Red Night (D9, EN Syl's room)

[Shaisha Vreysk]

She nodded. "That is true, but it was wishful thinking to try so soon."

"Now, you're going to stim yourself up to get those wounds healing, and you're going to take a shower and put on some clean clothes. I know the pain is good to help you keep focused, but it keeps you focused on what happened, rather than what will happen."

[Sylvain Torsin]

"You do you realize that this all happened like an hour ago? Sometimes rather than immediately moving past something it's best to let the emotions set in. The pain and the fear, the hatred... without them I won't properly learn the lesson I needed to tonight."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"And how much time do you need to let your wounds go untreated?" she asked, not seeming terribly impressed by Sylvain's answer.

[Sylvain Torsin]

He tilted his head and sighed in pain and with a general feeling of reluctant consent, "Give me a stim then."

[Kristal Serasai]

Kristal didn't so much knock as practically force her way in, breaking the door panel if she needed to. Standing in the doorway she looked over to Sylvain and Shaisha, just standing there for a moment.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain looked up and smiled weakly. "Hey Kris."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Since he offered so nicely, and Kristal gave her a window of opportunity where Syl couldn't squirm away, a stim was injected into his arm.

"There."

She looked over at Kristal. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was to convince him to take that one."

---

-1 Stimpack. Sylvain is healed for 5... or less if he's used Stims today.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain just looked quietly at the warrior of a woman for a few moments before lowering his gaze and averting her eyes.

[Kristal Serasai]

Kristal nodded to Shaisha. Stepping forward into the room silently she approached Sylvain and took a hold of his head in both hands. Hands over his cheeks she forced him to look up at her and just locked eyes. Holding him there and looking into his.

Finally, she let him go and then held out a hand to grasp Shaisha's arm for a moment, "Thank you."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain looked up into Kristal's eyes with eyes of his own that expressed some measure of the pain and inner turmoil he was going through. He wanted nothing more than to be there with her, but being there with her was also a stark reminder in the differences in their moral character and strength.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Shaisha nodded silently and got up on her feet.

"... I can give you two some time alone, if you want...?"

[Kristal Serasai]

"Yes, I need just a moment, do not go far," she said, letting her gentle grasp of Shaisha's arm slip.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Another nod.

She gave Syl's shoulder a squeeze, then she repeated the gesture for Kris. "I won't be far."

With that, Shaisha stepped out of the room, giving the two of them some privacy as she closed the door behind her.

[Sylvain Torsin]

He looked up at her and tried to smile a bit, but the attempt may have been less than convincing.

[Kristal Serasai]

Kristal took a hold of his jaw again, hands covering over his cheeks as well. Holding him in place as she laid her head down against his. Forehead to forehead as she closed her eyes.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain closed his eyes as well and took a few breaths, "I failed Kris.... I couldn't wait... I saw a chance to remove him and took it... I was too weak... Failed in so many ways."

[Kristal Serasai]

Kristal listened to his words. Hoping to inspire more from her silence. Encouraging elaboration as she kept her head against his.

[Sylvain Torsin]

He just rested his head against hers and let out a sigh. "Every choice I make seems to take me further from my goals..."

[Kristal Serasai]

"So, what will you do?" she asked, voice soft but with that inner strength of hers.

[Sylvain Torsin]

"Every step I take makes me more his slave... but it's all I have in front of me. This is the road I've chosen and I have nowhere else to go." He shook his head gently as their heads still pressed against on another.

"I know you'll just tell me to shut up... but I do genuinely worry I am not worthy of you..."

[Kristal Serasai]

"You are mine, Sylvain Torsin, you are not allowed to be unworthy of me," she said with a conviction to her tone. Holding her head still against his.

[Sylvain Torsin]

"And yet I am..." His lips tightened as he tried to contain himself.

"I need you to tell me why... why you love me? Cause tonight... I just can't see it... I can't see anything... can't feel anything but doubt. My mask of words is shattered... what is left?"

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Outside, Shaisha checked her datapad for messages when an urgent one came in from Anthy, linking her to the news.

As she saw Baras, she quickly plugged in her headphones to avoid the sound bothering Syl and Kris. "Kriffin' bastard..."

[Kristal Serasai]

"Close your eyes," she instructed, placing her hand over his chest. Over his heart.

"There is nothing I could label, nothing I could tell you or define as the reason I love you. I merely do."

[Sylvain Torsin]

He let out a tired sigh, "I don't mean to be a pain Kris... nobody wants to deal with someone who is acting like me... but tonight I need a bit more than that. I don't doubt your love... I doubt myself... being worthy of being loved."

His head leaned in heavier than before on hers as his shoulders loosened. "I can't help but feel that you love me because of the things I have said... but by the things I've said, Layne died tonight. Zeno was mutilated. And from things I've said in the past, your own father was killed... I shattered your heart once... you lost your leg, and I have done so much damage."

He let out a breath, "What are getting out of this... because I keep learning more and more that my skills don't bring about anything good... I love you but only put you in greater danger and drag you down... there's got to be some reason I am special to you."