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Everything hurts. Everything hurts and it feels like their chest is exploding; so jampacked with conflicting emotions, their heart is nearly bursting at the seams, still beating a rapid stacatto from the fight. Zenos is talking. It sounds important. Feels important that they listen, but it's impossible. The feelings that he pours into them is more than they can handle at the cusp of deathly exhaustion. But they take it in with all they have regardless. Basks in it and thinks. Thinks of everything that's happened, of the people they'd met along the way; the ones they lost, the ones they managed to save. The ones who saved themselves.
Zenos...stutters. Stops.
The adventurer nearly misses it. The sound of something small landing right beside their outstretched hand. Seeing what it is makes horror pool in their gut. With the very last bit of their strength they roll over. Closing bloodied fingers around the little ornate card, they drag themselves forward, ilm by ilm as their body howls in pain. Pain, however, is the last of their worries; they can hear the card activating. There is no time left. They have to hurry. Screaming in silent agony, they reach out--and disappears from the Edge of the Universe.
They hear voices. Frantic. Worried. Saddened. Angry. Absolute devestation.
Darkness embraces them in blissful emptiness.
-:-
Zenos coughs. Blood clogs up what feels like everything. The only thing he can focus on is the hand holding his fingers in a vice grip. He hadn't been expecting this.
Adventurer is prone, motionless where they lie on the hard metal floor. A commotion exploded as he and Adventurer teleported here; Adventurer's merry band of Companions tripping over eachother in their haste to get to their precious Adventurer's side.
There's too much noise, but he's too exhausted to do anything about it.
The little girl in red is screaming in his direction. It takes a moment to really register what the words coming out of her mouth even are.
"LET GO OF THEM YOU BASTARD! MURDERER! PSYCHOPATH! YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH! I'LL FUCKIN KILL Y--!"
The Gunblade in white is straining to bodily hold her back. The boy clad in blue kneeling by Adventurer's side is clutching at the girl's arm with one hand. The other is hovering shakily over Adventurer's barely moving chest glowing with the warm glow of healing magics, while his face is scrunched up in a valiant but ultimately futile effort at holding back tears.
All of them are, Zenos realises. No pair of eyes seems dry.
The redhead is crouched over Adventurer's body protectively, muttering healing incantations as well as he pets their hair, face, shoulders, mapping the injuries with intense focus.
"There is no bed here, but I found some cushions. We better get Adventurer lying a bit more comfortably." The Witch says, voice calm. It gets everyone moving, but they don't get far.
Zenos' arm tugs. He grunts as shooting pain cascades from it. Adventurer still hasn't let go of his hand. Won't let go. Zenos' heart clenches. He can't tell if it's because of the pain or something else. It's getting hard to breathe.
The companions exchange looks, seemingly unsure of how to proceed. In the end it's the Dragoon that reaches over and pries open the Adventurer's grip, and then carefully, gently, carries them off to the cushion topped bench where the healing efforts continue.
Everyone follows, except one.
To Zenos' surprise, he feels the warmth of a healing spell washing over him. He eyes the strange one for a moment. Then he huffs, ignoring the pain even that causes. "Focus on them. I'm fine."
It's met with silence at first, then a measured exhale. "That you are not, Viator. You are straddling death's door, and I have the ability to heal you. Thus I will." The bejewelled elf murmurs.
"Why? It would serve your group better if I were to perish. That is my intent. So go. Heal your beloved Adventurer."
The elf turns his head to behold the other group across the room. "They will be fine. Alphinaud and G'raha are remarkably skilled healers. They do not need my assistance for now. As for you..." He deliberately locks eyes with Zenos. "Judging by the seeming effort they put in to make sure you came back with them and how they would not let go of your hand just now...as much as I cannot understand the why of it...our dear Adventurer would surely be saddened if they were to wake and learn that it all was for naught. I cannot say I would be able to live down their disappointment to learn that you perished on our watch, without us not making a single effort towards your recovery."
Zenos closes his eyes and scoffs.
Breathing comes easier by the second. Immovable muscles regaining their strength bit by incremental bit. Eventually he's able to push his body up from the floor and the wordy elf seems to deem him stable enough. He leaves him in favour of assisting the others by the Adventurer's side.
Finding no point in staying awake, Zenos settles gingerly against a wall, and sleeps.
-:-
Alisaie is the first to notice Adventurer's return to wakefulness. G'raha rouses awake from his perch by their side as well, still clutching Adventurer's hand as if it were a lifeline. The rest of the Scions rush in as they hear Alisaie's angry reprimands, swarming the disoriented Adventurer with words and hugs and teary smiles and soon enough a trickle of unmistakeable projected emotions start flowing outward in gentle waves.
Urianger meets Thancred's gaze from over the top of the others' heads, and his own relief is mirrored there.
Nobody mentions the giant Marid in the room occupying the dark and quiet corner, not even when Adventurer notices it themselves. It's obvious when they do. Their body goes deathly still, all the projected emotions dry up in an instant. They take a moment to visibly shake themselves.
With how adept they are at welding the Echo they pick up on everyone else's emotions quickly, and after a quick glance around at the others, determination settles on their face.
G'raha and Thancred assists them as they show interest in getting to their feet. It's slow and painful, but their legs are steady once they're up.
Everyone watches with bated breath as they approach Zenos, step by halting step, and as their toes nearly touch Zenos' shin, Adventurer pauses. Zenos' blank eyes betrays nothing of their inner thoughts, everything hidden behind a veil of indifference. Touching their knees to the ground, Adventurer carefully, clearly projecting the movement, has their hands come up to...caress Zenos' cheeks. Something changes in the facade. Something cracks.
Urianger can't see Adventurer's face from where he stands, but he recognizes the little head tilt that they always do when they're smiling their most serene smile.
Relief floods the room from them. Relief and satisfaction as Adventurer' traces one of the bruises still visible on Zenos' jaw.
'Let's fight again when we've both recovered.'
Zenos' perplexed frown turns into wide eyed surprise; a man who has just realized that the oasis mirage in the middle of the desert in truth wasn't just an illusion.
Calloused fingers brushes Zenos' hair out of his face and tucks the strands behind his ear. 'But now we sleep.'
Not even asking for permission, Adventurer worms their way onto Zenos' lap, tucking their head in under Zenos' chin, and does just that.
Alisaie makes a dissatisfied noise, but doesn't say anything else. Simply leaving the room when Adventurer's leisured waves of calm satisfaction return to the air. Exchanging glances of varying opinions with the other Scions, Urianger shrugs and sighs. If Adventurer has decided that this is the way they want to spend their time in recovery...
Who are they to stop them?