yuletide fic content notes

CONTENT NOTES AND DISCLAIMERS
No archive warnings apply. A POV character kills an unnamed attacker, but it's not graphic.
Several scenes may look like they're headed in an animal-death direction, but no animals die on-page. However, there is a brief discussion of the fate of coal mine canaries.
There is some strong language and some alcohol use.
Locke might be in magical communion with the Phoenix or he might be low-key delusional for most of this fic. Or both. Edgar acquires a leg injury and some mobility issues, which he mostly pretends not to notice, in addition to casually being in denial about several other objective facts. I'd say both narrators are reliable on *average,* but neither one is reliable 100% of the time.
Nothing in this story is intended as an accurate depiction of any particular mental illness or physical disability. This is just a story about people having a bad time with the end of the world.
I do not recommend manhandling a seagull without proper training.

WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON IN THIS FIC, SHIPPING-WISE?
The main relationship here is between Locke and Edgar; there are some fairly strong emotions flying around, and if asked whether this was shippy or a really intense friendship, my answer would be "yes."
There is some weird Locke -> Celes energy going on. We don't see how she feels about it or where exactly their relationship stood during the WoB. She's with Terra by the time Locke rejoins the party and he does not make any moves.
The following are unambiguous but IMO too minor to be worth tagging - Locke/Rachel (past); Celes/Terra (background); Setzer/Daryl (past); if relevant, there's also some mentions of Edgar making eyes at random women (nothing comes of it)