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[lost_and_foundry]

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@deathtochronos [three days after his death]

[guidingnight]

Good morrow, Master Barcus. I assume you have been successfully returned to the land of the living?

Voice, @brilliantretort

[lost_and_foundry]

I

I'm here, yes. [Not the most promising start, perhaps, but he's a little rattled still and the question doesn't help much.]

[guidingnight]

( Talking to Melinoë may not help entirely. )

You do not sound well.

[lost_and_foundry]

You didn't ask if I was well, you asked if I was alive. I am, indeed, alive.

[There we go, that's more like his usual.]

And you? Are you well? Is...is this about Gadriel? Is he back?

[guidingnight]

I was not aware I needed to specify.

I am fine, and yes. He is concerned for you, and worries you may be upset with him.

[lost_and_foundry]

I'm a gnome. Always specify. [But that's less important right now than hearing about Gadriel.]

Gods, I'm glad he's back. I mean, I knew he wouldn't want--damn it, why would I be-- [There's a moment's pause while he catches his breath and collects his thoughts.]

I was more concerned he'd be upset with me, actually, since he more or less died trying to protect me. Perhaps we're both just idiots. Please tell him no I'm not upset but I insist on hugging him.

[guidingnight]

I cannot imagine why he would be upset. It was his choice to protect you, and he would do so again even if it meant his death.

Neither of you seem to be thinking rationally. I am giving him the device. You may tell him yourself.

[lost_and_foundry]

Well, I...have personal feelings on that matter, but that's my problem, not his. Or yours.

Thank you, dear. I appreciate your help bridging the gap.

[thecodexabides]

[Heard faintly] _{Melinoë, I do not need you to--}

[Welp, this is happening. ]

Archmagos.

I am.

Very sorry.

[lost_and_foundry]

Hello, Brother.

You have nothing to be sorry for. It was an honor to fight with you, and die with you, and I'd do it again. If anything, I wish I were a stronger fighter, but Melinoë is right, there's no point in regretting that now. [He'll just have to keep improving.]

I am going to hug you though, when I see you next.

[thecodexabides]

We both need to be stronger, for next time.

Because you were right, before. I do not think this is over.

[Then he dropped his voice so that if Melinoë is listening. It's not a secret, just something he thinks will understand more.]

Archmagos. My armor's machine spirit is content with me.

[lost_and_foundry]

[Honestly, the best possible thing Gadriel could have said to him right now. He wants to feel useful more than he wants to feel protected, and this sounds like tacit acceptance that regardless of his smallness and limited strength, Barcus will continue to fight, one way or another.]

Maybe...you could teach me a few things? I'm not going to be able to fight the way you do. I'm not sure anyone here could, but I can learn and improve.

[He smiles at the conspiratorial drop in Gadriel's voice, and it's audible when he answers:] I should hope so, after all that. I'm glad, Sergeant.

[thecodexabides]

We can figure out tactics that work with your abilities together. Some armors have an Iron Halo, which acts as a shield. You could practice using your _sorcery in such a manner.

[It's not heresy if it's whispered, shhhhhh.

Also yes! All it took was dying twice to get his machine spirit to speak to him again. ] If you would like, you can examine it again.

[lost_and_foundry]

Iron halo. You mean it sort of...hovers, and moves to shield you when and where the coverage is needed most? Dynamic protection. That could have made a tremendous difference. I wonder if I can--

[Sorry, Gadriel, Barcus' mind is suddenly firing on all cylinders. You might be able to hear him scrambling for paper to write on.]

Oh, I like that idea! [Scribble scribble.] If I could make shielding that could alter its internal structure to bear different sorts of stresses, that would be a huge benefit. If I can practice with magic, I can figure out how to do it without magic, eventually. Theoretically.

I'd like, yes. I mean, as long as it won't upset your machine spirit again.

[thecodexabides]

[Gadriel hears Barcus getting distracted, as he does. He could almost imagine the gnome reaching for a parchment and ink to sketch things out.]

Our Iron Halo is much simpler than that--it is just a half dome generated in front of the wearer. [But Barcus's idea sounded better.]

My armor would not refuse an Archmagos.

[lost_and_foundry]

Oh? Well, I'm sure that's effective too. Is it transparent? I can only imagine having your vision blocked during a battle would be a disaster...

[A little more scribbling, and then he puts his pen down.]

Can I come see you, then? I want to see you, with or-- [Wait wait, no; if he says with or without armor that sounds weird.]

--whether your armor is ready to chat with me or not. Just to see you're all right.

[thecodexabides]

The halo is transparent, and blue. It only lasts for a short time, though. [Like everything, it needs to recharge/cool down. If only the Mechanicus could innovate, they could have solved this by now and everyone would have shields instead of it being reserved for a handful of specialists.

[No need to worry about sounding weird, Barcus. It wasn't that long ago that Gadriel was suggesting you aromantically tie him up.]

I would like that. [Caution, you may get squished.]

> action

[lost_and_foundry]

That'll take some fancy engineering, but I look forward to the challenge. I'll see if some of the other artificers want to help, too. [Viktor, definitely. Percy maybe, if he can be trusted again.

Queerplatonic bondage remains on the table. Barcus won't be the one to bring it up, though, and besides, Gadriel might have a girlfriend who can offer non-platonic bondage now. If Melinoë isn't the toppy sort, Barcus would be very surprised.]

Right. I'll be there in a few minutes, then! [And you know what? He'll break out the leash and harness and bring Satchel along. She likes cuddles, too. And Elion.]

action

[thecodexabides]

I am sure you will create something better. Usable by everyone here. [Because some people are designed to run into combat face first without a helmet, and everyone else...isn't Gadriel.

[He has no idea what half those words mean because none of them are in the Codex Astartes. Maybe someone needs to have a kink intervention.

When they arrive, Gadriel is trying to towel off Elion, who got a little excited at everything happening and fell in the river trying to get fish. At least on the plus side, Satchel can have fresh fish?]

Re: action

[lost_and_foundry]

[Gadriel, you are far too kind. Barcus' little heart swells at the implicit trust, which is in no way misplaced, but it's still good to hear.

Barcus unhooks the leash from Satchel's harness when they arrive, laughing softly at the spectacle of Elion bundled in a towel. He can imagine several typical orange cat behaviors that could lead to this, so he doesn't bother to ask. Meanwhile, Satchel runs over like she wants to help straighten his fur. If allowed, she will certainly bathe his head.

Elion's, that is. Not Gadriel's. Although if he were close enough to the ground, he could probably get in on it.

Barcus isn't quite as fast in making a beeline for his friend as Satchel is, but he gets there a moment later and reaches to claim his hug. His voice is soft, whispered warmth:] I'm so glad to see you again, Sergeant.

[thecodexabides]

[Gadriel does bend down, to release Elion from the purrito configuration with some measure of dignity, but still not quite low enough for Satchel to reach.

Which was fine, because Elion didn't want to share the attention. He will try to return the favor, so a grooming duel is probably happening.

Gadriel does sit back on his heels in a kneel, because it was awkward to have a gnome hugging his knee. This was better, and he returned the hug in kind, but careful not to squish the Archmagos.] I am sorry I let you get injured. That was my failing.

[lost_and_foundry]

[Well, all right, if he's going to make himself more accessible, Barcus will just hop up and hug him around the neck. Which may result in Gadriel having to actually hold him up, but so be it.]

I was going to say I'm sorry for being a distraction. I think you could have handled them if you weren't trying to protect me instead of focusing on what you do best.

Maybe we can just...not be sorry? It happened, and it's over, and I'm grateful for the experience, and even more grateful you're back here with me.

[thecodexabides]

[It wasn't like Barcus was heavy, so bracing him with a hand between his shoulders wasn't exactly hard, and sort of what a hug was about.

But Barcus isn't allowed to blame himself. For any of it. ]

We will not be caught off guard next time. [He wasn't going to let the faction leaders give them next to no information about the enemy they fought again. And it sounds a little bit like a threat, becaues maybe it was.]

It is good to be back. And cleared of the corruption to my soul.

[lost_and_foundry]

[In the long term, Barcus is not in favor of threatening the faction leaders, but for the moment it seems pretty justified. Besides, who is he to argue when a giant friend is hugging him.]

I'm going to try to improve at melee combat. At least my armor held up well, until the end. I wish I could do an analysis on the points of failure but the pieces vanished.

[He holds on for a long moment, gives Gadriel an awkward but sincere kiss on the cheek (or jaw, or wherever he can reach), then lets go and slides back to the ground.]

I'm glad you're content. Maybe you really needed the battle.

[thecodexabides]

[Come on. Just a little threat. Around the edges. Nothing serious--perhaps he could throw a copy of the Codex Astartes through their windows so they would learn the importance of battlefield intel. It's for educational purposes.]

You do not need to. There are many combat specialties and not everyone has to fight close range. [Scipius, their sniper, stayed well away from most combat, picking off the worst of the enemies. Or. Now that he thought of Scipius....] Or you could work on camouflage. Invisibility.

[And he should probably shut up, because if the Archmagos started getting ideas he'd run back to his workshop and then this reunion would be over and he was enjoying it, leaning gently into the kiss on his cheek.]

It felt good to feel useful here. For a change. [He figured the Archmagos would understand that--the need to be useful, to contribute, to be part of something and not something apart. ]