lazybox | [voicetest] it's this guy

Era listens with as much attentiveness as she can muster, which is not nearly as much as she would like. She makes no move to retrieve her hand from his claws as she nestles herself deeper into the warmth of the blanket and short cloak he wrapped her in. She had wondered why any were spared the Sundering, and that would certainly explain it.

She blinks up at him, slow and sleepy; lashes feeling too heavy for her eyes. The unearthly, unique shade of blue has made a reappearance, looking far too bright in a face gone pallid from blood loss.

There is much she could say to what he told her, if only the words would stop spinning. It is hard to fully grasp them, though she understands their meaning and intent. She hasn't ever paused to apply what she learned on the First to Elidibus and Lahabrea, and if she's honest it's not something she is in any rush to do. Their actions were not nearly so sympathetic to her as Emet-Selch's, regardless of why they did them.

"Ever the architect, as always."

"...Best get you home, hero," is what he says in reply, switching back to the common tongue. He frees his hand from her grip gently, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. There's a sense of further weight to it, the long hanging sleeve of Hades not manifested in a visual way but the aether hanging down from his wrist and forearm.

(Other benefits to the cloak: his claws aren't going to poke any further holes in her as he does.)

"Fortunately, we don't have to walk," he says, as the darkness opens up around them for the space of a blink. pity he can't snap his fingers when they're clawed like this. They reappear on Era's bed, her seated against the head and pillows, him leaning against the edge of it, neither quite on nor off the mattress.

And when they reappear, he sighs briefly, as apparently that's enough further expenditure of aether to increase the manifestation of Hades form enough that the long, mask-bearing wings are more than vague outlines, adding weight and feathers to them, though only a few of the masks as yet. She'd better appreciate him for this later.

"Era," she reminds him, only noting the change in language now that she is missing it. Were he not distracting her so thoroughly by scooping her up without preamble Era would have request he it again. Instead she's left disoriented and confused; being wrapped up wholly in darkness, then unceremoniously placed upon her bed and left without the weight of his arm around her.

Her tail curls with displeasure. She barely notices the way his form shifts more solidly to Eldritch than Garlean.

"The other tongue feels better," Era offers up eventually, tugging the blankets of her bed up around her as well. A poor attempt to replicate that comfortably unsettling weight against her form.

Once suitably tangled up in her comforter she makes another query, expression shamelessly inquisitive.

"Do you dislike this form of yours?"

"I dislike the lack of control over it," he says. And it's such a little thing, but if she prefers the tongue of Amaurot, he's willing enough to comply. It is good, to speak it again, even if he knows the slow cost of the aether involved in impressing the meaning will continue to result in the twisting of his form.

A fine enough cost, now that they're securely enough in private.

"And I dislike it being revealed for all to see," he continues. "Imagine if each bit of magic you worked caused your clothes to steadily vanish and it's much the same feeling. Like my name, it is something I would prefer to keep to those to whom I give some measure of trust."

Which, here, is her. Which presumably is why he flicks a hand at the blinds to close them before some of the tension seeps out of his shoulders and he allows those wings to stretch a bit more. Not as large as that day, of course - his full true form would not fit in this bedroom - but enough to fill the space over her bed quite well.

Perhaps she should feel guilty for causing him to use so much aether that his form began to unfurl itself from its mortal confines, but recalling the taste of it upon her tongue, and how it so thoroughly sated her hunger, Era cannot bring herself to. In fact, the thought of consuming more makes her crave it once again. There are many things she feels free to ask him, but she bites down on the request that comes to her lips.

A flood of iron fills her mouth, startling her — apparently she had bit down on that request more literally than she intended. But in the end it is serendipitous, for she can suck on her bleeding lip to take the edge off the craving that lingers.

Rolling her bottom lip briefly between her teeth to draw forth more blood, Era asks another question.

"Are you going to continue looming, or are you going to lay with me?"

The question is surprising enough, considering the way his hands curl into claws, nevermind the rest. Nevermind her injuries, though he supposes that it makes sense enough that she would want to remain close to the one source of aether she has, in such a state.

He knows what she means, of course. Era simply doesn't engage with things beyond the mildly sensual at best. But even knowing, he can hardly resist the opportunity he's been given. "Be careful who you say such things to, someone might take you up on it." Amaurotine was probably not meant to sound as wry as he makes it in that moment.

But he does concede, shoes and the outer heavy layers of his coat vanishing with a thought as he levers his weight up fully onto the bed. Turning to angle towards her is a bit more of a hassle, given wings, given the size of the room, not nearly large enough for his scale. He folds himself onto the bed and settles, letting her position herself where she will, one wing arching over them both. "Better?"

"Who else would I ask?"

There is no one else in this place Era trusts enough to leave herself so vulnerable around, and so his wry words of advice have no use. But he settles in with no further commentary, leaving Era to pull herself close to what she supposes must be his hip.

Moving around is painful enough that a whine slips out between tired gasps despite her remarkably high tolerance. The bandages remain firm, however — a testament to the skill with which Hades' wrapped them — and so Era doesn't dwell on it any more than necessary. Besides, pain is familiar. Consistent across all worlds. There is comfort to be found in that.

When she finally makes herself comfortable against him and he brings one of his wings to curl around them, Era settles even further until her full weight rests against her once-enemy. She basks in the aether that surrounds her; warm, dark, dense, and bitter. She swallows reflexively at the memory of its taste and texture as it slid down her throat.

"Yes," she hums. "My thanks, Hades."

He adjusts only slightly himself as she settles against him - one arm, now increasingly clearly trailing an aetherial, tattered robe sleeve, wraps around her shoulders.

They fit. They always fit, whatever form, whatever amalgamation of friendship and at each others' throats they are. Far better to be this, exposed to each other and both knowing that the other has no reason to strike, than the opposite.

He's quite comfortable, especially as, with a sensation like letting out a breath, he loosens the hold he normally keeps on his aether and lets it flow. There's too much to keep it contained to a mortal form without some degree of will, and if he's going to relax, then he will relax. "You're welcome."

The sudden rush of aether permeating every ilm of air around her is nigh unbearable. It jolts her out of the lazy haze she allowed herself to fall into, and she cannot help the odd noise that escapes her — something between a squeak of surprise and a disgruntled huff.

Era isn't... Well. Now that she can't help but think on it, she is still hungry. Not ravenous as she was before, but... hungry.

Unsure of what else to do, as she isn't so bestial as to take someone's aether without permission, Era shoves the meat of her palm to her mouth and bites, hard enough that the blood gushes out faster than she anticipated. She splutters, breathing it all in, keeping her mouth clamped down on her flesh. Given the severity of her wound and how much blood she has lost over the past bell alone, Era knows it likely isn't the best of choices, but the taste of her own aether is... satisfactory. Not as heady and rich as Hades', nor as filling, but it is living aether all the same, and something deep within her reluctantly accepts the paltry meal.

And if she thought that would go unnoticed, she's even more the fool.

"Really," is all he says at first, a disdainful huff. With all that blood loss already... "You choose the most damnable of times to abandon your practicality."

And with that he curls closer around her still, weaving his aether into another fruit for her. As he does, his face darkens completely, leaving only four eyes of glowing white and the outline of the rest of his features beneath a sharp crown. "If you still hunger, say something. Eating your own will do your recovery no favors."

Edited 2019-07-30 01:25 (UTC)

Had she the blood to spare, her face would have flushed a deep pink with embarrassment. But as she does not, it instead is tinged by only the faintest bit of colour; just enough to chase away the unhealthy pallor of her skin.

"Blood loss," she quips half-heartedly, far too preoccupied with staring anywhere other than his face to notice how it changes. Far too preoccupied with how he curls around her more securely. "Less oxygen being fed to the brain."

There is something to be said for modern medical texts, at least.

Era makes a token effort to resist the fruit, but caves almost immediately. She hums her thanks as she takes it, promptly biting into it with more savagery than she did her own flesh. A sinful groan rises from her throat as she swallows down the aether given form, tail curling and uncurling against Hades' hip. Era scarcely pays attention to what her body is doing without her input, too engrossed in the delight that is rich, dark aether filling up all the empty, aching spaces inside of her.

As she digs in, he sighs fondly before wrapping his wing securely around her shoulders. One clawed hand lifts to help keep her hair clear while she gorges.

"Perhaps you should try thinking a bit less for a while," he says. "Rest and let someone else do the heavy thinking for tonight."<>

She hums an absentminded agreement, leaning into the casual, affectionate touch he gives. His form is of no consequence to her — he is still Hades. Emet-Selch. The Architect. Her... friend? Perhaps not quite a friend, but no longer an enemy. They had been friends once though, she knows. In a time before time that she cannot and will never recall, because she is not her — not wholly — and Era never will be.

Even if the Ascians' plan was to succeed, if the remaining shards of her sundered soul were rejoined she would no longer be herself.

But those are thoughts to consider another time (or perhaps never). Instead she continues humming absently as she savours the juices that spill from the aetherial fruit. By the time she's halfway finished she has slowed down considerably, no longer feeling that desperate need to consume after the first few bites. Now it is a lazy, languid enjoyment.

If her dear friends were to see her now, what would they think? Would they be disgusted with her, for having ravenous desire for living aether to rival a Sin Eater or Voidsent?

But Hades had suggested she try thinking less, so Era tries not to think on it further.

Thoughts to consider, perhaps always, every time he looks at her. The way that he has accepted Era, who both is and is not a piece of what he has lost in a way so much more literal than most anyone else...

In another world, perhaps it would be the beginning of accepting his grief and letting go. But he can't, no longer possesses the ability, one of the first sacrifices on the altar of his god. They chose to revive the lost, the old world and the old order of things.

If he were capable, he would muse on the contradiction, that so many creators wanted nothing more than to go back to the way of life they had.

What form would she have taken, pulled into the rift like them? Another dark thing, or is that the result of their god's touch, and she would have become likewise a vessel for Her light? That is a far more interesting thought to occupy his mind, especially as she consumes his aether like the monster she so nearly became.

(If she had - the voidsent are powerful, and even the strongest is but a fourteenth. The same was true of the Sin-Eaters, and he could have defeated Vauthry or even the origin point if he had had need. A soul at more than half restoration, under that kind of power? That, he is privately, secretly, less sure about.)

Her contented humming is not quite matched, the sensation more aetherial than aural, but the emotions that tinge his aether are similar enough. Satisfaction, security. The crisis is past, for the time being, and they can deal with the rest on the morrow. "If you're feeling a bit better, you should rest."

In some ways she is feeling a bit better, which is a great relief. The movement of her tail slows against his hip — or what she believes passes for one. The anatomy of this form of his is questionable, and though there is idle curiosity about it now that he isn't using it to attack her it isn't something she would ever inquire about.

Era hums in response; tired, content. There is still a great deal of pain, yet pain is such a fixture in her life she hardly spares it any thought beyond assuring it won't kill her. Breathing in the last of the fruit gifted to her, she licks her lips and fingers and permits herself to settle wholly against her companion. Her shoulders droop along with the lids of her eyes, body preparing to convalesce now that she has sufficient enough aether reserves to keep her alive while she sleeps.

"Apologies for..." For what? She cannot find the words with her tired mind, like trying to cup water with spread fingers.

{Inconviencenuisanceburden} her aether pulses weakly, having no such lingual limitations. It is still distinctly hers in feel, though it is tinged with darkness as Hades' is slowly absorbed and aetherially realigned.

It is the edge of the tongue she has forgotten how to speak, and the feeling of his aether in response is {confusionexcitementsatisfaction}, even before he speaks, voice low and murmuring even beyond the norm for the language he currently has no option but to speak.

"Think no such thing. You are a challenge in many ways, yes, but not in this." He will not spare her when he thinks she hasn't lived up to the admittedly high standards that he carries like an albatross, but he will not permit her to think anything less of herself for his decisions, either. "My willingness to expend a great amount of aether for those I value, few as those things now are, is in some ways near the root of the whole of our predicament."

Which is the closest his tempering will allow him to come to regretting it, to asking if things could have been different. He offered of himself freely once, to a god of salvation, to a hungry primal, and a hungry hero consumes and places demands on him far less.

For all that Era is aware now that she is a person, for better or worse, and thus allowed to share her burdens, to stumble, to fall, and seek help to lift her back up to her feet, it is still difficult to forgive herself her perceived failings. To have allowed herself to be so injured in the first place, and then to allow herself to give in to a gnawing hunger so primal and deep and horrific...

Most of all she feels shame, and it is etched in every line of her now, though the tired curve of her body pressed against him camouflages most of it. She lets out a small, hummed note as he speaks again, tilting her head to the focal point of his 'voice' so that it might better reverberate through her horns.

"I'd've done similar," Era murmurs. From what she knows of the circumstances... She would never have agreed to sacrificing so many others, but...

If what she has been led to believe is correct, technically she did do something similar, in that time before time.

She shoves those thoughts aside, instead using a fragment of aether to express the {lovelovelovelovelove} and {protect} that she feels for her people. Even when they disappoint her so, she cannot help but to love them to an extent that is almost painful. And while Emet-Selch, the Architect, may not be of her people, he is still one of hers now. Someone to protect and love however she can, especially when he is the only one she can rely on where it counts the most.

Hopefully it suffices where words would not, because what words can one express the true lengths they would go to in order to save one's people?

It doesn't occur to her that straining her soul to the point of it fragmenting into corrupted slivers, losing all sense of form and self, and fighting so fiercely against it — refusing and defying reality with all of her being — was likely explanation enough for Hades.

Era shifts and sighs, long and exhausted, now teetering on the edges of consciousness. She shivers briefly, tucking her chin deeper into the warm fabrics he created for her. Inhales a scent that eases the homesickness that grips her heart. She exhales slowly; another sigh. Goes boneless without a care.

Her tongue is as lead in her mouth for how little energy remains in her, but she has a deep, desperate need for an answer to one final question:

"Will you stay?"

[voicetest] it's this guy

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