week five, saturday

[moraled]

[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?]

Comments

[elemancy]

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.]

[moraled]

... Yes, agreed.

[And so:]

Tell me more of this food you have brought.

[It's totally foreign to him, okay]

[elemancy]

[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.

[moraled]

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.]

[elemancy]

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.

[moraled]

[... 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.]

[elemancy]

[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.]

[moraled]

Ah, I see.

[He nods, simply.]

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

[elemancy]

Guess it must be a knight thing. I don't think your personalities are alike. But... your duty and how you feel about it.

That part's definitely the same.

[moraled]

[Hmm...]

I believe you are most likely correct. It is something that I believe all knights to carry in equal measure, regardless of who they serve.

[Though know he's curious:]

What is his personality like?

[elemancy]

Kind of just a hardass. Like...

[he's not really sure how to describe it.]

A big brother who does the whole "tough love" thing. [he's such a papa bear. gladio worries about everyone, but sometimes he's just a little too rough around the edges with how he doesn't mince words.]

[moraled]

Ah, I see.

[Barnham snorts.]

Have I been too soft, then?

[HE COULD BE TOUGHER, HE THINKS]

[elemancy]

Nahhh. You're fine. Wouldn't be you otherwise, right?

[he thinks barnham is fine this way, honestly.]

[moraled]

... Indeed. And I believe...that would be more akin to how I was before.

[He waves a hand, dismissively.]

Before I began to see the truth for myself in Labyrinthia, convinced of my own self-righteousness.

[elemancy]

Yeah, I think I'll stick to see you like this. Self-righteousness free and all.

[he likes barnham the way he is.]

[moraled]

Hm....yes, well, I believe I prefer it as well. I wonder how the townspeople would see me like this...

[would he still have a fanclub? If not, that'd be kind of great actually, even if he likes that they like him. The fanclub thing? exhausting and weird.]

[elemancy]

The townspeople... huh. What did they think before?

[it's hard to imagine anyone not liking barnham, after all.

except ash.]

[moraled]

[..........................mmmmmmmmm]

[moraled]

[mmmmmmmmmm]

How do I say...

[moraled]

[........ fanclubs.

It's fanclubs

Hero worship. Name chanting. Utter and obscene hero worship in all fashions.]

Tis rather...difficult to describe, I suppose. If nothing else, I... suppose I do have their trust.

[He looks kind of embarrassed though.]

[elemancy]

[what is this reaction, even? barnham definitely looks a bit embarrassed, which in turn...

well, it kind of amuses him faintly, despite everything.]

You sure "trust" is the right word for it? [he chides—because he doesn't think that's right, based on is reaction.]

[moraled]

[Guh...

Guh.

He just mutters, defeatedly:]

They take things too far... they take everything much too far. I am merely one person, and their belief in me is quite honestly very....

[?? Confusing? Weird? Frightening?]

...Concerning.

[elemancy]

...Concerning?

[barnham, explain? HE SEEMS SO FLUSTERED and noct is really unsure as to why. even though he should get it because he definitely has had fanclubs of his own.]

[moraled]

[He seems flustered because he is flustered, all he wants to do is be a knight not have fanclubs and people who chant his name when he shows up.]

...Ah. Yes.

[Concerning.

Mmhm.

That.]

Their...hearts are in the right place. I suppose it had best be left at that. They may take things too far, but... I shall happily accept their trust in me.

[elemancy]

Not like it isn't deserved. ...Their trust.

[maybe.

you know.

not the parts that are concerning about it, but noct thinks that barnham is very much so deserving of what trust and respect he gets from others, if nothing else.]