[ OPEN/CATCH-ALL ] we garner this poor hour of ease.

[passio]

WHO: dextera, and others.
WHERE: the town.
WHEN: throughout november, labeled accordingly.
WHAT: some important prompts (following guren for a canon update), some not-so-important prompts (snow!), and eventually, possibly, quests.
WARNINGS: dextera’s existential despair is gonna be BIG in this post, plus definitely discussions of blood/gore (mostly for animals)!



i. LET IT SNOW (OPEN / PRIOR TO NOTICING NEW ARRIVALS)

[ when dextera wakes up the morning of the eighth, it seems that overnight the rain of the day before has turned to snow. he’s seen snow before, by now, but it didn’t stick the first time it fell. now, however, the ground is covered in an inch or two that’s getting a little thicker with every passing minute, and certainly with every passing hour.

dextera, true to form, is scrambling out of his room after catching a glimpse of the blinding white through the window, to go grab the chickens and usher them all inside their coop. it’s too cold for them! it’s also too cold for dextera, who forgot to put on his warm, protective coat, so he’s standing outside shivering trying to make sure that the chickens are safe. ]

ii. the suffering of christ (OPEN / AFTER THE NEW ARRIVALS)

a. [ dextera had followed guren into the woods. of course he had, of course, because guren had gotten up for seemingly no reason and wandered in—responding to nothing at all. no matter how much dextera tugged at his arm or tried to stand in the way, guren kept moving on as a man possessed. what this meant, what this means, is that dextera stumbles out of the woods alone a few hours later, at some point when the dawn breaks over the horizon and reflects on the ever-growing pristine snow. blood of various origins stains the path behind him.

he looks bad. he looks like he’s been in there for days, even though he was ostensibly only gone a few hours—there’s blood down his shirt, on his mouth, his fingers, dried and fresh in equal measure. the tentative light in his eyes that’s been blooming these past few months is extinguished entirely, but that’s only visible for a moment before he goes face down into the snow and stays there. ]


b. [ over the next few days following the above incident, anyone who knows both dextera and guren, and possibly even people who don’t, are going to receive a desperate message from his hex code in their inbox. possibly more than one, possibly several. ]

Wheredid he go?

c. [ until guren’s return, dextera is going to be in his room. definitely crying, maybe not eating, but he’s not going to fight anyone who comes in to check on him. ]

iii. WILDCARD

( here is everything else! assuming that the mini-event doesn’t fuck me right up with the timing of this, anyone can respond to those first two, but if you’d like to do something else, something more specific, or quests, let me know by PM or at pavaal! )

Comments

it all comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down

[bisection]

[ His side always aches when his brother ducks into the forest and outside of his reach. He can feel his guts stir and his weak heart tremble with fear that he's been left behind. Normally, he tries to breathe through it.

This time, the coming cold has frozen his strength and lead him to the forest to wait for him. He's thought enough to put on his warmer coat and to carry his sword in his belt loop.

It's fruitless, probably. He's probably gone in with Guren again, on some hero's mission that he sees as pointless. It's a selfishness in him, borne of his feelings of being left behind.

He doesn't expect to find his brother weary and face-down in the snow, tinting the ground red with the remnants of blood dripping from him. He hurries over, yanking off his coat and leaning down to wrap him in it. He's trying to peel him off the ground. ]

Little brother! What has happened?

[passio]

[ dextera goes like a doll being dragged around, when his brother pulls him up. ]

…

[ it’s some long-buried habit that he tries to move his mouth to speak, his lips blue from sitting in the snow for so long, and he shivers as he blinks away the frost on his eyelashes. how long… it feels like he’s been missing from the town for a month, with his time in the forest and the time he’s spent out in the snow. ]

[bisection]

[ After all the fussing about the forest from before, he's found him like this. Sinistra hefts him close and squeezes his brother to his chest. He looks so lifeless and is chilled to the touch.

Sinistra can feel himself failing here. He doesn't know what to do for him but hold him close, rubbing his back and trying to bring him to the present. ]

You have to talk to me. Please. Please... brother... please, anything.

[passio]

[ the warmth of his brother’s arms around him does help. it’s something tangible, after a week of loneliness, and he automatically turns his face into the crook of his brother’s neck. shivering, still shivering, but responsive. ]

…

[ there’s no one else who could rouse him like his brother can. ]

I can’t… find him.

c

[nascere]

[ dex isn't coming out of his room and so noctis takes it upon himself to find him, to take care of him as best he can. he doesn't see guren around anymore, which is strange when he usually is such a regular sight, and perhaps, he has an idea of what just happened.

so he comes in with food he'd made just for him. food, and fruit, and lightly closes the door behind him. dex is a tear-stained, skinny mess, and noctis feels his heart hurt for him. ]

Dex...

[passio]

[ it’s been, what, a few days now? it’s unbearable. guren’s hex code hasn’t been removed from the forums the way others’ have, who have gone home, so he must be somewhere. if he’s in this town, though, then why hasn’t he shown himself? why won’t he respond to dextera’s messages? ]

…

[ he looks up at noctis and wipes away his tears, forcing himself to sit up. he’s responsive! that’s good, but he still looks awful. ]

[nascere]

[ he looks real awful, dex does, and noctis frowns as he steps in further, unable to keep the concern from showing. he doesn't quite know the specifics, but he has an idea. ]

Eat something, at least.

[ he says softly, coming closer. ] Can I join you?

i.

[ditherer]

[gandharva is 0% bothered by the cold, but that's the kind of thing that happens when you're basically an ice demon.

but humans are usually a different story, aren't they? or whatever dextera might be. he's still obviously someone who, on the other hand, is still affected by temperature.]

Perhaps you should go back inside, Mister Dextera.

[passio]

[ dextera’s fingertips are turning red, as is his nose, with the beginnings of frostnip that hopefully won’t turn to frostbite. he tucks his hands into his armpits, trying to keep warm, and shakes his head. ]

…

[ a quick gesture with his elbow, to the chickens. ]

[ditherer]

... Shouldn't your well-being come first before those creatures?

iia!

[unghost]

[ This isn't the first time they've seen Dextera covered in blood like that, so they naturally assume it has to be because of the same reasons - eating animals out in the forest again, or something, right? Typical Dextera, no reason to worry. At least, that's what they were thinking, until he faceplants right into the snow, and they start considering the possibility that some of it might be his own. ]

Ah—!

[ He doesn't see it, but they look genuinely horrified and concerned as they dart through the snow with practiced ease, willing their exhaustion away so they can lean over to pull at the back of his collar - careful not to touch any of his skin with their frigid hand. ]

Hey...

[ Is he dying? Should they be running to get someone else instead of doing this? The sense of panic settles in quickly. ]

[passio]

[ dextera is so tired.

he’s hungry, he’s delusional, but even if cairngorm hauled him all the way back to bluo, he would trudge right back to this very spot. ]

…

[ that voice is distant, but familiar, and dextera turns his face up at them with an unfocused, glassy look in his eyes. he’s not really looking at them, though he sees them, and when he breathes out, it’s such a shallow breath it hardly even mists in the air.

he feels like he’s been gone for days. he’s been so cold, so alone, for days. ]

[unghost]

[ That certainly doesn't look good. They study him for a few seconds, that blank glassy look of his, and their brows tense in a way that lacks any sort of malice or irritation. There's just plain worry when they look at him, kneeling down in the snow to get closer. ]

... [ Is he injured, or is something else wrong with him? They remember that the cold makes it hard for humans to move around, probably hard for him to sign, too. Maybe they shouldn't ask what's wrong. ] Come on.

[ They keep a grip on the back of his collar, moving their other hand to tug at his shoulder - all so they can try to hoist him up. ]

Let's go.

ii. c

[messianic]

[It's not hard to realize that Guren's gone, or that Dextera isn't having a good time at all. The ripples can be felt throughout the Town, and quietly... Minato ends up coming over, a day or so after The Big Crisis of Dextera getting back.

Quietly, he knocks on the door, though he's not above just shoving it on open and heading in to make sure Dextera's okay, if it comes down to that!

(This, honestly, is when Minato thinks the town is the cruelest--when it takes away their loved ones, after letting them bond so close.)]

[passio]

[ dextera doesn’t respond to the first knock, but the second round has him pulling himself out of his bed to answer the door—with a dull, distant hope that it’s guren using etiquette for once. he thinks he’d rather guren just walk in, though.

he’s not disappointed to see minato, but he is strangely embarrassed to be seen by minato. like everything else right now, though, it feels buried. ]

…

[messianic]

[... That's an expression. That's a really bad expression, the sort of dullness that makes Minato's stomach drop to see, even now (the sort of dullness that had been on so many faces, the feelings that had called out to Nyx in the end...).

... Minato quietly keeps his eyes fixed on Dextera's face.]

... I'm sorry, but... I'd like to stay for a bit, if I can. I don't think I can leave you alone when you look like this, Dextera-san.

i

[withwisdom]

Dextera?

[ zelda's voice is questioning as she stops her walk down the road when she sees him. contrary to her typical outfit, she's wearing a snowquill tunic in a pale green and thick winter pants with her boots being the only thing she normally wears. she's comfortably insulated from the winter thanks to the thick feathers of the rito and that's more than she can say about him, shivering. ]

Why are you outside without proper clothes? You need to get inside and change.

[passio]

…?

[ dextera looks at her like he didn’t even realize it, and then he looks down at himself, with his scrawny arms on full display, and a cold breeze rustling the tattered parts of his shirt. he looks like he might be two seconds away from death. ]

The chickens.

[withwisdom]

[ the chickens? ...oh, so that's why he's out here. he must not have even thought to get dressed - makes sense. for him anyway. ]

You go inside. I'll tend to coop while you get changed.

C

[brightlyshines]

[The day after Dextera's brought home, there's a quiet knock on his door. Estelle hadn't seen him leave his room since, and as much as she understood him needing his space, she also worried. She wasn't sure he'd even eaten since he got home, and well....]

Dex.....? Can I come in?

[She's hoping he'll open the door, but if not... well, she's going to let herself in in a bit, a plate in one hand and a glass and tin pitcher of water balanced in another.]

[passio]

[ yeah, estelle is just going to have to let herself in, because dextera doesn’t feel like moving. since he knows it’s not guren, he’s in no rush to come to the door—or see anyone, or do anything. the delirium of being trapped in the woods for a week has worn off, leaving only sadness. ]

…

[ when she enters, however, he lifts his head in acknowledgment. ]

[brightlyshines]

[Estelle offers Dex a small smile when she lets herself in, holding up the plate and pitcher to illustrate her purpose as she nudges the door closed behind her with her hip. She kind of figured he'd prefer that, really.]

Brought you some food.... and water. Kind of figured you'd at least be thirsty.

[Crying did that to a person.]

[swordfucker]

[The way he comes out of the forest is similar to the way he went into it. It's some sort of trance carrying him forward, his eyes staring blankly ahead, arms at his side, nothing amiss other than the shoes missing from his feet.

That changes once he's out from the trees. A few steps, and he sinks down to his knees in the snow, pressing a palm to his face. His demon had taken over just after whatever force was controlling him had let go, and it was more disorienting than usual. That... plus the time he just made up for.]

Ugh.

[What a pain. The memories of Chroma flood back to him, and he realizes quickly that he can't be kneeling here in the snow.]

Dex— [Still half out of it, he pushes himself to stand on his bare feet, stumbling slightly, eyes darting to find him.]

[passio]

[ dextera is bundled up nearby, looking at a slightly different part of the forest—lost in thought, more than he’s watching. he’s out of the house, which is good, but he’s in the snow like it’s a compulsion because it sort of is.

the sound of someone crunching through the ice is enough to get him to turn, and he recognizes guren’s silhouette immediately. he would, anywhere, and there are a lot of emotions that flood through him all at once. relief, of course, but there’s unexpected anger, too. some sorrow. confusion and happiness are mixing together as well, and the combination of all of them makes him feel sick. ]

—!

[ the feeling that makes it to his face is a strangely mild surprise, like his main concern is that guren might be cold, and not that guren has been missing. ]

[swordfucker]

[He's been gone for a long time. That's what's going through Guren's mind. But it doesn't match up quite like that, either. The time doesn't link. He doesn't remember thinking about Chroma back home at all, and so when did he really leave? Which information is new?

It's giving him a headache, but he pushes past that and rushes to him. He can't feel his toes, but he doesn't care, reaching to take Dextera by the arms, searching his face for answers.]

Dextera... what happened? What are we doing out here? Where did this snow come from?