[Action, forward-dated to this evening]

[knightofratatosk]

[Sunset finds Emil trudging back to the village after having spent the previous day and a half trying in vain to break the barrier in an attempt to get Richter and Tenebrae back. He's obviously exhausted, and his shoulders and upper arms are covered in bruises from where he slammed himself against the barrier once he realized hitting it with his sword wasn't going to work. Clearly he's not his usual cheerful self right now; in fact, he seems almost on the verge of tears.

Feel free to run into him as he heads back home.]

Comments

3/3

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

Come on, we need to put some ice on those bruises or they'll get worse.

[knightofratatosk]

[He's too tired to do anything but nod in agreement.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[Well, that's a good sign. He was worried he'd have to face a frantic Emil.]

Do you want me to bring you to your house, or should we go to mine? It should be nearer.

[knightofratatosk]

Yours... is closer.

[Although he won't say it, he really doesn't want to go back to his empty house.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[He had a feeling that would be the case.]

All right.

[And he wordlessly helps Emil to his house, and hopes Gremio and Tir doesn't mind the sudden intrusion.]

Are there any physical injuries you want me to tend to first? [Desperation or depression aren't things he can help with, so he'll have to work on what he does understand. Injuries.]

[knightofratatosk]

[It takes him a moment to realize that Ted is speaking to him, but once he does, he shakes his head.]

Just the bruises. I'm not hurt anywhere else.

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can tend to those. [And they get to his apartment, so he'll be just leading you to the couch and then dashing off to the kitchen and his room for some medicine and ice.]

[knightofratatosk]

[Emil will just sit there and kind of wrap his arms around himself protectively, looking very small and very defeated right now.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[When he comes back at the sight of him like that, he wordlessly just helps tend to those bruises. He knows better than telling Emil 'It'll be all right!' now, considering the circumstances. The most he can do is just tend to him until he's snapped out of this.]

Do you want to eat something? [Take your mind of the situation?] I can't cook well, but I'm sure Gremio has some leftovers we can heat up.

[knightofratatosk]

[Food. Food is good, yes, and even though he isn't really hungry, he knows he should probably eat at least something.]

Maybe just a little... I'm pretty thirsty, too.

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

Food and water it is, then! Unless you wanted cof--- juice. [It's at times like this that he wonders if what Tir would do in this situation. He's more used to people than Ted was.]

[knightofratatosk]

Um, juice, please.

[Don't worry, Ted, you're doing just fine at providing company. You're someone he likes and trusts, which is exactly what he needs right now.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[Okay, if you hear some off-tune humming from the tone-deaf guy in the kitchen, assume it's Ted. You can hear brief sounds of activities before he comes back with a hot bowl of stew and some orange juice.]

Sorry, I didn't ask what kind of juice you wanted. [It's fresh oranges too, because powdered juice wasn't normal in his time. He sets it down on the table in front of Emil and takes a seat beside him, an apple in hand so Emil doesn't feel self-conscious that he's eating by himself.]

[knightofratatosk]

That's all right... thank you.

[He'll sip the orange juice while he waits for the stew to cool down a little bit and musters up an appetite for it at the same time. The last thing he wants is for his stomach to rebel when he tries to eat.]

Why did...

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

What is it?

[knightofratatosk]

Why did the Malnosso take them both?

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[...]

I'm not sure.

[knightofratatosk]

Neither of them had ever been kidnapped before, and now both of them at once...

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

Emil...

[A pause. How was he supposed to answer that?

He scoots a little closer and awkwardly gives him a hug, considering this is what most people did to comfort others, right? He didn't want to make excuses for the Malnosso or give Emil any false hope, but he wanted to at least reassure him.]

[knightofratatosk]

[That's enough of an answer for him, since he wasn't really expecting one anyway. Don't mind if he clings; he kind of needs it right now, and his usual target of hugging isn't there for him to cling to. Ted will be able to feel that he's shaking a bit in the hug as he swallows hard.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't mind, as long as there's still some oxygen flowing through his system. He'll just be awkwardly trying to comfort you then, since he's never really done it before.]

I'm here.

[knightofratatosk]

T-thank you...

[The warmth is comforting, at the very least, as is the feeling of being held. It lets him know that he's not alone.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[He'll just continue trying to soothe him, never mind that the stew will get cold at this rate. Poor kid. :(]

[knightofratatosk]

[Emil won't mind cold stew at all. He's just happy to have someone there with him instead of being in an empty house.]

[300yrswandering.livejournal.com]

[Hey, he's a friend! Ted wouldn't just abandon him.]

You can stay over here tonight, if you want. Tir and Gremio shouldn't mind [maybe] and you can take my bed.