TERRACE Draft - Remaining Days

[lucetimods]

Who: All Draftees
What: All hell breaks loose
When: From the 27th to the 1st.
Where: TERRACE!
Summary: Information post here
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post covers the second to sixth day! Be sure to check the info post on the timeline to know what's up. At 2AM on the 27th, the attack will break out while most people are sleeping. Be sure to use the above info post for any plotting needs you might have. Enjoy!

Some random NPC quotes about the island itself.

Be sure to tag this post appropriately: [canon] character name

Comments

[degleamed]

[ She can't meet his eyes at first, so she stares at the ground, hands instinctively running over her now-short tresses. The strangeness of the sensation, more than anything, was surreal. Her hair was gone, and as aware of that fact as she was, it still didn't seem to have really settled in yet.

But the silence was deafening, so finally she spoke up. ]

...I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have been out there.

[dissonates]

[He frowns slightly at that, glancing back the way they'd come, and straightens up to stand tall again. His hand is on his sword, and his chest still hurts, but he won't show any weakness; she's hurting and vulnerable, and after getting her out of there he's not about to fail to protect her now.]

Don't apologize. You're right, you shouldn't have been, but I understand why you were.

[degleamed]

[ Her hands keep smoothing over her hair, almost frantically. ]

I-I'll go back. And stay. [ Stay put. Where she wouldn't cause anyone else - including herself - anymore trouble. ]

[dissonates]

[He watches her in silence for a few seconds, then reaches out and catches her wrist, halting the movement. Giving it a tug, he urges her to face him, his expression serious.]

Rapunzel... stop.

[You don't need it.]

[degleamed]

[ She stopped at his touch, turning back slowly to face him. She didn't say anything, but the question was clear enough in her expression. What is it? ]

[dissonates]

[He lets go of her wrist when she faces him, lifting his hand to touch a lock of her hair- it lingers there for just a second before he flicks the strands gently out of place.]

You don't need this in order to help. What matters is that you're safe, understand?

[degleamed]

[ At that, she wants to cry in earnest, let loose the knot that is building in her heart. She was safe. And it was all thanks to him. He had saved her, and she owed him her life.

In spite of the light weight on the back of her head, she was grateful for that. To keep back the unbidden tears, she looks down, blinking, before taking a step towards him.

She was so grateful, and she needed to show him that. She couldn't say it, but maybe the careful way she wraps her arms around him would speak enough. ]

[dissonates]

[There's a relief that he won't speak of, a quiet, almost tremulous calm that falls over him as she finally lets herself express her own grief. Maybe because he's incapable of doing such a thing himself, maybe because he'd been concerned that she would bury it and he knows what a slippery slope that can be, maybe because he'd wanted to be certain that she'd accept it.

Maybe he'd just really wanted her to be grateful for the choice he'd forced her to make, rather than angry for trading her power for her life. He's not sure if that's what he expected or not, but he's glad nonetheless. If given the same choice he'd do it again in a heartbeat.

He doesn't apologize. He won't, not for that, not ever. Not for saving her life. And he doesn't speak as a response, merely lifts an arm to wind around her shoulders, keeping her close, keeping her safe. He'll be whatever she needs right now, to the best of his ability. For whatever that's worth.]

[degleamed]

[ She holds onto him, probably longer than she should, but she felt safe there, with his arm around her. It felt safe, and when compared to the danger and horror she's been facing, she couldn't let it go. Not yet.

So instead her grip on him tightens, as she manages to whisper quietly: ] Thank you, Asch.

[dissonates]

[He hesitates at that, briefly, then shakes his head, giving himself a sliver of indulgence by allowing his cheek to brush against her hair. It's strange and unfamiliar, but it has the same sheen, the same softness, and as messy as the cut had been, it still frames her face beautifully. It isn't as great a loss as one might be led to assume. Healing magic can be taught, after all.

And brown isn't so bad.]

You don't have to thank me for this. I'm... glad you're alright.

[degleamed]

...I'm glad, too. I wouldn't be, without you.

[ If he hadn't been there, Rapunzel doubted she would have had the conviction to cut her own hair. It was impossible to say. But he was willing to make the call, and she owed him her life. She would not forget that.

Slowly, she took a step back, as much as she didn't want to. ]

[dissonates]

[He's still not great at sensing what people need - social cues are beyond him most of the time, too many years spent learning to stop caring - but Rapunzel's being so obvious about it that it would be impossible to miss. He pauses to glance around, checking for enemies, then faces her again and offers out his free hand, the other unsheathing his sword.]

Come on, we still have to get back before you're really safe.

[degleamed]

[ She nods heavily, but takes his hand. She had no idea what they might have to face on the way back - would it be worse than what they'd already been through? - but things didn't seem quite so bleak when she could hold onto him like that. ]

A-alright. Let's go.

[dissonates]

[For a moment, it looks as if he wants to say something else. The words don't seem to come, so instead he tugs her hand as a warning before dashing off again, leading the way back to the base.

They're going to survive this, no matter what; he's determined to keep that promise now.]