Three | My Confidence Shaken

[eaglesonofnone]

WHO: Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
WHERE: South Village
WHEN: December 3-ish
OPEN TO: One on the path in, anyone afterward.
WARNINGS: Most likely some frank discussion of mental health.

---

Flickers of Doubt: (Now locked to Shiro.)

His trip to the Bunker had taken a deliberately long time. The device called a 'pod' promised a faster trip - he'd read that in the village codex - but that particular mode of transportation was limited to those who could swim. That excluded him. In the end, though, that mattered little. He'd needed the time as much as he'd wanted to investigate. And even once he'd gotten there, he'd found more reason to take time, more reason to walk slowly, to take the lay of the land, to practice climbing trees and, one night when he'd tried to start a small campfire, learn to control the sudden appearance of an ability that he never could've predicted. He didn't like it, but it wasn't the first thing about this place he hadn't liked.

Altaïr had taken care to spend a shorter amount of time in the Bunker than he'd truly wanted. The arrival of Evie Frye had taken him by surprise, but it had been a second incident the likes of which he couldn't afford to recur. Once, he'd been convinced there would be no afterlife. Now, he was convinced this was no afterlife, but this new youth kept his past on his mind. He could remember with too much clarity, felt heartsore for those he had left behind who hadn't gotten this chance. There were people here he cared for, and while that was a gift he wouldn't overlook, he couldn't help but wonder why he was here but poor Sef, dear Malik, his love Maria... Why had this been denied to them?

And so he had walked. He had thought, he had walked, he had given himself the time to mourn all over again. And he had cemented in his mind that Takashi was not Malik through he could make use of Malik's lessons, and that Miss Frye was not Maria, no matter how strong the resemblance and the accent. He had begun to make plans for instructing Takashi in Malik's methods, and to speak with Evie with the respect she was due rather than the unfortunate familiarity their first meeting had taken.

With his emotions back on a steady footing, he returned to the Village, his pace one that could easily have been sustained for days. At the least, he could say that his stamina had returned and he was confident in his ability to stay on the move as he once did long ago. At the best, he felt like he could have more honesty in his interactions with the people who now counted on him. And that was definitely an improvement.

Regained Confidence:

He knew he owed multiple apologies and they would be words gladly given, but now that he had gone to his home, washed both himself and his clothes, and had a chance to dry both, he stepped back out into the village. There were more arrivals here than he'd expected while he'd been gone - more people to speak with, to check on, and if he wasn't the only one with the ability to call fire to his hands, he didn't doubt there were people to reassure or perhaps even make certain they had a roof over their heads whether they were a new arrival or not.

With Connor in his house, he didn't think offering space would be wise, but he could offer to look around with anyone, to see if any of the other houses would suit them, and to help clear the dust.

Comments

[eaglesonofnone]

"Of course."

Having seen how Takashi leaned toward his hand put a thought into his mind - one that quickly caught and expanded, many things compounding into something larger until he knew what he needed to do. "Beyond your mentioning your head aching, I also see," he said, "that your worry sits heavily on you. My brotherhood looked after one another. If you will turn your back to me, I will see if I can ease your shoulders and neck, and perhaps soothe your headache in a way that will last beyond getting out of these waters."

It was an offer - one that he was welcome to say no to, but made all the same in good faith. It wouldn't be the first or last massage he'd given in a hot spring. Only the most recent.

[rebornpaladin]

It was, potentially, an inappropriate response, but Shiro actually laughed, genuine if a touch self-mocking.

"Do I really look that tense all the time? Just a day ago, Zevran Aranai set up shop in the inn, handing out haircuts, and scolded me about it," he said, a rueful half grin pulling at his mouth as he reached his hand back to rub absently over the admittedly taut line of his neck, up over the now close-short hair at the back of his skull.

"I swear, I'm trying."

And for the second time in as many days, he didn't refuse the offer.