interstellar5555 | I won't pretend that I intend to stop living

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I won't pretend that I intend to stop living

Who: erryone in Pride
What: recovering from the events of December 7
When: late December 7/early December 8 - ???
Where: Pride HQ and wherever else they're allowed to go
Warnings: ~~Carnies?~~ references to I Will Twist the Knife

So maybe you've just gotten back from the most mellow kidnapping ever and you're itching to tell your bandmates about what went on with the cool helmeted guys while everyone else was at that stuffy party. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a little while to tell them, but that's okay - surely you can keep yourselves occupied until everyone else returns.

Or maybe you're one of those who wound up at that party of Naomi's, and your night was a little less fun. Now you're back at HQ, possibly with mended physical injuries and almost certainly with a few new psychological scars. Now's your chance to check in on your friends and bandmates who missed out on all the trauma and deal with things as best you can.

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[She chuckles quietly.] The most intense, if we're trying to keep ourselves and everyone around us sane. [Luci considers Terry for a moment.] You think you, Nariko, and Yuffie could do it?

Maybe, I dunno. Nariko's been... [He sighs and rakes a hand through his hair.] Everything's been hitting her pretty hard.

[Luci looks worried too. Nariko's one of the select few Luci actively likes. Has this finally broken her? She hopes not, Nariko had enough fire in her for all of them, usually.]

I think this is getting serious, Terry. We have to work on this, so next time it doesn't happen this way. We lose Nariko today, next thing we know we're losing Garnet, or Maxxie-- Yuffie...

No. [His jaw tightens.] I won't let that happen.

[He'll fight everyone just watch him.]

Can you promise me that?

[Luci's looking him dead in the eyes, and despite her disheveled and worn-down appearance, there's no doubt that the same sharp spirit still exists inside that hoodie and under that unkempt fringe.]

Don't ask me why I'm asking, just tell me-- Shit could get real faster than anybody's prepared for, and these CEOs don't play for marbles or pink slips. Think hard, are you willing to put your life at risk for them? Because if you aren't, don't tell me you won't let it happen, because shit like that is easy to say.

[It's not that she doesn't think Terry is jerking her around, or doesn't actually care about that short list of people, but she's staring down Lesedi taking whatever she wanted from Luci. If that included her life... she'd rather know there was a second line behind her.]

In a heartbeat.

[There's nothing but 100% certainty in his reply, like the idea that he wouldn't has never one occurred to him, probably because it hasn't. It's a problem he has.]

[Luci stares at him another beat then nods faintly, almost to herself.]

Terry, Santiago didn't want to save Xanxus when he was dying. I wrote her a blank check to get her to do something about it. I don't regret it, but I'm starting to think that I might not come out of whatever she asks of me unscathed.

If something happens, you make damned sure it doesn't happen to Yuffie or Xanxus or Fetch. Alright?

[Well shit. That is... Significantly more terrifying than anything Terry expected her to say and he stares at her silently for a moment. It's not judgement, he's just so worried - Luci's seen him freak out at the idea of gong to Santiago's office before, she knows how he feels about that particular prospect.]

[After the moment of terrors passed though, Terry chews his lip and nods, reaching out to take one of her hands and give it a squeeze.]

You know you don't even need to ask me that.

Yeah. I know I don't have to, it just makes me feel better if I do it anyway. [She smiles faintly, twisting her hand until she can take Terry's hand and squeeze it back.]

You're a good kid, Terry. Even when Yuffie and I make trouble for you, or maybe because. I don't know. [She raises her eyebrows at him, as though to apologize for what she is. No changing it, though. Luci pulls Terry's hand off the table and leans in to kiss it. His forehead isn't readily available so this is the answer.]

Blood of the covenant, right?

[He smiles a little weakly and brushes his thumb over her knuckles lightly in a gesture he hopes is reassuring. He's scared for her, but there's also something about Luci that makes him feel like he can trust her implicitly. Just like Yuffie and Maxxie and Garnet. Something more than just closeness, but something safe.]

[They'll get through this.]

Thank goodness for that. [She's smiling and watching their hands. Luci feels safe with Terry too-- that's really the only reason she could bring herself to let somebody in on the secret.]

Don't tell Yuffie, alright? She's got enough going on without having to worry about me.

Yeah. This'll stay between us.

[Yuffie's... Worryingly good at ferreting out all sorts of information though. Terry chews his lip, frowning as he looks at their hands.] If she figures it out on her own though... I don't think I can lie to her.

Yeah, don't try, she'll be pissed at you and me. Better that she's angry at the right person. [Luci smirks faintly.] She's dealing with her own shit, she doesn't need mine too. Nobody does, you just got lucky. [She winks at him, though it's a pale imitation of her usual flirtatious self. Almost like she's just trying to phone it in so something will feel normal.]

Everyone needs to talk sometimes. [Hypocritical? Yes. But he gives her hand another squeeze and ignores Nariko's voice in the back of his head, telling him off for keeping everything to himself all the time.] And I'm good at this, I don't mind.

[Luci huffs a quiet laugh and runs her thumb over whatever bit of Terry's hand she can get at.]

I never talk. Too easy to get into the habit of prattling away about nothing important.

Yeah, well. [He shrugs.] If you ever change your mind about it, I'm always willing to make time to listen.

[She gives him a sardonic smile, but after a moment she sees that he's actually serious and it falls away. Woah.]

[Luci takes her place as the Carnival's backbone very seriously. She's the frontwoman to start, she's almost the only one who can keep Xanxus from running off the rails, and Yuffie is like a sister to her. If she fell apart, would they know what to do with her? So the answer was to always be the backbone. Hold everything upright.]

[Again, she considers their hands, thinking, and then Luci goes out on a limb.]

You like cuddling?

[Ah-- Terry chews his lip and looks down at his lap. It's a weirdly loaded question for him - he doesn't seek out physical comfort. Couldn't say why, but there's just something about it that makes him feel uncomfortable. Like it's wrong somehow of him to want it. And he's not such a tactile person anyway, not like some of the people he knows, so it's fine anyway.]

[But after everything that's happened, it'd be amazing. And Luci's asking, so it's probably fine.]

Right now? Yeah, that's... [He sighs] That'd be great.

It'd be great for me too.

[She likes Terry. Terry's sweet. Terry would be an amazing cuddle, she can already tell.]

Come on. [She stands up, coffee in hand and jerks her head towards the elevator.] I think your place is best, unless you want Yuffie getting involved.

[And as much as she loves Yuffie, right now is not the time for questions about who Luci is cuddling with and why.]

[He laughs softly, in a similar mind. He loves Yuffie dearly, but right now he doesn't think he can deal with her. Not in a "who are you in bed with" situation anyway. Terry stands with a small huff of effort and gives Luci a small smile to try and smooth over the fact that holy hell he forgot how much everything still hurts.]

My place, then.

Oh darling-- [Luci's eyebrows come together when he has a bit of trouble standing, and she whisks herself to Terry's side and puts an arm around his waist to help.]

Come on, not far.

I'm fine.

[It comes out a little snappy and he shrinks a little away from the arm around him. Sorry Luci, he's not great about accepting help. And he's just gonna BRUSH OVER IT and stick his hands in his pockets like nothing happened as they meander along to the CI penthouse.]

[Wow Terry, such attitude from someone she's about to cuddle. Luci frowns and watches him walk a few steps before deciding it wasn't a serious enough slight for her to be too irate and follows him.]

[Well no comment is a good comment, and Terry sighs with seeming relief once they're back at the penthouse. His expression is certainly a shade brighter.]

You want anything?

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I won't pretend that I intend to stop living

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