PCs with Gerome

[swordhandled]

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[swordhandled]

[ Owain didn't mean to disturb him, so he's caught unaware when Gerome finally notices his presence. He steps out from behind the tree, blushing very slightly in embarrassment. He raises a hand in a very meek greeting before he brings it to his mouth, slightly coughing to clear his throat. ]

Ah, just recently...

[ He shuffles awkwardly in place ] You were talking about me, about Lucina and Cynthia.

[maskarang]

I... [ He wants so badly to refute that. Then he closes his mouth. That's not enough context, but, perhaps, it was only the tail end...?

It could be worse, but he can't help the way his face warms. ] Forget what you heard! Those words were for Minerva's ears, not yours.

[swordhandled]

I'm sorry to have heard them, but that doesn't change the fact I did.

[ He takes a deep breath and looks at Gerome. ]

Let's try talking again, Gerome.

[maskarang]

No. [ Immediate reply. No one could have ever seen this coming. ]

[swordhandled]

Honestly, I should have expected that--

[ here's a twist ] I'm sorry, for some of the things I said yesterday.

[maskarang]

[ It's a nigh-imperceptible difference but Gerome's frown relaxes into his default expression. Which... is also almost a frown. ]

You are?

[swordhandled]

I am. I shouldn't have brought your parents up during our... conversation yesterday.

[maskarang]

... I cannot speak of what you should have done. It was said, neither of us can change that. However... [ A pause as he struggles to find the words. ] ... you spoke from the heart. Nothing you said to me was without purpose, and that dedication to your beliefs may be your strength.

It would not be right of me to expect you to apologize for it.

[swordhandled]

Hm, except... [ he trails off slightly here. for once, he's trying to find the right words to use here as well. ] You still haven't accepted the fact we met our parents once more, have you?

[maskarang]

... We will never see eye-to-eye on this topic, Owain.

[swordhandled]

We may not, but let me try to understand you, Gerome.

[maskarang]

There's no point in understanding.

[swordhandled]

There is if it keeps us from arguing every time we talk.

[maskarang]

[ A pause as he considers this. ]

... Very well. I'll give you three questions, all of which I will answer with as much clarity as I can muster. [ Another beat. ] Do not make me regret this.

[swordhandled]

I'll stick with my previous question as my first one: you haven't accepted the Uncle Frederick and Aunt Cherche that we met in the past as your parents, have you?

[maskarang]

It's complicated. [ Immediate regret. He wants to leave it at that, desperately so. Unfortunately, he made a promise of sorts to answer clearly. He shifts his gaze to the tree behind Owain. ] I accept they are the same in many ways. ... No, perhaps it is more than simply "many". They—are identical.

[ Saying that does seem to pain him. ] We are the ones displaced in time, the trespassers on a history we had little choice but to disrupt. My thoughts on this remain in discord, but there is one thing I know. Fate was averted for them. Lucina, Robin, Chrom, everyone... even you, played a part in that. I have no choice but to accept it as reality. ... Gratefully accept.

[ He opens his mouth as if to say more only to close it a second later. ] Next question.

[swordhandled]

[ owain is quiet as gerome speaks. he nods along, finally glad to have a clear answer from him on this subject. it's... somewhat strange to him, all things considered, but knowing gerome, it's starting to at least make a little sense. he's a little more careful with his question. ]

You don't want to intrude on their lives anymore than we already have?

[maskarang]

[ this question is easier. since he doesn't see a need to elaborate, he relaxes considerably. it may be difficult to tell because of the armor and his typically rigid posture but, yes, he was extremely tense. ]

That's part of it.

[swordhandled]

[ owain knows that he's going to regret wasting his third question on this, but he just has to know ]

And you don't plan on being a part of their lives at all, after we return home, do you?

[maskarang]

I am a solitary man, Owain. No matter what my feelings for them are or what theirs are for me, nothing will change that. ... Nor will it change that as I am now, I am a mere year younger than my mother. [ She can't raise him and he can't ask her to play a part for him that doesn't fit. It's better for her and his father to dote on the child they do bear.

For him, that would be more satisfying than trying to dote on him. He's already a lost cause. ]

[swordhandled]

--I know you said only three questions, but I am going to ask another.

Would you listen to what I have to say?

the amount of times i swap between caps and all lower case secretly kills me btw

[maskarang]

No. [ swiftly again. then, he does something unthinkable. he smiles. ] Because now it's my turn.

[ the smile drops. ] Why the interest in my affairs?

like all these threads

[swordhandled]

[ oh no he got a smile!! he's going to treasure this memory for life ]

We may not have talked much prior to returning to the past, something that I do share in the responsibility of, but I do have to say that I do consider you family. Your father, he was more than just a retainer for my mother and Uncle Chrom.

He was like an uncle to me too. So, I'm worried about you.

only as much as they kill you

[maskarang]

[ gosh, it's like you think he'll never smile at you again (he probably won't) ]

Fidelity to my father is a poor reason to take interest in me. [ yes, he does frown hard as he says this. and, yes, he does realize it's almost a pot-kettle statement.

again, he looks like he wants to say something but changes gears instead. ] Tell me, what do you intend to do now that the war is over?

that's all i want

[swordhandled]

[ he knows he won't ]

Fidelity to him was how it started, but not the reason I maintain it. [ TAKE THAT AND SUCK IT ]

As for what I intend to do? For now, settle somewhere in Ylisse. There is much I can do to help out there, and I can visit Mother and Father in Regna Ferox whenever I can.