[And so they go! And crow's gonna be very good til they've made a couple of turns, but he's actually quietly wrapping a piano wire around one forearm in case he needs it, and then readying that sword...
He's waiting til there's a moment where Rean & Tatsuya are talking and then he's gonna stab Rean in the back. He's aiming for a quick, easy heart stab.]
[The thing is, he's not expecting it. He's not. Even after the last time he wandered away with Crow in a game he's not expecting Crow to do this.
Because he trusts him.
He loves him.
He loves him and he trusts him and no part of Phoenix, from the moment he arrived in this game, ever seriously intended to fight, let alone fight Crow. So why would he believe Crow, who he knows loves him, would stab him?
He doesn't believe it. Even with the sword through his heart and the warmth at his back that belongs to only one person, he doesn't have to turn around to see who, because he's so intimately familiar with that warm presence, even now he's sort of disbelieving.
It hurts, a lot.
The sword hurts, too.
He stumbles, a faint sound of shock barely audible as he flings a hand out to catch on the wall. A confused what? forming on his lips with no breath to give it sound.
He tries to look over his shoulder, tries to see Crow's expression. There's a million things and nothing going through his mind right now, white noise and pain and fear and mostly, hurt. He's not even at the stage of feeling betrayed quite yet, too shocked, too genuinely, paralyzingly shocked.]
[ Tatsuya turns around at the sound of that voice, but it's too late-- it's too late, and all he can do is stare in disbelief and horror at the sight before him. ]
[He presses a hand to the bleeding wound Crow's left of his heart, not that it helps any, and he's losing all strength to even do that. It drops almost as fast as he raises it.
He's fully collapsed against the wall, blinking rapidly. His heart would be hammering in confusion if it could, probably. It's a good thing shock is going to shut his brain down before he has to experience dying of blood loss, but he has a couple seconds to stare at Crow, tears falling down his face freely.
His mouth works a few times, but he has no cool or wise or angry things to say. He's just... Hurt. And dying. And upset about it, with the betrayal sinking in to allow one, chocked, almost voiceless sob before he falls, shock shutting down his system. He'll be fully dead in a minute, but he's effectively dead already.]
[ Tatsuya's crying too, tears falling freely even as he steadies the sword in his hand. He doesn't have time to mourn right now. He doesn't have time for the hurt and betrayal buzzing through his system, doesn't have time for even the sob that escapes from him. ]
Crow.
[ It's a heartbroken sound. They'd been talking about how much they love Crow and it's true, it's still true. He'll understand and later, he'll even be able to forgive probably.
But right now it just hurts.
He's using Eris Alert even as he's trying to focus through the tears-- Hey Crow, how do you feel right now? ]
[He feels horrible, thanks. Guilty and sad and frustrated -- He hates it, being put in these positions. But he's terrified of what happens if he doesn't fight. He has to protect his unit, not just from this but from the potential of another episode of reality falling apart. He's going to murder a lot of demons as soon as he gets the chance but right now he just has to protect people as well as he can, which unfortunately means doing this.
They'll heal, anyway. And they'll be mad and maybe hate him but that's okay cause he hates himself a lot already.
But he's still catching Rean as he falls. And he's taking a moment to hold him and kiss his forehead, setting him down gently.]
I love you. Sorry about this.
[And then he's looking up at Tatsuya with quiet, clear intent.]
This isn't the kind of sword I'm used to. You might beat me.
[Crow's not crying but that's because he's too good at bottling things, and too prideful to show his pain. He doesn't deserve to cry anyway. He's the one choosing to hurt them. And since he's made that choice, and gone through with it, he can't stop halfway. He has to win.
He's standing up straight with that in mind, and taking stance.]
[ And through the tears, the hurt, and the pain-- he takes a slash at Crow. It's targeted to incapacitate rather than to kill-- he knows it's a fight to the death, but his heart isn't into killing Crow.
He is pretty good with this kind of sword, as it turns out. ]
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[ultimate weapon: real names]
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You're... So ridiculous. How do you even lighten the mood at a time like this?
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[He already made it a dirty joke, Rean!]
Let's get walkin', you cuties.
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[But he'll get walking.]
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He's waiting til there's a moment where Rean & Tatsuya are talking and then he's gonna stab Rean in the back. He's aiming for a quick, easy heart stab.]
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Because he trusts him.
He loves him.
He loves him and he trusts him and no part of Phoenix, from the moment he arrived in this game, ever seriously intended to fight, let alone fight Crow. So why would he believe Crow, who he knows loves him, would stab him?
He doesn't believe it. Even with the sword through his heart and the warmth at his back that belongs to only one person, he doesn't have to turn around to see who, because he's so intimately familiar with that warm presence, even now he's sort of disbelieving.
It hurts, a lot.
The sword hurts, too.
He stumbles, a faint sound of shock barely audible as he flings a hand out to catch on the wall. A confused what? forming on his lips with no breath to give it sound.
He tries to look over his shoulder, tries to see Crow's expression. There's a million things and nothing going through his mind right now, white noise and pain and fear and mostly, hurt. He's not even at the stage of feeling betrayed quite yet, too shocked, too genuinely, paralyzingly shocked.]
Why?
[Is the smallest, confused whisper.]
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...I have to.
[But it's pretty obviously making him miserable, even while he's yanking the sword back out and flicking blood off onto the floor.]
We can't just not play. You guys know that better than anybody.
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He's fully collapsed against the wall, blinking rapidly. His heart would be hammering in confusion if it could, probably. It's a good thing shock is going to shut his brain down before he has to experience dying of blood loss, but he has a couple seconds to stare at Crow, tears falling down his face freely.
His mouth works a few times, but he has no cool or wise or angry things to say. He's just... Hurt. And dying. And upset about it, with the betrayal sinking in to allow one, chocked, almost voiceless sob before he falls, shock shutting down his system. He'll be fully dead in a minute, but he's effectively dead already.]
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Crow.
[ It's a heartbroken sound. They'd been talking about how much they love Crow and it's true, it's still true. He'll understand and later, he'll even be able to forgive probably.
But right now it just hurts.
He's using Eris Alert even as he's trying to focus through the tears-- Hey Crow, how do you feel right now? ]
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They'll heal, anyway. And they'll be mad and maybe hate him but that's okay cause he hates himself a lot already.
But he's still catching Rean as he falls. And he's taking a moment to hold him and kiss his forehead, setting him down gently.]
I love you. Sorry about this.
[And then he's looking up at Tatsuya with quiet, clear intent.]
...Are you going to fight me?
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He nods slightly. ]
I love you... but I can't let you kill me.
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[Crow's not crying but that's because he's too good at bottling things, and too prideful to show his pain. He doesn't deserve to cry anyway. He's the one choosing to hurt them. And since he's made that choice, and gone through with it, he can't stop halfway. He has to win.
He's standing up straight with that in mind, and taking stance.]
But I can't let this be a waste.
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[ And through the tears, the hurt, and the pain-- he takes a slash at Crow. It's targeted to incapacitate rather than to kill-- he knows it's a fight to the death, but his heart isn't into killing Crow.
He is pretty good with this kind of sword, as it turns out. ]
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