[ dextera has been circling makoto the entire time they’ve been down here. it’s not his duty to attend to makoto and they both know that, so he’s been keeping a watchful distance both out of respect for makoto’s individuality—plus to hold back his emotional communion, which has grown overwhelming even in his own head—and, truthfully, a personal need to curl up and wait for it all to pass.
it has not passed, and it has only gotten worse. the world is making demands of them now.
the pressure on his shard has become painful, even though he’s chosen. perhaps it’s discord, or more likely, it’s his natural tendency toward self-flagellation that is punishing his body now—hunger and thirst are things he’s accustomed to, but this ritual has been such a terrifying whirlwind of pressure from all sides that he can feel himself falling apart at the seams. he wants comfort, he wants his brother, but there is no one down here who can be that for him. instead, he busies himself with worrying about the future.
conversion isn’t his style. he doesn’t expect that he can sway makoto, so he’s surprised when he finally breaks to approach him—with increasing dread that this may be their last time to speak, zenith’s victory—that makoto still hasn’t harmonized. ]
…
[ the surprise shows on his face, even pale and tired as he is. ]
purge-era wildcard-ish
it has not passed, and it has only gotten worse. the world is making demands of them now.
the pressure on his shard has become painful, even though he’s chosen. perhaps it’s discord, or more likely, it’s his natural tendency toward self-flagellation that is punishing his body now—hunger and thirst are things he’s accustomed to, but this ritual has been such a terrifying whirlwind of pressure from all sides that he can feel himself falling apart at the seams. he wants comfort, he wants his brother, but there is no one down here who can be that for him. instead, he busies himself with worrying about the future.
conversion isn’t his style. he doesn’t expect that he can sway makoto, so he’s surprised when he finally breaks to approach him—with increasing dread that this may be their last time to speak, zenith’s victory—that makoto still hasn’t harmonized. ]
…
[ the surprise shows on his face, even pale and tired as he is. ]
You’ve been fighting all this time?