awashrpg | USER: #A5211F - Bogeyman (Forward dated to the 26th)

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The bogeyman that was hiding in town has finally been defeated, but it was at the cost of three lives. Dave, John and Dextera. I couldn't save them. I'm sorry.

Okuyasu and Asuka are badly injured, but are currently being treated for it. [He is too? He's bleeding all over his laptop, but it's fine.]

Dextera's body changed into something else, but the other two are still remaining. I think they both have family here, or something close. You can contact me and I'll tell you where they are, so you can arrange a burial or whatever you think is best.

I take full responsibility for this. There's still going to be a defense force meeting at the beginning of next month, so we can talk about it then. I know there could still be people missing from the werewolf thing, too, so keep your eyes open for them, alive or otherwise. If you have questions, I'll try to answer them.

That's all.

[Of course, after this, he'll be in his room at his laptop, so people are free to come bother him. He's covered in blood, most notably a stab wound straight through his chest at the heart, and it looks like he's only partially been able to deal with that. He's not bleeding out as quickly? But his healing isn't working. He's only just barely come back to consciousness from Mahiru taking over.]

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[His eyes are what break first, slight as it is. They look pained, lost, empty, and he doesn't know what to do about it. It looks like he wants to cry, but he won't. His eyes stay dry.]

Aren't you already that way for plenty of people?

[The sturdy one who doesn't need to be protected, so everyone should vent to him. Guren just, for once, would like to be strong enough... to solve all the issues around him and have none himself.]

I can focus all I want on recovery, but it won't bring anyone back. It won't stop injuries, or pain, or disappointment.

[... It's a painful expression to see on Guren's face, to see in his eyes--but it's necessary. Guren's hurting, he's hurting so, so badly, and him trying to be strong for everyone who comes by... that must just be chipping him down even more, right?

Bit by bit...

Minato closes his eyes briefly.]

It won't stop any of those things. That pain, these injuries, the knowledge of what happened... you still have to deal with those.

So for now, just for a little while... stop trying to be strong for me. All I want is for you to focus on yourself, not on me. I promise... I can handle it.

[They're nearing the top of the stairs now, at least, but there's still so much to go, and Guren still has to cope with this for so much longer. Isn't all he has to cope with even more reason to not worry about Minato in the midst of all of this?]

[He keeps offering. He keeps offering, and Guren doesn't know what to do, think or feel. It doesn't make him feel better, to cry in front of someone. It makes him feel weak, pathetic. But right now, that's exactly what he is. His legs give out before the top step, so poor Minato has to take even more of the weight as Guren crumples, face in his free hand, body tense.

They're dead. He didn't save them. And he remembers every death before that, piled up. His soldiers that he slaughtered, the population that decreased, his own friends, Mahiru...

And back to Dextera, stabbed by Guren's fear. Himself, as a demon. Now he's just a rock in his pocket.]

Ggh—

[Pain, from his wounds, mixes with the pain in his heart, and he can't keep moving like this. Somehow, even as his eyes sting, the tears don't actually fall. Not yet, anyway.]

[It may not make him feel better. It may just make him feel worse overall, to crumble like this, to not be able to hide what he's feeling, to legitimately cave, if only for a few moments. But... it's necessary, too. Minato's familiar with grief, perhaps more familiar than any seventeen year old should be, and he's so familiar with the process.

Guren can't hold it all back forever. He can't take on that burden all on his own; eventually, it'll overwhelm him.

Minato takes his weight and cushions the crumpling, slowly sinking them both down at the top of the stairs. They have a way to go still to the bed, but that can wait; right now, this is more important, and quietly, Minato just reaches out with his other arm to wrap it loosely around Guren--so that between his supporting arm and that arm, Guren's in a loose hug.

And he'll leave it at that, supporting Guren quietly eyes closed at the tenseness, at the pained noise Guren made.

(How much suffering has he dealt with, exactly? How many deaths does he carry, how much suffering does Guren bear on his own, every single day? It makes his heart ache to think about it, and he knows he still doesn't know the half of it.)

None of this will bring Dextera back--not Dave and John, nobody. But...right now, there's someone hurting in front of him, and for Minato, that's enough reason to remain here, just like this, for as long as it takes. It may not help at all in the end... but he has to try.]

[Just like that, he breaks. Minato doesn't say a word, he just silently supports him, and it's too much. Guren can't muster up the energy to even pull away, or run and hide. He breaks, the tears fall... and even then, he won't let Minato see.

His hand shields his eyes, he hunches over himself and against the wall of the stairway so that it can't be seen. But his body is shaking with clear signs of what's happening. He's crying. He's crying so hard he'd be sobbing, if he weren't so silent about it. All words that he says are muttered, muffled as he hides his face, matched with his whole body tensing, angry, frustrated. All at himself.]

Damn it...!

[He's going to need a while.]

[He won't try, either--not to see, and not to pry. This isn't his business--not in that way. If Guren doesn't want him to see, then he'll respect that, and just remain here quietly, a very silent sentinel crouched by Guren at the top of the stairs, crouched with those supporting arms still around him--though now as if to shield more than to actually support him.

In truth? He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know that there's even anything he can do in a situation like this. Guren's suffering goes so far beyond empty platitudes and soothing words.

All he can really do is stay, and so he will. He'll stay, no matter how long Guren really needs to cry, no matter how long he needs to mutter at himself, curse at himself, no matter what...

He can at least make sure Guren's not alone for it, and so that's what he'll do, eyes shut quietly as he focuses on keeping his own breathing even... because in all honesty? Guren's pain and suffering here is heartrending, and no matter how upset he is about their deaths, he knows nobody is suffering like the person who's crumbling just a little bit here and now.]

[He spends quite some time here, and he appreciates Minato's help. By the time he's done, it's been at least a half hour, and he's made sure his face is dry, he's calmed down, and the only sign that he'd been crying are his puffy, red eyes when he lifts his head again.

He aches. Everything aches, but none of that matters. He just needs to get to his room and sleep this off. So, he nods for Minato to help him do just that, and they get back to the same motions again. There's no words of thanks, again, because he's said it already— but also because his actions say enough.

Once he's there... he's so tired from all of those emotions that he really will just sleep. Minato is welcome to stay, of course, and Guren offers that there are extra sheets and pillows in his closet, if he needs them. Otherwise... he really needs to rest.]

[He'll take his cues as Guren gives them, helping him back to his room and his bed so he can rest. And naturally, he'll stay for a short period of time, just to make sure that he's really rest, that he's really okay (physically, at least--that he won't just stop breathing and keel over and there won't be another death here--)... and then he'll go, with a quiet note left:

Please keep resting and taking care of yourself. You know where to find me if you need anything.

- Minato

He'll leave it at that--Guren's an adult, and a capable one. The last thing he needs is someone hovering over his shoulder as a nanny.

(But he won't forget this either. Guren's human, and young, and has too much on his shoulders. Even as he leaves, that's something to remember and take away from this.)]

USER: #A5211F - Bogeyman (Forward dated to the 26th)

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