[His face is as stern as ever, but his tone is warm.
His own hands lift toward Cassius, but then he pulls back, and—
Vines wound tight around flesh and metal, thorns digging in, both of them warping, bleeding, crying out for help, and the pain, the pain–
Dedue's hands lower. He'd... Forgotten about that.]
I am alright. It is nice to get outside.
[He looks weary, his left hand is bandaged up, and his posture is crooked since one leg won't fully straighten. His modest clothing covers the rest of his wounds, except for a couple of healing scratches that peek out of his collar, and the warped steel on the back of his right hand.
[Ah. So Dedue feels it, too. That something is wrong between them now. That Cassius had held onto him too tightly and hurt him.
That is… fine. It has to be fine. Cassius doesn’t have the right to make it otherwise.]
Thank you, friend Dedue. [There’s an unsure note to friend now, one slight enough it could be easily missed. Even that seems to have been tainted by Patho-Gen.] I have tried. It has been difficult to clear out the neighboring yards for more space, but it is going, little by little.
[They’d already torn down and cleared the handful of closer buildings, but - Cassius is a greedy thing, and with no one else to live in these homes… it’s free real estate, as his Gardener would say. But... hm. Perhaps they should save a home for guests? It does not feel right to not have a home for Dedue after he’s made the journey.
Something to talk to his Eli about.]
Would you like to come inside? Or - I have a place to sit where you can see the flowers.
The dream he had about Cassius could have just been a dream, but when he woke up, he had an explanation for the cuts that seem to wrap around his arms and body, and the wounds that protrude deeply under his metal plates.
Still, he forgives Cassius.
"I could help with clearing, once I recover a little more."
He considers these options for a moment.
"The fresh air is helping, so let us sit out here."
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[His face is as stern as ever, but his tone is warm.
His own hands lift toward Cassius, but then he pulls back, and—
Vines wound tight around flesh and metal, thorns digging in, both of them warping, bleeding, crying out for help, and the pain, the pain–
Dedue's hands lower. He'd... Forgotten about that.]
I am alright. It is nice to get outside.
[He looks weary, his left hand is bandaged up, and his posture is crooked since one leg won't fully straighten. His modest clothing covers the rest of his wounds, except for a couple of healing scratches that peek out of his collar, and the warped steel on the back of his right hand.
He looks around.]
This place has come a long way. It's lovely.
no subject
That is… fine. It has to be fine. Cassius doesn’t have the right to make it otherwise.]
Thank you, friend Dedue. [There’s an unsure note to friend now, one slight enough it could be easily missed. Even that seems to have been tainted by Patho-Gen.] I have tried. It has been difficult to clear out the neighboring yards for more space, but it is going, little by little.
[They’d already torn down and cleared the handful of closer buildings, but - Cassius is a greedy thing, and with no one else to live in these homes… it’s free real estate, as his Gardener would say. But... hm. Perhaps they should save a home for guests? It does not feel right to not have a home for Dedue after he’s made the journey.
Something to talk to his Eli about.]
Would you like to come inside? Or - I have a place to sit where you can see the flowers.
idk why i kept brackets. switching to prose lol
Still, he forgives Cassius.
"I could help with clearing, once I recover a little more."
He considers these options for a moment.
"The fresh air is helping, so let us sit out here."