riverviewlogs | [ closed ] let us wipe away those tears

Entry tags:

[ closed ] let us wipe away those tears

who: Eichi Tenshouin (

finethanks), Gladiolus Amicitia (

leatherdaddy), Leonard McCoy (

legendary_hands), Yuuri Katsuki (

yokunaru), & possibly more as I go!
what: Catch-all for April, hit me up if you want a thread and I'll make us a starter!
when: Throughout April
where: Various places
warnings: Eichi talking about death a lot probably, that's about it

[As I plan out threads I'll keep them all here, but I'm super open to adding new ones! My CR meme comment is over here if anyone wants to plot something, or reach me at my contacts to figure something out. Even if you have no ideas, I'll probably be able to come up with something. ♪

Thread starters will be below!]

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Let's just take it easy. [ 'Easy' being a totally subjective term. Gladio claps his hands on his knees just before hauling himself up out of the chair. Pushes it back into place because these apartments aren't exactly large and he is so the extra space to get by is an absolute necessity. ]

We can loop around the apartment block a few times.

[ Which is kind of... a lot of jogging. This building is enormous, but at least it's not a jog up and down the riverbank, right? ]

[Fucking "easy" he says. E a s y. Eichi smiles politely and lets silence soak in for a moment or two before he moves to get the door.]

I'm feeling exhausted already. Fufu, you won't leave me behind in the dust, will you?

[But alright, they're doing this. He can do this, maybe. Probably. Out he goes with Gladio, and as soon as the man starts, he will start very slowly himself!!]

[ After some stretching and warming up, Gladio's ready to go - clearly revitalized by the cold morning air. It... probably feels like icy fingers digging their way into Eichi's frail lungs and limbs though. ]

Look, I'll jog backwards so you can keep up - it's a good workout anyway, and I'll look a little less stupid if I'm with a partner.

[ See? Your weakling status is a huge help to him! Be grateful! ]

Edited 2017-05-11 02:53 (UTC)

[The cold air hitting his lungs should be the first warning. It stings and aches, a slow throbbing that comes with every breath and uneven heartbeat, and he brings his hands up to his mouth to breath into them with a quick little sigh. Gladio must be so warm. If he thinks about catching up to him, it might help...

But that comment...]

Running backwards, won't you crash into something? [He laughs, reaching out despite the ache crawling through his bones to playfully slap Gladio's arm.] However you'd like to run, let's get started.

[His thoughts are if he doesn't start now, he never will. So, they jog!! And Eichi immediately shows just how out of shape he is, struggling with his speed and his pace and even with breathing. He's breathing heavily even after a short amount of time...]

You know, I'm really not made for this sort of thing like you are, Gladio-kun... [He manages those words as an excuse for his falling behind.]

You won't let me, right? [ Gladio laughs, casting a quick glance over his shoulder. Apparently he's not ashamed of looking like a complete ass this early in the morning if it means Eichi looks a little less...

Gladio slows a little as he realizes the self-proclaimed emperor looking even paler than usual. Is he okay like this? ]

What, this? You probably work harder during your performances, right?

I don't hold back, of course...

[ It is getting harder to speak while jogging, even as Gladio slows. They've gotten pretty for for Eichi, haven't they? But they haven't even circled half of this building yet. His steps slow even more in his jog, and his eyes dim a little as he stares at Gladio and past him. He can't even do this, of course... ]

[ Gladiolus slows and slows until he's going in reverse, walking straight towards Eichi until he's close enough to put his hands on his shoulders to stop him. Stares straight into his face too, because that look just now? He looks like he's about to faint. ]

Hey. Are you alright?

[ Surely he's not this weak, right? ]

[This is a nightmare.

Everything slows down because Eichi is beginning to panic. He can't breathe properly, and even as his steps slow and Gladio's solid hands grip him, the motion with which he grinds to a halt is sickening. All color is absent from his face now, and he lifts a hand to cover his mouth as he coughs.

That alone is enough to have him falling forward into Gladio's hold a bit more, legs wobbling at this sudden strain overwhelming him. His whole body is crying out over this simple thing. This easy thing. He can't do even this, so what use is this body?

He doesn't want to die yet. He's not ready to die yet. Not here, not now, not here... His mind races, and he coughs again, his free hand resting against Gladio's chest for support.]

I'm... fine, I just need a moment— [But there's blood in that hand, and all of that racing Eichi's mind is going through stops suddenly when it gets to be too much. His legs give out entirely, his eyes flutter closed and he slumps against his poor friend.]

[ In the state Eichi's in, the sudden sense of vertigo seems like the new normal. In reality, Gladio saw the red staining that parchment-pale skin and the dark purple smudges under each eye that stand out as the color drains from his face and hauls him up. Eichi's head lolls to the side, murmuring something like fine and moment before Gladio makes a hissing sound through his clenched teeth and holds his chin upright in his hand.

He's so light, even when he goes limp he barely weighs a thing. Or maybe that's just the adrenaline that his heart dumps into the rest of his body as he realizes this is bad and he hasn't any curatives on him. ]

Eichi! Oi!

[For the moment, Eichi is unresponsive. His bloodied hand stays curled near his collarbone as the other arm slips limply to hang to the side, and his head leans against whatever support Gladio can offer him. It's clear that he's alive, at least, because his breaths are steady now, and if checked for a heartbeat, it'll still be unsteadily there.

It's all black, and it likely will be until he's had a couple of minutes for his body to "reset" like this. Gladio's warmth helps a little, at least, since it seems that even with his own jacket he's ice cold to the touch.]

[ This is a nightmare. ]

Eichi... Eichi!

[ Jogging's not in the stars today, not when he needs to break into a run in the direction of the hospital. Gladiolus pulls him closer to his chest, letting his own body absorb the shock of his full on run, shoes pounding asphalt in the hopes that he doesn't jostle him too much. It can't really be helped, so it's speed he relies on the most to carry him and Eichi to the aid he needs.

As Eichi's awareness swims in and out of consciousness, he can hear the way air thuds out of Gladio's lungs as he races forward, the violence of doors being kicked inwards. Hurried voices, accustomed and trained to deal with these sorts of emergencies with an urgent kind of calm unique to front-line medical workers.

And then the steady beep of some monitor tracking his heart. ]

[He hears voices and that all-too-familiar sound of the heart monitor, and his eyes blink slowly to a white ceiling. These lights are always too bright, so he knows exactly where he is, and that's what makes panic grip him.

But even when he tries to shift, he doesn't have the energy yet. His hand barely moves an inch, trembling against the hospital sheets as he blinks a few more times. Gladio... Where did Gladio go?]

Gladio-kun? [His strained voice interrupts whatever conversation might be going on between the nurse in the room and Gladio right now.]

Sir, I just need you to --

[ That's not Gladio's voice, not one of the nurses. There's two of them, with a third joining out of curiosity because for a place filled with patients with open backed smocks on, Gladio's shirtlessness is a problem. Gladio straight up ignores them, cuts their protests off by pushing gently past when he hears Eichi speak. The nurse winds up with a face full of tattooed man tiddy and looks ready to faint at the scandal of it all. ]

Hey, you're awake!

[Yep, that sure is Gladio. All of Gladio, right there... He sort of blinks at the nurses for a moment in silent understanding before he looks back to Gladio, and it's clear he's still coming to, but he's definitely awake now.

He needs a few seconds to put his smile back up.]

Did you carry me all the way here, Gladio-kun? I'm glad to have someone like you who cares for me like that. Thank you. [Thanks for not abandoning him and his uncool running in the middle of the street!!]

[ Not... all of Gladio, I mean he's still wearing pants and boots and shut up okay. ]

You sure have a weird sense of humor. [ His mouth turns up at the corners in amusement, but worry keeps the crease between his brows. He strides up to the side of the hospital bed and looks down at Eichi, his voice lowering. ]

What kind of man would I be if I just left you like that? [ He's only half serious, because just what kind of question is that? Surely Eichi isn't serious, right? ]

How are you feeling?

[Embarrassed. Ashamed. Like he wants to fade away into darkness and restart all of this, everything, go back to where he can push himself for better reason and higher stakes. These thoughts come along with a longer silence than normal as Eichi blinks at Gladio, and then a shaky hand reaches to brush some hair from his own face.]

I'm fine, Gladio-kun. Just a little tired, that's all. My body will often shut down on me like that, even if I'm doing something as simple as walking, so I'm sorry that I inconvenienced you.

Hey, knock that off.

[ Gladio frowns, uses the back of his hand to tap at one of Eichi's feet beneath the blanket. Even now he's trying to say 'sorry' when it's him who needs to apologize. He makes a small tsk sound between his teeth before he continues. ]

Don't you start trying to relieving me from being responsible for what happened. That pisses me off.

[ He's just glad he was able to get Eichi to the hospital in time before... well, who knows what could have happened. ]

There was blood. You wanna tell me how bad this condition of yours is?

[Ah. Eichi's smile actually slips away at that scolding, his eyes flicking down to his nudged foot. Shifting, he tries to press a shaky hand down on the mattress to push himself up, but it's clear he's having trouble with even that.]

Short lifespans run in my family, you know, Gladio-kun. I don't know if I have a couple of months or a couple of years, since doctors can't seem to make up their minds. They've always told me my time is limited.

[So, if that answers that...]

What?!

[ That kind of news is so dire, so sudden that Gladio can't believe his ears. He's only just met this guy and he's already practically at death's door? He leans forward, looking directly into Eichi's face - hands on the bed. ]

No, I don't know - You said you were sick but... [ He drops his gaze down onto the blanket, not thinking it appropriate to ask why didn't you tell me. Okay, he knows now. ] Alright, what about the doctors here, huh? I assume you've had a second opinion?

[His lips curve down in a rare frown, and though he's managed to sit up somewhat, Gladio leaning in like that is a little overwhelming. He reaches out to grab at his arm, still managing to get across the feeling of a firm grip even when he can't actually manage one.]

Gladio-kun... [Ahh, he hates this, why did this have to happen?] Doctors here, doctors on the Eluvio, and doctors at home have all said the same thing. There's nothing that can be done, there's no name for it, but medication can help reduce my symptoms for the time being.

Normally, I can manage just fine if I don't overexert myself, but there are times when even simple tasks can be too much. I pushed myself a little too hard, it seems, so I'll be careful the next time we try anything like that. But there's no reason for you to be thinking so hard on it. If you begin to pity me, I won't be able to stand it.

[ Eluvio, he's heard that before. Ah, right. Yuuri, wasn't it - little guy who wanted self defense lessons. Gladio nods carefully, but listens until the touch on his arm comes, making him tense. Then endures the ugly news as it's spoken. ]

....

[ If you begin to pity me, I won't be able to stand it.

Gladio stares him hard in the face until he can't anymore, just turns his face toward the door he came in through and closes his eyes. He's fond of this guy, and it seems like shitty luck that bad things happen to good people. But that's life, isn't it? Hell, he should be proud of the fact Eichi, despite having the deck stacked against him, is making the most of it - clawing for a fulfilling life of accomplishment. ]

...Amazing, Eichi.

[He lets his arm slip away, taking a deeper breath when he finds himself struggling. His body is really hating him, today. Did he push it that hard? It must have been a combined thing, adding up ever since arriving on the Eluvio.

He's glad Gladio doesn't insist on feeling bad for him, but even that comment makes his heart twist uncomfortably.]

I don't know what's amazing about this.

[He's interrupted just after that by one of the nurses finally grabbing Gladio more firmly on the arm, insisting that he needs to go change, that he's clearly giving this patient more trouble, that his heart rate keeps rising so please be decent... Eichi is going to pretend he didn't hear that, glancing distantly away and thinking.]

[ That frown reasserts itself when Eichi purposefully or accidentally deflects. ]

It's you I'm talk-- oi!

[ It's going to take a lot more than one nurse to force him out, but it's the magical authority the uniform provides that makes him yield - here, nurses and doctors are king and he can only rebel so much before it veers into too far territory. He relents and is dragged off, too distracted with objecting to register what the nurse is suggesting.

FINE, HE'LL... GO ALL THE WAY HOME TO CHANGE. GEEZ. ]

[He glances back as Gladio is urged away, deciding to stay silent through all of the arguing. He assumes Gladio will be back, with how he was speaking, so he'll just wait here. He has no other choice, anyway, glancing down at an unsteady hand that's propping him up.

He'll just... lie back down and rest. Ah, but he does have to text Líadan, doesn't he? So he'll pull his phone out to do that, as well.]

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[ closed ] let us wipe away those tears

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I couldn't help it... I'm genuinely embarrassed at this tag

I'm still laughing

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OOPS I JUST REALIZED MY GRAMMATICAL ERROR how embarrassing

I DID NOT EVEN NOTICE I was probably half asleep jgdfkl

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