i'm too tired for titles

[twohares]

[ This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.


By all accounts, he should be one of the last people going to war over the throne. And, well, in a way, he was. They were both last picks. Two far flung lines with just about as much legitimacy as far as the people, their extended family, and the nobility were concerned.


He should have just sulked off to Raine’s country. Even being lesser nobility would be better than this.


Staggering away from the battlefield, he held his wounded side in his hand. The blood had already soaked into his glove enough to make it look less like linen and more like tissue paper. He wasn’t even sure where he was going after a point. It was just forest and trees and forest and trees - and then there was a break in the ground.


Genis blinked, looking at the darkened den that was probably a bear’s once, before carefully approaching and slipping in. At least if he died in there, it would be a little less shameful.


A little.


Until he realized there was someone else already in there, white uniform shining in the darkness. ]

Comments

[gokouun]

[He wasn't sure how much time had passed. It felt like hours but it probably was only a few measly minutes. But he knew he was beyond having any shame for himself. There may have been a moment where he kind of laughed. Perhaps that was the realisation settling in. Monoyoshi was very much alone after his horse had been taken down. He abandoned his companion. He couldn't really forgive himself for that. He wasn't able to save him-

And those sort of thoughts had preoccupied his mind for the past however long he had found his current hiding place. Perhaps, had it been a different situation, he would have been pleased that no one had yet to stumble upon him. But that was also a damn shame. He was going to be completely alone here. He was going to die alone.

Monoyoshi was laying on his back in the dirt with his eyes closed as though it would make the pain in his back go away. He could imagine it away. But that wasn't enough to cope with what was happening. He grunted and forced himself to sit up, panic coming over him. That's right. He was going to die here. He couldn't forget that. He gritted his teeth together, hand pressed to the ground, just trying to focus on... something else.

There was another wave of panic sent through him when he realised something, no- someone -was looking right at him. How did he miss this happening? He really had to have spaced out. No, wait, it was good. He was no longer alone even if it was a dark uniform to greet him. He squinted only to see upon further inspection that the other person was definitely not in the best shape and he would try to get up to his feet.]

[twohares]

[ Genis audibly gasped as the other man sat up. Like a bucket of ice water to the face, it hit him that he would have a slightly better chance if he found a bear curled up in the den instead.

His hand clutched the crumbling wall as he weighed out his options. He could run and take his chances on the field, or he could pull out his sword and hope he was the faster draw out of the two of them.

The burning in his side protested against both of them, leaving him silently staring at the other man until his knees buckled beneath him and his back slid down against the wall.

If he said something, it'd be obvious that he was terrified, more so than his trembling and wide, crazed eyes already showed. But maybe if he stayed quiet and looked like he was meant to be there, the fake confidence will throw the other man off enough not to try anything.

It was the only thing Genis could do. ]

[gokouun]

Ah!

[Somehow, a noise came out of him. There was something fueling him that was more than fear for himself. He was able to use his feet and carry himself across the den but it wasn't without him stumbling. But he urged himself to continue on another couple of steps.

He let out a gasp when he finally tripped over his own feet and landed on his knees beside the stranger. Monoyoshi forced himself to sit up as it definitely hurt his back more to slouch. Now they were closer, he was able to see that the uniform definitely wasn't as navy as he had seen them in the beginning.

A trembling hand was extended in the stranger's direction only to drop it a moment after.]

No, you...

[He brought his hands up to his shirt and began to unbutton his shirt. It was slashed through the back but it was something. Monoyoshi winced when he managed to get the shirt off. His thoughts were almost concerned by the stinging and he faltered but-]

I... Please, I...

[Leaning in closer to the other soldier to try to get a sleeve around him only to pause.]

I... I had a bag. If I go get it, we can... We can fix you up.

[twohares]

[ Genis's body grew tenser and his eyes turned colder as the enemy soldier neared him, but while his tension never eased, it was hard to keep looking at him so frigidly when he was falling over his own feet.

Even more so when his intentions became clear.

Genis shook his head, his clean hand reaching out to rest over the other man's. ]

You don't need to do that. I'm fine, really. I'm just a little tired...

[ Yeah, and if I sleep here, I won't wake up! ]

Besides, you need that... You're the one that really needs to be "fixed up" here.

[gokouun]

[Ah, with feeling that hand over his own, he was able to muster a smile. The stranger was an enemy but they definitely were empathetic. Or they valued their own life to play along.

If we dawdle, there'll be no one to fix up.

[He would end up abandoning his own shirt as he forced himself up to his feet. Force himself up to his feet. His brain and body weren't quite cooperating the way they normally did, that was for sure, and there was a delay before his body began to shake to start working that out.]

My horse... If he's still out there where he was struck down... My bag should still be there.