[catchall for sieghart]

[feytality]

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Week 1: Monday

[ercnerd]

[That evening, he sits in the mini coffeehouse. He's not there to drink first and foremost, though he nurses a cup of non-caffeinated tea for the sake of keeping his hands busy. When the suites are shared between ten individuals, even a small room like this is better for gathering one's thoughts. His expression is muted, but not gloomy.

The Hello Kitty bandaid still sits innocently under his right eye.]

[feytality]

[ maya has come for tea.... but she sits down next to him ]

What's on your mind, Mr. Sieghart? [ and what happened to his face... ]

[ercnerd]

Hey, Maya.

[His smile widens as he greets her.]

I'm just thinking about what class I should attend tomorrow.

[feytality]

You looked pretty deep in thought for that.

[ maya is perceiving his face... ]

[ercnerd]

It's a serious subject. I don't want to attend more classes than I have to, so I need to choose carefully.

[He sips the tea. It's pretty dark in the coffeehouse, simply because he didn't bother to light anything. And it just so happens to hit that threshold of darkness now where the words faintly glow through the pink bandaid.

For Maya, who's looking carefully, the words are clear enough to be perceived once Sieghart sets the cup down: DEATH BEFORE REVENGE.]

[feytality]

I dunno, you're pretty crafty. It doesn't really require much thought....

[ maya squints at the words. despite herself, she can't help but read them out loud ]

Death... before revenge?

[ercnerd]

[Crafty! He opens his mouth to quip at the comment when his eyes widen. He brings a hand up to his face.

The bandaid is still there.]

What did you say?

[feytality]

[ she can see through bandaids it's one of her powers ]

That's.... your fear?

[ercnerd]

[What a waste of vouchers, Maya.]

My fear?

[He gapes. Is that what this is?]

[feytality]

I mean, I think so... all the ones I've seen seem to be fears...

[ .... ]

Is that what you're afraid of...?

[ercnerd]

[He falls quiet, closing off his expression.]

If I don't . . . I'll never be able to . . .

[feytality]

[ she just goes quiet too, watching his expression carefully and waiting for him to say more ]

[ she worries her hands together, too ]

[ercnerd]

. . . I don't want to talk about it.

[feytality]

[ this is kind of unnerving ]

[ she doesn't press, but, quietly: ]

I didn't think.... you'd want something like that....

[ revenge ]

[ercnerd]

[After another pause, he grimaces.]

Sorry. I know it sounds eerie.

[That's why he covered it up in the first place. He didn't want the kids to see and feel frightened.]

But how did you know?

[feytality]

[ she was afraid he'd get mad at her so she's still a little muted ]

[ but it's not that she's frightened of it, it's just a shock, coming from laid back mcdad. ]

[ there's a lot she doesn't know about him... after all ]

Uhm, it's glowing through your cute little bandaid....

[ercnerd]

[He lays the tips of his fingers over the cursed spot on his cheek, blocking out their glow.

But there's no point in hiding the words anymore. Maya's looking at them right now through no fault of her own. Sieghart leans back with a frown.]

Tsk. How troublesome.

[feytality]

.... Yeah, it's... pretty weird and invasive to have these things...

[ she's still kind of looking at the spot it was at ]

[ercnerd]

[It's there. And it's not her doing, so he doesn't tell her to stop staring.]

. . . Does that mean you also have one?

[feytality]

[ she pulls one of her arms behind her back self-consciously, but if he squints he can make out something in glowing letters.... im making you wait one tag out of suspense ]

Uhm, yeah, but it's not really... a big deal....

[ercnerd]

[It may be longer than that. He doesn't squint—just glances before respectfully focusing on her face.]

I won't look if you don't want to show me.

[feytality]

[ it's really tempting to hide it. ]

[ but that wouldn't be fair, would it.... she's seen his, when he was clearly trying to hide it. and it's him.... if she wants to get to know him better, then maybe she has to take the first step]

[ she bites her lip, then shows it to him. ]

[ BEING A BURDEN/BEING USELESS is glowing through her kimono ]

[ercnerd]

[He stares at the words for a while.

It's not a sentiment he understands very well. From birth, he's been hailed as a genius—the most promising scion of a family of gladiators who achieved legendary status at a young age. He's never had to worry about being anything less.

So he can't understand such a fear. But he can understand how he feels about someone like Maya being held in its vice grip.]

Do you believe that?

[feytality]

[ she fidgets under his gaze, increasingly self-conscious as he stares ]

No. [ yes. ]

We all have things we worry about though, right? A-And, well, I worry about this. 'Cause I need-- I want to be helpful, especially in a situation like this. I told you about Nick, right? I'm his assistant [ wow no claiming he's the sidekick ], but.... I don't know a lot about law, and one time I couldn't channel sis, when he needed her, so.... I always worry, a little bit, about not being able to help.

[ she's not quite looking at him as she rambles ]

[ercnerd]

[So her sister is dead, is she?

He doesn't keep his gaze on her for long. For her sake, he breaks it by taking another sip of tea before he answers her.]

. . . You're downplaying your achievements. If you only think about what went or could go wrong, you'll never stop worrying.