outdistanced | turbo heaven 🌼 chrono

[ godddd. it takes a second for him to lower his hands. another deep breath to try and steady himself and his emotions. it doesn't help. ]

Bullshit is what it is. But at least we know he didn't kill Zhongli, too.

[ laurence is still pissed off. everything that happened today - it hurts. two friends killed someone else - three, counting yves. one murdered in front of his eyes, the other forced to wait and become a spectacle tomorrow. he hates every second of it. ]

[ chrono's probably not helping at all. it's been a while since this level of burning fury has consumed him like this, and the adrenaline is letting it continue to blaze on fumes. his knuckles are scraped to bleeding. ]

That means someone else did. Someone still out there! At least if--

[ nope. he cuts himself off with a growl, hand rising to his head. that's too cruel to say, even this angry. ]

[ he doesn't have to say it - laurence understands. a lot of his anger is already beginning to melt into resignation, though, and just - grief. ]

I know, man. But it wouldn't have made it any easier.

[ ... ]

Your hands.

[ he's not sure he entirely agrees with that. maybe it would have been harder to discover more crimes perpetrated by the hands of someone he trusted, but is it not still hard to have to cope with the fact they're still dealing with a lack of information?

oh. he looks at the raw knuckles, frowns almost in confusion, then shrugs. ]

Can't even feel it. He deserved it, anyway.

[ boy how do you think he feels! being the one to have this stupid whistle and for what!! ]

Maybe he did, but Taair's going to worry.

[ he will not say that akihiko will get what he deserves tomorrow. but he's thinking it and he's not happy about that, either. ]

[ yeah!! hes angry for you too!!!!!! what the fuck did you do to deserve this!!!!!!!!!

and. yeah. he's also thinking that much darker aspect of deserving it too, and hates it just as much. ]

Taair's gonna worry anyway. [ ... ] Are you gonna stay with us?

[ ...he nods. ]

I think so. Yves said he's not going back to our room for a while, but... I don't know. It feels weird, right now.

...you can stay as long as you need. It's better to not be alone.

[ which he's immediately going to be terrible about ; ]

Before-- before heading back, I need to clear my head, go for a walk or. Something. [ the anger roils, barely restrained as he runs his thumb over his injured knuckles. ] Useless like this.

...No. No, you can't say "it's better to not be alone" and then do exactly that.

[ hey. ]

Wh- that's- I-I've gotta go find Jiaoqiu, at least. I'm not gonna be.

[ hit the nail on the head did he!!! ]

That's not what that sounded like.

[ shut up!!!!!!!!! ]

He did want to talk...!

I'm sure he did. If you want to go be alone - fine. Go. But you don't have to lie to me about it, or act like you don't need someone to care about you.

[ angy!! ]

I wasn't trying to--

[ ah. guilty, and a swoop of something very surprised. well, it dampens the angry for a moment, at least. he swallows, shoulders tensing. ]

Sorry. It's not what I meant, really. [ oof. ] Just don't wanna be like this all night. I won't be long.

...Doesn't matter.

[ brushing off the apology because he sucks and he's still frustrated and that's not helping either of them right now. ]

I'm not going to stop you.

[ just calling out a hypocrite for what he is (: ]

It does matter, Laurence.

[ ughh. he feels stupid, and rightfully cowed. it's happened a lot today! but that anger still has a firm hold.

he just kind of. pitches forward and rests his forehead on laurence's shoulder for a moment. ]

I... I don't want to be alone. But like this, it'll just be worse. I'll make it worse.

[ the sudden touch startles him. he'd kind of expected chrono to just leave, and now he doesn't know what to do. ]

Why is that the thing you're so confident about...

S'how it is.

[ get mad, do something stupid, make something worse. he doesn't want this to be any worse, especially. especially not for laurence, today.

he'll lift his head after a moment of quiet. ]

I really do need to see Jiaoqiu. There's some stuff he said... [ bristles. ] ...yeah. It won't be long.

I don't know what you mean.

[ sighs. he's frustrated and a little confused, but tired, and doesn't want to argue. it already feels like so much has fallen apart in the last nine hours or so. ]

I said I'm not stopping you.

[ if he wants to go, he can go. laurence is easy enough to find, anyway. ]

[ ...sighs as well. god all of this sucks so fucking bad. he should have gone first. ]

I'll talk about it, but not today.

[ this ain't about him

another pause. there's a tug of really, very much not wanting to go. ]

...it does matter, that you care. It's-- thanks. I'll see you later, okay?

[ it is kind of about him!! laurence just makes a noncommittal sound, agreeing. they can talk later, maybe. if they're up to it then.

there is a little thread of concern, but. friends have left after saying less. ]

Yeah. See you later.

turbo heaven 🌼 chrono

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