17: dead man walking [OPEN]

[paladaddy]

Who: Shiro and OPEN
When: Just after the Station Master meeting
Where: the Villa + various locations
Style: action
Status: open

[In the evening hours, after the station master has talked about what is to come, Shiro can be found going to various places within the bubble. If this is all to come to an end soon, then there are things he would like to have taken care of first.

So, that evening, your character may suddenly have a visitor on their doorstep. Or they may come across him while he is walking from one place to the next.]

Comments

[darkasnight]

[Night falls silent, watching the small flames flicker as Rin slowly breaks down next to him. Shiro was a father to Rin and Yukio first and they had already suffered losing him once and now it would happen again.

What ifs trailing after worrying scenarios threaten to overtake his thoughts before he shoves all those things away. Worrying could be saved for later when his brother wasn't crying next to him a cake to be eaten in front of all of them.

With an arm he catches Rin in a half-embrace, hugging him tightly.]

I think this works out perfectly.

[doctor_dragoon]

[From Rin's other side, Yukio drops a silent hand on his brother's shoulder, a larger gesture than he offered at any point during their father's actual funeral. He doesn't look up, eyes more than a little watery and focused on those burning candles. He doesn't want to speak either, not quite trusting himself to do so quite yet without following Rin right over the edge.

He doesn't want to break down now, not while his family is still here to be cherished. Not when he's already kept his cool through so much.]

[paladaddy]

[Oh no don't cry boys, he didn't mean for all of this to be upsetting! Even if it really is emotional, Shiro can feel a tightness in his chest too. It's finally hitting him that this really is the last time he'll get to do something like this with his boys.

All the more reason to enjoy it, then. So he'll try to lighten the mood a bit.]

Oi oi, no, tears now. We have to sing 'Happy Birthday' for Night, he's never heard it before!

[keepsthefire]

[Sorry, Dad. It's been one hell of a day for Rin. And for all of them.

Rin nodded, thankful for both the embrace and the comforting touch. They were more a family here, in Vatheon, than they had ever been back home. Especially with Yuri there, and with Night 'adopted' as it were. He was going to miss that... a lot.]

Right. Yeah...

[He cleared his throat, dragging his hand down his face. The tears weren't gone, but he was a little more composed now.]

[darkasnight]

[Having never had a family before now the thought of losing this brought a pain to his chest that made it hard to smile still.

He slips his arm away to rest his hand on Rin's shoulder, mirroring Yukio and squeezes lightly.]

So how does it start?

[doctor_dragoon]

[Yukio finally looks away from the candles (all three now slowly dripping wax onto the cake), glancing up at his family. He hesitates for a moment before taking a deep breath, opening his mouth as if to start the song... and then closing it again.

It takes one more try before he can force out any sound, starting off the first line in a shaky tenor.]

[paladaddy]

[Shortly after Yukio starts the second time, Shiro joins in, his voice a bit higher than Yukio's. He's also got his voice under more control, it doesn't sound like it could crack at any moment.]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin hesitates starting as well, and it isn't until Yukio gets going that he joins in. His voice shakes as well, but sounds similar to Yukio's in pitch and range. Through it, a faint smile appears, directed at Night.

For all the upset, he's nothing but grateful that he's gotten the chance to share this moment with the other exorcist he now considers family.]

[darkasnight]

[The last out of the three boys his eyes start to water, biting down on his lower lip to try and keep himself in check.

It doesn't do him much good when the first tear slides down his cheek, but the smile stays up.

When the song ends Night takes a deep breath and leans forward, getting ready to blow out the candles when Rin and Yukio were ready with him.]

[doctor_dragoon]

[Yukio gets quieter as the song goes on, voice barely audible by the end. His own tears are near to slipping free by the time they're done, but he makes no move to wipe away the wetness welling up in his eyes. Not yet. They're not finished.

It takes a second before he realizes what Night's waiting for, but soon he's leaning forward with him, both of them just waiting for Rin.]

[paladaddy]

[Shiro will take a moment to discreetly look away to regain his posture. He's trying to keep a smile on his face, but he's got to fight back those tears too. He's got to be the strong one here.

BLOW OUT DEM CANDLES, BOYS.]

[keepsthefire]

[Oh. Right, there's three candles. One for each of them. It takes a good two seconds to register that they're waiting for him, but once it hits he forces himself to clear his throat again.

A breath in, and he readied himself to blow out the candles with his two brothers.]

[darkasnight]

[Yeaaah, team effort! The candles are blown out, leaving three thin wisps of smoke behind.

Night plucks out one candle and wipes the icing on the bottom off with a finger to lick.] Shouldn't we have a cutting knife?

[doctor_dragoon]

[Watching the smoke rise from the candles for a moment before quickly rubbing the tears out of his eyes. He is not crying and anyone who says different is a big fat liar.]

... Maybe we could borrow one from the bakery?

[paladaddy]

[Whoops guess what he forgot to get.]

I'll go grab it, gimme a moment.

[oh look the boys get a second to wtf over cake before their dad gets back.

He might be taking that moment to take a deep breath, too.]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin uses Shiro's absence to snag a bit of frosting on his finger, licking it off.]

... mn. It's pretty good.

[His would be better.]