contact part deux

[bouchonne]

if this were modern times byerly would probably make you listen to total eclipse of the heart before you were able to leave a message

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[altusimperius]

[As eager as anyone to get out of here for a bit, and put all this behind him, Benedict nods.]

[bouchonne]

[ It's a bit of a relief. By lets out a breath, and rubs at his eyes. This was a bit more harrowing than he'd expected. ]

Sure.

[ And then, with difficult sincerity - ]

Thank you. For - trying.

[cozen]

[ Bastien nods. He pulls his feet off the desk and returns them to the ground, but makes no moves to leave his chair. ]

I'm sorry we haven't gotten to the reports yet, Benedict. We'll come back to them.

[altusimperius]

It’s all right.

[Benedict leans over to set the folio on Byerly’s desk, stretches his arms, and rises. He can take a hint.]

Coffee for anyone?

[bouchonne]

Yes, please.

[ With a little bit of a sigh - ]

Thank you. And - [ Ugh. ] My apologies for being prickly. Earlier.

[cozen]

[ Bastien holds up a finger for Benedict, waggling to communicate yes, that's the ticket, one for me please without interrupting Byerly's apology.

Which requires no shit-crawling.

He doesn't give him a look about it, focused on his water cup for the moment, but he does faintly smile. ]

[altusimperius]

[Benedict gives a half-shrug and a little smirk that seems to say 'don't worry about it' as he makes his way out of the office, to take some air and make some coffee.]

[bouchonne]

[ When Benedict is gone, Byerly looks to Bastien, not entirely certain what to expect. He hasn't seen this side of him much, and even more rarely directed at him. Will he have sharper words, with Benedict out of the room? Will he say different things? Will it be forgotten? It's hard to say. By has certainly gotten better at reading Bastien, but when the man goes full Bard, it's beyond his abilities. ]

[cozen]

[ Bastien does not give him much to work with. He's somehow more casual than a few minutes before, when he was slouching and his feet were on the desk; his energy is different, and he smiles a little, drinks his water. Takes his time waiting for Benedict to be fully out of earshot to say, ]

He's a good kid.

[ He's an adult, is what he is, but never mind that. ]

He cares about you.

[bouchonne]

He cares about safety.

[ It's not (intentionally) cruel or dismissive. It comes from a real, rather melancholy belief. ]

I can afford him some protection for the moment. He wants to preserve that.

[cozen]

[ The barest shake of Bastien's head. ]

He's been working hard for us without incident for a long time. He has other friends now. He's not in danger—not more than any of us. He cares about you.

[bouchonne]

[ By opens his mouth to protest - and then blows out a frustrated little breath. He's frustrated at himself, it should be noted. ]

I - would prefer, I think, if it were using me, instead. If you're right, then it'll make it worse still when I fail him.

[cozen]

You are not going to fail him. I meant it—if we ever go, we can take him with us. As long as he does not try to call me dad.

[ Anyone else, he'd have feigned defaulting to papa. ]

You—you know, that's between you and him.

[bouchonne]

[ The idea of Benedict calling Bastien dad is horrifying enough to pull Byerly a bit out of his sulk - at least enough to pull a face. ]

What's between me and him?

[cozen]

[ Bastien keeps a very straight face, unnecessarily. ]

Whether he calls you dad.

[bouchonne]

Bastien -

[ Byerly has no words for how horrifying this prospect is. So he simply scowls, and fishes a bit of lemon out of his water, and hucks that lemon straight at Bastien's face. ]

[cozen]

[ Bastien grins before he throws it, and while he throws it, and after it’s stuck wetly and pulpily to his cheek.

But he doesn’t laugh, and once he’s peeled the lemon off and dropped it into his own cup, the grin goes away. ]

They are going to be harder on you than I was.

[bouchonne]

[ Any amusement/horror drops away. ]

I know.

[cozen]

How are you going to handle it?

[bouchonne]

[ He sighs a little more. ]

Stoically. I suppose.