guidingmoonlight: @ <lj user="hoopskirts"> (pain ☾ as it endlessly circles.)
Lᴜɴᴀꜰʀᴇʏᴀ Nᴏx Fʟᴇᴜʀᴇᴛ. ([personal profile] guidingmoonlight) wrote in [community profile] synthneon2021-07-16 01:48 am

YGO PSL | ❝ i am not lying, i am just trying to find my way in to you. ❞




( continued from yonder! )

[ Her other hand raises and gestures to the bed behind him. It had been a set of normal circumstances in getting ready to rest for the night. Even down to the fact she was dressed for bed. Unspoken, of course is how she misses his presence. It hardly matters in their current circumstances -- or at all. Pinning for one does none of them any good. Priorities and needs will always shift, and, Lunafreya has always believed those come before wants and desires.

Although she has been known to be young and naive in such ways.

Lunafreya shifts her gaze back to him in order to answer his next question. "Answer" that is. He has been able to understand her thus far at least.

Then, a change in the air.

Yugi appears beside Atem. He looks between Lunafreya and his partner. ]


Other Me? What's going on?

[ Lunafreya glances at the space where she feels the shift in the air. She turns back to surveying the room with one hand remaining on his shoulder to help her stay upright. A hand raises out beside her in order to try and summon her Trident. That, as it turns out, was the wrong decision to make. Her arm starts to shake as it feels sharp pricks make its way up her skin.

A soundless gasp leaves her at the sudden pain. In a sweeping moment, she crumbles back down to the ground where she had once stood.

Yugi's attention snaps to her as it sinks in that they're in her room. ]


Luna?!
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟙𝟞𝟚)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-16 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He watches as she tries to show him without speaking what she'd been doing before whatever's afflicting her happened, and he nods in understanding. She hadn't been doing anything unusual at all, so it makes even less sense that something like this could have happened to her.

But he doesn't have much time to ponder that before Yugi appears beside him. He turns to glance at his partner, obviously worried about Lunafreya and the situation and about what they might do to fix it. ]


I stopped by to talk with her, and I found her like this. [ He's about to say more, to explain that she can't speak and is in obviously bad shape, but he breaks himself off once he realizes she's attempting to move.

When she drops to the floor, and he hears Yugi's surprised gasp, before he even knows what he's doing, he crosses over to her and drops to the floor next to her. ]


What- [ He's about to ask what happened, but he stops himself, because it doesn't matter. What matters is helping her with whatever's going on. ]

I think that she should lie down.

[ He carefully places an arm over her shoulder and his hand goes to her side, intending to support her if she does move, but even then, he's not sure if that's the right decision either. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟠𝟚)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-17 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ To even think that they could have been in their assigned room enjoying themselves, unaware of the struggle going on in Lunafreya's quarters, is a completely unwelcome thought in Atem's mind, if he knew that was what was going through Lunafreya's own mind. She might not wish for him to worry about her, but it's far too late for that now. ]

Well, I couldn't have known that she was in trouble, but- [ He shakes his head. Somehow, he just had a feeling, some sort of intuition, that maybe everything wasn't all that it seemed to be. Or perhaps that wasn't it at all; perhaps all he wanted to do was just check in on her and maybe stay for awhile. Either way, he's glad that he listened to his intuition and came, rather than staying away.

If Yugi asked to swap, regardless of the reason, of course he'd go along with it. Yugi never needs to have a reason for wanting to switch places. Of course, in this particular situation, it would be a little difficult for Atem to do that, but he would if Yugi wanted it. ]


I don't know either. Somehow, I just thought that the two of them could tell when the other was in trouble. [ Or maybe he misunderstood the bond between the two women. It must not work the way he assumed it would, or he supposes Gentiana would be here already.

When Lunafreya squeezes his shoulder, he immediately looks at her again. How could he not worry about her? He's never seen her in such bad condition, not even after everything Dartz threw at her. At least then she had full control of her voice, and she was still physically strong, if not tired from the fight.

There's nowhere else that I'd rather be. The thought springs unbidden to his mind, but it's completely true. And the reason why he stays has nothing to do with simple obligation. He stays because he cares about her, as does Yugi, and because there must be something he can do to help. ]


Come on, you should lie down. [ And while he doesn't intend to handle her roughly, he does try and point her in the direction of the bed. He'll even pull the sheets and blankets over her if he has to.

He can't know what thoughts are going through her mind, but if he knew that she was asking why he would want her, he would have a very clear answer to that question. It might be for the best that he remains unaware of her thoughts and her questions, because then the fragile grip he has on his composure would most certainly slip.

'Maybe if she lies down and even falls asleep, one of us can find Gentiana and bring her here.' He doesn't intend to hinge all his hopes on the dark-haired woman, but it seems to him that she'd have the best idea of what to do in this situation. ]
ifthereiswill: 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞. (𝟘𝟝𝟙)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-19 08:06 pm (UTC)(link)
But it doesn't matter, because I don't know what's wrong or how we're supposed to help.

[ That's why he's hoping Gentiana can intervene, because whatever is happening here seems to far beyond his sphere of knowledge, and the last thing he wants is to do something that might cause more damage than has already been done.

It doesn't seem strange to him that some measure of his resolve has returned now; he still has many questions and even more uncertainty about himself and his ability to move forward, both as Yugi's partner and as a duelist, but none of that matters. What matters is helping Lunafreya, however he can; if he even dares to attempt helping her, that is.

And while he is beyond relieved that Yugi has returned, and that their group of friends is slowly beginning to recover... They've suddenly dropped down a rung or two on the list of Atem's priorities. Oh, they're still important, of course, but do they trump being here for Lunafreya? No, not at all. They will always mean the world to him, but she means everything to him as well. He won't put this thought into words, but at least in his mind, she's already become the most important person in his life, standing alongside Yugi. So because of that, there really is nowhere else he wants or needs to be right now besides right here.

He watches with some nervousness as she tries to stand, doing his best to remain close by so that he can catch her when she falls. She seems to be in no shape to be doing this on her own, and yet she also seems to be trying to rebuff him from helping.

When Yugi reaches out to help, so does Atem, because even if Lunafreya doesn't wish to allow him to take on all her weight and support her, he already intends to do just that.

He's about to voice a statement of agreement with Yugi's conclusion, but the arrival of Pryna both interrupts and distracts him from what he was about to say. ]


I didn't either, but I'm not surprised. [ He glances over at Pryna then, as if asking her how she wants to see about moving her owner from where she's standing (barely) to the bed. At any other time, this might seem strange, but he's always known or suspected that Pryna and Umbra weren't just ordinary dogs. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟠𝟙)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-20 10:03 am (UTC)(link)
[ When Pryna moves, so does Atem, careful to make sure that he remains near enough to balance her weight as well. Eventually, the three of them reach the bed, and he watches to make sure that Lunafreya can maneuver herself onto the bed.

He doesn't want her to let go either, but it's more important that she think about herself right now and get the rest that she desperately seems to need. Will sleeping reverse the loss of her voice? He doubts that it'll be as simple as that, of course. Maybe Gentiana can do something to fix what's happened. But even as he mulls over potential courses of action, he knows that he doesn't want to leave her side, not even to try and locate her dark-haired companion. She doesn't even have to ask him to stay; he's already made up his mind that he won't be going anywhere.

In a way, their roles have truly turned; she never left his side when he was lost in his own despair, and now, he has no intention of leaving her in the wake of whatever curse has fallen on her.

He briefly looks away from Lunafreya to glance at Yugi, suddenly realizing that his partner is wearing a look of surprise and what looks like embarrassment. And then he asks that question, and for just a moment, Atem looks at him with confusion. Why is that important? It takes another moment for him to realize that Yugi is looking away from Lunafreya now, as if the sight of her in her nightgown has made him feel awkward.

He isn't quite sure why, but he supposes Yugi has his reasons. ]


Yes, I believe that she was. [ The way she's dressed, and the way the bedcovers have been turned down all point to the fact that she was readying herself to go to sleep before the unexpected happened.

When Lunafreya looks down, he returns his gaze to look at her, noting her posture and how she almost seems to be withdrawing from this moment and from him. Without even the slightest hesitation, he reaches out and places his hand lightly against the side of her face.

He doesn't forcibly move her to look at him, just leaves his hand resting where he placed it, hoping to tell her without words that he's right here and that he's not going anywhere, as well as hoping to provide her with a little comfort.

He wants her to know that she can reach out to him at any time, can ask him for anything, and he'd do his best to give it to her. Truthfully, he's already begun to think that he needs her in his life, but not merely as the Oracle. No, the one he needs most is Lunafreya the girl, and even if it takes him another lifetime to help her see that, well- that's just what he intends to do. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟛𝟟 ☆)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-21 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
[ Atem certainly has no intention of teasing Yugi for his embarrassment. He might not fully understand it, but there's no getting around the fact that he also has little to no romantic experience. Part of him still feels some embarrassment of his own that Lunafreya had to witness his own uncertainty about what to do in a- well, a more intimate encounter. Of course, now isn't the time or place to mention that, not when Yugi is already embarrassed and when Lunafreya is in such a bad state. ]

No, I didn't either. [ But now he's wondering if he should have been more vigilant, because there could have been signs that he missed.

He startles just a bit when Pryna slips her head beneath his hand, as if she was somehow responding to the spiral his thoughts were beginning to take. Could Lunafreya's current condition have been prevented if he'd just been paying more attention? He can't help but ask that, even if it's only to himself. But he pats Pryna on the head and gives her a little scratch, because her presence is providing him with at least a little bit of comfort.

As for Lunafreya, well, she doesn't have to make the first move or even ask him to do what it is she wants. Being mindful of Pryna's presence and Yugi's as well, he reaches out to pull her into his hold. He's about to carefully tighten his grip on her when he also feels that too-familiar sensation of cold trickling down his back, as if someone's icy finger just touched him there. Gentiana.

Well, they were wanting her to come, because out of all of them, she's probably the most likely person who would know what to do.

Atem straightens up as best as he can, what with Lunafreya in between his arms. ]


Gentiana- [ He tries to inject as much respect into his tone as he can. It's not really difficult, because even if he doesn't fully understand the mysterious dark-haired woman, he respects her just as much as he loves the woman she follows. ]

Is there anything that you can do for her? [ He knows there's a tease in what she said, but he's more focused on helping Lunafreya right now. Still, he casts a sort of commiserating glance in Yugi's direction, because he can also see the way the color is heightening in his partner's cheeks. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟛𝟡 ☆)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-21 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
[ Once she curls into him, he pulls in his arms just a little tighter, not enough to cause her discomfort, but enough to reassure her that he's right here and that he won't be letting go unless she asks him to. One hand immediately goes to stroke her hair, hoping the action will also provide her with some comfort. She doesn't have to tell him that she's afraid; he can almost feel it coming off her in waves, and even if he wasn't able to discern that, the way she's positioned herself is answer enough.

When Gentiana moves closer to them, Atem keeps one eye on Lunafreya as he holds her in his arms, but the other one rests on the other woman. Surely she'll be able to tell something about whatever it is that's afflicting Lunafreya.

He watches as she makes contact with the Oracle, and when Lunafreya unfolds herself from him just a little, he tries his best to not be a hindrance to whatever the two women need to do. His focus remains mostly on Lunafreya, but he'd have to be completely unobservant to miss the blink-and-you'll-miss it change that comes over Gentiana. He doesn't understand it or what it is that he saw, but it's gone just as quickly as he came. Yet another mystery of the woman called Gentiana, he supposes.

But when he feels rather than sees Lunafreya begin to shake, even before she presses herself back into his hold, he pulls in his arms around her yet again. And then Gentiana's brief explanation comes, but it doesn't answer his questions. In fact, it seems to raise more. ]


What do you mean, her spirit has not recovered? [ Of course, he can tell that something has struck her very hard, but Gentiana's words point to something far more concerning than just a physical ailment. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟙𝟛𝟡)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-24 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
[ Even as he holds onto Lunafreya, Atem's attention is on Gentiana and her explanation about how magic and summoning worked in ancient Egypt. The concepts she speaks of are unfamiliar to him, and he can't even begin to picture what it must have looked like, seeing those with the ability to wield magic channeling 'Ba' to call forth the spirits. All he knows is that it must have looked incredibly different from the version played in these modern times.

And as Gentiana continues to describe her supposition about what's happened to Lunafreya, something like guilt washes over him again. Yes, he's aware that guilt won't help the situation, nor will it undo what's happened to her, but he can't help but feel that none of this would have happened if he hadn't been drawn in by Dartz's machinations.

Yugi would never have been taken, and Lunafreya would have never had to fight with Dartz. It all seems to stem from his own shortcomings, and now nearly everyone in his life is paying the price for his mistakes.

Atem doesn't withdraw or pull away, because Lunafreya is still resting in his arms, but the urge to do so is there. He meets Yugi's gaze, but he shakes his head. The terms Gentiana uses are as unfamiliar and unknown to him as his own name still is.

It seems as though there is still so much that he doesn't know, and he can't be sure when or how he'll ever regain that lost knowledge. He manages to pull himself out of those swirling doubts long enough to ask: ]


How can she regain her energy, then? Is rest enough, or is there something else that must be done?
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟙𝟜𝟠)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-24 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The shattering ice catches Atem's attention, but only briefly, as he's mostly focused on the woman he's still holding onto, trying to offer as much comfort and support as he can. It's difficult when he's still reeling from his own emotional baggage, but at the moment, that pales in comparison to helping Lunafreya, even if he feels as though there isn't very much he can do.

And in all honesty, his continued inability to remember anything about his identity or his past isn't bothering him as much as the idea that he's letting everyone down, from Yugi and their friends to Gentiana and Lunafreya. Of course, he's certain that Gentiana is hardly counting on him for anything, but Lunafreya... He feels her shift in his arms, noticing how her head tilts further down and she curls in even further on herself.

A swell of emotion rises up in him then, as a feeling of helplessness and uselessness sweeps over him. What good is he in this moment? He can't help Lunafreya; apparently only the other Oracles can. He doubts that his presence or the way he's holding onto her is even doing her any good. He might not be able to see her tears, but he'd have to be completely ignorant to not realize that she's been completely shaken by recent events.

What good is he at all if he can't protect the ones he loves, or even comfort them in their despair? Strangely enough, his thoughts echo Lunafreya's, at least as far as wondering what might happen if he fails to protect his loved ones. He already feels that he came close to losing Lunafreya for good, and of course, he's still wrestling with the fact that he very nearly lost Yugi too. What's more, the two of them could still be lost, if they decide that enough is enough, and that being associated with him isn't worth the risk.

He's still resolved to stay with Lunafreya for as long as she needs him, until she either falls asleep or until she goes and connects with the Oracles of the past. But as he stays beside her, that mantle of doubt and uncertainty descends on him again and his shoulders begin to shake as he fights to push down the emotions that threaten to boil over.

Now isn't the time for him to lose himself in his emotions, not when Lunafreya is so clearly wrestling with hers. But he has one thing to say, and that's directed at Yugi.

'I'm sorry, Yugi.'

Why he's apologizing, he's not quite sure, but he wishes that his partner didn't have to witness this, not again. It seems as though the only truly strong ones in the room at the moment are Yugi and Gentiana. Atem's hold on Lunafreya tightens as he rides out the overwhelming wave that threatens to drag him down, because even in spite of that, he's determined not to let her go. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟙𝟜𝟛)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-25 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
[ 'Don't I?' He can't help but feel that he should be stronger than this, more capable of shouldering this latest problem on top of all the others that they've had to see to lately. 'I know that's what we need to do, but I don't know how to do it.' That admission doesn't come easily to him, but there's no reason to hide things from Yugi, not when he can sense most of Atem's emotions anyway.

But then he shifts just slightly so that he can whisper into Lunafreya's ear words that are only meant for her: As long as you want me to be here, I won't be leaving you.

It's one of the few things he's certain of, even as those swirling clouds of darkness surround him and threaten to pull him down once more. The feel of Lunafreya's hands on him feels like he's being pulled back and away from their too-strong grip. How is it that she can still be strong in the middle of her own trial, even if she doesn't realize it? Not for the first time, he thinks that she truly is stronger than him. And maybe when he said that the only strong ones in this room were Yugi and Gentiana, that was not accurate.

He looks in Gentiana's direction when she says those words. ]
I don't see how, or what I might even do to help. [ Companionship? He can give that, and he would, until he's either drained dry or until Lunafreya has recovered. But his companionship won't heal her from whatever it is that's happened.

Pryna's snout nudging into his arm causes him to turn and look at the loyal dog. Somehow, her presence brings him some calm, however small, and he holds onto that as tightly as he can. When Yugi asks the question that's also on his mind, he looks at Gentiana once more, awaiting her answer. ]
ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟙𝟟𝟙)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-07-25 09:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ Well, Yugi is correct about one thing. It is high time that the two of them learned more about Lunafreya's world and the forces alive in it. 'Yes. It's something that we should have done a long time ago.' But time hasn't always been on their side; it seems as though the moment has presented itself now, however.

And if Lunafreya still sees herself as weak, well, it's nothing compared to how Atem views himself. He's the weak one here, even though, as she thought once, he keeps getting knocked back down regardless of how many times he tries to pick himself back up. The storm in his mind is growing louder by the moment, attempting to drown out the voices of those close to him.

It's fitting in an ironic sort of way. Lunafreya's voice has temporarily been silenced, but the lingering effects of Dartz's actions now are working on silencing the others who help keep him grounded and in the moment.

In response to Lunafreya's tightening of her grip, he does the same with the hold he has on her. She won't be slipping away from him, not if he can help it. His mind might slip away from them both, but even then, he still doesn't plan on letting go.

He lets Gentiana's answer sweep over him and settle in; no, he still doesn't understand exactly what they need to do, but it all boils down to one thing: help Lunafreya. ]


Consider it done. [ Except, for the life of him, he can't tell what needs to be done first. ] Is there any more information that you can give us?

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nothing shall stop us >:(

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ifthereiswill: (𝟘𝟙𝟝𝟙)

these two are such a mess D:

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-10-21 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Before sleep pulls him under, he positions himself as close to her as he can, hoping that his presence will provide her with some measure of comfort. And when he finally gives in to the pull of sleep, at first his dreams are all about him accomplishing what he can't seem to manage: bringing her voice back and addressing the issues that led them to this point in the first place.

But as dreams are wont to do, they gradually take a turn for the more troublesome kind, and soon enough, his dreams about solving their problems morph into his worst fears come to life.

He hasn't been smiling, exactly, but as the dreams that are rapidly turning into nightmares continue, a frown forms even as he reaches out for her in his sleep to reassure himself that she's still there. It takes a moment, but eventually he realizes, even in his sleep, that she's stirring and has positioned herself so that she's lying in his arms with her face resting against him.

He'd wake up, if only to give her further comfort, but the web of dreams that play on his worries and fears spins itself even tighter around him and even though he wrestles against it, it seems as though he needs the sleep too much to rouse himself so easily. Still, he manages to reach for her hand, enveloping it in a tight squeeze as he tries to get whatever rest he can.

It feels like an eternity, yet in reality it's only been a handful of hours, when he finally wakes up. His eyes open slowly, and his first action is to simultaneously shiver and curl himself even further against Lunafreya as she lies beside him. It's cold in the room, and- Was that Pryna barking? He shifts just enough so that he can look at the woman beside him.

He can't really tell anything from just looking at her, but something tells him that she didn't have a very restful sleep herself. Neither did he, of course, thanks to the tangled images his mind created as he slept, but he can shake that off. He worries that she won't be able to do the same, given her condition.

It takes him a moment to find his voice again as he slowly comes back to awareness, but eventually he manages to ask: ]


Luna? [ Clearly she isn't all right, because how could she be, with everything that's going on? ] You're cold. [ And she's crying, something that cuts him straight to the heart. First, he reaches for the blanket that's covering the bed and pulls it over so he can drape it over her, making sure that she's as covered as possible. And once that's done, he reaches out to try and wipe some of those tears away. ]

I'm sorry, you must not have slept well. [ Again, he can't imagine that she would have, but he just wishes there was something he could do. He's not even thinking about his own relatively restless attempt at sleep; he can't even compare that to what her night must have been like, of course. ]
ifthereiswill: 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞. (𝟘𝟙𝟚𝟛)

[personal profile] ifthereiswill 2021-11-20 06:10 am (UTC)(link)
[ It takes considerable effort on his part to straighten up, to stop his emotions from overflowing and showing in his face and his posture. As it is, his shoulders shake before he forcibly shoves his own inner turmoil far enough down that it becomes manageable again.

He can't help her; he can't even heal her because that lies far outside his realm of expertise. What good is he if he can't help the one person he's come to care for in a way that feels new and frightening to him all at once?

He doesn't know what more he can do in this moment other than pull her close until they're all but pressed up against each other, one hand resting on her back while his other arm is wrapped around her, hoping to transfer some of his warmth to her.

With the way his hand is positioned against her back, he can feel the tension there, and while this is all something new to him, he begins to rub his hand back and forth, slowly at first but increasing in pace and in how far it moves, hoping to loosen some of the tightness he feels beneath his palm.

He dimly registers Pryna's movements as she retreats, but all his thoughts are on Luna and how he might try and help. ]