week 7; tuesday

[scythegun]

[Yeager usually stops by Duke's room early - he likes keeping tabs on the people who are important to him and it's especially important with Duke. He's still not convinced that Duke is entirely safe, so these check-ins put his mind at ease (at least until the end of the day, usually).

He knocks loudly and obnoxiously on Duke's door, as he's done every morning since after Leo's execution.]

Good morning, Duke~!

Comments

[scythegun]

[Yeager doesn't answer right away but he does take Duke's hand the moment it's offered. He's definitely calmed down by now and when he finally manages to look at Duke again he actually has the usual confidence back. The over-the-top cheer isn't present, but that's only because his smile is genuine.]

Once we arrive home we're going to have quite a few things to figure out, ja? Will we be in your timeline or mine or Yuri's? Once we've determined that we can work out how to proceed - I'll have plenty to attend to no matter what, but I'd like it if you accompanied me. If you don't have anything pressing to do, that is!

[Concrete goals are always better than vague statements in his opinion, and focusing on the things he should do when he returns home makes all of this a lot easier. It makes it seem like they really will get out of here at some point. He can at least try to offer Duke that much.]

[unlikelyend]

[ Duke's always felt like it was a privilege to see any of Yeager's real, genuine smile, and he's glad when the man takes his hand... which, doing so (holding hands, that is) felt natural at this point. Even if he is not entirely sure why. ]

... My own, if that is alright. However, if you wish to return to your own, or Yuri's, I will still gladly accompany you on the way there.

[ So far them saying they will go home and come out of it alive has worked out well enough so far. Why not this? ]

[scythegun]

It would be good to return to a world where we don't have to worry about the Adephagos. But... There are plenty of things I wish I could avoid. If I could return to my version of Terca Lumireis, my daughters would never have to deal with my death. I suppose I went missing and they can't be taking that well, but that's easier than coming back from the dead, ja?

[He shakes his head after a moment though; the smile hasn't faded at all.]

But it doesn't matter which version of Terca Lumireis we end up in. I can work with whatever I'm given and having a chance to return is... well, it means a lot to me.

[He's made a lot of mistakes but he's still alive and that has to count for something.]

I don't want to return without you and Yuri. It wouldn't feel right, ja? So whatever we decide... I believe we should decide together.

[unlikelyend]

[ Duke thinks for a moment on this. He has done all he has needed to have settled within his own world, and so, in essence, he does not to be so concerned with returning. After considering Yeager's words, he comes to the quick conclusion that he'd be fine with either world, with possibly deferring to the other man's preference. ]

Very well. It's a reasonable conclusion to make.

I suppose that when we all gather to decide, it should be relatively sooner than later... if possible.

[ ... Saying so because Duke does not know the 'when' part would happen otherwise. It is odd, planning for things like this. ]

[scythegun]

Ja, we should determine this when we can. It's... something to keep in mind. I know I need something to help me keep going, after all!

[Duke and Top Dollar are great and they've been keeping him sane, but he wouldn't have made it this far if he ever stopped to consider that he couldn't go home. They might not make it out of here - that's a possibility he's only briefly considered and stopping to think about it now will only break him. The only way for him to survive is to keep moving and assume that everything will work out, somehow.]

It's strange to think about. No matter where we end up going, two of us are going to be feeling very odd in the world. If we go to yours, Yuri and I will have a lot to catch up on. If we go to his, you and I will have to relive experiences. I still don't know how it's possible for them to pull us from different points in time.

[And it's kind of strange to think about too. Does that mean that Duke's world has a different Yuri?]

[unlikelyend]

I understand.

[ ... To both things. Duke knows for sure if he looked at things from a pessimistic angle, then that would be all he needed to spiral out of control. What he had done with Tarquaron was because he was too cynical and pessimistic of anything else working out in the first place. It seems like remaining optimistic was key... ]

I am not sure either... and I am also not sure if I would be able to comprehend it even if an explanation somehow managed to make itself apparent along the way.

[ He takes a small pause. Does he want to relive experiences? He just ... makes a sort of face at that (kind of like he doesn't know what expression to pick but it is possibly closest to 'unsure'). ]

[scythegun]

[Oh my god, look at that face.]

Don't worry too much about it right now, ja? We still have plenty of things to work through first!

[Like whatever mess will happen at the end of this week (yikes) and the aftermath of the secrets reveal (yikes)... Not to mention whatever happens next week...]

[unlikelyend]

[ ... So many factors there was to worry about were already present, and so he simply winds up nodding. His face resumes close to a normal expression.

At the very least they had discussed matters of pertinence. ]

... That is true.

[scythegun]

We'll make it through this. And hopefully Yuri won't die of his injuries!

[Well, he could only be serious for so long...]

[unlikelyend]

[ Just... this face. ]

I do not see that happening unless he does something incredibly foolish.

[scythegun]

Well, he has been difficult about changing his bandages...! But it was only a joke!

[Because he can't actually be nice to Yuri for five seconds even behind closed doors. It's Difficult, Duke. You wouldn't understand!!!!!!]

[unlikelyend]

...I had been beginning to wonder when you may tell another.

[ Okay, not really, but. ]

[scythegun]

It really is strange to hear me be serious for so long, ja? Don't worry, my incredible sense of humor hasn't failed me yet!

[you literally just joked about yuri dying what part of that is incredible]

[unlikelyend]

... Until now.

[ Duke is being the number one critic of Yeager's lovely sense of humor again. ]

[scythegun]

[FUCKIN' DESTROYED]

Well, I suppose I might have deserved that one.

[unlikelyend]

Yes, you certainly did.

[ For some reason, this is where may Duke find his amusement here, and he raises a hand (his free one) to cover his mouth, because he is almost tempted to laugh. ]

[scythegun]

Oh come on, I wasn't even trying, then! I can't make you laugh with terrible jokes about death but I can with admitting that it was over the line? That is completely unfair!

[HE'S ALSO TRYING REALLY HARD NOT TO LAUGH.]

[unlikelyend]

Yeager...

[ He lowers the hand, albeit in a slow, hesitating manner that lends towards a sense of bashfulness, even though there's the small smile clearly on his face. ]

...I suppose that is just how it is.