Thanatos and Orpheus // Private Thread for the Win

[itsnotaleash]

[Thanatos can be found in the dorm room asleep on a pile of ancient tomes. There are a whole bunch of them scattered about his sleeping person and even a few across the room, most of those tomes open or bent from obvious abuse. Seems when they're useless, Thanatos throws them aside in frustration before preying on the next. It doesn't help most of them are in languages Thanatos doesn't know and so he outright can't use them in his sudden quest for research. Who knows how long he has been at this... It doesn't seem like he'll be asleep like that for any much longer either since he's going through all the signs he's in one of his nightmares.]

Comments

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

I-I'm not...

[A soft whimper as he buries his face even closer against Orpheus' chest. He never wants to let go of his Assistant.]

Your sacrifice would never be worthless to your friends... It's all my fault you had to make that sacrifice in the first place... If I fail to save you from ceasing to exist, it would be all the better for me to be destroyed and your world to continue as it always will, thanks to you...

[clockstopped]

[Sits up another to wrap both arms around him, one hand preening the hair on the back of the other's head. Consoling and supporting as ever. Maybe you think that way, but I don't. Boundless understanding and forgiveness. Must be a Messiah thing.]

You deserve a chance to live too, Ryoji. Don't condemn yourself for sins that aren't yours.

[Why yes, that was the first name you heard. Why do you ask?]

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

[Thanatos cries in Orpheus' arms, though this time it's brought on at the mention of his name while a human living with innocence. Did that name even belong to him anymore? He had no innocence... Not as a Shadow. Not as a Fusionist. Of course those sins had been his own. He was always Death above all other titles...] I-I want to live with you, Minato.

If I lose you, then I lose my chance to live! Please... At least try to fight your fate. I'll be there at your side while you do. I won't give up, all right?

[clockstopped]

[You're not the one who asked for Nyx to appear. If anyone is to be blamed, even the Seal protecting them all would sooner place condemnation on humanity itself before you.] With me? ... Why?

[But at least your words are starting to sink in a bit. Stop being stubborn, why are you going to try so hard for something that's inevitable? But at the same time, isn't this just one massive role reversal from December 31st? Even if that doesn't explain why you'd go this far just for me. ... Stubborn idiot superior.]

[One of the hands holding you in place is removed to cover his own eyes. Soft, barely qualifying for the definition, but it's still laughter before speaking. Even though Thanatos might still notice the few tears falling on his head. Only they're not out of sorrow like yours.] I still don't get you.

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

'Why...?' I've always been with you. If I lost you now, it would be like losing half of who I am. [Releases his grip on Orpheus' suit and wraps his arms around his Assistant as tight as possible. His Assistant is crying... ]

It's just like December 31st, isn't it...? I didn't get you then just like you don't get me now. Why fight the inevitable? However, you fought the inevitable and won... It gives me hope that I can do the same and save you. No matter the sacrifice.

[clockstopped]

[Blinks a bit as the clinging as it switches to having his lungs crushed in a hug. Completely unaware of his own tears? Most likely. Being stoic all the time has its downsides. But the unsaid retort to your words doesn't come. That last word. Sacrifice? No. I won't allow you to be sacrificed like I was. You or anyone else. Not as long as I have a say in it, at least.]

[And even if the only reason is to prevent that from happening, you still get the answer you want.] I'll try, then.

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

[Continues to cling onto Orpheus.] Thank you...

[clockstopped]

[Yeah, we were expecting that. Though we just let you cling all you want as we go back to flipping through that one book from behind with one hand, the other one still preening your hair.]

How many times do I have to tell you? You don't have to thank me. Now stop crying. [Sounding mildly annoyed, but it's obvious he's just kidding around. Trying to cheer up the boss and all that.]

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

[Sniffs as he slightly lifts his face away from Orpheus' chest so he can watch Orpheus flip through that book with its unreadable, ancient language.] All right...

Hey, Orpheus ... Do you understand what's written in that?

[clockstopped]

[Hesitates from turning the next page to rub away the last traces of tears, looking up at the question. Stare. And then said just as calmly as anything else-]

Not at all.

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

... Oh. [Proceeds to just set his face back against Orpheus' chest.]

[clockstopped]

[Looks up enough to stare at. That depressed expression again... Well, what good at my job would I be if I can't even do something as simple as this? Bring it on, book.]

I can translate it.

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

You can? [Looks down at the book from his spot against Orpheus' chest. He smiles and gives his Assistant a squeeze around the middle.] All right, I'll help you! ...What do I have to do?

[clockstopped]

Most likely. [Gah, my lungs. I need those for things. But you're smiling again, so... Well, it's not like breathing is mandatory anymore.] See if there's any information on the language itself... If not, then I'll have to work from scratch.

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

That's one of the really ancient books I was able to pick up from that store... I have no idea what language it could even be.

[clockstopped]

Did they have anything else with this writing or did you not ask?

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

There are a few other books in that writing, however, most of them are on the floor somewhere after I threw them because I couldn't understand them...

[clockstopped]

... [Headpat. That'll do, Owldog.] Cross-reference might work just as well.

Can you find all of the ones you couldn't understand?

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can find them for you. [Have a nuzzle in return for that headpat. Also, gives Orpheus another squeeze before he releases his hold and moves off of the bed to collect those books he threw about the dorm room. This may take awhile... However, he does find them all and stacks them next to Orpheus.]

[clockstopped]

[Yay, you're in a better mood. Now time to put that maxed Academics stat to work. Sits up a bit straighter, back to flipping the pages randomly. No other information about it exists, so... first need to define the writing system before trying to decode the characters themse--]

[Train of thought derailed, only now by a loud thud and the entire bed's weight shifting to one side. Looking at the source of the disturbance and-... Stare. That... is a large pile of tomes. Even compared with all of the other ones randomly stacked randomly about the room. Cue leaning to one side to look around the stack, expression something between a glare and... mild amazement. Mostly the latter.]

You need to stop throwing things when you're frustrated.

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

I do? S-Sorry, Orpheus. That stack doesn't even include all of the books I knocked over when I flipped one of the tables...

[clockstopped]

You...

[You flipped one of the tables. ... Facepalm into forever. Splitting the huge stack into two piles, resting the one he was reading on the shorter one. Now excuse us as we disappear into the jungle of book stacks to clean up the mess you've made. Siiiiigh.]

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

Wait, I'll help you - [Moves to help Orpheus clean up the various books all over the floor of their dorm room. Wait, that reminds him... He should probably tell Orpheus the kittens have been playing on all of the tomes while he was reading a few. He hasn't even seen one of them in awhile so they must be hidden in the mess.]

... Oh, Orpheus?

[clockstopped]

You don't... [Have to help? Too late, he's already helping. Sigh sir. But in that short interval between his offer and his name being called afterwards, you have an assistant leaning back to stare at the derpcase, a stack of ten-or-so books balanced easily on each hand.]

What is i--! [KITTEN'D! Fell off from one of the book towers most likely, and found it's landing spot on your Assistant's head. ... Mews cutely. Clearly a Just As Planned moment.] ... You lost the cats?

[itsnotaleash.livejournal.com]

... [Can't help it - He laughs.] Y-Yeah, I did. You found one!