["Don't pester the Divine Dragon while she's recovering" were Zephia's exact words, and under most circumstances, Griss would never disobey. But no one's even bothered to stop by and tell him if Alear's alright, so clearly he needs to go check on her himself.
It's just because it'd be real inconvenient if she died. Yeah, that's it.
So unfortunately for Alear, that's all it takes for Griss to literally come busting in, the door nearly bouncing off the opposite wall with the force he opens it.]
[...She just had to open her big mouth, didn't she. Griss will be treated to the sight of the active cringe that Alear makes when she hears that door slam, but she looks over to him and she's not as disgusted as she could be. Will she acknowledge that? No, but maybe it isn't so bad to see him.]
You know, most people knock first?
[...Okay, maybe that's being optimistic. But the sour look does dissipate at least a bit. Maybe she's happy to see him.]
...But yes, I'm still alive and well. I can't exactly spar with you in my state, though. [Still, Alear's expression quirks into a bit of a smile.] So, what does bring you here?
Still, Alear can't say she minds the company. Framme and Clanne are thankfully occupied and they've been the ones trying to insist on taking care of her, so it's nice to have a break from them. And Celine. Gods bless Celine...]
Yeah. I won't disagree with you there, at least. [Alear chuckles a bit, letting herself lean back a bit into the bed--she's got herself propped up on a couple pillows so she isn't just lying down, so it's at least comfortable.] Vander, Framme, and Clanne are doing everything in their power to make everything easier for me, and I appreciate it...
But it is nice to see a different face. [It's nice to see you is left unspoken, but Alear's brows knit into worry.] I hope Zephia didn't chew you out too badly...?
[It gets a shrug from him, which is not actually an answer?? Griss leaves it there for a moment before elaborating.]
If it'd been that bad, I wouldn't be here.
[He'll follow Zephia to hell and back and not a damn thing will stop him. So if she'd really been pissed at him, she would've used his loyalty against him. She did technically tell him not to bother Alear, but clearly she's not bothered, so it's fine!!]
She calmed down a bit when I explained what happened, anyway. Oh, and she's hoping you recover soon, too.
[Ah, that's good. Alear's worry seems to ease a bit, and she can't help but smile at that.]
Well, I'm glad it didn't come to that. [There's a small pause, before...] If I only had the people around who keep trying to dote on my every whim, I'm pretty sure I'd go insane.
[It's an admission she only says because it's him. Because he treats her with a sense of irreverence that she didn't know she's needed. Even having him here--he's not a bother to her. Sure, he's annoying, but he wouldn't exactly be Griss if he wasn't, right?]
Thank you. Both of you. It might be a little while longer, but as long as I don't push myself, we should be able to lay siege to Sombron soon. We'll put an end to everything he's done.
[...]
And after, maybe, I can repay you for saving my life. I do owe you for that, don't I?
[That admission gets a short, sharp laugh from him and Griss leans forward with a grin.]
Don't let the others catch you sayin' that. Next thing you know, they'll be tripping over themselves tryin' to act "casual" around you, O Divine One!
[It'll never happen, they all care so much about her as the Divine Dragon that they'd never be able to treat her casually. Still, hearing her come out and admit it so freely... maybe she's lonely up on that pillar they placed her.
But that's a thought for another time; Griss nods at her assertion - confronting Sombron's going to be harder on Zephia than it will be on him, but they're both ready.
It's the latter part that's more interesting right now and Griss laughs again.]
I'd call it even, since you spared mine, but now I'm curious. Thinkin' about leaving me some nice scars or something?
[While that would be his idea of a good time, he mostly says it just to get a reaction from her.]
Oh, I won't. And I know exactly who I'll need to look for if it slips out.
[Absolutely no one would listen to her anyway if she tried to decree that. It'd be awful. Awful!!
And despite the mock threat, Alear can't help but laugh at the next statement. There are many things that just never change. War, taxes, and Griss. She finds herself sitting up a bit, grinning a little coy.]
Didn't I promise you that I was going to beat you into the dirt at some point? It'd be pretty awful of me if I didn't follow through, yeah?
[Well, now he gets that eyeroll, but it seems more fond than anything??? It's fine.]
Don't get ahead of yourself, Griss. I'm paying off a debt and nothing more. But...I promise I will, yeah.
[And for a moment, Alear pauses at that. Lets the quiet settle over the room, and her brow seems to furrow a bit as she thinks. Griss will likely be able to see all of it, and when she looks to him next, her tone is serious.]
[Good, he's smugly satisfied with both the answer and the eyeroll and he's perfectly content to fall silent for a bit.
...Should he go? Maybe she needs some space. She is still healing, after all. But he doesn't want to leave, and now that he's said what he wanted to, he has no reason to stay.
Yet he remains anyway, watching her brow crease in concentration.]
Uh... no? Enlighten me?
[Unfortunately for her, Griss is still an idiot and not quite following.]
[She stops herself from adding onto that, but she says that with conviction. It's like a demand, an order she'd issue to attack, but there's determination in it.]
No matter what we face, no matter what comes next...I don't want you to die out there. I'm not going to ask you to stop protecting Zephia, or anything like that, but...I don't want you to be reckless in the coming battle. I want you to still be around when it's all over.
[The conviction stops there, and she hasn't stopped looking at him until now. She's not sure why those words feel like they've got her chest in a vicegrip, but she leans away from him and averts her gaze, suddenly just...very, very unsure.]
It probably says something about him that even though they're approaching their final battle, he hadn't even thought about the possibility of dying. Even though Alear very nearly died, he hadn't thought about what Sombron might do against her. Maybe he hasn't been taking this seriously. Or maybe he hasn't wanted to stop and think about it.
It probably says something else about him that he's left without words, for once. His chest is tight like he's unable to breathe, though there are no hands at his neck. That probably says something about him too, and he's not sure he wants to know what it is.]
War's unpredictable. By now, you've gotta know that better than anyone else.
But I can promise you that I've got no interest in dyin'. You owe me a fight, after all.
[...]
So... Be a little more careful, will you?
[He wants to ask her to stay safe. Maybe even to leave the fighting to all the people willing to put their lives on the line for the Divine One. But he knows that's not happening; it'd just be insulting to even ask that of her. She's going to be the one to put an end to Sombron, they both know it.
She'd better still be alive at the end, that's all.]
[She's said too much. That silence hangs in the air for far longer than Alear wants, and for a moment she wonders if she's gone too far. Too far where? Alear doesn't know, but the vicegrip on her chest grows tighter and tighter, and for a brief moment she wonders if her heart might burst. She doesn't know why. Was it something she said? She just wants him to be careful. That's all it is. That's all it has to be, right? It's nothing more...right?
When Griss finally speaks up, it does nothing to release the hold on her chest. It lightens, if only briefly, but the grip of something else replaces it. She's not sure what; she's not sure she wants to know what. But...]
I promise. [It comes out breathless when she says it.] I promise that I'll do everything I can to be careful. We're going to put an end to my Father's ambitions, and at the end of it all, we'll both be alive to tell the tale. I promise, I'll do everything I can to make it so.
[Alear's hand seems to move on it's own--she's not sure why, but she's become so used to reaching out to him. But this isn't a hand meant to pull him up, off of the ground where they both lay tired. This isn't the hand of an apology, before one's final breath.
Alear doesn't know why she reaches for one of Griss's hands, but she lays it atop of one of them, like a tangible promise. Her skin is going to positively burn later, in embarrassment; it's already starting to now. But...]
...Thank you, Griss. It means a lot more than I can express.
[Alear's hand finds his, and Griss isn't entirely sure when or why he decided to grasp her hand in return and refuse to let go, but here we are. His grip is tight, almost like he expects her to try to pull back.]
Hey, c'mon, no need to get sappy on me.
[He says, despite having her hand in a vicegrip...]
I know we'll make it through. You make me...
[want to see what the world will be like when this is over.
...Ugh, gross, that is way too saccharine of a sentiment and Griss makes a face.]
I'm not gonna let anything happen to me, so don't waste your time worrying, got it?
[Alear doesn't let go; she doesn't think she could even if she wanted to, but something about that gesture makes her heart jump to her throat. The unfinished sentence, everything about this--]
I won't. I'm going to look forward to the future, and to what will come of it. Because I know we're going to win.
[She should let go. She doesn't want to let go or move her hand, or do everything, despite the tension that feels like it's building. Towards what? Alear doesn't know, but...
...]
But...hey. Mind if I give something to you? Not a new scar or anything, but something else.
[Because there isn't any other option. Besides, no matter what Sombron throws at them, they'll rally around Alear. And they've got Zephia, so there's really no point in worrying him.
That seems to settle Griss a bit and his grip loosens on Alear's hand; she can pull away now if she wants.]
Can't imagine anything would be better than a new scar, but sure. If you wanna.
[Despite the laidback words, he does look curious.]
[Alear has always kept the Pact Ring close to her; she always does. She keeps it wrapped up and on her person, as a precious memory and something to share with others, should the day come. It's cultural significance isn't lost on her, but Alear wants to derive her own meaning from it.
And...
She doesn't know if she's found it, but she's found someone she wants to give it to. That's meaning enough, right?
She only pulls away to grab something out of her pocket; what she holds out to him is a wrapped up box. A little messily wrapped, but still enough to carefully secure it's contents.]
Now, you're not allowed to open this until we've won, okay? I'm gonna hold you to it. But...when we win, you can unwrap it and come talk to me. Does that sound fine to you?
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no subject
It's just because it'd be real inconvenient if she died. Yeah, that's it.
So unfortunately for Alear, that's all it takes for Griss to literally come busting in, the door nearly bouncing off the opposite wall with the force he opens it.]
Well, well, seems you're still kickin'.
[rip alear]
no subject
You know, most people knock first?
[...Okay, maybe that's being optimistic. But the sour look does dissipate at least a bit. Maybe she's happy to see him.]
...But yes, I'm still alive and well. I can't exactly spar with you in my state, though. [Still, Alear's expression quirks into a bit of a smile.] So, what does bring you here?
no subject
Figured as much. I'm just checkin' in.
[He says that, but he's pulled a chair over and sits down. He's got the chair backwards so he leans on the back of it before gesturing airily.]
And I figure you're bored with bein' cooped up in here. Might as well see a different face, yeah?
no subject
Still, Alear can't say she minds the company. Framme and Clanne are thankfully occupied and they've been the ones trying to insist on taking care of her, so it's nice to have a break from them. And Celine. Gods bless Celine...]
Yeah. I won't disagree with you there, at least. [Alear chuckles a bit, letting herself lean back a bit into the bed--she's got herself propped up on a couple pillows so she isn't just lying down, so it's at least comfortable.] Vander, Framme, and Clanne are doing everything in their power to make everything easier for me, and I appreciate it...
But it is nice to see a different face. [It's nice to see you is left unspoken, but Alear's brows knit into worry.] I hope Zephia didn't chew you out too badly...?
no subject
[It gets a shrug from him, which is not actually an answer?? Griss leaves it there for a moment before elaborating.]
If it'd been that bad, I wouldn't be here.
[He'll follow Zephia to hell and back and not a damn thing will stop him. So if she'd really been pissed at him, she would've used his loyalty against him. She did technically tell him not to bother Alear, but clearly she's not bothered, so it's fine!!]
She calmed down a bit when I explained what happened, anyway. Oh, and she's hoping you recover soon, too.
no subject
Well, I'm glad it didn't come to that. [There's a small pause, before...] If I only had the people around who keep trying to dote on my every whim, I'm pretty sure I'd go insane.
[It's an admission she only says because it's him. Because he treats her with a sense of irreverence that she didn't know she's needed. Even having him here--he's not a bother to her. Sure, he's annoying, but he wouldn't exactly be Griss if he wasn't, right?]
Thank you. Both of you. It might be a little while longer, but as long as I don't push myself, we should be able to lay siege to Sombron soon. We'll put an end to everything he's done.
[...]
And after, maybe, I can repay you for saving my life. I do owe you for that, don't I?
no subject
Don't let the others catch you sayin' that. Next thing you know, they'll be tripping over themselves tryin' to act "casual" around you, O Divine One!
[It'll never happen, they all care so much about her as the Divine Dragon that they'd never be able to treat her casually. Still, hearing her come out and admit it so freely... maybe she's lonely up on that pillar they placed her.
But that's a thought for another time; Griss nods at her assertion - confronting Sombron's going to be harder on Zephia than it will be on him, but they're both ready.
It's the latter part that's more interesting right now and Griss laughs again.]
I'd call it even, since you spared mine, but now I'm curious. Thinkin' about leaving me some nice scars or something?
[While that would be his idea of a good time, he mostly says it just to get a reaction from her.]
no subject
[Absolutely no one would listen to her anyway if she tried to decree that. It'd be awful. Awful!!
And despite the mock threat, Alear can't help but laugh at the next statement. There are many things that just never change. War, taxes, and Griss. She finds herself sitting up a bit, grinning a little coy.]
Didn't I promise you that I was going to beat you into the dirt at some point? It'd be pretty awful of me if I didn't follow through, yeah?
no subject
[The title is sarcastic as always, but Griss (unsurprisingly) sounds very pleased with her words.]
I'll be lookin' forward to it. So hurry up and heal already.
no subject
Don't get ahead of yourself, Griss. I'm paying off a debt and nothing more. But...I promise I will, yeah.
[And for a moment, Alear pauses at that. Lets the quiet settle over the room, and her brow seems to furrow a bit as she thinks. Griss will likely be able to see all of it, and when she looks to him next, her tone is serious.]
...But you know what that means for you, right?
no subject
...Should he go? Maybe she needs some space. She is still healing, after all. But he doesn't want to leave, and now that he's said what he wanted to, he has no reason to stay.
Yet he remains anyway, watching her brow crease in concentration.]
Uh... no? Enlighten me?
[Unfortunately for her, Griss is still an idiot and not quite following.]
1/2
Alear doesn't know what she expected.]
no subject
[She stops herself from adding onto that, but she says that with conviction. It's like a demand, an order she'd issue to attack, but there's determination in it.]
No matter what we face, no matter what comes next...I don't want you to die out there. I'm not going to ask you to stop protecting Zephia, or anything like that, but...I don't want you to be reckless in the coming battle. I want you to still be around when it's all over.
[The conviction stops there, and she hasn't stopped looking at him until now. She's not sure why those words feel like they've got her chest in a vicegrip, but she leans away from him and averts her gaze, suddenly just...very, very unsure.]
...Can you promise that, Griss?
no subject
It probably says something about him that even though they're approaching their final battle, he hadn't even thought about the possibility of dying. Even though Alear very nearly died, he hadn't thought about what Sombron might do against her. Maybe he hasn't been taking this seriously. Or maybe he hasn't wanted to stop and think about it.
It probably says something else about him that he's left without words, for once. His chest is tight like he's unable to breathe, though there are no hands at his neck. That probably says something about him too, and he's not sure he wants to know what it is.]
War's unpredictable. By now, you've gotta know that better than anyone else.
But I can promise you that I've got no interest in dyin'. You owe me a fight, after all.
[...]
So... Be a little more careful, will you?
[He wants to ask her to stay safe. Maybe even to leave the fighting to all the people willing to put their lives on the line for the Divine One. But he knows that's not happening; it'd just be insulting to even ask that of her. She's going to be the one to put an end to Sombron, they both know it.
She'd better still be alive at the end, that's all.]
no subject
When Griss finally speaks up, it does nothing to release the hold on her chest. It lightens, if only briefly, but the grip of something else replaces it. She's not sure what; she's not sure she wants to know what. But...]
I promise. [It comes out breathless when she says it.] I promise that I'll do everything I can to be careful. We're going to put an end to my Father's ambitions, and at the end of it all, we'll both be alive to tell the tale. I promise, I'll do everything I can to make it so.
[Alear's hand seems to move on it's own--she's not sure why, but she's become so used to reaching out to him. But this isn't a hand meant to pull him up, off of the ground where they both lay tired. This isn't the hand of an apology, before one's final breath.
Alear doesn't know why she reaches for one of Griss's hands, but she lays it atop of one of them, like a tangible promise. Her skin is going to positively burn later, in embarrassment; it's already starting to now. But...]
...Thank you, Griss. It means a lot more than I can express.
no subject
Hey, c'mon, no need to get sappy on me.
[He says, despite having her hand in a vicegrip...]
I know we'll make it through. You make me...
[want to see what the world will be like when this is over.
...Ugh, gross, that is way too saccharine of a sentiment and Griss makes a face.]
I'm not gonna let anything happen to me, so don't waste your time worrying, got it?
no subject
I won't. I'm going to look forward to the future, and to what will come of it. Because I know we're going to win.
[She should let go. She doesn't want to let go or move her hand, or do everything, despite the tension that feels like it's building. Towards what? Alear doesn't know, but...
...]
But...hey. Mind if I give something to you? Not a new scar or anything, but something else.
no subject
[Because there isn't any other option. Besides, no matter what Sombron throws at them, they'll rally around Alear. And they've got Zephia,
so there's really no point in worrying him.
That seems to settle Griss a bit and his grip loosens on Alear's hand; she can pull away now if she wants.]
Can't imagine anything would be better than a new scar, but sure. If you wanna.
[Despite the laidback words, he does look curious.]
no subject
And...
She doesn't know if she's found it, but she's found someone she wants to give it to. That's meaning enough, right?
She only pulls away to grab something out of her pocket; what she holds out to him is a wrapped up box. A little messily wrapped, but still enough to carefully secure it's contents.]
Now, you're not allowed to open this until we've won, okay? I'm gonna hold you to it. But...when we win, you can unwrap it and come talk to me. Does that sound fine to you?
no subject
But Alear's words stop him, and though he makes a face, he doesn't go back to trying to open it.]
You're gonna make me wait? Should'a just given it to me later...
[But he sighs and lifts his shoulders a bit in a half-hearted shrug.]
But fine. I'll wait, only 'cause you asked so nicely.
[...just ignore that he's holding that box with all the care in the world despite his dismissive tone.]
no subject
I appreciate it, Griss. Just think of it as something else to look forward to, when our battle is finally won.
[Because it will be, and soon. Alear has a pretty strong feeling about that.]