victory_road | it's been so long between the words we spoke {OPEN}

Entry tags:

it's been so long between the words we spoke {OPEN}

Who: Shiro or Shadowmaru & YOU
Where: Various
When: During the Basculegion Swarm
Summary: Open log for Shiro and Shadowmaru's encounters with the Ghost Generating Fish
Rating: PG13 - will update if necessary

Log:

> SHIRO'S THREAD

> SHADOWMARU'S THREAD

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[He's in the middle of making sure the kitchen is thoroughly ghost proofed when Shiro says that.]

Shiro, I mean, I like that you're happy, but we were all weird. Things were hard, and I never thought less of you for it. I don't think any less of you for it.

[And he doesn't tell him, but he knows any one of them would have fought specifically for him in a heartbeat.] You don't have to be strong for everyone all the time, even in a place like this. I'd be more concerned if you weren't bothered by a bunch of faceless ghosts.

...Oh, right. I made you lunch. [He weakly offers him the bento box, as the whole thing has now become an afterthought to a very perplexing afternoon.]

Hah. We were, huh?

[That actually manages to get a little smile out of him. They're all still a little weird, though, aren't they? But the amusement ended up fizzling out. He leans forward, elbows on his knees.]

[The urge to apologize again is pretty strong. No matter how much Hunk says it's okay to be uneasy. Even when he can't fully recognize the figures. Maybe that's bothering him the most. Has he forgotten so much...]

Still I - thank you. For helping, back there. I really do appreciate - [Oh. There's food. And he blinks, that mildly spiraling train of thought immediately cut off.] You did? [Is he smiling?]

[He's smiling. And accepting the box.] You did. Thank you...

[It looks to Hunk like poor Shiro still has that need to have it together all the time. Even with everything he went through. It's probably easier here. He might have loosened up enough to venture away from the monochrome life but Hunk has a habit of worrying about his friends.]

Well if I'm going to be around I'm going to feed you, you can always count on that.

[Once he's sure that there aren't any lookyloos in spectral form, he sits beside of Shiro.]

We should probably watch the news and see if it's just us. Or check the network or something. Maybe we can figure out what's wrong. I don't really want to go out and mess with ghosts if there's nothing we can do about it right now.

[He looks over at Hunk, and, miraculously, grins. It lightens up the lines in his face, greatly. They'd faded with his time here, but weird nonsense like this? Brings them back out again. He'll open up the box in a second. He has to smile for now.]

We've really missed you. Not just for that - I mean. Just in general.

[Little moments of thoughtfulness like this? They're a strong reminder of how big of a heart Hunk has. He's really been missed.]

If you want to check the news, I can start scrolling the network.

Alright. I'm going to go and check.

[He turns on the TV, turns it up just loud enough to hear while he's making some tea because, let's be real? That's a very 'oh we're gonna need some tea' situation happening. Anything to calm the nerves, right?]

[He's glad he can be here for this, even if he's sure in a world like this one? Someone would have been there for him. But it's nice to hear. That the things he does for them does make a difference, even if it's a small comfort in difficult times. Sure, he can fight? But this little stuff means so much more for him to do.]

What's your last memory of me? Not from me being here, but from before you came here. I know it's been a while, but I just need to check.

[Shiro, meanwhile, does as he said he would, flipping open the 'gear to check the network. Browsing the entries while he snacks on the offered lunch. Sure enough - a lot of people posting about seeing familiar faces. And not always in a good way. They seem like they're seeing ghosts from the past... which ... doesn't bode all that well for the faceless spirits outside.]

[Not well at all.]

[He puts a hold on the browsing for a moment, to answer the question, pushing his hand through his hair.]

Lance, Pidge and I were going to go pick up Slav. [Did his eye just twitch.] We split up from you and Keith - you guys had your own mission. It was then. When we left.

[And it had been years ago, for him.]

Right. Well... I think those ghost might have been people you knew when you were held captive by the Galra. Or as much as you remember of them.

[Here comes the wierd question that he needs to ask.]

I don't think you should be alone if your head's getting messed with. If I have to go out or something and Lance and Pidge aren't here, do you have a boyfriend or something we can call?

[That hits him like a bucket of ice water. Everything clicks into place. Shiro goes very still where he sits, swallowing against the sudden tightness in his throat. Well - it makes sense, doesn't it? The outfits. The faces he can't see.]

[A shaky exhale, and he sets both the food and the 'gear down. To rub his hands over his face.]

You're... yeah. Yeah, I can see that now. [Why are there so many of them?] This world's not pulling any punches today, huh?

[Steady, move forward. Make a plan.] There's all the pokemon here. You -

[do you have a boyfriend or something]

[ WHO TATTLED??? ]

[Well, at least the sudden fluster means Shiro's brain is forcibly redirected off the Trauma Tracks, and into a better territory!]

[He clears his throat.]

I uh. Yeah. Yeah, I do.

But he's doing the gym circuit. [Why is this so embarrassing.] Not sure where he is exactly right now.

[Shiro, you've been living casually in a place for years. Hunk might be overwhelmed by the awkwardness of Shiro living such an average life sometimes but that Shiro would have found someone by now seems very likely.]

Let's still try to keep you from being alone. Who is it?

[Surely he could be contactable through pokegear.]

[Oh Hunk, if only you knew the Long Saga about this whole thing... On the other hand, it's probably good for your health that you don't.]

His name is Byleth. Byleth Eisner.

[Do not gush about him, Shiro, do not. Rein it in.]

[Wow, Shiro does look really happy to have someone. He vastly underestimated the need there.]

I'll contact him with the pokegear if it really looks like you need it. And need it by my standards, not yours.

[Because Shiro would probably deny any problems to his dying breath if he could be allowed to get away with it, though he doesn't know if that situation has improved any while being in a place with, theoretically, less problems.]

[It's been a Journey to get there. But he is - honestly - pretty happy with the current state of his personal life.]

Hah - fair enough. But... hopefully it doesn't come to that. [A shake of his head.] I'd like you guys to meet him on better terms than a haunted beach.

You say that like 90% of the people we've met in the past three years [in his time anyway] hasn't been because someone needed help.

Does it sound like there's a way to make it stop? Or do we just keep the curtains pulled and yell 'occupied!' if we hear the doorknob jiggle unsolicited?

[Because if there's not an exit strategy he doesn't really want to hang out with ghosts. Or risk finding some of his own. Especially since there's only really a couple of ghosts that can happen for him.]

The number can't be that high. [Please wait. Processing this.] Is it really 90%?

[He runs his hands through his hair again. As much as he wants to give Hunk an answer, there... really isn't one.]

Sometimes these things just run their course. Sometimes they go away on their own. Other times... there's a key to stopping them, somewhere. Sounds like this time people are just trying to ride it out.

Thank goodness. I was worried we were going to have to go out and fight the ghostfish. Not that I don't think you could take them? But it didn't sound like a great experience.

Seriously, dude. We were in the middle of an intergalactic war against a corrupt tyranical government built around a warrior culture turned magic addicts. Everyone needed help. And some of the strongest bonds we formed were helping each other- each other being the operative term here -and just like, finding joy together.

This place is a lot lighter hearted but even if the consequences aren't as dire, we still have that.

If they're ghost types... it might not be that bad. Nebula's dark type - strong against ghosts, and a few others on my team have strong abilities, too.

[He's quiet again, listening to Hunk. It's really, really hard not to smile while listening. It's true, too. Everything his teammate says.]

I'm surprised we've gotten along this long without you reminding us what's important. We really do need to keep that in mind, even here, don't we?

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it's been so long between the words we spoke {OPEN}

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1/2

2/3 i lied

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