caughtinanetwork | ;video | close to midnight

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;video | close to midnight

[The SFC comes on with a very noisy clatter. When the video evens out, Ioder can be seen looking down at it, huddled up with his knees to his chest. He looks pained, and there's a good reason for that - all the blood that's splattered the right side of his face, his shoulder and staining a good portion of his once-white shirt is to be blamed for that. The wound that's caused it currently has his hand clasped so tightly over it his knuckles are turning white, and he's clearly shaking.]

I... I need... some assistance... please... i-if anyone is awake... I'm at the coral...

[He pauses, breath hitching. He's trying to keep tears back, but he's not sure how much longer he can go without utterly breaking down. He doesn't bother turning the SFC off, instead just burying his face in his curled up arms as his shoulders tremble.]

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Ah--... that's.... a very valid point.

I'm sorry-- it's--...

... I'm still not feeling very well...

[She smiles at him.]

I'd be surprised if you were feeling a lot better this soon.

... of course. That's just... silly, isn't it?

[He lets out a sigh, running a shaking hand through his hair.]

I think it'd be a little silly, yeah. [She tilts her head.] Do you know how long ago you started lying about how you're feeling all the time?

I... suppose shortly before I was appointed emperor. I felt as though I had to put my own feelings and issues aside in order to rule properly.

Um....how long ago was that? Estelle and I never talked about that. [But it kinda sounds like a recent thing...]

Well... I've nearly been here a year. Back home, before I left... I had been holding the title in an official capacity for a little under five months.

But... now that I think about it, I was more or less acting emperor for over a year anyway, since there was a divide in who the council wanted to appoint - Estelle or myself.

So only around two years? Then I don't think you'll have much trouble breaking that habit! Two years is a lot better than...ten. [Was it ten years for her? When she was six....so yeah, ten years.]

I believe all habits are difficult to break, in some capacity or another, but I'm not going to disagree with you either.

Ah...right! Sometimes how determined the person is affects more than the time they've had the habit...

[She's talking in circles, isn't she? She shakes her head.]

I don't think it'll take you a whole lot of time to break that habit.

Well... I... I will certainly try.

[He smiles, weakly but it's there at least.]

[And that's enough for her! She smiles again.]

Thank goodness...

[And since they've been walking for a while, it looks like they're finally near where he lives.]

Ah... here it is. Thank you for going with me.

[Yaaaaaaay. She smiles at him.]

It wasn't any trouble. Try to be safe, okay?

I will. Thank you again.

[Ignoring the dull ache in his arm, Ioder manages a polite bow before turning to go inside.]

[What do you do when someone bows to you...? She just smiles and waits until he's inside to turn and fly off to her own apartment.]

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;video | close to midnight

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