you think gambit's love for rogue a constant through the multiverse. you would know best, since you have traveled through time and space. it is comforting: when chaos takes so many forms you find refuge in the few impermutables left. and so, you take liberties with him you wouldn't with others: you let him press down on your open, bleeding wounds (touch is so awful with others but not him) and you don't care if he sees your staggering morning form (knocking into furniture, blinking blearily at him with one eye, confusing salt for sugar) and you sometimes strip off damaged clothes in an aftermath of battle without a second thought in front of him because what's there to see? and who's there to hide from? and—
it's when you are downed, half-blind, bleeding and with little sense that gambit's hands hold your head. they're warm, radiating heat even through leather. not dissimilar to obscure glass, a film blinds your eye - and you can't hear the words tumbling out of your mouth.
must sound like i'm sorry, i'm sorry, remy.
you did apologize a lot, even when not obliged.
'm'sorry charle's not here
sorry i'm not rogue
wish i could do better by you, rem'
the world becomes a bleak dark. you wonder if the others will be okay. you fret, helplessly. you pass out.
I left a dozen roses on your grave today
I'm in the grass on my knees, wipe the leaves away
I just came to talk for a while
Got some things I need to say
Now that it's over
I just wanna hold her
I'd give up all the world to see
That little piece of Heaven looking back at me
[You know, I don’t think so, but now I’m questioning it. I’m starting to wonder if he can see thoughts.]
“Once you reach Underlord, then your real training can finally—"
With a gentle effort, Lindon pushed Dross out of his palm. The spirit manifested, one-eyed and purple, and raised one of his stubby arms in greeting. Eithan froze in mid-speech, his wildly gesticulating arms stopping in the air.
[These things can be awkward, can’t they? I know who you are, but I’m not sure if you know who I am. Do you know who I—Hey wait what are you—]
Everyone froze in horror as Yerin's Blood Shadow slipped its leash, lunging out from her body to snatch Dross out of the air and toss him into its mouth.
"Lindon, I am so sorry." Yerin immediately apologized, drawing her sword. "Give me two shakes of a rats tail and I'll have this thing gutted to get him back out for you."
Across from her, the Blood Shadow grinned with purple stained teeth, beckoning with her sword arms, before its toothy smile suddenly faltered, and then its whole body spasmed. The purple stain on its blood red teeth began to grow, like tentacles reaching outwards across its skin, until in moments the entire thing had turned purple. It shuddered one last time, and then opened its mouth.
[Lindon! It ate me. That thing ate me and you all just let it happen! Its done something to me, I can't hear your thoughts anymore and I wasn't done exploring all of your most embarrassing childhood memories! Quick, tell me what you're thinking, you need to narrate your internal dialogue to me constantly until this is fixed.]
The Dross Shadow looked down at its body and let out a shriek
[I'm hideous! Its stolen my beautiful round body and left me with this horrendous thing. Its not even spherical in the slightest!]
Dross paused, glancing at Yerin, down at his body, and back again.
[Oh hello Yerin. Don't take that personally. I'm sure your body is very not hideous to humans that like swords and arms and legs and things. like Lindon. Lindon doesn't think you're hideous. He actually thinks very highly of you—very often as well. Oh look! Lindon you don't need to narrate your thoughts anymore which I'm presuming you just haven't had any yet due to being stunned by my new form since you haven't been saying anything. Anyway, you don't need to bother. I've actually found a new source of entertainment, did you known that Short, Red, and Hungry is connected directly to Yerin's soul? Its almost as good as what we had together. That's interesting, it looks like Yerin thinks about you even mo—]
Yerin yanked the Dross Shadow back into her spirit and very specifically did not look at Lindon as she rounded on Eithan.
"Eithan, you need to fix this. Eithan! He's still talking. He's talking in my head Eithan. Stop laughing and do something!"
So, in my Redmoon!Lindon story, I was brainstorming ways to handle Dross, and for a brief moment actually considered having him join together with the Blood Shadow before the ridiculousness of that situation caught up to me. Then, of course, I decided it would be even funnier if it was Yerin's Blood Shadow.
