[ 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

[bittybat]

Fine. [He doesn't say it as if he's exasperated or Done. It's a genuine that's fine.] But you should tell at least one person you trust. In case something happens here.

[HE'S GOT A LOT OF ROOM TO TALK, but he doesn't think it's the same since he doesn't have any powers. He also doesn't demand it be him. There's plenty of people he thinks Dextera knows that could hear it.] Someone will understand how to handle it. It's less I trust you, and more I'll never trust this town.

[He moves one of his rooks forward just a tad. Hm. It looks like he may be attempting to castle in the future.]

[passio]

[ there are plenty of people dextera knows, but few people he wants to tell about the extent of his power—it’s scary, what he can do. it looked helpful during the werewolf incident because it was, and he was taken along for the bogeyman because it’s as close to “holy light” as one can get, but purification is not a kind power. ]

I trust you.

[ it seems like the natural extension of this conversation, doesn’t it? to let damian be the one who knows—to be the person that could do something, if dextera ever changed.

with his defense against damian’s queen set up, he advances his pawn, but his eyes are on his own remaining pieces, considering. ]

[bittybat]

[Damian's eyes lift to look across the board at Dextera. His expression softens fintly after a moment or two, and then he looks down again.] It doesn't have to be me.

[Just--to put it out there in the open. He doesn't move anything on the board yet.]

You can tell me when you're ready. It doesn't have to be now. I won't tell anyone else.

[Obviously, he also won't judge... but he doesn't think he, of all people, needs to mention that.]

[passio]

[ even if damian says that it doesn’t have to be him, it just makes sense, especially now that dextera has said it. now that damian has laid out his conditions. that’s agreement without actually agreeing, and dextera will take it. ]

Later. A message. Long story.

[ dextera is much less worried about security or someone seeing than damian is, which is precisely why he’s sure that damian will take good care of any private text that dextera sends him. ]

[bittybat]

Alright. [He understands. He also understands it's more difficult talking to people spontaneously when words can be considered longer with text.] I'd return the favor, but I don't have any miraculous powers.

[Any more...]

The joys of being human. [It sounds more like a gentle joke at his expense and less like an envious ideation. Using one knight, Damian captures the advancing pawn, but the landing square is in line with one of Dextera's rooks.] If you could be a chess piece, which one would you choose?

[passio]

[ dextera breathes out something like a laugh, at damian’s light comment—the joys, indeed. he would be happier if he didn’t have these powers. if he were no one, to the archangel. he probably would have simply been left to die, and that sometimes seems like the better outcome for everything he’s done.

and yet, not here. he’s glad he lived long enough to see this place. ]

Pawn.

[ if damian expected any other answer, then he vastly overestimates dextera’s sense of self. the question, for him, isn’t which one he’d like to be—it’s the one that he is, inexorably.

he takes damian’s piece, without missing a beat. ]

[bittybat]

[For a minute or two, Damian doesn't respond. He watches Dex snag his knight, then looks over the board.] Some would reprimand you for deciding to be what they think is a lowly rank.

But it isn't a bad choice. All pieces in chess are important. [The rook is out of the way, so the knightly sacrifice isn't in vain. Damian pushes a pawn on that side forward, going for the opening. He makes sure he he's one step behind the rook and not in line with a bishop.

He can only be caught if Dex is risky enough to move the queen.] Even pawns.

I'd be the queen. [No surprise. Damian wants to be the strongest piece. He's probably more of a knight in the order of Bat things, but he'll gun for the queen any day.]

[passio]

[ some would reprimand him, and some would praise him for knowing his place. dextera expects both of those things, but he doesn’t expect damian’s mild comment acknowledging the strength of a pawn.

it’s no surprise that he follows up the observation by claiming himself as the strongest, most versatile piece, however. that’s just who damian is, and dextera likes that. he likes the spirit, and the confidence. ]

It suits you.

[ he doesn’t move that queen, which may prove to be his downfall, but he’s hesitant about bringing her out too early. instead, he deliberates. if he doesn’t play the queen, then… ]

[bittybat]

[There's a small, somewhat pleased smile that comes to the edge of his mouth. He can appreciate the value of a pawn--both in sacrificing it for a bigger goal and in getting it across the board to crown it as something else, something better. It's hard to go out of the way for a "simple pawn" when the opponent is driving focus to bigger matters.

Pawns are cool? Listen.] What is God like? [He glances up at Dextera's face while waiting patiently for Dextera to move.] No one has met God in my world.

We have gods--the ones from myth. Being who thinks they're gods. Demi-gods. And demons.

[passio]

[ there’s just one god in dextera’s world, but she’s all of them, too. her influence extends to every part of creation, and polytheism is the result of her split divinities.

she’s real, tangible, but everyone who believes in something is correct about her. ]

She’s sick.

[ he doesn’t know what she’s like, when she’s well. ]

Very… hopeful. But confused. “Deranged.”

[ rather than moving a piece, dextera continues thinking—and ultimately, decides to turn his king over in a polite resignation. he smiles, sheepish but congratulatory. he thought the game through, considered their positions… it’s a sign of his own skill that he could see it, and a sign of humility as well to know that damian would triumph. ]

Good game.

[bittybat]

[Deranged? Sick? That's... worrying, coming from a god. Excuse him, God. More worrying coming from God.] You can just say you forfeit.

[A pawn. Fiting. He understands what Dextera meant, but he reaches across the board and stands Dextera's king back up.] A king shouldn't bow to anything but time.

Next time, we'll play to win for real.

[passio]

[ damian will get all those answers and more when dextera sends him his neat little private message about his powers… or like, if he asks. ]

Heh. Next time, my win.

[ he’s confident about that, even if he’s trying really hard not to be competitive over a board game with a thirteen year old. ]

[bittybat]

It better be. [Sometimes, Damian is a sore loser. But when someone who seems smart and powerful offers to show him, he holds them to it. He'll try to be patient.

Carefully, he stands up.] That means you can't let Ichinose get you in trouble again. Because if you're not here to show me your win, I'll be disappointed.

And Ichinose will have to suffer the consequences.

[It's not a threat so much as a taunt; Dextera's probably well aware Guren can give him a run for his money. It's more of... Damian's way of saying don't die again, idiot.]

[passio]

[ dextera understands what he means. it’s a far cry from the world before where returning from death was greeted with frustration and telling him that it was a waste of a coffin.

damian cares. a lot of people care. it’s strange. ]

Go easy on him.

[ he’s my boyfriend :(

when damian makes a move to leave, though, dextera stands up as well to see him out—polite, if unnecessary. ]

Thank you—for talking.

[bittybat]

Maybe. [Go easy on Guren? NO. He refuses. That guy kicked his ass. He won't ever go easy.]

You don't talk about useless drivel. [Dextera seeing him out doesn't seem to bother him, and he's greeted by the sound of curious and excited clucking from the hutch when he exits anyway.

Except the clucking isn't for him, unfortunately. Several feet away, there's a tuxedo cat playfully rolling in the grass, stretched out and curved, pulling itself along on one side. Taunting the hens.

Damian stands there for a minute, watchful, and then he glances over his shoulder.] You can keep him. His name is Alfred Pennyworth.

[passio]

Ah—?

[ dextera immediately forgets everything they just talked about, how he died, all of it, because there is a kitty in his presence. he should be worried about the hens, but the cat doesn’t seem hungry or violent or anything.

it’s just… so cute. it’s so fucking cute. dextera stands stunned by the sight, and it takes a few seconds for his brain to catch up with damian’s words. ]

Huh? [ so overwhelmed by the cat, he forgot he can’t speak. his hands move a moment later. ] Keep?

[bittybat]

"Keep." He is a cat. I doubt you'd be able to officially keep him. [Hm. Not unlike Damian. WEIRD.] He'll come and go as he pleases, but--

You can keep him for now as long as he stays. He's showing off. [His head tilts at the look on Dextera's face. He forgot again about the "no animals."] Pennyworth. Come. [He offers the cat a few clicks of his tongue for good measure.

Pennyworth returns a curious thirrup, digs claws in, pulls along, then rolls up and arches before prancing over as if having all the time in the entire world. So much time. Endless time. A stupid human construct.] You can pet him.

[passio]

[ dextera knows that fist and scythe have griped about chasing down cats for various purposes before, and he knows that cats are supposed to be fickle and capricious—but that’s sort of fun. as much as dextera likes routine, it’s good to have something he can never hope to predict, too. ]

…

[ his hands are shaking because he is so absurdly excited. before he reaches out, though, there’s an extremely pressing question has has to know. ]

Meow?

[bittybat]

[There’s a sudden, but lengthy pause.

And then Damian actually bursts into laughter. It sounds both very not him and very him all at once. Genuine laughter, boyish, not dripping with malice or pettiness. He isn’t sure why this is so funny, but he doesn’t seem to mind that Dextera has seen a break in his countenance.

He just likes animals, okay.] Meow. [It makes him think of Selina. He squats down and reaches out to run some fingers down Pennyworth’s back. The cat gives an urgent, strangled meow as Damian stands back up. Pennyworth lays into Dextera’s legs, offering some arched rubbing.]

[passio]

I…?

[ dextera doesn’t understand why damian is laughing, and the surprise of it is enough to get the softest of sounds from his throat, but it’s not actually a problem. he’s not offended. the curiosity quickly turns to amusement of his own, and then interest when pennyworth shamelessly rubs against his legs.

it’s a meow!!!

dextera has never seen a cat before his time in his town, only heard them, but there’s a kind of instinctive understanding of how to approach animals in the way he stoops slightly to let pennyworth sniff him. once it seems acceptable, he strokes the cat down its back. ]

[bittybat]

[While Dextera gauges and dances around the strange, ridiculous boundaries and manners of a cat, Damian watches Dextera instead. Initially, he thought perhaps Dextera couldn't speak at all. The throat "not good."

But it seems like Dextera has the physical capability. Hm. He doesn't bring it up. Cassandra doesn't talk either even if she can, and Damian understands and respects whatever this lack of verbal communication is. Honestly, sometimes words get in the way.] I named him after our butler.

They both wear tuxedos.

[Pennyworth is a little feisty, but mostly spoiled. He arches into the fingers a few times with tail up, and then he begins rumbling. His white feet start kneading the grass gently.] If you sit down, he'll get in your lap.

[passio]

[ it’s a long, complicated story, of which his voice is only a piece. if anyone, damian is probably most primed to hear it, but it’s just a matter of sitting himself down and actually saying it all. there’s so much. it’s hard to relate to anyone, when it feels impossibly vast.

luckily, he’s not thinking about that, because there’s a cat in front of him and he’s easily pleased by these simple things. ]

Heh heh.

[ a small breath of a laugh, and he does just that, letting the cat climb into his lap with barely suppressed glee. ]

Thank you. [ to damian, but honestly, he could be thanking pennyworth as well. ]

[bittybat]

He's a cat, and he'll treat you like a cat, too. He doesn't know any better, only that you smell a little funny, you're naked, and you're bigger.

If he's happy, he'll "knead" you, like bread. [The thing that is currently happening now that Pennyworth is in Dextera's lap.] It's what he's doing now. His claws might hurt, but he doesn't mean to hurt you.

He doesn't like for you to hold his paws or tail. He'll let you pick him up for a short time, but will get fussy and want to get down or get on your shoulders instead. He won't like being held upside down. Cats have sensitive balance, and they use it to land on their feet if they fall, so being held that way is unnerving.

If his tail is up, he's happy. If his ears are back and his tail is down low or bristled, he's upset. He'll also hiss. If his tail is thumping or trashing on the ground, he's getting ready to be an ass, so be prepared to have your feet or hands attacked.

[Damian turns to slowly head off over the yard, back toward the street.]

You'll learn things the more time you spend with him.

[passio]

[ it’s a lot to remember… but it somehow seems intuitive as well. what it mostly sounds like to dextera is that as long as he doesn’t impress himself upon the cat at every given opportunity, they can have a long, happy life together. if he waits, pennyworth will come to him, and at that time only can dextera get his fill of touching animals.

it’s not a bad deal. he knows people like that. probably one of them is walking away right now, to head back to wherever it is he goes when he’s not checking on dextera’s chickens for him. ]

…

[ he nods, only briefly wondering what it would feel like to have his palm kneaded because he’s always curious about points of pain like that, but he avoids that impulse and raises a hand to instead wave goodbye to damian. ]

Later. Let’s talk more.

[bittybat]

[Not wrong. At all.

For a while, Pennyworth will be content to entertain Dextera. He'll come and go as he pleases, as cats do, but may sometimes be found scratching or meowing at Dextera's door--if Dextera makes the mistake of giving food. Dextera might have to relocate the cat right now in order to get up off the ground.

Damian throws back a few signs as he leaves:]

See you around.