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Albedo is the one to return Wanderer’s Core to him.
When everyone returned, Lumine had the Core with her. Durin wasn’t the best yet at reading people, but he can tell something had happened.
They don’t discuss anything just yet because of how time sensitive returning the Core was. She gives it to Albedo, and after exchanging a quick look, the three of them rush back to that room where Wanderer is in that hibernating state.
Albedo offers for Durin to be the one to return the Core.
Durin is too afraid of messing it up.
Albedo counters his fears saying it makes sense for him to be the one.
Durin says quietly Wanderer is too important to risk it.
What goes unsaid is he fear of holding it. Of touching it. Because if he held onto something so special and important for someone who was just as, only for his power to...to...
So Albedo does what he needs to. And while he does, the anticipation nags at Durin. He wonders if Lumine picks up on it, for she asks Durin how things were in the city to distract him, and he’s grateful for it. But he can tell she’s worried as well. With her arms crossed and finger tapping away on her arm, it reminds Durin of when Jean waits for an important report.
The wait is both surprisingly short, yet feels like forever before Albedo makes a satisfied sound.
“There, that should be how it goes.” He says, standing up straight. In a curious tone, he adds, “I’m not as familiar with puppets, but from what I can tell there’s no damage to the Core at least.”
“There isn’t?” Lumine is visibly relieved, her shoulders slumping like a weight was lifted.
“There isn’t. Though from that reaction, I assumed something happened to make that fear very possible.” Albedo glances at her. “The fact you’re here but those Harbingers are not...”
“Columbina is safe. She returned.” Lumine confirms. Then she seems to hesitate before explaining what else happened.
It’s not as though Durin doesn’t care. If anything, his curiousity over what happened was overwhelming. And under other circumstances, he would be listening with rapt attention. But as Albedo walks over to Lumine, Durin moves closer to Wanderer. He’s aware the two behind him discuss what happened while waiting for others to show up, but Durin starts to tune them out.
He protected the town and Wanderer with Albedo. Nothing and no one got close to this area specifically. But as he fought and waited, Durin thought about what his friend did.
Wanderer removed his Core. The very thing that makes him Him. If something wrong happened, his friend would have died. It was a risk Wanderer did because he trusted Lumine’s judgement. Because his hatred of that man was so strong, he’d risk is life for the chance to take him down. He’d risk everything about him as a puppet to be reset.
What is a ‘reset’ anyway?
Albedo had explained some of it to him. From what Durin had gathered, it could mean multiple things in this case. A reset in Wanderer’s functions. A reset in Wanderer’s power.
Wanderer’s personality.
Or even his memories.
Or everything all at once.
That terrified Durin. He didn’t want to lose any part of Wanderer. Maybe it was greedy and selfish of him to think of it this way, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t want his friend to die. He didn’t want him to lose himself taking down that man.
‘just what did he do to you?’ Durin reaches up, pressing his gloved hand to Wanderer’s cheek. He wants to ask him this question. He wants to ask Wanderer why he was taking it this far. Once again, he wanted to know everything. He needed to know everything so he can better stand by his side as equals one day.
But now he’s afraid that he might have lost his chance to try to earn those answers.
***
It feels like hours by the time everyone returns to discuss what happened. What will happen moving forward.
Wanderer is still in hibernation. And Durin still stays with him.
Sitting on the floor in front of him, Durin hugs his legs to his chest. His wings are around him, and with how close he is to Wanderer they cover him as well. He’s not intentionally trying to shield him away. He trusts the people they’re with here. He just feels...like he needs to do this.
He’s not sure how long he’s been here for until he hears his name suddenly be called. It takes him a moment to recognize the voice, and realizes it’s Lauma.
“Oh...sorry, did you say something?” he pulls back his wings, but when he goes to stand up she motions for him to remain in place. Instead, she kneels down next to him and smiles gently at him. Durin decides he likes her smile. It’s a kind, sincere one. He wonders if his mother would get along with her.
“I just wished to check on you and see how you were fairing.” Lauma explains. Looking at Wanderer, she says, “From my understanding, you two are good friends. Neither of you are from Nod-Krai, yet you both put a lot on the line for us here. I wanted to thank you for it, and make sure you were doing okay when I heard he has yet to wake up.”
“I...I didn’t really do much.” Durin says quietly. “Wanderer...he put more on the line than I did.”
“Yes, he put his Core at risk. There is no debate about that.” Lauma agrees. “But putting your trust in a friend that they know what they are doing, and waiting to make sure they are truly okay isn’t easy. Wanderer put everything into the plan using his Core as a big piece hoping it would work out. And you put everything into hoping he’d come back to you, right?”
“I...” Durin looks from her to his friend. Is that how it went? It doesn’t sound wrong. “I trust Wanderer. He’s my best friend. I don’t doubt he’s okay. But somehow...I still worry. I want him to open his eyes so I know he’s okay.”
“Trusting someone doesn’t mean you won’t still worry for them. He’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
“I’m lucky. He’s done so much for me, and yet I...”
“You support him. That goes a long way.” Lauma reassures him.
She leaves not long after that, though not before asking if it would be okay to do a prayer. Durin is sure Wanderer would scoff over the offer. He’d probably tell her to do what she wants and not care either way if she did or not. So Durin nods, and says it’s okay, thanking her for her concern.
He starts to think he was right that she’d get along with his mother.
Durin falls asleep waiting.
He’s not sure when he did or for how long. Just he’s aware of Albedo trying to wake him up, and when Durin stirs he tells him Nefer said they can stay here and that he'll be in the other room if he needs anything. So it’s with a groggy nod that Durin dozes back off.
His worries follow him into his dreams. It doesn’t matter that he still trusts and believes in his friend when the fears are so strong.
There’s black and purple smoke like the abyss hanging over everything. Smoke that circles around that beautiful glowing Core, like it’s trying to overtake it.
Durin wants to get it away from it.
He wants to protect it.
But he can’t move.
He can’t speak.
He can’t do anything without damaging the Core itself.
He can to protect it.
Protect Wanderer’s Core.
Protect Wanderer.
He couldn’t lose him, he couldn’t let him slip away, he couldn’t allow-
It’s with a sharp jolt and gasp that Durin’s eyes snap open.
His dream still hangs over him like a dark cloud, one he can’t shake yet. It leaves him disoriented so he can’t figure out what woke up him to begin with.
It’s only when he’s pushing back his hair that he becomes aware of a familiar laugh, and an almost amused mocking tone.
“Heh, some guard dog. I was better off with the cat here.”
It’s like an instinct takes over. Durin moves without thinking, and by the time his actions catch up to him he’s already tackled Wanderer to the ground. Holding him tightly in his arms, Durin presses his face against his neck. Even his tail curls around one Wanderer’s legs. Tangling himself up in him to know this was real, he wasn’t imagining things or still dreaming.
“You’re...you’re back...right? No reset?”
“Urg, you are so...” Wanderer struggles to get an arm free. Once he does, he tugs a little at Durin’s hair, and when he whines in response, he settles that same hand to cradle the back of his head. “Wrapped around me worse than a blanket and you still ask that...yeah, I’m back. And since I remember you and feel the same, a reset didn’t happen. So stop being so dramatic.”
“Caring about you isn’t dramatic!” Durin argues. He tightens his hold a little more, and nuzzling against his neck, he adds, “I missed you. I’m glad you’re okay. Don’t scare me like that again.”
“No promises.” is the blunt response he receives, but Durin expected as much. He’s more surprised that Wanderer allows them to remain like this a little longer. He thought for sure he’d grow impatient and get him to let go by now. He wonders if that means Wanderer missed him too. If it was possible to miss things in that hibernation state. He’ll make sure to ask him later.
For now, Durin just wants to focus on how it feels having Wanderer in his arms like this. To be tangled together on the floor, knowing he didn’t lose someone so important to him. Not again.