[ it's about the same for rondo - he looks exhausted, even now, but the tiny smile he gives her in return is genuine. it's sad, and tiny, but it's there. a flicker in the darkness, a candelight.
he comes and sits beside her, then, spreading his cape out behind him. ]
... I wanted to ask you a favor. It's something... it's very small.
[ he feels around in his pockets... and pulls out a little hairbrush! ]
I find that... when things are bad, doing something repetitive is really good for me. Usually, for me, it's my sword positions, but...
[ he bites his lip, and gives her a little smile. ] I was wondering if maybe you could help me with my hair. I... want to put the ribbon in it, but... I'm not very good at this kind of thing.
[ so something mindless. something small. even if he has about a hundred questions, maybe... maybe a few minutes of normalcy is just enough. to be able to help someone is one of the things that always helps rondo when he's hurting, no matter how stupid the task is, too. it means he'll be facing away. it means a tiny chance to help. i want to help alleviate suffering, in whatever way i can. ]
[ oh. this is a sweet gesture. she takes a small breath, as if to setting some of her feelings. she closes her eyes before she opens her eyes again. when she smiles, there's a little more feeling to it than there was before. ]
Of course. I'd be glad to. A braid, or something simpler?
[ they are both still suffering, but this may help them both, bit by bit. ]
I don't mind talking although you'll have to pardon me if I have fewer words to share tonight.
[ good - good. he softens a little bit too, and that exhale of tension is shared. relief, as tiny as it is, glad that she accepted it and glad for the chance to do something. for all that robin has shown him, all the kindness and warmth, it's something. ]
Anything you'd like, though... I warn you, it is not very cooperative.
[ when i say his hair sticks up at fourteen thousand angles this is not a exaggeration. the top part of it is? short? for some reason? and then instead of real long hair he just has like. a mullet. it's a mullet. nightmare zone.
and as for the second part, rondo shakes his head, and moves to come sit in front of her, settling into place and handing her the hairbrush. ]
I hardly mind. Even just spending time in your company is nice, Miss Robin. After everything, it's nice to have a bit of respite.
If only we could all have a longer respite from this cycle.
[ but okay, she will try to sort out his hair. his mullet. she focuses on brushing it through before she starts braiding it. she french braids what's long and threads the ribbon through the braid since he already has a hair tie for the end. her fingers combing through his hair will be slow but sure. ]
he seems to settle in as she does, too, letting his own thoughts sort of float around in his head - they're all over the place, but it's grounding. it's nice. every time she brushes a curl it tends to like, sproing back up to place? this is braiding hard mode.
still, it seems like he's used to it, so he's still and has no complaints, for how much or how little she tugs as she works. ]
If only. [ quiet agreement, there. ] We've been working towards it, but so often, it feels like treading water. And... today was difficult, to say the very least.
[ slow and steady wins this race. his wayward curls may not all be tamed, but they will be tamed enough to make this braid work. maybe it won't be as pretty and pristine and robin usually presents herself, but it's steady work with her hands. ]
I think you did well today, Rondo, for how difficult it ended up being for us. You did all you could.
[ she closes her eyes, and her hands still in his hair for a second. ]
[ he takes a deep breath when her hands still, but it's just to - process the emotions of it all, of an extraordinarily long day. an extraordinarily long weekend. the emotions of loss and grief that ripple through their numbers week after week never ebb for a moment. and robin...
... he bites his lip. ]
You are too kind. [ first. you did all you could has been his life story, lately. and that's fine. it's what it has to be. as for caelus... ] I... [ ... ] ... it was his reaction to Marina's note that tipped me off. I just... I'm glad that we found him. If nothing else, we found him.
[ it's like he said last night. that person must have been suffering. ]
I'd do anything to find a way to cure the possession instead of... you know.
... There were a lot of tells, I think. I've never known him to be able to hide much.
[ the trailblazer has been talking about the stellaron inside him to more people than she thought he would, and that's information that should be contained, as contained as the stellaron inside him.
she's always seen him be such a straightforward person. ]
[ how straightforward he is. he and rondo have that in common - they were both stupid, eager puppies, and that's what made this even harder to take.
his shoulders slump a little, though he's careful not to bow his head. ]
It's... the way that the monster twists people into things they are not, is - it's one of the hardest parts of it all. The conversations I've had with those we've captured on Saturdays have stuck with me in ways that I don't think will ever leave me.
It makes you think, if that is the darkest part of them or if it's no part of them at all. If the monster influences or if it's something separate. It's difficult speaking with them, but... most times, I've seen them come back and seen how they still remain, so even if I have to steel myself to see them go, at least I know they aren't completely lost in all the ways that matter.
[ and tomorrow, when caelus comes to himself long enough, he'll beg - i don't want to die, and it'll be heart-shattering. but it's likely unsurprising that they're on the same page, isn't it? two sides of the same coin. light and harmony. ]
I wasn't... I wasn't able to get much out of Caelus, today - the real him. [ maybe it was because of who he attacked. the monster seemed to enjoy that, trying to get a rise out of rondo in every way possible, but he very minutely shakes his head to clear it, as to not disturb her hands, slow or otherwise.
sincerely, ] I... I hope you had better luck, Miss Robin.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I won't turn you away.
no subject
he comes and sits beside her, then, spreading his cape out behind him. ]
... I wanted to ask you a favor. It's something... it's very small.
no subject
p she doesn't know what favors or wishes she can grant right now, but she's always willing to listen. ]
no subject
I find that... when things are bad, doing something repetitive is really good for me. Usually, for me, it's my sword positions, but...
[ he bites his lip, and gives her a little smile. ] I was wondering if maybe you could help me with my hair. I... want to put the ribbon in it, but... I'm not very good at this kind of thing.
[ so something mindless. something small. even if he has about a hundred questions, maybe... maybe a few minutes of normalcy is just enough. to be able to help someone is one of the things that always helps rondo when he's hurting, no matter how stupid the task is, too. it means he'll be facing away. it means a tiny chance to help. i want to help alleviate suffering, in whatever way i can. ]
We can talk, or... we don't have to.
no subject
Of course. I'd be glad to. A braid, or something simpler?
[ they are both still suffering, but this may help them both, bit by bit. ]
I don't mind talking although you'll have to pardon me if I have fewer words to share tonight.
no subject
Anything you'd like, though... I warn you, it is not very cooperative.
[ when i say his hair sticks up at fourteen thousand angles this is not a exaggeration. the top part of it is? short? for some reason? and then instead of real long hair he just has like. a mullet. it's a mullet. nightmare zone.
and as for the second part, rondo shakes his head, and moves to come sit in front of her, settling into place and handing her the hairbrush. ]
I hardly mind. Even just spending time in your company is nice, Miss Robin. After everything, it's nice to have a bit of respite.
no subject
[ but okay, she will try to sort out his hair. his mullet. she focuses on brushing it through before she starts braiding it. she french braids what's long and threads the ribbon through the braid since he already has a hair tie for the end. her fingers combing through his hair will be slow but sure. ]
I've always enjoyed your company, too.
no subject
he seems to settle in as she does, too, letting his own thoughts sort of float around in his head - they're all over the place, but it's grounding. it's nice. every time she brushes a curl it tends to like, sproing back up to place? this is braiding hard mode.
still, it seems like he's used to it, so he's still and has no complaints, for how much or how little she tugs as she works. ]
If only. [ quiet agreement, there. ] We've been working towards it, but so often, it feels like treading water. And... today was difficult, to say the very least.
[ ... ]
I'm sorry, about Caelus.
no subject
I think you did well today, Rondo, for how difficult it ended up being for us. You did all you could.
[ she closes her eyes, and her hands still in his hair for a second. ]
I'm sorry about him, too.
no subject
... he bites his lip. ]
You are too kind. [ first. you did all you could has been his life story, lately. and that's fine. it's what it has to be. as for caelus... ] I... [ ... ] ... it was his reaction to Marina's note that tipped me off. I just... I'm glad that we found him. If nothing else, we found him.
[ it's like he said last night. that person must have been suffering. ]
I'd do anything to find a way to cure the possession instead of... you know.
no subject
[ the trailblazer has been talking about the stellaron inside him to more people than she thought he would, and that's information that should be contained, as contained as the stellaron inside him.
she's always seen him be such a straightforward person. ]
I wish there any other way other than death.
no subject
[ how straightforward he is. he and rondo have that in common - they were both stupid, eager puppies, and that's what made this even harder to take.
his shoulders slump a little, though he's careful not to bow his head. ]
It's... the way that the monster twists people into things they are not, is - it's one of the hardest parts of it all. The conversations I've had with those we've captured on Saturdays have stuck with me in ways that I don't think will ever leave me.
no subject
It makes you think, if that is the darkest part of them or if it's no part of them at all. If the monster influences or if it's something separate. It's difficult speaking with them, but... most times, I've seen them come back and seen how they still remain, so even if I have to steel myself to see them go, at least I know they aren't completely lost in all the ways that matter.
no subject
...I feel the same.
[ and tomorrow, when caelus comes to himself long enough, he'll beg - i don't want to die, and it'll be heart-shattering. but it's likely unsurprising that they're on the same page, isn't it? two sides of the same coin. light and harmony. ]
I wasn't... I wasn't able to get much out of Caelus, today - the real him. [ maybe it was because of who he attacked. the monster seemed to enjoy that, trying to get a rise out of rondo in every way possible, but he very minutely shakes his head to clear it, as to not disturb her hands, slow or otherwise.
sincerely, ] I... I hope you had better luck, Miss Robin.
no subject
[ before the monster took over. ]
He told me a couple things, how he wanted Mr. Kanda to visit the swamp.
[ it wasn't as impossible a request as he expected, they'll see tomorrow. she keeps it on the lighter side, as she finishes his braid off. ]