Love On An Adventure - Apocalypse - Libra & Yuma

[your_omega]

It is during the darkest times that faith becomes harder to hold. But despite the endless Risen ravaging the country and the many lives lost, Libra still took time after a difficult battle to murmur soft words for those that couldn't be saved. Perhaps he would have fallen into despair if he was alone, but thankfully he had another soul traveling with him on this hard road.

After having been separated from the other Shepherds, Libra had tried to find his friends but instead had found a most unusual companion. There were many mysteries around his new friend, but he knew it wasn't his business. Besides, Libra had his own share of secrets as well. He was just grateful for the aide in battle, and the company in passing talk. Truly, he was happy that Yuma was there - he just didn't mention it too often.

It was getting closer to nightfall. Libra sighed heavily, his prayers finished.

"... My apologies if I took too long." he finally spoke out loud. "I trust you aren't injured?"

Comments

[dragonamalgam]

The latter, really. Before meeting Libra, Yuma had assumed no one in this world would be by his side in any way, shape, or form. That he was doomed to walk alone the second he revealed his draconic humanoid form. His expectation of regular humans were basically them trying to straight up murder him. He'd contemplating letting them at one point.

He felt something now, now that Libra wasn't abandoning him, something aching inside his chest. Sadness? No... Perhaps it was hope.

"... Thank you."

[your_omega]

Since Yuma had revealed so much of himself, Libra felt it was only fair to offer up his own history. It felt insignificant in comparison.

"I have my own scars, both on my skin and in my heart."

He turned around, and lifted up his hair to show the deep scars on the back of his neck. "My parents believed I was a cursed child, and abandoned me. I held onto my mother as hard as my fingers could, and she yanked me away...these are from her nails. For a long time, I felt they were right about my darkness."

[dragonamalgam]

"What? They weren't-" Yuma immediately started to argue, before shutting his mouth and taking a deep breath. "No. I shouldn't disregard your feelings on the matter."

His one eye was fixed on his companion, "They were wrong, but the actions of parents or relatives shape a person. They can make you believe things about yourself that aren't true. Children are especially impressionable, and experiencing something like that at a young age is extremely damaging."

If it sounded like he was speaking from experience, it was because he was. Since he first drew breath, he had been informed that he was replaceable, that more Yuma units could be make, should he fail. His life, to ISDF, was worth nothing at all. He was less valuable than dirt to the higher command chain.

"... How do you feel now? I would like to know."

[your_omega]

Despite the coldness of his own story, Libra smiled at the obvious care Yuma spoke with. He had long since moved on since his parents cruelty, so telling this tale hardly bothered him anymore.

"Heh...I thank you. Your outrage means a lot to me." Gentle teasing, but he still meant it. "But I know now they were only human. They could have made worse choices, such as taking my life. Ultimately, I can't change my past, so I've come to accept it."

He reached up, touching the scar on his neck. Had it faded any in his time? Did it look worse or better now? "As for my darkness...We are all capable of good and evil, and justifying it to ourselves. I am but one man. I believe my actions to be good. And I believe yours are the same."

[dragonamalgam]

"I suppose that's all that we can do. Accept and try to move on, and become better people through our hardships."

He certainly wanted to improve himself. He wanted to protect those who needed it, and not focus any more on things like being the strongest. His strength certainly helped here, but it wasn't all that mattered, and strength alone didn't make a man. His desire to atone for the sins of his past was also strong.

"I certainly hope mine are good. I have things I need to make up for. Things I'll never forgive myself for, but... I hope my feelings will lead me down a path that is good."

[your_omega]

"Ah, but don't you see? You give yourself away with your very words." Libra says with clear amusement and happiness. "Those with true darkness in their hearts wouldn't care about what sins they've committed, or already forgive themselves."

He gently walked over to lay a kind hand on Yuma's shoulder. "You don't need to be so hard on yourself. It's easy to be cruel. It's difficult to be good."

[dragonamalgam]

"I suppose." Yuma replied, a little bit unsure. He had plenty of darkness in his heart. Some of it his own, some of it not. Still, he did his best to keep it in check and work toward something that was ultimately good.

Libra's hand on his shoulder felt comforting in a way, so it was easier to be optimistic.

"We should get going. You must be very tired by now, so we need to find somewhere to rest."

That said, he put his gloves back on and then the shroud. Libra might accept him for what he was, but that didn't mean that everyone else they might come across would too.

[your_omega]

Libra hoped one day Yuma could walk freely without his "disguise", but it was not his issue to push. The day that would come, if it came, would be a long time ahead in the future. He pulled his hand back and resumed the walk with his friend.

"Hm... you're still confident that I'm the one that will sleep first." A small chuckle. ""Nothing's decided yet, until we've found safe ground for our slumber."

[dragonamalgam]

"Oh but it is decided." Yuma responded, a hint of amusement in his voice. They were both equally stubborn, but Yuma was determined to win. If his humanity could win out over the voices of the dragons that were part of him, then he could certainly best Libra in a game of 'who sleeps first'.

"As you've seen, I'm not human, so obviously, I need less rest than you do."

Well. He was part human, but... That didn't really matter. He was 100% more concerned about Libra than he would ever be about himself. Yuma cared intensely for his companion, perhaps because he'd been an ass to his allies back home, but... No. It was 99.9% actual love and concern for Libra, who had been so kind to him.

"Don't argue with me on this."

[your_omega]

"Less rest still implies you do need sleep." Libra calmly argued back. Sure, he could have easily given up the fight in seconds. But this was a welcome distraction from thinking about the horrors of their world, of the never ending nightmare that came day after day.

"You've also shared much of your past with me. That itself must have been tiring. Therefore, I still say you should be the one to sleep first. At the very least, this argument will wear you out... whereas I am a monk, and therefore quite patient."

[dragonamalgam]

Yuma couldn't help but laugh, genuinely, though it sounded as though he wasn't quite used to that. And he wasn't. Genuine laughter had been rare even before, but after he came here... Well, he hadn't had much reason to laugh. So it was the genuine laughter of a man who probably hadn't genuinely laughed in about six years.

"Stubborn. But I like that about you. It's cute."

... Was it normal to call anything about a man cute? Yuma did not know. Hopefully Libra wouldn't take it as an insult.

"I can still go several days without sleep though. I'm fine."

[your_omega]

Far from insulted, Libra was flattered, but not just from the compliment. He had never heard Yuma laughed before, so he had stopped walking for half a second as it had surprised him so much. It was a beautiful sound, and Libra was proud to make it happen. Now he felt as if he could never stop smiling.

A few chuckles escaped him as well. "You'd be amazed what the average human body can survive. I too can withhold from sleep for days... although I admit I've never tried it before."

[dragonamalgam]

"... I know. Humans are surprisingly sturdy. Doesn't mean they don't need rest though."

He had seen soldiers who hadn't rested properly in weeks. They were often paranoid wrecks until they did rest. A regular human could start to hallucinate after only three days awake. Brains were... Well. Strange.

He fell quiet for a moment, and scanned the area. Relaxed by the conversation he might be, but he still had his guard up.

"We could always sleep in a tree or something if we find one big and sturdy enough... There is the risk of falling out if we move during our sleep though."

[your_omega]

"You are slimmer than I am." Libra pointed out, using his hands to lightly gesture between the two of them. "If we did take to the trees, you'd probably have an easier time of it. Unfortunately, I would probably break several branches. The woes of muscles, you could say."

He wasn't bragging - he rarely did - it was just another simple fact.

[dragonamalgam]

"Then we're back to the beginning... You sleep first."

Yuma wasn't going to budge on that. He'd always been extremely stubborn and wasn't going to change his ways now.

"And that's final."

[your_omega]

Alas, for now it seemed Libra was out of arguments. He frowned, trying to think it over, but Yuma had won fair and square.

"... Very well." He admitted, with a shake of his head. "But I won't go down so easily next time."