I know this isn't much, but I don't thank you enough for everything you do. You are a wonderful roommate and a great friend. I wish there was more I could do for you...I'll bring soup, later.
Rick
[Sent with the letter is a small tiger plush, made with the softest orange fabric Rick could find, and expertly stitched, but despite his best efforts is still shaped like a bear.]
[Ion didn't always make a habit of looking at his mailbox--it's rare he finds anything but emptiness--but fortunately for Anise his restlessness and found him checking much more often. Startled by the note's urgency and conflicted feelings rising up from his stomach at the name signed at the bottom, he folds the note up, puts it in his pocket, and makes his way down to the cafeteria as fast as he can.
When he arrives, he's a bit breathless and red-faced, but nonetheless conscious. It doesn't take long to spot Anise.]
[It's a relief to see him, but she feels bad when she sees how breathless he is - it makes her expression twist with guilt, and she hops to her feet to usher him into a seat.]
Sit down...
[He's going to sit and rest and he's going to like it. She darts off quickly to go get him a glass of water, then sets it down in front of him before standing at the corner of the table a little awkwardly.]
I heard something ... happened, yesterday. I wanted to be sure you were okay.
[Ion does what she says without question. Mostly because he really is tired and could use the rest. But when she hands him the glass of water, he doesn't drink from it. His hands wrap around the glass, fingers interlacing.]
The infiltration? [Ion sighs, his expression turning serious.] Yes. After what happened last time, I didn't think it would be wise for me to join them.
[If he's being honest, he hasn't thought much of anything he do would be wise, lately. Not after what happened with Rick. But Anise doesn't know about that, does she? He can't be sure; she might as well not have returned to the Tower at all, she'd been avoiding him so well.]
[She fidgets, watching as he doesn't drink the water, and then looking carefully at his face.]
...I'm really glad you kept yourself safe, Ion.
[Her voice is very, very small. She should have been the one to be keeping him safe - but she's never done a very good job of that. Not in Auldrant, and then she'd vanished from here and Asch had been doing her job so much better than she was... if anyone else had been his guardian, would he have survived Mount Zaleho? She'd had a lot of time to think about that during her sojourn there.]
[Ion sighs, his voice becoming soft and gentle along with his expression. With one hand, he reaches out to take hers, wrapping it carefully around hers and squeezing it gently. For a long moment he doesn't finish his sentence. In truth, he's not completely sure what he wanted to finish it with. But then his mouth turns upward in the faintest of smiles.]
[She grips his hand tightly when he takes hers - maybe too tightly. It feels almost impossible, for her to be holding his hand here and now when she knows on Auldrant he's gone and it's her fault and...
Her eyes fill with tears but, aside from ducking her head a little so they're not so obvious for Ion or anyone else in the cafeteria to see, she ignores them.]
[Understanding Anise better than anyone else, maybe even better than herself, Ion doesn't comment on her tears. He lets her have that, her vulnerability and her privacy. All that matters is that he's there for her, that their hands are joined. That no matter what happens to either of them and no matter where they may go, he'll be there for her.]
Neither of us has to worry anymore, now that we're back together. [He smiles more brightly, that optimism she's so used to.] I feel safer already.
[The optimism she's so used to is exactly what makes her choke up with guilt - how can he feel safer already, when she's the one who gets him killed on Auldrant? When even her efforts here in the Tower hadn't been enough to keep him from harm?]
Yeah? [That's not a good thing. It's an awful thing for Ion to feel safe around her, even though his safety is the one thing she really, truly wants to guarantee.] I'm... I'm glad. [She smiles, but the smile doesn't reach her eyes.] I'm gonna do my best to protect you, Ion.
[...but she wonders if her best will be good enough.]
[The serious tone in his voice beats back her argument - It's my job to protect you, not the other way around - and she can't help but stare at him for a few moments. ...then she smiles. If he's got this sort of strength and conviction - it's possible, isn't it? That he might survive, even if she's around and putting him in danger?]
...you've gotten so strong. I've always thought you were amazing, but it seems like you've gotten even braver since I left.
[Ion laughs gently and shakes his head. His smile stays, but there's a hint of something sad--or maybe not quite sad but distressed--behind his eyes.]
Oh, no, not at all. I wish I have...but so many things have happened. I'm afraid I feel much the same as I did when you first arrived. But now that you're back...
[Well, he had something to fight for again. That was reason enough to start dragging himself out of bed and putting on a hopeful face. It wasn't much, but maybe it could help. If not the other residents, than Anise, at least.]
...now that I'm back, you're just gonna keep getting even stronger.
[Because, while she wasn't able to save her Auldrant's Ion - and she knows that Ion is from his own version of Auldrant, that hers is gone, maybe forever - maybe she can do something for him. Maybe, if she can help him here, if he gets stronger and if she can find the courage to warn him, his death in his own world won't be inevitable.
It won't ever make up for what she did, but if she can just save him...]
...and you can talk to me about anything, okay? Even about things I wasn't here for. I'll listen, if you want to talk.
[It's nice to see her looking like her old self. All that's missing is the scheming grin she gets when she's thinking about seducing a duke. It makes Ion smile wider, and he nods with a light laugh.]
Yes. We both will. And I know, Anise.
[He takes her other hand, leaving the glass of water temporarily abandoned.]
I hope you don't forget that the same goes for you, as well. I'm not the Fon Master here...but I am your friend. That won't change, no matter what.
[She stares at him when he takes her hand and - wow. Jeeze, Ion. If only she could get some wealthy duke to hold her hands like this.]
...no matter what, huh? [She smiles faintly. She wonders if he would say that if he knew it was her fault he was going to die.] Y'know, sometimes I think you're a little too trusting...
[She says his name a little urgently, her brows creasing as she pouts.]
That's - that's not... you really should be a little more careful about who you do and don't trust. What if it's someone close to you who can't be trusted?
But what if something really, really bad happened to you because of what they were hiding?
[Just because he wouldn't blame the person keeping secrets from him didn't make it any more right.]
If you could avoid it by being more careful... [She keeps her eyes on their hands, not on him, because she has trouble raising her gaze to his face.] ...shouldn't you do that?
[Perhaps it is unwise, but Ion can't help himself from attempting to send a reply.]
You weren't okay, were you? I'm so sorry for all that you must have gone through. You as well as anyone else who had to suffer. I wish there was something I could do to help, but I don't know what you're asking for or what you need.
[And again at the bottom of the note, as if it was added as an afterthought.]
[Ion receives a piece of paper that seems to have been dipped entirely in fresh, dripping blood. There is a handprint pressed into the top of it--it appears to be that of a child--and a message written as if the child who made the handprint was fingerpainting below.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
package
no subject
deer everyone
i am riting a book on all the heros of the tower so that no one gets forgotted. but i dont know everyone and i dont want anyone to be missed out
so if you would like to can you please say who you fink is the best hero you know and what makes them a hero
you can do more than one name if you want
please send yore answers to romeo
or to room number two on floor one
thank you
romeo
[There are pictures at the end of smiling faces]
sent on 3/14
I know this isn't much, but I don't thank you enough for everything you do. You are a wonderful roommate and a great friend. I wish there was more I could do for you...I'll bring soup, later.
Rick
[Sent with the letter is a small tiger plush, made with the softest orange fabric Rick could find, and expertly stitched, but despite his best efforts is still shaped like a bear.]
Backdated to the day after the infiltration
meet me in the cafeteria as soon as you get this please
-anise
[action]
When he arrives, he's a bit breathless and red-faced, but nonetheless conscious. It doesn't take long to spot Anise.]
Anise. I came as fast as I could. What's wrong?
no subject
Sit down...
[He's going to sit and rest and he's going to like it. She darts off quickly to go get him a glass of water, then sets it down in front of him before standing at the corner of the table a little awkwardly.]
I heard something ... happened, yesterday. I wanted to be sure you were okay.
no subject
The infiltration? [Ion sighs, his expression turning serious.] Yes. After what happened last time, I didn't think it would be wise for me to join them.
[If he's being honest, he hasn't thought much of anything he do would be wise, lately. Not after what happened with Rick. But Anise doesn't know about that, does she? He can't be sure; she might as well not have returned to the Tower at all, she'd been avoiding him so well.]
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[She fidgets, watching as he doesn't drink the water, and then looking carefully at his face.]
...I'm really glad you kept yourself safe, Ion.
[Her voice is very, very small. She should have been the one to be keeping him safe - but she's never done a very good job of that. Not in Auldrant, and then she'd vanished from here and Asch had been doing her job so much better than she was... if anyone else had been his guardian, would he have survived Mount Zaleho? She'd had a lot of time to think about that during her sojourn there.]
no subject
[Ion sighs, his voice becoming soft and gentle along with his expression. With one hand, he reaches out to take hers, wrapping it carefully around hers and squeezing it gently. For a long moment he doesn't finish his sentence. In truth, he's not completely sure what he wanted to finish it with. But then his mouth turns upward in the faintest of smiles.]
I missed you.
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Her eyes fill with tears but, aside from ducking her head a little so they're not so obvious for Ion or anyone else in the cafeteria to see, she ignores them.]
I missed you, too...
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Neither of us has to worry anymore, now that we're back together. [He smiles more brightly, that optimism she's so used to.] I feel safer already.
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Yeah? [That's not a good thing. It's an awful thing for Ion to feel safe around her, even though his safety is the one thing she really, truly wants to guarantee.] I'm... I'm glad. [She smiles, but the smile doesn't reach her eyes.] I'm gonna do my best to protect you, Ion.
[...but she wonders if her best will be good enough.]
no subject
[Although he still regards her gently, there's something serious in his voice. It's not a question. It's a fact he doesn't intend to have argued.]
And I'm going to protect you, too, Anise. The next time you see Auldrant again, it won't be empty. It will be home.
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[The serious tone in his voice beats back her argument - It's my job to protect you, not the other way around - and she can't help but stare at him for a few moments. ...then she smiles. If he's got this sort of strength and conviction - it's possible, isn't it? That he might survive, even if she's around and putting him in danger?]
...you've gotten so strong. I've always thought you were amazing, but it seems like you've gotten even braver since I left.
no subject
Oh, no, not at all. I wish I have...but so many things have happened. I'm afraid I feel much the same as I did when you first arrived. But now that you're back...
[Well, he had something to fight for again. That was reason enough to start dragging himself out of bed and putting on a hopeful face. It wasn't much, but maybe it could help. If not the other residents, than Anise, at least.]
no subject
[Because, while she wasn't able to save her Auldrant's Ion - and she knows that Ion is from his own version of Auldrant, that hers is gone, maybe forever - maybe she can do something for him. Maybe, if she can help him here, if he gets stronger and if she can find the courage to warn him, his death in his own world won't be inevitable.
It won't ever make up for what she did, but if she can just save him...]
...and you can talk to me about anything, okay? Even about things I wasn't here for. I'll listen, if you want to talk.
no subject
Yes. We both will. And I know, Anise.
[He takes her other hand, leaving the glass of water temporarily abandoned.]
I hope you don't forget that the same goes for you, as well. I'm not the Fon Master here...but I am your friend. That won't change, no matter what.
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...no matter what, huh? [She smiles faintly. She wonders if he would say that if he knew it was her fault he was going to die.] Y'know, sometimes I think you're a little too trusting...
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Maybe, but I don't mind. I've met so many wonderful people that way.
[He was willing to pay the price if his trust got him into trouble. And surely it would. As they both knew--Anise with far more finality.]
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[She says his name a little urgently, her brows creasing as she pouts.]
That's - that's not... you really should be a little more careful about who you do and don't trust. What if it's someone close to you who can't be trusted?
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If someone close to me is keeping something from me, I'm sure it must be for a good reason. I couldn't possibly blame someone for that.
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[Just because he wouldn't blame the person keeping secrets from him didn't make it any more right.]
If you could avoid it by being more careful... [She keeps her eyes on their hands, not on him, because she has trouble raising her gaze to his face.] ...shouldn't you do that?
note, delivered the morning of June 1st
if they didn't take your eyelids away
[The poem is written in blood.]
no subject
You weren't okay, were you?
I'm so sorry for all that you must have gone through.
You as well as anyone else who had to suffer.
I wish there was something I could do to help, but I don't know what you're asking for or what you need.
[And again at the bottom of the note, as if it was added as an afterthought.]
I'm sorry.
no subject
I FEEL YOU
[He will receive no further response.]