a thing; w/ ruinsprofessor & conductingresistance

[simulsimul]

universe list
canon
breached
confessed
dadly
future
grigori
mercenary
MEover
origin
reversal
titans


scenario list
canon: Kratos needs to stop running off
confessed: wing reflex
confessed: actual wingpull
confessed: turning Renegade
confessed: son meets father
dadliness: confrontation
dadliness: awakening
dadliness: illness
dadliness: a fundamental lack of understanding on the word 'abducted'
dadliness: updating parameters
dadliness: assassination assignation
mercenary: hiding in the library
mercenary: aftermath of librarian saviour
reversal: oracle destroyed
titans: storming the tower
titans: safety in the canyon
titans: night horrors


canon
- combo of Kratos and Zelos ending
- Zelos does the stupid thing, but not so far as his death, and is still the eighth member of the party to Derris-Kharlan.

scenarios
scenario one: Yuan tracks Kratos down at Dirk's.


breached
- canon right up until after Botta’s death
- no one uses Yuan’s name around Mithos so Mithos walks right into the Triet base with them
- cue an epic OH SHIT in which Yuan gets a lil bit beat up while covering the evacuation of the rest of the base
- until Kratos appears to intervene and have the Chosen group get Yuan out of there
- Mithos gets Kratos tho and he’s a bit mad cos, yanno, traitor and all
- time to be locked up and punished and need to be rescued
- kind of puts a crimp in the creation of the Eternal Ring plans
- mostly cos Mithos turns Kratos lifeless, with some armour to regulate his mana so he remains a seraph. can't have the seal becoming less powerful, yo
- it does mean he can only obey orders tho
- the first rescue fails miserably but at least no one dies and they know they need to reforge his key-crest
- the second rescue attempt (circumstances of canon-point under percolation) goes a little better, though Yuan almost gets killed by Kratos trying to attach the key-crest
- luckily that and the first telepathy in a while gets through and Kratos manages to break out a la Colette, and heal Yuan enough for Raine to get there
- after which, angreh father-son beatdown on Mithos.

scenarios
None yet.


confessed
- almost successful assassination lands Kratos as an injured stranger in Iselia (1-2 years pre-canon)
- recuperation leads to accidental-on-purpose 'holiday' in Iselia
- doubts result in a request for Dirk to make a key-crest like Kratos' own
- oracle room undergoes some stealth sabotage
- regeneration journey is slightly delayed, prompted by Genis and Lloyd being discovered at the ranch
- Triet is awkward. so very awkward. for the Renegades -- whose side is Kratos even on these days and why was he vanished for two years?
- initial overall journey similar to canon, save that Kratos is a bit less circumspect about advising Colette on how to cope with angel transformations
- there are more overt Dun Wanna Feelings
- then Luin, wherein things happen and the group is in town during the Desian attack. the others naturally want to fight but tis a mite difficult against an army and building-destroying magitech. luckily, angel on their side. unluckily, wingpulls in order to muster the power to cover the townspeoples' retreat
- questions and confessions ensue
- Colette rejects the key crest (for the moment) so there's still hopefully maybe ambiguity about Kratos's position re the last seal
- it wouldn't fit anyway, it's modelled for the hand like Kratos's is because he was a derp and did not specify otherwise, so Lloyd needs to make a thing to make it fit
- slow protective retreat toward Asgard.

scenarios
scenario one: Kratos confesses before Salvation; Raine wants to follow up.
scenario two: Raine's examination of an angel; and also Kratos realises how far he's put his foot in it.
scenario three: Kratos goes to taunt Yuan a little, and also ask for his help.
scenario four: in which Raine makes Kratos tell the children all the things, and Yuan takes too much amusement from it.


dadliness
- Kratos retires in Iselia under the name Irving to raise Lloyd after the death of his wife
- no exsphere. ageing occurs! so does a beard and a braid
- teaches Lloyd swordplay, but on the sly, to avoid the other villagers noticing. his daytime job is weaving
- Lloyd finds the box of their exspheres and wants details. after some prodding by Dirk, Kratos explains how exspheres are made and that one is Anna's life. Lloyd is too young yet, but when Lloyd comes of age (~15) Kratos lets him make his own decision re wearing it
- Lloyd chooses not to wear the exsphere
- Genis befriends Marble and Lloyd meets her, as in canon; this happens before the journey begins, with the fallout
- difference being that Colette is still in the village so they can't be too horrible, so they just demand Lloyd be turned over for a flogging
- Kratos stands in his stead because natch. luckily, they're only mooks and don't recognise the bearded weaver as anyone important
- gives Lloyd his guilt complex early tho
- the oracle happens much the same way except Botta doesn't quite recognise the weirdly familiar bearded swordsman
- he does when he's reporting to Yuan tho
      'there was an exceptionally skilled human'
      /brief physical description/
      /did x other faintly recognizable thing/
      and both he and Yuan are aware that Kratos has been awol for a while, so there's a moment of pure silence and dawning 'no, it couldn't be'
- but then obviously one of them has to go make sure
- cue an interruption just out of Triet.

scenarios
scenario one: Yuan feels the need to investigate; this results in Kratos injured and abducted.
scenario two: Yuan realises he can't kill Kratos with his own two hands; Kratos gets mothered.
scenario three: Kratos gets sick on the heels of his recovery. Yuan mothers him some more. Botta disapproves.
scenario four: Kratos recovers and makes an escape attempt. Sort-of.
scenario five: Kratos recovers more and talks to Botta, when not needling Yuan about his lack of preparedness.
scenario six: Sheena's contract takes a slight shift into undercover instead of assassination work.


future
- Aselia is Earth ~10,000 years in the past
- all is peachy-keen except the tree is now underground and the elvens/half-elves/some humans are in hiding in the centre of the planet, hidden thanks to the summon spirits
- Colette is working with humanitarian aid in various impoverished nations
- Zelos is a diplomat in West Asia / Middle East trying to keep the peace
- Yuan is a crotchety lecturer at Cambridge who's also HUGE into environmentalism
- Lloyd and Kratos are having family time in space
- occasionally the trio on Earth meet reincarnations of people they used to know
- but rarely at the same time and almost never in a position where they meet
- but then they start meeting them
- lots of them
- all in the same span of years
- they're starting to think something's hinky
- until the space-elves attack
- and then they know something is hinky.


scenarios
None yet.


grigori
- at some point significantly before canon, Kratos actually calls it quits
- the Church's institution calls him a fallen angel of vengeance
- really he's just going around trying to help people and avoiding being taken back to Cruxis
- assigns himself to the Chosen parties whenever he can, up to Colette
- ????? idk some kind of profit somewhere

scenarios
None yet.


mercenary
- when Yuan visits Kratos at the beach when Lloyd is 3 months old, he does not manage to escape before Anna and Lloyd return
- accidental attachment to this kidlet who likes pulling his hair
- three years later, Yuan can't stand to hold back while Kratos fights Kvar, so he throws caution to the wind to help
- Anna is still killed but they rescue Lloyd and Noishe and both are branded as traitors
- Lloyd is raised as a Renegade with Dad, Uncle Yuan and the extremely reticent Uncle Botta (how dare)
- meanwhile in Tethe'alla Yuan infiltrates the castle as the library archivist
- stays out of sight, mostly, but has a good ear around the politics thanks to recruiting Princess Hilda
- also happens to stumble on Zelos hiding in the library right after his mother's death
- look he's got a 'nephew' he can't just do nothing (even if all he meant was to recommend a book)
- unwittingly accidentally 'adopts' the Tethe'allan Chosen by virtue of being the only one who doesn't treat him like the Chosen
- sometimes Kratos brings Lloyd to visit and basically they're all separate pairs of exasperated bros
- by canon Lloyd and Kratos are wandering mercenaries, helping people on the sly while gathering intel to send back to the Renegades
- Yuan and Zelos are actively building resistance to the Church using inside knowledge
- the ninja are all Renegades
- Colette is escorted by Raine and by the priests
- yes the 'chain up the Chosen and drag her to every seal if necessary' priests
- she meets Lloyd randomly in Triet but Lloyd doesn't know her as the Chosen. they're a bit out of touch on the Journey of Regen timeline
- stuff happens and they keep missing each other up until Palmacosta, which is a warzone between the Desians (and Dorr as their figurehead) and the Renegades (with Neil as their leader)
- Colette wants to help; priests say no
- out come the chains
- Raine objects, but she has no exsphere so what can she do
- btw Genis got caught in the Iselian ranch and tossed in as a traitor to be made a host
- he gets sent to the Palmacosta ranch
- right after Neil manages to take the city, after Colette and Raine leave it, Botta takes the Palmacosta ranch and rescues Genis, among others
- Genis becomes his little shadow and is much preferable to Lloyd, in Botta's opinion
- Lloyd and Kratos are still trying to catch up to Colette to rescue her when they drop by
- Genis hears what they're trying to do and insists on coming along.


scenarios
scenario one: in which Yuan accidentally adopts a Chosen instead of a book from a library.
scenario two: in which Yuan is accidentally-deliberately adopted by the Meltokio Castle Knights.


MEover
- Mass Effect crossover someplace in the realm of 15,000 years after TOS canon
- except started before then, cos elves are really from Feros, planet of the cranky telepathic plant
- got decimated by the protheans trying to assimilate them into their empire
- elves objected, got killed a lot, fled Feros and got stuck in Aselia's orbit
- kinda forgot a few things but planted a seed from the Ferosian mother plant on Aselia
- Origin hasn't forgotten tho, kinda has a grudge against grumblegrumbleprotheansgrumble
- the entirety of TOS happened, and then some
- Kratos, Yuan, Lloyd, Colette and Zelos are the only ones left, but tis okay, they have each other
- somethingsomething natural space disaster, Aselia is destroyed but they manage to move Yggdrasill onto Derris-Kharlan and do a quarian by becoming a roaming ship
- mana is a variant of eezo lbr
- Derris-Kharlan's too big to use the mass relays, but c'mon it generates its own mass effect field so they develop tech to do hops on their own
- they're in no hurry tho, i mean lbr primarily angelic, elf and half-elf population
- so they're just bumming around their local clusters doing thorough investigations on all the things
- so much eezo on their ship
- so much
- suddenly the Normandy running from a reapers comes along to hide behind them
- reapers start shooting
- everyone on Derris-Kharlan objects
- JUDGEMENT IN SPACE
- so much profit and judging of reapers.


scenarios
None yet.


origin
- Kratos tells Lloyd the dad thing in Triet
- dad and son feelings ensue
- they culminate at the Tower of Salvation in Kratos stabbing Yggdrasill in the back
- unfortunately he does not quite die but impales Kratos against a wall and goes berserk on the Chosen party to the point of Yuan stepping in to help
- that is, by threatening to stab Kratos in the back while he's vulnerable (with Kratos's permission)
- Yggdrasill calls his bluff and fails, and Yuan does the thing
- while Yggdrasill is distracted the Chosen's group nail him but good and he retreats
- luckily while heart-stabbing happened, Kratos's cruxis crystal is still intact, and between Raine's healing and Yuan's mana transfusion he survives long enough to be taken to the Triet base and a refresher
- stuff happens in some fashion or other up until opening Origin's seal
- as it turns out, the mana tranfusion has fused the lock, so to speak, and Kratos can't unlock the seal even voluntarily
- only way to get Origin out at this point is to let him fuse with Kratos, so Kratos becomes Origin
- stipulation of this: Kratos refuses to let go of his humanity
- luckily Yuan already has a literal bond with him thanks to the mana transfusion, so with him as his summoner Kratos can keep his humanity, and only use Origin's powers when Yuan summons them
- commitment like woah for a literal eternity
- but hey, they messed up but good and it's the only way they can reunite the worlds.

scenarios
none yet.


reversal
~ 2000 years in, Kratos and Yuan conspire to kill Mithos and succeed, sorta
- he's stuck inside his exsphere, possessing people
- but he manages to survive and while Kratos and Yuan claim Derris-Kharlan for their base, he takes most of the angels as 'fallen', as well as the Eternal Sword
- most of his bases are hidden behind dimensional slips created by the sword - Iselia included
- Origin refuses to trust either Kratos or Yuan with the job, anyhow, and they don't have a summoner
- instead they're forced to fight Cruxis, embroiling the worlds in an angelic war between Cruxis and the new organisation of Chayim
- the Chosen bloodlines are more important to Cruxis than Chayim, but Mithos seals the seals so only the Chosen bloodline can flip the mana switch. Kratos and Yuan need someone to do that until they can reunite them, so the Journey remains an institution, just without compulsory death at the end
- there is angelification tho, if only so Chayim gets more soldiers and so the Chosen can defend themselves against Cruxis
- Kratos sends Anna and Lloyd to Iselia, because even though enemy territory, it's the safest place there is for them
- Anna get word to Kratos that the Desians are using Iselia as a long-term cruxis crystal cultivation location, and that the sword is held there
- her spy succeeds but is intercepted, and Mithos locks down the dimensional slip to prevent exit and access by angels for ~15 years
- Lloyd grows up in a town with a heavy half-elf population and believing he's training to help the good guys
- he has his own cruxis crystal as a host, but doesn't tell his mother due to the faith-based propaganda encouraging hosts not to bring it up or risk the powers not taking
- he wants to help though, so he steals a key-crest to ensure he can fight
- Yuan and Kratos plan to assault the town and shrine but Mithos uses the sword to interrupt travel between worlds, keeping Yuan in Tethe'alla and forcing Kratos to attack Iselia alone.

scenarios
scenario one: Iselia is attacked by Chayim to claim the sword, with the sword already gone


titans
- Yggdrasill captures Kratos before Kvar finds Anna and Lloyd, but after Kratos makes an Eternal Ring
- Yuan figures hell no and raises the Renegades to try and take Derris-Kharlan, rescue Kratos and solve the split-world problem
- the attack fails. a lot.
- Renegades are wiped out, Kratos is still in Cruxis's hands, but Yuan manages to escape with the Eternal Ring
- Cruxis follows him to Triet base, which gets destroyed and the few remaining Renegades scatter
- Botta is still around tho, helping out how he can
- mostly Yuan just goes searching for Lloyd and Anna
- doesn't manage to find them before Kvar does tho, and Kratos hears from Yggdrasill that they're dead
- this is slightly inaccurate, cos Lloyd still winds up rescued by Dirk in Iselia
- where Yuan eventually finds him, not knowing that he's 'supposed' to be dead
- so Yuan settles in Iselia for a bit to watch Lloyd and the Chosen
- cuts and dyes his hair, the whole shebang
- learns how to carpentry, invents a new use of magic lightning and light can totally become a laserbeam amirite
- winds up being Genis's role model just because scholar and magic-user and half-elf who can pass but also takes no shit from people
- is one of Colette's companions on the Journey when it starts
- he's been challenging their understanding of the Church's institution this whole time lbr
- Sheena is still a thing because the ninja have taken over the Tethe'allan base, which has survived, somewhat
- a grilling ensues
- sometime just after the Asgard Ranch Yuan does have to drop the bombshell
- about how the Journey is just a front, he and his bestie are angels, btw his bestie is Lloyd's dad
- how they're out to topple the institution of religion
- forget sacrificing Colette for the Regeneration, when they get to the seal they can do that without anyone dying
- and then move straight on to rescuing Kratos in Derris-Kharlan
- then they get to the Tower and realise Yggdrasill has Kratos under a Prometheusesque punishment a la 'impaled on the Eternal Sword to suffer the Seed's pain and watch the Chosen get murdered'
- luckily this does not happen, as they manage to rescue him and escape Yggdrasill instead, barely
- retreat to Botta's hiding-place in Asgard so Kratos can recover
- and also find out that Lloyd is actually alive
- the Chosen group goes around to make as many pacts as they can while in Sylvarant
- they get up to Aska when Yggdrasill sends his angels to attack Asgard
- cue Yuan and Kratos being unstoppable battle gods together


scenarios
scenario one: in which Yuan leads the Chosen's party to the Tower of Salvation to dismantle all the traditions ever, and find Kratos waiting for them in serious need of a rescue.
scenario two: in which being in safety reveals that Kratos is not precisely unscathed, but he's doing his best.
scenario three: in which Kratos is emphatically not okay, but with Yuan's help, could be.

Comments

[simulsimul]

[-- Oh. That kind of care.]

I ... have never done anything like that. There hasn't been the time.

[He doesn't mind the texture, hanging loose; occasionally finds it useful for intimidation. Investing in the effort has never seemed worthwhile. Except now he has plenty of time, doesn't he? Plenty of time, but not all that much inclination.]

[conductingresistance]

[Hmmm. Yuan makes the plait with easy deftness, progressing rapidly.]

[He's made the time, for himself; but then again, it doesn't really take up all that much of his daily hair routine.]

A regular habit doesn't take much.

If you're interested, I can make some recommendations, but frankly how you manage your hair is up to you.

[...apart from the braiding. And Yuan's mildly offended sensibilities.]

[simulsimul]

['If you're interested' -- as if Kratos has a choice. For the most part, Yuan and Kratos's tendencies have aligned; or at least enough that what one person cares about, the other is indifferent about, enough that decisions aren't difficult. It still strikes him as vaguely nonsensical to be concerned with the texture of his hair.]

I must confess, I'm not particularly interested, no. It seems -- a waste of money and effort, for my part.

[Not necessarily on Yuan's; but Kratos's, yes. What difference will it make, to smooth his hair?]

[conductingresistance]

Even if it makes this easier on you?

[There's a brief tweak of an errant coarse strand, determined to break free despite Yuan's best efforts with the braid. He doesn't sound overly invested in the argument, though, only wondering if Kratos has thought this all the way through.]

[simulsimul]

Easier how?

[He can't imagine it would make that much of a difference. It won't stop his hair from growing unevenly the way it does, and it won't stop it from being so thick.]

It seems a frivolous use, regardless.

[conductingresistance]

Less constant detangling, less difficulty braiding it?

[Thickness is one thing, but it can be convinced to fall in line easier.]

[Yuan shakes his head, tying the braid off. He's already done; the practice, and the fact Kratos's hair isn't all that long comparatively, makes it easier]

There. That will hold.

[simulsimul]

[... Well, when he puts it like that, it just sounds practical. Kratos reaches over his shoulder to contemplate the texture of his hair between his fingers. It's not like it's difficult to braid, precisely, but the tangles are fairly constant.]

I suppose it's worth a try.

[It's a concession, if a dubious one.]

What would you recommend, then?

[conductingresistance]

Various oils are often used for such a thing.

[Yuan almost mimics the gesture, just to see, but he's had his hands in Kratos's hair very recently. He considers.]

In this case I'd recommend argan or coconut.

[His general objections to coconut aside, the oil is useful.]

A little bit, worked in at the roots and combed through, is more than enough.

[simulsimul]

I've seen coconut in the market.

[That should be easy enough to find again. Argan he's more familiar with, as it can be found in areas of Tethe'alla; but like the olives, he doesn't expect to find it in Nidavellir. He's more surprised by the simplicity.]

That's all it takes, hm?

[conductingresistance]

A little goes a long way. Some stalls will have them blended with others, usually for scent.

[But that he doubts will be in Kratos's interest. Yuan draws back a bit, now that the braid and the hair issue are more or less solved.]

Whichever of us is there next can pick some up.

[Since it may be a little while yet before Kratos is really well enough physically to shop.]

[simulsimul]

[That will most likely be Yuan, since Kratos isn't currently capable of leaving the house more than a couple of feet. Kratos lets go of his hair and nods, very carefully.]

Alright. --Thank you.

[He's not exactly sparse with his thanks, and yet on this occasion it's soft, a touch belated, like it wasn't something he expected he'd have to say so soon this morning.]

[conductingresistance]

[Huh. Thanks. ...it isn't that it's strange, it's only... softer than usual, and Yuan doesn't know exactly what to make of it. And that's definitely not something he can realistically ask, why Kratos is being weird about this.]

You're welcome.

[It's really not all that much. Yuan nods, turns to go.]

I'll be back later. Try not to strain yourself.

[And the day goes on, much as ever. It's the one after that, though, when the package Yuan had ordered on his last trip to the market is delivered. He unwraps the package to examine the result-- bronze, but a faintly reddish one, worked into bracelets more reminiscent of bracers than cuffs. His name's been graven finely along the lower edge. All looks as it should be.]

[...He perhaps should have inquired to Kratos's tastes, but these seemed more or less correct. With bracelets in hand, Yuan heads for the kitchen, leaning in the door without entirely entering what's rapidly become Kratos's domain.]

I have something for you, when you have a moment.

[simulsimul]

[The cooking, at least, is easy enough, so long as Kratos remains still; and he's fairly adept at that by this point, owing to the need to stand on his leg. It's fair to say that, since he's expanded their grocery opportunities, their meals have taken a definite slant toward Tethe'allan tastes; but Yuan hasn't yet complained about the uptick in seafood, pasta and vegetables.

[It's a pity the olives won't be ready for a good while yet. It won't be entirely the same without them.]

For me?

[Kratos glances into the mirror over the counter, head tipped as he pauses in preparing the fish. He's faintly confused, if also amused, at the way Yuan hangs technically out of the room, as if he thinks he isn't allowed.]

The package was for you, wasn't it?

[conductingresistance]

[Surely this isn't a completely foreign concept.]

Something I had engraved for you.

[Yuan lifts the bracelets, which clink together faintly in his hand with the motion.]

It's more explicit than a ribbon.

[...Perhaps not the best gift, something for Kratos's station, but Yuan had thought of the color and the form before he thought of the function. Maybe that counts for something.]

[simulsimul]

[Gifts aren't precisely common, no, not even in past times. Kratos turns more properly to see, still faintly confused. They're not precisely armour, but reminiscent enough of it that Kratos wonders. Does Yuan expect him to try to defend himself purely by blocking, or--

[Oh. Kratos's face clears somewhat.]

I like the ribbon.

[But it isn't defensively said, and he washes his hands before coming over to take the bracelets and examine them more thoroughly. They're simply made, much like his clothes; but Kratos can read Yuan's name by now, and that confirms what they're meant to be. It makes his chest feel warm; the ribbon had been serviceable, so explicitness in this seems to be an additional, unnecessary expense on Yuan's part. A proper gift.]

I had wondered about the use of jewellery among those in my circumstances, but I wasn't certain if it was my place to ask.

[conductingresistance]

[Kratos likes the ribbon. Of course he likes the ribbon. Why did Yuan expect something normal from him.]

[He gives over the bracelets when Kratos comes over, easy, watching curiously for some sort of reaction that he can actually read.]

I mentioned once, early on-- it's one of the more customary ways to declare allegiance or ownership, especially in the absence of clan or household colors.

[Which... the blue has been on Kratos long enough it may as well be Yuan's, but he doesn't have household colors, not really. Yuan lifts a shoulder in a light shrug.]

I passed them in the market; the color seemed like it would suit you.

[simulsimul]

I remember. I just thought you'd decided against it.

[There isn't an explicit change in Kratos's expression, but his demeanour has softened perceptibly, for someone watching closely. He fits the bracelets around his wrists, one after the other, and around the cuff of his tunic as true armguards would.

[They fit nicely, pinning fabric down, and the weight of them is unexpectedly nostalgic, enough to make Kratos feel homesick in a way he hasn't in a very long time. It isn't the kind of homesick for a location, so much as a different time, a different purpose; and though he knows it's something which can never be recovered, he also knows that Yuan intends to take him into the field with him. The position isn't the same; but the lifestyle and the purpose is not entirely lost.

[Kratos looks up at Yuan from examining them on his wrists, his gaze open and a touch rawer than he realises.]

Thank you.

[conductingresistance]

I didn't see anything that might be suitable for some time.

[Read: Suitable for Kratos, which is an entirely different thing from being suitable for most people.]

[Watching closely as he is, Yuan's in the position to notice more than a few things. He was right about the color, for one; the atypical reddish cast to the bronze is correct for Kratos. It looks good.]

[And he sees, further, that raw softness, and has absolutely no idea what to make of it.]

...you're welcome.

[Even if he's not entirely sure why, and his tone probably reflects his uncertainty. Yuan lets his breath out, and wonders if asking will get results. It's worth trying.]

What does this mean to you?

[simulsimul]

[Ah. It seems Kratos has, once more, run into a cultural expectation without realising it. They've been fewer lately -- but the ones he meets now seem to be the deeply entrenched sort. Still, a few months ago, Yuan wouldn't have bothered to ask.

[That doesn't mean Kratos is quite sure how to answer. He traces the edge of the bracelet absently while he considers his words.]

Acceptance.

[He isn't sure how to explain beyond that, either; but he's conscious that this must be the last thing Yuan thinks. After all, Yuan was in the same position, and most of his feelings are nearly the opposite.]

I -- realise that it isn't what it commonly represents, but from you, that's how it speaks to me.

[conductingresistance]

[Acceptance?]

[...Contrary to his hopes, the answer Kratos gives him is almost entirely useless. That makes no sense to Yuan.]

I... don't understand.

[What do bracelets convey that all his past behavior hasn't?]

Did you think you didn't have that?

[simulsimul]

[Kratos blinks. That certainly isn't the takeaway he expected Yuan to have, or want Yuan to have.]

No, but --

[Hmh. Maybe he had. Suddenly he's unsure about the words he's using, or might use. He doesn't usually talk; not about most things, let alone about things like this.]

People ... don't usually give me gifts. Not unless they're family heirlooms, or something similar. The ribbon is just a ribbon, but these were made for me. And I've seen by now how highly the Sylvaranti value family.

[He falls silent and looks way, feeling suddenly awkward, fingers still tracing the edge of the bracelet.]

[conductingresistance]

[Oh. That falls into place, finally, and Yuan regards Kratos with a clearer expression now.]

[...he hadn't entirely thought of it that way; but Kratos is part of his household, and perhaps that makes him the closest thing to family Yuan will ever have. Save perhaps if he weds, but that's a fairly sizable if.]

[So: the Tethe'allan ex-military slave is his family. There doesn't seem to be anything actually wrong with that idea. After a moment, Yuan nods.]

...Well. I have no family heirlooms to give you, so those will have to do.

[It's both dry and heartfelt, and Yuan feels abruptly uncomfortably exposed, having said even that much. He looks away in turn.]

[simulsimul]

[Yuan's silence is either not at all encouraging, or very much so. Kratos turns his head just enough to watch him sidelong, but all that's there is comprehension, and a flicker of emotions from comprehension to acceptance.]

Hmh. They do.

[Kratos is smiling now, still not looking quite at Yuan. He doesn't have to. And he's already said his thanks; so to avoid making Yuan feel uncomfortable Kratos doesn't say anything more, but turns back toward the counter.]

Dinner won't be more than half an hour.

[Kratos hasn't been tense in Yuan's house for months; but now more than ever, he seems properly relaxed, like he's properly convinced this isn't just a holding pattern for a life he'll never regain, but something which could be lived for its own right.]

[conductingresistance]

[Good. That seems like more than enough explicit sentiment for one day. Yuan watches Kratos sidelong for a moment -- no, it doesn't look like the bracelets will get in his way, which Yuan was fairly sure of but is pleased to have confirmed -- and then he himself turns to go.]

[...Kratos really does seem easier, now. How strange.]

Good. Then I'll be back shortly.

[simulsimul]

[Until now, Kratos hasn't quite realised how much he'd missed the security of wearing armour, even the light-weight sort. Possibly he wouldn't have, if not for his recent troubles; and even though he suffers no attempted beatings in the interim, just being able to wear something solid is reassuring.

[Even still, the situation does not resolve easily. Kratos suspects that Yuan is shielding him from the worst of it, but even then, there winds up being a period where an ollamh visits to prod him about his experience. It isn't a particularly fun exercise; Kratos is fairly sure that she isn't maliciously biased, but it still results in her demanding a far greater range of physical activity than Kratos is sure would have been demanded of a Sylvaranti. As evidence of his functional disability, further exacerbated by the beatings, of course. Kratos honestly isn't sure whether it's because she expects a Tethe'allan to need to be pushed out of a deception of capabilities, or that she expects an Aurion to be magically capable of withstanding much more damage than an ordinary person.

[Regardless, he gets the impression she's fairly optimistic about their chances of a decent settling, and that she tends to be drawn to the 'difficult ones'. Kratos is not sure what that means, but he's willing not to mention it, given the circumstances.

[He starts taking back a number of his duties -- one by one, scaling to how well he can breathe and twist. Anything requiring undue bending or carrying is put off, which includes the shopping, if only because the ollamh warned him to stay away from the markets until the situation is resolved. It does mean Kratos can start helping Yuan at the military facility again, which is fortunate, since Kratos suspects that needing to handle the legal situation is either cutting into Yuan's work time, or his sleep time, or both. Any small degree to which Kratos can mitigate that is worth leaping on.

[Then, quite suddenly, there comes something Kratos can very definitely help with ... though Yuan may or may not see it the same way. He doesn't tell Yuan about it at first; but he does quietly ensure that Yuan's name is given for a very particular service on a specific day Kratos ensures he's present for.

[On that day, he's returning from delivering some paperwork when one of the administration staff catches him with word that Commander Ka-Fai's presence is needed. That's easy enough. Kratos goes back to Yuan's office and slips in without knocking, the only one who can (or dares), and waits out of the way until Yuan indicates he's done with his current task.]