text; un: patriarch

[burninglight]

[After the fight with his brother had settled down, Ardyn went back to his room and shut the door; after an hour or so of pacing restlessly and accomplishing nothing, he settled on taking out his phone and making an ill-advised decision.]

[...Just as soon as he changed his username.]

Since there is likely no end in sight to 'this station needs more therapy than the multiverse can provide':

I know one can be furious with someone they care about and yet not detest them. Difficult, but not unthinkable. But is it possible to ever learn to stop hating someone, when that anger is justified yet supposedly built on the foundation of a misunderstanding?

Comments

[burninglight]

Everything, more or less. He was furious I never told him what my healing did, I was angry that he--you know, killed me, that sort of thing. We threw a few punches and yelled at each other, I cracked his ribs, fun sibling discussions.

[serrata]

Cracked his ribs. That's just awful.

[ She says, not sounding as if she thinks it's awful in the slightest. ]

I can understand him being a little angry that you kept it a secret but... angry enough to throw a punch at you? Really? After everything he did?

[burninglight]

He's my brother, of course he's going to have a temper on occasion.

[Ardyn sighed, looking off to the side and trying to put his thoughts together.]

I don't know. I think...ultimately, we both want the same thing.

[serrata]

And what's that?

[ Presumably it isn't more breaking of each other's ribs because they'd already be in a heap on the beach by now. ]

[burninglight]

...To be seen as more than what we were at our worst.

[serrata]

[ Yuuri's quiet for a moment and then finally, she nods. ]

That's fair, I think. [ not that Yuuri particularly feels like being fair to Izunia, but still. ] I think that's what everyone wants.

[burninglight]

[Ardyn answered with nothing more than a slight nod at first, leaning forward and resting his head on folded arms. One would think he'd be used to being so tired, but apparently not.]

I suppose even he deserves that much. Or at lest for both of us to make the attempt.

[serrata]

Was that all he wanted from you?

[ It sounds like a hell of a thing just to crack some ribs over. ]

[burninglight]

More or less. It was a lot of shouting over old and newer issues, though I can't say I know what brought it on so suddenly.

[serrata]

[ ... and at that, Yuuri looks a little puzzled. ]

Did... did he not tell you? He talked to Junpei, so I assumed he must've at least mentioned it to you, but...

[burninglight]

...

What did he do.

[serrata]

I can't believe this. I can't believe he dragged Junpei along and didn't tell you.

[ She huffs and rubs her face for a moment before she starts. ]

Last week, Junpei told me he'd been asked to go along with them on... Saturday, I think it was. I only heard about it secondhand, but Junpei called it, um... some sort of physical representation of Izunia's mind. So he could work some issues out and both of us figured it was about you.

1/3

[burninglight]

What does that even m-

[burninglight]

['-Someone who changes the world by going against the way the world is supposed to be. Like Coyote stealing fire. Stealing hearts is where we use our powers to...take the distorted and twisted desires out of someone's heart.']

[Ardyn went dead silent, lifting his head and staring at Yuuri like he wasn't quite seeing her for a moment.]

[burninglight]

...I'm going to fucking murder him.

[serrata]

What? Why? ... Why now in particular?

[ Izunia has done a lot of things to warrant murder, she feels she should clarify. ]

[burninglight]

He turned around and got his useless heart changed, didn't he? This isn't some realization he actually took time to think about, he just had Akira poke around in his empty godsdamned head and slap some realization into him.

[serrata]

[ . . . ]

Is he actually insane?!

[ well yes, but that's beside the point. ]

If that's all he wanted then what was the point of dragging everyone else along?

[burninglight]

Yes he fucking is!

[Deep breaths, Ardyn.]

I'm going to break every bone in his miserable body. Oh, heavens forbid he come to a conclusion himself, he'd rather have a couple kids smack at his internal torment with a wrench until he can deal with it. He's still a stupid reckless coward two thousand years later.

[serrata]

Calm down.

[ As much as she'd like to see Izunia get a black eye, she doesn't think resetting the murder counter is going to do everyone else in the station much good. So she reaches across the table and sets her hands on his. ]

Not that I'm saying he doesn't absolutely deserve another punch, but with things as tense as they are right now, I think we should wait until it settles down.

Then you can punch him.

[burninglight]

[Ardyn sighed heavily, burying his head in folded arms with a wordless noise of either annoyance or fury.]

...

[serrata]

... Do you want to punch something else? Or maybe break something else.

I'm just saying. We have a roof, and an Armiger full of junk and I've still got a good throwing arm.

[burninglight]

...

Honestly, I'd quite prefer to never leave this room again with how I feel right now.

[serrata]

[ Yuuri sort of... bristles. It's pretty clear even without her having to say anything that it's taking a great deal of self control to not haul off and give Izunia a black eye herself. But then she holds onto a breath, lets it out slowly and just nods. ]

Okay. I don't blame you, with everything that's been happening. But I also don't want you moping in here by yourself. Would it crowd you too much if I talked to Junpei and we stayed in here with you for tonight?

[burninglight]

You don't have to look after me. I don't...know, maybe I need some space for a day or so.