debriefing ♔ in the emptiness there's a solution | just look within yourself for absolution

[nepotism]

♬ locking up the sun- poets of the fall

WHO || Wynn, Buffy, Myri, Finnick, Spike, Gar, Archer, Des, Vi, Rafael, Fred Jr., Dumage, Mark, Rocket, open! [Closed]
WHAT || Andres Mission Debrief & Aftermath
WHERE || Knights HQ, lobby etc.
WHEN || September 18th [forward dated*]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

There are plenty of missions that return to the castle a success - most of them, even. The defeated air of the solemn group that returns from their diplomatic mission to Andres Isle to hear the demands of dictator Dimitris Sarandis makes it quite clear that this wasn't one of those.

Starting with Sarandis' actual demands - for all Knights to withdraw from Andres under penalty of death, or for Wynn to offer his own head in return for Thomas' safe return - and ending with the unexpected, disturbing confession from Kat that she intended to stay behind on the island because she had "fallen in love with" the dictator, the events of the island made it very clear that Sarandis was cannily playing his hand to get the Knights where he wanted them.

Fred Jr. shoves open the doors with his unnatural strength, stalking in ahead of the group into the lobby. Whoever's on desk duty isn't going to have to roll a high wisdom check to see that these people are pissed... and distraught... and a myriad of other emotions on the bad end of the scale.

*I am changing the date of the briefing log and Andres log/live session to have taken place in September, to avoid us being in backdated hell forever, and to allow for a September squiring ceremony before apps are closed. Carry on... in the future!

Comments

[necessaryevil]

I was going to ask how you were doing, but I think that might cover it. [ he squeezes her tightly, mumbling into her neck ]

[lastdragomir]

A bit. [ she keeps clinging, fingers sliding up into his hair briefly before she begrudgingly detaches herself. green eyes study him carefully. ] I'm actually fine. Worried, of course, but... relatively fine. Are you... [ she trails off, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully. is he going to go is what she means to ask but the words get caught in her through. she is a little less fine than she thought. ]

[necessaryevil]

Yeah, I'm fine. [ /totally misinterprets ] This is all just so sudden.

[lastdragomir]

I never imagined it'd come to this... [ but then, she didn't spend much of her time imagining the island, so that might be it. but now she is and her expression crumples because she's a bleeding heart and has too much compassion for her own good. ] Those poor people.

[necessaryevil]

They deserve the help. A lot of people in a bad situation don't see a way out.

[lastdragomir]

I know. [ she knows. she's half terrified of spirit just ripping it's way out of her instinctively even though she's try so hard to keep it at bay to protect rose these past five months. it's a daily struggle, but so far she hasn't given in. she's not sure it will be the same on andres. she can do more with spirit, she can heal better, she can compel, she's strong with spirit.

but rose.

her shoulders heave in a heavy sigh and she leans forward to hug him again, fingers clenching against his back. ]

[necessaryevil]

[ he buries his face against her neck, craving the contact that he used to be so hesitant about ] Hey. We're gonna be okay.

[lastdragomir]

You don't know that. [ SHE ONLY HAS 20 HP, MAX. she is the definition of delicate flower. of course, she isn't worried about herself (why would she ever?), but about max and thoster and david. you know, those big, grown men more than capable of taking care of themselves.

she's worried about them. naturally.

she doesn't pull away to counter his reassurances, keeping her arms curled around him, the two of them the picture of love's repose, betrayed only by the utter fierceness of how hard lissa is clinging to him like she is afraid to let him go. ]

I just came back. I don't want to leave you again. [ not physically, not metaphorically, not even hypothetically. lissa wants to stay by his side always and she knows that isn't always an option and may not be what wynn decides to do with them. and it scares her. ]

[necessaryevil]

Where they send me is likely to be somewhere you shouldn't be. [ he doesn't sound thrilled about the prospect either. ] We both need to play to our strengths, or --

[lastdragomir]

Or...? I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Max. [ she bristles slightly, but it's seems to be some sort of residual defensiveness and not really aimed at him. ] I've been through torture, as much as I would not ever wish to be put in the position to relive that, I'm not as delicate as I look.

[ except she is. and they both know it. her voice softens with a sigh. ] Where I should be is with you.

[necessaryevil]

I'm going to be worried about you, even if Wynn assigns you to spend every moment back on the boat. But I don't want you in a more dangerous position, just so that I can be sure you're alright moment to moment. That's... selfish of me.

[lastdragomir]

Every position is going to dangerous, its the nature of war. Even if its just a single battle, the only safe place is here and you know very well I am not staying behind. [ her lips twist. there is a spell she learned where she can make sure max is alright from moment to moment, but that will only assuage her fear, not his. and as much as she wishes she could use that spell, the worry would overwhelm her.

sliding her hand down his arm, she tangles their fingers together and squeezes gently. ] I'm not losing you. [ that's it. ] Come hell or high water, Maximilian Rast. I'm a princess, if you recall, I'm very used to getting my way. I don't intend on changing now. Even if it's selfish.[ a beat. ] You're coming back to me and I will come back to you.

[ using her grip on his hand she tugs him down with surprising force (str 16 wow girl) and kisses him emphatically, like that will seal the deal. ]

[necessaryevil]

[ surprise means he offers negative resistance to that, but even once he pushes past being thrown by it, his hands come up to cradle her face, and he returns the kiss with a possessive passion of his own, an acknowledgment of the promise between them - that they'll both make it back to each other. he pulls her closer, stepping into her, blind to whatever else might be around them. ]

[lastdragomir]

[ perfect. she pushes up on her tiptoes, hands shifting to his waist, curling her arms around him underneath his jacket. she doesn't need the extra height, she just wants to be that much closer to him. breathless from anxiety and fear mingling with desire, she wrenches her lips from his with a noise of regret and genuine distress, swallowing hard because she sure remembered they're tonguing in the middle of the hallway. i tried to write a decent tag and failed. whoops. ]

Max, we...

[necessaryevil]

[ oh right hallway. people. crowded castle. ] -- should go to your room. [ /straightforward ]

[lastdragomir]

[ a blush races up her cheeks but instead of nodding and leading the way to her room she just drags him back for another kiss. straightforward just really does it for her. that was hot.

but then she does break away, nod, and yank him toward her room. ]

[necessaryevil]

[ he gets a better will save once they're inside to slow things down enough to shut the door, and slip his coat off, moving to throw it on a chair, before coming back to wrap his arms around her again. ] I don't really wanna think about tomorrow.

[lastdragomir]

Well now it's going to be the only thing you can think of, you've jinxed it. [ her smile is wan but gentle, perfunctory instead of full of mirth, but her features soften as she looks at max, happiness still there behind the apprehension and worry. ]

[necessaryevil]

It's what I'm good at. [ the words hold a certain degree of self-doubt, but it's obvious that he's... trying to make light of it, ok ]

[lastdragomir]

[ hand lifting to trace her fingertips over his cheek, thumb brushing against his jaw, she presses up on her toes to kiss him softly as her hand slides to curve around the back of his neck. ] You're good at so much more. [ a beat. ] But I suppose a distraction is in order, hmm?

[necessaryevil]

More than just a distraction. [ there's a warmth to the words that tries to impress on her exactly what this means to him. ]

[lastdragomir]

[ lissa may be catching on to something (sense motive 20 total) and her entire expression warms, pale skin looking lit by candles, as joy flutters across her face, lips parting in surprised hope and expectancy. she doesn't say anything, loath to break some kind of spell or stop max from elaborating, but it's plain as day that she fervently wishes he would elaborate. ]

[necessaryevil]

You make things feel right, you know. [ his hand ghosts up through her hair, delicately combing through strands as he studies her face. ] I don't know if I've ever felt right.

[lastdragomir]

Oh. [ she manages to make it sound heartbroken (for max) and happy (for both of the now). she has a lot of feelings. ] I'm glad you feel right. You shouldn't feel anything less.

[necessaryevil]

I feel a lot more, really.