middleofsomewhere | Final: Blue and Purple

Final: Blue and Purple

Blue: A Call to Arms

On the sixth night (G10) since arriving in the Gry coves the fighting is the heaviest than it has been all week. What’s more anyone who tries to sleep that day or night will find their dreams are the clearest yet. Darkness, downward tunnels, fear yes but a clear calling. A draw. A call for help. A cry to arms.

The caverns are a flurry of activity but by the morning (G11) the elders address the cove. It is clear. The Burrower wishes them to descend. Furthermore if the aliens have been having dreams as well then it is clear that they are invited.

Not all can go of course, the caverns still need defending. But any who wish to may. The morning is spent preparing for the descent, or rather making sure that there are still defenders of the caverns and that everything is in order for them to descend.

Purple: A Plan for Aid

The fighting is still thick and fast but the morning of the seventh day (G11) brings another flurry of activity. The teenagers who had been growing restless all week can be found gathering in groups.

If approached by anyone who isn’t a Terran adult they will let them in on the secret. The Gry were going down to the dweller. The Gry dream forums have been full of Gry teens talking about this, worried their god is in danger. Worried they are in danger and going down there will mean certain death.

So of course the Terran want to help and their adults have not been listening. They have found one of the entrances that they believe will go down into the dwellers domain. They plan to strike out by noon and won’t say no to any one who wants to go with them.

It’s a steep entrance, going almost vertically down into the darkness below. They are pretty certain it leads to the dweller.

Meanwhile the monsters are still attacking the city with increasing numbers and almost every Terran is engaged in some level of fighting.

The Descent (Please specify team colour.)

The tunnels down from both the Gry coves and the Terran tunnels are steep. Even the Gry and Terran themselves struggle with the descent and voidtreckers will definitely need to use climbing equipment. It takes most of the day and into the evening to climb down. The air is dry and thin the further down they get but their SCA keeps them going.

The Terran and Gry have no such technology but they are better acclimatised. It’s a long climb down through the darkness.

Meanwhile... (Please specify team colour.)

For those that don’t descend there is still plenty to do. Monsters are still attacking, though as night falls they dwindle, as they begin to rush down to the cavern below. Still there are pockets of monsters around that need dealing with.

Parts of both tunnel systems are in need of repair. Down in the Terran tunnels the areas that had been collapsed still need a lot of work, though all the citizens have been rescued. The Gry systems are less structurally damaged but they are a mess and the clean up operation will take a while.

Deep Dweller

Finally the dark downward descent leads into a huge cavern. In the centre of the cavern there is a large, grey creature easily filling the space. It looks almost like a grub, if a huge one. It is hard to ascertain if it has eyes or a mouth even but it moves, slowly up and down as if it is breathing.

The elder Gry make respectful gestures towards it, the younger ones follow suit, a little more hesitantly. The Terran teenagers mostly seem some mixture of horrified and amazed.

There are four large entrances to the cavern, the two that the two groups came down and two other large ones from elsewhere. There are also numerous small ones, high and low in the walls. The two groups arrive at roughly the same time and it is not long before they have company…

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Honestly, Gerome didn't really understand why he had done it or why the stone had reminded him of Inigo's eyes of all things. He wasn't wrong that it was very strikingly similar in hue to Inigo's shade of blue, but the urge to pick it up to examine it further was a strange one to him. The gem wasn't smooth, it was raw and uncut and had dug a little into his palm with it's sharp edged. But the colour was clear. And there was just something about it he liked.

But now Inigo was crying and Gerome just looked so confused. Why was that happening? What had he said? What had he done? Was it the stone? Should he throw it away?

It was suddenly just so much harder to breathe, and he really, really wanted to move, but just couldn't. All he could do was sit and watch while Inigo sobbed just out of arms reach and it was maddening...

So he listened to his cries, listened to his words as his head just lolled to the side a little and his eyes fell closed. He couldn't exactly tell Inigo that he'd thought he was said as well. That would just reinforce those negative feelings and make him cry more. That was something he wanted to avoid. The question about why the stone had made Gerome think of Inigo was one that he just couldn't answer. He didn't know... or was unwilling to sit and think about when he was in so much pain. Those were thoughts for much, much later...

But nightmares?

Gerome slowly opened his eyes again. Tears had made tracks through the dirt and dust covering Inigo's cheeks. He was sniffling and looked so upset... So, of course, there was only one thing Gerome could say.

"... Idiot." It was said with the smallest of sighs, in a weak, low voice. But there was no anger in the word. "... W-why... are you having foolish dreams... like that?" Had he given Inigo any cause to believe that he was likely to die? And why would he have nightmares like that? "... How long...?" Was it just these last few days?

Thankfully nothing about being called an idiot seems to make Inigo more upset. It's hardly of any consequence in the middle of all of this, after all. Not to mention that he has been called one so often - and often by Gerome himself, on top of that - that it hardly has any effect anymore. Let alone when it's said so weakly.

But then there's that question, and there's no way Inigo could lie now of all times. Not after he promised to try and be more open with Gerome in the first place. Not when Gerome is so hurt. Not when Gerome of all people, one of the most closed off people Inigo knows, said that he picked up a gem because it reminded him of Inigo.

So he sucks in a shakey breath, wiping with one hand at his eyes. It's a pretty useless effort, since he's still crying, so the tears he wipes away are replaced with new ones instantly. All the gesture does is form the dirt on his face into streaks.

".. For a long time now."

That is the honest answer.

"I.. especially had them often back home. Back before all of us went to the past.. I-- I know I smiled and joked around a lot back then, but.. I was actually so worried. And those worries appeared in my nightmares. I dreamt so often that.." He pauses. Another shakey breath. "That you died and turned into one of those Risen.. And I never knew what to do in those dreams. I couldn't fight you.. I.. I just can't lose you. You're too important to me.."

That's just a fact. Even if they may have grown more distant over the years compared to how they were younger, Gerome had always remained important to him. Why else would Inigo specifically have come to look for him the night before they'd all go to the past without Gerome? Why else would he have offered to stay behind with the other, even if everyone else would go?

And just like that, Gerome learned he hated Inigo's smile.

How many times had the fool smiled that big, cheerful smile and how many of those times had it been hiding the fear of nightmares? Possibly too many times. And yes, he knew he was a hypocrite. Gerome was more than aware that he was the worst kind of hypocrite. He hid behind his mask the same way that Inigo hid behind his smile and somehow that was worse. Maybe it was because Inigo was so happy and outgoing. He was social. He made friends. He was wanted. Why would someone like that ever need to hide their feelings?

Even the nightmares, which were a shock at first, made sense to him... Again, for hypocritical reasons. Because those nightmares were the very reason Gerome kept people away. Why he pushed them as far away as possible, or at least kept them at arms-length.

It just hurt too much.

They'd make you care. Make you feel for them, love them, invest in their lives... and then they would leave. Either walk away or just die. And back home, if they died it was even worse because of the Risen. The thought of having to kill a friend was something that had always filled his veins with ice. How could he do that? How could he possibly do that, even though he knew it was a mercy to do it?

He would, of course. He would end their miserable un-life if he needed to. Gerome would rather he do it than the likes of Inigo. No one expected Gerome to be hurt by such things, after all. It was why he just didn't want to get close to people. To lessen the blow when he would finally have to finish them off and bury them...

And without his mask, there was a new pain in Gerome's expression. He couldn't help it, he was too weak to stop it. He didn't understand why Inigo was saying these things now of all times. Why not back home? Why now? It... it wasn't fair. It was cruel. Gerome just didn't know what to say or do. How was he supposed to answer? Could he call him an idiot again? Maybe. Brush it all off, sweep it all under the table like none of it happened. But... that wouldn't help Inigo, would it? He'd wanted honesty from the other. Not doing the same, would make him more of an ass than he was.

"... Me too." He spoke quietly.

It hurts to see a pain similar to the one he's feeling mirrored back in Gerome's eyes. A pain that goes beyond the physical pain he must no doubt be feeling right now. A pain that runs much closer to everything they went through back home. The kind of pain only they could understand - that no one else could understand about them.

.. the kind of pain that's laced with a weird edge of caring. Inigo knows that even at the moments where Gerome does care, he doesn't show it.. or hardly shows it, anyway. But he's tried ever since showing up here. Letting Inigo hug him, cling to him, find comfort in him.. He knows those sorts of things don't come naturally to Gerome. And yet he let him do it.

And even now, at this most vulnerable time, Gerome chooses to say 'me too' rather than dismissing everything. Rather than telling Inigo off and telling him to go find some help already, or to let him sit here by himself to come to terms with his pain and wounds.

There's no way Inigo can stop the tears at that. But just sitting here and crying at Gerome without doing anything else feels weird too after exchanging those words. So Inigo reaches out to the hand Gerome used to reach out in his direction earlier - the one with the gemstone in it - and gently moves to wrap both of his own hands around it. The hand seems relatively less injured than other parts of Gerome's body, so he's really hoping he can do this much without causing a whole new world of hurt for the other.

He then slowly raises the hand held between his own up to hold it against Inigo's cheek. There's something so tender about it, though it's easy to just dismiss that as Inigo trying to make sure to not hurt him.

"Thank you.." 'For saying that,' he means. His own voice is just as quiet, even though there's no one near them right now who could overhear it in the first place.

"Thank you for pulling through.." Even though Gerome may not have much of a choice in that even if he hadn't, but Inigo firmly believes that Gerome's strength of will is what helped cause not the worst possible end to that rockslide. ".. Thank you for not leaving me."

He'd said those two, simple words... But for the life of Gerome he had no idea what he was admitting to. And he was very glad that Inigo didn't ask for clarification. Though being thanked was confusing. Had he done something worthy of being grateful? Gerome wasn't sure, but he just didn't have the energy to argue or fight over what really amounted to nit-picking. Inigo... was hurting more than enough, he didn't need to add to that.

Gerome watched through heavy lidded eyes as the other lifted his hand. Inigo was careful enough, so Gerome did his best to keep any signs of pain or discomfort from his face from the movement. There wasn't much anyway, but he knew even the smallest sign would have had the fool begging forgiveness or something equally ridiculous.

But it was the next action that truly confused Gerome.

Instead of just holding his hand like he normally would, Inigo pressed his hand to one tear stained cheek and just held it there while he continued to thank him for things that were out of either of their control. How was he supposed to answer them? Maybe he could just go to sleep and not have to deal with having to think about it more...? But... that would be leaving Inigo. And the stupid flirt had gone and thanked him for not leaving. Gerome would have sighed if he could ever fill his lungs again.

What he did, Gerome would deny to his dying breath if asked later, because he had no conscious notion of having actually done it. He moved his hand, turning it within Inigo's slowly, and just as slowly he brushed his thumb across the cheek his hand was pressed against, wiping away the tears with the gentlest of touches.

"... Stop... thanking me, you fool." Was there tenderness in that voice? Another thing Gerome would deny to his dying breath if ever questioned. "... And sit beside me... before I fall..." Because he knew he would not last much longer, he was so damn tired, he just wanted to close his eyes. And the thought of tipping over and landing on his side was not the most attractive of thoughts.

It's ironic. Because it takes a slight moment for Inigo to even realise that slight movement on his cheek, considering how wrapped up his thoughts are in Gerome's wellbeing right now, but once he does, it just makes him feel like crying more. It's just so small, yet sweet and touching. And such a good reminder that Gerome really is still here, even if he's still in pain. It's exactly what Inigo needs right now.

But he's doing his best to try and not start crying even harder. He'd practically be sobbing like a baby at that point, and that's not going to help anyone. Least of all at a moment like this. Because Gerome's request snaps Inigo's mind right back to reality. Right -- he should be taking care of the other first. That's the most important thing right now. Just.. doing what he can do in this situation.

Even if said thing he can do is just sitting next to Gerome and quite literally supporting the other.

Inigo wordlessly moves over to sit down at Gerome's side. It's probably no surprise that he's making sure to sit as close as possible to the other. It's what he might have done normally to, with his penchant of trying to get physical contact from the people he's fond of, but in this case it has the practical use of making sure Gerome doesn't have to support his own weight. He can just let it drop against Inigo's side.

He hasn't let go of Gerome's hand though. But rather than holding it up against his cheek, he's now just holding it in front of them with one hand. Like he's worried Gerome might just fade away the moment he lets go.

".. There," he softly says once he's properly settled in. "Like this? Tell me if I need to adjust anything."

He may be even more catering than usually here, but then again, it's not like Gerome is just a little bit hurt.

"Do you need to sleep..? I'm.. not quite sure if it's a good idea in your current condition, but if you can't help it.."

Gerome waited for Inigo to accept his request and join him at his side. He was more than a little surprised that Inigo didn't let go of his hand... But saying something just didn't seem worth it. And anyway, the hand in his felt warm and that was alright...

"Not... sleep..." Though he was very tired. What he needed more than that was something much simpler. Once Inigo was there at his side, Gerome leaned to the side to rest his weight upon the others shoulder. Doing so helped take a little pressure off of him to keep himself upright, eased some of the tension, and helped him breathe a little better.

"... I apologise... But please... just for a moment..." Just let him lean like this.

When Inigo can feel Gerome entirely voluntarily moving to shift his weight against him like that, he can't help but grow quiet. His cheeks even start to grow a little red, though he's sure it's just the surprise of this moment and the relief that Gerome might be okay if he just rests for now and then gets healed once they can go back on the train..

But it's still.. nice. Gerome's weight against him. His hand in Inigo's own. His soft breaths so close to him. Inigo is just so damn relieved he didn't have to lose someone important all over again. He could cry in this moment, honestly, but he's so determined not to. Gerome needs him to be strong right now. He can cry about this later sometime to himself - but not right now.

Right now he just wants to be there for Gerome.

"Don't apologize.." He replies, softly. He means it too - if anything, them sitting this way seems like something Inigo may have asked for under different circumstances. Sure, it's not as fun to do it now when Gerome is so hurt and Inigo still worries about him.. but it's still nothing to apologize for.

"Stay like this for as long as you need. I'm.. not going anywhere without you."

Eyes slowly closed. He didn't want to sleep, Gerome was unsure if that would be wise, given his condition. But by closing his eyes he could focus more inward. He concentrated on his breathing, tried to be as still as he could possibly be. Stillness lessened some of the pain he felt, though not all of it. He'd felt pain before. He'd had broken bones before. He'd been cut before, shallow and deep... There were the scars to prove that he had been through battles often enough... The sheer embarrassment of having been brought so low by rocks was pain enough.

"... You... had better... not..." Gerome muttered quietly. Talking was so much more difficult when he couldn't take a full breath and it felt like if he wasn't careful everything was just going to fall out of him. Without realising he'd curled an arm around his middle as best he could, as if he could stop that from happening. It hurt so damn much. But he had to reply to Inigo. Needed to show he was still here with him... Needed to show he wasn't going anywhere either.

It's obvious that it's hard for Gerome to talk right now. It makes Inigo appreciate the few words he can say all the more, of course, though he wishes Gerome wouldn't push himself too much while he's in this state.

So..

"I'm.. just going to talk, okay? If it gets too annoying, just tell me to shut up."

But he at least wants Gerome to have something to listen to. If not just so he can focus on that rather than in how much pain he must be right now.

"Uh, I.. was talking to one of my friends earlier this mission. He was on another team, but apparently stopped by here for a moment, though I'm not quite sure why-- either way, that's not the point. He seems to be from a time much different from ours, quite like a lot of people on the train. And he was talking about masseurs. Apparently they exist where he comes from. Those are people.. erm, professionals you can go see and they give you a massage." Listen, Inigo's story might not be the most coherent, but he's trying. He's still pretty panicked right now, but he's trying to contain that in order to not make Gerome worry or panic in turn. It does make his story more rambly though. "Apparently they just touch your back and neck in just the right places.. like giving you a shoulder rub, but more extensive than that. Doesn't that sound nice? I rather like the sound of it. I don't think there's anything like that back on the train, but maybe I should learn how to do that sort of thing? Then I could give you a massage. You know, when your body stops hurting.. which it will! Of course! With time! But that sounds nice, right? Apparently it's supposed to make you feel really nice and calm."

Gerome fell quiet and just listened since that was what he had been asked to do. He let Inigo chatter away about something strange. Something that made him wonder just how he got into these kinds of conversations with people. Until he remembered that, oh yes, Inigo was a flirt. Of course he'd have conversations about touching people in certain ways. It made sense when Gerome put it in that context.

"... Flirt." Gladio spoke quietly, not opening his eyes and not feeling like he needed to explain himself more.

He really didn't like the idea of someone touching him in that way. It seemed much too intimate for his liking. How anyone could go and want a person to do that? Well, he knew people like Inigo would, who liked such things as touch. But Gerome? It was still such a strange thing to know that Inigo wanted to do things like... hug him... and keep hold of his hand like that.

"Wha.."

Inigo's jaw drops open, though he doesn't move.

"I-- I can platonically touch people!"

Despite how worried he still is about Gerome, those aren't just pretend dramatics. Okay, maybe he's dialling it up a bit to make Gerome feel like all this is familiar, but he genuinely didn't discuss it in a flirty context! .. For once! He wasn't even the first person to bring it up in that conversation! He was totally thinking of platonic massages, okay!

"In fact.. I am touching you!" At least he says that less loudly, realising that his full on dramatics might be a little much for Gerome in his current state. "Right now! And I'm not going to let go until you're safely back on the train."

There was the softest of snorts, followed by a low groan. He hadn't laughed but had come close enough to have caused a flash of pain that reminded him why he was leaning against Inigo in the first place.

"... But... are you touching me for me... or you...?" Gerome asked quietly. Of course he knew that Inigo wasn't flirting with him. The touches were purely platonic, there were no doubts about that. He didn't think there was anyone in any universe that would want to touch him in any other way. Or at all. Inigo was a rare breed indeed. And one of only a very, very small handful that Gerome could tolerate to do even that.

"Huh?" Although that question doesn't seem to pull out the same levels of a defensive response as the last thing Gerome said did, Inigo still seems a little surprised by it. Mostly since he immediately thinks about the question and realises that he's not quite sure of the answer himself.

So for a moment Inigo is quiet until the words slowly start to come out of his mouth.

"I'm.. touching you to let you know I'm still here." After all, Gerome said that Inigo better not leave, right? And while it's not like Inigo was planning on doing that in the slightest, he might as well try to reassure the other as much as possible that he's right here.

But he knows that's not the full answer.

So he does continue, though he ducks his head a little - while making sure to not move his body, since he's still supporting Gerome's weight.

".. and to let me know that you're still here." Because for a moment back there he had been absolutely terrified that he had lost Gerome. Inigo doesn't think there's much worse that could happen to him on this whole train journey than that.

"Ah..."

That... did make sense. In a way. It was reassuring to know that Inigo was there. While he hoped that his injuries would not eventually kill him, if he were to die, he would be happy to know that... a friend was at his side.

Gerome's eyes closed, and for a brief moment the hand within Inigo's tightened before it relaxed again.

"... I... am not leaving..." Was it a promise? It sure sounded like it was a promise. It was the only one that Gerome had to give in that moment.

That is a promise that Inigo really wants to keep Gerome to. Not just right now - though right now is really important too, for obvious reasons - but in the future too. As selfish as it may be, he just.. really doesn't want Gerome to leave his side.

Ever.

"I won't let you," he softly says. It has nothing to do with him forcing Gerome to stay or anything of the sort though - if Gerome ever wanted to leave for whatever reason, Inigo would let him. Even though it would upset him so much. No, in this case it just means that he won't let Gerome die here and now. If the other starts looking too weak, Inigo will just drag a healer back from those tunnels himself if he has to. He doesn't care what he'd have to do for it. He won't let Gerome die. ".. I need you here."

Gerome was quiet. He couldn't remember ever being needed. Truly needed before. He kind of wished that Inigo had said something before a wall of rocks had fallen on him... Or before they had been brought to a world not their own. He wished he'd known back home... Would it had changed anything? Maybe. Who knew? Would it have made them better friends...? Gerome thought that maybe, if Inigo had worked as hard as he had since his arrival on the train back home, he probably would have had to admit defeat. He probably would have allowed a friendship to form.

Maybe. But it was all in the past now. Nothing they could do to change how things had happened. No point in looking back. Fate had decided this path for them, had decided that these were the consequences of their actions. All they could do was walk the path and see what lay at the end.

"Inigo...?"

Gerome's voice was soft... a whisper, pained and low.

"... I think... I'm going to pass out." And his eyes closed as he slumped to the side and against Inigo's shoulder, saved from falling and causing himself more injury. Saved by Inigo being at his side, like he'd promised.

Inigo is alert the moment Gerome speaks with that kind of voice. Sure, the other hasn't sounded great - and who could blame him? - ever since the rockslide, but something about his voice right now in particular sounds so pained.

His head is about to snap to the side to look at what's wrong, but then Gerome already continues before he can do so. The words seize his heart for a moment, making it feels as if it has stoped beating, especially when he feels Gerome slump more against him.

For a moment he sits there, almost frozen, but then Inigo's hand moves. He lets go of Gerome's hand, just so he can move a little higher and put his finger on Gerome's wrist instead, feeling his pulse.

.. It's still there. Maybe not the strongest it's ever been, but it's still very much there. Inigo lets out a breath of relief that he didn't even realise he was holding.

If Gerome only passed out, then that's not too bad.. Hopefully it shouldn't take too long for the mission to end and the train to arrive. Then he can let someone take a proper look at Gerome.

But until then.. Inigo will keep sitting here. And he most certainly won't remove his hand from Gerome's wrist. The slow, but steady beat of that pulse is just about the one thing that's holding Inigo together right now, rather than completely making him fall apart from worry.

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Final: Blue and Purple

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