Sleepover before the storm

[attheclocktower]

Characters: [OU] Xion, Excalibur, and whoever comes
Setting: Floor 101
Format: Whatever floats your boat
Summary: It's the night before the infiltration. People are plotting, discussing, and Xion has brought a Dream Eater so those who want to try to get a good night's sleep have a marginally higher chance of doing so. So in short it's a Tower-flavored sleepover. Bring your own pillows.
Warnings: Nothing in the top level. Will try to edit if anything changes but if something comes up in one of your threads make sure to add a warning in the subject line

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[Standard mingle post procedure. Make your top levels. Tag around. Have fun. Or not, this is Animus after all.

Notes will have been passed out and quiet discussion gone around by word of mouth, just saying that several people were spending the night in the hidden floor. Anybody who spoke to Xion would have been told that she's trying to figure out a way everybody can get a good night's sleep. You'll need to supply your own blankets and pillows but... hey, at least if you have trouble sleeping, you'll have company?

Note that any characters who sleep on the Hidden Floor, if they normally suffer from nightmares will likely have notably lessened or absent nightmares (up to your discretion) owing to the Dream Eater that Xion has brought with.]

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid rolls his eyes at the second punch. Keep it up, Reno. He's keeping score...]

It's not that bad, you know. You should try it sometime. It will make you feel all grown up and responsible...

[midgarhorizon]

[Reno rolls his eyes right back, and lets a minute or two go by while he looks at his nails.

PUNCH.]

Oops, sorry. Guess I'm sure as hell not as grown up as I thought.

[oathshackledbird]

[Better watch it, Reno. Punch much harder and that hand might end up broken. Servant resistances and all.]

Don't worry. I am keeping score and will be repaying with interest, brother...

[He's showing restraint. See? Being a grown up isn't all bad. Plotting revenge is actually pretty fun sometimes.]

[midgarhorizon]

Yeah? Should I be worried?

[Now Reno's poking him in the cheek. ...How immature can you get?]

[oathshackledbird]

Yes, haven't you ever heard the phrase 'it's always the quiet ones?'

[Seriously, Reno, would you really be doing this to Rude and not be afraid of what he would do in return?]

[midgarhorizon]

[He would, and Rude probably wouldn't do anything back except pull out another pair of sunglasses.]

Nope. Why? [Poke, poke, poke.]

[oathshackledbird]

You will find out. You will find out.

[Diarmuid grins and then catches Reno's hand, pushing it away.]

Now stop that before you trigger a fight reaction and I accidentally break your wrist...

[midgarhorizon]

[Reno's face falls slightly, but he desists.]

Hey... just trying to keep it lighthearted here. I'm gettin' sick of the serious, focused stuff...

[oathshackledbird]

Lighthearted is fine. I am just trying to avoid accidentally hurting you.

[Diarmuid sighs, sounding tired.]

As on edge as I am, I might act without thinking and I don't want to end up hurting someone. Especially you. That would really kill the lighthearted mood, right?

[midgarhorizon]

[Reno frowns for a moment, thinking on why Diarmuid would be so on edge when he wasn't going down... then realized both him and Cu were going. If he knew the guy well enough, that's probably why...]

You that worried about us?

[oathshackledbird]

I'm worried about everyone...but my family particularly, yes.

[Diarmuid sighs and looks down at his hands.]

I want to be down there with you, but...

[midgarhorizon]

Why don't you come with us? We could use you.

[oathshackledbird]

Waver needs me too and he asked me to stay with him.

[For a moment, Diarmuid's eyes drift to Waver who is working nearby.]

Besides, sending all of our fighters down there when we don't know what will happen isn't a good idea.

[midgarhorizon]

[For a second, Reno looks disappointed.]

Yeah, I getcha. Don't make too much mess up here, I'm gonna be tired when we get back.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid actually flinches when he sees that look. Quickly, he looks away from Reno, head bowing. Cu Chulainn had looked at him in a similar way when he had told him he wasn't going down. Why does he feel like he's failing them? Is it really so wrong for him to stay with Waver?]

Sorry...

[midgarhorizon]

Hey, what's wrong with ya?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid takes a deep breath and turns back to Reno, trying and failing to smile.]

Never mind. It's not that important. You should get some rest.

[midgarhorizon]

Dee?

[Now Reno is worried. See that? You got your brother worried.]

'Course it's important... family, right?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid sighs and looks away again. For a moment, it seems like he's not going to answer and then he finally speaks softly.]

I feel like I am failing all of you, okay? You. Cu Chulainn. Ryoji. Xion and everyone else that is going down. I should be going with you, but I can't. I just can't.

[And if Reno is as sharp as he prides himself on being, he should have no problem realizing there is more than Diarmuid isn't saying.]

[midgarhorizon]

[With a soft snort, Reno lowers himself to the floor beside him again, and if he'll let him, slide his arm around his shoulders.]

I'm your bro, Dee. If there's something else you wanna say, I won't tell anyone.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid doesn't pull away, but he doesn't look at Reno either. His gaze is unfocused but turned in Waver's direction again. For the longest time he doesn't say anything. Finally, he speaks almost inaudibly.]

We can't risk losing it. If we do...then we really have no hope.

[midgarhorizon]

"It?"

[Reno blinks in confusion for a moment.]

Losing what, Dee?

[oathshackledbird]

Ah...

[Diarmuid's eyes nervously drop back to his hands, and unconsciously, he starts rubbing the back of his right one. If he were Waver, there would be command spells on that hand.]

Our bond...the contract. It ties our souls together...

[midgarhorizon]

Oh, that. What's so important? If ya lose it, you can get it back again.

[Reno might have lost something in translation there.]

Or... if ya mean you don't want it lost because of the tactical stuff... I mean I guess I understand that.

[Or not. He seems to get it after a moment.]

You don't want to lose your connection, right? ...

[He's silent for a moment.]

What does it mean to ya, Dee? I'm tryin' to understand here.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid is quiet for a long time, still rubbing at the back of his hand. After a few moments, he seems to realize how red he's making it and stops, moving to play with his ring instead.]

If we can't pick where we go when this is all done...it ties my soul to his. We are hoping it will be enough for him to drag me to his world. I don't have a body back on my world. I don't need to go back for it. I would just need energy once on his world. It's a long shot, but it's better than nothing...

[He pauses for a moment, almost seeming like he's done, and then he starts talking again.]

When you have someone else there for so long...it's like losing a sense when they are gone. Whenever the bond flickered before we got our real powers back, I always felt so empty, even if it was just for a short time. I...hate that feeling.