[Voice | Unprotected]

[songofthedeep]

[It's not necessarily the crows transmitting this... with his Powers at higher strength, Cerceus is more than capable of making himself heard through all of Sheol, though the echo of it through the crow gives it an odd sort of stereo effect. His song is wordless and powerful, haunting on the wind, an expression of crushing grief strong enough to

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[priorpyro]

[Axel's voice is quiet, and hard to read; he has his hood up so you can't see if he's crying or not. (He is.)]

Would you like to be alone, Cy?

[priorpyro]

[Axel moves gently, sliding his other arm under Cy's chest and scooping him up in a surprisingly effortless gesture, turning him around so that he can curl into Axel's arms rather than the heather. He still isn't speaking, just holding Cy tightly to his chest and letting him ride out the sobs. Just offering comfort. And thinking. One hand almost absently settles on Cy's chest, feeling the heartbeat there.]

[songofthedeep]

[He's incredibly ashamed of himself for this display, but he can't seem to make it stop... there's a distant amazement as well. He's been weeping his heart out for the last seven or eight days. He didn't think he had the ability to cry anymore. But it seemed he had hidden reserves that hadn't been tapped yet, even as exhausted as he was. And he was truly exhausted. Axel could tell by the rhythm of his sobs, the defeated timbre of them... he'd given up. He wrapped his arms around Axel's neck and clung to him.]

[priorpyro]

[The hand on Cy's chest twitches - the coat, his voice, all these things together make him seem anonymous and emotionless, but that quick, reflexive flinch against Cy's skin speaks volumes of the Axel that they've both come to know in their time together. Finally, he speaks - hopefully Cy can hear him over the quiet sobs, because he doesn't raise his voice.]

A heart can break, you know. There is a point at which sorrow - or rage - or fear - is too much for one to bear. For every hundred who suffer, there is one whose feelings take it further... past a point where it was ever meant to go.

[There's a pause of several minutes here. Cy can reply or not - but Axel doesn't really seem to expect him to.]

[songofthedeep]

[wavering sigh]

I just.... didn't realize how much I loved them until now. I took them for granted. My whole life, I took EVERYTHING for granted. So stupid... and people... they get over grief. They move on. Maybe I would, if not for this goddamned PLACE...

..... Axel...

[priorpyro]

Death is a temporary reprieve in this place. A moment's rest, and nothing more.

[He looks away, but when he speaks again his voice has a little trace of bitter humor in it.]

And forgive me for saying, but you look like you could use a rest, friend.

[songofthedeep]

[he hesitates a long moment, then closes his eyes and nods. When he speaks, his voice is dull, flat.]

.... Axel, I'm sorry about Riku. I know you were just starting to....

[priorpyro]

[Axel actually interrupts him - not harshly, but maybe a bit too quickly.]

No. It's good. He wanted to find a way out of here. He thought that it was 'our plan'; that I was trying to escape, and we'd fight our way out if we could.

...but I never told him I didn't have any intention of following him. I was going to find a way to send him home, make sure he took it, and...

...stay here.

[songofthedeep]

Yeah. But.... he was almost a friend. And that... would have been good for you. I know I said I'd be jealous, but I did actually... want you to have that, mate.

[priorpyro]

[Axel doesn't reply - he's still holding Cy against his chest, and what he says next would seem like a non sequitur, if Cy hadn't understood his earlier observation.]

...I can make it quick.

[songofthedeep]

[Cy's in no state to follow lines of conversation]

Make what?

[priorpyro]

[For anyone else, that would have provoked some teasing; for Cy, Axel calmly and patiently spells it out.]

Death. If you wish it. I can kill you quickly, and likely less painfully, than you could kill yourself.

Even knowing that your escape from the pain will likely be temporary - that the Reaper will likely bring you back, as he has before... and there's always the chance that maybe he won't...

...if you wish it...

[songofthedeep]

[Now he has a dilemma. He doesn't honestly think that if he dies, he won't come back. He doesn't think The Reaper would let him off that easily. But what if it happens? What if things are different right now? Zuko would feel horrible. Can he cause that kind of grief in pure selfishness? Right after they finally got together? He doesn't want to abandon Zuko, but he does want an end to his suffering, even if it's just temporary, SO badly.... he's never been in this much pain.]

If I don't come back... Zuko....

[priorpyro]

...will hurt. But he has Coramir. And I think - from what I've seen of him - he'll be more happy knowing that you found freedom.

[songofthedeep]

... Yeah. But I love him. And you as well. And you haven't got anybody.

[his fingers caress Axel's cheek faintly]

[priorpyro]

[His cheek is still damp under Cy's fingers from tears shed earlier; he doesn't have Zuko's super heat - or really much regular heat - to evaporate them away. He flinches away from the touch, actually catching Cy's wrist in his hand, though his grip is light, urging his hand away rather than forcing it.]

Cy... don't worry about me. Please. Consider it a favor, if you show up here in a week like I suspect you will; or a last request, if you don't. I'm not going to tell you what to do. But if you stay here, miserable and an inch from broken, and for one second I feel like maybe I'm part of the reason....