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[Kyna leads Wash back to her apartment, arm linked through his as usual. It's still a little strange with the armor, but she finds she's already getting used to it, for better or for worse. At least he loosened up at the speakeasy, and at least he seems pretty relaxed now. She unlocks the door and tugs him inside, then turns to face him with a grin.]
See? Not so bad, right?
See? Not so bad, right?
[ It had been nice, actually, nostalgic. He'd never stopped looking for a threat, but no one had bothered them. No one took a shot, with his helmet off. So he agrees with Kyna, stepping into the apartment and setting his helmet down on her kitchen table. ]
Not so bad.
Not so bad.
[After Kyna slams the door shut on Ephemera, she tells herself whatever he was talking about doesn't mean anything. She knows how much he hates Wash, so why wouldn't he twist something awful to implicate him? He's trying to rile her up, and that's it.
Unfortunately, it works. Kyna reaches for her necklace instinctively, then stops herself. A tell, Wash called it, so she sets to pacing instead. Fifteen minutes later, she still can't calm down, so she grabs her phone.]
what are you doing?
Unfortunately, it works. Kyna reaches for her necklace instinctively, then stops herself. A tell, Wash called it, so she sets to pacing instead. Fifteen minutes later, she still can't calm down, so she grabs her phone.]
what are you doing?
yoga
why?
[ It's kinda early in the day for a booty call, Kyna... ]
why?
[ It's kinda early in the day for a booty call, Kyna... ]
yeah
I'd say I hope nobody actually goes through with this bullshit
but they probably will
I'd say I hope nobody actually goes through with this bullshit
but they probably will
[Kyna absolutely does not go to see a medic, because she's stubborn and pissed off. Actually, she goes straight to Wash, knocking on his door. Hopefully he's having a good morning, because his day is about to suck. She's not holding her side anymore, but she is carrying herself with the telltale awkwardness of someone in pain.]
[ Wash's morning is... fine? He went for his usual run and then ditched the armor to do bodyweight exercises in the apartment. There's a thin sheen of sweat on him when he answers the door.
It's obvious immediately that something is wrong. She's hurt -- did someone try to take her out already? The list only just went up. Wash frowns and hustles her inside, looking both ways in the hall before closing the door. Prioritizing in his head. Take care of Kyna, getting as much information as he can, then he'll suit back up. ]
Where are you hurt, and who did it?
It's obvious immediately that something is wrong. She's hurt -- did someone try to take her out already? The list only just went up. Wash frowns and hustles her inside, looking both ways in the hall before closing the door. Prioritizing in his head. Take care of Kyna, getting as much information as he can, then he'll suit back up. ]
Where are you hurt, and who did it?
I think we're past talking
give me one good reason not to kill you and hand you over to the Null
give me one good reason not to kill you and hand you over to the Null
[Kyna's ribs are officially healed and Ephemera is no longer an issue, and she decides she really doesn't have an excuse to stay at Wash's anymore, even if living alone isn't her favorite thing in the world. She's overstaying her welcome, and she's a little surprised Wash hasn't said anything yet. Maybe he's just too nice, or maybe he still feels guilty about her ribs.
So, Kyna tracks him down in the kitchen, touching his arm gently.]
Hey. Um. I know I've been here a while, so I figured... You know. I should get out of your way today.
So, Kyna tracks him down in the kitchen, touching his arm gently.]
Hey. Um. I know I've been here a while, so I figured... You know. I should get out of your way today.
[ Wait what? There's the sudden impulse to say no, to try and keep her here, that catches him off guard. He'll have to examine that, for now just swallowing his unhappiness. A tiny furrow is visible on his brow, though, and he has to ask... ]
Why? You're not in my way.
Why? You're not in my way.
[After Kyna's impromptu lesson with Ephemera, she starts to head back towards the bar for another drink, only to spot a very familiar suit of grey and yellow armor and correct course. Sometime during the last few weeks she's started to light up when she sees him, helmet or no helmet, and it's gotten painfully obvious.]
Hey! When did you get here?
Hey! When did you get here?
[ At the moment, and probably to Kyna's preference, Wash's helmet is on the bar beside him. He doesn't have a drink yet, though, and his gaze was already on her when she noticed him -- he's been watching. Which is maybe a little creepy but he didn't want to approach her and Ephemera when they seemed to be getting along. Odds were he'd say something to screw that up. ]
Maybe ten minutes ago. Looked like you were catching on, there.
Maybe ten minutes ago. Looked like you were catching on, there.
[After Harlan knocks Wash unconscious, they bring him to the clinic. Kyna's taken his armor off and settled him on a makeshift cot on the floor with his hands tied. She briefly considered tying him more securely than that, but she just... couldn't. Seeing him controlled by the Null is bad enough, and even this feels dehumanizing somehow. Still, she knows they can't really take the chance of him waking up and still being controlled, and she knows this is the only real solution. He'd tell her to do it if he could.
Kyna's done her best to heal his wounds with her necklace, but they aren't completely gone, and she's planted herself on the floor next to him, stroking his hair gently while she waits for him to wake up. She's praying there isn't any permanent damage.]
Kyna's done her best to heal his wounds with her necklace, but they aren't completely gone, and she's planted herself on the floor next to him, stroking his hair gently while she waits for him to wake up. She's praying there isn't any permanent damage.]
[ Wash is no stranger to pain, or being knocked out and waking up somewhere else. So while it's always alarming, of course, he doesn't panic as he regains consciousness with no sense of where he is. His breathing goes carefully even as he assesses himself, eyes remaining closed against the light and the agonizing racket in his skull. He's out of armor and wounds he's had for days while fighting for the Null are stinging now, like they've been fussed. He aches all over, feels heavy and foggy. His hands are tied, but someone's petting his hair.
Kyna. It has to be, and for a moment longer Wash is afraid to open his eyes. In case they're still in his head and see her, but... he doesn't feel them anymore. The fight with Harlan is fuzzy but he remembers seizing, electricity coursing through him and the implant going white hot. Maybe that did it. Fried them right out of his brain. And him in the process... Wash stirs, groaning. He's had a lot of head trauma in his time, has been warned to lay off it, and this feels even worse than usual. But if it worked? Whatever. He flexes his limbs carefully to make sure he's the one in control of them, then slowly opens his eyes.
Sure enough, Kyna is sitting beside the cot he's been laid on, looking exhausted and worried. Wash blinks up at her, not sure what to say. She came after him. Convinced her friends to help. Not a huge risk in the grand scheme of things, he doesn't stand much of a chance against magic and they all know it, but. It's not something Wash is used to. Until Chorus, he'd accepted he didn't mean much to anyone and would always be left behind. Forgotten. Not this time, though. He should say something about that. Thank her. ]
...hey.
[ His voice is rough, throat dry. Hard to hear over the buzz of clinic noise around them. And still, the words escape him. ]
Kyna. It has to be, and for a moment longer Wash is afraid to open his eyes. In case they're still in his head and see her, but... he doesn't feel them anymore. The fight with Harlan is fuzzy but he remembers seizing, electricity coursing through him and the implant going white hot. Maybe that did it. Fried them right out of his brain. And him in the process... Wash stirs, groaning. He's had a lot of head trauma in his time, has been warned to lay off it, and this feels even worse than usual. But if it worked? Whatever. He flexes his limbs carefully to make sure he's the one in control of them, then slowly opens his eyes.
Sure enough, Kyna is sitting beside the cot he's been laid on, looking exhausted and worried. Wash blinks up at her, not sure what to say. She came after him. Convinced her friends to help. Not a huge risk in the grand scheme of things, he doesn't stand much of a chance against magic and they all know it, but. It's not something Wash is used to. Until Chorus, he'd accepted he didn't mean much to anyone and would always be left behind. Forgotten. Not this time, though. He should say something about that. Thank her. ]
...hey.
[ His voice is rough, throat dry. Hard to hear over the buzz of clinic noise around them. And still, the words escape him. ]
[It's been weeks since Kyna came back, and weeks since she's been able to cast anything. She's been trying constantly, in every spare second she's alone. Even Harlan has been working with her, trying to teach her simple cantrips, but nothing's worked. It doesn't make any sense. Even when her focus was screwed up, she could still cast. Her spells were wild and unpredictable, but they still worked.
Wash is gone, out patrolling, and so Kyna is taking the opportunity to give it another shot for the millionth time. She's trying to cast the first cantrip her dad ever taught her, a spell she's been using regularly since she was a kid. It should be stunningly easy—causing the pendant in her hands to glow, and that's it. Even if she can't cast the spell, she should feel something. That familiar sweep in her stomach, like the best kind of anticipation, close to an adrenaline rush, even with the simplest of cantrips. She doesn't feel it. She doesn't feel anything, not even a connection to her focus. No matter how long she stares at the pendant, no matter how much she breaks down the steps of casting the spell, no matter how long she paces, nothing is happening. Nothing has changed, despite her near obsessive attempts. Kyna has never felt this worthless and helpless in her life, and for a split second, staring down at the necklace, she thinks she knows how her dad felt, desperate enough to make a deal with something that he didn't understand just to keep his magic.
The thought, fleeting as it is, scares the shit out of her, and she tries to tamp it down. It's easier to cling to her anger instead, to let that overwhelm all of her vulnerability and fear, because it feels so much less pathetic. It's much, much easier to just stop thinking, grab the closest breakable thing, and hurl it at the wall with an inarticulate cry.]
Wash is gone, out patrolling, and so Kyna is taking the opportunity to give it another shot for the millionth time. She's trying to cast the first cantrip her dad ever taught her, a spell she's been using regularly since she was a kid. It should be stunningly easy—causing the pendant in her hands to glow, and that's it. Even if she can't cast the spell, she should feel something. That familiar sweep in her stomach, like the best kind of anticipation, close to an adrenaline rush, even with the simplest of cantrips. She doesn't feel it. She doesn't feel anything, not even a connection to her focus. No matter how long she stares at the pendant, no matter how much she breaks down the steps of casting the spell, no matter how long she paces, nothing is happening. Nothing has changed, despite her near obsessive attempts. Kyna has never felt this worthless and helpless in her life, and for a split second, staring down at the necklace, she thinks she knows how her dad felt, desperate enough to make a deal with something that he didn't understand just to keep his magic.
The thought, fleeting as it is, scares the shit out of her, and she tries to tamp it down. It's easier to cling to her anger instead, to let that overwhelm all of her vulnerability and fear, because it feels so much less pathetic. It's much, much easier to just stop thinking, grab the closest breakable thing, and hurl it at the wall with an inarticulate cry.]
[ Correction: Wash was gone. He timed his outing poorly, and halfway through his sweep of the city limits the second sun rises. Although he's protected by his armor, he's learned that at this time of day there won't be any monsters. It's just too hot for them. For anyone, really, and he doesn't pass many people as he detours instead to Sorrow's abandoned temple, filling a jug with water to bring home. He's not a fan of the mood swings the other pools inflict, even the pleasant ones. It's still feeling things that aren't his feelings, which are more than enough to deal with.
He's in the hallway just outside when he hears a muffled crash and Kyna's scream, and his mind jumps to the worst case scenario. Unlikely as it is, that she's being attacked. He abandons the water jug and closes the distance to the door in a blink, pulling his pistol out as he rushes in. The door hits the wall with a thud behind him. ]
Kyna?
[ But what he sees isn't what he expects. There's no intruder, no monster. Just Kyna standing in the kitchen with a furious expression, the blue ceramic of a mug shattered on the floor across from her.
Oh.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess what's going on. Wash lowers his weapon and considers his actions carefully. She's not hurt, and he's relieved about that, but... she's not okay, either. After another moment he holsters his pistol and steps back to snag the water and close the door. So they have some privacy, so he can give her his full attention. He steps over the broken bits of mug to get to her side and pulls off his helmet. His eyes are worried. ]
Talk to me.
He's in the hallway just outside when he hears a muffled crash and Kyna's scream, and his mind jumps to the worst case scenario. Unlikely as it is, that she's being attacked. He abandons the water jug and closes the distance to the door in a blink, pulling his pistol out as he rushes in. The door hits the wall with a thud behind him. ]
Kyna?
[ But what he sees isn't what he expects. There's no intruder, no monster. Just Kyna standing in the kitchen with a furious expression, the blue ceramic of a mug shattered on the floor across from her.
Oh.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess what's going on. Wash lowers his weapon and considers his actions carefully. She's not hurt, and he's relieved about that, but... she's not okay, either. After another moment he holsters his pistol and steps back to snag the water and close the door. So they have some privacy, so he can give her his full attention. He steps over the broken bits of mug to get to her side and pulls off his helmet. His eyes are worried. ]
Talk to me.
[ ...well. It's true, he didn't. Which is good, because Wash would have felt responsible if he had. It's also true that they need to talk. Set down new guidelines. ]
Thanks for that.
Your place or mine?
Thanks for that.
Your place or mine?
[ Wash is aware of the situation, but only as it pertains to other people. He's fine. Obviously. If he's worried about the others that's just totally normal, considering that the rest of the city is going losing it. Anything he's doing is just to protect them. ]
Everyone's going crazy.
Obsessive, controlling, sometimes violent.
I'm staying out of the way.
Everyone's going crazy.
Obsessive, controlling, sometimes violent.
I'm staying out of the way.
[Wash hasn't quite moved out yet, but Kyna figures it's probably time to get her stuff out of the way, so she tells him she's going out for a bit and scrounges up a big backpack from one of the shops. It'll be less crap for him to pack up, and she doubts his friends are going to be cool with an unofficial extra roommate anyway.
She starts in his room, working on emptying the drawer in his dresser she's commandeered. God, how does she have this many clothes over here, anyway?]
She starts in his room, working on emptying the drawer in his dresser she's commandeered. God, how does she have this many clothes over here, anyway?]
[ Unfortunately for Kyna, this is not going to go over well. Wash had hopped in the shower while she was out and returns to his room now with a towel around his waist and a wary expression on his face. Kyna is very clearly only packing her things, so this isn't some kind of kick in the ass. (Which he'd admit he needs.) ]
...what are you doing?
...what are you doing?
Hello Washington; I hope you're alright after everything that happened a few days ago. I wanted to speak with you about something unrelated, but it is not an emergency and so it can wait, if necessary.
[The sooner the better of course, but not if Washington needs time to recover or anything like that.]
[The sooner the better of course, but not if Washington needs time to recover or anything like that.]
[ This is kind of a surprising message to get, but Wash suspects he knows what it's about -- he was stalking Name's post pretty thoroughly, after all. If it is, they can't discuss it over their phones. ]
I'm fine, physically. Should I meet you somewhere?
I'm fine, physically. Should I meet you somewhere?
[After Kyna sees Laura's post, and more importantly, sees Wash's reaction to Laura's post, she makes a beeline for his house. She's praying that he's still there and she hasn't just missed him, because she has a good feeling what his plans are, and she knows how absolutely terribly they could go. She's already vibrating with anxiety, and knocks on the door far harder than she actually needs to.]
Wash?
Wash?
[ He's still there -- has only just gotten back, actually, needing to at least drop off the supplies he'd been gathering. He hadn't really had a plan yet, besides sweeping the city to try and find the killer. As much as he'd love to just take her out it'd be stupid to attack straight off, but maybe he can figure out where she's staying, keep an eye on her, talk to whoever he can to come up with what to do and hopefully keep her from killing anyone else. He might be vengeance-y but he's not stupid. Only then an alert came from the Guard that there are monsters appearing to the south and there's no way these things happening at once are coincidence. It doesn't seem like he can afford to sit back and strategize for this one.
The banging on the door gets his attention just as he's snapping his second gauntlet into place, and he grabs his helmet and rifle and heads downstairs. This is the first time since Name announced its presence that Kyna's seen him in armor, he's been going without except for brief training sessions to keep up his strength in it. Obviously he thinks he needs it now, though, and his eyes are dark and angry when he answers the door. ]
Kyna.
[ This isn't a huge surprise. He debates for a moment whether to make her talk on the way to Rage's temple, but since she's probably going to try and stop him... he shifts aside, opening the door wider for her to come in. ]
The banging on the door gets his attention just as he's snapping his second gauntlet into place, and he grabs his helmet and rifle and heads downstairs. This is the first time since Name announced its presence that Kyna's seen him in armor, he's been going without except for brief training sessions to keep up his strength in it. Obviously he thinks he needs it now, though, and his eyes are dark and angry when he answers the door. ]
Kyna.
[ This isn't a huge surprise. He debates for a moment whether to make her talk on the way to Rage's temple, but since she's probably going to try and stop him... he shifts aside, opening the door wider for her to come in. ]
Please tell me you're where you're supposed to be and everyone is in one piece.
[Because, shit. Water, water, and more water.]
[Because, shit. Water, water, and more water.]
[ Epsilon has been trying to not be quite as much of a dick with Wash as he normally is. Keyword: try. But sometimes an opportunity comes up and there's no way to resist it. Which is why when Wash heads out of the house for a few hours without his armor on Epsilon steals his helmet and... bedazzled the shit out of it.
The helmet gets returned to its exact place in Wash's room except now it resembles a disco ball. Epsilon heads back to his room to wait for the fallout on that particular event. ]
The helmet gets returned to its exact place in Wash's room except now it resembles a disco ball. Epsilon heads back to his room to wait for the fallout on that particular event. ]
[ Wash was just running a few errands, so Epsilon doesn't have much of a wait. He'll hear the front door, and rummaging in the kitchen, then footsteps on the stairs before Wash heads into his room. That door closes, but can't completely muffle his reaction when he spots his helmet. ]
What the fuck!? Who would-- Epsilon!
[ The latter is much louder, as he's storming out of his room and across the hall to glare at Epsilon from the doorway, helmet in hand. ]
Are you kidding me with this shit, asshole? How did you even do this so fast!?
[ He's getting screechy, congratulations. What kind of glue did you even use? If the paint job is wrecked, he swears... ]
What the fuck!? Who would-- Epsilon!
[ The latter is much louder, as he's storming out of his room and across the hall to glare at Epsilon from the doorway, helmet in hand. ]
Are you kidding me with this shit, asshole? How did you even do this so fast!?
[ He's getting screechy, congratulations. What kind of glue did you even use? If the paint job is wrecked, he swears... ]
[ Ephemera looks very confused and slightly alarmed. ]
Got one of your guys here. Says he's...Double O Donut or something?
[ Save him. Please. ]
Got one of your guys here. Says he's...Double O Donut or something?
[ Save him. Please. ]
[ A few hours later, this shows up. ]
my captains here
keep your people away from spire 4 im watching him
my captains here
keep your people away from spire 4 im watching him
Hey. Just so you don't freak out when you get home--
[ Fuck, this is weird. Giving Wash a heads up instead of waiting to hear the fireworks of him losing his shit. ]
York is here. Carolina found him and brought him back to the house.
[ Fuck, this is weird. Giving Wash a heads up instead of waiting to hear the fireworks of him losing his shit. ]
York is here. Carolina found him and brought him back to the house.
[ The fact that it's a message and not his phone actually ringing is probably for the best, because Wash's reaction would've been a fairly dramatic verbal double take -- this is getting kind of out of hand. And it's... very weird, to have Epsilon genuinely giving him a heads up about something instead of a hard time. But he does appreciate it, and he's about to bring home someone else, too, so.
Ring ring, Epsilon. ]
Hey. Thanks for the heads up... we've got at least two more to deal with, too. Ephemera says his old captain showed up, the guy you killed with your laser eye? Carolina and I at least need to steer clear, but blanket rule for everybody is now no armor, don't go by spire 4. And I'm bringing Donut home. He's not doing great.
Ring ring, Epsilon. ]
Hey. Thanks for the heads up... we've got at least two more to deal with, too. Ephemera says his old captain showed up, the guy you killed with your laser eye? Carolina and I at least need to steer clear, but blanket rule for everybody is now no armor, don't go by spire 4. And I'm bringing Donut home. He's not doing great.
[When Wash comes home, Kyna is gone, which isn't entirely unusual. What is unusual is the carefully folded note on his pillow.
Wash—
Remember that time I gave you all of those reasons I wanted to be with you? I thought you could use another list.
I know you never really believe me when I say things like this, but you make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Or ever. You're one of the bravest, toughest, most caring people I know, and you still care about people even after all the crap they've put you through.
I've never, ever felt as comfortable with anyone the way I do with you. Even when you screw up, you do everything you can to fix it, and it makes me want to be better too. You've worked through so much since we met, and I'm really proud of you. I'm proud to be your girlfriend, too. I'd brag to everyone all the time if I didn't think people would get sick of it and go nuts.
If I had to go back in time and someone gave me a choice about getting stuck here, I'd say yes every time so I could be with you.
Anyway, I have a surprise for you, so meet me at the hot springs?
❤️Kyna
(This is totally the sappiest thing I've ever written in my entire life, and it's all your fault.)
It is very, very obvious she agonized over that little note for way too long.]
Wash—
Remember that time I gave you all of those reasons I wanted to be with you? I thought you could use another list.
I know you never really believe me when I say things like this, but you make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Or ever. You're one of the bravest, toughest, most caring people I know, and you still care about people even after all the crap they've put you through.
I've never, ever felt as comfortable with anyone the way I do with you. Even when you screw up, you do everything you can to fix it, and it makes me want to be better too. You've worked through so much since we met, and I'm really proud of you. I'm proud to be your girlfriend, too. I'd brag to everyone all the time if I didn't think people would get sick of it and go nuts.
If I had to go back in time and someone gave me a choice about getting stuck here, I'd say yes every time so I could be with you.
Anyway, I have a surprise for you, so meet me at the hot springs?
❤️Kyna
(This is totally the sappiest thing I've ever written in my entire life, and it's all your fault.)
It is very, very obvious she agonized over that little note for way too long.]
[ The first thing Wash does when he comes home to an empty room and a note on his pillow is get paranoid. However... she's only just moved in, and he's very aware of what time of "year" it is. It's hard to judge in Hadriel, obviously, but he does track the days. He wasn't expecting Kyna to have done so, for their half-anniversary she'd been completely clueless what was going on, and Wash had sort of been counting on that again so he could do something belatedly after the gods had returned. Resources are slim right now, they're rationing everything, it's freezing and there's no water to shower, he could go on. It's a bad time in a lot of ways and he doesn't have a gift or date night ready, but if she does...
Her note is probably the sweetest thing he's ever read about himself, and he doesn't think she'll be mad he wasn't ready for this, since it's not like he forgot. So he dresses a little nicer again, wearing that jacket he got way back in the caves and has only worn twice so far -- one date in the desert, one date on the islands -- which is warm enough over a long sleeved shirt and a light sweater. He shaves using as little water as he can, and kind of ??? fixes his hair a little.
When he shows up at the hot springs, looking around for Kyna, it's hard to hide that he's in a good mood. A faint smile, a hopeful expression. The hot springs are frozen over so no one else is there these days -- he'll be hard to miss in his slate grey jacket. ]
Kyna?
Her note is probably the sweetest thing he's ever read about himself, and he doesn't think she'll be mad he wasn't ready for this, since it's not like he forgot. So he dresses a little nicer again, wearing that jacket he got way back in the caves and has only worn twice so far -- one date in the desert, one date on the islands -- which is warm enough over a long sleeved shirt and a light sweater. He shaves using as little water as he can, and kind of ??? fixes his hair a little.
When he shows up at the hot springs, looking around for Kyna, it's hard to hide that he's in a good mood. A faint smile, a hopeful expression. The hot springs are frozen over so no one else is there these days -- he'll be hard to miss in his slate grey jacket. ]
Kyna?
[ Shortly after this encounter: ]
Blond male. Shield like North's. Know?
[ A moment later: ]
Lot of flowers.
[ Maine's going with that, because honestly? He has no idea how to explain all the flower-growing. ]
Blond male. Shield like North's. Know?
[ A moment later: ]
Lot of flowers.
[ Maine's going with that, because honestly? He has no idea how to explain all the flower-growing. ]
That's Donut.
It's not equipment, he can just do that now. I don't really get it either.
What happened?
[ Since... there could potentially be a problem here that necessitates some residence-shifting, if Donut felt threatened enough by Maine to activate his shield. ]
It's not equipment, he can just do that now. I don't really get it either.
What happened?
[ Since... there could potentially be a problem here that necessitates some residence-shifting, if Donut felt threatened enough by Maine to activate his shield. ]
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