TOGETHER WE STAND—

[dipolar]

WHO? noctis fessus and hei dipolar.
WHAT? noctis is alive, lying to himself over and over finally paid off.
WHEN? gallipoli's final hours, on the last boat out of hell.
ANYTHING ELSE? warning for injury, alcoholism, man tears.

(he was ferried to this boat well long before the final evacuation, refusing to be carried on by stretchers only the near-dead should occupy. but below deck, where he's dry, safe, and surrounded by survivors, hei still feels like he's washed back up on the beaches of another hell.

it's a different kind. it comes to him by way of warm celebration when he wants nothing more than to huddle up alone and feed into his own nerve-wracking paranoias. wine's poured out into a cup and introduced to his hands while the naïve take his arms and hail him a hero, hurrying him in the direction of french soldiers who've been waiting to hear stories. stories of danger, grandeur, and feats no average man should be capable of. he wasn't meant to sing songs of successes with them, numbly sloshing drink onto the chest of his tattered uniform, a fact only noticed when he doesn't speak after being prompted to.

while he's met with some understanding — men with shell shock don't typically tell happy tales or speak much at all —, hei's quickly forgotten and left by the wayside.

they're all scrabbling to celebrate life, drink to their successes, honour the fallen with toasts and cheers. it's fine. hei understands. he can relate to the dozens of haunted men who've hunched over on themselves and intend to spend the night with their thoughts and thank god in their own way. there's no energy he can provide the festivities when his own failures weigh on him so heavily that he practically buckles under the gravity of them all.

throat tight, suddenly and overwhelmingly uncomfortable with every bump of arm and elbow, he turns to escape with a drop of his cup, letting it clatter. he wants to get topside so he can breathe in bitter air, searching the crowd for any available exit, managing to run into someone and catch himself.)

Move.