(no subject)

[imaginemeandyuu]

Who: Anyone
When: Day 49, Late afternoon/early evening
Where: Anywhere
What: Mingling

[This is a mingle! GO WILD.]

Comments

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ nothing but the smooth metal, almost warm to the touch, grooves in the lines and contours of feathers... and beneath, the regular ticking of parts a delicate heartbeat. A creature awake, but at rest even under the touch of larger hands.

he opens his eyes to look at him. ]

...it is not as fragile as it appears.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He picks it up gently, cradling it in both hands]

It seems it's often the smallest things that have the most strength.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

And we turn to them more than we realize.

...

Before... "the happiness of those who care for you, as well as your own", you said.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He closes his hands around it for a moment, just feeling the thrum of it]

Mm... a lesson that experience keeps teaching me, again and again.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ he watches Chrono's hands from where he sits. ]

...and one that applies, so long as one is not completely alone... is that not so?

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[Shaking his head, opening his hands again, slowly]

No... Even when you're completely alone.

As long as you carry their memory with you, you owe them that.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ the bird remains there, still ticking on. ]

.....

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He holds it out for Chrys to take it back, pointedly]

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ ....picks it up with his left hand, bringing it closer to himself and studying the underside. ]

...

It's been a long... long time.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He lets his hands drop, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them]

Longer than human minds are accustomed to even considering, I would imagine.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

...in honesty I could not even measure it. Even with machines of record... time we lost track of, in the years of the City.

[ turns his hand over to look at the knuckles, the skin drawn taut, smooth and devoid of age-mark. ]

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

Consider that, perhaps.

That you sit here immeasurable time later, alive, with the arm and the clock she built you, both still functioning.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

...

I suppose... there was never truly a question of what to do from now on.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He smiles a bit, softly]

Mm, no. But I wanted to be sure you had came to that conclusion.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ heh... ]

...I should apologize for troubling you.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[Shaking his head]

Troubled and concerned... similar, but not quite. One implies more wrongdoing on your part.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

...

[ not going to argue that point ]

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He lets silence stretch out for a while, now that the worst of it seems to have passed, and takes in the state of his companion's clothes]

... Are you still injured?

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ they were already somewhat worn and old-stained when you first saw him, but now they're pretty much dyed in dried lizagon blood all down the front... the end of his right jacket sleeve ripped to tatters. ]

...the wounds are healed for the most part. Skin still raw, but no bleeding.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He stands, stretching, and offers Chrys a hand up]

You should probably at least wash off, then. You look like you're bleeding out.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

It's not much mine.

[ picks up the box and puts the bird back in it, a finger careful to depress a small knob on the metal's surface; the clockwork whirs faintly for a moment, then stops.

he slides the lid shut and puts the box back in his jacket before reaching up to take Chrono's hand. ]

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He hoists him up, mindful of his body language]

Even so, people tend to be alarmed before confirming. I know from experience.

Plus, that clothing might still be salvageable, but not for much longer.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ ...really, given the height difference, there may be a slightly unfortunate limit to the hoisting that he politely compensates for. Looks down at himself... ]

...true enough.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[overclocking]

[He lets the prosthetic hand drop carefully, his grip on it having been excessively gentle.]

Don't worry. I've gotten pretty good at laundry and stain-fighting by this point.

Re: [Even later evening!!!]

[devotedtothecore]

[ blinks-- awkward neckscratch... ]

Ah-- that's not necessary, I can manage.