what happens, don’t ever give up. Ichinose may be gone, but you may still be able to go to his world once we figure out how to send everyone back. [His brows furrow. He pauses a moment.] “No heart shall grow from an easy path.” Or whatever.
[ it is better to hear it. dextera would lose to his own despair, otherwise. he needs this comfort, to be surrounded by friends and people he loves. he touches his side, where his scar aches and throbs, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. slowly, piece by piece, he’s learning to accept himself on his own terms. ]
Maybe I can still… help you with the hen. I want to.
[ it’s a sincere desire to help, and a little recklessness, too—the future is just a matter of balancing what could help with what could destroy him and hope that he doesn’t ever tip over into self-destruction. ]
[At this, Damian nods. It doesn't matter what Dextera's true use may be; Damian won't rain on any attempt to help when Dextera is clearly struggling. If he can divvy up other things, if he can divvy up jobs within a team of metahumans back home, he can get Dextera to help.]
This place is a giant fairytale almost. If that's the case, it can be assumed "true love" doesn't have to be romantic. Not necessarily.
Perhaps all that is needed is an extremely strong bond.
[ dextera nods. he and his brother were able to make it into the forest just fine, after all, though whether or not the reward was a reward as such remains to be seen. he wanted to explore with guren, though. his heart tightens at the memory of such a desire, and he sighs out the tension. ]
The story… the man has seen the hen.
[ he can’t remember the exact wording now, but he remembers that the most recent addition to the story had their hero finally meeting the hen after a long and arduous journey. maybe the hen itself will give the man a choice. ]
We might know how to move next month.
[ he wishes guren could have held on, just a little longer. ]
I've seen evidence of the hen. [Just to further prove a point. There's a shard of optimism here, and Damian is going to cling to it if only for the sake of ending this game.] She has to exist. We'll find her.
But we should wait for more of the story so we can plan how to proceed. I think Jackson is still willing to try searching, too, even if... [Loss.] Annabeth.
[ dextera nods, when damian insists the hen exists—and then again, more firmly (resembling a hen himself for a moment) upon the suggestion that they should wait. it doesn’t feel like biding their time, twiddling their thumbs. it feels like planning, and that eases some of the restlessness itching under his skin.
however, he doesn’t know who annabeth is—the context gives him a pretty good guess all the same. ]
[It's honestly somewhat sad how surprised he looks when Dextera says this. The thanks he gets often enough; it comes from being a hero. People thank him for his duty. But saying they're lucky to have him?
He looks away--modestly? embarrassedly? Slowly, he pulls himself back to his feet and glances over all of Guren's things like he's pretending to consider them instead of Dextera's words.] I'll help you organize everything. [Four hands are better than two.
But it'll also extend the time he's here. He remembers all too well the brief, resounding loneliness which came when the four people he knew from home vanished one after another.
He'll probably sleep over for at least one night. """Sleep."""]
[ dextera may not consciously pick up on damian’s intentions, but he’s grateful that damian will be here a little longer anyway. the ache in his chest just won’t subside, and tears keep dripping from his eyes, but having a friend around is a good distraction. especially a friend like damian, who knew guren—and who knows how much he means to dextera, even now. ]
[It's as good of an opportunity as any. Damian glances at Dextera a moment or two.]
When was the last time you've eaten? [He sounds like an old man! It's fine.] First, we should make something, and then we'll have the energy to organize. [He knows Dextera probably doesn't want or feel like eating--maybe?]
Soup?
[He'll make it is really how it'll go, but he doesn't want to admit that.]
[ the last time he ate was probably… just before he realized guren was gone. he called his brother over the next day, and he’s been a little too down since then to actually try to eat anything. his stomach has gotten used to food, but his mind remembers what it’s like to fast.
it wasn’t an intentional thing. (but it does make it easier to forget, in some ways.) ]
I’ve been drinking water. [ an obvious deflection, but he hopes damian will just accept it as it is. ] Soup… that’s fine. We have vegetables.
[Damian looks like a displeased mom, of course, but he doesn't scold Dextera about it.] Being hydrated is good. I'll make some kind of stew. [At least soup and stews are relatively easy... otherwise, he'd be a disaster nowhere near Alfred Pennyworth level.]
You can take a break to eat, then we can come back and finish. Deal?
[ a stew sounds nice. ryo made dextera some strange concoction of hearts and bones to restore his energy when guren just wandered into the woods, and this is something that he’s dealing with better, but ultimately it’s the same shit. ]
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His eyes shift over everything, fall onto the amethyst ring then look away.
The town is awful. They hadn't even had the chance to really say goodbye. There's no closure just disappearance.] He was supposed to stay. The two of you... [Damian's jaw clenches. Carefully, slowly, he moves further in, though the tight expression fades into something softer.] The two of you were supposed to help us retrieve the hen.
[Damian crouches down in the midst of the things without stepping or touching anything.] Is this the town's way of trying to remind us of the story it's telling on the forums? [How it feels to lose so suddenly and unexpectedly.] It's not funny.
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helpless, a few tears drip down his cheeks. he doesn’t seem to be making any other motion of crying, though. his eyes just keep producing tears and there’s nothing he can do to stop it. he places guren’s jacket down. ]
He…
[ …dextera exhales, wiping his sleeve across his face. he’d promised. the only reason he would break that promise is because the town forced it. ]
He was the first person I met in this town.
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Kind of like he did when his father similarly vanished.]
If he wasn't anything like he was now, he'd be hard to ignore. [Feels bad.] I'm sure he was trying to stick his nose into everything. He always thought he could handle it all on his own.
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[ dextera sighs again, harder this time, blinking rapidly as he tries to stem the flow of tears before they become an actual problem. he can’t help his own sadness, though—he’s never been good at keeping his emotions hidden away. ]
Right up until the end, he was trying to help everyone… he still is.
[ a beat. ]
Is there anything here you want? He’d only be mad for show, if I gave something to you.
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His eyes drift back over the things.] I can keep something hidden if needed, but... You should have them. I think Ichinose would want you to use them or have them. [Though, yeah, Guren would probably fuss for the sake of fussing. His eyes peer at the ring again before looking away.] Do you know what everything is?
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other things, though, can probably afford to be cleared out. ]
Yes. I think so… he kept good notes.
[ he wipes his face. ]
There are just… things. There are a lot of things. He worked hard.
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[Even with a thousand scoldings from a large handful of people. Stupid.] In my opinion, our biggest goal may be to retrieve the rainbow hen. If that is the case, you should put together and keep anything which can help us navigate the forest and its trials.
Next should be anything beneficial to our comfort or survival here in town. If there's anything here to be used more effectively by someone else, you should give it to them. If not, keep it. We can hide them until we need them. No matter what happens, don't use them out of desperation. [He glances back at Dextera.
Reaching out, he gently puts a reassuring hand on Dextera's shoulder.] I'm not going to pretend like he'll return, like anyone who has left will return. But... there's almost a hundred percent probability they went back to their own worlds.
It might not be much to go back to, but they went back home.
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…yes.
[ to all that, a simple yes. he glances to damian’s hand, letting his eyes close as he takes comfort in the tactile weight of the warmth of another person. take care of things here. that’s what guren told him, and that’s what damian is telling him now. it’s good advice, of course it is.
it’s just difficult to follow. ]
I just…
[ …he squeezes his eyes a little tighter, then opens them. ]
I was going to go with him. I’m afraid of being alone, Damian. I’m afraid everyone else is going to leave.
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Still, even if you’re the last person here, I know you could find a way. To go home, to break the curse. Whatever it takes.
[Not everyone is like him, he knows. Kisa told him the same. They aren’t as persistent as he is about things. Determined. But he thinks it’s better to hear it than not.]
No matter what happens, don’t ever give up. Ichinose may be gone, but you may still be able to go to his world once we figure out how to send everyone back. [His brows furrow. He pauses a moment.] “No heart shall grow from an easy path.” Or whatever.
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Maybe I can still… help you with the hen. I want to.
[ it’s a sincere desire to help, and a little recklessness, too—the future is just a matter of balancing what could help with what could destroy him and hope that he doesn’t ever tip over into self-destruction. ]
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This place is a giant fairytale almost. If that's the case, it can be assumed "true love" doesn't have to be romantic. Not necessarily.
Perhaps all that is needed is an extremely strong bond.
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The story… the man has seen the hen.
[ he can’t remember the exact wording now, but he remembers that the most recent addition to the story had their hero finally meeting the hen after a long and arduous journey. maybe the hen itself will give the man a choice. ]
We might know how to move next month.
[ he wishes guren could have held on, just a little longer. ]
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But we should wait for more of the story so we can plan how to proceed. I think Jackson is still willing to try searching, too, even if... [Loss.] Annabeth.
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however, he doesn’t know who annabeth is—the context gives him a pretty good guess all the same. ]
You’re…
[ pause. ]
Thank you, Damian. We’re all lucky you’re here.
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He looks away--modestly? embarrassedly? Slowly, he pulls himself back to his feet and glances over all of Guren's things like he's pretending to consider them instead of Dextera's words.] I'll help you organize everything. [Four hands are better than two.
But it'll also extend the time he's here. He remembers all too well the brief, resounding loneliness which came when the four people he knew from home vanished one after another.
He'll probably sleep over for at least one night. """Sleep."""]
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I… appreciate it.
[ he does, from the bottom of his heart. ]
We have a lot of food in the kitchen, too.
[ you know. in case. ]
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When was the last time you've eaten? [He sounds like an old man! It's fine.] First, we should make something, and then we'll have the energy to organize. [He knows Dextera probably doesn't want or feel like eating--maybe?]
Soup?
[He'll make it is really how it'll go, but he doesn't want to admit that.]
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[ the last time he ate was probably… just before he realized guren was gone. he called his brother over the next day, and he’s been a little too down since then to actually try to eat anything. his stomach has gotten used to food, but his mind remembers what it’s like to fast.
it wasn’t an intentional thing. (but it does make it easier to forget, in some ways.) ]
I’ve been drinking water. [ an obvious deflection, but he hopes damian will just accept it as it is. ] Soup… that’s fine. We have vegetables.
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You can take a break to eat, then we can come back and finish. Deal?
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Deal. Thank you.