LOCKED TO viliorate

[sadisticwarfare]

[It's been a little over ten years since the two of them arrived here. Ten years is an awfully long time to be stuck here, but returning home isn't an option anymore. It hasn't been an option since they first started changing, and that wasn't all that long after they arrived. Kimbley had grown a tail and ears and Archer's eyes had turned red. It's amazing to think they had been so scared by those changes back then.

Things are different now. They aren't human, but there's no reason for that to bother them. Archer is a vampire (something that he found painfully ironic in the beginning, but he's adapted quite well to it, if he does say so himself). Not much has changed about him, appearance-wise. His nails are much longer and sharper, his eyes are red, and he has the stereotypical vampire fangs, but aside from that the only difference is the slight point to his ears. It's not like he could get any paler anyway.

Archer enters their shared apartment after work, shrugging off his coat and hanging it up before proceeding into the living room.]

Kimbley, are you home yet?

Comments

[viliorate]

I'm not going to die.

[He wishes he could actually promise that, but he's really just saying it.]

[sadisticwarfare]

...I hope you won't.

[He knows Kimbley can't promise it. He wishes Kimbley could.]

[viliorate]

This was a pretty massive setback. But I'm alive. You're alive.

[And if there's one thing he's realized, it's that he really doesn't want to die because the idea of leaving Archer alone to deal with it makes him incredibly uncomfortable.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Yes, of course. We'll just have to be more careful from now on.

[Archer's shoulders slump a bit though he's not sure if it's the tension finally leaving him or if the entire thing is just depressing.]

[viliorate]

[It's probably how depressing the situation is if they're going to be honest.

Kimbley hasn't let go of Archer's hand.]

It should be easier for you. I'll think of something for me.

[sadisticwarfare]

We'll come up with something together.

[He hasn't tried to pull away; this is strangely comforting somehow.]

[viliorate]

Together.

[Like he hadn't thought about that.]

That's right.

[sadisticwarfare]

Of course. If you think I'm leaving you to deal with this alone, you're sorely mistaken.

[viliorate]

I wouldn't expect anything else from you.

[They're still a team.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Good. It would be a shame if you'd managed to forget that after all this time.

[viliorate]

You're the one who practically beat it into my head.

[sadisticwarfare]

Which is why it would be such a shame if I had to do it all over again.

[viliorate]

For me. I think you'd enjoy getting the chance to do it again.

[But he's smirking so there's that?]

[sadisticwarfare]

...You know me far too well.

[viliorate]

[It hurts like hell, but that's never stopped Kimbley from acting like nothing is wrong.]

Of course I do.

[sadisticwarfare]

[It's so much easier to act like nothing is wrong.]

I wouldn't have it any other way.

[viliorate]

[It is.

So he's going to continue to act like he wasn't shot and that he didn't come close to dying tonight.]

...the sun is going to be up soon. You should sleep.

[sadisticwarfare]

Aren't you going to sleep as well?

[viliorate]

I am already in bed.

[He'll try!]

[sadisticwarfare]

That's not what I asked. Are you going to go to sleep?

[viliorate]

I'll try.

[He can't make any promises, but he's not going to be whining about not being able to sleep either way.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Good.

[Archer goes to get ready to go to sleep, returning shortly and joining Kimbley in bed.]

Ah, I suppose I should ask first - do you need anything?

[viliorate]

I should be fine.

[He's going to be getting approximately zero sleep but that's okay. He's not going to bother Archer.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Well unfortunately for you, Archer actually has a good night tonight, he manages to get some sleep after all!]

[viliorate]

[...and there's no way Kimbley can leave the bed without waking Archer.

At least he has a book at his bedside. It's not much-- a book on alchemy theory. It's all wrong and seems to be more about mysticism than actual real alchemy, but then he wasn't surprised to find out no one in this place knows anything about alchemy.

He'll be like this until either Archer wakes up or he actually manages to get some sleep. At least Kimbley thinks about Archer?]