like burning butterflies;

[lempereur]

WHO: Yusuke + various
WHERE: VARIOUS but probably mostly Yuri and Viktor's place
WHEN: Last week of October, post-spook house
WHAT: Horror house postmortem catch all, starters in comments.
WARNINGS: talking about event-related trauma including death

Comments

YURI

[lempereur]

[ When Yusuke finally escapes the house, he doesn't go far. His inital instinct, of course, is to run as fast as he can, as far as he can, until his legs give out, but they feel like lead. Now that he can breathe without looking behind his shoulder, he stumbles onto the sidewalk and just sits there, knees curled up to his chest.

His communicator beeps with all the messages he's missed having no service inside the house. None from Yuri, none from Akira. He tries firing messages to them both, only to have them bounce back. So he stays, and he waits, holding his legs tight and trying to keep himself together, but now that he's finished running and fighting, there's nothing stopping him but his own will, and his will is...pretty thoroughly shattered right now. It might be minutes, it might be hours, but eventually the blonde head he's looking for pops out of the door. Yusuke is still practically bolted to the ground, but he can call out to him, in something more like a shriek. ]

Yuri!

[beautiful_monster]

[When Yuri finally makes it out of the house, he looks positively shell-shocked. There's a distant look in his eyes, a sluggishness to his movements as though he's exhausted, and he's lost his shirt and jacket somewhere on his journey through that cursed building. It's hard to tell if it bothers him or not. His face stays blank and exhausted even in the crisp chill of the evening.

But then Yusuke's voice cuts through the air, and he jolts in surprise, glancing up with an almost frightened look. Yusuke's cry was so frantic that Yuri can't help but feel anxious hearing it, and it's actually hard to tell if seeing that it's his boyfriend soothes his frayed nerves at all. The distant look has dropped away sure, but a desperate expression has taken its place, and Yuri's gone sprinting (stumbling) across the house's lawn to throw himself down at Yusuke's side, clutching at him in a near panic to assure himself that Yusuke's in one piece.]

[lempereur]

[ Yusuke collapses into Yuri's arms, his face screwing up in an effort not to sob. He can't speak, he can barely move, he can only think back on slowly suffocating in that damn box, where he knew exactly what he was in for, but this was all he wanted.

Slowly, life comes back into his muscles, and the first thing he does is wrap his arms around Yuri in turn. He can't help but notice that his tight grip is met with skin, instead of clothing, but he's too busy pressing tearful kisses to the top of Yuri's head to ask quite yet. ]

I'm here. [ Sniff. ] I'm sorry.

[beautiful_monster]

[He hadn't been prepared for the flood of emotion this was going to bring on. How could he be? Viktor's power had drained all the panic and misery from him, leaving him strangely numb until spotting Yusuke had triggered the memory and brought the sick and confusing reality of it all crashing down around him again. It's too much all at once to keep his composure under.

Yuri doesn't try to hold back his tears at all, clinging to Yusuke with an almost painful grip and pressing as close as he can while he gulps down frantic breaths of air in between his sobs.]

Don't leave—don't leave me.

[lempereur]

[ Yuri's tears open up his own floodgates, every horrible feeling he'd kept on a leash in the name of survival coming up and pouring out of him in almost violent fashion. He buries his face in Yuri's hair, salty tears and dribbling snot be damned. ]

I'm not. I won't.

[ He can't form any thoughts more complex than that, not right now, not with the deep sobs shaking their way through his body. Yusuke runs his hand down the back of the other boy's head, over and over again, hoping to convince him that he's real, he's here, and that he isn't leaving for anything. Or to convince himself he isn't dreaming. ]

OTABEK

[lempereur]

[ It'll be a while before Yusuke and Yuri unlatch from each other, but eventually, it's time for a change of clothes and a shower. Yuri goes first, so that Yusuke can head to his own house two doors down and pack a bag. A few days, maybe more, worth of things, he has no intention of leaving again any time soon. He's gone for a few minutes, at most, and when he gets back, he curls up on the couch and opens up his communicator. He needs to talk to Beka, even if he doesn't know what to say, or how to say it.

But that's never stopped him before. When his boyfriend answers the phone, Yusuke takes a moment, inhaling through his teeth, and then wincing at the sound, before saying anything. ]

Beka...can you come to Yuri's house?

[ His voice is quiet, shaking. He's safe now, but no less afraid, and it comes through in his voice. ]

you spelled that wrong ...otabae

[bypasser]

[Otabek has only been at his house for half an hour when his phone rings. He is still confused and unhappy with what had happened, but he's had time to shower and change into clean clothes at least. Picking up the phone, he sees Yusuke's name and he frowns - he should tell him and Yuri both what he'd been through, tell them about Kaneki, but he's hesitant.

His powers had failed him and he'd been useless. It's possible he could be useless to them, too, no matter how much they have helped him practice. Hitting the button, he lifts it to his ear.]

Yusuke, I.. [The tone of his boyfriend's voice and the request worry him.] Tell me you're safe. I'm on my way.

[After he gets confirmation, he'll focus on Yuri since it's his house and then attempt to teleport there.]

Sry BAE

[lempereur]

I am safe now. I just need to see you. Come quick.

[ He'll hang up now to let him focus, and curls up into himself as he waits. It's quiet. Viktor is upstairs, no pointless noise coming from the TV or chatting over the communicator. Yusuke is sitting quietly by himself with a blanket over him, so when there's a slight commotion upstairs, he notices, but thinks nothing of it. Probably Makkachin looking for attention.

Until Otabek eventually comes down the stairs. A slight misfire? ]

You're wet.

[bypasser]

[He had focused on Yuri. It helped him to concentrate on people rather than places, but he hadn't expected his accuracy to be so.. spot on. He'd landed in the shower with a very naked and very wet Yuri Plisetsky and Otabek has never been more embarrassed. Stumbling down the steps with a towel draped over his wet clothes, he pauses in front of Yusuke.]

Do you have something I can wear?

[Yuri's clothes would be too tight and Yusuke's too long, but the latter would probably be more comfortable.]

I.. I interrupted Yura's bath.

[lempereur]

You landed in the shower?

[ Yusuke, for the first time in days, sounds amused. He doesn't mean to laugh at Otabek's embarrassment...but he is, leaning his head back against the couch with a weary chuckle. It doesn't last long, the reason he called Beka here weighing on his chest, forcing his lungs flatter with every second spent alone.

But Beka's here now. He's going to be fine. It's not like he has another option. ]

I brought a few days worth of things. There's a sweater in there that's your color.

[ He says, pointing to a duffel bag sitting by the staircase. ]

DOOKU

[lempereur]

[ Even by the end of the month, Yusuke is barely up for leaving Yuri's house, much less going all the way to Maurtia Falls to meet with Count Dooku. In fact, it's about the last thing he wants to do, playing this stupid game requires energy that he just doesn't have, and the fact that he was forced to relive his sins in that house, with an audience and a guest appearance from an image of Dooku himself, doesn't help matters.

But the game also requires that he do what is asked of him. So here he is, forced into the fresh autumn air that hasn't yet made its way south to Heropa, ordering chamomile tea at Brew World Order. Yusuke is punctual and put together, as usual, but the stress and lack of sleep may be given away by the weariness in his eyes. He smiles just the same as always, sliding into the booth across from Dooku, a hot, soothing cup of tea between his hands. ]

Good morning, Count. It has been too long.

[ No it hasn't. ]

[dun_moch]

Indeed it has. Greetings, Yusuke.

[Dooku returns the smile, but misses none of Yusuke's evident fatigue as he regards his prized subordinate. His own tea is already in front of him.]

I hope you have been well. There has been a great deal of unpleasantness, recently.

[lempereur]

Yes, there has.

[ His eyes wander out the window, watching the wind pull the leaves from the trees and sipping from his cup. ]

I was caught up in it myself, last week. [ Which is all he's going to say about it, unless he's asked. ] What can I help you with?

[dun_moch]

A trivial matter, to tell you the truth. An art project of sorts for our organization.

[Dooku sets his tea aside and leans forward, folding his hands in front of him as he tries to catch Yusuke's wandering eye.]

It can wait. Are you all right, Yusuke?

[Yusuke is one of his favourites. Yusuke has never failed or questioned him. He is worth this extra bit of investment.]

[lempereur]

[ No need to put forth the extra effort, he's got Yusuke's full attention with the phrase 'art project'. ]

I got lost in that haunted house. Killed, twice. I am fine now, if I keep busy.

[ He's not fine at all, but he highly, highly doubts that Dooku actually cares. Whether it's convincing or not isn't much of a concern, but he could use something to work on. That much is the truth. ]

What kind of project?

AKIRA

[lempereur]

[ It's late at night, on the day everyone escapes that house. Yusuke is exhausted, physically, mentally, spiritually, but he can't sleep. It's only at other peoples' urging that he eats anything, but even that doesn't help. Not knowing if what he saw and felt in that house was real, if his multiple painful, fiery deaths were worth anything at all, it makes him feel nauseous. Knowing that Akira went through the same is even worse, after all the risks and the sacrifices that the Phantom Thieves' leader had taken on their behalf, Yusuke had failed to keep him from suffering as he did.

He has to see him, and doesn't care much for the fact that it's the middle of the night and across state lines. Yusuke texts him to let him know that he's coming, and doesn't wait for an answer before he's on his way.

Shortly after midnight, there's a knock on the door. ]

[crimeboy]

[When Akira answers the door, he looks... better than perhaps you'd expect him to. He'd just gotten out of a shower, a much longer shower than he usually took, but he needed to try to wash it away. At the least, that means that he answers the door smelling clean and in a fresh set of clothing.

Despite it all, he gives Yusuke a smile upon opening the door for him.]

Hey, Yusuke.

Come on in.

[He holds the door open for Yusuke, still feeling a little sore and stiff from... everything, but the warm water had helped quite a bit.]

[lempereur]

[ Yusuke steps inside, slipping off his shoes and hugging himself, anxious. ]

I am sorry for bothering you this late.

[ He hadn't exactly thought about what he was going to do or say once he arrived. The plan was to get eyes on Akira, make sure he's really still alive. He knows he has to be, of course he is, Yusuke and everyone else is, even if they died in that hell house. ]

I had to check in on you. Are you alright?

[crimeboy]

[Really, Akira hadn't planned on addressing... what had happened. It was a complex kind of mess, and he didn't really know how to parse it just yet. He felt... dirty. He'd showered for a long time after he'd left but he still felt dirty and the water had been so hot but he couldn't shake the ghost of the chills.

He was still alive though. He shouldn't be so torn up about it, right? Right.]

It's no bother. I don't... sleep much.

[In general. He was already a bit of an insomniac now without Morgana or an enforced curfew, and he'd been waking up early for work... until he came back from that house, anyway. He's not sure if he's ready to face people much yet, nevermind putting on a customer service facade.]

Uhm. I'm doing... okay. I made it back home alright. Got a shower. Feel a little better in my pajamas.

[lempereur]

Good. I'm glad you're alright. I would have called you earlier, but I thought it would be best to wait until I was coherent.

[ If Akira didn't want to talk about it...he shouldn't have answered the door. Yusuke isn't going to let this fester until it eats him from the inside out, he's made that mistake too many times already. Akira is welcome to his own pace, but he has to at least touch base with him. ]

My best efforts were not enough to keep you from dying, I would at least like to be here for you now. It happened to me, too.

VIKTOR

[lempereur]

[ ...it's been a few days.

By all reasonable guidelines and standards for being a good guest, Yusuke should probably go home. He isn't as concerned about manners as he usually is, but at least he's quiet. Those days have consisted mainly of long talks with Yuri and Otabek, holding them close and letting their warmth soothe away the undercurrent of panic bubbling just beneath his skin.

But even Yusuke needs a minute to himself, so he sneaks downstairs while the other boys are sleeping...or pretending to be. The thief toes quietly down to the kitchen, to open a window for some cool air, and put on a kettle for tea. There's movement out of the corner of his eye, making him flinch, just barely avoiding knocking the kettle from the stove top. ]

...I'm sorry. I didn't see you.

[fourlevels]

[ Viktor winces, having seen just how close that kettle was from a sudden flight off the stove. He looks a little disheveled in the hard, white light of the kitchen, the fluorescent making him look pale but with faint spots of color on his cheeks; it's the kind of flush one might get from a quick bout of activity, like say from running down the stairs. ]

Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.

[ He even sounds a little out of breath, adding to the detail of really having just sprinted downstairs. ]

I thought I heard—well. I came down to see who it was.

[lempereur]

[ Yusuke runs a hand through his hair, and gives the back of his head an anxious scratch. ]

If I see Katsuki-san, you will be the first to know.

[ Viktor isn't subtle, but he gets a worried look out of Yusuke. Going through that house must have been bad enough, without having to look after a handful of shell shocked teens. And now his fiance is gone, again? It's like they're all just living a nightmare, horror house or not. ]

Would you like some?

[ Tea, that is. He asks while he adjusts the kettle back to center. ]

[fourlevels]

[ Viktor rubs the back of his own neck, smiling a little awkwardly. ]

I must look pathetic enough for it, hmm? But yes please.

[lempereur]

Not any more pathetic than I do.

[ Which...is pretty pathetic, so that's probably not very reassuring. ]