knightofratatosk | [Action]

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[Action]

[These days, it's unusual for Emil to return home from one of his patrols before nightfall. Not that he's really found anything (except for other people who have the same idea as him), but he's not about to stop doing it until these kidnappings stop and everyone is returned. It at least gives him some way to feel slightly less useless.

Today, however, the door to House 20 opens in the middle of the afternoon, and Emil comes in, closing the door quietly behind him. He's a good deal less perky than usual, too. The sound of his footsteps indicates that he's heading for the stairs; then, as if thinking better of it, he comes back, poking his head into the living room.]

Hey, Richter, would you mind getting something from the store for dinner? I don't really feel like cooking anything tonight.

[And he's gone almost as soon as he's said this, this time actually going upstairs.]

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[Richter lowers the journal he was mindlessly flipping through, making a somewhat dumbstruck face without realizing it. What just happened, there? Emil doesn't feel like cooking? Does that mean it's up to him to make dinner? They'd be better off just getting something from that... pizza place.

In any case, Emil's sudden announcement means there's definitely something on the boy's mind, which deserves further enquiry. He pushes himself up from the couch to head up the stairs as well, after which he curtly knocks on the bedroom door.]

Emil. Is something wrong?

[There's silence for a moment before he answers.]

I... I'm just tired, that's all. And...

[When at last he continues the sentence, his voice sounds extremely tired and strained.]

... t-they took Fina too. And I couldn't do anything about it.

[A deep sigh escapes Richter's lips. Is Emil ever going to learn to cope with hardships? ... No, probably not.]

Can I come in?

[To Emil's credit, he'd been doing a lot better after Usagi and Zelos were returned. But the fact that Yuri, who isn't afraid of anything (in Emil's eyes, at least) is worried too isn't really making him feel any better about the whole situation.]

Yes.

[His voice sounds slightly muffled.]

[After slowly opening the door, Richter steps into the room. He's already prepared for the worst, so any pathetic sight that meets his eyes will only be expected. Not that he'll feel good about it, of course. Watching Emil have another one of his nervous breakdowns never really agrees with him, for multiple reasons.]

[Surprisingly enough, Emil doesn't seem to be having a breakdown. Instead, he's trying to button up his pajamas with shaking fingers before he finally gives up and just crawls into bed, shivering slightly. He looks up when Richter enters; though he seems tired and defeated, he's not on the verge of hysteria like he was the other day.]

[But if it's not a breakdown, then what's the problem? It's just making Richter worry more, of course. He shuts the door behind him and takes a seat on the bed next to Emil, watching him closely.]

What's the matter?

Mm... don't feel good. Gonna take a nap.

[And, indeed, his cheeks look a bit flushed despite the fact that he's still shivering.]

[Immediately, Richter takes off one of his gloves and moves his hand to Emil's forehead. There's only one fool-proof way to determine whether the boy is really sick or not.]

[There's no faking the fact that his forehead is hotter than it should be. Richter's hand feels nice and cool against his heated skin and he shuts his eyes with a soft sigh.]

... Richter?

Hm?

[Richter lowers his hand again, frowning slightly. That fever isn't good...]

Do you think... they're doing this to scare us?

[He opens his eyes to look up at Richter, curious. Right now all he really wants is some kind of answer, something to explain all of the kidnappings that are going on. It will be a lot easier to tolerate them if he can believe that there's some sort of reason behind it.]

[Richter may be pretty smart, but he's not all-knowing. Especially not in a place like Luceti. Emil may be looking for answers, but the boy's looking in the wrong place. Richter certainly doesn't have any.]

Who knows?

O-oh.

[Emil sighs again and huddles down further under the blankets. He's grasping at straws here and he knows it; anything to help make sense of this. He doesn't want to believe that there's no reason behind it, that it's just completely at random. That's even more frightening.]

I just thought... n-never mind.

[Richter runs a quick hand through Emil's hair, before wearily pushing himself to his feet again. If the kid's sick, there's no point in worrying him even more.]

Get some rest.

[Rest sounds awfully tempting right now. But there's one thing that's been weighing on his mind ever since he spoke to Tenebrae...]

Hey, Richter... Tenebrae said that in the future, there's a way for me to separate from Ratatosk. Do you know anything about that?

[He pauses for a moment. Separate from Ratatosk?]

I don't think that's quite correct. If he's referring to the method I think he is, it's more like sealing Ratatosk away inside yourself.

Maybe that's what he meant... so you mean it's possible? I can really be me without having to worry about Ratatosk?

[There is a note of hope to his voice.]

[Aww, he can't crush Emil's spirits. Not when he's sick like this. But.. he can't give him false hope, either.]

It might not be possible here in Luceti.

Then... when I get back home, once we've awakened all of the Centurions, I'll find a way to do it. That way Ratatosk won't be able to hurt anyone ever again.

[And that way, Richter can't call him a monster anymore.]

[Nice try, Emil. But Richter already knows what happens when all the Centurions are finally awakened. By that time, the seal on Ratatosk is actually voluntarily broken again, so it's really the other way around.]

If you feel that's the best way to handle things, then go ahead.

You'll help me, right?

[His assumption is that Richter wants Ratatosk to be stopped too, for obvious reasons.]

Have you already forgotten? I'm from a later time period than you. Unless you somehow manage to change the past, I won't be able to help you.

... oh.

[Yeah, he'd kind of forgotten about that. Now, of course, that means he's worrying about an entirely different set of things, such as that little encounter during the last experiment. Is that what's going to happen when he gets back?]

Now get some rest.

[With that, he turns to leave again. Richter may be trying to look out for Emil's best interests, but he's the most un-reassuring person one could have the misfortune of encountering.]

O-okay.

[He's gotten used to Richter's lack of tact by now; it's certainly nothing new to him. Still, every now and then, he does find himself wishing that the other would be just a little more comforting...

Regardless, he'll just curl up under the blankets again and try to stifle a sneeze.]

Good night.

[There's a soft click as the door is closed. Right now, Richter's mostly wondering about dinner. Pizza probably isn't good for a sick person, nor is his own cooking. Wasn't there a restaurant in the village? They might have healthy take-out food. It's worth looking into, anyway.]

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