[when she stumbles into his support, he catches her. he loops an arm around her and holds on, taking her weight with surprising strength even given his injury. seems like he'll just continue to get blood all over his clothes today.]
... he did.
[and he thinks of the way that jeanne seems to be horrified by this, and offers only:]
... it was his choice.
Some would rather be in charge of how they meet their end.
... do you not feel as though that is the case for everyone here?
[in truth -
soo-won thinks that jeanne would risk her life to save everyone here, because she cares for them, and perhaps to some degree it may be part of her duty in order to serve the common good. he's not surprised by her words, but he finds himself trying to understand the responsibility she must have imposed on herself.
he'll move to gently guide her somewhere that they can both sit down, even though the steps are slow]
... you have your reasons for why you cannot meet your end as well, and not in a fashion like that.
[ She lets herself be guided, slowly taking a seat. She won't aggravate her injuries any more than she has to. ]
I do not regret living. I do not think what I feel is greater or different from anyone here.
[ In fact, she does not think she has the right to feel as others do in some ways. With where her choices have carried her, there are some things she forfeited, that she accepted that she could never have anymore. ]
I am not— sad. [ That is not quite the truth, but she doesn't want to diminish Kano's choice. ] I am not letting it stop me.
[ . . . . he's quiet as he guides her to sit down, as he shifts and moves to pull bandages from his person. it seems like he's prepared these days, given how often he might have to change his own.]
Come, let me help you.
[i don't remember where she's hurt i'm choosing not to think about it he's just going to help bandage wherever is respectable]
.....
And you know that it is just we two, yes?
[so in short -
he doesn't really believe her. at least not for the last point.]
Of course you are saddened. Even for what we must do, it does not extinguish your kind heart - if anything, it stems from it.
[ We will save the virgin Soo-won from having to bandage her back wound.
She doesn't resist his treatment, but she falls into a thoughtful silence at his words. When she speaks again, her words are quiet but unwavering. ]
Is it kindness, if I was prepared to strike him down? Had he not fought, I was going to calmly pull the lever and snuff out his life. I did not want to chance how the Realm would react.
[ She is worried about how the Realm will react because the execution went awry. ]
[that, at its core, is true. kano had every right to fight for his life. however soo-won cannot deny that he had a preference for how that battle would end, and he is relieved for how it did. there is no blaming kano for his actions, but there is-
well, the cruelty of sentiment and bias.]
But you were chosen for a duty, and you had to carry out the punishment that accompanied the choices of everyone else.
You are not the type of person to shrug that off to someone else, or flinch away from it.
I feel as though this has been a long-winded lesson in trying to get me to see how everyone else feels...
[when he obscures his injury, and covers them up, and insists that he's fine even if he's a bit hurt in that moment. but he nonetheless leans into her touch for just a moment before pulling away.]
[ . . . . he wishes that he could be more exasperated with her laugh, but he's not. instead he just pauses when he hears the sound before shaking his head]
.... I'll do my best to take care of yours as well then.
[ It's not everyday that Jeanne laughs like that, and it's not so much at his expense but how easy he makes it to take comfort in his presence. She knows she shouldn't use him as a distraction (because he's not, not really), and after another moment, her expression sobers. ]
I know you will. For everything that you do, you are careful.
[ . . . . he smiles a little bit at that, though he lets his gaze drop to where he's working on cleaning her injury and bandaging it more than anything else.]
.... well, we all are. We're not exactly in a situation where we can comfortably make rash decisions on whims.
[listen he has to at least try - but he can't say that he doesn't understand that. he pauses at the statement for a moment before nodding, with a bit of a sigh]
... you and me both. They feel so strongly, but they can be compelled to act on their feelings.
It would be for the best if they learned sooner rather than later that they can only harm others more if they act on their temperament first and foremost.
[ She will let him deflect today out of the benevolence of her heart, and it may be because she was also stabbed three times this day. ]
They will harm themselves as they do it, and I'm afraid there are only some things that can be learned by experience for the young. I can only pray it won't be anything too damaging.
.... you and I can both hope for that - and see what can be done in terms of minimizing the harm that can be caused. That's the role of adults sometimes too, isn't it?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
... he did.
[and he thinks of the way that jeanne seems to be horrified by this, and offers only:]
... it was his choice.
Some would rather be in charge of how they meet their end.
no subject
[ He deserved to live, but she could only serve to lead to his death. ]
It is not like I don't understand. It is only....
[ She does not how to put it into words in a way that fits how she feels, in a way that does not make her seem more or less than what she is. ]
I told him when we first arrived that he is someone I would risk my life to save.
[ And instead, she had been turned into a liar. ]
no subject
... do you not feel as though that is the case for everyone here?
[in truth -
soo-won thinks that jeanne would risk her life to save everyone here, because she cares for them, and perhaps to some degree it may be part of her duty in order to serve the common good. he's not surprised by her words, but he finds himself trying to understand the responsibility she must have imposed on herself.
he'll move to gently guide her somewhere that they can both sit down, even though the steps are slow]
... you have your reasons for why you cannot meet your end as well, and not in a fashion like that.
no subject
[ She lets herself be guided, slowly taking a seat. She won't aggravate her injuries any more than she has to. ]
I do not regret living. I do not think what I feel is greater or different from anyone here.
[ In fact, she does not think she has the right to feel as others do in some ways. With where her choices have carried her, there are some things she forfeited, that she accepted that she could never have anymore. ]
I am not— sad. [ That is not quite the truth, but she doesn't want to diminish Kano's choice. ] I am not letting it stop me.
no subject
Come, let me help you.
[i don't remember where she's hurt i'm choosing not to think about it he's just going to help bandage wherever is respectable]
.....
And you know that it is just we two, yes?
[so in short -
he doesn't really believe her. at least not for the last point.]
Of course you are saddened. Even for what we must do, it does not extinguish your kind heart - if anything, it stems from it.
You needn't hide that from me.
no subject
She doesn't resist his treatment, but she falls into a thoughtful silence at his words. When she speaks again, her words are quiet but unwavering. ]
Is it kindness, if I was prepared to strike him down? Had he not fought, I was going to calmly pull the lever and snuff out his life. I did not want to chance how the Realm would react.
[ She is worried about how the Realm will react because the execution went awry. ]
It is not wrong that he wanted to live.
no subject
[that, at its core, is true. kano had every right to fight for his life. however soo-won cannot deny that he had a preference for how that battle would end, and he is relieved for how it did. there is no blaming kano for his actions, but there is-
well, the cruelty of sentiment and bias.]
But you were chosen for a duty, and you had to carry out the punishment that accompanied the choices of everyone else.
You are not the type of person to shrug that off to someone else, or flinch away from it.
no subject
She could not look away from what she was chosen to do. ]
... It is almost embarrassing how much I can't argue with you.
[ At least on this. ]
As I said, I don't regret what I did. I simply... wanted it to be more peaceful for him.
no subject
but it doesn't steal from her humanity, and the way that she still feels emotions while carrying out what's expected of her.]
... as much as we may want those things for people - peace, serenity, courage - it would seem as though it's hard to force it on them.
I'm not sure he would've accepted anything else but what happened. I only hope you don't shoulder more burden than you already have.
no subject
Just as how I will be fine.
[ She smiles up at him, as if to reassure, and lifts a hand to lightly graze her fingers across his cheek. Thank you. ]
I may be a little hurt in this moment, but I will be fine.
no subject
I feel as though this has been a long-winded lesson in trying to get me to see how everyone else feels...
[when he obscures his injury, and covers them up, and insists that he's fine even if he's a bit hurt in that moment. but he nonetheless leans into her touch for just a moment before pulling away.]
But I'll choose to trust in that.
In you.
no subject
[ Her smile is warm, and for everything terrible that's happened over the past few days, this is a small, bright spot. ]
I'll try not to betray your trust.
no subject
[he's pretty sure jeanne gets some enjoyment from it -
but at least for now, he can't begrudge her that much]
... and no, I don't think I'll ever have to worry about that, or that you ever would.
no subject
anyway!! ]
I'd like to say you should worry a little, but I don't think I can bring myself to say that truthfully.
no subject
.... I'll do my best to take care of yours as well then.
no subject
I know you will. For everything that you do, you are careful.
[ More careful than he wants people to see. ]
no subject
.... well, we all are. We're not exactly in a situation where we can comfortably make rash decisions on whims.
[not that he'd do that anyway but ssshhh]
no subject
[ It is a false equivalency, but don't deflect
when it's just the two of them? soo-won? ]
no subject
... you and me both. They feel so strongly, but they can be compelled to act on their feelings.
It would be for the best if they learned sooner rather than later that they can only harm others more if they act on their temperament first and foremost.
no subject
They will harm themselves as they do it, and I'm afraid there are only some things that can be learned by experience for the young. I can only pray it won't be anything too damaging.
no subject
.... you and I can both hope for that - and see what can be done in terms of minimizing the harm that can be caused. That's the role of adults sometimes too, isn't it?
[not that he would know
he's been in charge since he was 9 years old]
no subject
I suppose it is. It'd be too flagrant to say it's more of Archer's purview.
[ She's probably joking, but she sounds 90% serious.
Imagine being like Hilda and trying to get everyone else to do your work for you. ]
no subject
he laughs a little bit at that]
It's true that you and I likely aren't the type of people that they'd expect to raise children....
[they're the ones who grew up too fast and probably don't know how to go easy on them]
no subject
so yeah ]
I know I won't be able to, but shouldn't you?
no subject
[he treated yona like a baby sister for so long and she's only two years younger than him please
he still kinda does]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)