[Open] Canon Update & Catch-all!

[bad_crowmance]

Who: Crow Armbrust and YOU!!
When: January 4th and thereafter
Where: Mirror House and around Aefenglom
What: Canon Update/Catchall
Warnings: Major spoilers from Trails of Cold Steel 3! Possible themes include death, betrayal, political unrest, mental manipulation, supernatural disasters... I'll update if needed!


I. Mirror House.

[ Crow did not, as a general rule, go to the Mirror House. That's not saying anything against it so much as he just preferred to look forward towards his life in Aefenglom with his friends rather than focusing too hard on a path with no future to it. Feelings get complicated and Crow is allergic to feelings, or at least he doesn't like having his on public display very often. But he'd gone to the mirror house today, almost as if he were compelled to. He didn't stop until he'd reached his own mirror, one that was familiar to him in more intimate ways than any other.

And then he touched it.

He wasn't aware a couple of his friends had been there-- or were perhaps with their own mirrors at this very moment. Either way, his experience was a little different than theirs. For one thing, they were catching up on a few short months-- Crow had nearly a year and a half all at once, flashing vividly behind his eyes in full detail. A life he hadn't expected to keep going, or rather-- to be brought back. Such as it is.

There are physical changes that come for him in a way that the others hadn't really gotten. A year and a half for Crow is enough to grow a little, to fill out just a bit more-- for his hair to grow in length, to become suddenly several shades paler. And at the end of it, Crow lets out a gasp as he finally--

He pulls his hand away from the mirror almost as if he'd been burned. But it only takes a moment of recovery before he's glancing around and then folding his hands behind his head. ]

Well, that's enough time reflecting on things. Heh...!

II. Aefenglom.

[ It's going to be pretty hard for Crow to hide that something's happened when you can take one look at him and tell just by the physical differences that something has. But this is Crow Armbrust and he's very willing to deflect as much as he has to. Of course, maybe you don't really know him-- maybe he doesn't have anything at all to explain. He's more than fine with that, he doesn't really want to talk about it anyway.

After his adventures in the mirror house, you might find Crow eating in a nice spot at a local café, a nice cup of hot chocolate in hand. Or you could find him by the docks, chatting with some of the workers there or else just looking out at the water for a brief moment before moving on. You might even find him wandering around the shopping district, looking for all the world like any other person out to buy whatever it is that's caught their interest. Either way, if you look like you want to talk to him, he'll lift his hand and grin. ]

Hey, what's up?

Comments

[overworker]

[Speechless Crow was a nice moment, but there's a gratifying sensation that goes through her whole body when he says it just like that; looking at her like he's feeling her up with his eyes.]

Guess I saved the best for last after all.

[bad_crowmance]

You definitely did that.

[ And there's a quality to the way he said it, his tone dipping a little lower, a little huskier, that's very sincere in showing his interest. ]

[overworker]

[She knows that tone. And the part of her that craves anything but being alone is trying really hard not to think too hard on that.]

I guess I'll keep it then.

[bad_crowmance]

I'll look forward to seeing you wear it again someday.

[ He really, really will. ]

[overworker]

[Boy her face is hot! Time to take this thing off!]

G-give me a few minutes and I'll be right back.

[Just enough to change out of the outfit, return the other, and bring her purchase with her.]

Alright. We're good to go.

[bad_crowmance]

So am I.

[ He says, with an armful of clothes he's definitely buying. Or well, she is. ]

[overworker]

[One transaction later, Crow is doing really well for himself.]

Now we just need to get all this stuff back home.

[Ah-- home. That's a thought.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ Hmm.... that's a thought. ]

...Right. Home...

[overworker]

[Towa pauses and bites her lip. Right... she can't know what's going on in his head right now, but she knows it can't be any less difficult than what Elliot's going through. In reality, he probably has it the worst.]

Um...

[She thinks for a moment before she settles on a final thought.]

Here.

[Towa hands Crow the key to the Guild office.]

This is the key to the Bracer Guild office. You can use it if you want, at least for a little while.

I can tell you're not ready yet. And I don't want you to push yourself. So... it would make me happy if you used it. At least that way I don't have to worry about where you are and if you're safe.

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow looks at Towa in surprise for a moment before he reaches out for the key and smiles at her. ]

...Thanks. I appreciate it.

[ And it solves the question of where he's going to sleep tonight because he definitely wasn't going home. ]

[overworker]

Of course. Just... take care of yourself.

[It's not even a question. She'll do anything to be there for him in whatever small way she can.]

If you want, I can help you take your stuff there and show you where everything's at. There are some spare pillows and blankets there already from... um. Before.

[Well. The time she didn't come home.]

There's not much there in terms of food but you can make your own coffee or tea. There should also be some cookies in there yet. And I can bring you breakfast in the morning when I come to open up.

[Is she fussing a little? Yes. But she can't help it. It's going to feel weird with him not at home right now.]

[bad_crowmance]

I've got money, I can handle the food situation.

[ Just don't ask him how he makes his money. Towa might not like the answer. ]

But I'd like the help getting my stuff over there for now.

[overworker]

Alright, if you're sure.

[Fine, she didn't want to cook for you anyway.]

Sure thing.

[She'll take an extra bag for him.]

[bad_crowmance]

I'm sure. But thanks.

[ He likes her cooking! But he needs a little bit of uh, space, to process things. He hands off a bag to Towa. ]

[overworker]

Of course, it's nothing really.

[It won't be easy, but if this is what he needs from her, then that's what she's going to do.

Now's probably as good a time as any for her to start focusing on being able to stand on her own.]

[bad_crowmance]

[ It is what he needs from her. It's definitely not something he intends to keep up for long but he just had a whole lot dumped into his head all at once and only just got himself back properly at the end of all of it. It's, it's a lot and he needs time to process. Alone. Without having anyone else there meaning well but ultimately not realizing that he can't let it all go if they're... looking at him.

Normally he loves the attention, naturally, but only on his own terms. ]

Not for you, anyway. That's just the kind of person you are.

[overworker]

Please. You make it sound like I’m doing something special.

[Of course Towa wouldn’t look at it like something that she’s done worth any kind of thanks. After all, she’s pretty sure any of them would have done the same for him.]

Just... promise me you’ll come back whenever you’re ready. It doesn’t matter how long— take whatever time you need. Just... remember that we’ll be waiting for you.

[She’s just going to walk ahead a bit now so she doesn’t have to look at him.]

[bad_crowmance]

That was never in doubt.

[ Crow can see what she's doing and will keep his pace slow enough to let her continue to do that. ]

I'm done running from you guys. You're home now... and I'll be back sooner or later.

[overworker]

[That immediately makes her stop in her tracks. Today has been a lot. As nice of a distraction as it was, her heart still ached. But this--

You're home now.

Towa places a hand on her chest. This was as sweet a reassurance as any she could have asked for.]

Crow... thank you.

[She'll stop trying to rush ahead and wait for him, so they can walk the rest of the way together.]

It's going to be lonely without you around for a while but... we'll be okay. So just focus on yourself.

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow looks at her and smiles. ]

I know it'll be hard without me around but I do have faith in that. Don't worry, I won't take my time.

[overworker]

Please. I already told you-- take as much time as you need. We're not going to give away your room. [...] We could turn it into a second music room though.

[See? They'll be fine. She'll be fine.]

[bad_crowmance]

You'll have to get Fie to pick the lock first.

[ Because of course he locks his room. ]

[overworker]

I’m still a witch right now... I think I could manage.

[Your porn was never safe from the purge.]

[bad_crowmance]

If there is so much as a single thing missing from my room when I get back, I'm filling your room with porn.

[ HE'S JUST SAYING. ]

[overworker]

Fine, fine. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to pass that along to the others.

[Might not stop her from looking through your porn out of curiosity.]