ledbythewind | [Action]

Entry tags:

[Action]

[Anyone who passes by the fountain today might notice something unusual: namely, a certain blond prince slumped in a sitting position against it. Only, well, he's no longer a prince, and he seems to be unconscious, but only the latter part is obvious. There are no visible injuries and he's still breathing, he just doesn't show any signs of waking up anytime soon.

Every now and then his face will contort slightly as if he's in pain or disturbed by some sort of bad dream, or maybe both. It's clear that whatever happened to him while he was gone wasn't good, but he's alive and in one piece and that's what matters the most. Whether there's anything non-physical wrong... that's yet to be seen.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...possessed?

[He nods slightly.]

By Lambda. He only wanted to live... I thought I could understand him, that I could help him, but... he used me...

[Naoki's arms tighten a little around him.]

He made you do those things...?

[Richard just nestles closer, grateful for that feeling of being protected.]

Yes and no. Some of them... they were my own feelings. I couldn't tell which were mine and which were his...

[Naoki leans his cheek on top of his head.]

Are you still having that trouble?

No. He's gone now, but that won't erase the things I did...

[His voice is on the verge of breaking now. He hurt people, hurt his closest friends-- almost KILLED them, and he would've destroyed the entire world if he hadn't been stopped.]

[Naoki makes a low sound and gently rubs a palm over his back.]

Maybe not erase...but things can be forgiven. You regret them, don't you? You did things that you didn't want to do--that you wouldn't have done.

I would have destroyed the world. I would have destroyed the entire world to end my own pain-- my pain and Lambda's. I thought it would be better if people just disappeared, that there would no longer be any conflict if humans didn't exist. But I... I was just running from myself. I was too afraid to try to change things with my own strength.

[He's crying now, quietly. He can't hold back the tears that have been threatening to escape any longer.]

[Naoki holds him close, gently moves hands up and down his back in an attempt at comfort. Seeing him like this makes his heart ache and stirs up some old memories he tries to push back.]

Everyone gets afraid, Richard...of failing, of what's ahead of them. [He squeezes him a little.] And those thoughts--they weren't entirely your own, were they? It was under his influence...

[Richard shakes his head, wanting to press closer but at the same time afraid to do so. Why isn't Naoki rejecting him after learning about this?]

But I'm the king. I'm supposed to be the one who is strong when everyone else is afraid.

[Probably for the same reasons Richard didn't pull away, after he'd learned what Naoki had done. And if he's surprised by the news that he's a king, he makes no indication.]

King or not...you're only human. And no person can be strong all the time, even if they want--or if they're supposed--to be.

Naoki...

[The name trails off into a choked sob as he just clings to him and cries. It's okay not to be strong, it's okay to cry... Even though he's still not entirely convinced of those things, hearing Naoki say it makes him feel just that much better.]

I'm here.

[It was better than 'it's okay', because he doubts Richard's feeling entirely that way. So letting him know that he's there, that he's not going anywhere...it seems the best choice. Naoki trails fingers soothingly in patterns, meaningless little shapes, over his back as he holds him. He presses a kiss to the top of his head, rests his cheek on it.]

[He's got more to tell Naoki, so much more, but right now he's happy just to be with Naoki like this, to know that Naoki still loves him even after what he did. The thought of trying to make up for what he did back in his own world is scary and overwhelming and he's not sure he can face it right now, not when he's still trying to come to terms with his own feelings. How can he explain to Naoki how empty he feels without Lambda?]

[Naoki squeezes him slightly, just concentrating on this, for the moment. Holding Richard tight, close to his chest, pressing his face into his hair and breathing in quietly.]

[Amidst the sobs, he manages a couple of words:]

I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything...

[Naoki raises a hand then, runs fingers through his hair.]

It's all right, Richard...

No, it's not all right...

[But protesting is becoming too tiring for him, and he's starting to feel light-headed.]

[Naoki doesn't reply to that. Instead, he just continues to stroke a hand over his hair in slow, repetitive motions.]

[Don't mind him just sobbing his heart out against you then, Naoki. He's still trying to sort through his own feelings over this.]

[Naoki doesn't mind, he's fine with holding Richard until whenever it is that he stops crying. And he doesn't stop that reassuring movement of his hand through his hair.]

[Eventually his crying will just sort of... trail off as his body goes limp. It's hard to focus on anything, crying included, when your head is spinning that much...]

[Naoki slips his hand from his hair to find where his head is resting and try to get a look at Richard's face.]

You all right...?

I...

[Sentences, come on, Richard, you can make them. But his skin is rather hot to the touch and his eyes are glazed; it's clear he's not doing so well.]

[Naoki brushes fingers over his cheek, frowns at the heat of his skin.]

Rest. No more thinking right now. I'm gonna get something--I'll be right back, okay?

[Action]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)