escordvi | closed 🪶⚡ i'll be the light to lead you home

[There will be some resistance when he moves the towel from her shoulders, and there's a small sound of discomfort beneath the rushing of the tap in the tub. She holds onto the corners for a little longer, her expression tightening, before she finally lets it go and allows him to push away the towel completely. And with her back to the mirror, she refuses to look when she feels the very obvious and dull prickling on her shoulder blades.

Closing her eyes, she presses her forehead firmly to his shoulder.]

... And?

[While it is not much worse than before, there is a noticeable difference. While the spots have not grown bigger or thicker, they have spread further across her back, now no longer just speckles over her shoulder blades but inching closer to her spine and upward to the curve of her shoulders and base of her neck.]

[His expression falls when he sees the spread, about as much as he expected. It was always a slow process, spots here and there dependent on how much was used. But it was still never pleasant to see, especially for her...

Slowly and gently his fingertips brush over the new patches, sighing.]

It's not a lot...but it did spread here.

[Her fingers dig gently into his sides as she tries to stem the anger that she feels rising and burning in her chest. If she had it in her, she might have screamed, broken something, cursed Ultima's name... but instead, all she can manage is a shaky sigh, and a dry, self-admonishing scoff for trying to hold it all in. Better that she does anyway, she would not want questions from the crew about what those noises were coming from their quarters in the middle of the night.

With shoulders tense under his fingers, she shakes her head.]

It is to be expected, isn't it...

[Another low sigh.]

Unfortunately. Once you reach this state, the primary cause of it worsening is whenever we shift to use our Eikons in some way for an extended period of time and using a large amount of our powers.

[Which they did. It's a stark contrast to when he last saw her, where she was able to stay semi-primed and fight for so long with nary a sign of the curse affecting her. Of course, she was also not as pressured to use her powers as much as the rest of them have, or for as long.]

Mm. I suppose I have not used my powers quite like that since...

[All that aether that she used up, and all of it had been her own, not this world's magic. But it does nothing to help with the disappointment and the roiling anger that she feels beneath it all, and the air buzzes with her aether, a chilly wind coming in from somewhere before it disappears.

It's yet another reminder that they need to work harder to find a way out of this curse.

As her hand runs over his arm again.]

You feel nothing, do you?

[A small shake of his head as he flexes his arm a little beneath her hand.]

Thought I felt some stiffness, but it's gone away. Could have been from the fatigue, but I'll keep an eye on it.

[Her fingers give it a gentle squeeze, and she lifts her forehead from his shoulder only so that she can press it to his.]

I suppose I should pay Alfyn another visit soon. See if he has not made any progress since the last time...

[A brush of her lips over his, to console both herself and him, a sadness carried outward in her sigh.]

I think the bath is ready.

Would be for the best.

[He gives her a kiss in return, gently stroking her shoulder blades with a heavier heart before glancing at the bath and turning off the faucet before stepping in. And then as he usually does, he'll pat the top of his legs, a small humorous gesture for her to join him.]

For now you'll get a special treatment from me.

[The way he pats his legs after he sits draws a snort out of her, her sorrow turning into a smile as she lifts a brow before she's carefully climbing in. The tub is smaller than the one that she's already grown used to in their new home, but being closer and more snug to him was never an issue. If anything, it is exactly what she needs tonight.

She settles between his legs, fitting there perfectly as usual, her back to him. He'll see the tension in her shoulders, the self-consciousness making them stiff, even as she tries to keep things lighter.]

And what might that special treatment entail?

[He grins at that, hands immediately wrapping around her waist as he presses his chest against her back to playfully lean his weight against her, again a silly attempt to help her loosen up.]

Mmm, well there are several methods...

[Are his hands moving suggestively lower??? And his lips are definitely by her ear.]

But given the circumstances, perhaps something a little less "strenuous" would be better for you.

[His hands then move out to grab the soap.]

[Well, it certainly is working. Even in these "circumstances", he is still a tease, and Benedikta had been enjoying the feel of him before he'll hear her lament when he pulls his hands away, the sound of it echoing off the water.]

You know it does not always need to be strenuous.

I think we know how that goes.

[A light smirk as he lathers up his hands before moving to her shoulders to start massaging them, gentle at first before slowly working in the pressure with his fingertips.]

Quite well, judging from past experiences.

[But she is hardly annoyed by it, and when his fingers start to work at her shoulders, she breathes out a soft sigh, her head relaxing and dipping forward. She lets the silence fall between them for a few beats, just savouring the way he so easily works the tension away, before she speaks again, her voice quiet.]

... Is it as bad as it feels?

[He has a feeling he knows what she's asking, but—]

What is?

[As he speaks, his hands move closer to those stony patches.]

[Her shoulders roll back in response when his hands move.]

I cannot tell how far or how much it has spread, but it hurts... [She takes in a breath, drawing on whatever courage she has to ask.] Could you show me?

[A quite hum as his thumbs run a soothing circle over her skin before he traces the path.]

It'll always hurt worse than it is in the beginning, which I know gives little comfort. But here is where it was before...

[He'll gently press his thumb over the older flecks of stone.]

And these are the new ones.

[With a little more careful, he'll gently brush his fingertips over the skin that edges the new flecks, letting her feel where it's started to spread.]

[Somehow, even with the stone there, his touch raises trails of goosebumps over her skin. She pays close attention to where his fingers wander, her eyes closing as she tries to memorize their path. Her stomach knots when she feels them travel closer to her neck and the tops of her shoulders, tries to interpret just how small the stone really is. They are mere freckles, but they feel so much bigger in the moment... like they have overtaken the entire span of her back.

With a steadying breath and a long stretch of heavy silence, she asks the question that has been weighing on her mind since she wrapped that towel around herself. Or perhaps long before that, as she fell asleep in his arms earlier.]

Do you think I will ever find my wings?

I do.

[There is no hesitation in his answer as his arms go around her shoulders to hug her.]

And you will be able to make them without relying on Garuda.

[The Eikon's name stirs her aether, but she relaxes into his embrace, her chin dipping to rest on his arms at her shoulders. She presses a kiss to his wrist in thanks.]

I... want to try it again soon.

[There's a faint smile as he presses his lips against the back of her neck.]

We can, perhaps in a few days if the weather is good. Can go to our little island if you wish.

[Her eyes close, and her chin tips forward again, exposing more of her neck to him.]

Mm, that would be nice, but... maybe a little longer...?

[Here she goes, trying to put it off again, but she really does want to do it. It will just take a bit before she feels fully ready to try again.]

[........Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmhm.]

And how much is a "little" longer, hm?

[A small nip to her skin, knowing very well that while she should have proper time, she has a nasty habit of avoiding things.]

[She had been so lost in thought that his little nip startles her, making her jolt a bit, the water splashing gently when she looks at him over her shoulder.]

I don't know.

[She pouts because she knows why he's saying that.]

We did just help vanquish a god today...

And I already suggested "a few days."

[Of course, he wouldn't want to rush her. She does need to recover and he would definitely not want to push her, especially if she will need to mix in her aether.]

Perhaps in a week or so? See how you're faring by then.

[She does have a very bad habit of trying to run in the face of fear or failure, or destroy that thing completely, and she wants to do neither of these things. She wants to try... she just needs to find the courage to do so.]

A week seems a good amount. [A beat of silence as the water trickles when she moves to face forward again.] I... could attempt on my own, too.

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