DECEMBER EVENT PART THREE: WITH THE DAWN OF REDEEMING GRACE

[sailmods]

[the voice from the imaginary loudspeaker resounds again.]

I do believe that’s the best you all can do. Hopefully it will be enough… Gather in the lobby at your earliest convenience. There, you will find an elevator. It will take you to your next location. [pause] Mind the severed heads.

[the elevator they find in the lobby is not one that had been there before: it is strange, a bit too large and industrial for what is generally a Victorian manor. nothing will compel them to board it, but… hey. if you stay behind, you miss out on all the fun, right?

and the fun starts here. because, as soon as they board the elevator, and the door closes, it drops.

not that far. not enough to harm. certainly enough to startle, especially after it evens out, before plunging a few more feet. the effect likely wears off after the fifth time it does this.

eventually, the elevator stops completely, and opens to a large, mostly empty room. in the center is a large circular stage, ringed with enough podiums for everyone that went on the excursion - living and dead. some of the podiums are covered in white sheets; one might notice that the number of dead corresponds directly to the number of covered podiums.

the Captain is present, of course. he sits on a raised throne separate from the circle, dressed in a suit a tiny bit different than his normal one. he sits with one leg crossed over the other, looking down at them with a completely neutral expression.]

You may take your places. [he gestures magnanimously, then holds up his hand; please reserve the expected freakouts for after his announcements, thanks.] The game is very simple. You have the evidence; put it together, and decide on the guilty party. Only a unanimous decision will bring you the justice you seek. [a faint smile] The one you always seek, at least.

[another gesture]

Questions. Comments. Threats against my life. Concerns.

Comments

[busball]

"I'm sure you'll do your best, babe." Klaus will just snuggle in, unaware of all the sad shit that's coming later. I'm not crying, you're crying

Just out here making it worse!

[konpeito_aji]

Nobunaga gently pokes two fingers to each of Klaus' cheeks.

"Not good enough. You were with me when I told Teyrey that wasn't good enough either, remember? Nothing less than the best, and that's what you are. So leave it to me and I'll make the world better, and nothing can stop me. Just leave it to me, and don't look away!" So much fearless confidence. Like he has a plan, everything under control and knows exactly what he's going to do.

[busball]

Klaus smiles a little, lightly moving to nip at one of the fingers on his cheeks. Take that!

"I might have been, but my memory's not always the best. Unless something pisses me off. Then it's great." They nod a little. "Just try not to get hurt, okay? Because I love you."

[konpeito_aji]

Such a hard kiss!

"I love you too. I will get hurt, because seeing people I care about, even when it's one-sided, in agony, isn't something I can ignore. Worse than all physical wounds. But I will make it better. And we'll get through it together. You'll see."

[busball]

Klaus returns the kiss, humming happily.

“I just want to get through this and get back unscathed, you know? For both of us.” But it’s about to get terrible.

[konpeito_aji]

A tight grin. "I'm a front line fighter, babe. And a weapon for a God. Can you forgive me if something happens?"

He holds his forehead to Klaus', their face in a gauntleted hand. "Teyrey came only to try to remind me not to risk my life recklessly," no danger for himself he wouldn't risk her in, just like Hideyoshi. "So I can go home with you." Painful memories. He's said it to his soldiers so often. Don't risk your life needlessly, people need you at home. Fight and win so you can go back home to them. But never himself. He never let himself have that until now. And he is always terrified he's going to fuck it up. That's why he didnt have it in Japan. Couldn't afford it.

Still, it's different when death isn't permanent. A luxury he can afford now, right? "She's protecting you no matter what. If you want me to pull back, you know my weaknesses. You are all of them. But I can't do something I'd regret. Including... not giving it my all sometimes. I'm sorry you have to share this side of me. In Japan, it'd be work. You'd have to share me with the country until I could finally travel. Here, it's--" Death. "Still who I am." Death? "There's a lot of times where the only way to fight means taking death into your hands."

If Klaus still lets him, he tries to slowly kiss the top of their hand and knuckles all over. "I can promise not to kill others, I can promise I'll always love you, I can promise to try to protect your right to ignore all of this, even maybe distract you if I can, but I can't promise--" his voice chokes. Why is this so hard? He has to be careful too so Yato is okay! His voice drops darker and even more bass, the Demon King rumble he protects himself in. "I'll be okay, no matter what, Babe. But I might get hurt. I might die. I will almost definitely do something crazy and stupid that no one else dares try. Can you love me anyway?"

He drops the hand and looks away. "You said even mass murderers aren't undeserving of friendship, right? So..." thats where they are. This won't be pretty or fun. He's been through worse, but Klaus crying is a million times than any torturer's knives.

[busball]

Klaus lets out a long sigh. "As long as there's a good reason for it." He wants to know if there's something planned, but it feels like something else. "But try to avoid it if you can."

At least Ari seems to have the right idea. "I want you to come home with me," they agree, his own fingers moving to touch Nobunaga's shoulders...even it's it's really just the armor.

"I don't need to be protected. I'm not in any danger here." There's a small laugh with an eyeroll at being all his weaknesses. "I'm only a small portion of them, babe. Or all but one of them." But he does know more about the weaknesses in Nobunaga's armor now that he's helped him in and out of it so many times, so maybe there's more than just the neck. "I don't want you to regret not acting, but remember what I said. Your actions affect everyone here. Me included. So make sure you're choosing the right thing. Communicate with me."

Because they don't want to know nothing and try to understand it without any sort of conversation. But...he's not going to beat that to death. As if they aren't about to leave without any form of proper communication. "I love you. I'll always love you." Even if by the end of this whole thing...they will be immensely tired and exhausted and on Skulduggery's side of things.

"They deserve friends, yes. You deserve friends."

Excuse me I need to go cry again!!!!!

[konpeito_aji]

Why wouldn't Klaus be in danger? Did he know about -- haha??? Communication...

"Because I've told Teyrey, Valdis, Yato, and most everyone else to protect you? Or something else?"

Nobunaga leans his forehead on Klaus' shoulder, and shakes out his hair with a hand. Finally whispering! "Erin is suspicious, but half cleared by Maeve, both a sword, magic, and magic armor are involved. Teyrey said it could be cursed armor like something someone got from home, and I think the magic in these places can turn them living, like the bahamanal, and how I can turn into a gunblade for Yato. Skulduggery said the Captain has a plan, but I can't just rely on that. I asked him if the Captain would be happier if everyone used his plan -- not because I care about the Captain, but I care about Skulduggery. If I was able to divorce my feelings, wholly logical, he's being so suspicious, I would have dragged him out one on one and been drastic. I wanted his help finding the armor. Yato and I can take care of it. Valdis too."

He kisses Klaus' cheek! And pulls back with a deep breath, red eyes searching Klaus' face desperately. And holds their hand in his own!

As far as Nobunaga's concerned he's been on Skulduggery's side since before he met Klaus!

"I will take the time right now to discuss anything you wish of me." He leans his forehead against Klaus'.

The emotional double whammy has Nobunaga shook. He'll take his armor off and accept his fate of being food for friendship. Being promised always loved and deserving friends even though....

His kote clad hands tremble on Klaus' hands.

"He would never kill Ava. So I think..." the lump in his throat is so severe! "But the trolls were run through both at the same time. It had to be with a fairly large sword. I want to propose... things. Options, ideas. Anything I can. Because I know no one did this in their normal state of--" holy shit. Of all the times to have an emotional freak out about not deserving love, compassion, sympathy...

His face screws up like nothing. "If it was me." He grits his teeth rock hard. "If my armor and cursed sword collected magical energies from this place and attacked you, Teyrey, Valdis. Crichton, Karkat, Yato, Jeff, everyone I ever swore to protect--" his voice is demon king hoarse, coping for the thick emotion. Breathe... "Do you think I'm strong enough not to feel like it was all my fault? For getting close to you? After everything I've told you?" Not deserving anything good. Fucking every relationship up. He focuses on staying calm, though were they not in public, Nobunaga would have bolted, taking Klaus with him and hid in a fort anywhere, just barricaded. Safe.

"It is different. I am less stupid than everyone else here. Except Teyrey." EGO MUCH??? "But I wouldn't hide anything. Even this... I told others about my gauntlets, my swords, my uselessness with magic. I told Skulduggery to ask for help. But Klaus... sometimes we cannot. Sometimes we're overwhelmed. Sometimes-- after I ran off because Arthur hit dead on to my heart, you didn't wait for me to ask you to find me. That is my wish. Save me when I cannot use my words to save myself. I don't think a person did this. I hate that so much magic is involved, only because I can't handle it directly, so much obfuscation. But I think the solution needs to come from us here, not the Captain, no matter what anyone else does. Because... the Captain wants to be a God. And gods know true salvation doesn't come from gods. It comes from each other." The most TENTATIVE of forehead kisses!

[busball]

Klaus looks at him quietly for a moment. The protection is sweet and kind and they can't be mad at him about it. "I love you so much."

The let out a long breath, lightly squeezing Nobunaga's hands. "The Captain? No. Not when she's important to Skulduggery." He's distracted from questions by figuring out how to navigate the emotional response to everything.

"If it was you and I wasn't dead, I know your weaknesses and I'd take care of killing you myself. If I had to and you wanted me to. If you asked me to. That's different. Because you'd ask me." If it was a matter of how to stop him from killing. "If it could work and just be armor, then...that would be different."

Klaus makes a small noise of amusement. "You are very intelligent, but also sometimes you don't see the trees for the forest. Or however that phrase goes. Occasionally. But I love you..." Even without that. "I'll do my best with this. Okay? If we're just...with each other, then we'll be okay."

[konpeito_aji]

"She?" Just checking maybe he needs to update his pronouns, those can be important after all!

"I don't want the Captain hurt because of Skulduggery, yeah."

Nobunaga's face furrows. "You can't know if you never try, and my guilt..." he trembles again. Seriously trying to keep his shit together in front of everyone else.

"What do you mean? Just because I didn't know Arthur was blind?" Yes, he is going super literal, why not. "I thought his cane was a weapon!" Because loudly drawing attention is helping that NOT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE thing. "I thought it was so demonically inspired I made my mop like it!" Yes. "Yeah. Yeah, I love you too. I'm sorry I'm like this..." a small laugh, and he just rests his head to Klaus' forehead again. "But with you with me, there's nothing I can't do."

[busball]

"Ava. Ava's important to Skulduggery. So the Captain wouldn't have."

There's a nod at that. "I don't want that either. Everything's kind of a mess, though." Someone's going to get hurt.

The trembling makes Klaus kiss him quickly. "I know. I know. But it's not something we have to deal with now. We can deal with that later. Together." God, why is there never going to be a later?!

This gets a small laugh. "I mean, I still don't know how you missed people being blind, babe. You're such a weirdly cute human, but so unaware of the simplest things!" But... "Just we're all sometimes bad at seeing like...the bigger picture, I guess." Their eyes close. "Then I'll make sure we always are together so we can make each other stronger."

[konpeito_aji]

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I told everyone that. Especially Teyrey. But Klaus... I think the Captain might be trying to protect Skulduggery. Trying to drag everyone into being mad at him -- I mean... It's what I'd do, if it were you. There's no way the targets were intentionally chosen. Not even Erin. It might have been an accident. Or a -- magic virus or something." He so desperately wants it to be.

"That's because I'm not a cute human, I'm a fierce scary demon king." Totes. "And a meow maou lion... but that's secret!" He rubs his head under Klaus' chin like a cat! "Okay! Stronger together." He's so happy about that. "We should definitely watch the Lion King together. But actually watch it. Not get distracted with sex first. Probably. We might have to do it in public just to make sure. And Velocipastor. I told Skulduggery about it like... just two days ago?" A laugh. "So we can invite him too." LAYERING ON THE PAIN!

[busball]

Klaus considers that for a moment, considers what he wouldn't do to take the heat off Nobunaga if it came down to it. They'd do just about anything to protect them from others. They've done a lot of that already. They've played peacekeeper and there's just...they would kill themselves if it would save him and that's...that's a lot. They would give up every single terrible coping skill they had if it was necessary. Never touch alcohol for the rest of their life. But it's never come up.

"Mmhm. You're cute. To me. Even when you're scary and fierce and make others shake in fear. But I trust you and I love you." The habit of nuzzling against his chin is...not helping the cute factor. "Yes. We'll have to watch it as soon as we get back to the ship. "We'll definitely invite him if he's up for it."

[konpeito_aji]

"Damn right I am." He's so happy about this, it doesn't matter that Klaus is saying it teasingly, he's appeased!!!

"Okay," but the smile fades some. "I hope... No." A fiery eye gleam! "I will make that happen."

[busball]

“Yes yes. Demonic, scary man. Shiver me timbers and all that.”

Klaus nods, moving a little closer to him and leaning against him. “I know it’s scary, but hopefully everything sorts out okay and we’ll manage.”

[konpeito_aji]

"I'm not a pirate!" A whiny protest! "How dare you think of others at a time like this."

He's just kidding, and hugs Klaus cheerfully! "It'll be okay."

[busball]

“You could be a pirate,” he whispers. “You’ve got my booty.” Eh? Ehhhh? Great joke, right?

Klaus happily accepts the hug. “Good.”

[konpeito_aji]

"Shit... that's really hot." Nobunaga hisses quietly in Klaus' ear! "I wanted to be one when I was a little kid. Kipposhi age. Okay. But you have to be one with me. And don't ever tell Ari. She's very scared of pirates."

[busball]

"Of course I'll be one with you." There's a smile here and he presses a quick kiss to Nobunaga's temple. "We'll do something with this later. When we're not in court proceedings or whatever."

[konpeito_aji]

A small barking laugh and a grin.

"I can already envision it."

[busball]

“I wish we’d gotten pirate costumes.” A beat. “Did you get one?”

[konpeito_aji]

Side glance away!!!

"Yeah, of course." Of course he says! Then a sly side glance back to Klaus. "Good thing it's an impossible invasion of privacy the Lieutenant would never ever do." Whispered in Klaus' ear before giving he him a quick cheek kiss.

[busball]

Klaus smiles a little. "Well, then I guess you can play the pirate that's kidnapped me and I'll pretend to be unhappy with this to the best of my abilities. You can tie me up and everything." Yep!

[konpeito_aji]

Nobunaga just closes he eyes... and groans. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. "That's hot." He's not blushing, but his cheeks are heated with pure lust!!

"I will make you tell me all your secrets: captive prisoner." He leans in with an evil smirk. At least he's not biting Klaus with everyone around them, but he's dangerously close to not holding back.

[busball]

"I know. That's why I said it." It's going to be that much more disappointing when it doesn't happen.

There's a smirk in return. "I'm sure you can get all of them out of me. I'm weak when it comes to you." He's quiet for a moment before, "But we'd better stop while we're ahead. Still a whole trial to get through."