[ Balthier's tongue is his sharpest weapon, followed by his ability to deflect and conceal. Excellent skills as a pirate. Not particularly useful in personal relationships.
The warmth between them was never disingenuous. It's not that Balthier was constantly harboring fear and hurt; honestly, usually when they're together he realizes what little of it he's aware of is silly. But it's insidious, and it's met up with old wounds and fatigue, and here he is, helpless against the depth of it.
Reyes saying his name like that, though, the touch on his arms, stabs straight through his spiral. He'd braced for criticism, for affirmations of his worst fears not for -- he does look up, wagging tongue now dry and speechless as he searches Reyes's face and finds...hurt. Concern.
He absolutely does not understand. He'd been told off. He'd bitten back. ]
I disappoint everyone eventually.
[ Barely more than a whisper, a sad plea he didn't mean to offer. Gods, if he hadn't disappointed him before tonight he certainly has now.
Except Reyes's arms are on him, holding him there, and that's not fitting into the equation he'd been mapping. ]
no subject
The warmth between them was never disingenuous. It's not that Balthier was constantly harboring fear and hurt; honestly, usually when they're together he realizes what little of it he's aware of is silly. But it's insidious, and it's met up with old wounds and fatigue, and here he is, helpless against the depth of it.
Reyes saying his name like that, though, the touch on his arms, stabs straight through his spiral. He'd braced for criticism, for affirmations of his worst fears not for -- he does look up, wagging tongue now dry and speechless as he searches Reyes's face and finds...hurt. Concern.
He absolutely does not understand. He'd been told off. He'd bitten back. ]
I disappoint everyone eventually.
[ Barely more than a whisper, a sad plea he didn't mean to offer. Gods, if he hadn't disappointed him before tonight he certainly has now.
Except Reyes's arms are on him, holding him there, and that's not fitting into the equation he'd been mapping. ]