( well, since you asked for it, oushi doesn't actually manage to hit the ground. sylus has always had good reflexes, but since being here they're much, much faster. ( he can't say he minds that part, really. ) the collision happens and while it is a little surprising — after all, no one expects someone to be running full speed at them out of a forest — sylus manages to maintain his balance in spite of stumbling slightly and it seems like before he can tell his brain to send the signal to his hands, he's reaching for the other person. his hand wraps around an arm and he tugs as he steps forward to keep them both from falling; his other arm curls around their middle to keep them held close. even if it's only for a moment.
which, once sylus regains his bearings and looks down, he imagines that moment will be a fraction of a second and is already expecting a push or something a little more violent. his hold loosens on oushi, though he doesn't let go. something happened to make him run like this and sylus' eyes scan their surroundings to see if there's any imminent danger. can't see anything that might be chasing him, can't taste anything on the air. )
What happened?
( it's not fully concerned, but isn't demanding. protective, maybe? who knows. )
[ sylus is close — too close — for all of two seconds and yet it is enough that there is a small (but increasingly getting louder) part of oushi that flares up upon the contact. something far more primal that screams at him that he's in danger, somehow, but by the time the rest of his brain catches up to the feeling that hold around him loosens and he's able to stumble back to grant a foot or two of distance in between. cool night air fills up his lungs, allowing his head to clear, even if only a little. ]
Nothing.
[ the answer comes before sylus even finishes asking his question, because they both know the likelihood he tells the truth, at least right off the bat, is slim to none. his own eyes dart around, following sylus' look but in a far more frantic pace. his next comment, as always, comes from a place of wanting to turn his attention to anywhere else but in. ]
( of course he lets him put distance between them without fighting it. his gaze shifts to oushi for a moment, flickering over him from head to toe and back again and almost unconsciously his brow lifts in a slight arch. nothing, he says. sure, jan. sylus weighs the pros and cons of pushing right now — might be necessary if something's actually headed their way.
instead, he once again looks out over the surrounding area to see if he can catch a glimpse of something that might be moving, and slowly walks forward. he moves around oushi, acts like this is something so nonchalant and not that he's putting himself in front and closer to whatever boogyman might be out there. just in case. )
I could ask why you're alone, you know.
( but, he's not going to. he's already used to not getting anything from oushi and sylus isn't going to push right now. there's no point. emotional maturity can't be rushed. however, something is very clearly wrong and that doesn't sit right with sylus.
one last look around to check the area and he turns toward oushi again, gesturing to head back toward the city rather than deeper into the forest. )
Come on. ( he'll step closer and attempt to place his hand against oushi's back to urge him to keep walking, ) I'll walk you back.
[ the fact sylus barely has to be contrary, and already oushi feels his hackles raise in response. ]
I'm not — [ he pauses, briefly, and very nearly flinches at the reminder of his guilt. ] I wasn't...
[ he trails off, hanging his head low. one hand comes up to run over the short strands of his hair, but it's a distracted gesture, mostly an attempt to keep moving as he feels all that restless energy and anxiety begin to bubble up under his skin again. it keeps his gaze down, too, away from sylus' searching eyes.
fortunately, it seems the other man is far more concerned with surveying the area around them than oushi himself. something he's grateful for, and were it not for another rise of guilt he might have continued to let the man assume what he wants... but it's a waste of sylus' energy to keep being on the lookout for something that will, ostensibly, never come to them first. ]
...Those rocks they want us to find. [ he falls into step, subconsciously guided by the certainty in the other's voice, the hand falling just between his shoulder-blades. ] They're bad news. I'd stay away from them if you can.
( though sylus' expression remains neutral, his thoughts are moving a little too quickly. while he doesn't see the guilt that may linger on oushi's face, just the way he aborts his words is enough to lend to what happened. there's someone else out there alone. that's... not great. and sylus doesn't know what happened; it's entirely possible that oushi was ditched out there to fend for himself. which is... also not great.
and, unfortunately, sylus already knows asking for details will net him nothing. this guy likes to be annoyingly contrary. usually sylus doesn't mind that kind of thing. now is not one of them.
on the other hand, sylus isn't under any obligation to save anyone, so............... qu'est-ce que c'est la pointe?
so, sylus just keeps pace with oushi while remaining alert, just in case. but, that's really not much different from his usual. once he knows oushi isn't going to go darting back into the forest, he drops his hand back down to his side and hums a sounds of acknowledgement. )
[ oushi doesn't so much as laugh as he huffs out a few stuttered breaths. it sounds a little stilted, but there is genuine mirth there, because the frankness of sylus' statement coupled with its miserable truth is just the right cocktail of ludicrous that it makes everything leading up to this point feel so incredibly... stupid. all of this is so fucking stupid. ]
Yeah... Yeah, I guess so.
[ his mouth splits into a strained grin. it's funny, in the way that it's absolutely, and his body seems uncertain which inappropriate reaction it wants to give into: boisterous laughter or uncontrollable tears. he finds his vision blur as he stares down at their walking feet and he half-fears he'll actually end up doing both — but after a few measured breaths, he winds up doing neither. it's both a relief and awfully unfulfilling. ]
You probably wouldn't be stupid enough to go looking on purpose anyway.
( it is stupid. this whole place is stupid. but, they all have to make do with the hand they've been dealt. until more information becomes available, things are going to be really annoying and really stupid. sylus is determined to make sure he comes out of this on top.
or something.
he glances back over his shoulder, knowing nothing is there but feeling the need to check all the same. he drags his tongue over his lip, but tastes nothing predatory on the air. they're fine, he knows it. yet oushi is still rattled over whatever happened and while sylus isn't overtly comforting he is feeling something. something he can't pinpoint but is definitely going to ignore. that seems like the best course of action and has gotten him by his whole life.
so, he takes a breath and lifts a hand to rub his chin and gives a thoughtful hum. )
I want answers. Sometimes the wisest action isn't always that.
[ not that... he envisions himself as the sort of person to go and actually do something with that information. no no, that kind of proactive go-getter attitude is much more suited to people like sylus, who are strong and capable and not riddled with self-doubt and indecision. but even if he can't quite see himself doing anything with the information, oushi feels like he would still like to know. one of the more frustrating things about all this is how much they're left in the dark about everything.
speaking of being in the dark.
as they walk, the terrain itself isn't the more stable. it's no forest floor, but the open grassy area right outside of valentia is still a little uneven, and oushi finds himself having to squint really hard in the faint evening light to make out what isn't immediately in front of him. ]
—watch out!
[ he flings an arm out, likely to slam right into sylus' sternum if the other man didn't stop fast enough. he tenses, peering desperately into the dark at what had (at the time) seemed like some kidn of projectile launching itself towards them...
but only a second after his shout, that murky shadow lands right before their feet and. it's a fucking toad. big, bulbous eyes look up at oushi, mocking, and then it hop hop hops away, uninterested.
( sylus does stop, but perhaps not fast enough. oushi's arm manages to bump into him as sylus is mid-step, already alert for whatever might be headed to them. how didn't he notice? how did he miss it? he upturns his head, lips slightly parted on a breath, but doesn't sense anything. hell, he doesn't even see anything until—
ah.
sylus makes eye contact with the toad and some measure of understanding passes between them before the toad hops along on its merry way. at first, he says nothing, just stands completely still. then, he inhales a slightly audible breath through his nose and exhales a soft chuckle. )
[ it looked like it was something else, okay!!! ears and face burning, oushi redoubles his efforts to get back into the dorms, quickening his pace the point he might as well have been jogging. ]
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no subject
which, once sylus regains his bearings and looks down, he imagines that moment will be a fraction of a second and is already expecting a push or something a little more violent. his hold loosens on oushi, though he doesn't let go. something happened to make him run like this and sylus' eyes scan their surroundings to see if there's any imminent danger. can't see anything that might be chasing him, can't taste anything on the air. )
What happened?
( it's not fully concerned, but isn't demanding. protective, maybe? who knows. )
no subject
Nothing.
[ the answer comes before sylus even finishes asking his question, because they both know the likelihood he tells the truth, at least right off the bat, is slim to none. his own eyes dart around, following sylus' look but in a far more frantic pace. his next comment, as always, comes from a place of wanting to turn his attention to anywhere else but in. ]
You're not supposed to be outside alone.
[ says the man outside alone. ]
no subject
instead, he once again looks out over the surrounding area to see if he can catch a glimpse of something that might be moving, and slowly walks forward. he moves around oushi, acts like this is something so nonchalant and not that he's putting himself in front and closer to whatever boogyman might be out there. just in case. )
I could ask why you're alone, you know.
( but, he's not going to. he's already used to not getting anything from oushi and sylus isn't going to push right now. there's no point. emotional maturity can't be rushed. however, something is very clearly wrong and that doesn't sit right with sylus.
one last look around to check the area and he turns toward oushi again, gesturing to head back toward the city rather than deeper into the forest. )
Come on. ( he'll step closer and attempt to place his hand against oushi's back to urge him to keep walking, ) I'll walk you back.
no subject
I'm not — [ he pauses, briefly, and very nearly flinches at the reminder of his guilt. ] I wasn't...
[ he trails off, hanging his head low. one hand comes up to run over the short strands of his hair, but it's a distracted gesture, mostly an attempt to keep moving as he feels all that restless energy and anxiety begin to bubble up under his skin again. it keeps his gaze down, too, away from sylus' searching eyes.
fortunately, it seems the other man is far more concerned with surveying the area around them than oushi himself. something he's grateful for, and were it not for another rise of guilt he might have continued to let the man assume what he wants... but it's a waste of sylus' energy to keep being on the lookout for something that will, ostensibly, never come to them first. ]
...Those rocks they want us to find. [ he falls into step, subconsciously guided by the certainty in the other's voice, the hand falling just between his shoulder-blades. ] They're bad news. I'd stay away from them if you can.
no subject
and, unfortunately, sylus already knows asking for details will net him nothing. this guy likes to be annoyingly contrary. usually sylus doesn't mind that kind of thing. now is not one of them.
on the other hand, sylus isn't under any obligation to save anyone, so............... qu'est-ce que c'est la pointe?
so, sylus just keeps pace with oushi while remaining alert, just in case. but, that's really not much different from his usual. once he knows oushi isn't going to go darting back into the forest, he drops his hand back down to his side and hums a sounds of acknowledgement. )
I'm aware. What about here is good news?
no subject
Yeah... Yeah, I guess so.
[ his mouth splits into a strained grin. it's funny, in the way that it's absolutely, and his body seems uncertain which inappropriate reaction it wants to give into: boisterous laughter or uncontrollable tears. he finds his vision blur as he stares down at their walking feet and he half-fears he'll actually end up doing both — but after a few measured breaths, he winds up doing neither. it's both a relief and awfully unfulfilling. ]
You probably wouldn't be stupid enough to go looking on purpose anyway.
no subject
or something.
he glances back over his shoulder, knowing nothing is there but feeling the need to check all the same. he drags his tongue over his lip, but tastes nothing predatory on the air. they're fine, he knows it. yet oushi is still rattled over whatever happened and while sylus isn't overtly comforting he is feeling something. something he can't pinpoint but is definitely going to ignore. that seems like the best course of action and has gotten him by his whole life.
so, he takes a breath and lifts a hand to rub his chin and gives a thoughtful hum. )
I want answers. Sometimes the wisest action isn't always that.
no subject
[ not that... he envisions himself as the sort of person to go and actually do something with that information. no no, that kind of proactive go-getter attitude is much more suited to people like sylus, who are strong and capable and not riddled with self-doubt and indecision. but even if he can't quite see himself doing anything with the information, oushi feels like he would still like to know. one of the more frustrating things about all this is how much they're left in the dark about everything.
speaking of being in the dark.
as they walk, the terrain itself isn't the more stable. it's no forest floor, but the open grassy area right outside of valentia is still a little uneven, and oushi finds himself having to squint really hard in the faint evening light to make out what isn't immediately in front of him. ]
—watch out!
[ he flings an arm out, likely to slam right into sylus' sternum if the other man didn't stop fast enough. he tenses, peering desperately into the dark at what had (at the time) seemed like some kidn of projectile launching itself towards them...
but only a second after his shout, that murky shadow lands right before their feet and. it's a fucking toad. big, bulbous eyes look up at oushi, mocking, and then it hop hop hops away, uninterested.
slowly, oushi lowers his arm. ]
no subject
ah.
sylus makes eye contact with the toad and some measure of understanding passes between them before the toad hops along on its merry way. at first, he says nothing, just stands completely still. then, he inhales a slightly audible breath through his nose and exhales a soft chuckle. )
Afraid of amphibians?
no subject
Shut up.
[ it looked like it was something else, okay!!! ears and face burning, oushi redoubles his efforts to get back into the dorms, quickening his pace the point he might as well have been jogging. ]