Come Sail Away IC Inbox

[crushed_pearls]

Erin's voice mail message is in a weary voice: "Erin Peters. If you called in the middle of the night and I didn't answer, I'm dying. If I pick up and someone on your end isn't dying, they will be shortly. Text otherwise."

Comments

early morning, Nov 1st

[prince_of_beasts]

Ddid yuo make it
Are you erein

Sorry about the typing. Hopefully Erin's text-to-speech can make sense of it.

Re: early morning, Nov 1st

[crushed_pearls]

Good fucking god the text to speech is not my ally today Dimitri. I survived. Brought breakfast into the hallway for everyone so people would not have to walk if they were in pain. I unfortunately remain Erin for the ongoing crime of being excessively competent at survival. As you can probably tell from the various sounds of misery coming from the other cabins the others are in some distress. Are you injured or have you been renewed?

It's the politest way she can ask if he died.

[prince_of_beasts]

It sounds enough like Erin, though Dimitri doesn't know her well enough to be sure.

With much more care, and the fortunate discovery that his phone is back to new and back to repairing itself:

No thats my fault
I dont type well

Went down aftr the floor colo colll colalp broke
Ginger
Got him back thouh

[crushed_pearls]

Erin almost, almost sends 'good job', and then she reconsiders it. Dimitri is a kind soul. Struggling to become something new he can't even imagine. He doesn't need affirmation that he can kill with skill, especially not when he seems so painfully aware of that awe-inspiring strength of his.

So what gets sent instead is:

You have done Giles an incredible kindness. Thank you for that. I am sure he will find a way to express his gratitude whenever he is feeling equal to leaving his home.

[prince_of_beasts]

Do they remembr what happpened?

[crushed_pearls]

Current evidence suggests the possessed have lost time in a manner very painful to them. They will need gentleness.

[prince_of_beasts]

They wre in the nothing?

[crushed_pearls]

I believe so. I struggle to imagine anywhere else they could have been.

[prince_of_beasts]

Forced to watch while his own body deceives and attacks the people he loves? Or trapped, conscious, in a frozen, lightless, senseless Nothing? Dimitri honestly couldn't say which sounds worse.

Ill keep that im mind

It does mean that he can't talk to Giles about it. And he can't just -- he can't keep this in his chest. It'll warp him like that Relic warped Miklan, break his bones and curdle his blood.

Can i telll yuo someth ing

[crushed_pearls]

My job this morning is to help as best I can. Lay it on me Dimitri.

[prince_of_beasts]

There's a long pause before Dimitri's reply.

I nkow what his brain feels like

Ive nevr had ti look someon in t he face after that

[crushed_pearls]

Erin makes the phone repeat that text several times. It sticks with her, lingering. Reminding her of old battles that never quite stop clinging. And now this latest one, with the tearing of muscle under her grip...

Flippant reassurance would be...the wrong call.

That will be a new one on me too once Crabb wakes up. And Ossie eventually. Cassandra. I can only take it as a blessing that they do not have to remember how they died. The only advice I can really give is that if you try to explain those feelings to Giles all you will really do is force him to live a pain he has been spared.

When you are up for it come find me. I can pour drinks and we can try to talk it out. Or if there is someone else you trust who is far from Giles maybe. You really did do him a great service Dimitri. To be used like that is a horror beyond all others for our people. Your strength bought him relief from that. Ossie too who had to live with knowing his love was being abused in that way. I am not trying to pretty up the battle but in a bad situation you did something powerful and good.

[prince_of_beasts]

Dimitri has a hard time believing that, no matter how much sense it makes. No matter how much he knows, rationally, that it's the truth.

Thats why I tol d you nd not him
Or ossie

Thank you
I wil try to beleive that

I dotn drink liquor
Alcoholo and i dont mix wel l
But i will take yuo u p on that when i can

[crushed_pearls]

We can do boba. Undine turned me on to the stuff. Just try not to literally physically choke on it if you have not had it before.

Keep well Dimitri. I am here for anything in my power.

[prince_of_beasts]

Likweise

It wyold help to do somethin useful
That dosent nvolve a sword

[crushed_pearls]

I do not expect this to sink in just because I text it the one time but honestly Dimitri you are doing useful things. When love and connection and friendship are things people yearn for and are denied it is easy to see them as frivolous rewards or the bounty of a world of peace which you can never see from atop the wall you guard. But they are not luxuries. They are necessities of human life. People die without love as surely as they die without air and it hurts them the entire time that they die.

If the Captain enjoys our despair then the friendship and consideration you offer is a blade sharper than any you could grasp in your mighty hands.

[prince_of_beasts]

Fine. That's ... fine, it's good, it's fine, he's fine everything's fine.





Erin gets no response, because Dimitri has curled up in the shower to cry.