[Closed] I found my way back to you

[al_bhed]

Who: Rikku and Ferran
When: Aguril 1
Where: The Coven
What: Rikku returns after one (1) month away to find an injured boyfriend. Clearly, she can't leave him alone.
Warnings: tba if needed

[Rikku doesn't so much emerge from her mirror as she tumbles from it, rolling a few yards onto the floor before coming to a complete stop. She had been caught mid-movement, running while fighting a pair of cactuar while scavenging in Bikanel. The sudden shift from bright desert sunlight to darkened room is disorienting, and it takes her a few minutes to piece together what's happened.

This is the Mirror House. In Aefenglom. A place she'd forgotten about but immediately remembers upon her arrival. But why is she here? And how long was she gone for?

When she goes to the Coven for answers, she's only able to confirm two things: she's been gone for roughly a month, and her Bonded (are they still Bonded? how does that even work?) is in the infirmary after being infected and injured while helping take care of another Cwyldheart in the ocean.

Ferran. The fae who's terrified of contracting the infection. Faced it down.

She doesn't listen to the rest of what the witch has to say, instead running through the familiar halls until she bursts into the area where patients are left to convalesce.]

Ferran!! Are you in here?

Comments

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran isn't devoid of physical energy, even if he is still recovering and in some amount of pain—neither does it take him long to register that Rikku is the one approaching, and that she must have returned, even if the link between them is still gone. The idea that she's only a figment has already been dispelled by the fact that the witch reacted to her, as well.

What he's devoid of is energy for any feelings, even if he should have a number of them at the sight of her, especially given that she's clearly about to cry. Even if he took the time to list them out, he's not sure if they'd come to the surface.

Numbly, he simply mutters with mild surprise lighting his eyes:]

You're back.

[al_bhed]

Yeah, I'm back.

[His response is muted, and Rikku isn't entirely sure how to take it. It's not out of character, per se, but it leaves her concerned. Is he still too sick to have the energy? Is he drugged and therefore sedated? Has he just given up?

It's fine. Rikku is emotional enough for the both of them. So much so that she ends up flinging her arms around him.]

I'm sorry I left. I didn't want to.

[noblegarnet]

[The hamper-slash-cot is thankfully steady enough to deal with the movement, even if Ferran himself is not quite prepared. He should be, really—and when Rikku almost throws herself at him, he can't say it's unexpected. It really does feel like there's some kind of disconnect between what he knows and how he would feel about it.

That doesn't mean he can't try to make her feel better about it, and he puts his own arms around her, even if it's only about half as tightly.]

... Don't apologize. I know you didn't.

[al_bhed]

[Ferran's response, while muted, at least isn't pained. That indicates to Rikku that it's okay to continue to hold onto him.]

What happened to you while I was gone? How did you end up here?

[For reasons that should hopefully be obvious to him, she's kind of worried about the condition she's found him in.]

[noblegarnet]

Oh.

[Right, the state he's in. In the infirmary. Of course she wouldn't know, even if it doesn't feel worthwhile to talk about at this point.]

More of the usual, honestly... Cwyld things. There was an explosion.

[If not for lingering worries about the infection due to being Fae, he probably could have been recovering at home by now. Not that he's felt very inclined to go back to his house...]

[al_bhed]

[Rikku wrinkles her nose at his response. She accepts the explanation at face-level--there's no reason for her not to, having been absent for the Sea Cwyldheart--but can't stop herself from feeling bad for him regardless. As a Fae, he's been avoiding the Cwyld like no one else she's met here.]

What rotten luck. I'm sorry, Ferran.

[Reluctantly, she removes herself from him and sits back in the chair next to his bedside.]

Aside from the whole infirmary thing, how are you doing?

[noblegarnet]

Yeah, well...

[Rotten luck does describe the circumstances in a number of ways, even if it might not be the way Rikku is thinking, exactly. He rubs his face for a moment when she sits down.]

Fine... I guess. Surviving. [Enough about him, though.] When did you get back?

[al_bhed]

["Surviving" isn't much of a satisfactory answer, but Rikku lets it slide because he's injured and recovering from the Cwyld. In his position, she supposes her answer wouldn't be any happier.]

Just about an hour ago. I came in through the mirror, and the Coven seemed really surprised to see me. They told me you were in here.

[noblegarnet]

[Letting it slide is way too generous, but he's glad for it. It means he gets to focus on Rikku instead of the mess that he is.]

That must be disorienting... people usually came through the mirrors at night, right? I can see why they'd be surprised.

[Strange...]

[al_bhed]

Yeah, and usually in groups. So they really didn't know what to do about it.

[If she had to be honest with herself, the reaction to her arrival has her a bit on edge. But she refuses to admit as much to Ferran in his current state, so she grins at him instead.]

At least I've been here before, so they didn't have to give me the introduction? Small favors and all that, you know?

[noblegarnet]

Right... not much of an adjustment period.

[Ferran sighs, weary and a little shaky at the sudden thought that comes to mind. It looks like the feelings are starting to catch up.]

I'm glad you remember...

[al_bhed]

[And there goes the smile, replaced almost immediately with something much more tender and fragile. (It's not like her feelings have gone away in her attempts to change the subject and lighten the mood.)]

I am, too. You're too important a person to forget, Ferran.

[She leans in and kisses his cheek.]

[noblegarnet]

Thanks...

[Ignore how watery his eyes are getting, Rikku. It's just a trick of the light! That must be it. Him reaching for her hand isn't a sign of anything either.]

I really missed you.

[al_bhed]

[That light trick is affecting both of their eyes! She twines her fingers in with his when he reaches for it. They're just holding hands, as couples do.]

I would have, if I had any sense that I was even gone. It feels like this past month just... didn't happen, you know?

It must have been tough for you, though.

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran shakes his head; not because it wasn't tough, but because he doesn't really want to talk about it. The tightening of his throat for a moment doesn't exactly help, either, but his hand squeezing hers is probably enough of an answer to that, anyway.

He's done with falling apart. He'd really rather not do it again, so he has to keep it together, at least partly.]