A New Platform [Intro Post October]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Horsehoe. Points have been updated on the system and new stock is available."

They have indeed and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train a while will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." A lurch and a jolt and they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform. The first thing they may notice is that this platform is inside a basic shelter, making it warmer than the last couple at least.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Adora, Alex Hashimoto, Catra, Cloud Strife, Elizabeth Midford, Feanor, Gerome, Gladiolus Amicitia, Glimmer, Ifrit, Isabella D’Oro, Maru, Nari Reno, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prompto Argentum, Scorpia, Siobahn Chereshei, SXT-2, Tamamo-no-Mae, Tony Stark, Uta, Zidane Tribal

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours in various states of confusion.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is steam. Billowing around them as they come to their senses. The second thing they will notice is it is gloomy, even without the steam and fog. They are in a wooden building, open to the tracks on one side. It in a creaky shelter, cobwebs hang from the rafters and there is a peculiar whistle as wind finds its way through the cracks.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large and it holds nineteen figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. Both left and right the tracks disappear into the mist. Then there is a roaring sound and out of the fog arrives a train. Jet black with gold writing on the side. The Voidtrecker Express. There is a hiss as the doors slide open and out into the gloom step a selection of people. Some are human, some are less so. Most are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple though some are sporting different clothes in a variety of styles.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would not be a good thing. If that is not enough, there are plenty of people on the platform now, to encourage them onto the train.

Indeed whereas usually there is plenty time for people to be met and brought slowly onto the train, the whistles blow a lot quicker this time, as if hurrying the passengers along.

Each ICP shows the same message and next to the screens there are stacks of leaflets written by those on the train, with further information. The store rooms have been restocked, with… teddy bear shaped luncheon meat being the main ingredient to be found. There are plenty of other staples.

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a room full of lockers, designated as the Armoury. Even for passengers without weapons it is somewhere to secure possessions. There are instructions on how to use the lockers and enough for everyone to claim one.

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds over the noise of the hail stones to encourage any stragglers braving the snow and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express." A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Comments

[flatteries]

Inigo seems to deflate a bit as he exhales. He leans forward the moment Tidus's shoulder is offered like that until his head is resting against it, quiet for a moment. Processing everything Tidus is saying. There's never any greater affirmation to Inigo than just those small few words - I want you here. Considering how many times he's been told to go away or get lost, they mean so much, especially at a moment where both of them are feeling so vulnerable.

"I know I've been dumb a few times.." He mumbles, his voice softer now. But it's not like he has to speak up any louder with how close they are now. The words aren't meant for ears other than theirs, anyway. "But I won't close off from you anymore."

If anything proved that was a bad idea, it was that whole dumb mission. If he hadn't insisted on smiling and saying he'd leave Tidus alone, pretending it was easy to do, no big deal, would things have gone better? If he had insisted on going along with the other, sharing their pain once Inigo's world crashed with Gerome's disappearance too? There's no way to know that now, but he can at the very least prevent it from happening again.

"It's just.." For a second his voice trails off, before he finishes: ".. habit. I never told my friends back home either when I was hurting.. Not even my sister." There had just never been opportunity for it. They were always fighting, always suffering, and all Inigo had been able to think was that he shouldn't add his own dumb feelings to anyone else's struggle.

It feels like he's about to pull back a little, look at Tidus, but he doesn't. He remains resting against the other's shoulder like this for another moment, because it feels strangely more easy to keep on talking now he's started, despite admitting all of this. Not to mention that Tidus may feel a bit better about Inigo not seeing Tidus's own tears like this, in case more might appear.

"But I.. want to try. I will try. I don't want to hide from you, I.." Despite the lack of tears, his voice sounds tight, and for a moment he almost chokes up before he continues. "Because we're both hurting. Because everything is so awful, and I.. I want us to pull trough together somehow.. Even though it won't be today. Or tomorrow. Or maybe even in a long while." Who knows when this hurt is going to disappear? Maybe it won't ever. That's sure what it feels like at this point.

But if right now all they need is just being here in their hurt together, not letting go of each other.. then that's what they should do for now.

".. I trust you with it, Tidus. More than anyone.."

[blitzcheer]

There's a prickling behind Tidus's eyes, inside his chest. A deeper hurt there than the one brought on by that tugging desire to cry. But he doesn't. Tidus sniffs once or twice as Inigo speaks, listening; Inigo's head on his shoulder, his own head resting some on his in turn. It's not like he doesn't get it. In the end - does anyone ever try not to hold back their pain? They don't wanna worry anyone, there's more going on than them. And what can they do when there's no answer to it, when you have to keep going anyway?

Was he strong, holding everything back at the end, never telling the others what would happen to him? Or was he just scared? Because he knows which feeling it was. He knows which he told himself to make it be, what to be, for everyone else.

But being like this is a comfort. And if he's a coward now, then--he doesn't care. He doesn't care what anyone else thinks. Nothing else matters than what helps, and Tidus leans the side of his head against Inigo's, taking in the small quiet. As long as Inigo was there, and they both felt the same way - then everything else could wait.

"Thanks, Inigo..." He speaks, voice low. "We... let's stick together. That's just what we have to do." A note fonder- "I like it when we do."

They were a team - they were pals - on this ride. Winding each other up, confusing each other, but always meaning everything to the other, always ready to jump to their help. Their differences never repulsions, just waters they weren't sure how to navigate. But they usually did -- even literally, for Inigo. Getting to teach him how to swim, sitting together on that beach lit by the sunset...

"We can stay like this." A joke, even though - he wouldn't mind either. It's relaxing; whether that's having someone to lean on, or just leaning at all. He's gotten way too comfortable laying around in bed lately.

Or a hug's nice, once in a while.

[flatteries]

He sniffs a little while still in the hug at those words. Like he's already cried himself dry, but still feels the same as he does when the tears usually start running down his cheeks. Tidus's words just feel so powerful. It's like they somehow skipped the past two weeks, all the days between the last platform day and today. Isn't it nicer to think of it that way? That rather than shutting each other out, they just came to each other on the first day of hurt and said let's stick together.

Because Inigo too likes it when they do. It's evident too, even to himself. Because even though today he is technically in a worse position than he was last time he saw the platform - with Gerome gone, with any confidence he had left squished by Reno, with all the hurt of mission in his heart - he somehow feels better right now than he did on that day. Here in Tidus's arms, rather than seperated by a shut door.

He's quiet, thinking about it. But then he sits up a bit more again, not pulling out of the hug, but only moving his head back far enough to be able to look at Tidus.

"If you want.. we could try what we did back when Yuki disappeared." It's a careful suggestion, and something about Inigo's face looks pretty shy as he says it. He's not sure how Tidus feels about the idea, after all, and today of all days is a day he absolutely wants to make certain to not hurt the other.

But when Inigo thinks of that day, all he can remember is how much he was comforted by it. His only fear here is that maybe it isn't comforting to Tidus at all, not when he always seems so much less touchy than Inigo. Not when those last words sounded a bit jokey from Tidus.

"Y.. You know what I mean, right? That made me feel a lot better last time.. And then we wouldn't have to go anywhere either. Or think about anything." His gaze dips, and when he adds one more thing, it's even more quietly. ".. Only if you think it'd help you too, though.."

[blitzcheer]

He remembers, after a quizzical moment. Caught in a trap of how shyly Inigo speaks about it; head dipped, the glow of the ceiling lights reflecting off his bottom lip. The light streak of tears. Wondering, as Inigo's gaze brings Tidus's to rise and meets his, why he's being so subtle; but he understands that it's probably for him. Maybe a little too careful, or maybe...

But if there's an embarrassment, or hesitation -- Tidus searches for either, but neither find a place in him. He doesn't want to leave here, and there's nowhere else for Inigo to be when the second available lower bed isn't a bed at all. What shame does he have? None of the same he did that time, when Inigo propositioned him before. His hands retract, slipping down the length of Inigo's arms and down to rest somewhere again near his thigh; the light tug exposing through the slit of the other guy's shirt his collarbone, the bob of his adam's apple.

"...It's fine," he reassures; not exactly sure how to, but for that uncertainty, "no one'll be back for a while."

He spares a glance at the bed, making sure of no belongings in the way. The supplies he has in his Arms Band if they'll need any of it, if they go on for too long.

He nods down at Inigo's legs, "You wanna take off-?", indicating to his shoes, and the rest. Slipping his own weight more onto the bed, knowing - if they were doing it like last time - Inigo would want him from behind.

[flatteries]

For a second he's quiet. Maybe slightly startled into that quiet with the relative ease of Tidus's reaction. He remembers that Tidus tends to be more difficult about these things than Inigo himself, after all, too unused to this sort of thing with men, but somehow it makes all of this more touching. That Tidus is willing to go for it with him so easily, and it makes fondness rise in Inigo's eyes.

".. thank you, Tidus." The words are said so softly, but so genuine. There's so much quiet gratitude in them, as if Tidus is saving his life over here rather than just agreeing to Inigo's whim. It's just.. there's nothing he can think of that he'd want more right now than just being that close with Tidus, practically connected with him. Nothing else could even try to fill up the hole.

He moves to indeed take off his shoes, kicking them off without much of a care where next to the bed they'll land, before lying down on the bed with his back towards Tidus.

"It's fine like this, right..?"

Just like how they did it last time.

[blitzcheer]

If it were any other time, Tidus would want to chide Inigo over being so delicate about this, speaking about it like it wasn't just a hug. A pretty close hug, sure, but- there's really no need to make it more weird, is there?

But Tidus doesn't. He keeps what small discomfort the thanks gives him to himself, settling himself down on the bed, his back to the wall. One way or another, he wanted to return to this anyway; resting in bed, not pretending to have an interest in being up and ready for anything else. Even if it's with Inigo slipping himself into the mould of his body, or close, then-

...it's fine. or maybe it isn't, but he remembers this sensation, this weight fixing itself in front of him, and he doesn't question as hard as he did the last time they did this, when he wraps his arm around Inigo's waist. A wider one than Yuna's, a different hair tickling his face.

"It's fine," Tidus answers quietly, just to give Inigo a response. Not wanting to think about anything than the longing in his limbs and fulfilling it. Because he and Yuna used to lay like this all the time- reading, chatting, doing nothing but being with each other.

He tugs Inigo in closer to him, tucks himself in the same, without a word before or once it's done. His nose settled in his hair, and his lips sealed. Eyes closed to a different memory, another time.

[flatteries]

Usually Inigo would hate this. Lying around, doing nothing. He's so used to being active, to working all the time. He's not good at getting very restful sleep, because he startles awake so easy - an old bad habit from having to be on the constant lookout for Risen, from never being safe. And even when he doesn't sleep, Inigo knows that lying awake in bed just brings all his worries and bad thoughts straight to the forefront of his mind. It's never any good.

But.. like this, it's not so bad. This may just be the only thing that could make it comfortable to him. He knows he never rests as well unless there's someone next to him, like just the warmth of a body is enough to soothe his brain a bit. Like just the arm around his waist is enough to reassure him. That maybe it's okay, if not just for a few moments. That he should just stop thinking. Stop making himself miserable.

The world is hard, and full of pain and disappointment.

But he's not all alone in it.

It makes it easier for his mind to go well and truly blank as he's lying there. For the first time in what feels like a long while now.

A while passes. Inigo isn't even sure how long. Five minutes? Ten? Half an hour? It could have been a hunderd years and he'd believe it.

But it's only then that Inigo softly mumbles, ".. are you asleep, Tidus?"

[blitzcheer]

Like this, Tidus doesn't need anything else. With a body beside him and a familiarity, faint as it is, that he'll never get from the real source - Tidus sinks himself into it, lets nothing else come through. Not from him, at least. He listens out for Inigo, not about to ignore the other man; but he doesn't have to exert any extra effort with him right there, ready to hear anything he needs.

But being this content, and with a body easy to fall into slumber with the spirits he's been in lately -- Tidus succumbs, nothing but the sounds of his breathing an answer to Inigo.

[flatteries]

He doesn’t even have to wait long. As Inigo hears that breathing, he already knows that Tidus is no longer among the conscious right now.

But he doesn’t mind. Inigo just smiles, glad that Tidus is able to find some rest - and this kind of rest, not the kind where he’s lying in bed all by myself, maybe with a bunch of snacks at best to keep himself company. Inigo’s hands move to rest on top of the arm that’s still wrapped around him.

And he closes his eyes, still with that same smile on his face. Knowing that soon enough he’ll drift off into the same sleep, also comforted by the pressure behind him, that arm around him. (Though Inigo is very much thinking about Tidus and no one else, just comforted by the thought that despite the circumstances, he isn’t alone.)