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Then... it shall be fine.
[As he's been telling Stahn, and as he now seems to have had to tell Otome--it's fine.
There has to be a way to make sure that everyone gets home safely, or this will all have been for nothing, and Leon can't accept that. Otome and her friends, Stahn and his friends...they all have to get home safely.]
We shall all continue to fight, until the proper solution presents itself.
[As he's been telling Stahn, and as he now seems to have had to tell Otome--it's fine.
There has to be a way to make sure that everyone gets home safely, or this will all have been for nothing, and Leon can't accept that. Otome and her friends, Stahn and his friends...they all have to get home safely.]
We shall all continue to fight, until the proper solution presents itself.
...Pardon?
[The word escapes him before he can even think about it--but he's startled by it, to be sure. And part of it is because she did send him off when he'd gone to see her before, and for Leon, he's very much a "once burned, twice shy" mentality.
But... he doesn't really want to show that.
And... it's Otome, too, right?
He recovers as quickly as he can, clearing his throat.]
That is--you may, if you wish. It is not as though I am particularly busy at the moment.
[The word escapes him before he can even think about it--but he's startled by it, to be sure. And part of it is because she did send him off when he'd gone to see her before, and for Leon, he's very much a "once burned, twice shy" mentality.
But... he doesn't really want to show that.
And... it's Otome, too, right?
He recovers as quickly as he can, clearing his throat.]
That is--you may, if you wish. It is not as though I am particularly busy at the moment.
[ ... Ah. She can't help but wince, slightly. Yeah, this was completely her fault, and after she'd done everything she could to convince Leon that she wasn't ever going to hurt him. At times, even Otome regards the colony with a sense of irritation; a lot of things can go wrong with a simple effect. ]
I do wish. I'll be there as soon as I can.
[ And honestly, this is true, because he'll get a knock in about fifteen minutes?? ]
I do wish. I'll be there as soon as I can.
[ And honestly, this is true, because he'll get a knock in about fifteen minutes?? ]
[... There she is!! Otome certainly didn't waste any time, which also means Leon didn't get a lot of time to prepare himself.
But.
That's okay. He's okay!!! He's fine. Nothing is wrong here, everyone was just not themselves before but he. Is. Fine.
...Yes.
He opens the door, pauses for only the briefest of moments, and then steps back.]
... Come in. [Nailed it.]
But.
That's okay. He's okay!!! He's fine. Nothing is wrong here, everyone was just not themselves before but he. Is. Fine.
...Yes.
He opens the door, pauses for only the briefest of moments, and then steps back.]
... Come in. [Nailed it.]
[ He sure did. So Otome's only slightly sorry that she's ruining this very dignified meeting by stepping forward and pulling him in for a hug. Sorry, Leon, please bear with it. ]
I know you said it wasn't necessary... but I'm so, so sorry I put you through all of that. You didn't deserve any of that, and yet you did so much to look after me, didn't you?
So, additionally... thank you, Leon.
I know you said it wasn't necessary... but I'm so, so sorry I put you through all of that. You didn't deserve any of that, and yet you did so much to look after me, didn't you?
So, additionally... thank you, Leon.
[...!!!
Suffice to say, Leon isn't expecting it in the least. He stiffens immediately, eyes wide, and opens his mouth as if to say something--but nothing really comes out.
Give him a moment, hugs are still...very very strange for him.
(But even if he's stiff and uncertain, he doesn't pull away.)]
Suffice to say, Leon isn't expecting it in the least. He stiffens immediately, eyes wide, and opens his mouth as if to say something--but nothing really comes out.
Give him a moment, hugs are still...very very strange for him.
(But even if he's stiff and uncertain, he doesn't pull away.)]
[ That's fine, because Otome also isn't pulling away this time. She of course remembers everything; nothing in her memory is patchy, even if the way she'd felt had been... well, almost forced on her, unable to be shaken off on her own.
And Leon, poor Leon, had tried so hard to reach her. She can only imagine what else he's had to deal with while everyone's been acting strangely, and the thought makes her tighten her arms around him with a shaky sigh. ]
It's all right if you're hurt, or angry. I know I haven't made it easy.
And Leon, poor Leon, had tried so hard to reach her. She can only imagine what else he's had to deal with while everyone's been acting strangely, and the thought makes her tighten her arms around him with a shaky sigh. ]
It's all right if you're hurt, or angry. I know I haven't made it easy.
I...
[He frowns a little then, to himself--but ultimately, he slowly begins to relax, at least a little.
Because in the end, it's still Otome, and at least.... Otome still cares about him. Not that he was that concerned, but...admittedly, it was impossible to not worry at least a little if that was the case. For someone like Leon...
But here Otome is, naturally concerned about him and apologetic, and he knew that she wasn't herself at the time.
This only makes it all the clearer.]
... You were not yourself, just as Stahn was not himself, and the others...
[He shakes his head slowly, eyes fluttering half-shut as he accepts the affection, a little bit, for what it is. It has been strange and exhausting for him to try to help the others like this, as it doesn't come easily to him--so in a way, it's nice to just accept the comfort that Otome's offering.]
[He frowns a little then, to himself--but ultimately, he slowly begins to relax, at least a little.
Because in the end, it's still Otome, and at least.... Otome still cares about him. Not that he was that concerned, but...admittedly, it was impossible to not worry at least a little if that was the case. For someone like Leon...
But here Otome is, naturally concerned about him and apologetic, and he knew that she wasn't herself at the time.
This only makes it all the clearer.]
... You were not yourself, just as Stahn was not himself, and the others...
[He shakes his head slowly, eyes fluttering half-shut as he accepts the affection, a little bit, for what it is. It has been strange and exhausting for him to try to help the others like this, as it doesn't come easily to him--so in a way, it's nice to just accept the comfort that Otome's offering.]
It's a lot to handle, I know. Especially when nearly everyone was affected, it seems like. Even when we tried to continue as normally as we could, it was pretty much impossible. I'm grateful to Karl for even trying.
[ Stahn, too, had sought her out to help, and she hadn't... really...
Otome's sigh is soft and tired, but at the very least, it's not defeated this time. ]
And to you, of course, for caring about me-- even when you had your hands full. [ For Leon to send someone else to help her is rare... the last time had been Kogami, hadn't it? ]
So if there's anything I can do, to make it up to you... please let me know, okay?
[ Stahn, too, had sought her out to help, and she hadn't... really...
Otome's sigh is soft and tired, but at the very least, it's not defeated this time. ]
And to you, of course, for caring about me-- even when you had your hands full. [ For Leon to send someone else to help her is rare... the last time had been Kogami, hadn't it? ]
So if there's anything I can do, to make it up to you... please let me know, okay?
I do not need you to "make it up to me", or any such nonsense...
[He shakes his head quietly, and finally gathers himself enough to pull away--but it's a gentle motion, not at all aggressive. It's just time for him to separate himself from her hug, that's all.]
That you are back to yourself... that is enough for me.
[A beat, and he adds, awkwardly--]
It is...less troublesome for me, naturally.
[He shakes his head quietly, and finally gathers himself enough to pull away--but it's a gentle motion, not at all aggressive. It's just time for him to separate himself from her hug, that's all.]
That you are back to yourself... that is enough for me.
[A beat, and he adds, awkwardly--]
It is...less troublesome for me, naturally.
[he's definitely feeling like himself again.
of course, that means there's a bit of guilt—that he knows leon won't want to deal with. there's a lot of confused feelings, and also a lot of gratitude for how much leon did for him.
it's a lot to try and figure out, and after being holed up in his room for a while to make sure it's all okay (and maybe after talking to otome to figure out how to make it up to leon), he'll emerge. he's not as bright as he usually would be—the smile on his lips is nervous and subdued, and stahn definitely seems a bit tired from just how physically wearing the situation was for him... but it's better. it's a lot better, and even if he has no idea what he's going to do or say, or how to approach things at all, he'll still seek out leon and make the best of it.]
Hey... Leon? [here's stahn to interrupt whatever leon is up to.]
of course, that means there's a bit of guilt—that he knows leon won't want to deal with. there's a lot of confused feelings, and also a lot of gratitude for how much leon did for him.
it's a lot to try and figure out, and after being holed up in his room for a while to make sure it's all okay (and maybe after talking to otome to figure out how to make it up to leon), he'll emerge. he's not as bright as he usually would be—the smile on his lips is nervous and subdued, and stahn definitely seems a bit tired from just how physically wearing the situation was for him... but it's better. it's a lot better, and even if he has no idea what he's going to do or say, or how to approach things at all, he'll still seek out leon and make the best of it.]
Hey... Leon? [here's stahn to interrupt whatever leon is up to.]
[Leon is exhausted.
He's not used to being the babysitter, and a lot of people were very much not themselves there. He's "reading"--in that he has a book and it's open in his lap, but he's pretty sure he's attempted to read the same exact page about ten times, because his attention starts to drift every time he tries to focus.
He's so tired.
But then Stahn speaks, and Leon blinks--and then lifts his head. At least... Stahn looks and sounds more like himself.]
...What is it?
He's not used to being the babysitter, and a lot of people were very much not themselves there. He's "reading"--in that he has a book and it's open in his lap, but he's pretty sure he's attempted to read the same exact page about ten times, because his attention starts to drift every time he tries to focus.
He's so tired.
But then Stahn speaks, and Leon blinks--and then lifts his head. At least... Stahn looks and sounds more like himself.]
...What is it?
...You look tired.
[okay, that's really not what he was planning to open with, but it's really hard to miss that leon looks really exhausted—especially when he knows he is mostly to blame for that.]
It can wait til later, if you don't want to be bothered right now.
[he's just half-expecting leon to be really grumpy about everything, especially with how it all went. leon was incredibly kind and patient with him, but—well, he has to have his limits, right?
stahn is pretty much the opposite of a smooth operator right now.]
[okay, that's really not what he was planning to open with, but it's really hard to miss that leon looks really exhausted—especially when he knows he is mostly to blame for that.]
It can wait til later, if you don't want to be bothered right now.
[he's just half-expecting leon to be really grumpy about everything, especially with how it all went. leon was incredibly kind and patient with him, but—well, he has to have his limits, right?
stahn is pretty much the opposite of a smooth operator right now.]
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