moraled | week five, saturday

week five, saturday

[He doesn't really want to return to his room. But ultimately, he doesn't have a choice. There is nowhere else for him to go, after all. Sara is in prison, and her room is long empty.

He has no reason to be there.

He sits in his room, on his bed, and watches the clock tick down. He's always been early to bed.

But.

Not tonight.

No, tonight he sits there, with his head in his hands and his fingers buried in his hair, and wonders what the hell he's going to do now, wonders what even is left.

What is even left now?]

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[He hesitates--but it's only for a moment. In truth, he is beginning to believe that he shouldn't be sharing a room with anyone; it's clear that it doesn't offer him any more chance to protect them.

But.

He can't deny Noct. He's flat out asking if he can stay, and Barnham knows that he's hurting over Sara's confession and soon to come death as well. With that in mind, what can he do but nod?

So nod he does, accepting.]

You are more than welcome, Young Noctis.

[And he has to admit:]

Perhaps it would be for the better to not be alone.

For tonight, yeah. Think... it would definitely be better.

[he's hurting, but barnham is well likely hurting more. being alone after losing two roommates and... well, whatever sara was to him—

(he's not going to ask for the details of their kissing adventures)

barnham shouldn't be alone.]

Don't really feel like going back to my own room anyway. [he's dealt with ash enough already for one day.]

... Quite understandable.

[ASH........

Barnham is blissfully ignorant to the fact that noct even knows about those kissing adventures.]

You are always welcome here, though I cannot assure you I shall always be better company.

[noct plans on keeping it that way... he kind of wishes he hadn't been privy to that information if only for sara's choice in wording.

but, you know. it's fine...]

I know the bar's low when Ash is my roommate, but come on. [pretty much anything is better than that.

...but hey, at least noct still retains at least a little of his humor, right?]

[That sass is honestly good to see.

At least Noct hasn't lost that in the horribleness of this town.]

Well, I certainly could not presume to speak on it. He seems to avoid me most of the time.

[Aside from, you know, when he's accusing him of murder??]

It's fine—I can speak on it enough for the both of us, believe me.

[he's an asshole, even if noct doesn't hate him nearly as much as he probably should.]

[He snorts softly at that, shaking his head.]

Your patience by him does you credit, if nothing else. Being able to acknowledge and attempt to understand those different from you is...not always easy.

[Especially when it's

Ash

Yeah]

That's... kinda my job though, isn't it?

[he knows he's not great at it, but empathizing with others is the duty of a king, regardless of whether or not he's dealing with his own people.

and even if those people are angry gay robots.]

[... Well.]

While I have no intentions of denying that, I rather imagine that someone such as him is very much a unique case.

[He just sounds amused though. Ash might have a hateboner for him but Barnham thinks he's harmless and fussy.]

[noct knows ash isn't totally harmless, but he also knows that his motivations in this town are driven by his own means and he's no nearly as focused on killing The Hoomans!! or whatever here.]

Can't argue that. He's... somethin', that's for sure.

...Well, regardless, for now I do not believe he is an issue we must concern ourselves with, but keep an eye on him regardless. Should he suddenly decide that his own goals could be reached by certain means, then...

[robot murders?? robot murders.

But for now--]

There is no need to concern yourself with that tonight either way.

I know. I'm careful around him already—I don't think he'll do anything to me unless he really has to.

[but noct will be on his guard anyway, regardless.]

I don't think he hates me as much as he claims, anyway.

I suspect that you, of all people, are the only one who could say as much.

[ASH HAS...SOME WEIRD?? ??? THING?? WITH NOCT?]

Tis fine, however, so long as you are in no danger from him.

Probably. For all the fits he throws, he's never actually tried to hurt me.

[not even in all the times noct has actually provoked him to.]

He acts more like a kid throwing a tantrum, but I'll be careful.

[Noct's a special case]

That is, of course, all that can be asked of you. I am satisfied with that.

[he nods his head, quiet for a moment.]

We've got bigger things to worry about, right?

As ever, I suppose. Tis the struggle of one in a difficult situation.

[But hey.

They're still here.

And they're still trying.]

Yeah. Guess there's really no arguing that. For now... we probably need to just clear our heads a bit.

[they're still here and still trying, but they definitely need to recharge a bit.]

... Yes, agreed.

[And so:]

Tell me more of this food you have brought.

[It's totally foreign to him, okay]

[good thing he's had to explain them before.]

Cup Noodles. Basically just noodles in broth that are easy to make and taste good after a long day. They're... not really anything too special, but they're quick and comforting, I guess.

I see. There is nothing like this in my world, but... even so, it is not bad.

[Pretty good, really!! He's eating it, at least, which is a good sign.]

Always good to try something new sometimes.

[for whatever that's worth.]

Gladio—one of my friends back home, [and you know, his actual shield.] it's his favorite. You... kind of remind me of him, in a way. Thought maybe it would mean you might like it too.

[... Huh. Interesting. He quirks an eyebrow at that.]

Is that so?

[...hmmm]

A knight as well, is he?

[He knows full well that Noct has a knight in his merry band of friends, and it's such an intrinsic part of Barnham's being that he can only assume there's a similarity there.]

[to that, noct nods pretty easily. at least this isn't something difficult for him to talk about.]

He's one of the Crownsguard. His family... has protected the kings of Lucis for generations. His dad protected mine, and now...

[gladio protects him, and proudly so.]

Ah, I see.

[He nods, simply.]

A noble lineage, then. I am honored to be thought of as much like him.

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