aguril catch-all

[galrarm]

Who: Shiro and open, with one closed prompt
When: Aguril
Where: Around
What: Quests, and bonding
Warnings: none for now, will edit if they come up

CLOSED TO KEITH

[ So... yeah, it’s been a month since Shiro arrived in Aefenglom. He’s very, very aware of the risks of going too long without a bond, and to be honest, even he isn’t certain why he’s been dragging his feet. It’s silly, and he feels silly for it. It’s Keith, after all; even in spite of Shiro’s own hangups, he trusts Keith more than anyone.

He knocks on Keith’s door when they’re both home, and this time, luckily, the conversation is a little less heavy. ]

Hey, Keith, do you have a moment?

PATISSERIE PR

[ Shiro isn’t sure how he feels about the whole romance thing, but he’s not going to let that hinder him from helping someone... and Karen definitely needs help. While he isn’t too down for helping in the kitchen, what he can do is hand out or put up fliers. And Shiro is determined to cover as much ground as necessary...

Maybe you’re helping, too, or maybe you’ve been handed a flier. Either way, Shiro’s here with a smile. He’s not afraid to be enthusiastic about the work he’s doing right now, too. ]

Have you been to Karen’s Patisserie? If you haven’t, you definitely should—they’re some of the best pastries I’ve ever had.

[ And with an endorsement like that, given so confidently... it might be hard to doubt it. ]

FORGET ME NOTS

[ Gathering seeds, huh? Sure, it’s a bit riskier, going out past the city, but Shiro’s alright with that. After all, someone has to do it, and he’s fine with taking on riskier favors so someone else doesn’t have to. Still, if you’re on your way to gather the seeds, too, and you’re obviously alone, Shiro will speak up-- ]

Need someone to watch your back? I’m more than happy to.

[ They’re all in this together; Shiro isn’t sure he’d be able to forgive himself if someone got hurt out there and he’d be able to prevent that. He might be new at all of this, but he is strong and determined and more than willing to help. ]

WILDCARD

[ if you'd like to do something else, plunk it here or hit me up via pm or at sweetstacks!

Comments

Wildcard! After Keith is ko-gone-e

[quintessent]

[The hours after Keith disappeared were foggy. Allura remembers running beyond the frozen river, driven by something beyond herself – a vampire thrall, she would come to learn later. But the thrall ended and then she felt pain. Like her soul was severed in two, as her bond was broken.

And then she was alone.

She’s not sure how she got back to Aefenglom on her own. She went into the river too, at one point, desperate and searching, but returned home alone. Shakenly told the story to their friends, about going into the Wildes with Keith, about the ghostly apparitions, and then how she lost him.

Wrapped in a blanket and sitting in the kitchen, her attention is brought to the present by the clink of a mug as it’s set on the table in front of her. She blinks, then focuses her eyes up.]

Shiro. [Ancients, she’s really out of it. She looks to the window, trying to remember what time of day it was. How long it had been since she and Keith left earlier this morning.] We- We should go back out there. We need to look for him.

[galrarm]

[ Shiro's been through some awful things, but this... his bond being forcefully broken... nothing compares to that. Shiro thinks nothing will ever compare to that. It's taking every ounce of strength in him not to go running to look for Keith. But he knows-- he knows that if his head isn't in it, it could be dangerous.

Deadly.

And besides, he's not the only one suffering right now. There's Lance. And Allura. Even though he feels off-balance, like something's been knocked out of place (and it has, hasn't it?), he needs to take care of them, too. ]

If we go out there in the state we're both in right now, we'll only get killed ourselves.

[ But, god, he wants to. It's tearing him up inside to do nothing while Keith-- He draws in a sharp, shaking breath as he sits across from her with his own mug. Tea. Strong, strong tea for both of them. ]

[quintessent]

[She tries to dampen the surge of frustration she feels - a habit she picked up from bonding with Keith, to keep from distracting him with her often over-the-top emotions - only to once again remember that she's alone with her feelings here. Feeling her eyes burn, she stares down at the mug of tea.]

But we don't know how long this state will last. [Said helplessly, even as she knows that Shiro is right. Keith might not have until they're both in their right minds. Then again, they're no good to him dead in the Wilde either. But she was spiraling. Words coming faster than she had the time to think about them. Angry at herself,]

I should have looked harder. I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do.

[galrarm]

Allura...

[ They might not be able to feel each other's emotions, but right now, he knows how she's feeling. Frustrated, guilty. Angry at herself. He's angry at himself, too--angry for letting this happen to Keith.

But he's not upset or angry at her. Far from it. ]

You don't have to apologize. It-- [ His hands tighten on his mug, and he makes a conscious effort to loosen his grip. The last thing they need is a mess to clean up. ] ... It's the sort of situation that's not easy to figure out.

... But I know how easy it is to blame yourself.

[quintessent]

[Feeling at a loss wasn’t an new feeling for her, but normally she found her comfort in throwing herself at the problem, keeping herself busy, doing something to make it better. But she feels helpless here. Watches Shiro’s fingers white-knuckle around his mug and she drops her eyes to her own mug, looking at her reflection in the surface of the tea.]

Is this how it felt… on the Galra cruiser. I forced you to escape while I stayed behind.

[She wasn’t thinking about how Shiro would feel if the worst happened to her then, she’d just been concerned with protecting him, with no concern for her wellbeing. Just like Keith had protected her in the woods.]

[galrarm]

[ Ah.

That gives him pause for a few long moments. It feels so long, the silence, before he nods. ]

I understand why you did, Allura, [ he says quietly, carefully. He rubs his thumb against the ceramic of the cup, and when he speaks again, his voice is heavy. ]

But I felt so helpless. We came so close to losing you for good. If that had happened, I'm not sure I would've been able to forgive myself. Watching you go, so close and so far away at the same time--that was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

ugh this is sad /o\

[quintessent]

[She stares at the drink in her cup as he speaks, realizing that she hasn't yet had any. But she doesn't yet drink. Feeling the weight of Shiro's words in a new light after what she witnessed. It shouldn't be a surprise, should it? She was well acquainted with the feeling of being left behind, of people she cares about dying while there was nothing she could do about it. But she'd been asleep during the loss of Altea. It wasn't like this.]

I'm sorry. [Said quietly, head ducked far enough that her hair makes a curtain around her face,] I just wanted to keep all of you safe. It was my duty. But not just that. You are all my family. And now Keith-!

[She cuts herself off, voice breaking.]