[ It hurts to huff a laugh, in more than just the way where it tugs and tightens abused muscles and bones. One corner of his mouth twitches up, rueful, and flickers back again. ]
Yeah.
[ His expression softens as he looks up at the stars with her, breathing carefully into his side to test the soreness that will probably take all night to fade. It hasn't been that long since their last night in Lumiere, with Tristan and the others, all so excited for the expedition, bragging about how they'd be the ones to take down the Paintress and come home heroes. ]
Lucien tried to get me drunk the night before we left. Probably try to do the same now, in fact.
[ He owes Lucien his life, and he won't ever get a chance to repay that debt. But that, too, is the kind of leverage Lucien would have enjoyed holding over him with friendly teasing.
They'd all have died for one another. He knows that. It's only luck that death took Lucien that day and not him, too. ]
no subject
Yeah.
[ His expression softens as he looks up at the stars with her, breathing carefully into his side to test the soreness that will probably take all night to fade. It hasn't been that long since their last night in Lumiere, with Tristan and the others, all so excited for the expedition, bragging about how they'd be the ones to take down the Paintress and come home heroes. ]
Lucien tried to get me drunk the night before we left. Probably try to do the same now, in fact.
[ He owes Lucien his life, and he won't ever get a chance to repay that debt. But that, too, is the kind of leverage Lucien would have enjoyed holding over him with friendly teasing.
They'd all have died for one another. He knows that. It's only luck that death took Lucien that day and not him, too. ]