holyknights | ♞ III. action.

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♞ III. action.

[After finally finding an opportunity to escape from his house, Elliot makes his way through the rain to the barracks. His intent is to let some of his frustration out, but it isn't going as well as he'd like. What should be flawless techniques are interrupted when his hand freezes up, forcing him to drop his precious black blade. Multiple times.

It would take more than a stupid handicap to make Elliot Nightray give up, though. It didn't matter how frustrating it was.

Sooner or later, he'll head back, but he's not in any hurry to do so. It's been almost a week since he returned and his condition hasn't improved much at all. He hates this place. He hates it with a passion.]

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[But Leo persists even with wet, slippery hands and doesn't let go.]

Well, how the hell would I have known that?! I can't read minds!

[And Elliot will keep trying to pull those hands away, too, even if he knows he won't be able to achieve much thanks to whatever the hell is wrong with him.]

Then wait for me like you're supposed to!

You think I didn't do that?

[He tightens his grip around Elliot's collar- he really would've liked to see Elliot's expression at the moment but he can't with all this damp hair in the way and he really can't spare a hand.]

What the hell did you think I was doing all that time?

[Elliot would try to tighten his grip as well, but he can't. This is getting irritating.]

Then what's your problem? Why are you so— so impatient all of a sudden?!

[He doesn't want to hit him or anything, but if he has to...]

[...oh. Oh.

So he'd rather he wait longer? He spent days just waiting for any sign of him and he has the gall to tell him off for being impatient? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Elliot doesn't need to worry about hitting him because Leo will be shoving him away roughly now. It's a good thing that it's raining because he has to bite his lip fiercely to stop himself from crying out in frustration. It's a pretty poor silhouette that he makes in the rain, shoulders shaking and soaked.]

[He stumbles backward, only narrowly missing his fallen sword still lying on the ground. As soon as he manages to regain his balance, Elliot breathes deeply, and pulls at his shirt collar a bit to loosen it up. He watches his servant carefully, but he doesn't say anything just yet. Sure, Leo had pushed him away, but that didn't mean he was finished. He knew what he could be like when he was angry.

Leo could be downright terrifying.]

[His next words are quieter.]

Wasn't four days enough...?

[Elliot blinks at him. It's not so much what he says (because he can hardly hear him anyway), but how he says it—quietly, and without attempting to throw anymore punches. Had he calmed down already?]

...what?

[He should still be careful.]

[He didn't understand.

Of course he wouldn't. Why would he? Four days Leo had spent tearing the house apart in an almost crazed frenzy because Elliot had gone missing. He'd spent the past week telling himself that he wouldn't allow anyone to take him away again, that he'd by far volunteer to take his master's place. His best friend's place.

It's a sickening loathing that he feels-- not towards Elliot, not towards the Malnosso but the fact that he had thought of letting himself fly out of control in the first place. Of course Elliot wouldn't understand. Who would want to understand thinking like that anyway? Of course Elliot wouldn't understand. He was too radiant, too pure.

It is very possible, at this moment, that he may be crying. But it's hard to tell when it's raining like this anyway. His voice is a little duller.]

You're really an insensitive blockhead, you know that?

[Again with the insults?]

[...insensitive. That was what he'd said, right? And that he didn't think of anyone but himself.

He stays silent.]

[...silence. Of course.

You know what? He's done. He doesn't want to stay here and just...yell at him. He's tired, he's wet and he's crying and that's stupid. He's wants to go home.

To wherever home is.]

Just-- just come home.

[For as long as he'd known him, Leo had never acted like this. He liked to follow after Elliot most of the time, but he had never been so... upset when he couldn't. It had only been a few hours, and here Leo was, yelling at him for it.

Insensitive, that was what he'd said. Then what he'd said before that... He must have been talking about the time that he was gone. Kidnapped.]

You were worried...?

[Was all of this because of that?]

[It's Leo's turn to remain silent this time. Really, Elliot, what do you think? You tell him.]

[He doesn't have to say anything. It isn't hard to tell what that means. And if it was because of what had happened before, then what Leo was really concerned about was...]

You thought I'd been taken again?

[He still doesn't respond, but his shoulders droop slightly, presenting a less hostile stance. Of course he was worried. Who wouldn't be?]

[...he was such an idiot. An insensitive blockhead, just like he'd said.

Later, he'd have to talk to his servant about yelling at his master like that, but in the meantime, Elliot bends down to pick up his sword and put it away. Then, he'll approach Leo slowly, carefully, keeping in mind that his servant had always been rather unstable.]

Leo...

...let's just go home.

[He reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder. He knows it's stupid to stay here, but he deserved an apology for his carelessness.]

I'm sorry. I didn't...

[Silence- and he raises a hand, as if to brush off Elliot's on his shoulder only that it rests on Elliot's sleeve instead. And he repeats:]

Let's go home.

[There's an underlying urgent tone in his quiet voice- he doesn't want to hear Elliot apologise. An apology doesn't make things better but for now...he just wanted Elliot home.]

[He frowns. He doesn't understand Leo's reasoning, but it was raining out, and they should get back to the house. It wasn't a long walk anyway, so they should hurry before one of them got sick.

His grip tightens on Leo's shoulder briefly, and Elliot winces. It wasn't a voluntary gesture. Elliot brushes it off, though, removing his hand and moving ahead of him.]

Come on. Let's go.

[He pauses as he looks at the spot on his shoulder where he'd been gripped-- he has questions about how Elliot's been having lately, but perhaps now wasn't the time. It was impossible to see Elliot's face with all this damp hair after all, and he could've been wrong...maybe.

For now, he'd follow silently after Elliot. It's rather amazing how soaked the both of them are.]

[It's fortunate that it's a short walk back to the house, because the silence makes the rain feel heavier than it is. Elliot doesn't bother to check back and see how his servant's doing, because after that argument, he knows he isn't going anywhere.

Even when they get to the house, he takes it upon himself to open the door. Thanks to the kidnapping, he'd been less independent than usual, and it really pissed him off.]

[How very forceful of you, Master Nightray.

Independent as Elliot may consider himself to be, Leo still makes a beeline to the nearest storeroom and tosses a dry towel at Elliot's direction-- as much as one can make a beeline when they're trying not to stumble over things in the room from not being able to see. Even with the awkward journey home, it's still his duty to ensure that his charge doesn't get sick otherwise that would usually mean more work.]

[Once they're inside and the front door is shut, Elliot works on taking off his coat, his gloves, his shoes. Even his clothes are a little damp, so he starts heading to his room when that towel is thrown at him. He stops, using the towel to start drying his hair.]

Go change your clothes.

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