47th metal and awakening

[godsays]

[ spam for emperor ]

[ He dreams vivid and angry. He dreams like a thunderstorm, restless like rain and broken with sharp spasms of a mind trying, trying to wake up. He dreams of Ruin.

When he starts to wake up, pulling himself up, he, for a moment between awake and asleep, doesn't know if this is real. ]

[ spam in general ]

[ Zane has energy.

Perhaps it's being asleep for so long; perhaps it's some other sort of restlessness. But he doesn't want to stop moving.

Watch out in the hallway; instead of walking past you like a normal person, he may step off the wall, push off from the ceiling, flip, and land on the far side of you. He could also be jumping around on top of the greenhouse like a crazy person. Or balancing on the rail like a crazy bird. He may also be in CES, in a place blasted with dry, hot winds. ]

[ video, open ]

Does anyone have a spare lamp?

And table. And chair. And large bowl.

[ hi he's awake ]

Comments

Video

[shakenandlimp]

Zane! [Bush's face lights in a broad smile-- while Zane slept, any remaining doubt or reluctance was chased away by worry for him.]

I have a spare lamp. I can bring it to you, if you like.

Video

[godsays]

Good.

Mine is broken.

[ The words are a little bit terse, but not tense or curt. ]

Re: Video

[shakenandlimp]

Then I'll bring it.

[Bush means an oil lamp and only realizes Zane likely means the other sort once he's knocking. He doesn't think of the bright bulbs as 'lamps' or 'lights' with the same matter-of-factness that he does oil and candle, even now.]

Re: Video

[godsays]

[ In fact, Zane prefers flame to the unflickering brightness; he may have adapted well to life with technology, but he's still the same man who didn't understand toilets or showers when he arrived.

He's actually not in the room at the moment. So Bush might hear a series of footsteps, and look to see Zane loping down the hallway, Jumping and skidding to a stop upside down, feet on the ceiling. He hops down, mistcloak swirling around him. ]

I forgot to say where I was.

Re: Video

[shakenandlimp]

[Bush has seen Zane really fight-- he is more delighted than alarmed at this spectacle, and grins fondly at the younger man.] You are making up for lost time, I see. I am glad you are awake.

[More than he can say. But his face shows it.]

I've brought this [He offers the spare lamp with its pretty brasswork and fine glass guard for the fire.]

[spam]

[heisrisen]

[He has learned to keep something in his hands. If he doesn't, he'll start picking at the shards of the lamp that he never bothered to sweep up, and when he cuts himself it hurts now, there are so many nerves in hands. So he has something - a hairbrush of Morgana's, or a pair of calipers swiped from the infirmary, he isn't paying attention to what it is this time, this time barely has any meaning any more. He almost called her cousin the other day, dear cousin, as though they were in Aeris Navem again. Was that - he can't remember how long ago that was. It isn't now. No sky, no smog, no soft underticking. Not now. Now he knows he is in prison. Does he know? He thinks.]

Your fault.

[He mutters this frequently. How frequently? Hard to tell. No day, no night, just the not-starlight without the lamp.]

I hate that light. They aren't - stars don't actually look like that, not when you're traveling, not even coreward. It's defaultscreen, it's just lulling and pretty. Fake stars. Everything is fake, it's a travesty. I used to think it was fake and then I didn't but maybe I was right all along. Even the Needle has real stars.

[No rage, now, no real venom. The rush of it has bled out, and it comes and goes. His voice is quiet and ragged instead, the skittering of mouse claws beneath the walls.]

[godsays]

[ Murmuring. He feels the flow of the words more than he understands them. Tilts his head to the side, cheek falling against the pillow, and he blinks, slow and heavy with sleep. Fingers curl. ]

Aslan.

[ This is the first word that coalesces, in his mind. ]

[heisrisen]

[He startles, throwing the calipers at Zane's head. Fortunately, he misses. His coordination isn't great - he's been sleeping very poorly.]

...you're awake.

[Is this real. Is this a memory. Is this now. Is this real.]

[godsays]

[ A little flinch. Good thing the Emperor misses, because Zane wouldn't have been fast enough to dodge. ]

I know.

[ Does he know? He feels awake. He reaches out, hand on top of the blanket, palm open, inviting touch. ]

Video

[lydiascreams]

[She's just gonna stare for a second. Then smile.]

That's a pretty random assortment of items. Depending on what you need the bowl for, I might have one for you.

Video

[godsays]

Some things were broken. [ While he was asleep. Which was a long time, evidently. ]

I used the bowl for fruit.

Video

[lydiascreams]

How were your things broken?

Oh. Well, I won't be offering my dog's food bowl, then. No matter how many times you wash it, it will always smell.

Video

[godsays]

Someone was upset. It happens.

I'm Zane.

[Audio]

[forsaken_queen]

[There's a moment where she has the impulse to say something. Something mildly cutting and vaguely witty. That's when she opens connection, and then she thinks better of it.

And hangs up without saying anything.]

[spam]

[godsays]

[ Yeah, he's not going to conclude this conversation over the network. He has always valued face-to-face interaction higher, and she deserves more.

So he's going to seek her out. ]

[spam]

[forsaken_queen]

[He'll find her in her room. She doesn't much leave anymore, except for walking and feeding Lirath, and occasionally to do and say terrible things to Arthas. Things that cut her as much as they cut him. Probably more so.

If he knocks she won't answer. The leopard will though. He's learned how to both unlock the bolt on the inside of the door, and pull the door open. He's bigger now, almost not a kitten at all anymore. But his friendly demeanor is still the same. As long as he's not ordered not to, he'll bump his whole self against anyone's leg that doesn't smell hostile. Zane is included in this.]

[spam]

[godsays]

Sylvanas.

[ He calls her name before he enters, crouching to greet the leopard. He is unafraid, even of wild and fierce animals, and he strokes him, strong without hostility. ]

I'm sorry I wasn't here.

[spam idwiw]

[routemistress]

[She's been in and out while Zane was in a coma, using her dogs to make sure she didn't bump into the Emperor while she cleaned the rabbits and muttered sourly about everyone being happy to feed them but leaving the shitscooping for Iris.

...when did she turn into a person who could be relied on to clean rabbit cages, she wonders. Iris can't keep her own room tidy. She's the least responsible person she's ever met.

But the rabbits are clean. Zane asked her to leave last time he saw her, and she hasn't forgotten that, but she still comes running the moment she sees him on the network.]


Zane, oh my Zane, you're up!

[Please have forgiven me.]

[spam idwiw]

[godsays]

[ When he sees her, he isn't sure how to communicate his emotions. There are still roiling depths in him, some ghost-echo of the Zane-that-wasn't. But there is distance, now. It is better.

And so he's going to drag her into a hug, wherever she found him. Literally drag. There might be a little of ironpull involved. ]

[spam idwiw]

[routemistress]

[You're too much, he said to her last time they spoke, and she bowed her head and accepted it. So many people have found her too much, over the centuries: too loud, too drunk, too passionate, too reckless, too Iris. She's tried, many times, to diminish herself, to toe the lines other people set for her, and she's always, inevitably failed.

The Barge is the first place she's ever found where she hasn't felt like too much for everyone around her on a daily basis. The first place where she hasn't felt she was being forced to choose between a tiny, formal dance in shoes that hurt or running away barefoot and never looking back.

And even here it still chases her; it's ironic, she feels, coming from Zane, whose power and spirit shines colossally around him. Her phoenix boy.

The ironpull makes her squeal and giggle like a child on a fairground ride, and she hurls herself gratefully into his arms.]

I missed you so much, love.

[spam idwiw] I THOUGHT I TAGGED THIS

[godsays]

[ Holds her tight. He hasn't totally forgiven her. He's trying. Maybe too hard - but he should try this hard, because he needs her. ]

How long was I gone?

[ Gone, unconscious, asleep. Whatever. She knows what he means. ]

spam

[patheticvillain]

[There's movement over his head, and Cassel jumps, fingers flying to the wrists of his gloves. Ready to pull them off. Ready to attack. Ready for anything, these days.]

[But it's - Zane.]

[He smiles, soft and uncertain.]

What're you doing, huh?

spam

[godsays]

Being awake.

[ He hugs Cassel, tightly, maybe even ironpulling Cassel towards him a little. ]

It feels good.

spam

[patheticvillain]

[He lets himself be pulled, squeezing Zane as tightly as he can - which, comparatively, is not all that tight, but goddamn if he doesn't try to break his ribs a little.]

I missed you, you little shit.

spam

[godsays]

I'm nervous. [ He hasn't said this to anyone else. ] Having more than one coma correlates with disappearing. I've heard that.