sheep_game | Counting Stars

[ He gestures and the ground rumbles beneath their feet. Enormous bones start to poke out of the ground to grab at the little swarm hissing at them. ]

I can do enough.

[ Glances down, equally startled and impressed ]

Okay. Okay—but I'm only closing them. Told you I won't leave you alone.

[ he doesn't get the chance to fire off in the pasture! he is STILL frankly not at full power despite the hideous array of calcium spiking out and spearing all of these bastards.

He nods sharply and waves him on. ]

Just move already!

[ Doesn't waste anymore time and sprints off, circling around the bone field to get to the doors behind Nyx and her little ones ]

[ The great iron doors stand open, and past them is ... an elevator? Something like it, anyway. There's the faintest whiff of fresh air that DOESN'T corrode Ananke's lungs every time he takes in a breath. A hint of sun and starlight ...

Kevin follows a few paces behind, alternating spearing his enemies with bones and stabbing the cacodemons that get too close. Nyx seems more keen on watching the show and laughing. ]

"You can run, but you can never truly leave this place."

[ He hits the door and hesitates a beat, staring hungrily at that elevator. But the moment passes and he moves to start pushing the doors closed, glancing back at Kevin to see how close he is ]

[ He's coming up right beside Ananke now, his back to the other teen as he picks off more cacodemons. There's still WAY too many of them. Even someone as strong as Kevin can't keep them back forever. ]

How close are we?

They're right here. Help me get them closed!

I'm here.

[ And he is. Pushing hard on the iron doors, summoning up more of this horrible acidic earth to -

push Ananke through the narrowing gap. ]

[ He goes tumbling through with a startled yelp and immediately starts scrambling to his feet, fully intent on going back through. ]

Kevin!!

Edited 2024-05-11 02:03 (UTC)

[ Sorry, Ananke. The ground swiftly surges and forces the doors forward. There's just a sliver of open space between them where Kevin's hand lingers for a moment, reaching for Ananke -

And then the doors slam shut. Ananke is alone. Sunlight and fresh air stream in from somewhere at the top of the elevator shaft he's in. Alas, Kevin's memory ends here, so there's nowhere else to go except up. ]

Edited 2024-05-11 02:18 (UTC)

[ What actually happens is Ananke wakes up in a cold sweat, tumbling off his bed like he'd been reaching for someone just past the edge. He hits the floor with a dull thud and a startled grunt, slowly pushes himself up

and stands, leaving his room and heading down into the basement, picking up speed as he approaches Kevin's door and knocks firmly on it ]

[ There's a pause on Kevin's side of the door, then a faint, wet sort of noise, like someone trying to hold in tears and/or distressed noises. Then, slowly, the door cracks open. ]

... Ananke?

[ His voice wavers. ]

[ Not bothering holding in tears at all. The first of them spill over when he hears that quiet little noise, with more following at the waver in Kevin's voice. He stares silently for a long moment, one hand on the door frame while he struggles for words before finally— ]

... You pushed me.

[ oh. Ananke's crying. Over him? Over himself? Both? Does it matter?

He carefully opens the door wide enough for Ananke to fully see both himself and the bedroom beyond. Kevin's own cheeks are wet, and those dark circles under his eyes are especially haggard tonight. Past him, his bedroom is reasonably neat, if only because he hasn't had much time to accumulate much clutter yet. A few stray shirts on the floor, a bunch of pillows and blankets piled on his bed.

He's quiet a moment as he debates how to answer. ]

That was always the plan.

[ he tries to sound cool and collected about it but his voice breaks somewhere in the middle. ]

Edited 2024-05-11 02:41 (UTC)

[ His mouth tightens and a few more tears leak from the corners of his eyes. He wishes he were more surprised. Wishes he'd seen it coming. He reaches towards his face—reconsiders and puts a hand on his hip—starts to cross his arms—

Finally, he reaches out to try pulling Kevin into a clinging, desperate hug ]

Stupid.

[ Kevin's stiff at first, but he allows the gesture - and then clings back just as hard all of a sudden, fingers bunching into Ananke's shirt. ]

They - they have to close from both sides. That was ... why I went down there to begin with.

[ a small, choked sob. ]

I th-thought I could handle Tartarus on my own.

[ Good. Ananke wraps him in a crushing hug, one hand on the back of his head and the other pressed between his shoulder blades ]

Are you— Did...you really go down there?

[ honestly? good. Kevin doesn't get many hugs like this. Kevin may have never received a hug like this before. ]

... Yeah. I did. I -

[ he sucks in a shuddering breath. it's so fresh and raw in his mind again. ]

I was there for weeks of surface time. At least. Probably months.

[ But Ananke FELT how time had passed exponentially faster down there. ]

[ THAT'S SO LONG? Squeezes him tighter ]

...I know it was just a dream, but you should've let me stay.

[ he opens his mouth to apologize. pauses instead. ]

Do you - do you want to stay now? for a little while?

After that, I'll stay as long as you let me.

Please.

[ Gives him one more squeeze before releasing him so they can actually move into the room ]

[ good call. It gives Kevin maybe a moment to compose himself. the bed is the only real piece of furniture in here; He winds up curling up on one half of it, arms hugging a particularly fluffy pillow. Still plenty of pillows and blankets for Ananke to borrow some. ]

... Are you feeling okay? After ... after that.

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