He never really did it back home. If you guys got that lucky with him to make actual progress, then we really can't afford for him to take three steps back from someone else's idiotic mistake.
...
[A beat, before his voice softens.]
Hey. You look pretty exhausted. I can walk back to the camp with you, if you want.
We'll take our time, then. [It's said gently, even if he can't help but look over her with concern. She really didn't look all that well...]
Don't blame yourself over Asch. If he decided to open up with you at all, I'd think that means he considers you someone that he wants to believe won't hurt him. So whatever you're doing, intentional or not, is something he approves.
[ despite how she looks, she does, in fact, smile at that last bit. ]
I hope so. [ she wonders, sometimes, what the mighty nein would say if they could see the people she's connected with, here. she wonders if they'd believe how close she's gotten with some of them. slow sigh, as she brings her wrist up to press against her stomach. the heat helps, a bit. ]
I misjudged him, like everybody does. Every time I saw him in the House we fought, verbally and physically, but. We woke up here, and I don't know. It's different. I'm just seeing past the walls he puts up, I guess.
Misjudging him is normal, unfortunately. I wouldn't be surprised if that's a deliberate choice on his part. [If it sounds like he's going to expand on that, well, he isn't.]
Hopefully, this will be a chance for him to learn that vulnerability isn't as dangerous as he's made it out to be, you know? Easier said than done, but...
If it's any consolation, Beau, he's definitely different than the Asch I last knew. So you guys are doing something right.
[ she kicks at the dirt as she walks. and regrets it. hrgh. ]
He's not gonna fucking learn vulnerability isn't dangerous if people keep fucking with him like this. [ she says, annoyed. ] People thinking it's funny to upset him like that doesn't fucking sit well with me. It's one thing to make fun of him, it's another to mind control his shit.
[ she presses her hand a little further into her stomach. ] ... I'm glad he's doing better, I just don't want him to backslide.
I tease him all the time, but that's just because I like to think I know when he's just spouting whatever he wants to gain some distance. This isn't teasing. Even if someone is using their power just for the sake of a task, that doesn't make it right.
I won't lie, I'm pretty sure he's going to be mortified. What he'll do beyond that, I don't know. But we'll deal with that after trial.
...
[A glance at her hand, then back at her. Beau, uh, you alright there buddy...]
[ she's definitely slowing down. she nods a little bit at that first bit, focused on just walking and then when he asks, she glances over at him. ]
... Yeah. Yeah, I'm - I'll be okay. I think I just overdid it in the hot springs. [ she got up really fast and nearly slipped a few times, her everything hurts. ] I'm not used to having to heal normally, I might. Need to sit.
Not much good to go full throttle when you don't have a healer around, right? [There's an empathetic to edge in how he says it. The lack of Seventh Fonists around in the last couple months has been kind of jarring, to say the least. It felt so ancient to not have access to normal medicine and healing.] Here. Let's get you seated, then. There should be something right up the path there. Don't push yourself.
[except they've got a long ways to go from here to the portal, and then from the portal to her cabin.
...
Eugh. He knows what he should probably offer, but his skin crawls just thinking about it.]
[ she's quiet until they make it to the seat up the path - when she does manage to find a place to sit, she just sinks down and breathes harshly through her nose a bit. she's not unused to pain, not at all, but after months of her worst aches and pains just being brushed away by jester's magic, she's really feeling it.
she probably should've stayed in her cabin, but she wanted to be nosy with the hot springs, so. here she is, eye closed, hair in her face. ]
[He'll stand guard over her, casting a look over his shoulder towards where they came from, then from where people had already left, and there's no one else in sight right now...
...
Yeah, the longer she sits here, the more he KNOWS he has to make up his mind. There's no way in hell he can just let her force herself to camp like this.
wheezes
His voice gets considerably more nervous.]
Hey...
Beau, I think it might be a bad idea to let you keep going like this. If you're up for it, I can-- [hrk]
No, no. I'm - I'm okay enough. [ for now. in fact, she's going to slowly pull herself to her feet. ] I've had worse, and it's not worth freaking you out over.
[ she's blunt and rude sometimes, but the thought of actively making someone deeply uncomfortable or afraid makes her want to die, a little. ]
[Aaaand she's up on her feet again. He cuts himself off with a sigh, hovering at an arm's length as usual.]
Hey, come on, pity's the last thing I want to hear right now. This is about you being safe, not what makes me uncomfortable or you needing to prove something.
I'm a servant, Beau. This is just kind of what I do in my nature. Besides, I told you before, didn't I? You're a decent person. I wouldn't just leave you behind if I could help it.
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...
[A beat, before his voice softens.]
Hey. You look pretty exhausted. I can walk back to the camp with you, if you want.
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... But. Yeah. I'd appreciate it, I'm... [ she's really, really tired. and in need of painkillers. her wrist is throbbing, it sucks. ]
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Don't blame yourself over Asch. If he decided to open up with you at all, I'd think that means he considers you someone that he wants to believe won't hurt him. So whatever you're doing, intentional or not, is something he approves.
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I hope so. [ she wonders, sometimes, what the mighty nein would say if they could see the people she's connected with, here. she wonders if they'd believe how close she's gotten with some of them. slow sigh, as she brings her wrist up to press against her stomach. the heat helps, a bit. ]
I misjudged him, like everybody does. Every time I saw him in the House we fought, verbally and physically, but. We woke up here, and I don't know. It's different. I'm just seeing past the walls he puts up, I guess.
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Hopefully, this will be a chance for him to learn that vulnerability isn't as dangerous as he's made it out to be, you know? Easier said than done, but...
If it's any consolation, Beau, he's definitely different than the Asch I last knew. So you guys are doing something right.
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He's not gonna fucking learn vulnerability isn't dangerous if people keep fucking with him like this. [ she says, annoyed. ] People thinking it's funny to upset him like that doesn't fucking sit well with me. It's one thing to make fun of him, it's another to mind control his shit.
[ she presses her hand a little further into her stomach. ] ... I'm glad he's doing better, I just don't want him to backslide.
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I tease him all the time, but that's just because I like to think I know when he's just spouting whatever he wants to gain some distance. This isn't teasing. Even if someone is using their power just for the sake of a task, that doesn't make it right.
I won't lie, I'm pretty sure he's going to be mortified. What he'll do beyond that, I don't know. But we'll deal with that after trial.
...
[A glance at her hand, then back at her. Beau, uh, you alright there buddy...]
Hey, are you sure you're going to be okay?
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... Yeah. Yeah, I'm - I'll be okay. I think I just overdid it in the hot springs. [ she got up really fast and nearly slipped a few times, her everything hurts. ] I'm not used to having to heal normally, I might. Need to sit.
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[except they've got a long ways to go from here to the portal, and then from the portal to her cabin.
...
Eugh. He knows what he should probably offer, but his skin crawls just thinking about it.]
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she probably should've stayed in her cabin, but she wanted to be nosy with the hot springs, so. here she is, eye closed, hair in her face. ]
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...
Yeah, the longer she sits here, the more he KNOWS he has to make up his mind. There's no way in hell he can just let her force herself to camp like this.
wheezes
His voice gets considerably more nervous.]
Hey...
Beau, I think it might be a bad idea to let you keep going like this. If you're up for it, I can-- [hrk]
...I can carry you.
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... You don't need to carry me, man, I can make it. [ she sounds hesitant. ] I don't wanna stress you out.
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I've been able to get myself through it before.
Besides, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened and I couldn't do anything.
...It's up to you, though.
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No, no. I'm - I'm okay enough. [ for now. in fact, she's going to slowly pull herself to her feet. ] I've had worse, and it's not worth freaking you out over.
[ she's blunt and rude sometimes, but the thought of actively making someone deeply uncomfortable or afraid makes her want to die, a little. ]
Let's go.
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[Aaaand she's up on her feet again. He cuts himself off with a sigh, hovering at an arm's length as usual.]
Hey, come on, pity's the last thing I want to hear right now. This is about you being safe, not what makes me uncomfortable or you needing to prove something.
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Pity's the last thing I want to hear right now. I can make it back to the camp. [ probably. ]
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[Oof. Okay, whatever. He'll just put his hands up in resignation, taking a step back. Fine, fine...]
I didn't mean it like that. Sorry. I'm just concerned about you. Can you blame me for wanting to make sure you stay in one piece?
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It's okay, I just... don't get why you'd be willing to make yourself uncomfortable in order to help me out.
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[There's a laugh, though it's tired.]
I'm a servant, Beau. This is just kind of what I do in my nature. Besides, I told you before, didn't I? You're a decent person. I wouldn't just leave you behind if I could help it.
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A servant, huh. I thought you were a noble.
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...]
Interesting guess. What makes you say that?
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Asch said something to you about a House Gardios needing an heir during trial. [ sniff. ] But you don't really act like one, I guess.
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You're sharp.
Both are right. I've been a servant most of my life, and my current situation leaves me doing pretty much the same thing most of the time.
But Asch is right. I'm under vassalge to His Majesty Emperor Peony the Ninth, as the current heir of the house of Count Gardios.
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You under vassalage willingly or unwillingly?
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Willingly.
You ask that like you're familiar with how it works. Not you first run-in with the noble crowd? [Is that fancy name not just for show after all?]
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