Snow in the Summer

[subconmodo]

Who: Avery Atchison, Jailbreak, Valvatorez, Hieke, Héctor, Puella Tempus, James Griffin, Ekkehardt Gehring
What: A mission to stop a queen who just can't let it go.
Where: A museum ice manor in Germany, August 20th.
Warning: Violence, disturbing imagery, one (1) yandere

[No top text here. Will instead be breaking everything down into sections. Make sure to hit up the plotting post if you haven't already!]

Comments

[arcadianvampire]

It was a dirty business sometimes. And it sometimes meant doing things that you hated doing. The price for failure here was already too high, and Vanessa's damage and rampage was already problem enough. At this point, expedience demanded a price, and this had to be it.

And it was price he didn't want to pay. That was obvious. But Valvatorez wasn't going to waste Avery's time with platitudes or well-wishes or regrets. There'd be time for dealing with fallout later.

"Deal."

With that settled, Valvatorez started walking back toward the museum.

[unpocoloco]

The moment Valvatorez appeared from the ground-- like Avery had once, a shadow preventing him from leaving Daybreak for the only one in his world who'd really mattered-- he steps back. At first, he's simply startled, but then as Valvatorez goes on his head hangs, shamed.

He hadn't considered the knowledge Avery has on Vanessa. He'd already know that this would haunt Avery, but that part he's not sure is changing. But one way or another, it still means his "help" is less than worthless.

He watches Valvatorez walk back, not quite able to muster the nerve for anything. He can only turn again to Avery and say, "Sorry. Unless you want to save her or you think you can get through to her... I don't know what else we can do."

And the real question is whether Avery even wants to do those things.

[subconmodo]

"Trust me. We can't. The time for that would have been ages ago." Before she locked him up. Before she cut his hair while he slept.

"It's not like I care whether or not she lives or dies anyway."

A voice in the back of his mind calls him a liar.

[unpocoloco]

For a moment his eyes close. His brows furrow. Even from Avery it feels harsh.

"Don't say that. You know that's not true." Couldn't be further from it. He watched Avery stab at that portrait, every swing down missing her and taking his image instead. He's lived memories so bitter and yet, seeing her...

Quieter, for no one else to hear, he says, "I don't want to lose you today, Avery. I don't just mean in the obvious ways. I know you're not going to be okay after this and I don't know that I can help but... I don't want lose my friend. So, please, don't bury him when you grieve."

[subconmodo]

"I don't know what you're talking about." Another lie. And then something resembling the truth: "There's who I thought she was and there's... this." He gestures to the manor.

"I have no reason to grieve that." And he'll say it however many times it takes for his useless, traitorous heart to recognize it.

[unpocoloco]

"You can grieve who you thought she was," He says. His throat goes tight, voice a little rougher than he wants. He doesn't want to think of Ernesto now. This isn't the time and place for his petty little loss. But sometimes, some of this...

"You can grieve what you lost, what you hoped for," He goes on. "You make a space for someone in your life, worse when you cut pieces of yourself to do it, trying to fit them, to make them happy... it's going to hurt when that space is empty. It doesn't matter if that person was... terrible for you. Or to you. You still made that space. You held all those things you dreamt for each other and felt. You can't stop wanting that person you believed in to be real because it's- ha, it's impossible to stop wanting to heal." Human nature. Even when they weren't all human anymore.

"Once you... see them again and things get confirmed or... once she's gone... that's it. There's no more hoping for things to change even with that small stupid part of you." He can't meet Avery's eyes. "But if you shut up that stupid little part then you're never going to give anyone another chance. I know you'll think it's safer that way, but I'll ask you again; please, however long you have to take, even if its ages, don't shut us all out for good when this is over. Don't- don't shut me out. I really don't want to lose another friend."

[subconmodo]

He stares at Héctor. It's a long, uncomfortable silence.

Somehow the thought of Héctor going through something similar to what he had is more sickening than whatever "feelings" lingered toward Vanessa, but at least it's a sick feeling that makes some small measure of sense. He can wrap his head around it, no matter how much he hates it.

Avery scoffs and turns his head away. "Like I'd really just leave you to rot. If you haven't gotten it through your skull already, you're stuck with me until the very fiber of your being crumbles to dust."

[unpocoloco]

He can feel Avery's eyes on him. He still can't quite look up. Part of him is waiting for it, being told off, told he's stupid, brushed off, something. He doesn't know what's the sort of thing Avery do and what he's just learned to be used to in the moment.

He winces at the scoff, bracing, breath held.

And then his head lifts. He looks breathless, and then almost like he might cry before a grin blooms upon his face. The relief hits in a rush. He wants to rush forward and hug Avery, but even he's got the sense that doing so before they face his ex isn't the best idea. He reaches out, instead gently tapping the back of his hand to Avery's hand or arm, whatever he can.

"Thank you, mi amigo," He says. It's the most Avery's openly admitted. It means the world. More than heaven and earth. His hand draws back. "I'll wait for you when this is over. Whatever you time you have to take. Hell, whatever I can do. You're more than owed a few stupid decisions after this. Or just to... sit somewhere and we don't even have to talk. I'll be here."

[subconmodo]

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now knock it off with all of this sappy nonsense before I change my mind or find a way to give you a swirly." He can find a way to do it with snow. He thinks. Maybe.

[unpocoloco]

He laughs and it's lighter than he would've expected of himself on a mission like this. He doesn't at all stop his fond smiling.

"You know, you only make it funnier when you get all fussy like that. It's not nearly as discouraging as you think it is. You get this pouty look. Like a grumpy toddler."