[IC Contact]

[devwocean]

You havve reached the personal vvoicemail a Orphaner Dualscar.
Leavve a message.

Comments

[withoutasign]

[That should be comforting. Normally, it would be. But it has been a long week, a stressful week, and Signless has reached his breaking point.]

[He slumps against Dualscar, and even though he's very quiet about it, it's obvious that he's crying.]

It's all my fault... what happened to him is all my fault...

[devwocean]

[Fuck, that wasn't what Dualscar intended. He stiffens like a deer in headlights, then hastens to cuddle and stroke him, though he already was.]

No, no it wwasn't. It wwas my fault, o-our fault. The fault a Her an all a the highbloods wwho wwanted to keep their powwer an keep you dowwn. It wwasn't your fault at all!

[withoutasign]

It was.

[Signless is prepared to be insistent about this.]

I knew what he was, I knew what happened to trolls like him in the Empire... I just... I just never thought... I thought he would die before he'd let himself be captured...

[He hides his face, actively sobbing now.]

S-sometimes, I... I think it would be better... if he had died...

[devwocean]

[Dualscar's arms tighten around him and he rocks in place, making awkward, reassuring noises. He fully believes that Signless is right - dying would have been a mercy]

But...but here he can livve a happy life. Maybe not a normal or perfect one, but still, it can be good. He seems happy enough, uh, most a the time, so you don't need to glub so much...

[withoutasign]

[Sorry, Dualscar, Signless just needs to cry himself out now, and that's exactly what he's going to do, staining the front of Dualscar's shirt and the water in the spa red.]

[devwocean]

[And Dualscar is just going to go on desperately and helplessly trying to comfort him until he's cried all of his tears]

[withoutasign]

[Whether Dualscar realizes it or not, his awkward comfort helps Signless calm down, and he stops crying after a few minutes, his sobs trickling away into sniffling and then silence.]

Sorry.

[devwocean]

[Dualscar is definitely relieved when Signless starts to calm down, and he relaxes a bit as the silence descends.]

You'vve got nothin' to apologize for.

[withoutasign]

I know that was awkward.

[He sniffs one last time--a great, roaring honk for such a small troll--and lolls across Dualscar's lap, leaning his head on his shoulder.]

I guess... I just needed to get it out.

[devwocean]

A course you did. [He paps him lightly] It's a tragic situation. But it wwasn't awwkwward, I just... wwish I could a knowwn howw to make you feel better.

[withoutasign]

[Signless looks up, confused.]

But you did.

[devwocean]

Did I? [He looks relieved] I wwasn't sure.

[withoutasign]

You listened.

[Signless leans back against him, limp and content.]

There isn't anyone else I can talk to about these things.

[devwocean]

Wwell, I'm glad a that. [NO WAIT, that's not, what he meant--] Uh, I mean, I'm glad that you can talk to me, an a course I'll listen to wwhatevver you need to talk about. [Though really he meant that first thing, too...]