taxonomites | System Glitch: In The City: Ship Ahoy! [location: Osten]

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System Glitch: In The City: Ship Ahoy! [location: Osten]

The day of July fourth was spent dealing with annoying, static-ridden transmissions from the tablets. Hisses, bleeps, pops, and occasionally what might have been an indistinguishable voice saying something unintelligible. The interruptions ceased in the evening, and the city went back to being quiet and empty.

The fifth brought more of the same, but shortly after noon something curious happened: if one consulted the map, they'd note a dot out in the ocean. Zooming in on the dot showed that it was not one but many dots, each with a familiar name attached, and observation would show that the dots were headed toward a never-before-used ferry terminal on the Osten waterfront.

Go meet your people, Taxon, and send them to get showers post haste!

ooc: The ferry terminal is a proper building so our vampires aren't in danger of going foom.

And that's that! Thanks everyone, this plot's been ridiculous fun, now back to your regularly scheduled hijinks.

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And just when Wyatt thought he was done not-crying, there's Glitch coming at him full throttle, full speed ahead, and he can feel his face twist right before the groan rising from his chest and ending up a sob.

Imminent collision in 3...

--one. Two can, as usual, bugger off forever.

It's almost more of a climb than a leap, but either way Glitch ends up in Cain's arms with his chin tucked over one broad shoulder for a gasp or two before pulling back because he needs to see. One hand secured to the back of his neck, eyes searching that familiar face, and the only thing he can ask is that same old stupid, stupid question.

"Are you okay?"

The moment she spotted those curls, Azkadellia knew she wasn't going to make it. Pulling back slightly from Cain, turning away even as she burst into tears. It hadn't been since that first day she had cried in front of others and now...

Sniffling, she scrubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands and turned back, seeing them hugging and she couldn't help a small, nearly hysterical laugh. Much as she wished them home and where they belonged, she couldn't help but be thankful to see him once more.

She stayed close but didn't intrude. Despite her desire to cling to him, she looked away, giving them a moment.

There's nothing in all the realms or all the different worlds they all come from that can stop Cain from clinging to his friend. Glitch climbs, Wyatt lifts him up, and somewhere between both their efforts Glitch ends up cradled safely (if a touch too firmly perhaps, but it's been a long, long month or thereabouts). Quite frankly, he's scared to let go. Just like with Paul, it takes him several seconds to start believing they're all actually here. They're back.

"I'm okay," he says when Glitch pulls back and he can't help but grin despite the tears in his eyes. "I'm fine."

And then he does something he should've done months ago, when Glitch last returned: he kisses his cheeks (and damn the beard is a new thing, but he doesn't care), his forehead and his nose and finally presses a soft one to his mouth. Screw propriety or convention or whatever. Love's love's love.

"Welcome home, sweetheart."

Glitch laughs at the kisses, delighted and relieved, and when one lands on his mouth he returns it with brief enthusiasm. Rum and opportunity and happiness and he's laughing again, holding on as tight as he's held.

"I'm all right too, nothing a...really long shower and some food won't fix. It was an adventure!" By the wide grin and the light in his eyes, not an entirely bad one. "Oh, the tales I have for you, Cain, you and--"

His gaze falls to Azkadellia and he gasps and reaches out. "Azkadee-- okay, put me down but don't let go, I just need..."

Cue group hug?

Watching the pair, her heart swelled. She looked a fright, nothing like a princess in her mind and she didn't care. Nothing mattered but Glitch being alive and well and...

"You're scruffy," she said, not caring if Cain put Glitch down or not. She didn't care if he thought he needed a shower, and food could be taken care of. All that mattered was Glitch.

Rushing forward, wrapping her arms around them both. Forget propriety or anything else. He was alive.

"Don't you ever do that again," she said, scolding with a hint of laughter and tears in her eyes.

Wyatt laughs, setting Glitch back on his own two feet and including Az in the circle of fellow Ozites. He'll just have to come to terms with being torn between laughter and tears - it's just the release of tension, he tells himself. It's just that, nothing more or less. It is what it is.

What's more, Glitch is alive and well, and back home, and Az sounds so precocious for her age, like the young girl with an old mind despite her adult body.

He nods his head at her, holding both of them close. "What she said, and you'd better tell us all about it later."

Home. Oh, it's so good to be home..

"I'm sorry," he says, voice breaking just a little and it's not his or anyone's fault but apologizing is the Done Thing. He carries on before they can protest. "Sorry, but I'm trying a new look. Scruffy's in style this season."

Glitch pulls back a little to look at them, takes in Az's appearance, and shakes his head. "All about it, yeah. And I'm betting you have stories too. I...I knew you'd look out for each other."

For Azkadellia, that was what this was. Her home. She could make a life here so long as she had the right people. That was all she needed.

"It's adorable," she said, stroking his cheek, her eyes so bright with tears though she was staying strong. For now. That she wanted to cling to tight he couldn't breathe was another thing.

She looked down and made a face. "I didn't have time to clean up. Not if you could be here, and you are.'

"It's okay." Wyatt grabs hold of both of them for a firm, warm squeeze. "And you're right, we did look out for each other."

But speaking of which... Glitch's temple gets another brief press of lips, and so does Azkadellia's hairline. As good as it is to see his best friend, there's someone else who needs a bit of looking out for that Wyatt can't with good conscience let wait any longer.

"I need to go. We'll talk soon, you hear me? First thing tomorrow, or whenever you're settled."

One heavy, happy sigh that let all the tension go, one nudge of zipper stopper to cheekbone, and Glitch lets go.

"Right," he says with a single firm nod, one arm still draped around Azkadellia. "Go on, I'm fine, just drop a line and we'll make a thing of it."

She didn't want to let go but there was Paul and she had to take deep breaths and try and stay calm like she'd counseled herself for those days when everyone had first disappeared.

Pressing in close against Glitch, not caring about scruff or anything else. He was back and alive and that was all that mattered.

"He's still teaching me to cook so that line might be better sooner than later," she said, trying to tease.

"I can cook a bit," Glitch says with a dismissive little wave. Least of his worries right now, he just needed to be with her and from some angles that's wildly absurd but...

He holds on tight and guide her toward the exit. "Once I've got things together I'll make a big ol' pot of muglug. Meanwhile I think-- oh, there's a hatch in the study, let's just get to my place and we'll figure it out."

Her hand slid around him, hand splaying along his back. He was back. Glitch was there and home and whole and that was enough. No, it was more than enough. It was everything.

"Whatever you need and want," she said, looking up at him, a smile curving her lips and tears in her eyes. "So long as you're here."

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System Glitch: In The City: Ship Ahoy! [location: Osten]

[Ferry Terminal]

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