Rean Schwarzer ([personal profile] reanbeanmachine) wrote2018-06-21 02:55 am

spoilery

[It's been 5 months since the operation in Heimdallr. It's May, and the Lino flowers have come and gone in Trista.

But Rean Schwarzer, Ashen Chevalier and Hero of Erebonia is not in Trista. His class has graduated and he's on academic leave. He's been here for three months or so, fighting the Empire's battles so the soldiers don't have to, discouraging Calvard from any real large-scale operations, and in his limited down-time, letting Lechter drag him around.

He's been going through the motions for months now, tired but pressing on. He had a week of for Class VII's graduation and then he himself was back to the front. No down time, no closure.

He doesn't think what he's doing is right, but it's also not exactly wrong. Yet every day leaves his heart heavy and weary and conflicted, his mind going round and round in uncertain circles, and that's when he's feeling energetic. A lot of the time he's still on a bit of shut-down. Emotionally, especially. He smiles when he should and he genuinely cares, especially about Altina and Millium when they're with him, but he hasn't had time to mourn, and his grief and anger have to be buried under getting the job done. Rather than physically worn down he's been emotionally fatigued for months, and being part of his father's grand plan to subjugate Crossbell really does nothing to help, but at least it keeps him occupied. Occupied, and away from almost everyone who'd have a prayer of bringing his spirits up. Even Millium doesn't really understand, sadness is too new for her, though she tries.

And while Rean is tired and fighting under the banner of the noble hero, Crow is undergoing his own little fun time. That is to say, his revival is a success, but not entirely. He's not very controllable, you see, because his memories are intact, though it takes a month or two for the pieces of them to fall fully in place. Still, somehow, his return the world is noticed by Ordine, and from Ordine Vita learns of it. After that it's only a matter of time before he's with the Anguis and not the organization who had hoped to use him. And with Vita he can catch up on everything he's missed in the months he's been dead and re-animated.

Which is presumably why he's now in Crossbell, sneaking into the room Rean's been given. It's a nice private officer's quarters, even if he's still technically a student, because the Ashen Chevalier isn't going to be bunked up in the barracks.

It's late, but someone is in the room with Rean, talking to him, when Crow arrives to listen in from whatever approach he's taken, probably air ducts. Claire, actually. She sounds worried, and Rean sounds testy, it's the end of a conversation Crow catches.]

But the Chancellor... No, your father, I'm sure--

That's enough. I'm tired.

....Then, goodnight.

[Whatever they were discussing is impossible to say but when the door closes behind Claire Rean sighs heavily, and there's the sound of him flopping onto bed. Unfortunately he doesn't narrate whatever internal monologue he's having aloud for Crow's benefit at this point.]

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 12:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[The first thing Crow remembers, newly revived just a month or so after he "died", is Rean. Rean's crying face, actually, and while it lacks context the image is persistently upsetting. He mentions it to his handlers and they are Not Happy. In fact they are so unhappy about this that Crow finds himself subject to a patchy attempt to "fix" him while it's still maybe possible without starting over. At least, without starting the experiment over. It does start Crow over, back to blank and confused. But he remembers again, this time more and faster. He still makes the mistake of telling them, though, in the form of saying to fuck off and leave him alone, but that just means it takes a bit more force to get him back under the knife. This happens another couple of times before he catches on to the fact that he's been through this before, and instead pretends obedience while slowly gathering his memories close to his chest.

By the time his connection to Ordine recovers he's remembered most things, and has started to get fed up with playing agreeable. He stages a self-rescue, which would have ended badly for him if Vita hadn't appeared out of the blue to put the spook into Crow's "bosses". But she does, and with her help he's able to escape the lab and hop into the recovered Ordine, and after that how can they stop him?

There are many ways they could, actually, given there are other divine knights out there but y'know. He has experience in being sneaky. So he manages to go into hiding, and it's been a couple of weeks of planning and prep and getting used to being alive before he makes it to Crossbell. Probably the last thing he should be doing for his own self-preservation is stalking Rean, but he's doing it anyway.

When he overhears that conversation though, he's derailed a bit. Did Vita know this and not tell him? Probably. It's not like she's ever told him everything, but this bit might have been, y'know, relevant!! She probably left it out specifically so he'd find out on his own, though. Let him process it on his own and not blow up at her. Or maybe it just seemed funny. Who knows.

That simple fact throws a big wrench into Crow's train of thought, anyway. Does it change how he sees Rean? Should it? Will it make them enemies again, as much as they ever were, if Crow intends to keep trying to kill Osborne? Hmm. It's a lot to think about but he doesn't have time to hang around in the air duct and have a crisis. Instead he climbs out, as quietly and sneakily as possible, and attempts to creep across the floor and come up behind Rean to cover his mouth.

It'd suck if he got caught here by making Rean shout.]

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[He lets Rean turn, though he keeps the hand over his mouth as he crawls up into the bed with him. He makes a "shh" gesture though, hoping it'll make some impact on the way he's sure Rean's about to freak out.]

Hey. I'd really appreciate it if you don't scream.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 01:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[That face. Crow hates that face. He hates that he made Rean cry that way -- even when he tried to make Rean sad he hated it, but he hates it more like this. Because he didn't mind losing. Because he wanted to go home with his friends. But he couldn't, so he thought.

He still can't. But at least he's alive, and he's determined to keep on moving forward. He's feeling pretty good about it actually, Rean's tears aside. He's not sure what to say to those tears though so he just accepts that Rean's not going to scream, lifts his hands, and makes a face.]

Boo.

[He can joke about anything Rean just watch.]

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 01:36 pm (UTC)(link)
As real as I am pretty.

[So super real, obviously. He can't say he's surprised by the hug, although it does make his heart flutter. He hugs back of course, warm and solid and strong and burying his face in Rean's hair because Crow, too, thought he'd never get another chance.

He's so happy to see Rean. He's so grateful to be alive, even if it wasn't his choice.]

Sorry to spook you.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 01:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Turned out I'm so incredibly cool that someone decided to work a miracle. Don't ask me to explain the science cause I don't know. What matters is I'm back, but I'm kiiinda on the run, so...

[So don't get too excited! Crow's rubbing Rean's back though, openly cuddly. Why not? He could die again at any time. He'd be an idiot to hide his feelings this round.]

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[Poor Rean. He's had it rough. Crow genuinely feels bad for causing it, even if he didn't exactly die on purpose. He can't erase that pain, but at least he's hot the chance to maybe make up for it a little.]

Hey, now. I told you we'd meet again, didn't I?

[No Crow you died halfway through that line. But whatever his point remains.]

...I missed you too, though.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 02:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I came to find you as soon as I could.

[Rean may not realise it but he's a top priority. He's also getting flopped on aggressively.]

I can't stay, but they'd have to have killed me again to stop me from checking on you.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 02:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Rean...

[Answering that question totally honestly is just opening some serious cans of worms. So he's going to skirt it.]

It's the Imperial government, man. It's not that easy.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah. It's all on dear ol' dad's orders.

[So really it's extremely dangerous for Crow to be in this building.]

I'll be worse than dead if they catch me. I just wanted to see you, is all.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Ehh, it was my selfishness, honestly.

[He's gay Rean.]

If I had my way I'd kidnap you.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah... It's a shame but I can't sleep with you under such risky circumstances.

[He can pat Rean's butt though. It's okay Rean cheer up we're just on opposite sides again!]

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
It's called flirting.

[Pat pat pat.]

You should consider running away with me though.

[personal profile] filetofish 2018-06-22 03:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm serious.

[About the flirting and the running away.]

Osborne's bad news. I don't want you fighting me on that crusty bastard's orders. And honestly I just want you with me.

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