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Don't forgive me too quickly. I near let her take my head off, despite it.
[He motions vaguely to the side of his face that's cut up — and the one injury that looks different from the others, vertical down his eye instead of across his cheek like the rest.]
But no. After I was pronounced "winner", and we had summarily failed the exam, they brought her back. They just didn't see fit to mend her hand while they were at it.
[He motions vaguely to the side of his face that's cut up — and the one injury that looks different from the others, vertical down his eye instead of across his cheek like the rest.]
But no. After I was pronounced "winner", and we had summarily failed the exam, they brought her back. They just didn't see fit to mend her hand while they were at it.
[WELL OKAY THEN guess who's in a real bad mood about mind control? If you said Thancred, you'd be right!
Ryn's choice where we're going post-trial but hopefully somewhere they can both like. Sit down for ten billion years. It's a shame the ice cream shop would probably leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth (pun intended) at this point because sulking over ice cream honestly sounds like a pretty decent way to spend an evening.]
Ryn's choice where we're going post-trial but hopefully somewhere they can both like. Sit down for ten billion years. It's a shame the ice cream shop would probably leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth (pun intended) at this point because sulking over ice cream honestly sounds like a pretty decent way to spend an evening.]
Edited (wrote execution when i meant to say trial oopsie doopsie) 2023-03-19 01:54 (UTC)
[it really does, doesn't it? so ryn is just taking them back to the home biome, where they can rest on a familiar bed again. he's tired. it's been a long day.
he's just curled up with thancred, an arm draped over him and face pressed into his chest as he mutters-]
...twice in a week is too much.
he's just curled up with thancred, an arm draped over him and face pressed into his chest as he mutters-]
...twice in a week is too much.
[It takes a while, and some coaxing, but kisses have a way of winning out in the end so eventually he just sighs and finally relaxes a whole...like, fraction.]
I know it wasn't easy for you, either.
[No one would find it easy to watch all of that, but especially not Ryn, considering.]
I'm sorry. It's been a hell of a few days on you.
I know it wasn't easy for you, either.
[No one would find it easy to watch all of that, but especially not Ryn, considering.]
I'm sorry. It's been a hell of a few days on you.
...Ryn. After all that, everything we just heard. I don't want to ask it, but I have to.
[Without thinking, he holds him a little tighter, gripping a bit more like he was doing at the trial.]
Do you know what you'll do, if someday I'm forced to hurt you?
[Without thinking, he holds him a little tighter, gripping a bit more like he was doing at the trial.]
Do you know what you'll do, if someday I'm forced to hurt you?
Thancred, I- don't ask me--
[...but, well. no one expected it to be lavi, for nameless. uriel for zagreus. and then today, where they don't know what happened. he's not looking at thancred, at first, a little distressed sound muffled against his shirt as his ears flatten.
he is thinking, though.]
...I don't know. What do you think I even could do? [a little helpless, there.] I can't fight you effectively. I've got a few things I could try, and I might, I just-- if you were genuinely trying to hurt me...
[ugh. another few moments of silence.]
Probably best if I don't tell you exactly what I'd do. But it'd kill you, wouldn't it, to wake up and realize you'd murdered me?
I'd fight back. Don't know if I'd win, but I would try.
[...but, well. no one expected it to be lavi, for nameless. uriel for zagreus. and then today, where they don't know what happened. he's not looking at thancred, at first, a little distressed sound muffled against his shirt as his ears flatten.
he is thinking, though.]
...I don't know. What do you think I even could do? [a little helpless, there.] I can't fight you effectively. I've got a few things I could try, and I might, I just-- if you were genuinely trying to hurt me...
[ugh. another few moments of silence.]
Probably best if I don't tell you exactly what I'd do. But it'd kill you, wouldn't it, to wake up and realize you'd murdered me?
I'd fight back. Don't know if I'd win, but I would try.
[He gathers him in, one hand coming up to hold the back of his head, curling around him as best he can like even now the instinct to shield him is strong. It makes it easier to murmur against his ear, quiet.]
If I try something against you, you need to take out my sight first. Cut them, throw something over my head, flash something bright in my eyes. Don't let me get close to you. If you think you're far enough away that you've got time to see an attack coming, you don't. You'll still be in range of the daggers if I throw them.
[He lets out a shaking breath. Draws another one in.]
If I'm hunting you, watch for cover I could use to hide in above you. I'll take high ground. My eyes first, then my legs. Fight dirty and hit me anywhere you know I'm wounded. Try to open enough wounds that I can't keep up with you, and collapse from the bloodloss. When I'm incapacitated, cut my wrists or my throat and run, and leave me to bleed out. All right?
If I try something against you, you need to take out my sight first. Cut them, throw something over my head, flash something bright in my eyes. Don't let me get close to you. If you think you're far enough away that you've got time to see an attack coming, you don't. You'll still be in range of the daggers if I throw them.
[He lets out a shaking breath. Draws another one in.]
If I'm hunting you, watch for cover I could use to hide in above you. I'll take high ground. My eyes first, then my legs. Fight dirty and hit me anywhere you know I'm wounded. Try to open enough wounds that I can't keep up with you, and collapse from the bloodloss. When I'm incapacitated, cut my wrists or my throat and run, and leave me to bleed out. All right?
No.
[soft, but no less emphatic for it. he's listening, he is, but.]
Thancred, I was a healer. Do you think I don't know enough about the body to make it quick, if I got you down first? I'm not leaving you to bleed out alone, shut your damned mouth.
[soft, but no less emphatic for it. he's listening, he is, but.]
Thancred, I was a healer. Do you think I don't know enough about the body to make it quick, if I got you down first? I'm not leaving you to bleed out alone, shut your damned mouth.
I don't want to know what you'd do. 'Tis better that I don't. But if I think too much about what I would do if I were out to harm you —
[Then, gods forbid, he'll have a plan. A ready-made plan just waiting in his mind for malevolence to come in and claim it.]
So long as you understand. You cannot let me get close to you. Don't get careless thinking that just because I'm on the ground, I'm no threat.
[Then, gods forbid, he'll have a plan. A ready-made plan just waiting in his mind for malevolence to come in and claim it.]
So long as you understand. You cannot let me get close to you. Don't get careless thinking that just because I'm on the ground, I'm no threat.
And I don't want you to have to lose me. But if we're at that point...then I'm already gone, Ryn. You've got to understand that. It won't be me.
[There's something twinging in his voice that suggests he's not really saying that for Ryn's benefit at all, but for himself.]
...Gods. I thought that nightmare was behind me.
[There's something twinging in his voice that suggests he's not really saying that for Ryn's benefit at all, but for himself.]
...Gods. I thought that nightmare was behind me.
...all right.
[he tilts his head into the touch, there. that's- it's the answer he wants, as much as he wants to live.]
I- lost myself, when I died. Still don't remember all of it-- maybe people died, maybe they didn't, but I don't...
Don't let me wake up and know it happened.
[he tilts his head into the touch, there. that's- it's the answer he wants, as much as he wants to live.]
I- lost myself, when I died. Still don't remember all of it-- maybe people died, maybe they didn't, but I don't...
Don't let me wake up and know it happened.
Shhh.
[It's a soothing noise, not a hushing one. Gods, if only there were a way to hold Ryn tight enough that the subconscious fears hanging over them could be forced to recede, even just a little distance — but there isn't.]
Tell me what you do remember...?
[It's a soothing noise, not a hushing one. Gods, if only there were a way to hold Ryn tight enough that the subconscious fears hanging over them could be forced to recede, even just a little distance — but there isn't.]
Tell me what you do remember...?
[if only there were, honestly. he'd do it in a heartbeat.
he's silent for a few moments.]
I've told you a bit about the Void. About the whispers. If you delve too deep, the things that you find there-- it's not about resisting, anymore. It isn't possible to.
I was... overconfident. I pushed too far, trying to draw more power from it, and what I touched was... [his ears flick, hard, as he shakes his head.] I got the power I was looking for, but it was too much. I wasn't myself when it killed me, I don't know if anyone tried to stop it, or if I lashed out at them, all I heard was-- it was only the voices.
he's silent for a few moments.]
I've told you a bit about the Void. About the whispers. If you delve too deep, the things that you find there-- it's not about resisting, anymore. It isn't possible to.
I was... overconfident. I pushed too far, trying to draw more power from it, and what I touched was... [his ears flick, hard, as he shakes his head.] I got the power I was looking for, but it was too much. I wasn't myself when it killed me, I don't know if anyone tried to stop it, or if I lashed out at them, all I heard was-- it was only the voices.
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