brilith.

[oathic]

Comments

[infire]

[ ah... those are the last words she wants to hear. maybe it would have mollified her, just a little, before she'd awoken, but now... ]

Every time, you always try so hard to protect me. [ her voice is just a whisper, eyes still turned away, unable to meet agni's. ] Have you ever once thought of bothering to protect yourself?

[oathic]

... I wasn't going to die. I promised Hunter and Beau that much—that if it came down to it, I would choose my life over the monster's. And I wouldn't have gone out if I wasn't confident that I could kill it.

[it's not an answer to her question.

because really, the answer is that of course he hasn't.]

[infire]

[ promised them, and couldn't be bothered to tell his own betrothed... hah, she really hates how bitter that makes feel, so she just. won't acknowledge it. ]

Our universe needs you, Agni, far more than it needs me. [ they don't even want her, brilith thinks, but doesn't say. ] No matter what happens here, you need to return.

[ she finally looks back at him, trying to look stern and falling closer to exhausted than anything else. ]

I can't heal you if you're already dead.

[oathic]

[what agni doesn't say is, i need you.]

... I'm still alive, Brilith.

[infire]

For now. If you keep being so reckless, you won't be that way for much longer. But I suppose it's useless to try to instill a sense of mortality in a god.

[oathic]

... It doesn't matter now. I've played all the cards I had, and I imagine everyone will be keeping a close eye to ensure I don't do anything again, regardless.

[infire]

[ she closes her eyes, fists shaking at her sides as the nails dig in once more. ]

You really are an idiot. You make yourself such an easy target.

...Do you want the monster serum back?

[oathic]

[listen, he tried really hard on thursday night, and all he got for it was doing so well that it looped back to failure and setting his cr on fire, unfortunately.]

No. You keep it.

[infire]

[ any other answer would have surprised her, honestly. there's a resigned sigh, and her voice turns... pleading, almost, like the old brilith is leaking through and she hasn't noticed in time to stop it. ]

Then be more careful. They keep saying it will get worse from this point, and you can't afford to die here.

[oathic]

Well, this makes for two monsters I've killed, so maybe that'll scare them off...? At the very least, since the house gave me my voice back, I don't think it's out to target me specifically.

[infire]

[ that isn't reassuring... but of course the second brilith registers her own disappointment, she reels back immediately. no, she doesn't want reassurance. she doesn't need it. all she needs is for agni to return home in one piece, with ot without her - that part doesn't matter. ]

Proving yourself a threat doesn't make you any less of a target. You should know better than to believe that.

[oathic]

... Well, we'll see. Who knows what will happen next week?

[infire]

[ gods really never change, do they. ]

...Just don't do anything stupid. We're running low on recovery items, and I'm not going to waste mine because you keep forgetting you're injured.

[oathic]

You think anyone's going to let me out of their sight again? I can't imagine I'm high on anyone's trusted list right now.

[infire]

Is there even anyone on yours?

[oathic]

... Low blow.

[infire]

[ she regretted it the instant she said it, so brilith only turns away. ]

Am I wrong? You've never been good at relying on others. I know that better than most.

[oathic]

[it's fine, agni already feels guilty enough for failing isaac and ayabe, so what's another kick.]

... No, I guess not.

[infire]

[ there's a part of her that feels a sick satisfaction to hear that, but another, just as strong, pulls her eyes back agni, worried and pitying. brilith hates both sides of herself for it, she decides, and considers leaving now, so they can stop hurting each other just this once. instead, she sighs, and forces her hands to relax at her sides. ]

Humans survive by relying on one another. That's one thing that hasn't changed, from my people to the new human race, to all of the humans here.

You're more or less human while here, too. Maybe you should try learning from us.

[oathic]

... Well, that's why humans have progressed far more than the gods or the sura have.

[if only the gods could be like that.]

[infire]

Have they? I doubt it, or they would have been destroyed, just like we were.

[oathic]

[...

thanks, brilith. didn't know agni could feel any guiltier tonight, but here we are.]

[infire]

[ it's a talent and she hates it deeply. and she regrets glancing over at his silence, because it sends another pang through her chest. ]

Stop... Stop doing that.

[oathic]

Um... stop doing what?

[he's not? trying to do anything?]

[infire]

[ her left hand rises to cover her face, as brilith takes half a step back. ]

Just... S-Stop that...

[ that's not an answer, but maybe she wasn't even talking to agni at all. ]