Peitho and Lyulf

[18:59] Peitho Fitz-Empress asks, "Do you think we're gonna lose everythin'?"
[18:59] Lyulf didn't say anything at first. His hand came up to his chest, seeming to trail his fingers down the scar he'd just gained. His gaze seemed to go distant as he pondered the thought of actually losing. His eyes weren't the cerulean normally had. Instead those orbs of gold seemed to gaze into something far away.

Watching the fractals of the life-stream curl around the living room. "I don't know Peitho. There are still many powerful magi within the city but the last Commander was a failure and has left us crippled." His gaze finally focused onto the younger girl.

"You're still new you know. You could fade away if the city falls." He was trying to be nice but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say but there was something off about Lyulf anyways.
(Lyulf Yayle)
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[18:59] "Commander just died and we've got three cities marchin' on us. We're smaller in forces, people keep leavin' or dyin' and what we do got it weaker. So..." She laughed awkwardly and turned her back on him so he couldn't see her face. "Haven't felt scared in a while."

When he mentioned her fading away, she whipped back eyes narrowed as she marched up to him. "Hel no! What do you take me for some coward? The city falls, I go with it." She paused and grabbed his hand. "I go with you!"

He really was her best friend, at least in her eyes. Meant more to her than her supposed adopted mother did.
(Peitho Fitz-Empress)
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[18:59] Lyulf felt that indignation hit him across the face. It was something strange to him. Her feelings, they were so close and yet she was so far away. What had that damn fae done to him? He didn't want to feel the pain, the frustrations, the fears of others. Before he could have shrugged off the hurt.

Now? He was still struggling when she crossed the space and took hold of him. His eyes widened for a moment as he felt her. She was scared; that was what bothered him the most. "Peitho. . ."

He didn't know what to say or do. It was different than what he was used to. With a deep breath he tightened his grip. Held her hand for a moment as he looked down at her. "I don't want you to follow me."

The words left his lips and it thrummed pain through his heart. It wasn't something he could normally stand. "I'm going to fight; I won't stop because I can't. You don't have to do that. There's places you could go, live a happy life."

He knew the girl was a warrior and yet to him? He didn't want them involved anymore. Just as he didn't want Lotan to suffer from the cities war. He'd taken them to the Academy and enrolled them. Setting them up for a better life. Could he do that with Peitho?

"You're the closest thing to family I've had since my grandparents passed away. From that first day I say you guarding the Mine." He took a deep breath and then looked away. Perhaps not wanting to look at the girls reaction, not wanting to see as he felt her emotions.
(Lyulf Yayle)
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[18:59] Peitho was terrified. She had lived through horrors time and time again but back then it was constant loss. She had finally built something for herself here, had people she cared about, something she wanted to protect and people were threatening to take it away from her. At the end of the day she was still just a kid and this was her home.

At his words her faced twisted a bit, irritation rising above the fear as she tightened her grasp on his hand, her brows furrowing together as he continued to speak.

"Fuck you. Ya think I'm not gonna be there? Think I'm not gonna fight right by your side because you're wrong. I'm a soldier just as much as you are. You think I got a life outside this? You're wrong."

She wouldn't live a happy life, not if the people she cared about weren't there. She had never made connections before she wasn't about to lose them.

Hearing him call her family was weird, an odd pang ran through her heart at the realization that he had grown so close.

"Well, don't ya know? Family sticks together!" At least that was what Evangeline had said. Her family was a bit different. "So I ain't goin' anywhere! We fight together, we die together. Got it?"
(Peitho Fitz-Empress)
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[18:59] He was faced with a choice here and it was one that pained him. The blessing had done wonders for his strength, his will. Yet, now? He felt only the terror of Peitho and that was more painful than anything. His own emotions were easy to push to the side. To make way for the rampant aggression that raged in his heart.

How could he do that for another?

Perhaps his life had left him twisted. To many brushes with death. To many horrors witnessed in his line of service. To much foreign magic clogging his circuitry. That was normally enough, Peitho's emotions in a way reminded him that he was a human.

A person.

His gaze returned to Peitho, looking at them closely for a moment. It was more than the cold calculating look he sometimes took up. No, this was warm, touching. He smiled softly, "You're hurting my hand. Broke it not long ago." It was a joke and not a very good one.

Still, his other arm was brought around her and he pulled the girl into a tight embrace. He didn't say anything for a moment or to but no doubt she felt the flinch, no doubt she could feel the great staples that kept his recently flayed chest together. Pain, that was the price he paid to hug them so closely.

Pain, it was the currency of the world.

"Fight together, die together. I like that Peitho, that's family." He leaned his head down and pressed it against the girls own. "Thanks for being my family." His voice lowered for a moment as if he wasn't sure that he wished to so blatantly lie. "I will keep you safe when they come. Just stick close to me. Alright?"
(Lyulf Yayle)
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[18:59] The smile was odd, certainly unexpected. Peitho couldn't name the last time he looked at her with such sincere emotion that wasn't masked by aggression or anger. She looked to his hand, releasing it finally and instead crossing her arms. She could only assume he was serious.

The hug confused her even more. She glanced up toward him, her scarlet eyes searching for some sort of answer to his strange shift in demeanor. Why did he care so much suddenly? Did he finally sort out that shit she told him to do? She couldn't place her finger on it but very carefully she hugged him back making sure to avoid the staples. She couldn't remember the last time she was hugged...

As his head pressed down on her own, she sighed and nodded. "You're all I've got, ya know that right? Losin' you would be like losin' everythin'." It was her honest opinion. Lyulf had become her partner in crime over the years, her best friend, the one person she trusted in Esshar.

"I'll be right there with ya. Poison and plasma, ya? We'll kick some ass, take some names, hel maybe even get promotions." she chuckled trying to make light of their potential impending doom. If anything to ease her own nerves.
(Peitho Fitz-Empress)
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[18:59] A laugh echoed from deep within his chest even the pain brought more humor to that laugh. When was the last time he'd actually showed any kind of positive emotions? When was the last time he'd been hugged? The memories were vague, distant. Still, what was close was Peitho and she'd the jokes.

"I wouldn't go crazy Peithy. I don't think most of the Captains see past the end of their nose." After a few more seconds he relaxed his arms and dropped them. Letting the girl free of his embrace. It had been nice but he knew that it'd just be more painful if he didn't pull away now.

He was at a lose though. The Empire had always been pushing forwards but when they had victory in there hands what did they do? Stand there and hold it as if it were something to pure to crush. They had held back from crushing Osrona and now look where they were.

"Poison and Plasma. We're like an industrial accident. You know that?" His smile shifted into something she'd probably be more used to seeing. A smirk, that normally ever present symbol of his own ego.
(Lyulf Yayle)
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[18:59] "Ya never know, maybe you'll kick major holy ass and they'll have no choice but to promote ya! Past corporal, all the way to sergeant!" She stated with a broad grin. It was better to joke about the impossibilities than face the cruel reality. They were outnumbered, the enemy was stronger, their captains were too self absorbed to even prepare them for what was coming. Still... At least she wouldn't be alone should she die.

As the embrace ended she stepped back, sighing a little. She could only hope for the best but faced against not just Osrona but Moxtli and the Fireblooded she was worried. Especially Moxtli, she had heard things...

"An industrial accident? Guess ya could say that! Well, that just means we're danger and take lots o' lives! that's what we'll do in battle too!"
(Peitho Fitz-Empress)
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[18:59] Scarlet's head shook side to side in amusement at the idea of him kicking that much ass! It was pretty amazing but what could he do but try and fulfill that fantasy?

"Fuckin' right! I'll crush their head in and rise to power. To hell with Sergeant, I'm aiming for Captain! Skip the small steps!" A laugh left his lips at the thought of it!

"Exactly Peitho, we're a disaster ready to break down the world." Snapping his finger and thumb as he looked at Peitho. "So, we're going to train our way to strength. We've got a year while they mobilize. We can handle it right?"
(Lyulf Yayle)
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