Waking the Dead 2.0 || August 27, 2063 || Saturday

[icarusalsoflew]

[He told you to rest because you all definitely need it, and he plans on staying around in the Tower to make sure that happens.

Granted, he's also around to check up on you if you really can't sleep, and his sister's doing the same thing. So.]



OOC Notes:
+ Hikaru will be in to watch over you all and talk up until 8 PM; he goes on duty early, then comes right back to the Tower to see Josh because boyfriend time is a Thing. Setsuna will be around the entire day.
+ Feel free, as always, to start your own threads here.

Comments

[icarusalsoflew]

[And this one, the moment he looks up to see you coming, is setting that tablet aside --

-- then he's spotting your hands. Shutting his phone and tablet off. Turning to face you completely.]

What's wrong?

[It's a good thing he's got several tall bottles of really fine stuff with him right now.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Well Brother's particularly perceptive as usual... ohwait, he finally notices that his hand is shaking. He breathes out a sigh. ]

Did... did Amadeus use people's nightmares against them when you knew him? [ He remembers the Chief reading through the file and telling them that he may have been the reason for the myth of the Boogieman ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[He instantly does not like where this is going.]

Yes. [Then, after a brief pause:] What did you end up seeing?

[Or was the more correct question "who"?]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig's breathing picks up. Not heavy. But audible. ]

I saw... [ inhale ] I saw him... [ exhale. A look of distraught on his face. His hand holding the cigarette begins to shake visibly. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[That's just going to make Hikaru scoot right over, put an arm over your shoulders, and draw you close.

No words yet. You probably need them more, and he's ready to listen.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ He finds a way to get his shaking under control, somewhat, to take drag of his cigarette ]

I thought I was done with him. [ A beat ] I really thought I'd put all feelings about him past me. [ His fists clench and they're back to shaking ] I don't think I've ever been so angry in so long.

[icarusalsoflew]

That's understandable. He is, after all, still out there.

[And under control for the moment. The world has changed a lot since the 1940s.]

And... well, to be brutally honest about it, your story with him isn't done yet, is it?

[atlas_shrugged]

[ Brig let's out a sigh ]

I really thought it was. Thought I'd walked away from all the demons of the War.

[ A beat, and he crushes his cigarette ]

Where is he?

[icarusalsoflew]

Buried right where I took him on.

[And under pretty heavy guard and constant monitoring. 'Dormant' is a state of being, and states of being change.]

[atlas_shrugged]

In the Black Forest? [ Brig remembers that day in the past. How it all ended in a flash of light ] Under lock and key like you said?

[icarusalsoflew]

[Nods.]

He'll remain there for so long as he is dormant, and he will be buried there again if he wakes up before his time.

[And he isn't going to die. Not until the ones who should kill him are ready. That is, at least, what Hikaru is hoping for.]

[atlas_shrugged]

How many have died keeping him there, Brother? [ No cigarettes. No alcohol ]

[icarusalsoflew]

The men from your unit, and about two hundred of our own.

[That had been a huge number, back in the day. It still was now, in some ways.]

[atlas_shrugged]

[ 200 Oni-Tsukai. 200 who had never owed HECATON (already TFV then) anything. Who didn't have to die had they been a stronger unit. No more. ]

No more, Brother. [ Brig lights up a cigarette. Well, tries to. He's snapping at his zippo's flint and it just won't light. His hands shake too much. ] It ends as soon as I can possibly end it. [ Still not lighting. He's not sure if it's anger, anxiety, guilt, or all and some. Goddamn lighter. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Here: he'll cover your hands, take that zippo, and light up for you.]

"We", Brig. "We".

[You're not alone anymore, and neither is he.]

There's no point in trying to end it if you end up leaving too much behind in the process.

[atlas_shrugged]

[ A long drag ]

We. [ He repeats. ] We. [ A sigh ]

I know you'd [ the Hounds and Hikaru ] all hit me for it, but [ Flashes of dying HECATON teammates ] I just don't want to give him another chance to steal any more people's lives. To take anyone else.

[ He loves his Blade and Brother too much. It's irrational, they've been through the worst and come out stronger. But his old demon is still pulling at his heartstrings. He still remembers watching many of his old friends die. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

[Saying this very, very evenly.]

No one's going to hit you for wanting that, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of us will line up to hit you if you think, even for one second, that it's all on you to take him down.

[atlas_shrugged]

Never crossed my mind, Brother. [ Trying to control his breathing ] Cause I can feel it in my guts that, even after all these years, I'm not strong enough to take him on my own.

[icarusalsoflew]

That is usually how these things go.

[Watching you carefully, and dutifully staying close. No shame in being around for a comrade-in-arms, especially in a time of need.]

You don't have to be, though. Strength can also be measured by the number of people who are willing to follow you down to Hell.

[He'd know.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Maybe one day I'll be as strong as you then. [ He's got that "I would follow you down to Hell, into Heaven, the Aether, Pandemonium, Stygia, the Primal Wild, even Arcadia" look on his face. ]

[icarusalsoflew]

You're welcome to try to be. Who knows? Maybe you'll get close.

[His tone lightens at that, of course, because now's the time to make sure that you're really okay and bring you back to a better place.]

[atlas_shrugged]

Hopefully. [ Some of that usual optimism of his back ] I always try to do my best. [ A half-smile. Things do feel a bit lighter. But he'll probably stay up all night thinking or bothering the other Hounds ]

[icarusalsoflew]

That you do, even if it annoys the shit out of people before they realize what a great guy you are.

[Teasing now. Because he's... kind of talking about himself... so...]

[atlas_shrugged]

You make me sound like a guy I know. [ He's teasing back now too. ] Great guy that guy, no matter how insufferable he is at times.

[icarusalsoflew]

Sounds like a total asshole. I'd hate to get to know him.

[Heh.]