standvastig | Abraxas Inbox

[His lips twist in a smile at the thought his creativity earned approval, but it is a dropped thought after not too long. He lifts the sabrecub towards him with some effort - cupping it against his chest with sharp pointed claws hitching into his surcoat.]

Gracious, Hendrik. Anybody would think you would approve of nothing more than cows and chickens.

[Not that such things are unexpected of Hendrik. The man has simple tastes.]

I am trying to be a bit more creative than that.

[There is part of Hendrik that understands what Jasper is doing. After all, common monsters were often turned into toys and dolls for children. In fact, he remembers having a slime stuffed toy as a child.

But part of him still fights the idea that the sabrecub won't actually attack either of them.]

Certainly. You can be as creative as you want.

[He's just going to side-eye that sabrecub in the meantime.]

[Jasper cradles the cub with his arms while ignoring its actions, gently applying pressure until it finds comfort and stops wriggling. The actions of a man who craves connection but struggles to find it admist people. Muscles all over relax as he tires of critcising himself. His nerves loosen and he breathes slow - closing his eyes to enjoy the warmth and the light.

Not only from nature but having his old friend nearby. His connections. Perhaps he shall make others if fate permits.]

If you believe so.

[Grass rustles. The presence of other cubs is impossible to ignore. He studies the shifting fields in thought, eyes following the movement as it darts towards the opposite end of the hill. His head turns towards Hendrik after a while, after swallowing his pride.]

Thank you for coming.

[The voice gratitude has Hendrik glancing off to the side awkwardly, unsure why he is being thanked at all.]

I hardly did anything. The thanks feels unnecessary.

[But he shouldn't be dismissing him, either. This hasn't precisely been easy. Even the environment they stand in now evokes feelings that are not simple and digestible.]

You are welcome, though. It is good to see this place ... open up.

I will admit it does one good to gaze upon the sun.

[For all of his propensity for seclusion, it is meaningful and gratifying to see the light. He bristles with confusion in contrasting it against his love of darkness. Thins his lips. Steps across the field and lowers the sabrecub into the grass. It beats a path towards its companions and leaves him alone. Sharp, curious eyes watch them scarper across the fields - towards a pride of large sabrecats lazing in the distance. He chooses to leave them sleeping below the tree and turns towards his companion.]

I did not expect I would do so again.

[Hendrik's eyes follow the sabrecub as it scampers off, slowly widening as he realizes there are more of the monsters in the distance.

The sheer amount of sabrecats out in the distance has Hendrik frowning deeply for a moment before smoothing out into his normal stoic expression. He looks to Jasper, taking in his side profile as he watches the felines.

There is some form of affection there. Something at peace.

With the monsters.]

There will be more time to do so.

[There is still more he is learning about Jasper.]

[The warmth of the sun and the pleasure of watching the pride lulls his mind. He tilts his head to gaze at the sky, twists his neck to look across cliffs and crags, hills and rivers. Nestled in the trees are pigeons and doves - and he watches a sabrecub stare at one.

It makes him hungry. His hand rests upon his stomach and he relaxes in nostalgia.]

Back home, perhaps.

[He tilts his head at Jasper's remark, noting how he puts a hand over his stomach. They did go into the Horizon at a somewhat unusual time, he supposes.]

You are done here already?

[That might come across as a little callous, but that isn't his intent. If he thinks about it, Jasper's basically doubled the size of his domain.]

That was hardly what I...

[He sighs in resignation. It would be best were he to hide his feelings - but how much good had secrecy done them? Thoughts turn towards a possible turn in conversation and his companion. Maybe it would be best were he to speak honestly.]

I was speaking of Erdrea.

[There.]

[Hendrik goes quiet, processing Jasper's honest response in muted surprise. Speaking of Erdrea, of home, has generally been in the past tense for them, and he has been the one speaking to doing things for the future of their world. Of course, Jasper had agreed to be supportive, but...]

Ah.

[Should he smile? There's part of him that is elated, while another is cautiously optimistic. A child's reaction versus that of a more weathered adult.]

Well. The sun will be waiting.

[Jasper falls silent for a long while. He comforts himself in his old friend's presence - an inspiring light that will lead him home.

He offers no smile, no grateful words. Pride prompts him to say nothing but he understands Hendrik well enough that even he might guess how he feels. His lips twitch in signs of happiness. His fingers clench in optimism and he looks over the horizon.

He reaches out with his hand, unconsciously searching for another.]

I know.

[The extended hand is hard to miss.

It isn't the first time that Jasper has reached out like this, leaving him to respond in kind and clasp it. Not for the first time, he wonders what it means to the other man to do this -- to reach out, when he had stopped doing so for years and years.

He also finds himself thinking much more recent thoughts, about how touch has become something to be wary about. And he has to shut down that thought, remembering that they are already in the Horizon, where memories could assault them freely if they wished.

So he reaches out and takes Jasper's hand.]

Hm. I just remembered something.

[The claim on his hand results in a gentle squeeze - slender fingers curling around broad as he expresses contentment. He walks through their better times in his head, spending little more than seconds, memories coming at once.

It all feels like a new lease on life. He almost forgets the ghostly colour of his skin, the obsidian shade of his nails. His tone of voice is ligth and curious.]

What exactly?

[Now that he's brought up that he's remembered something, Hendrik wonders if it's worth bringing up. Weren't they supposed to be moving away from lingering on the past? But perhaps that's why this memory bears worth mentioning.]

I saw it awhile ago, but it never seemed like a good time to bring it up. There was a memory of you, with your mare.

[He ensures that he has a firm hold on Jasper's hand, lest he try to withdraw while he talks.]

You were letting her loose.

[Hendrik and his observations. Jasper twists his hand but finds it held so tightly that he feels grateful to the man for keeping him grounded. His abandonment of his horse had been despicable, his old self would have thought. But he had made the choice out of charity. It seemed a small part of him had remained human - the same that had clung to his pendant.]

It would not matter had she lived or died, I was not about to kill an animal.

[It was a merciful act. That is still one thing he cannot understand.]

She carried you faithfully for years. You could not forget that.

[That's how he chooses to interpret Jasper's act. Whether or not it rings true to Jasper is something else entirely.]

I will not try to ... overthink your decision there. The fact of the matter is that you let her loose around the time monsters poured into Heliodor.

[Much like with Dundrasil and Zwaardsrust before it, Heliodor fell very quickly. Horrifyingly so. And then came the blanket of darkness and the undead army.]

I mention it now because I wondered. Wondered how she had survived.

[Jasper is silent; listening to Hendrik speak while wiping irritating sweat off his brow. His observation obviously rings true in some fashion.]

She had become a faithful companion over yourself in my eyes.

[His voice lacks bitterness. Being understood has soothed old wounds and he finds himself offering Hendrik that same understanding.]

I wish I could say different but so be it.

[Hendrik shakes his head slowly, looking off to the sky dotted with clouds.]

No, I understand perfectly. Perhaps unfortunately. Obsidian became that for me through our trials together.

[He can't even be bitter finding that similarity with Jasper. Despite the hero worship and admiration he inspired in his men, that itself was a barrier in ever finding friends among them once he became a general.]

She was found with Obsidian. Despite everything, they arrived at the Last Bastion together.

[There is a flash of emotion behind his eyes. Sadness and regret mixed with relief and the hope of meeting again. The emotions work their way through his arm, tensing nerves and muscles until they work their way into his fingers - which clench hard in reflex and refuse to shake loose.

He has a cracked voice in his throat.

There are no words.]

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