[ OPEN? CLOSED? ] as you die, you will understand.

[passio]

WHO: dextera + others! i’m open to anyone but please tell me by PM or at pavaal if they haven’t had at least like, one conversation.

WHAT: dextera forces himself to face all the people he bailed on after dying.

WHERE: the town!

WHEN: forward dated to late june, and probably the 1st and 2nd of july.

WARNINGS: death death death

[ for the first time, dextera wakes up from death to a sky that isn’t red. it’s all as grey as the world around him, and slowly, the memories return to him—the bogeyman, his brother, the feeling of his very soul being taken from his body. then, there’s a long expanse of nothing. now, his consciousness has returned.

he keeps out of the way at first in this sketchy body, staying private, staying safe with a friend he’s sure won’t tell—there are things he’s not ready to talk about, and faces he’s not ready to see. after a few days have passed, though, and his features reform, color returns, and his voice continues to stay just out of reach, he can finally be seen around town again.

he saw the post. he knows guren announced his death. he’s just hoping that no one will ask about it, if they see him. ]

...

[ as ever, he's silent. ]


( i'll be posting closed prompts in the comments for people who want them, otherwise... go HOG WILD. )

Comments

[brightlyshines]

[Estelle was out detangling fishing line and watching the chickens peck about the yard when Dextera comes into view. She's very, very lucky that she doesn't straight out get herself tangled in her project when she sees him, but it's a near thing, chickens skittering out of the way as she stumbles to her feet, dropping her spool of line as she does.]

Dex.... Dextera?

[Her bright red eyes are wide... but she's moving forward the next second. Hello Dex you have one (1) small girl hurtling towards you in a full body tackle. Prepare yourself.]

[passio]

Es—!

[ dextera is prepared, this time. he knows estelle, and he’s not going to let himself be totally bowled over—and besides, he’s happy to see her. of all the people he left behind, he feels like estelle deserves to feel sad about it the absolute least.

he doesn’t want to be the reason she stops smiling, at any time, so he catches her tackle and tries to turn it into a hug.

impressively, he only stumbles a little, but his legs are shaking with the force of the impact. ]

[brightlyshines]

Dex.....!!!

[She can't even get his full name out, just clinging tightly upon impact, welcoming the hug. Good thing Dextera isn't bowled over, because stumbling or not Estelle isn't letting go for anything right now.

She'd hoped and prayed that the fact that he'd left something of himself behind meant he'd come back somehow, someway, and seeing him again was a flood of relief that spilled over in tears.]

Guren told us... You...

[passio]

[ it’s fine, it’s fine, he’s here, and although he’d felt a terrible guilt at coming back at all, estelle’s passion about is too overwhelming for him to think about how much he hurts. she’s crying, and he never wanted that. ]

…

[ he nods. he knows. guren made that announcement, that he and dave and john all died in the fight, and he wasn’t wrong. dextera did die, as did the others—but like a curse, the town has brought them back. he squeezes her, breathing slowly. ]

[brightlyshines]

[Estelle squeezes back for a few moments, relief rushing through her. He was back. He was back, he was in one piece, he was ok... or at least as ok as someone can be after that, anyway.

People didn't come back from the dead, where Estelle came from. The fact that Dextera had was nothing short of a miracle to her, regardless of how this place worked. After a few moment of getting herself somewhat under control and probably getting his coat stained with tears in the process, she looks up at Dextera with a bright, watery smile, happiness clear in her expression.]

You're really back. I'm so glad.

[passio]

[ dextera still feels bad for making her cry, even if she’s happy now, so he lifts his hands from around her in order to go for his coat—he has no tissue on him, but he’s going to lift the long tail of it to dab at her cheeks apologetically. ]

I’m back.

[ just to affirm it, because he wants her to know that it’s real, completely. ]

I’m sorry.

[brightlyshines]

[she wrinkles her nose a bit as he dabs at her cheeks, but her smile doesn't fade. If anything, it grows, because Dex seemed to be feeling like himself more or less, at least at a glance.]

You have nothing to apologize for. What matters is you came back, you know?

[She gives him another delighted squeeze, taking a moment to appreciate that Dextera is warm and here, and alive.]

[passio]

[ dextera is certainly all of those things, even if he went through a few stages to get there. it’s been a while since he died, but it seems like things are exactly as they always are, barring the strange start. ]

It took a long time.

[ longer than it should have, in his opinion. ]