melodiesoflife | Taking responsibility [Semi-Open]

Entry tags:

Taking responsibility [Semi-Open]

Characters: Vincent, Sephiroth, others [Mostly Open; Refer to the top-level Prompts]
Where: Hospital, Aquares Ixen
When: 9th-14th September
Summary: Some aftermath of the fallout from Sephiroth grieving over Terra being in Crystal Stasis. Vincent helped disable Seph, and is now keeping an eye on him. Some people might want to have words with him about how he did so. In between guarding a Weapon for a few shifts...
Warning: Language maybe? Potential angst?

Sept 11th-13th at various times.
Vincent is one of those who is guarding the Ultima WEAPON'S wreckage. These are the only times he won't be found at the Hospital, keeping a guard over Sephiroth. If you want to interact with him, see here.

Sept. 9th-12th

Vincent will stay out of the way of the healers, but otherwise stay in the hospital and keep an eye on Sephiroth as he sleeps off both the post-Job exhaustion and the sleep status. Making sure the silver-haired SOLDIER is healing well, and not being bothered unduly. Occasionally Vincent will head to the Crystal Stasis wing, visiting those among his friends who are there. Ophelia can also be found bringing him a bag with a change of clothes, and a book or two.

He's unlikely to talk in the same room Sephiroth is resting in, but feel free to come check on the SOLDIER, or yell at Vincent, or check on Vincent.

Sept 13th--Closed to Sephiroth
Vincent has spent the past few days keeping watch over and not quite playing guard for Sephiroth, mostly so that when the other does wake--he can apologize. Also to keep others from overwhelming the silver-haired soldier right away. Sadly, Vincent understands heartbreak; he also knows Seph well enough to have some idea of how, hopefully, to help the other start healing.

September 13th, OPEN

Since part of Vincent's assumed role has been gatekeeper for a very private and recovering SOLDIER, he'll be keeping an eye out to ensure the other doesn't get tired, when others DO come to visit him. This is the prompt to use for visiting Sephiroth--and if you want to do so privately, Vincent can wait outside the door.

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Ales was tired. To be precise, he was frustrated at the world. Flying airships, a usual source of happiness for him, wasn't doing much. Researching at the laboratory was tiresome. There were too much left to do, and not enough qualified Heroes to do it. Planning out a mission to invade Donwopolis was taking a toll on his brain, yet his usual method of tinkering with his machines only gave him opportunity to stew in his bitterness. He needed to go somewhere more distracting.

And quiet. It had only been two weeks since he last visited the ward of crystallized Heroes, but as the last visit ended in a frustrating argument in Twilight Sparkles, he decided it didn't count. This was going to be the actual visit to Ellie.

Unfortunately, he wasn't alone. Fortunately, it was the quiet Vincent standing in the hallway. A man that Ales could easily ignore and continue towards the ward. Wordlessly, he lowered the brim of his hat and quickened his pace to pass him.

Considering there was less traffic than usual in the hallways after the chaos of a few nights ago, visitors weren't hard to spot. Never mind that Vincent had visited the crystallized heroes wing a time or two himself. Not hard to spot the smaller hero, or to take the hint that the other wanted privacy.

A nod of his head, and a murmured "Ales" of acknowledgement, and that was it from Vincent.

Silence followed Vincent, though the hat bobbed in response. The small figure continued down the hallway, passing by the other wards, and stopped in front of the gated room where Heroes of the past were kept. The reverent stillness of the hospital combined with reflection on those that passed gave Ales the impression of a cemetery. While a crystal statue wasn't the same as a tombstone, it felt the same.

While Vincent was waiting outside of Sephiroth's room, a ~~spoony~~ bard just so happened to be walking down that very hallway. She had a book tucked under her arm, a satchel with gear looped over her shoulder, and a cup of lukewarm coffee in her hand that she was trying to finish off. She hadn't liked it much when she was a kid, but here in Crystalis where sugar is something that can be found readily and added with liberal amounts of cream, she no longer found the beverage too bitter or strong. It helped to keep her awake to compose songs and poems, so in a sense, the duty of guarding Palitutu was one of the best job assignments she'd ever had.

The familiar black and red that Vincent wore made him stand out in all of this white. She smiled as she spotted him, knowing that he was someone who didn't hold any sort of grudge against her for Narasimha's manipulations, so she decided to pause and say hello.

"I didn't expect to see you here. Everything okay?" People usually didn't come to the hospital unless they or someone they cared about were in trouble.

Four days which Sephiroth wouldn't be able to get back. Like an inky black abyss somewhere growing in his soul, in which he wouldn't even recall dreaming. Mentally battered and too exhausted for his mind to even string two unconscious thoughts together in order to somehow make it pleasant, or at the very least less painful than what he'd felt when he'd been literally shot into that blackness.

The sleep status itself wasn't finite, and given the surgical attention that had been immediately required to remove the slug Vincent had delivered into the back of his shoulder, standard practice had seen him knocked out again when his vitals had started to indicate consciousness rising. Sephiroth hadn't been able to come around very far, before they'd had to put him under again.

Three and a half days later, and much of the fourth day had seen the remnants of that blackness slipping away. On multiple occasions it seemed that Sephiroth took a deeper breath, his right arm that had been strapped across his chest rising so much more than it had when he'd been sleeping, eyelids twitched a little but after a few moments he dropped back off. Finally, though, green peeked out and down himself through thick lashes...fingers eventually twitched-

-and lanced a sharp hiss as it brought to his immediate attention why his arm was strapped like it was. It wasn't painful as it was stiff-feeling, uncomfortable where he was lying back on the injured area which had of course been heavily padded. But the memory that rode instantly back-

He'd been shot in the back, by the man who dared now to play guard in the room with him.

"You-"

Vincent was settled in a chair, reading a book. The more frequently Sephiroth had started to seem to wake, then nod back off, he'd felt it prudent to remain where he was. Books were easily picked up or put down, as he marked his place and shifted crimson-eyes to meet green.

"I did. Sleep bullet. Better that than you hurt anyone in your grief."

Confirming what Sephiroth likely remembered. Book placed to the side, getting to his feet, and keeping his hands where the other could see them. Also out, and away from a weaponless holster at his hip. "You may accept it or not, but I AM sorry that it came to that."

Vincent was sincerely sorry he'd had to do it. Felt it necessary, and would do so if needed again, but still regretted it. He actually respected and liked the other man as he'd come to know him.

There was no way they were going to let Sephiroth near any one of those rooms at least until all of this had blown over enough to be almost forgotten about. It was too early to tell what the lasting consequences on his reputation might be, but at least with Vincent supervising, the on-duty orderly had agreed for him to be allowed a look in; if only from the doorway itself.

A goodbye. Some closure, for now, though his heart shook at the prospect that it might be forever.

His right arm was slung tightly in a v-shape against his chest, the bandage there around half of his upper torso for support as much as it was to promote healing. Silver hair freely flowing around shoulders as he strode slowly, with every step being carefully measured, barefoot down the hallway before coming to the same doorway that Ales had. The nervous looks from the guards not met; it seemed from the way he kept his gaze averted almost as if he were trying not to acknowledge them.

It was OK to hurt, or so others kept telling him.

He blinked, and again. Shifted himself against the position in which he'd been sleeping for days. That perpetual frown soon following, dropping down in the space at the top of his nose again as he fought not to show his distaste, and that aching feeling on his one side, so obviously. He used to be so much more controlled than this, able to deal with anything life -during and pre-Crystallis- had thrown at him. In his own way, under his own terms, privately.

It didn't take more than a few more seconds for not only green eyes to drop and fall away from Vincent's form to the floor, but Sephiroth also turned his head so that it would be easier not to look at the gunman in the room. Shame. That skin-creeping feeling that he'd felt before, except he didn't have the whiskey to blame anymore. Neither could he easily fight-or-flight, currently.

Nor did he have someone who would always be there, to hold to his side and assure him that it would all be alright.

"I know." He muttered, biting back the urge to spit poison back at the other man. He could have ended all of this misery, just by being off with his aim. If Mary hadn't moved just so, if Sheena had pulled a different way against him...

"For whatever good that's going to do, now."

The darker man wouldn't have blamed Sephiroth if he did want to curse him, or yell, or lash out. That he didn't, and immediately went so quiet and bitter, just confirmed red-flags and warning-signs Vincent had seen and heard about. The other was free to turn away, but Vincent was pulling the chair closer and retaking his seat.

Sephiroth could not be allowed to run from this.

"Would you rather I had simply shot to kill?" A curious question, as most people would likely prefer to not be shot at all. "You don't want to hear it, and you won't believe it, but I do actually understand some of what you're going through."

There is an eyebrow raise at the question. Mostly because it should be obvious that--well, no, or why would he be here? It doesn't mean he'll share details though. "Keeping an eye on someone." It's non-specific enough, and Vincent does respect Sephiroth's privacy--what they've managed to keep, anyways.

Besides, Vincent had been known to visit the Crystal Heroes wing occasionally.

Not that he was looking all that comfortable anyway, stiff as half of his back was still feeling where it was tightly padded, but as Vincent moved his chair to be able to sit closer to the edge of the bed on which he lay, a knot inside Sephiroth's gut twisted ever larger. He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to face these circumstances now.

He made himself swallow, made a point of looking to the table side where a jug of water with plastic cups was laid out, considered trying to make himself sit up to get a drink before Vincent's following question froze him, not so unlike a scared animal in headlights.

The concept of death, in particular his own death, had never strayed far from his thoughts ever since that detail of the Sage's alternate-future had been presented to him. He'd wanted to hold onto Terra so tightly, somehow guarantee with all of his soul that he'd never put himself into danger like that, if only for all the pain she'd then be plunged into. He'd never promised though, as what were promises really worth here?

Though it wasn't her fault at all, the promise of the future they could have was now tattered. He'd been so naive to think that finally fate had started to swing in his direction.

"Maybe...I should be dead already." He didn't have a response to the empathy Vincent tried to show, so best only to respond to that which he did have an answer.

"...Oh." She waited a while to see if he had anything to add to that, but once the silence settled over them like the world's most uncomfortable blanket, she got the impression that he didn't really want to be bothered right now. Rialynn glanced at the door, then at Vincent, and took a large step to scoot herself right on by. "I'll leave you to it, then. Let me know if you want any coffee or anything."

He certainly hadn't meant to be unfriendly towards her, even if he was inclined to be private about his own reasons for being there. "My apologies." A nod of his head, and there was curiosity in crimson-eyes. Sorry for his rudeness, even if he still found himself surprised to be well-regarded by the bard. "You are...well enough, after the events of the past month?"

Apologies? For what? Rialynn stopped to look back at him, and scratched the back of her head. She couldn't really tell what he was thinking, but it seemed like maybe he did want some company after all. "Yeah, I'm okay," she replied, reversing her course so she could help him hold up the wall with her back. "We had a couple of oddball adventures, but things worked out fine in the end. What about you?" she asked, lifting her eyebrows as she glanced up at him and gulped down her coffee.

Ales paid little attention to the footsteps approaching. His shoulders instinctively hunched over at the thought of someone else standing next to him, prepared for yet another distracting conversation. He wanted to be alone. Why couldn't anyone respect that?

There was nothing. The footsteps stopped, but no one spoke. Curious, he turned his head to identify the newcomer. The hospital gown gave little hint, but with a risky head tilt, he spotted the silver hair. Sephiroth. The military officer who had yet to disappoint Ales. Sure, he had a strange attachment to Terra, but he was mostly alright.

When he thought about it, wasn't that true for him and Ellie? Obviously, there was nothing nauseatingly romantic between the two of them, but just like Sephiroth, Ales was here only to look at her crystal statue. He missed her. They promised to work together, to rule her world once Crystallis was dealt him. She was one of the few Ales felt a bond with.

Was Sephiroth feeling the same way as well? He gave the SOLDIER another good look, the locks of his wig falling back his shoulders as he looked upwards.

"You seem to be in bad shape." And understatement, but he was curious as to how it happened.

Mary was thankful for the few days before Vincent allowed her to visit Sephiroth. It allowed her to cool her head and think about what had happened, and she'd hoped the others involved were doing the same. She was about in the hospital as well for that span, as was Bonnie, keeping an eye on Palitutu, but occasionally the moogle drifted off to check on Sephiroth as well.

Come round to the 13th, Mary gave Vincent a nod as she approached the room. There was something about the dark brooding man that she couldn't quite quantify. He had the skills to be an Assassin, but the temperment wasn't there. And yet she wasn't quite sure what to compare him to instead. A gargoyle or a ship's figurehead perhaps? She was just glad he was on their side.

"Vincent. May I speak to him?"

In addition to the other goings on, Mary for the most part kept her distance from the room. Bonnie on the other hand served as her intermediary, fluttering over to check on Sephiroth's condition as well as helping Ophelia.

Today she had a kupo nut and a sandwich in tow for the pair as they stood vigil at the hospital room.

"Thank you for all your hard work, kupo."

[Things had been rather tight with security lately, Ellana had noted this before when she arrived for her assignment to watch over the comatose turncoat. Yet as she left for the day, she couldn't help but noticea a very familiar moogle fluttering past in the hallway ahead. Was that a package in their small hands? A bit curious, she quietly followed the flying ball of fluff and kupos.

At least, until she saw where they were going.

Of all the times Falon didn't follow her to guard duty, it was the time her curiosity led towards the Crystallized Heroes' wing. She knew well enough to turn around before being spotted by the guards, and thus waited a little longer until either Falon began searching for her or the other Hero reemerged with Ophelia. When she sees the taller man leaving the wing, she makes a faint waving gesture.]

Everything alright?

"I could've done without the chase." Even if some of the worlds and things they'd discovered were interesting. "I'm also far from the only one who finds it annoying to be constantly tested and disbelieved, and chastised, when we seek help--while also being expected to know just what to do, simply because of our uninvited and unwanted roles." A hint of annoyance, but the game really did wear itself out a long time ago.

"It could've been worse though. The sanctuary was one of two options, according to a program on her computer."

Vincent let the silence reign in response to his statement for a moment, before there was the sound of leather and metal shifting. Right hand practiced, starting to manipulate the fastenings to the gauntlet covering his left arm. "Interesting thought." Vincent's tone neutral, as he spoke while undoing the armament.

"So many things we've learned, complicated and frustrating, on Crystallis. Not least of which the existence of other time-lines, other versions of ourselves. Beings who should be us." The gauntlet removed, and Vincent flexed scarred fingers and hand carefully before rolling up his sleeve to the elbow.

Baring flesh that held a latticework of scars that was lacelike over skin that had started degenerating decades ago. Left weaker and tougher, less flexible or feeling than his right. "That means that somewhere, there is a Vincent Valentine who did succeed--and you were never born. A Dr. Crescent who disagreed with all that Hojo wanted her to do. Perhaps even a planet that Jenova never came to. A ShinRa that never discovered the parasite..."

Crimson-eyes studied Sephiroth thoughtfully.

"If you're going to dwell on things that should or should not be, you'll drive yourself mad."

Vincent had made no secret of his role as 'screener' of sorts, to those who had asked and dealt with the grieving Soldier at the time. Clear they cared about him, as did Vincent--so no need to hide that he was now being protective of the other.

"If he's awake, then likely yes." A pause, and crimson-eyes watched her for a moment. "You do know, he is not as experienced as you would think. This was his first experience with love, and the loss thereof." His voice was quiet and confidential. He would not share the information lightly.

Ophelia had been in and out herself, but she was currently keeping Vincent company as they worked on some of the paperwork from the Observatory. Looking up at the flutter, and Vincent was stoic as ever while Ophelia blinked.

"We're...not really doing that much kupo." She demurred. At least she didn't think so. "How're you and Mary doing?"

[It wasn't hard to spot Vincent, and the package had since been transferred to him from Ophelia as she fluttered along beside him. One of the few times they weren't keeping watch and company outside of Sephiroth's room, but visiting those among the fallen.

The wave only brought a blink, and nod of acknowledgement.]

As anything else. Yourself?

On both occasions Ales was allowed to take as long a look back, and up at Sephiroth, as he dared. The strong silent -and clearly recuperating- silver-haired warrior was maintaining an almost serene demeanor as his eyes rested on the form of the crystallized figure of Terra from the doorway. He blinked naturally, keeping up the mental visualization that there had to be maintained something of a disconnect from her now given their now-different states of being. His logical mind trying to convince his bruised heart that it was for the best.

Vincent had been right. In his head, the cracks in his fractured sanity had seemed to yawn, almost, as if to back up the suggestion that he would only make himself more crazy. Sephiroth of the now didn't want that. He wanted to be the hero, not give a nod to the notion that his path only led one way.

"Seems to be the way, more often than not, of late." He closed his eyes, turned his head downwards and finally looked over Ales from his position at a little behind the teensie.

"It'll heal, though." Though it was obvious by a stiffening of one side of his jaw, that the small attempt-shrug of a movement was -at this stage- just a little too much on the painful side.

Until Vincent had begun to fidget, to eventually remove his gauntlet, keeping his gaze away from the other man had been easy enough. Sephiroth's eyes almost seemed closed again for all the effort he was making in not meeting the other's gaze. Even though he was prone, laid out on the bed, the body language he was giving off continued to indicate that he was closing off.

But somewhere between Vincent's movements, and the words he spoke, part-curiosity but moreso that part of him that drove his sharp sense of spatial awareness -given as Vincent had moved closer- inevitably drew the troubled expression in the direction of the other mans' mangled arm as he bared it in front of him for the first time. It felt personal, yet Sephiroth also knew Vincent were using it to get his point further across.

"Then I daresay I'm already more than half way there..." The whispered growl spoken between them was intensely private, yet a bitter admission that Sephiroth did indeed know his own faults well. His was a mind that hardly truly rested, and the sore fact that the one person who had helped him to turn down the volume of his own churning pondering was no longer around...

Quickly he lowered his eyes and turned his face away again. His eyes stung as if there were no more tears left to come. He felt vulnerable, like someone had reached in to a large part of his body and ripped a giant hole. A hole that everyone could see and not matter how he had tried he hadn't been able to conceal it for long enough to start healing. Sephiroth hated how he was left to feel, how he had no control over it, and worse that he'd allowed himself to become so weakened...again.

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Taking responsibility [Semi-Open]

September 13th

Re: September 13th

Re: September 13th

September 13th

September 13th [Closed: Vincent]

Re: September 13th [Closed: Vincent]

September 13th [Ales & Vincent]

September 13th [Closed: Vincent]

Re: September 13th [Closed: Vincent]

Re: September 13th

September 13th [Closed: Vincent]

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September 13th [Ales & Vincent]

Sept 13

Sept 9-12

September 12th

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Re: September 13th [Closed: Vincent]

Re: Sept 13

Re: Sept 9-12

Re: September 12th

September 13th [Ales & Vincent]

September 13th [Closed: Vincent]