yogen | [OPEN] If this day was your last

[No one should be surprised anymore when Noah suddenly stops eating and starts refusing to engage with others, because this is a trend that happens about every other week. He shuts down entirely, wanders off by himself, and tries to find somewhere to hide against the better judgement of literally everyone. When he reappears, he pretends nothing happened, and usually he isn't willing to talk if asked.

That being said, today is day one of complete shutdown, and this one seems significantly worse than the last if you've spent any time around the kid at all. He looks like he might collapse at any time, the bags under his eyes are somehow five times worse than usual, and oh yeah he's sporting a very obvious cut on his arm that's torn through his clothing.

If you happen to wander into the bathroom right next to classroom 3-D, you'll find Noah trying to wash this cut off in the sink. Hey, the water looks clean to him, okay? He's just assuming it's fine and that this won't get horribly infected.

If you don't wander in when he's cleaning the wound, you might wander in while he's in the middle of trying to bandage it with a roll of gauze that he definitely stole from the nurse's office, because Noah absolutely refuses to go down that particular wing of the school when the staff members are actually present. That means he risks speaking to someone... and anyone who knows Noah knows he doesn't want to speak to literally anyone ever.

Regardless of when you find him treating this wound, he'll avoid eye contact with you and try to pretend that he's not here even though he, erm, definitely is.]

[Noah discovers by happenstance that he can wander out into the courtyard. For a while now, he's been trying to get out, as any normal person would, in sort of a set pattern of testing the doors once a week and if they don't open for him that week, he gives up. It differs greatly from how he originally was when he came here, trying to beat the shit out of the windows in hopes that they'd break.

He's not expecting the doors to open today, not for him, but they do... and for a moment he stands there slightly dumbfounded, thinking he must have hallucinated that. Noah lets them swing shut, and then tries to open them again... where they do as doors are wont to do. Fucking incredible.

Well, he's not complaining. He hasn't seen outside in months, and once the doors are open, he runs out into the courtyard and simply decides to lay down in a spot where the sun is shining brightest. Does he look any happier than normal? Well, er, no, he doesn't — in fact he still looks like he's more dead inside than usual, but there's a certain level of joy he feels at getting to just lay outside and touch grass.

If you have a mind to, maybe come lay with him in the courtyard and enjoy the sun. Alternatively, you might be able to find him in the late evening, absolutely conked the fuck out... you should probably wake him up so he doesn't sleep outside.]

[After he wakes up from his nap in the courtyard, Noah sort of bumbles around aimlessly for a bit, back to dissociating his ass off. That's how he winds up in the elevator, and... admittedly he doesn't know how to use an elevator, because they don't have elevators where he comes from. That's neither here nor there, though, because Noah presses a button and goes rocketing the fuck downwards and he can only think: Finally, death is coming.

However you got into this situation with Noah is up to you, of course, but the point is you're stuck with him now. No one dies, of course, and when the elevator opens...

You're standing in a dilapidated version of Noah's homeworld of Elrios, and it's clear by Noah's expression — shock and abject horror that twists into rage — that he knows exactly what's going on here.

He doesn't turn to you nor acknowledge your presence, not like he really was in the first place, and instead he starts walking with what seems to be renewed purpose.]

...I'm going after Henir's Order. [is all he says on the topic, absolutely seething.]

[After Noah's first foray into the sucky version of Elrios, he goes and locates Add because frankly, Add is the only other person Noah knows other than Clamor who's qualified to deal with this shit. And, as a self-proclaimed master of the void and all that, who else is Noah going to approach about the weird timeline he walked into? ~~Which of course he absolutely would've told Clamor about too I'm just putting that out there~~

So Noah goes and scouts out the Void Catboy Himself, and... admittedly he kind of forgets what the word for elevator is so he absolutely pronounces it wrong when he says,]

H...hey, uh... Add? Have you tried the evalator thing? It... [a pause as he waffles over how to explain this,] ...it took me to a version of Elrios where it looked like Henir's Order had won. The world was dilapidated and dark. Do you have any idea why that would happen...?

[sometimes you go down to get a midnight snack, bump into someone else along the way, and both of you have the most intense feeling of Danger Sense in the middle of making sandwiches. tonight is just one of those nights.

Clamor freezes in the middle of putting the bread away, that familiar sense of deja vu flooding him all at once... he hasn't quite figured out what it means, but it's hard not to feel like something awful is happening at this very moment. He looks over at Stephanie with a frown.]

Did you feel anything just now?

[leaning against the counter, head resting on her arms, trying to not be super rude and fall asleep while Clamor is talking. she pauses when he asks the question, though, frowning.]

No... I don't think so...

[she decides to stand back and still for a moment, waiting to see if she was going to do something. which is good, because when she suddenly goes entirely limp, like a marionette with its strings cut, she doesn't crack her head against the counter as she goes down.]

[Oh... well, that makes sense. The last time it happened to him no one else noticed, either. He turns his back to her for a second as he finishes putting the bread away.]

Never mind... it's probably nothing. Did you want the— [and then he hears a thunk and turns around just in time to see a pink haired child limp on the floor] Stephanie?!

[on second thought maybe it is something but he doesn't have time to worry about that yet, when the much more pressing concern is to rush to Steph's side and make sure she isn't dead. Is she still breathing? How's her pulse? Forehead temperature check? She's not hurt from the fall, is she?] Are you alright? What happened?

[her eyes are still wide open; for a moment, it's like she froze, like her body is having difficulty catching up to wherever her brain has gone. then, she blinks, hard, sitting up with a sort of staggered movement, her head in her hands...

she frowns. what just... it takes her a second, to recognize what's different. to recognize the feeling.]

... Hyde is dead. [she'd say "gone," but. she knows Hyde well enough by now. she knows what he does.] Someone killed him.

[He backs off a little once he's sure she's alright, staying close enough to catch her if she goes limp again. Hyde is dead—knowing the bond they'd forged not even a week ago, he can't say he's surprised that she'd know. And as much as he dislikes Hyde, with plenty of very good reasons to back that up... more deaths are still a bad thing. Another killer is still a bad thing. Traumatizing a ten-year-old child whose already had to see people die, definitely still a bad thing.

He sighs, offering a hand to help her stand up.]

Then we should look for help right away. If someone attacked Hyde, they might still be around...

[making sure everyone is safe should be their number one priority, then someone else can go looking for the crime scene... but another thought comes to mind, and he feels uneasy. something about how Stephanie knew, and his own feeling of deja vu only a moment ago...]

... Noah is probably awake. We'll find him first, okay? [because Noah is someone he can trust and a capable fighter, not because of that uncomfortable nagging feeling in his mind reminding him that their souls are also linked like that

He'll hold her hand the whole way, perhaps just a little too tightly.]

[she stands, shaky at first, nodding her head slowly and grasping at his hand like it's a lifeline. and then, with every step, her gait becomes steadier, and her movements more lively, until she's swinging her free arm back and forth with every step.

Noah will know what to do about this. he's smart.]

[Yeah. Noah will know what to do. He's strong, and smart, and brave, and...

and splayed out on the floor, unmoving

at least they don't have to search for him for very long.

Clamor's gut twists, and before he's even fully realized what's happening he's already let go of Stephanie's hand (he's sorry, he shouldn't have just left her like that, he'll apologize later) to rush to Noah's side, knees skidding on the floor (catching sight of the fresh blood on the floor), grabbing the boy by the shoulders while a panicked voice escapes him]

Noah! Oh god, Noah, please, this can't be happening— [check for a pulse check for a pulse, he's still alive, is he hurt—]

[Noah is alive and does have a pulse, he's just unconscious due to the pain of getting stabbed in the fucking liver and having the everliving shit kicked out of him, and luckily the blood from the deep gash on his arm has clotted by now, but it's still a very obvious wound. He's lying facedown on the floor and he feels slightly cold to the touch, no doubt because the void ghosts kept trying to superimpose themselves over him while he was escaping.

It takes a good minute of being shaken before he comes to, blinking awake slowly, blearily... he glances around, but all he can see so far are blurry shapes. Noah attempts to sit up...

clutches his side where the stab wound still throbs...

and back down he goes, rolling over onto his back and letting out a cry as he rolls over the arm with the laceration.]

[there is... a lot of blood. and she knows, immediately, who is the cause of that blood. but, she can't focus on that now. she allows her brain to fall into the familiar pattern: there is a problem. an adult is panicking. nothing will get done unless she pushes down her anxiety for later and works on fixing things right now.

she takes off her uniform jacket, handing it to Clamor, whose shoulder she grasps so she can shake him until he looks at her.]

Can your magic make him better? Or should I go wake somebody up? Senku?

[The relief Clamor feels when Noah finally stirs is an immeasurable feeling. He's alive. He's cold and hurt and in pain but he's alive, he's still alive, this isn't another nightmare come true—

he has an arm around Noah's shoulder before he can fall again, pulling the boy in close. He's in pain, they shouldn't be moving him, but at the same time all Clamor wants to do is hold him close so no one can hurt him again. He's safe now, everything's fine... he mutters thankful prayers to the El under his breath and against Noah's ear.

... but this isn't the time to be breaking down. He jolts slightly at Stephanie's touch, the reality of the situation coming back to him in full. Ah. Right... right, they can't just stay here like this. He lets out a shaky sigh, grounding himself once more, a flimsy smile planted on his face.]

I... I can't heal. We should bring him to Senku. [assuming he's okay to move, which they should check first. He keeps a firm hand on Noah's shoulder as he pulls away, looking over the boy's body to the place he'd reflexively reached for. Carefully, he puts his hand over Noah's.] Noah, where else does it hurt? Were you attacked?

[he's afraid of finding an ugly, bloody wound under there... but he still has to check. they need to know how to help him.]

[Forgive him if he's still a little breathless. The pain in his right side really does make it difficult to breathe, and his muscles are still screaming at him. When he thinks back, he can still feel the hand closing in around his throat, being kicked right where he was stabbed and thrown back against the wall—

the knife between his eyes before the Moonstone activated—

Noah takes a gasping breath of air when he snaps out of the flashbacks, and still cradling his side, his other hand presses against his forehead and then pulls away as he seemingly looks for something on his palm. No blood. No blood, he's alive, the Moonstone did its thing... his head hurts. He barely registers Clamor holding him as his vision finally focuses.]

In... the void. [Wincing, the hand that was previously over where he got stabbed moves to grasp the wound that sent him there in the first place.] There's nothing besides... this, but... got stabbed in the side, kicked half to death... choked, slammed into a wall, knife... between my eyes...

...it's fine. The Moonstone... [deep breaths, buddy,] saved me, b...barely...

The void ghosts kept coming after us...

Don't move him! [she knows like maybe three first aid things and that is DEFINITELY one of them. it's about spinal injuries but she doesn't know that part.] Look, let me find him; I'm really fast! I'll bring him right here!

[she's actually kinda just. bouncing a little. moving her hands around like she needs the movement.]

[There's no blood... he exhales another sigh of relief, hearing the confirmation from Noah himself. A fight in the void—a little too much detail, if he's being honest, but. He's safe now, Noah's safe, the part Clamor needs to focus on is that Noah came out of there with just one superficial wound...

but how do they know those injuries don't count? if the shadows in that world can drain energy... what if he's still badly hurt, and they just can't see it? what if, what if

what if he just hugged Noah close again, trying to be more gentle this time around, instead of thinking about all the horrible outcomes that might be? yeah, let's do that.

... they really shouldn't move him right now, but there is another concern on his mind. he looks over his shoulder to Stephanie.]

We don't know if the person who did this to him is still around. The last thing we need is... [for someone else to get hurt. if Stephanie got hurt, too, or if whoever tried to kill Noah came back...]

He's...

[Noah draws in a breath, shaky, like he's about to start crying here and now. He holds back, though, trying to find a way to speak without breaking down. It... doesn't exactly work.]

...Hyde, and— that other soul, Jekyll... they're...

[A pause. His voice cracks when he continues,]

...I had to... I had to kill Hyde, I— he wouldn't stop...

[she inhales sharply when she hears it. she'd known, really. since they'd found him. this had Hyde written all over it. but, still. knowing is different from hearing it confirmed.]

... Well. Then it's perfectly safe, isn't it?

[Oh.

...... yeah, that makes sense. it's not like... it'd be a coincidence... that Hyde died at the same time...

He closes his eyes, gently stroking Noah's hair. Yeah, he's not letting go any time soon. There's... a lot to take in here. His voice is quiet when he speaks, relenting]

Alright. Be careful. I'll... stay here.

[okay y'all have fun she'll only start screaming for someone to wake senku up when she's run an appropriate fifteen feet away from them.]

[Oh yes, Noah's having tons of fun right now.

Stephanie runs off as Stephanie is wont to do, and Noah can only lean into Clamor a little more, finally registering the fact that he's being hugged. The sensation of searing pain is the more prevalent feeling right now, but at least he has someone to lean against. Someone warm, who he can trust, who isn't deadly to him right now.]

...are you mad? I didn't want to...

Why would I be mad? I'm just glad you're okay...

[he's already put two and two together to figure out what must've happened. Hyde attacked Noah, and Noah defended himself, and...

self defence. if there was really no other way... at least it was only someone like Hyde. Clamor never really got to know Jekyll, and maybe that's why he doesn't pay the other "soul" much thought. did it really matter, if that maniac was the one in control?

he's just glad that Noah is okay.]

... You wouldn't have done it if there was any other way. I know you're not the type... [unless it was... for revenge... but let's not think about that right now]

[Breakdown imminent.]

I don't know, I just... he's different from the Order, so I thought...

[Noah curls into Clamor's side a little more, wincing, inhaling sharply because when he moves like that he can still feel the knife in his side.]

I tried... I tried to disable him and run, and I couldn't hit him, and I tried to reason with him, and...

...I didn't have a choice. I thought of you and Harque and I just... I had to live.

Shhh... it's alright. You don't have to explain yourself to me.

[he trusts Noah. he knows the boy has a good heart... he knows this must be painful for him, too. as if he'd even need any justification to take Noah's side.

and yet

I thought of you and Harque and I just... I had to live.

... it does nag at him, a little, bringing to mind a certain uncomfortable conversation. and another time, when Noah had nearly allowed himself to be torn apart by mutant beasts, so unwilling to fight what he saw as former humans... was Clamor the deciding factor for that, too?

it nags at him, but he pushes the thought away. not right now. please, just give him five minutes to comfort his son in peace.]

... if anything happened to you, I don't even know what I'd do with myself. So I'm glad you're safe.

[OPEN] If this day was your last

OPEN: July 3rd, Morning

OPEN: July 4th, Afternoon

OPEN: July 4th, Evening ((Potential violence cw))

CLOSED TO ADD

CLOSED: July 2nd, before midnight

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