fatalstriker | ic contact; cerealia

So much for "saving" us from CERES, then.

[he definitely doesn't like the way flynn's excursion sounds either, but he can admit to himself that he'd rather have dealt with that than what he did. "the grass is always greener" and all that.

but whatever. maybe it's just better to leave that in the past, right? the fact that flynn isn't giving him any suspicious looks means he must have done well enough at covering up his discomfort; really, it's for the better. flynn absolutely does not need to know how zaude affected him. it's not as if heights in general are a problem, after all. riding with ba'ul is fine by him even now, and he knows that he'll probably face similar things in the future. but the wound is still a little fresh in his mind... despite the fact that he's been in cerealia for close to half a year now. but something like that, where the risk was very high and there wasn't going to be another duke to save him... it was a little scary.

he's okay with dying as punishment for having taken other's lives; he knows it's coming. but that's just not how he wants to go, not because of CERES, and not because of some half-baked deities intentionally making their lives more difficult.

again though, a problem for another time.]

Guess there's a hell of lot out in this world besides this city and we got a nice taste of it. ["nice."]

[whereas flynn's happy yuri doesn't pry into details on his end, either. maybe flynn himself doesn't entirely wish to recall them. struggling to catch a breath, that brief moment of worry about whether or not you could and then more worry about how long breathing will last...

without thinking about it, he takes a deeper than normal breath. sweet, sweet air.]

Yeah. It only reaffirms how little CERES wants us to know and how little we do know.

[his frown deepens as he chews another round of egg. the more they learn, the more they learn they don't know. it really feels like alexei all over again, if in a worse way. alexei... is someone flynn can harbor respect for to a degree. prior to going off the deep end, the man was a good leader and did good for the empire. granted, that good made the treason all the more painful to bear, however it also was there at some point in time. alexei was not always evil.

the same cannot be said of ceres. so much of what has happened to them has been bad to a degree that cannot be ignored. how can someone claiming so much good be so openly not? even alexei, even cumore and ragou, weren't so obvious about their schemes. ceres flat out toys with people. they don't even acknowledge it, not even when having done so moments prior. truly despicable.]

And how little the spirits seem to want us to know, as well.

[all they have been is ridiculously cryptic while placing innocent people in danger. some saviors. as of the moment, little difference between them and ceres exist.]

You know what this means, right?

[yuri's not going to beat around the bush here. they can't ignore this, and they can't keep sitting around waiting for something to drop in their lap.

he's not going to suggest anything extreme yet; taking out the spirits or ceres entirely doesn't seem plausible in the least. not yet, not with what little information they have. they need to find out who these groups side with, what the truth is, and what it means for them. there's no more time for complacency, they have to ask. so whether that's venturing out of the city (presuming they can find a way back out, of course) and trying to see what clues they can find that way...

...or infiltrating ceres directly and trying to get something out of that, they need to do something.

no more waiting.

no more hoping something useful will crop up, or that they'll be able to find an opening.

yuri knew this was coming—that the only opening they'd get is one they made themselves, but he's been careful in holding back for flynn's sake, for the fact that flynn had been trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that they never deserved. but no more; yuri needs to do something, whether or not flynn approves. he and repede will strike on their own, if flynn doesn't want to take part, and that's all there is to it.]

[flynn meets yuri's gaze and holds it, momentarily not saying anything. of course he knows what it means. it's something he's dreaded ever since declaring his own desire to stop ceres' tyranny.

two options exist: do nothing or do something. doing nothing means staying on the side of what is the law of the land; doing something means going up against said law. the logical course of action would be the former. obeying the law is key. logic can't be applied so easily this time. the lawful side is the side that brings so much suffering to others. numerous events have occurred that made ceres and the spirits shine in a very negative light. how could he ever live with himself were he to side with them despite knowing that? it would be no different than before.

no, it'd be worse. last time, his awareness about alexei's ambitions was minimal and he never dreamed of the true aim of the former commandant. this time, he's aware of the less than admirable desires of ceres, of how their interests matter little to the group. if he were to side them with then yuri would have full right to just stab him right here and now.

so this leaves only a single choice, the lesser of two evils. he closes his eyes and nods.]

Yeah. Waiting will only lead to more of the same so... [he takes a breath before looking yuri in the eyes once more.] We need to take matters into our own hands.

[it's wrong. it feels wrong and he hates it. he hates that it's necessary. he hates that changing things from the inside can't happen. no other choice, not one that he can accept without hating himself for it, exists. it goes against so much of what he believes. that said, what is the reason he became a knight? not to blindly follow a twisted leader, that's damn sure. the reason he became a knight has never changed in all these years and it won't change now.

that reason? to make people smile regardless of if people praised or hated him. ...hated them. it wasn't just him alone who'd taken that childhood vow and it isn't him alone in this, either. somehow, that thought makes this all the more bearable. knowing yuri was here and more or less on the same page helps make how unpleasant all this is feel less so.]

[there is the slightest air of surprise that comes with flynn's agreement—though it's something he was vaguely hoping to hear. but wanting to hear it and expecting it may be two different things entirely, especially when they've stood on opposite sides of similar matters before. even if they wanted to reach the very same goal, their approaches didn't always align.

but with how things have been between them in the last couple of weeks, there's a surprising amount of relief that comes with the fact that he's not being scolded for his train of thought. they're on the same page, and though they may clash on the specifics, they're both for the same cause here. it's a good thing, though maybe it shouldn't be surprising. flynn isn't one to make the same sort of fatal mistake twice, and after what happened with alexei, he's sure flynn has thought on what to do a lot.

they may never agree with how yuri handled ragou and cumore, but it's not as if he blames flynn for that, either. yuri knows his actions at that time were that of a criminal; he knows his own brand of justice was probably not the right way to approach it, but it was the only solution at the time. does he hope it won't come to that this time? of course. but all the same, he knows that if he has to take a life to save the rest of the people in the colony... he'll do it without faltering.]

Which means we have to decide where to start. Our spirit friends, or CERES? [leave it to yuri to get right to the point when it matters. there's no snarking, there's no joking around. he's obviously serious about this; he doesn't want to waste any time. they've been complacent for too long now, and the itch to actually accomplish something is much stronger than that to wait around.]

They'll make sure we don't get any chances unless we just go in and take them for ourselves.

[straight to the point as always. it's an oddly endearing trait about his friend. for all that yuri jokes and messes around, he also knows when to cut that out and get serious. this little chat requires such seriousness.

...it still rubs him wrong to be so openly discussing this. were they back home and doing it against the empire, it would fall along the lines of treason. but they aren't home and this isn't the same. that's what makes it different, what makes it necessary. right. it may not be okay, but it is necessary. those who hurt others and to this degree need to be stopped and made to stand proper trial. that final thought eases his worries somewhat. yes, trial. somehow that much can be done. he will not take the law into his own hands to the point of murder; they will not and flynn plans on seeing to that.]

The spirits may be more likely to share information, however CERES is more likely to possess information regarding our situation.

[namely about their homes, the flamines and all else. flynn taps the fork against his plate while mulling the choices over. both options hold similar risks and similar appeal. going against ceres sounds about as pleasant as hunting down the spirits for a heart to heart. neither choices guarantee information, either. the tapping stops once he speaks again.]

Let's take a day to comb through all that we do know. While it may not be much, it'll be easier to determine where to begin when we can properly weigh both choices.

[it's a day well needed. some might see it as stalling for time by a goody two shoes boyscout, but flynn knows yuri won't, not when flynn's already given his approval. weighing everything is much needed and so is checking up on what happened during their absence. what has ceres been up to during the time they've been gone? have the spirits done anything else? all of it deserves looking into prior to taking action.]

May be a good idea to see what we can find out about CERES agenda before our own situation, anyway.

[he agrees with flynn, though. they've got a bit of work ahead of them before they can really make that sort of decision—it's not something they can take very lightly, after all.

knowing what their situation entails is important, but he's also got the feeling ceres will keep a lot of that locked up tight. the spirits, though... they haven't seemed too thrilled with whatever ceres is up to, or what it is they've done. so he can't help but to think that maybe finding out that connection may unlock some doors that could point them in the right direction.

not that it'll be easy, of course. the sprits weren't very forthcoming; if anything, they're secretive and cryptic in an entirely different way. yuri's not all that interested in siding with either faction, but he thinks that maybe buttering them up may be more viable than going straight for the jugular with ceres.

but they can't decide that right away. it shouldn't take them that long to figure out what they know and where to go from there, after all—not when information is so scarce to begin with.]

Maybe so.

[flynn can't argue. spirits have proven a fraction easier to deal with if only because they do oppose ceres and seem to favor them. granted, the favoring resulted in nearly dying, but it could lead to them being more cooperative in the long run. their goal for now is information gathering. action can only be taken once having acquired enough information, after all, and the spirits are more likely to help lead to that goal.]

Either way, sorting through everything and taking some time to plan can't hurt. The more cautious we are, the more likely our effort will succeed.

[fighting against the law doesn't mean being stupid about it. the more they work it out, the easier time they'll have. however, if they only keep working it out without action then they won't make any progress.

then again, flynn isn't particularly worried. those cautionary words lack the same level of concern as they normally do. sure, some level of worry exists (especially considering the nature of this conversation) but not about the planning and all associated. it's them. they're already on the same page and chances are that they'll remain so for a while longer. yuri also isn't one to rush in stupidly to this degree and in circumstances like this. reckless his childhood may be, but reckless doesn't mean foolish. at least not this time.]

Yeah, I know.

[it's not something to argue; as much as yuri can be reckless, he's not into stupid decisions, that's for sure. whatever action they take could have major consequences for everyone, after all. this isn't just about them. it's about spirits, ceres, the other aliens in the colony, and of course... all the people that have been taken to cerealia against their will.

and they're the ones who would suffer most for these types of mistakes. so yuri knows they have to weigh their choices and pick what'll work best not just for them, but everyone else involved, too. it's not going to be easy... but that's just a risk they have to take with it.]

We just have to be quick about coming to that decision. The longer we wait around, the more chances CERES will get to close us off.

Right. Whatever decision we make has to be made soon and be one we won't regret.

[not regretting means doing something. it means putting all their talk into action. no more talking about rising against ceres, but inching their way toward the goal. poorly as this all sits with flynn, he knows no other option exists. they can do this. ceres and the spirits cannot continue as they are. maybe their efforts won't lead to anything, but they still have to try.

but first: showers.

the last of the eggs goes down the hatch. despite it being a slim and fast meal, it was still pretty good. flynn can't help be a little envious at how good yuri is at cooking up even simple dishes like this. how naturally it comes to him is really impressive. one of these days, he'll repay yuri for cooking all the time by creating a delicious and awesome meal. one day.

but first: still showers.]

As soon as we finish eating and get cleaned up we can begin the planning.

[flynn sounds determined to see this through no matter the personal discomfort. however quickly they need to move, food and showers are also very necessary. and a grocery store trip can't hurt, either. time may not be on their side, but taking a few hours to settle back won't make too much a difference.]

Sounds good to me. I could use a shower about two weeks ago.

[he feels practically rancid at this point. sure, it's a little better now that he's got food and coffee in him, but... filthy. he's filthy and his hair is kind of a disaster that needs some work, especially if he has any job calls to get back to this week.

sure, they're rising up against whoever, but they still need money to eat and live, and relying on ViViD for that just seems like bad news. so of course, it's the crappy hair model job for a bit longer.

but first: showers.]

You want the honors of going first, or am I lucky winner today?

It's all yours. I'll clean up the dishes [a beat] and the mess in the living room in the meantime.

[those booze bottles won't put themselves away and the place needs to be aired out. it... doesn't smell that great. then again, they probably aren't helping the smelling situation. flynn can tolerate it a little longer. factor in the fact that maybe he owes yuri a little for overreacting about the drinking back in the jungle and, well, showering rights go to him.

plus, yuri needs it more. his hair will get cleaned out in a few seconds. that mini jungle on yuri's head will probably take a little effort. he doesn't envy the de-tangling challenge awaiting his friend during and after that shower.]

Then I'm not wasting any time.

[he'll sip the last of his coffee before standing up. showers. there's nothing more important than that except for one thing neither of them has addressed yet.]

Repede's gonna need a bath before we do anything else, too.

[ah, repede. right, the dog suffered through the two week jungle adventure right along with them and likely is suffering from the same grime and stink. no matter how much he may not like it, a bath is necessary.]

He will, won't he.

[flynn hums softly, weighing the best way to go about this. that's probably a two men job considering how repede gets with water. chances are, it'll end with none of them coming out dry, either. some of the grim is bound to get on them, too, so it'd require them to get cleaned up again if they shower before the bath.]

Want to do that first then?

Yeah. If we wait til later, we'll just have shower again.

[though.]

Unless you want to shower a second time. [wink wink. yeah, yuri is finding the time to make that kind of quip right now.]

[sorry, yuri, lines like that go well over flynn's head. there's a reason why people at bars hate him after trying to indirectly say they wanna bang. 'wanna come up to my place for coffee?' gets 'oh, i'm certain they have some here if you'd like some'. instead of any blushing or giving the comment consideration, all it receives is a blank stare of confusion.]

Why would I want to shower a second time?

[is he... missing something here? who would want to do that? it wastes time and feels unnecessary. is this a joke he's just not getting?]

[he's missing something very big here. like the fact that they decided to roll with whatever it is they are now while away from their makeshift home, and then were split for a week on top of that.

this is where the fun is supposed to come in, flynn. yuri sighs, shaking his head.]

No wonder you rarely had dates. You really do miss every obvious pass.

Miss every obvious...

[then it clicks. when this happens can be easily determined due to the widening of eyes and the small blush which accompanies that. two showers = needing to take a second because of reasons. he isn't blushing because of the implications; he's blushing because of how that completely went over his head. good job.]

You know I'm bad at picking up on stuff like this.

[REALLY. YURI SHOULD KNOW THIS. HE DOESN'T FLIRT AND HE DOESN'T DO... WHATEVER THIS IS VERY WELL.]

I know.

[he makes his way around to the other side of the table, standing behind flynn and placing a hand on his shoulder.]

Someone's gotta wisen you up, right?

I think I'll pass on gaining this sort of wisdom.

[thanks but no thanks. much as he admires captain schwann, he really no longer desires to be that much like him and excel in this sort of field.

as for the question itself... flynn gives it a moment of thought, the blush subsiding. they had agreed to give this sort of a relationship a try and see where it goes. taking a few minutes to give it a go to see if it's even worth pursuing won't take too much away from planning and getting things done. okay sure, why not.]

But I suppose I don't mind taking a second shower, as you put it. [a beat] Although, I don't have anything that could suffice as lubricant so we can't do anything necessitating that unless you do.

[leave it to flynn to talk about things like lube so naturally, like they were talking about being out of ketchup or something. of course, that's what makes flynn... flynn.

it doesn't bother yuri though, he can talk as casually about it as needed, but it is a comedic contrast to the blushing from just a moment ago.]

We'll improvise. Do what we can with what we've got, and we can pick up the lube when we do the other shopping.

[it's not like it's something he's been keeping on hand for this exact occasion; sex hasn't been at the forefront of yuri's mind in a bit. but there's no shortage of places that sell products for that exact cause. it's not like they need it right now. there's plenty of other ways their shower can go in the meanwhile.]

All right.

[do what they can with what they have sounds good. it's them, they'll make it work and in a way comfortable for them both. then later they can buy stuff. ...buying lube. doing stuff with it in private is zero issue; actively having to buy it, however, never fails to feel awkward. ...maybe he can swing making yuri buy it without any teasing. oh, who is he kidding? yuri will pick up on the awkwardness immediately. teasing or awkwardness hmm...

you know what, that's an issue to worry about later. best to focus on other, more immediate things right now.]

So we'll handle Repede's bath first, then shower ourselves and then figure that all out after.

[not the worst plan. granted, it still feels a little... odd to think about what the after entails. not in a bad way, but more in a not having really considered doing this with yuri. well, what happens happens, right?]

[yeah, there's no denying that yuri will tease him about a bit later on, but it's not like yuri has any shame in just buying what needs to be bought himself anyway. there's an entire district to the city dedicated to that sort of thing, it's not like it makes them strange sexual deviants for trying to be safe and prepared.

that's a bridge they can worry about (or.. laugh about) when they cross it.

for now, it's handling one thing at a time. giving repede a bath is going to be a lot more of a project than anything else on that to-do list; yuri's really not concerned about what comes after that, either. they've always been pretty good at winging situations when they're together, and neither of them is so delicate and inexperienced that it'll be a problem. an adjustment? sure, since they never ventured this far into any sort of pleasures with each other. but hey, half the fun's the adventure.

besides, that's all this is about, right? being comfortable with each other and just rolling with the flow of the situation. and if it ends up a disaster, things go back to how they were before with strings attached and no fuss. simple.]

We better get started on that out before we end up with Repede-shaped doggy door.

[simple and the same no matter what happens: the most appealing part about trying this. no strings, no hard feelings if things go badly, no expectation and it explains why only a small bit of awkwardness remains. it's them and they'll always be them.

and repede will always be his water hating self, too. somethings simply don't change, even if no complaints would come if this did end up changing one day. miracles DO happen. flynn can't help but grin a little as he stands. yeah, doggie bathtime is always a challenge. chances are that soloing alexei while blindfolded would probably prove a little easier. or at least result with less property damage.]

I'll start running the bath. You try catching Repede with as minimal damage to the apartment as possible.

[for once, though, flynn won't yell at yuri if stuff gets broken. if they can get out of this without repede shaped holes in the walls then it'll be considered a successful bathtime.]

I'd say wish me luck, but we both know how that works for me in the end.

[his luck his cursed. so, so cursed. there's no way this is going to end well for anyone involved, but he'll let flynn get the head start in running the water; maybe it can trick repede into thinking flynn's going to clean up first.]

Hey, Repede! Where'd you go, buddy? [and he's off to search the apartment and possibly end up in the disastrous situation of trying to get repede to cooperate.

it's going to be a long morning, but at least the pros will outweigh the cons in the end, right?]

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thatdamnknight - 2015-12-13 23:41 (UTC) - Expand

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fatalstriker - 2015-12-14 22:21 (UTC) - Expand