( It takes Yuki a moment to seem to register Ludger's said anything, and with some delay he startles - blinking himself into orientation, processing first Ludger's expression, and then... )
Huh...? I'm sorry, what did you... —Are you injured...? Are you okay...!?
( SPIDERMAN POINTING he immediately, without thinking, tries to reach for Ludger's hand to get a better view of an arm. )
[ considering Ludger lets Yuki take his arm without fuss, it can hardly be Spiderman vs Spiderman! yet. ]
It's not a big deal, something just got a little handsy with me. Foxglove took care of me, see?
[ he's fine, nerd! he'll let Yuki inspect the tended to... burn? without complaint before turning his arm over, grasping the doll's hand between his. ]
I think between the two of us, you're the one not doing so hot right now. What happened?
( That's. so ominous. but in favor of not retreading town hall ground, Yuki seems reluctant, but ultimately lets it go... for now.
Ludger can certainly feel Yuki's forehead! He's quite chilly, like his body isn't really retaining heat. Yuki seems, for a moment, to lean into the touch. )
... I'm certain I'm all right. I've just... I suppose it's true I haven't been sleeping well. My dreams the last few nights have been... troubled. But I suppose that is not strange, given the nature of this place.
[ firmly pushing an instinct to just. pick Yuki up in his. mouth????? and walk away, Ludger with reach down to grab the doll's hands and chafe them between his own. ]
I know I've had weird dreams before - they can really mess you up. What have you been dreaming about?
( Ah... the gesture is surprising, but unexpected, and it softens the harsh edges of his ragged demeanor. Warmth helps.
Still, he falls quiet for a few moments, gaze falling to their hands. )
... Each dream feels different, but... each one also feels the same. I'm not certain if that makes sense. I feel... I feel... —Last night, my master... my master before I came here, she shut me away in a toy box. She didn't... need me anymore. But... it was a vast box, and it was cold, and the toys were all of you, deceased. I had to... climb out, but it was endless.
( Too many bodies to make it to the top, the end of the toy box stretching endlessly away. He shakes his head, his hands trembling slightly. It was truly... truly horrible. )
... In the end... I could only hold you all as you were for warmth, but... ( Well. That obviously didn't help. ) ... I just wish I had protected you all. Even if it was but a dream. I awoke in the night with... the most crushing sense of grief, of regret... I've been thinking... what I could do to protect all of you, but...
[ well that's. ominous! and terrifying! but Ludger keeps his voice low and soothing, aiming to calm Yuki before all else. ]
Hey, I don't intend to die any time soon. I'm sure everyone else here is determined to survive too. We can protect each other and get through this, Yuki.
[ ... ]
I don't know anything about your... master, but do you think that sounded like her? Do you think she'd do something like that?
( Though his mind seems to circle around the omens of his dream once more, Ludger's voice isn't lost on him - his brows furrow, but he nods slowly at his words, as if they were a lifeline.
The question, though. He...
... )
... No... I don't know. I'm certain she wouldn't, but... I don't know. ( Nonsense as it is, it seems like he's convinced of both at once. ) ... Before I came... here. Before I came, she... had fallen in love with my twin, who had been lost. I asked her if there was nothing she would sacrifice to return him, and she said there wasn't.
( ... )
... But that is not something I fault Lady Ageha for. I would have sacrificed myself to return him regardless. How could I not? ( Dolls or not, that's still his brother; that's still half his soul. But... ) ... I know... if I had asked if she would sacrifice me... she would have said no.
( But he didn't even cross her mind when he'd asked— but he knows it's not fair. To frame it that way makes it sound like a test when she was grieving, too. To see it that way when he rushed into sacrifice to keep from being certain of her rejection isn't fair.
But it felt like she no longer needed him. It felt like being thrown away. It weighs on his mind so, so much here, every moment of the day. He's... terrible. )
... But that I'm the way I am is... certainly why they no longer need me, now that... they have each other.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Huh...? I'm sorry, what did you... —Are you injured...? Are you okay...!?
( SPIDERMAN POINTING he immediately, without thinking, tries to reach for Ludger's hand to get a better view of an arm. )
no subject
It's not a big deal, something just got a little handsy with me. Foxglove took care of me, see?
[ he's fine, nerd! he'll let Yuki inspect the tended to... burn? without complaint before turning his arm over, grasping the doll's hand between his. ]
I think between the two of us, you're the one not doing so hot right now. What happened?
no subject
"Something"...? What exactly happened...?
( He lingers there, not registering the other question at first, then belatedly shakes his head. )
I just— It's nothing. I just... I'm... restless... Restless and...
( ...
He shakes his head. )
... It's nothing.
no subject
[ or at least, Kaios will! ]
Have you been sleeping alright? Do you have a fever?
[ Ludger will feel Yuki's forehead, checking for elevated temperatures... poor birdy... ]
no subject
Ludger can certainly feel Yuki's forehead! He's quite chilly, like his body isn't really retaining heat. Yuki seems, for a moment, to lean into the touch. )
... I'm certain I'm all right. I've just... I suppose it's true I haven't been sleeping well. My dreams the last few nights have been... troubled. But I suppose that is not strange, given the nature of this place.
no subject
[ firmly pushing an instinct to just. pick Yuki up in his. mouth????? and walk away, Ludger with reach down to grab the doll's hands and chafe them between his own. ]
I know I've had weird dreams before - they can really mess you up. What have you been dreaming about?
no subject
Still, he falls quiet for a few moments, gaze falling to their hands. )
... Each dream feels different, but... each one also feels the same. I'm not certain if that makes sense. I feel... I feel... —Last night, my master... my master before I came here, she shut me away in a toy box. She didn't... need me anymore. But... it was a vast box, and it was cold, and the toys were all of you, deceased. I had to... climb out, but it was endless.
( Too many bodies to make it to the top, the end of the toy box stretching endlessly away. He shakes his head, his hands trembling slightly. It was truly... truly horrible. )
... In the end... I could only hold you all as you were for warmth, but... ( Well. That obviously didn't help. ) ... I just wish I had protected you all. Even if it was but a dream. I awoke in the night with... the most crushing sense of grief, of regret... I've been thinking... what I could do to protect all of you, but...
looks at this set on thursday morning and smiles
Hey, I don't intend to die any time soon. I'm sure everyone else here is determined to survive too. We can protect each other and get through this, Yuki.
[ ... ]
I don't know anything about your... master, but do you think that sounded like her? Do you think she'd do something like that?
Lol
The question, though. He...
... )
... No... I don't know. I'm certain she wouldn't, but... I don't know. ( Nonsense as it is, it seems like he's convinced of both at once. ) ... Before I came... here. Before I came, she... had fallen in love with my twin, who had been lost. I asked her if there was nothing she would sacrifice to return him, and she said there wasn't.
( ... )
... But that is not something I fault Lady Ageha for. I would have sacrificed myself to return him regardless. How could I not? ( Dolls or not, that's still his brother; that's still half his soul. But... ) ... I know... if I had asked if she would sacrifice me... she would have said no.
( But he didn't even cross her mind when he'd asked— but he knows it's not fair. To frame it that way makes it sound like a test when she was grieving, too. To see it that way when he rushed into sacrifice to keep from being certain of her rejection isn't fair.
But it felt like she no longer needed him. It felt like being thrown away. It weighs on his mind so, so much here, every moment of the day. He's... terrible. )
... But that I'm the way I am is... certainly why they no longer need me, now that... they have each other.