[The next time? He still doesn't really understand… or perhaps part of his mind doesn't really want to understand right now. He just wants to be angry and hurt that Hunk isn't here with him right now. Even if on some level he knows it might be safer for him in there… he wishes he were back home. With his family. Like the last time he disappeared in Deerington and just woke up from a bad dream back home.
Then she's here and keeping her distance. He looks over at her, strain at the corners of his eyes as he tries to keep his shit under control. The ocean is right there and he badly wants to give her a piece of his mind, but not while people keep coming to try and stop him. That might get ugly. And he does want to hear Alayne's story.
He notices her use of past tense. But it was already pretty clear earlier in their conversation that she'd lost her brothers. The more details she gives, the sadder it is than what he was cautiously picturing already. Her story reminds him a bit of Allura's, though she was an only child, she lost her parents and whole planet in one fell swoop and then vowed to take back the Universe's freedom when she woke ten thousand years later.]
…You don't have to apologize for using a different name. It kinda sounds like being Alayne was what you got used to… to survive. [He looks down at his hands in the glassy heated sand.] Everyone here knows a little something about that, I think…
[In one way or another. He picks up a clump of the melted black sand in his hands and idly starts shaping it. His hands are shaking, but it's something to focus on.] If this Joffrey guy ever shows up here, I'll turn him to dust for you… y'know, if you want. I'm sorry he took so much from you, I can't… even imagine losing my whole family like that.
[He has lost them in a different way, of course. But he does have some small comfort in knowing they're safe… at least as much as they could be the last time he saw them. He swallows thickly as she talks about how she imagines her family in the ocean together. Again, it sounds like a nice dream to him, but he struggles to believe anything created and maintained by Pthumerian forces could be so nice.]
…Maybe. I wondered for a long time if she was even real. Since I found her in Deerington. [He swallows, a flare of energy releasing from his shoulder briefly.] …people left from there all the time too. But… we knew what happened. It was a nightmare, we… weren't physically there, just asleep while our "souls" were trapped. So when people left, they just… woke up from a bad dream back in their own worlds.
[He lets out a shuddered breath as another flare comes off his thigh.] Hunk's left before, but… it was easier because he just… woke up and got to go home. [A shake of his head.] I like the sound of the ocean the way you tell it. But I dunno if I can believe in it, myself… 'm sorry.
[Not after he's personally experienced almost four years of Pthumerian "hospitality" as a trapped soul. But he's not going to argue about it and list out a bunch of reasons why or anything. He wants her to hold on to that comfort. Shakily, he stands and bends over to carefully place a black glass creature on the sand that isn't heated and melted as close to her as he dares to get. It looks like a wolf. Not the best, but decent enough. He's not an artist, but sculpting is easier for him than drawing at least.]
It probably needs to cool off, but… [A vague gesture to say 'it's yours?']
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Then she's here and keeping her distance. He looks over at her, strain at the corners of his eyes as he tries to keep his shit under control. The ocean is right there and he badly wants to give her a piece of his mind, but not while people keep coming to try and stop him. That might get ugly. And he does want to hear Alayne's story.
He notices her use of past tense. But it was already pretty clear earlier in their conversation that she'd lost her brothers. The more details she gives, the sadder it is than what he was cautiously picturing already. Her story reminds him a bit of Allura's, though she was an only child, she lost her parents and whole planet in one fell swoop and then vowed to take back the Universe's freedom when she woke ten thousand years later.]
…You don't have to apologize for using a different name. It kinda sounds like being Alayne was what you got used to… to survive. [He looks down at his hands in the glassy heated sand.] Everyone here knows a little something about that, I think…
[In one way or another. He picks up a clump of the melted black sand in his hands and idly starts shaping it. His hands are shaking, but it's something to focus on.] If this Joffrey guy ever shows up here, I'll turn him to dust for you… y'know, if you want. I'm sorry he took so much from you, I can't… even imagine losing my whole family like that.
[He has lost them in a different way, of course. But he does have some small comfort in knowing they're safe… at least as much as they could be the last time he saw them. He swallows thickly as she talks about how she imagines her family in the ocean together. Again, it sounds like a nice dream to him, but he struggles to believe anything created and maintained by Pthumerian forces could be so nice.]
…Maybe. I wondered for a long time if she was even real. Since I found her in Deerington. [He swallows, a flare of energy releasing from his shoulder briefly.] …people left from there all the time too. But… we knew what happened. It was a nightmare, we… weren't physically there, just asleep while our "souls" were trapped. So when people left, they just… woke up from a bad dream back in their own worlds.
[He lets out a shuddered breath as another flare comes off his thigh.] Hunk's left before, but… it was easier because he just… woke up and got to go home. [A shake of his head.] I like the sound of the ocean the way you tell it. But I dunno if I can believe in it, myself… 'm sorry.
[Not after he's personally experienced almost four years of Pthumerian "hospitality" as a trapped soul. But he's not going to argue about it and list out a bunch of reasons why or anything. He wants her to hold on to that comfort. Shakily, he stands and bends over to carefully place a black glass creature on the sand that isn't heated and melted as close to her as he dares to get. It looks like a wolf. Not the best, but decent enough. He's not an artist, but sculpting is easier for him than drawing at least.]
It probably needs to cool off, but… [A vague gesture to say 'it's yours?']