noirges | YVES & LAURENCE VS. THE WORLD

[ puts a hand on laurence's shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze ]

It means I get to focus on helping you.

[ a little laugh ]

I'll still try, just in case I think about going to Heaven... but you don't have to worry about me. Even if it eases my heart to hear that you do.

...Thanks. But it still feels a little wrong if I can't do something for you, too.

[ even though he doesn't know where to start. yves seems to have everything sorted out already. ]

[ tilts head ]

What do you mean? You're my friend. That's plenty as is.

I'm happy as long as we can hang out like this.

If you say so.

They said it's only for eight weeks, anyway - just two months. That should be plenty of time to figure it all out.

[ the hubris of a teenager who thinks they have all the time in the world ]

I'd think so.

[ it's fine he comes from an island where most people died at 23! he looks thoughtful ]

Did you talk to the angels...? Do you know what you'd have to reflect on for your redemption?

[ stop dying so young! ]

A little. I think I know what it's about, but Zuriel said they can only know what we tell them, so it could be wrong.

Have you been open with them? The angels.

[ grape monch... ]

Though I know it can be hard to just spill your life story to anybody you meet.

I don't really have anything to hide. They said no one back home has to know what's happened, so I don't mind talking about it. And they can't help us if they don't know anything, either.

Mm, that's good. [ nods along! ] I think they're easy to talk to, at least.

Then...? What do you think it is?

[ a little tilt of his head. like he's inviting laurence to talk ]

Zuriel's kind of annoying.

[ in the tsun way ]

...I let Iris leave the Tower. I thought it'd be better that way, but he's in danger.

Are they...

[ yves hasn't experienced this but he looks thoughtful ]

... your friend. How long have you known Iris?

Yes.

He's not my friend. [ first of all. ] We both grew up in the Tower, so I've known him pretty much all my life.

[ a soft hum, attempting to be understanding ]

It's nice of you to care so much for someone you don't even call a friend. Do you feel responsible for him...?

Well, like I said, it's kind of my fault he left in the first place. I could've stopped him, and I didn't.

Does that mean it's your fault?

If it sounds like he wanted to leave... isn't it okay to let him choose his own path? Wouldn't he have just found another way, if he didn't take the chance this time?

You don't get it. He's in danger because the guy he left with is a murderer. Iris might have thought he was helping and getting what he wanted, but he's just being used. And that's not even mentioning the spawncampers out there.

Besides that, even after he left, all it did was cause more trouble in the Tower. Madam's going crazy trying to find him.

[ yves nods along, listening well. though at the end, he puts a hand on laurence's shoulder and gently asks again: ]

... it sounds really difficult. But... does all of that mean it's your fault?

I think it's okay to feel guilty for what happened. To have regrets. But in a time that sounds really chaotic... I'm not sure it's fair to place the blame all on your shoulders, Laurence.

You're just one person.

[ this sounds so incredibly, so uncomfortably familiar that yves will feel him tense under the touch. why do people saying things like this? ]

I think it is. Because I could have stopped him, but I let him go and erased the evidence and I haven't told his mom anything because I was scared of what she'd do if she found out. And now we don't even know if he's okay.

[ there's a gentle, affectionate squeeze when he feels the tension, but yves doesn't remove his hand ]

... okay. But you should know there's at least one person who doesn't blame you, even if it's just me.

[ softly. he can't convince laurence otherwise at the moment, so he'll stop arguing about it ]

What was on your mind when you let him go...?

[ i, personally, appreciate yves for trying, but laurence is thinking that it's clearly just too much to for an outside perspective to understand. his relationship with iris is complicated at best, something even he doesn't always understand, so it must be impossible for someone else to really get it. ]

...I didn't really get it, but he was always talking about leaving the Tower. Even for something as stupid as [ glances up at the sky, gesturing vaguely ] seeing the stars from the outside.

And while he was still there, he was a huge troublemaker - always using his powers, even when he wasn't supposed to. No one liked him, anyway, except some old hag he was always hanging out with. So I thought, if he wanted to go outside so bad, maybe it'd be better for all of us. No more Iris, no more trouble. Not that that worked out.

[ shakes his head. ]

If I'd known the guy he went with was a criminal, I would've done something.

[ yves glances up at the stars, and hums thoughtfully at that

softly: ] ... I think if I never got to see the stars, but I knew they existed, I'd want to see them too. And if I was in a place that wouldn't let me leave, but someone I knew gave me a chance... I'd be grateful.

Even if it was dangerous after.

But... it's okay. To have regrets. Just like it's okay to believe that you choices with the information you had at the time.

We could see them, from the top level. It just wasn't enough for him.

[ sighs. always thinking too big for the tower... that was always iris's problem. ]

Maybe he is grateful. But he could also be brainwashed, and I can't just let him stay with some murderer who wants his powers for who knows what.

[ as for regrets... he's refusing to look at yves. bringing iris back to the tower, back to safety, would resolve all of that, anyway. ]

... you're really hard on yourself, Laurence...

[ but he'll just lightly bump shoulders with him as they hang out ]

Okay. I think it's for the best to move forward with what you think you can tackle, and if that's what you want to do... then go for it.

That's the idea. Maybe if I could practice my portals while we were here, I'd be a little less worried about it... I just don't want to lose any time when I don't know for sure how he's doing.

Ah, I guess it's a good way to take advantage of the extra time we get.

Did you talk to the angels about getting a space to practice portals...?

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outdistanced - 2025-02-17 15:37 (UTC) - Expand