[ Yuri keeps the sword up, but the guy's calm and empathy does help calm Yuri down slightly. His breath is coming fast, small shoulders heaving as he continues to look between the guy and the lion. ]
Yeah, it's-- [ He starts to say, but then he thinks that that sort of empathy would be exactly what someone trying to trick him would say. He lifts the sword higher, arms shaking with the effort ] What do you want?
after a slight beat:] Do you wish me to call off the omen? [he puts a hand on the lion's shoulder.] He can leave, to the other room. He will not hurt you.
[ He snaps it, eyes darting back to the lion. He isn't scared of the lion (he is, but he would never admit it), but having a beast in a home seems like a terrible idea. The kind of idea that supervillains and bad guys would have. ]
Send it away.
[ A young Yuri is much less affectionate toward animals, has much less of a connection with them, more fear than trust ]
[Blue lifts his hand away from the lion. neither of them even exchange a glance, the big cat simply gets onto its feet and silently saunters around the couch and toward the kitchen, out of sight.
there's a slight lapse from there, but not long enough to give the boy chance to run free.]
Will you tell me...what you know, then? What's happening, why you're in this place now.
[ He could, but he doesn't. He can see the snow outside, and he certainly isn't dressed to be outside in that. He has enough self-preservation to know he should prepare more.
But with the lion gone, he lowers the sword, the tip touching the floor to give his arms a break. He feels more confident taking on a guy than a beast ]
I woke up with a weird guy.
[ That's really about all he knows, but he isn't going to admit that. He doesn't know where he is or why. He doesn't know if he was kidnapped, and if he was, why? ]
You're right. I'm not. [but he can't deny the compulsion to force him to stay, to exert that energy to glue him in place...
no. it's not right. it won't lay the foundations of trust; children believe what they are told until promises are broken - even the suspicious ones. there's always that tiny seed of trust, so fragile, so easy to destroy...]
But do you know...where you are? What information can I give you that will help?
[ Yuri watches him for a moment, then cautiously steps over to the window. It's all snow and ice outside, but it's also nowhere he recognizes. A strange feeling washes through him, a mix of fear and excitement and the thrill of being somewhere he isn't and the awful loneliness of being somewhere where he probably doesn't know anyone. He's never not known people, grew up with the same people, seen them grow up too, surrounded by his community. ]
[Blue lets him take in these feelings, picking at them himself, to better understand the frame of mind the boy is in. there's a lot to pity and relate to here, and the compulsion to try and solve all those problems for him is strong.
there's just...not a lot of solving that can be done, is there?]
It's called Trench. I don't know...the name of the planet. But the city is Trench.
Many different people have wound up here unwittingly. Not just you.
[softly:] That's right. It's not the same place. Neither of us...are from here.
[and neither is Flynn! but bringing him up right now is likely a bad call, so that stays on the wayside. keeping the scope smaller in the face of such a big prospect seems better.]
[ Yuri breathes the world, and excitement floods through him, overriding the fear. The fear is still there, but it doesn't matter right now, and he starts to rock on his toes ]
[Blue's mouth curves up a little in gleaning some of that. leave it to a child's perspective to soften some of the most dire blows...]
Countless many. There are people here...from entirely different worlds, like you and I. All of us were as confused as you were at first, but...many have helped each other.
[ Yuri can't quite comprehend that, but his need to go outside and see his whole new world is growing. He looks at the door, then at Blue. He wants it so badly ]
[the smile grows a shade sympathetic to that wanderlust.]
You have to be careful, though. Besides the freezing cold...there are dangers out there. Sudden, powerful dangers that even the strongest of people have fallen to.
You have to know where to be safe. Even if it's not here... [that hurts to say, but--] It has to be somewhere. Or the running never stops.
[it's bittersweet, seeing the way that childlike hunger for adventure has Yuri so quick to leave this safe place, to dismiss what's right in front of him. as grateful as he is that the boy no longer looks at him in fear, it hurts...to be before a child with no memory of him.
he can't fix that, though. he can only move forward, best he can, and hang onto the hurt and hope in him, and be grateful for that hesitation and chance for just a little bit more.]
I'm not. Because this house is safe. I've been safe here for a while.
[ There's no tact to the question. He's honestly curious. The house looks just like a normal house to him, made of wood and brick, susceptible to weather and fires and things like that ]
[ Yuri says it automatically, petulantly. He can't believe that that adult person is his best friend. It's too weird. Whatever trust he fostered with Blue slips away at the reminder of the strange situation he's in. He's immediately back on the defensive. ]
He kidnapped me! That is dangerous. That's what a dangerous person would do.
[ Yuri takes another step back with a frown. ]
I'm going. [ "And you can't stop me" is unsaid. Blue already said he wouldn't stop him.
He inches back toward the door, and puts a hand on the knob ]
....bye.
[ Because this guy was nice to him, at least. Less weird and scary than the other guy who is definitely not Flynn.
And with that, Yuri opens the door and heads out into the cold. He might regret this, when the cold bits into his bones, but he'll make it. Somehow. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Yeah, it's-- [ He starts to say, but then he thinks that that sort of empathy would be exactly what someone trying to trick him would say. He lifts the sword higher, arms shaking with the effort ] What do you want?
no subject
after a slight beat:] Do you wish me to call off the omen? [he puts a hand on the lion's shoulder.] He can leave, to the other room. He will not hurt you.
no subject
[ He snaps it, eyes darting back to the lion. He isn't scared of the lion (he is, but he would never admit it), but having a beast in a home seems like a terrible idea. The kind of idea that supervillains and bad guys would have. ]
Send it away.
[ A young Yuri is much less affectionate toward animals, has much less of a connection with them, more fear than trust ]
no subject
there's a slight lapse from there, but not long enough to give the boy chance to run free.]
Will you tell me...what you know, then? What's happening, why you're in this place now.
no subject
But with the lion gone, he lowers the sword, the tip touching the floor to give his arms a break. He feels more confident taking on a guy than a beast ]
I woke up with a weird guy.
[ That's really about all he knows, but he isn't going to admit that. He doesn't know where he is or why. He doesn't know if he was kidnapped, and if he was, why? ]
You're not keeping me here.
no subject
no. it's not right. it won't lay the foundations of trust; children believe what they are told until promises are broken - even the suspicious ones. there's always that tiny seed of trust, so fragile, so easy to destroy...]
But do you know...where you are? What information can I give you that will help?
no subject
Is this Zaphias?
[ Because he's never been outside of Zaphias before, never left the city's walls, and that in himself is kind of a terrifying thought. ]
Who are you?
no subject
My name is Blue. This isn't Zaphias.
[he nods toward the window opposite him.] You can see...for yourself.
no subject
Where, where are we?
no subject
there's just...not a lot of solving that can be done, is there?]
It's called Trench. I don't know...the name of the planet. But the city is Trench.
Many different people have wound up here unwittingly. Not just you.
no subject
Wait... planet?! Yuri's eyes go wide and he looks between the outside and Blue and back ]
We're not on Terca Lumieris?!
no subject
[and neither is Flynn! but bringing him up right now is likely a bad call, so that stays on the wayside. keeping the scope smaller in the face of such a big prospect seems better.]
no subject
[ Yuri breathes the world, and excitement floods through him, overriding the fear. The fear is still there, but it doesn't matter right now, and he starts to rock on his toes ]
Whoa. There are other planets?!
no subject
Countless many. There are people here...from entirely different worlds, like you and I. All of us were as confused as you were at first, but...many have helped each other.
no subject
[ Yuri can't quite comprehend that, but his need to go outside and see his whole new world is growing. He looks at the door, then at Blue. He wants it so badly ]
I want to see it.
no subject
You have to be careful, though. Besides the freezing cold...there are dangers out there. Sudden, powerful dangers that even the strongest of people have fallen to.
You have to know where to be safe. Even if it's not here... [that hurts to say, but--] It has to be somewhere. Or the running never stops.
Neither does the danger.
Does it make sense? What I say.
no subject
[ Because he's usually given one, but here we are. He thinks he can fend for himself
He takes a step back toward the door, then stops, curiosity peaking ]
You're not running.
no subject
he can't fix that, though. he can only move forward, best he can, and hang onto the hurt and hope in him, and be grateful for that hesitation and chance for just a little bit more.]
I'm not. Because this house is safe. I've been safe here for a while.
no subject
[ There's no tact to the question. He's honestly curious. The house looks just like a normal house to him, made of wood and brick, susceptible to weather and fires and things like that ]
no subject
[Blue smiles sympathetically.]
However best they can...
Flynn...must've been very strange and dangerous-seeming up there, wasn't he? Even when trying his best.
I hope you can forgive him for it eventually.
no subject
[ Yuri says it automatically, petulantly. He can't believe that that adult person is his best friend. It's too weird. Whatever trust he fostered with Blue slips away at the reminder of the strange situation he's in. He's immediately back on the defensive. ]
He kidnapped me! That is dangerous. That's what a dangerous person would do.
[ Yuri takes another step back with a frown. ]
I'm going. [ "And you can't stop me" is unsaid. Blue already said he wouldn't stop him.
He inches back toward the door, and puts a hand on the knob ]
....bye.
[ Because this guy was nice to him, at least. Less weird and scary than the other guy who is definitely not Flynn.
And with that, Yuri opens the door and heads out into the cold. He might regret this, when the cold bits into his bones, but he'll make it. Somehow. ]