(no subject)

[cloakand_danger]

[Some time after midnight, without fuss or fanfare, a man's body appears atop one of the empty bunks, long blue hair splayed across his pillow, unblemished and wearing the same black tank top and blue boxers he died in. He is silent, motionless, not even breathing.

And then his hand twitches. His eyebrows furrow for a moment, as if his breathless slumber has been disturbed.

All at once, he takes a gasping breath, eyes flying open, and then another. He coughs and chokes on the fresh air for a moment, then presses both palms to his chest, staring at the whole flesh.]

Good as new...

[Finally, he has the chance to look around himself, and his brow furrows once again, this time in confusion.]

...This isn't the castle.

[/Zeus cabin]

[Some hours later, after he's woken fully and their current location has been sufficiently explained, Yuan has found his journal and opened it. There's a lot he wants to say, a lot of things he has to think about.

But first, he'd better let them know he's back.]

Camp Halfblood? [He sounds exhausted and drained, but nothing can mask the dry sarcasm of his tone.] Really, Paradisa?

Comments

zeus cabin;

[gentleidealist]

[What is curfew? Lloyd's up a little late, apparently doodling. He doesn't even notice when someone appears on the bunk next to him, but he DOES notice when the body starts coughing and talking.

ASDHASJASDJADKSF--

There goes all his drawing stuff. He just threw them off.]

Yuan!! You're back! [SORRY IF YOU PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING...]

zeus cabin forever;

[cloakand_danger]

[He blinks, still getting his thoughts together. His voice is hoarse from lack of use, and he looks distinctly worn down.]

...Lloyd? Where are we?

zeus cabin;

[gentleidealist]

[Lloyd vaults off his bed and scrambles to the ladder attached to Yuan's. I HOPE YOU WERE EXPECTING TO WAKE UP TO THIS FACE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.]

We're in some kind of summer camp. Apparently there are supposed to be gods who adopted us... or something like that. This is the cabin for zoo people.

What about you? Are you okay?

[cloakand_danger]

[hoping for a prettier one with greener hair, actually, but this'll do for now.]

Zoo people? In what way?

[He sighs.] ...Well, I'm a lot better now than I've been for the last couple of weeks.

1/2

[gentleidealist]

[LMAO... yeah, he's not as cute as Martel, but you know he tries. He curls his lashes every morning.] The names are weird...

i lied. it's 2/3.

[gentleidealist]

[His elation trickles back down into a frown as the situation hits him. Yuan's just waking up after a two week long nap. A nap caused by something stupid and heroic.

He was so worried. Terrified, even, that Yuan might leave and thus leave everyone else, all of his friends behind without a word. That's how things normally go when people leave Paradisa. But disappearing after something like /that/... It's just too cruel.

His eyebrows furrow slightly. It all comes rushing back: carrying Yuan in his arms, Martel's tearful look on the stairs--

-- and before he gives it a second thought, his fist is flying toward Yuan's face.]

... it's actually 3/4...

[gentleidealist]

You bastard! Why'd you have to go off and get yourself killed?! Did anyone ask you to do that!? [He can't help it. He's been frustrated for this reason for a couple of weeks.] When it was all over, you didn't walk through with everyone else, you got carried in and everyone saw it! Even Martel!

We didn't even know if you'd come back. You had people from all over the castle worried and-- and what was I supposed to tell Dad if he showed up--

4/4 OKAY I'M ACTUALLY DONE NOW

[gentleidealist]

[And now he's finally losing it, his grip on the little bunk ladder trembling like his expression.] You're not supposed to die! No one is supposed to sacrifice themselves anymore!

[He's trying really hard not to cry, so he'll just punch Yuan's bed instead.]

1/2

[cloakand_danger]

[That strike connects solidly, and Yuan's laid out flat on the bed clutching his jaw while Lloyd rants at him.]

What the hell was that for?! You think I meant to sacrifice myself?!

[Deep breath, Yuan. And seriously, sorry to anyone still trying to sleep.]

It wasn't- like that. I wouldn't have thrown my life away. I didn't give it up deliberately, we were just...outmatched.

2/2 because some of us can stick to our numbers

[cloakand_danger]

[Now to focus on the rest of what Lloyd said...the effort of his response seems to have left him drained.] Martel... How is she? And the others?

MATH IS HARD OKAY? I DON'T HAVE A LEGION OF BEAUTIFUL WOMEN TO ADD FOR ME

[gentleidealist]

[He sucks in a breath through his teeth, but he doesn't apologize.] I know. I know you wouldn't, but still... [He's shaking and it's getting really hard to stop. But there's other people in here so he needs to pull it together.

Another deep breath. He glances at his Exsphere, and then looks back up at Yuan.]

She's... trying really hard to be strong. But we're all fine. I saw the girl you saved-- she was okay, too.

[gevurah]

Yuan. [ A pause. ] Welcome back.

[cloakand_danger]

[The girl he saved...despite talking to her a few times over the course of their stay in that strange world, he's just realizing that he never got her name. Still, it's good to hear.] ...Good.

[He doesn't sit back up, just staring at the ceiling.]

What are the chances I'll get to lie in bed all day today? [He really doesn't feel right yet...]

1/2

[cloakand_danger]

Thanks.

[Well, this is awkward. Her voice sounds sort of familiar, but...he doesn't really have any idea who she is. A long pause while he tries to remember...]

2/2

[cloakand_danger]

[...nope, he's got nothing.]

Ah, who are you, exactly...?

CRIES

[gevurah]

[ She's not sure whether to feel worried or offended. ]

Kate.

[ A pause. ]

The redhead who was in the group.

[ The really, really, really pale redhead... ]

[cloakand_danger]

...I remember now, sorry. I don't think we were properly introduced. [There were a lot of new people there that he didn't get a chance to exchange names with, really. ;; He doesn't mean to forget you, Kate.]

How is...everyone else?

[persequor]

[ a w k w a r d

She'll just let mom handle this. That seems like an excellent decision. ]

[gevurah]

Everyone else is fine now. [ She pauses. ] We're just waiting on another to come back.

[triumph]

[Cassie is sitting up cross-legged on her bunk, still a little confused about all these "castle" people.]

Why does everyone keep talking about a castle? And where did you come from?

[ninjainviolet]

[Have an unexpected voice come over your journal, Yuan.]

Yu-Yuan? No one told me you were here, too.

[He sounds too familiar with the place to be a new arrival like her.]

Dictated forever

[onlyanapple]

Welcome back.

1/3?

[heal_theworld]

[Martel actually forgot that today was two weeks. She's just opened her journal to check what's happening at the camp, sitting comfortably in her tree in the forest, and that's when she hears him. She actually honest-to-spirits almost falls out of the tree, but catches herself.]

Yuan...?

2/3

[heal_theworld]

[Oh, it is him and he's alive and she's crying happy tears now because he's alive and as far as she can't tell didn't come back wrong.] Yuan, you're all right! I was so worried...

[...Wait for it...]

3/3 DONE

[heal_theworld]

And after I tell you not to die!? Stupid man! [She's still crying, even as she's scolding him.] What would I have done without you?