caughtinanetwork | [semi-accidental video]

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[semi-accidental video]

[Not even a day has passed and you can already expect Azimuth to be on his feet, continuing life as normal. Except something about him still seems off, and in the process of preparing breakfast, the old Lombax could be seen stopping from time to time, murmuring to himself, or pausing to lean on the counter. His movements are stiff and hesitant, though he manages enough sense of mind to nearly complete an entire bowl of cereal.

Milk poured, an unsteady hand sets the gallon aside, opting to put it back in the fridge later. This is followed by another hesitant pause, and the Elder stares strangely down at the Lucky Charms filled to the rim.

He raises the spoon.

But his head is first to splash into the bowl, nearly knocking it over.

No, Alister, that's not how you eat.]

[ooc: aaaand wrap-up post. Alister's staying at the Villa with Rin and Yukio until he's a bit more steady on his feet. o7]

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[Jade keeps talking to Alister, trying to assuage him as he went. It took a bit to get to the house, and after a bit of work (Either talking with Rin or just entering), Jade got himself to Alister's room.]

General?

[Unfortunately, when the Colonel does arrive, he'll find the Lombax in quite a disheveled state.

Not nearly the level of insanity he had been shrieking off before, but an expressionless stare is one of the only things visible from beyond the bedsheets, the Elder murmuring quietly to himself. He's somewhere in his own head, sorting through the muck to try and find even a semblance of his old self.]

[Jade walks over and puts a bag down on the ground, the items in the bag just simple medical supplies if they were needed.

He sat on the edge of the bed near the General and placed the back of his hand gently to Alister's forehead.]

[Almost instantly, the haze clears a little in the General's eyes, shifting to gaze up at the man above. He's able to recognize that presence after so long, even without clearly seeing the other's face in the dark room. It's a presence he's come to enjoy, and some of the anxiety does start to subside.

...

That, and he's probably pushing himself up a little too quickly.]

[Jade put a hand on the Lombax's shoulder, trying to coax him to lay back down.]

Calm down, Alister. Just lay down, alright?

[Something was physically touching him. No illusions, no false smiles. There was a friend trying to help and he wanted to believe with all of his being that he was really, truly there. So his own shaking hand moves to rest on top of the other, digging his claws into it slightly, but not enough to seriously injure the other man.]

I left you.

[The words tumble out of his mouth before he realizes what he's saying, the Lombax giving a terse wince, then starting to sink back down onto the sheets with a shudder.]

...I just... left... I'm s-sorry.

[Jade frowned a bit, but didn't move the hand on his.]

You didn't leave, you were kidnapped, Alister.

I... I don't understand. Vorselon?

...no. This doesn't feel right.

No, you're still in Vatheon.

[His hand remains where it was, tryign to somehow comfort him.]

N... o, I'm not. I don't--

I can't be on this world. I don't want to be back. Why are we here?

Alister, you're safe, that's what you need to concentrate on.

[Jade didn't know what else to tell him. Jade rubbed his own forehead lightly. What had they put into Alister to cause this?]

...I'm not safe. I'm not. They'll just come back.

Like before.

[The world is forever shifting for him, running through his hands like liquid despite how tangible everything had been on the outside. He's losing himself in his own head, in a fantasy of terrifying delusions and what-was, what-could-have-been.

Not a good place to be.]

General. Focus on me.

[He was a bit more commanding now, the hand on Alister's forehead coaxing Alister to look at him.]

[His heart twists in his chest and feels close to claustrophobia when the walls start crashing down around him, threatening to crush the General where he laid. And he couldn't move. He was going to die and Rin and Ratchet and everyone--!

A gentle pressure on his head.

And the vision all at once dissipates. He's back in that room again, a dark form hovering over him and a distant voice to call out. And again, he tries raising his head to keep his sights on the Colonel, voice caught in his throat for the moment, waiting for him to say more.

He was still afraid. He remembers this kind of instability and desperation.

Last time, someone wound up dead.]

Come on. General, try to concentrate.

[His hand remains, keeping Alister's eyes on him.]

G... eneral.

[Blinking slowly, his brow knits in thought, struggling to make sense of the word. He'd... known it, just a little while ago, but now it was gone. What did it mean? Why was he saying it?]

...no. Alister. I think.

Yes, your name is Alister.

[Jade was growing more concerned. His condition was stuck in some kind of flux between getting better and getting worse. He leaded to his bag and pulled a cool cloth from it. He stood and left Alister, muttering a small excuse me as he went to wet it. When it was damp, he pressed it gently to Alister's forehead.]

[At this point, the Lombax barely even flinched, even as the man left for but a few moments. He was lost in that strange, calming reprieve, wondering to himself why the Colonel's presence calmed him more than others. And not just here - the other times they had interacted as well.

There was just... something about him, that made the old General feel whole. Like he didn't have to worry about being kidnapped or suffocated or torn away from what few good friends he was making. And the thought just makes him smile weakly more than anything else, his current instability making the gesture appear far more unnerving than it was meant to be.]

Co... lonel, I...

[He swallows hard, trying to find his voice again.]

...what... do you think of me...?

[Jade pressed the cloth to Alister's forehead, dabbing it across his brow gently. When he saw the Lombax's smile, that caused his expression to stay dark and contemplative.

At the question, Jade paused. What did he think of Alister...? Well... What did he think? He paused his dabbing and rested it against Alister's temple. Well, Alister was a comrade and a friend. He was... odd. He was interesting.]

You're a comrade and a friend. [Probably the best and simplest way to say it.]

[That was good, but somehow not what he'd wanted to hear. So the Lombax does stare a little more after the fact, watching the other's face with an eerie silence, wincing at the cloth from time to time.]

...do you... you think we could ever be more?

[Jade blinked, confused at what he meant. There were certainly a lot of connotations behind that question. He considered it a long moment before he phrased his question.]

How do you mean?

If you'd... want to do something, sometime. With me.

I can't say I'd be adverse to finding things to do outside of professional business.

That's not-- I...

[The Lombax lightly shakes his head under the cloth, starting to close his eyes.]

I can't... say it right.

[Jade frowned and shifted to try to move Alister to lay back more and relax.]

Then try to rest more.

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