[ deeply worrying, but it's really sweet of her to apologize for it, anyway - rondo's heart lurches, achy and soft, and he nods as she comes closer, something steady and strong to lean against. his worry echoes like low tide. ebbing, and flowing. ]
You don't have to apologize. [ everyone's come back from these things messed up in the head, one way or another. rondo's own had been a set of pretty debilitating chest pains, but at least he hadn't lost anything - not like that. the idea scares him a little.
he squeezes her hand back, though, following her hand - if he stares at that gash long enough, he can think to himself. it's closed. it's not a cold forest in the middle of the fog, her face bashed in, it's not the bleeding mannequin in the mall, it's marina. alive and whole and well, for as well as she can be. ]
And - of course we can. If you need to lean on me, please do, okay? [ fussy! very, very fussy. he gives her hand one last squeeze, and with that, will start to pull her along towards the apartments, walking slow and steady as he just keeps looking, just keeps reassuring himself, maybe her, that she's okay on the long walk back. ]
I'm not so sure. You are both made of such resilience, of course you've made it back - and thank the Flame for it. [ his thumb rubs the side of her hand as he talks, gentle. ] I... you don't have to talk of it, unless you want to.
Edited (not the icon repeat) 2024-07-22 01:48 (UTC)
[ and she will actually lean against him. she feels a hell of a lot better, but she will likely have to Replace That Blood slowly but surely. she squeezes a bit whenever he looks to her, a quiet call-and-response as she walks alongside him. ]
I... I think talking about it might at least help me put some more of it together. I...
[ gently: ]
I think I heard my mother's voice...
[ she looks down where his hand holds hers, and squeezes it, her other just resting on his arm. she has to take her time to process it, and there's a moment where there's a brief scowl on her face that she almost tries to fight, like an internal debate with herself before she thunks her head gently on his shoulders. ] And I swear I heard yours, but I couldn't see you... and Laudna and Astarion... I think? I think I saw them too...
it brings back vin's panic the week before he died - she'd been miserably upset, blaming herself for his alternate self's death, and worry scatters across his emotions, a swoop of something deeply unhappy, too. it rankles him that this place continues to use him against the people he cares for something fierce.
his pace is slow and easy, steady. marina can lean on him as much as she wants. ]
... if it helps, I have been here the whole time. [ it's the same thing he told vin. nothing to be afraid of, in case some other version of himself showed up and died. he was right here. ] Miss Laudna and Mr. Astarion... they came back in a similar state as you did, so I imagine they were truly there.
[ he strokes the side of her hand with his thumb, gentle. ] But, it was just the four of you. So, anyone else you might have seen or heard was just an illusion.
[ including her mother, which just - breaks his heart into a thousand pieces. jeez. ]
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flameguard) wrote2024-06-10 03:29 pm
no subject
You don't have to apologize. [ everyone's come back from these things messed up in the head, one way or another. rondo's own had been a set of pretty debilitating chest pains, but at least he hadn't lost anything - not like that. the idea scares him a little.
he squeezes her hand back, though, following her hand - if he stares at that gash long enough, he can think to himself. it's closed. it's not a cold forest in the middle of the fog, her face bashed in, it's not the bleeding mannequin in the mall, it's marina. alive and whole and well, for as well as she can be. ]
And - of course we can. If you need to lean on me, please do, okay? [ fussy! very, very fussy. he gives her hand one last squeeze, and with that, will start to pull her along towards the apartments, walking slow and steady as he just keeps looking, just keeps reassuring himself, maybe her, that she's okay on the long walk back. ]
I'm not so sure. You are both made of such resilience, of course you've made it back - and thank the Flame for it. [ his thumb rubs the side of her hand as he talks, gentle. ] I... you don't have to talk of it, unless you want to.
no subject
I... I think talking about it might at least help me put some more of it together. I...
[ gently: ]
I think I heard my mother's voice...
[ she looks down where his hand holds hers, and squeezes it, her other just resting on his arm. she has to take her time to process it, and there's a moment where there's a brief scowl on her face that she almost tries to fight, like an internal debate with herself before she thunks her head gently on his shoulders. ] And I swear I heard yours, but I couldn't see you... and Laudna and Astarion... I think? I think I saw them too...
no subject
it brings back vin's panic the week before he died - she'd been miserably upset, blaming herself for his alternate self's death, and worry scatters across his emotions, a swoop of something deeply unhappy, too. it rankles him that this place continues to use him against the people he cares for something fierce.
his pace is slow and easy, steady. marina can lean on him as much as she wants. ]
... if it helps, I have been here the whole time. [ it's the same thing he told vin. nothing to be afraid of, in case some other version of himself showed up and died. he was right here. ] Miss Laudna and Mr. Astarion... they came back in a similar state as you did, so I imagine they were truly there.
[ he strokes the side of her hand with his thumb, gentle. ] But, it was just the four of you. So, anyone else you might have seen or heard was just an illusion.
[ including her mother, which just - breaks his heart into a thousand pieces. jeez. ]