[ He jerks for a second at the touch, before relaxing. And honestly her validation settles something in him, as though his turmoil is only half from what had actually happened, and half from his inadequacy in handling it.
I gave up. In there. ]
Do you ever feel like some people are destined for failure? [ He looks at her, brows furrowed. ] I've always wondered what it is about me that caused me to lose the war in Fódlan. Not just in my world, but Dimitri's also...
A fatal flaw? "Destiny"?
[ ... ]
You don't need to answer. It's just been on my mind.
[she shifts, so that she's sitting in front of him rather than to his side, and takes his face in her hand. gently, just lifting his chin so he's looking at her.]
There's no fucking thing as destiny. [Hate that fortune shit.] But if there were - if there were such a thing as fate and destiny, fatal flaws aren't a thing. You stumble into things, and you do the best you can with them. It's not a fucking failing from within, it's what you have to work with.
And if nobody gives you anything your whole fucking life, if you have to claw for what you've got, and you manage to keep any of it at all, that's a victory.
[she drops her hand, but she keeps her gaze on him.] You aren't destined for failure. You haven't seen all the angles, you've only seen two, maybe three. That's not enough to make a theory out of.
[ He just looks at her for a moment, surprised and... a little troubled. Because he believes everything that she's say, and he's never put much stock in fate or will of the gods, approached things rationally and carefully. Characteristics that had been central to him for so long.
But even now he's struggling to believe it. He's knows it's true, but falls just short of actually believing it. ]
Yeah. [ He'll keep saying it though. Taking these words for himself. ] Is this how you always get back up?
Don't gotta thank me. But - you're welcome anyway. [there's just a little flicker of a thought, an image of a pile of people breathing slow and easy. friends. Friend.]
I was gonna use it to bring Molly back, but I think he's got that covered. [...] There's other stuff at home that I could use it on, but. I kind of want to make it happen myself. I don't want some magic wish to do it.
Not interested in the usual draw of power and riches, I guess. [ He lifts his head, looking around. ] My primary desire is to make sure this never happens again.
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I gave up. In there. ]
Do you ever feel like some people are destined for failure? [ He looks at her, brows furrowed. ] I've always wondered what it is about me that caused me to lose the war in Fódlan. Not just in my world, but Dimitri's also...
A fatal flaw? "Destiny"?
[ ... ]
You don't need to answer. It's just been on my mind.
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I don't need to answer, but can I? [because she has thoughts on that. very indignant ones.]
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If you want.
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There's no fucking thing as destiny. [Hate that fortune shit.] But if there were - if there were such a thing as fate and destiny, fatal flaws aren't a thing. You stumble into things, and you do the best you can with them. It's not a fucking failing from within, it's what you have to work with.
And if nobody gives you anything your whole fucking life, if you have to claw for what you've got, and you manage to keep any of it at all, that's a victory.
[she drops her hand, but she keeps her gaze on him.] You aren't destined for failure. You haven't seen all the angles, you've only seen two, maybe three. That's not enough to make a theory out of.
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But even now he's struggling to believe it. He's knows it's true, but falls just short of actually believing it. ]
Yeah. [ He'll keep saying it though. Taking these words for himself. ] Is this how you always get back up?
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Yeah. It is. [firmly.] It's not always easy to believe, and sometimes I falter with it. But - my friends were the ones that gave me that mindset.
So. [Let me be that friend for you. just for now. until he can believe it himself.]
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Thanks. Thanks, I... [ He hesitates a moment, suddenly shy. ] I'm glad to have a friend.
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Don't gotta thank me. But - you're welcome anyway. [there's just a little flicker of a thought, an image of a pile of people breathing slow and easy. friends. Friend.]
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That image is nice, sparking a bit of hope in his chest. A reminder that bonds heal as much as they hurt. ]
If we ever get out of here, I might actually miss you, Beauregard.
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Might? Asshole. [but it's affectionate, and she's teasing.] Move to Winter at the last second so you can come see me when we win.
[this is also a joke. she absently pets at his hair.]
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[ He also sounds amused. A good sign. ]
I could never Annie down though. I'm going down with that ship.
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Nah. Stay with Annie. She's good people. Deserves better.
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[ He smiles softly before giving Beau an amused look. ]
Maybe when you win you can include us in your prize.
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Hey, I still have to figure out something to use my wish on.
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I was gonna use it to bring Molly back, but I think he's got that covered. [...] There's other stuff at home that I could use it on, but. I kind of want to make it happen myself. I don't want some magic wish to do it.
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Not interested in the usual draw of power and riches, I guess. [ He lifts his head, looking around. ] My primary desire is to make sure this never happens again.
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... No, me too. But I think we can do that. I think we can manage that much, wish or no wish.
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But hope our solution will be a little more calculated.