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[ Bastien smiles. ]
Maybe that wouldn't have been so bad.
[ He closes an open book on the table—not that it makes much difference in the lightly organized chaos of the room—and slides his hand into Byerly's to pull him along through the door. This avenue of conversation has reinvigorated Bastien's semiregular pangs of regret for his part in trapping Byerly at a desk, so they're going to get lunch, and they're going to eat it outside. ]
You would have your piece of land, and your people, and that is all you would have to care for. Keep them fed, keep the wolves at bay–job done. The rest of the world wouldn't have to be your problem.
Maybe that wouldn't have been so bad.
[ He closes an open book on the table—not that it makes much difference in the lightly organized chaos of the room—and slides his hand into Byerly's to pull him along through the door. This avenue of conversation has reinvigorated Bastien's semiregular pangs of regret for his part in trapping Byerly at a desk, so they're going to get lunch, and they're going to eat it outside. ]
You would have your piece of land, and your people, and that is all you would have to care for. Keep them fed, keep the wolves at bay–job done. The rest of the world wouldn't have to be your problem.
How boring.
[ The letter is slipped into his breast pocket. His fingers interlace with Bastien's. What a pleasure it is to walk hand-in-hand with the man you love. No matter the world around them, no matter the difficulties before them, things are...good. ]
I'd have died of boredom.
[ The letter is slipped into his breast pocket. His fingers interlace with Bastien's. What a pleasure it is to walk hand-in-hand with the man you love. No matter the world around them, no matter the difficulties before them, things are...good. ]
I'd have died of boredom.
[ The image of Byerly collapsing during a discussion of grain stores is funny enough not to be sad. He laughs. ]
Maybe so.
[ He gives their hands a little extra swing. If they look like schoolchildren to passersby—good. ]
You never wanted to run away and be a pirate? Or Rat Red?
Maybe so.
[ He gives their hands a little extra swing. If they look like schoolchildren to passersby—good. ]
You never wanted to run away and be a pirate? Or Rat Red?
Maybe.
[ He tilts his head to the side and back again. ]
If I did, I don't recall it. I dreamed of heroics, to be sure, but always applied to where I was, to the people I was with. Until the moment I left, it didn't seem possible to me. To leave.
[ A reflective moment where he squeezes Bastien's hand. ]
It's funny, how the worst thing in your life can open up so much good.
[ He tilts his head to the side and back again. ]
If I did, I don't recall it. I dreamed of heroics, to be sure, but always applied to where I was, to the people I was with. Until the moment I left, it didn't seem possible to me. To leave.
[ A reflective moment where he squeezes Bastien's hand. ]
It's funny, how the worst thing in your life can open up so much good.
[ Bastien wrinkles his nose at By, like aw, you, with no need for explicit assurance he's part of that good. That's what nearly two years of being sweetly adored will do to a man.
But, ]
I think you would have had it even without the bad first, mon étoile brillante. One way or another. You are too bright and too bold for the boredom to have gotten you. You would have gotten it. Or gotten out. No one had to be cruel to you to make it happen.
But, ]
I think you would have had it even without the bad first, mon étoile brillante. One way or another. You are too bright and too bold for the boredom to have gotten you. You would have gotten it. Or gotten out. No one had to be cruel to you to make it happen.
[ His shoulders curl in with his tickled little laugh. Maker. Talk about getting more than he deserves. ]
Maybe not.
[ And that's an awful thought. ]
I have never believed in soul mates—have you? People being meant for one another, I never thought it was sweet. I thought, how terrifying, not to have any say. Like in the stories when someone is pulled toward someone who is awful for them, over and over again. Or to think if you don't find yours, if you find someone else you like well enough instead, it won't be as good. Nothing you do will ever make it as good. That's awful.
[ He moves close enough to By to walk with his cheek against his shoulder, for a few steps. It requires slowing down. At this rate they'll make it to lunch by dinner. ]
But now it's hard to imagine I wouldn't feel you missing.
Maybe not.
[ And that's an awful thought. ]
I have never believed in soul mates—have you? People being meant for one another, I never thought it was sweet. I thought, how terrifying, not to have any say. Like in the stories when someone is pulled toward someone who is awful for them, over and over again. Or to think if you don't find yours, if you find someone else you like well enough instead, it won't be as good. Nothing you do will ever make it as good. That's awful.
[ He moves close enough to By to walk with his cheek against his shoulder, for a few steps. It requires slowing down. At this rate they'll make it to lunch by dinner. ]
But now it's hard to imagine I wouldn't feel you missing.
[ He hums thoughtfully. It's not something he's thought about too deeply, truthfully - But it makes sense that Bastien would have. Bastien is so much more thoughtful than By, after all, so much better-read, with the sort of mind that doesn't just absorb stories but pulls them apart, like a puzzle, looking at all the pieces. So curious. So he speaks of soulmates, and By just smiles with warm bemusement as he considers this perspective. ]
It also - Well. I think we've done quite a lot of work to fall in love with each other, haven't we? If we were just predestined, it would have been quite a lot easier. No need to fumble over all those pieces of armor.
[ A squeeze in response to feeling him missing. He feels the same. If he had taken that different path - He cannot imagine it being as good as this one. ]
It also - Well. I think we've done quite a lot of work to fall in love with each other, haven't we? If we were just predestined, it would have been quite a lot easier. No need to fumble over all those pieces of armor.
[ A squeeze in response to feeling him missing. He feels the same. If he had taken that different path - He cannot imagine it being as good as this one. ]
Who's fumbling?
[ He's teasing, bright-eyed.
He spends another five seconds thinking of the life Byerly could have had if his childhood had been kinder. In all likelihood there would be someone else for him, or two or three someones, who'd love him just as well. So it's good that it's only hypothetical. No one's ever going to hold those two Byerlies out in their hands and make Bastien decide which exists. He'll never have to know how selfish he would be. ]
You're right. We did it, not fate. If anything had been different...
[ He swerves away from being at all sad about it. It's made up. Made-up scenarios don't get to make him sad. ]
Maybe it would have worked if we both changed. A young lord oppressed by his responsibilities, and—I don't know. Maybe I would be a miner. [ Kaiten is a mining city; he won't be saying that part out loud in the corridors. ] Can you imagine the shoulders I would have if I were a miner? If you saw my mining shoulders across a market square, you would have to come touch them. You'd be powerless.
[ He's teasing, bright-eyed.
He spends another five seconds thinking of the life Byerly could have had if his childhood had been kinder. In all likelihood there would be someone else for him, or two or three someones, who'd love him just as well. So it's good that it's only hypothetical. No one's ever going to hold those two Byerlies out in their hands and make Bastien decide which exists. He'll never have to know how selfish he would be. ]
You're right. We did it, not fate. If anything had been different...
[ He swerves away from being at all sad about it. It's made up. Made-up scenarios don't get to make him sad. ]
Maybe it would have worked if we both changed. A young lord oppressed by his responsibilities, and—I don't know. Maybe I would be a miner. [ Kaiten is a mining city; he won't be saying that part out loud in the corridors. ] Can you imagine the shoulders I would have if I were a miner? If you saw my mining shoulders across a market square, you would have to come touch them. You'd be powerless.
Edited 2022-05-31 03:46 (UTC)
[ He bursts out with a delighted cackle. Then he lifts his free arm, and hoods his eyes, and - without breaking his grip on Bastien's hand - staggers forward like one ensorcelled. ]
Must...caress...Cannot help myself...
[ And then he reaches over and lovingly strokes Bastien's ordinary-but-still-very-nice shoulder. ]
Must...caress...Cannot help myself...
[ And then he reaches over and lovingly strokes Bastien's ordinary-but-still-very-nice shoulder. ]
My lord.
[ In his Marcher accent, with a look that’s the precise combination of baffled and entranced that his simple miner counterpart would feel upon being caressed by a Fereldan lord with eyes like these. ]
—and then we could put in the work to fall in love, [ back to sounding properly Orlesian, and belatedly grinning at Byerly’s enchanted act now that he doesn’t need to act himself, ] and you could add me to your harem, and everything would be fine.
[ In his Marcher accent, with a look that’s the precise combination of baffled and entranced that his simple miner counterpart would feel upon being caressed by a Fereldan lord with eyes like these. ]
—and then we could put in the work to fall in love, [ back to sounding properly Orlesian, and belatedly grinning at Byerly’s enchanted act now that he doesn’t need to act himself, ] and you could add me to your harem, and everything would be fine.
[ Bastien aims a pleased smile over at him—it wasn’t a test, but right answer nonetheless—and adds some preening pep to his step for the next few paces. ]
But you will have to find new work for them, or I’ll feel horrible. Maybe they could groom the dogs.
But you will have to find new work for them, or I’ll feel horrible. Maybe they could groom the dogs.
Of which there would be a horde.
[ Even if he'd inherited it all, and husbanded it well, there would be no sufficient income for a half-dozen dogs, never mind a horde. But these are their imaginings; they can pretend whatever they'd like. ]
One minder for each dog. Absurdly good-looking people, walking find hounds on silk leashes.
[ Even if he'd inherited it all, and husbanded it well, there would be no sufficient income for a half-dozen dogs, never mind a horde. But these are their imaginings; they can pretend whatever they'd like. ]
One minder for each dog. Absurdly good-looking people, walking find hounds on silk leashes.
Yes. Lining up perfectly each morning for an inspection, a scratch, and a treat.
[ He turns a forward swing of their clasped hands neatly into pulling By’s up to kiss his knuckles. ]
Do you think your sister has any dogs? You should ask her. Or tell her I want to know—but make sure you say it is because I like dogs, not because I’m making fun of Ferelden.
[ He turns a forward swing of their clasped hands neatly into pulling By’s up to kiss his knuckles. ]
Do you think your sister has any dogs? You should ask her. Or tell her I want to know—but make sure you say it is because I like dogs, not because I’m making fun of Ferelden.
Cats!
[ Bastien likes cats just fine. Case in point: Byerly. Other case in point: he used to feed stray cats in the alley behind his shop, and his only complaint was that none of them would let him pet them half as much as he wanted to. Dogs are much better about that.
But, for show, he sounds slightly scandalized. ]
So you are both rebels.
[ Bastien likes cats just fine. Case in point: Byerly. Other case in point: he used to feed stray cats in the alley behind his shop, and his only complaint was that none of them would let him pet them half as much as he wanted to. Dogs are much better about that.
But, for show, he sounds slightly scandalized. ]
So you are both rebels.
Literal decades of debauchery.
[ He grins over at Bastien as they make their way down the last of the stairs, coming into the dining area. ]
None of us can forget the cautionary tale of the fourth Theirin king, who lost at the Landsmeet for having been seen scratching a kitten behind the ears.
[ He grins over at Bastien as they make their way down the last of the stairs, coming into the dining area. ]
None of us can forget the cautionary tale of the fourth Theirin king, who lost at the Landsmeet for having been seen scratching a kitten behind the ears.
[ Bastien shoots Byerly a suspicious look, but it’s only after they’ve run the gauntlet of the dining hall—passing hellos here, friendly nods there, a pause to do a quick double act for an old laundress who’s slowly finishing up her meal alone and looks like she could use a laugh—that he says, ]
That isn’t true, about the Landsmeet.
[ He has finally let go of Byerly’s hand to hold a plank of wood that serves as a tray, on one arm, and pile things onto it with the other hand.
His renewed look of suspicion is also a look of interest. Maybe hope. He would prefer for it to be true. ]
That isn’t true, about the Landsmeet.
[ He has finally let go of Byerly’s hand to hold a plank of wood that serves as a tray, on one arm, and pile things onto it with the other hand.
His renewed look of suspicion is also a look of interest. Maybe hope. He would prefer for it to be true. ]
Yes, but—
[ Tray laden with lunch, he turns to lead the way back out of the dining hall, past the boring tables. They're going outside. And not to the walled-in gardens. All the way outside. ]
—we deserve something perfect.
If we make enough people believe it, that will almost be like it's true.
[ Tray laden with lunch, he turns to lead the way back out of the dining hall, past the boring tables. They're going outside. And not to the walled-in gardens. All the way outside. ]
—we deserve something perfect.
If we make enough people believe it, that will almost be like it's true.
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