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[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer looks outright haggard as he appears on the feed. However, he at least has his normal form back.]

Master. Brother. I'm okay now.

[And then he shuts off the feet.]

Comments

I lost this tag. ;~;

[proteusmoon]

[ Cecil arches an eyebrow at him asking her if she's all right, but shakes her head. ]

I'm fine. Tired, but... I'm decent. Alive still. I should be asking you that.

it's okay

[puppy_lancer]

Pretty much the same here. Give me a couple of days and I'll be good as new.

[proteusmoon]

[ For a while, Cecil is quiet, accepting that as an answer, until she sits down on the bed, her hands gripping the edge lightly. It's difficult for her to decide right away how to phrase the things she wants to say, but after the experiment, she doesn't feel comfortable leaving them unsaid. ]

When you told me when we first met that you didn't think you lived up to the role of a knight, I told you that a knight lives for a cause, that a knight has a heart and protects those around him.

And when I told Diarmuid that I knew you, he explained to me that he thinks you often keep your pain buried deep.

I understand why this is preferable to sharing what hurts you, but more than that, I understand what happens when you do this too often. It will come out in some way.

[puppy_lancer]

[He shakes his head.]

Not if it goes away before it can come out. Time does heal all wounds, you know.

[proteusmoon]

And ignoring how you feel -- denying that you feel that way, even -- does that?

[puppy_lancer]

...It's worked so far.

[proteusmoon]

I don't believe you.

[ But even so, she smiles sadly. ]

It's never worked for me.

[ Maybe he's right. Maybe she just never gave herself time enough. Maybe she should try. ]

[puppy_lancer]

[There's a moment of silence, and then he shakes his head.]

It's hard, huh? Knowing you need to be strong for someone else.

[The second part goes unsaid: "When all you wanna do is curl up and cry."]

[proteusmoon]

...Harder than most initially expect.

[puppy_lancer]

That's why you don't have to be strong for me. You can just let me be strong for you.

[He smiles, but the smile is strained.]

[proteusmoon]

[ Likewise, Cecil's ensuing laughter is a bit hollow. ]

Unfortunately for you, that is not your choice to make. It's mine. I don't do this out of a sense of obligation--

[ Well, all right, that's not entirely true. ]

--but because it's what I want to do. You are my friend. I want to protect you. It does not matter to me if you can defend yourself. This is how I treat people I care for.

[puppy_lancer]

Then we really are stuck at a stalemate. I wanna protect you, you wanna protect me. Guess we can only wait and see who gives first.

[proteusmoon]

Have you met many women knights before?

[puppy_lancer]

Wouldn't call them knights, but woman warriors, sure. And then there's another woman knight here. She's a pretty regal person.

Why do you ask>

[proteusmoon]

Then it seems I've the greater experience here. Though you may have not known any other lady knights, I have had much experience in protecting young, reckless men.

[puppy_lancer]

[He laughs. The sound is a hysterical one.]

That's pretty convincing argument there, Lady knight. Then supposing I let you, what methods are you gonna use to protect me?

[proteusmoon]

[ Cecil sighs and makes a quiet thoughtful hum. Despite the implication of her words, she's very serious about this. ]

It depends on the decisions you make, but my strength is in sustaining damage in place of my friends.

[ As in, she literally uses her own body as a shield. ]

[puppy_lancer]

Then there's still not much you can do once the damage has already been sustained.

[proteusmoon]

I am not a proper white mage, no, but I learned to use healing magic enough so that I could do something in cases like that.

[puppy_lancer]

[He smirks.]

Maybe I can let you work just a little magic on me then.

[proteusmoon]

If you were close to death, I don't think you'd have a choice. Would you expect me to allow you to die?

[puppy_lancer]

Then the fact that I don't die easy should save you some work.

[proteusmoon]

[ Her expression turns a little skeptical at that, an eyebrow arching doubtfully. ]

...How often have you died here?

[puppy_lancer]

Oh, just a few times. More than seven.

[proteusmoon]

[ Just a few times, he says... ]

More than seven, Lancer? How long have you been here!

[ She's expecting him to say at least over two years. Less than that is rather worrying. ]