You and I were Fireworks// July Catch-All ~ [Open]

[phoenixstrut]

Characters: Dove and YOU (Open)
Date: All of July!
Location: Anyplace!
Situation: Anything!
Warnings/Rating: In headers


A. Pretty much anywhere/BEFORE the turtle terror vision, 5th of July
She was having a good day. She was having a very, very good day. Nevermind the distant look on her face-- she was softly smiling more often than not. She definitely looked distracted--maybe more than distracted-- but there was a certain glow around her as she alighted in each sector throughout the day. Anyone passing by might also notice that she's absently playing with the soul gem around her neck more often than not...

B. Midnight Hotel/CLOSED/July 6-9
((During these days, Dove will be entirely indisposed, in her room, away from everyone...unless they come find her.))
Unable to block the surge of terrible emotion washing over the turtle from wracking her mind and cursed with the inability to stop the vision from constantly plaguing her, Dove was more than crippled. The thought of leaving her room didn't even pass through her head as she laid where she was, having crumpled to her knees the moment the vision had started.

Five children... children...

Helpless children.

Never mind that they were turtles.... they were young souls, just like the ones she had guarded all her life. That, coupled with the overwhelming horror of the darkness and the intensity of the vision direct into her mind...

For the second time in her life, the angel was cold, and the storms outside did nothing to help.

C. HEALERS GUILD/After the Toddler Turtle Terror/July 10 onward
She had to return to her job, regardless of the consequences. If they no longer wanted to pay her... so be it. She'd volunteer her help. Anything to help, after... after that.

Those at the Healing Guild would notice a definite difference in the angel, even if they had only ever seen her once. The smiles she offered were tired and weak, despite her valiant attempt to stay light. She was slowly regaining her footing, but she was quiet... much quieter than the happy-go-lucky, bright and bubbly healer she had been over the past few weeks. Kind, yes, and diligent in her work... but quiet.

D. Large Grassy Area outside the city/Slightly happier times
She liked being inside the hustle and bustle of the city most days, but could rarely resist the pull of nature, especially when she was so very overwhelmed.

She wouldn't be alone this time though. As she flew out of the city, a radiant bird the size of a large eagle flew with her, his red and golden plumes shining in the sunlight as they soared.

E. Anything else! :)

Comments

B

[wolfstrike]

It had been a couple days and Yuri was starting to get concerned. Dove was usually around, particularly at breakfast, and she hadn't shown up the past couple mornings.

And the fact that they'd just witnessed a very disturbing vision just before that probably wasn't a coincidence.

Thus after his duties this particular day, Yuri gathered up some food, just in case, and went to Dove's room. Knocking on the door once he stood in front of it.

[phoenixstrut]

She had, by the time he decided to come looking for her, been able to move herself to her bed instead of the floor she had laid on for so long.

Still, she wasn't well, and Yuri's knock on the door would go unanswered at first.

[wolfstrike]

When she didn't answer, he frowned. Either she wasn't there, or something was wrong. He hoped it was the first, but he tried again. This time knocking a little louder and calling out.

"Hey Dove, you in there?"

[phoenixstrut]

Yuri.

For the first time since the vision had struck them, she tried to use her voice. Instead of the melodic chime she normally would have greeted with, he would hear only a weak inquisitive call of his name in return as she curled in on herself a little more.

Even if she had felt like going out into the world, she wouldn't have. She wasn't ready to face people, to face their emotions. The terror was still too fresh, and she could feel it in the air, even without direct recognition. But Yuri... She couldn't deny him after their souls had intertwined...

Her door wouldn't be locked; she had planned to go find dinner before the vision had struck. He could let himself in, and would find her curled on her bed with her back to the door, closer to the window, one of her wings draped limply across the bed, the other crumpled beneath her.

[wolfstrike]

The weak sound alarmed him, thus he quickly opened the door, glad that it was unlocked. He wouldn't have wanted to take the time to explain to Anton about why he had broken down one of the doors.

Letting himself in, he blinked as he saw Dove in that state upon her bed. Quickly setting down what he was carrying, he hurried over to her.

"Dove? ... Hey... you okay?"

[phoenixstrut]

She trembled as he approached, though her wings made no movement at all. When he rounded the bed, he would find her loosely clutching her soul gem, though hours ago, her grip had been almost painful. Her face was pale, her normal radiance faded and her face that of a haunted beauty, tear streaked and exhausted. The warmth in her eyes was still there, but weak and wary as she finally looked back at him.

He didn't hurt to feel... not now anyway, though his concern sent a ping of guilt through the numbness she had worked so hard for. Without taking her eyes from his, she just barely shook her head. "No."

It hurt. It hurt to hear that voice play countless times in her head, to feel every ounce of fear--the pressure bearing down on them... helpless... so helpless....

[wolfstrike]

She looked terrible and Yuri was struggling to understand why. She didn't look like she was hurt. Was she sick maybe? Either way Yuri sat on the bed next to her and attempted to draw her into his arms.

"What's going on?"

[phoenixstrut]

She went easily into his arms, still shivering even as she tucked her head down against his chest. "I felt it... a-all of it," she told him, her voice barely above a choked whisper.

[wolfstrike]

Yuri's brows furrowed as he held her. Surely she didn't mean...

"Felt what? That vision?"

How could she actually feel that?

[phoenixstrut]

She nodded, tensing as she fought to keep the rush of it all from returning again.

She failed, miserably, and grew more and more tense as it swelled. "A-All of it! They were ch-children, Yuri!" she sobbed quietly, her voice choked and breaking as she buried her face in her hand, her fingers tangling in her own hair as the other gripped her gem. "In my head... I can't make it stop. I couldn't help them...! It hurts...!"

[wolfstrike]

He felt helpless as the Angel was reduced to a sobbing mess. So he just held her. Any words he could think of just felt hollow considering the immense pain she was obviously in.

"Is there something I can do?"

[phoenixstrut]

She continued to shake, hating herself for making him worry over her. His warmth, though, was reassuring, and she wasn't isolated... That in itself was help enough.

She stayed in his arms for what felt like forever, slowly exhausting herself again with her tears and grief, trying to explain her predicament and offer her apologies. He couldn't help with the physical pain, but eventually the sobs began to die, turning into weak sniffles and trembling as she tiredly forced herself into control. Her gem pulsed gently in her palm.

"I'm sorry..."she croaked, eventually breaking the silence between them with an apology meant just for him. "I'm sorry..."

[wolfstrike]

Yuri just stayed with her and held her, letting Dove work out her grief until her sobs started to quiet down finally.

"Don't apologize," he told her. There was no anger, only insistence. She had no reason to apologize. This wasn't her fault in the least.

"Stop thinking about it and just focus on here and now."

[phoenixstrut]

She nodded, closing her eyes and concentrating as he had asked. She had tried it before and failed, only able to focus on the overall aura of the area around her, on the sadness in the air.

But here there was comfort and calmness...Yuri had found her, and his presence was more than enough to dwell on. Focusing on him, and the support he offered, she calmed further, though remained quiet and subdued.

"E-Everyone saw it, didn't they..." she asked quietly, her throat still raw from disuse.

[wolfstrike]

"Yeah," Yuri said, but said nothing more. She was still thinking about it.

The vision had been distressing for him too, as well as Gene and Valdis and many others. But this has impacted Dove more than he expected. If he had known sooner she wouldn't have had to spend these couple days alone, but he was here now. Yuri would do what he could.

[phoenixstrut]

She could feel his Stress, though she wasn't entirely sure it was just him. Everything was blending together, and her lack of proper sleep and nourishment wasn't helping. Nevertheless, she nodded again, continuing in the only way she knew how. She wouldn't dwell on the actual vision for now... but she would worry about the others affected.

"Valdis. Is Valdis okay?" she remembered, looking at him as she shifted to sit a little more independently, though she continued to stay close.

[wolfstrike]

"Yeah, she's okay, I saw her yesterday." She seemed as five as she could be considering the circumstances. He got her to eat something. And speaking of which...

"I brought you something."

And with that he let go of her long enough to retrieve the bag of food he brought for her. Placing it down beside her when he returned.

[phoenixstrut]

She nodded again, and let him up, sitting at the edge of her bed and staring at her knees. "That's good... I think it was mostly her I was feeling..." she mumbled, rubbing her face wearily. It was good to know that she was up and about; she'd have to check in on the hellhound queen later, after a shower and a huge glass of water...

When Yuri returned to her, she looked up at what he was offering her, then up to his face, eyes wide with surprise and full of gratitude. "Did you make it...?" she asked with an attempt at a smile, before reaching for it and opening the bag. She was ravenous and hadn't realized it until now.

[wolfstrike]

"Yeah, you missed breakfast twice. Thought you'd need it."

What she'd find in the bag was a couple of scotch eggs and a slice of cake. At least there was plenty of calories there to make up for the past couple days.

[phoenixstrut]

It wouldn't even matter what was in the bag-- she trusted Yuri's cooking ability, and was starving. Still, she looked up at him with that fatigued smile, stating it in innocence before realizing it herself. "You noticed..."

The thought, for some reason, chased a little more of the chill away. Turning to look at the food in her hand, she paused a minute, then smiled before thanking him and taking a bite. "Thank you, Yuri.

[wolfstrike]

"No problem," he said casually, a warm smile on his face as he just sat back and watched her eat.

He was just glad he'd found her before she got in any worse shape.

[phoenixstrut]

Her eyes widened at the taste. He really was a good cook. Despite how he might normally see her eating, delicately and and in incrediy small portions, she continued to eat until slowly it was gone. Her hands still trembled, and she still looked exhausted, but her warmth was slowly returning.

Her wings shuffled, and then slowly disappeared as she looked back at Yuri again. "So... What happened...?"

[wolfstrike]

"Well... Valdis was trying to reach Asti. But while that was going on, that's when we all saw that vision. It was pretty hard on her. She passed out, but she's all right."

Relatively speaking anyway. It had shaken her just as much as anyone else, if not moreso. Though obviously it had been pretty hard on Dove too.

[phoenixstrut]

She stayed meek, finished her food, folded the bag and set it aside. "It was real, wasn't it? That's actually happened." Yes, she was back to it, and she couldn't let it go without some form of closure. Being trapped in her own mind had alienated her from the actual reactions and explanations running across the Shell.

[wolfstrike]

"Yeah, that's what Gene and Valdis said."

Yuri sighed and frowned, it wasn't pleasant for him to think about either. And he hadn't been sleeping well the past couple nights either because of it.