IC Inbox | ryslig

[softspokenlandlord]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, WhiteWizard. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 007.80.751.19 *** WhiteWizard has joined 007.80.751.19 <WhiteWizard> Hello, this is Ryou Bakura! <WhiteWizard> Feel free to reach out to me if you need anything. :) <WhiteWizard> I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Comments

that's ok because i'm not sorry he's like this. :V

[softspokenlandlord]

Ryou hadn't actually expected that kind of turnaround on the visit. At this point Atem wasn't around, though the pile of blankets and moved furniture probably didn't look attractive to prospective company and if Ryou knew Horatio was going to show up so quickly, he might have given a token effort to straighten things up.

...And failed miserably because he's missing limbs.

Oh well. The only thing he's caught out on is that he's visibly struggling to lean on the kitchen counter and simultaneously eat half a sandwich.

When Horatio lets himself in, he tenses a bit, then winces and leans his weight onto his only arm.

"S-shit."

Oh. Oh that just kind of...slid out there.

"P-pardon my language," he amends quickly, but he doesn't move from the kitchen quite yet. "Uhm, did you want...a drink? We have juice."

Absolutely sublime. Yes he wants to hear about the apocalypse but Horatio, please...

It doesn't help that Ryou's brain is at least five steps behind his mouth. Hence the dumb host-based question.

[youngtimer]

"No, I'm fine, but thanks." He glances around. Between Atem's change to a naga, and their collective sacrifices ... he's not surprised it's a mess. "It's okay, you two have had a rough ... while. If I can't handle visiting you at your worst, why should I deserve visiting you at your best? My mom always used to say stuff like that."

[softspokenlandlord]

"'A rough while.' Hah," Ryou says with just a little bit of a scoff, though it's not really at Horatio. He's just very, very aggravated about his extra sacrifice. If he had only taken care of himself--if he'd just had time to sleep at all--then he wouldn't have lost his arm or foot. He's just a burden and a half, so he's not surprised Atem is keeping busy elsewhere.

...Maybe that's assuming too much about someone he cares about...but Ryou's headspace is perpetually not great as of late.

"Your mother is very wise, and kind," he finally adds, before forcing himself in the air with no small amount of effort. He keeps hold of his sandwich as he floats towards the blanket pile on the floor. "Feel free to take advantage of the blankets. This is the honorary big monster bed, but it's pretty comfortable to sit in as well."

So saying, he drops himself as gently as he can onto the pile, laying himself down on his good side. Ah, yeah. That's better. Now that he can concentrate on his guest, Ryou takes a closer look at Horatio's face, to see how his eye is doing. After all, it wasn't just Atem and Ryou that had made sacrifices.

[youngtimer]

"She was, yeah. I miss her a lot sometimes." He's getting better at actually vocalizing things like that, now ... but there's a hesitation before he sits down, even now: a worry that being vulnerable like that can be used against him. ... He's physically being invited into a blanket fort and worried about being attacked. The problematic nature of that doesn't even occur to him.

The bandages around his eye are fresh and clean, and there's no sign of redness around the edges - a sign that he's checking it and cleaning it frequently, changing out the dressings, letting it air when he's in private.

"You're right," he says as he finally settles. "This is pretty comfortable. My sister Allison used to do stuff like this... she'd string up sheets to make walls, and I'd sneak marshmallows and peanut butter into her room from the kitchen and make us sandwiches. Klaus would make shadow puppets on the sheet walls."

He sighs, but for once it's not a sad sound. "Being around you guys... Atem, Celeste, Steve, Mukuro, Annie, Bethan ... you all make me feel like I have a family again."

[softspokenlandlord]

Ryou lets Horatio speak as he adjusts himself in the blankets. It's going to be an absolute task to get back up if he can't levitate, but he's confident he'll be able to, so he curls up as best he can on his right side, while still looking up at the other monster.

...If he wasn't missing parts he might feel awkward about not sitting. But here we are. Ryou's deriving comfort wherever he can. Besides, it's not like Horatio can't lay down, Ryou wouldn't judge. He just doesn't think that's gonna happen.

"You sound like you have a nice family. I'm sorry you had to leave them behind, but...I'm glad that you've found a place with friends who almost feel like brothers and sisters. Sometimes, having friends that you feel you can be close to is a blessing in a place like this."

He pauses, because as hazy as his brain is, this still feels...like it needs further review before he says it. But he says it anyway.

"Better to forge a bond with those who are here, than to wish for those you care about to suffer the same fate."

[youngtimer]

"I don't know about nice. Our adopted dad really messed us up. That stuff was ... we had to steal those kind of moments one Saturday afternoon at a time."

The blankets are comforting in a way he never really imagined they could be, even with his fragile wings in the way, and he surreptitiously burrows in a little more, contorting himself to take off his shoes. His socks have card pips on them, because he is just a little bit extra, but only when he thinks no one can see. He flashes Ryou a self-conscious little smile.

"I go back and forth about wanting them here, honestly. They -" He shakes his head, and realizes that he's getting ahead of himself. Better to work himself up to the fresher pain through layers of the old familiar ones. "I should start at the beginning. I did promise to tell you about the apocalypse, after all."