( CLOSED ) find a place you trust. try trusting it for a while.

[bayarm]

WHO: allura (juniberries) and shiro (bayarm)
WHERE: the castle of lions
WHEN: feb 5
WHAT: no one is happy about what happened on oros
WARNINGS: genocide, war, destruction, angst, sadness, maybe a hug



[ they've done all they could, but it wasn't nearly enough. one hundred lives saved, some trilk and some fek. one hundred of an entire planet. it's a bleak and hopeless thing and shiro is angry, but it's anger tempered by loss and exhaustion now. he has more questions than he can ask and a good idea already of the answers he'll be getting, namely none at all. he wants a shower, to sleep, for the last five days to never have happened, for a chance to go back and prevent the bombs from going off, to prevent the defense grid from being taken down, to prevent the loss of so many lives.

he can't do the latter, but the first two are on the agenda. not yet, though. first, he has to find allura, to make sure that she's okay. witnessing the loss of an entire planet and most of its population would hit anyone hard, but given her history, given her anger before, shiro is worried.

that, and maybe he needs someone to talk to, too. ]

Comments

[juniberries]

[Regardless of what he intended of that gesture, she does feel her body relaxing, again, grateful that she's not alone in this, that despite the circumstances she's glad Shiro is here. The first few days after being brought to the Eluvio, the mice had been a small comfort of solidarity.

And they too have come out of the woodwork to lay at her and Shiro's feet.]

I could have tried. [But she knows he's right. There's that stubbornness, though, to believe she could have done more. She remains quiet for a good minute or so, forgoing formalities to wrap her arms around him, giving him her own hug of solidarity before pulling back after a long moment, posture straightening as she gathers herself. Her hand remains at his shoulder, firm.] Are...you doing okay, Shiro?

[bayarm]

[ allura's arms around him are a reminder how strong she is — stronger than him physically, and easily so, but strong not only in that sense of the word. the temptation to drop his head forward and just rest for a moment is strong, but shiro knows better. he can't put that on her, and besides, resting has been a difficult thing for him ever since he's escaped galra captivity. ]

I'm not great, but — [ he lifts his shoulders in a shrug, straightening up as well when she pulls back, both hands spreading out in a vague gesture meant to encompass that he isn't the one who suffered, he isn't the one who lost most of his species.

allura knows what that's like better than he does. ] I should be asking you that question.

[juniberries]

[She knows what he's thinking, or at least, has an inkling of it. Looking away once more, she gathers herself.]

I am managing. But this was not Altea, and I know that the crew and the Trilk will be looking to me and the rest of the research team to help with survivors. That will help keep me focused on the here and now.

[Even if Altea's loss does sit heavy still in her heart.]

You were down on Oros as well, helping with survivors.

[bayarm]

[ shiro nods, smiling a little. it's not a happy expression by any means, since there's nothing to be happy about, but it's — it's something. she'll be all right, he thinks, and so will he. they'll soldier on, at any rate, and these days, that's almost the same thing for shiro. ]

Let me know if you need any help, all right?