['Talen' would've had to have been blind, insensitive, and from before any of the hardships that he had lived through in order to miss the look that had been in his fellow Scion's eyes after the mess at the Praetorium.
He shuddered, remembering the devastating power of the Ultima spell and how close the Crystalborn free company had come to demise.
Saving Thancred had been a nice bonus, even if Terra still wasn't sure how it had happened. The major players in the Crystalborn had been the ones to do it, and he had felt the pull on his heart - on his Light - and the surge of it as the darkness that had been Lahabrea had been driven out, but he'd been so busy running once the explosions started that he hadn't had the time to think about how the deed had been done. The celebration afterwards had been nice, but the interruption that had been the roar of something very big had pushed all feelings of celebration out of the minds of those present.
But now that the Scions had returned to the Waking Sands, and things had calmed down somewhat, he could actually do something.
So, he hangs around the leisure area long enough for the rest of the Crystalborn to clear out, nursing a strong drink as he waits. When it's finally just him and a few other Scions, he puts his glass down, walks into the hallway, and spots the bard just outside of the solar.
Seems like this is about as good an opening as he's going to get. He gives the other man a small wave to get his attention.] Hey. Can we talk?
Ah, the multi-talented g- you know what, just look at the tag for the humor.
There were many things his wit could cover. Many were the moons and summers that he had charmed others with his words and lived carefree regardless of the responsibility he had taken upon himself. One must always find joy in ones work, lest ye become as tiring and boorish as plants in desert sands are scorched by the relentless sun.
Thunk.
Yet after many reassurances to their fellow Scions and he was alright, albeit more drained than he'd been on one of his many excursions entertaining a lady or two in the desert oasis that is Ul'dah, he found himself in the back once more, leaning back against the cool brick walls of their home with far too many thoughts going through his head at once for his liking. Thus, he was also lightly bopping his head against said brick and stone walls.
For how long had he...?
... Thunk.
No. No. Dwelling on it would not avail an answer. He had to rest, pull himself together again and recover as their Baldesian colleagues had suggested.
Thunk.
At least, until he heard footsteps approaching - and a familiar voice besides.]
Ah, Talen; the young multi-talented gladiator with a certain... penchant for finding oneself in yet another disturbance. [He manages a faint if not tired smirk.] For one who aided our brother and sister Scions in their bold endeavors? I believe I can spare a bell or two.
[That has only earned you a briefly raised eyebrow, crossed arms, and a small smile in return.] My best friends could tell you a few stories about how my luck runs.
[Which leads him to why he wanted to talk in the first place. He sighs, and quickly motions towards the seldom-visited store room.] Come on.
[While he knows that his own history with possession by figures like Ascians will come up inevitably, he doesn't want any of the other Scions or Crystalborn to hear thi- he especially doesn't want Ira or Naminè to know, even if he's sure that Naminè does, or could easily find out if she really wanted.]
[Well, good - that's what he was aiming for. At least in regards to the smile.]
Then I hope it is not as bad as the ones you have made since you arrived to Ul'dah.
[There may have been a tease back there, or a friendly jest. Who knows. Though he does stand up, briefly raising an eyebrow before shrugging it off and following. He was not the kind to presume (bullshit), though he had an inkling of an idea as to where this might be leading.]
[He said it without any kind of hesitiation--] Oh, it was worse back then.
[Once they're in the room, it takes all of Terra's self-control not to call Ends of the Earth and lock the door behind them. Instead, he just turns around to face Thancred, crosses his arms, and raises an eyebrow.] You know... I didn't think you would take the 'beating yourself up' stage of possession survivor's guilt quite so literally.
[If he hadn't walked out when he did, he would've needed to offer a Cure for that headache you were giving yourself, bro.]
[He shrugs it off, a waned version of his usual smirk crossing his lips. He was busted; there was no true way of getting around that here.]
A brief lapse of thought. You need not concern yourself, I assure you. [Though from Talen's words, he is certain he caught something in there that this adventurer had...some sort of experience in that.] As I mentioned to the others, I am on the mend... and I apologize for the grief I doubtless gave you and your younger comrades.
[Yeah, you're busted. There's no getting around it. Terra raises an eyebrow at the 'do not concern yourself', as if to say 'You really expect me to listen?'
He sighs and briefly nods, accepting the apology. But he's stuck on the comment before that...] Physically, maybe.
[A pause, before he continues.] You didn't sleep very well last night, did you.
[For something that is normally phrased as a question, that sounded a lot more like a statement.]
[Not that he could say he expected the man to believe him, but at least he made an effort to try and push away all thought of the... incident. However futile it was to do so.
Especially with being called out so blatantly. Was it truly so obvious?]
...
[His gaze drops slightly, before he looks right into Terra's as though trying to read where this came from further. There's one thing Thancred couldn't shake ever since he first pulled him aside, and that feeling of vulnerability - of being shaken to the core that he hid so well in front of the others... How did this man, who was usually not as talkative as the others, seem to know it so well?]
You sound as though you have experience in this matter. [Avoiding an answer of "yes" while simultaneous giving it away? Check.]
[To be fair, Thancred would likely be able to fool anyone that didn't know what symptoms to look for.] ...
[He briefly averts his gaze, takes a slow breath to steady himself, before he looks back up and gives Thancred a small, tired-looking smile.] Some. I was nineteen when mine took over.
[Another pause, another steadying breath, and then he continues.] When he was finally kicked out, I was thirty.
[Even after a little more than two years, he can't say that he's fully recovered; Terra doubts that something having all control ripped from you while your body is piloted by the mind of another is something can ever truly be recovered from. But, he's trying.]
Edited (rephrased things; changed up the dialog) 2014-04-10 04:46 (UTC)
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sunset_horizons2013-08-03 11:08 pm
Thancred, bro.
He shuddered, remembering the devastating power of the Ultima spell and how close the Crystalborn free company had come to demise.
Saving Thancred had been a nice bonus, even if Terra still wasn't sure how it had happened. The major players in the Crystalborn had been the ones to do it, and he had felt the pull on his heart - on his Light - and the surge of it as the darkness that had been Lahabrea had been driven out, but he'd been so busy running once the explosions started that he hadn't had the time to think about how the deed had been done. The celebration afterwards had been nice, but the interruption that had been the roar of something very big had pushed all feelings of celebration out of the minds of those present.
But now that the Scions had returned to the Waking Sands, and things had calmed down somewhat, he could actually do something.
So, he hangs around the leisure area long enough for the rest of the Crystalborn to clear out, nursing a strong drink as he waits. When it's finally just him and a few other Scions, he puts his glass down, walks into the hallway, and spots the bard just outside of the solar.
Seems like this is about as good an opening as he's going to get. He gives the other man a small wave to get his attention.] Hey. Can we talk?
Ah, the multi-talented g- you know what, just look at the tag for the humor.
There were many things his wit could cover. Many were the moons and summers that he had charmed others with his words and lived carefree regardless of the responsibility he had taken upon himself. One must always find joy in ones work, lest ye become as tiring and boorish as plants in desert sands are scorched by the relentless sun.
Thunk.
Yet after many reassurances to their fellow Scions and he was alright, albeit more drained than he'd been on one of his many excursions entertaining a lady or two in the desert oasis that is Ul'dah, he found himself in the back once more, leaning back against the cool brick walls of their home with far too many thoughts going through his head at once for his liking. Thus, he was also lightly bopping his head against said brick and stone walls.
For how long had he...?
... Thunk.
No. No. Dwelling on it would not avail an answer. He had to rest, pull himself together again and recover as their Baldesian colleagues had suggested.
Thunk.
At least, until he heard footsteps approaching - and a familiar voice besides.]
Ah, Talen; the young multi-talented gladiator with a certain... penchant for finding oneself in yet another disturbance. [He manages a faint if not tired smirk.] For one who aided our brother and sister Scions in their bold endeavors? I believe I can spare a bell or two.
no subject
[Which leads him to why he wanted to talk in the first place. He sighs, and quickly motions towards the seldom-visited store room.] Come on.
[While he knows that his own history with possession by figures like Ascians will come up inevitably, he doesn't want any of the other Scions or Crystalborn to hear thi- he especially doesn't want Ira or Naminè to know, even if he's sure that Naminè does, or could easily find out if she really wanted.]
no subject
Then I hope it is not as bad as the ones you have made since you arrived to Ul'dah.
[There may have been a tease back there, or a friendly jest. Who knows. Though he does stand up, briefly raising an eyebrow before shrugging it off and following. He was not the kind to presume (bullshit), though he had an inkling of an idea as to where this might be leading.]
As you will.
no subject
[Once they're in the room, it takes all of Terra's self-control not to call Ends of the Earth and lock the door behind them. Instead, he just turns around to face Thancred, crosses his arms, and raises an eyebrow.] You know... I didn't think you would take the 'beating yourself up' stage of possession survivor's guilt quite so literally.
[If he hadn't walked out when he did, he would've needed to offer a Cure for that headache you were giving yourself, bro.]
no subject
[He shrugs it off, a waned version of his usual smirk crossing his lips. He was busted; there was no true way of getting around that here.]
A brief lapse of thought. You need not concern yourself, I assure you. [Though from Talen's words, he is certain he caught something in there that this adventurer had...some sort of experience in that.] As I mentioned to the others, I am on the mend... and I apologize for the grief I doubtless gave you and your younger comrades.
no subject
He sighs and briefly nods, accepting the apology. But he's stuck on the comment before that...] Physically, maybe.
[A pause, before he continues.] You didn't sleep very well last night, did you.
[For something that is normally phrased as a question, that sounded a lot more like a statement.]
no subject
Especially with being called out so blatantly. Was it truly so obvious?]
...
[His gaze drops slightly, before he looks right into Terra's as though trying to read where this came from further. There's one thing Thancred couldn't shake ever since he first pulled him aside, and that feeling of vulnerability - of being shaken to the core that he hid so well in front of the others... How did this man, who was usually not as talkative as the others, seem to know it so well?]
You sound as though you have experience in this matter. [Avoiding an answer of "yes" while simultaneous giving it away? Check.]
no subject
[He briefly averts his gaze, takes a slow breath to steady himself, before he looks back up and gives Thancred a small, tired-looking smile.] Some. I was nineteen when mine took over.
[Another pause, another steadying breath, and then he continues.] When he was finally kicked out, I was thirty.
[Even after a little more than two years, he can't say that he's fully recovered; Terra doubts that something having all control ripped from you while your body is piloted by the mind of another is something can ever truly be recovered from. But, he's trying.]