Leon Magnus | Stahn Aileron | 071

[discard]

[this is a catch-all for boyfriends

here's a list

- ice cream ✓
- seasickness
- stahn sacrifice ✓
- reunion: judas ✓
- taming stahn's hair ✓
- piggyback rides ✓
- just imagine
- family dinner
- why is there pow hammer
- possessive leon
- apologies
- post-barbatos afterlife meeting
- AND MORE]

Comments

[majinken]

Leon... you do the same thing.

[boom. calling him out on his shit 101.]

I know I don't know a lot about the world. And you always say you don't like people like me... but isn't that because you only see the parts you want to see? [this is a very serious question here, okay. because leon is always the one to point out people's faults and flaws; he's always the one to look down on a person and regard them negatively without taking the time to get to know them.

maybe stahn only sees what he wants to see, but he tries to find the good in people. and he knows that even though leon says such harsh things and thinks very skeptically of others, that he's still a good person. which is why leon follows that up with a smile. somehow, he can find a way to smile even when he's scolding someone.] It doesn't make either of us bad, though. It just means we have things to learn... about each other. And about others, too.

[and he doesn't think there's anything wrong with wanting to see the good in people. on the whole, people are good, stahn truly believes that.

dymlos, on the other hand, thinks that they're both idiots and would probably smack them both upside the head if he had arms. or hands. or anything that wasn't physically under stahn's control.]

[discard]

[He lost control of this conversation!!! He lost control at some point and he hasn't been able to get it back, and it makes him feel off-balance and worried. He's tense, expression tight as he scowls at the ground, away from both Stahn and the faint remains of the sunset as the light fades into darkness (perhaps out of some childish need to not look at anything that Stahn has pointed out now).

But even so, it's not like Stahn is wrong. It hurts even worse that he can hear the echoes of Marian in what Stahn is saying, the constant "Emilio, don't you think you should be kinder to those people?" whenever he's snappish or unfairly harsh.

He hates it.]

... Enough. [His voice is soft, to start, but it grows louder as he continues, finally facing Stahn properly.] Don't talk about what you know nothing about! [He doesn't think Stahn really knows anything about him (which is what he's saying, that's what he's been saying all along, but Leon doesn't want to help him either with it) and he doesn't want anything to do with this.

(Wouldn't that require opening up and trusting people? He's not interested in that at all.)]

Are you finished wasting my time? I have things to do. [He turns on his heel, fully prepared to go back to where they're staying, at least to get a little bit of work done before he sleeps. It's getting dark now; Stahn can't say there's anything more he has to see (or maybe he can, and maybe that's what Leon's afraid of; there's a lot here he's not seeing).

(You can probably almost physically hear Chaltier cringing, despite his lack of arms and not saying a word.)]

[majinken]

Leon...

[for a moment, he's stunned into silence. stahn really didn't expect him to be so angered by that—maybe he should have, but the conversation hadn't been going that poorly for him to expect the sudden regression.

for that brief moment, stahn could feel leon loosen up a little and almost enjoy both the ice cream and the scenery. and as leon turns away, stahn's head dips a little, looking back down at the stick.

"WINNER."

except he doesn't feel like much of a winner when leon had just gotten that angry at him. had he really crossed the line that much, or was it leon being defensive and resistant in the way he always was? no... even though his words were the same as ever, the tone and way he turned away felt much more cutting than usual.]

Leon, wait! [even if it's a fruitless effort to try and call for his attention again, stahn can't stop himself. why does he have to be like this? why can't he admit sometimes that he can be wrong about others, or that there is good in other people? stahn can see all of the good in him despite that attitude, so why can't leon see that for the rest of them, who try so hard to extend their friendship to him every day they travel together?]

[discard]

[It's a bit like kicking a puppy, and Leon should by rights feel bad (in a way, he does feel a little bad, but he squashes that feeling under his metaphorical heel too), but it's not enough to stop him from stalking away a good few paces before that voice reaches him.

"Wait".

Why should he? He has no obligation; it would be so easy to just keep walking away, to make his way back and bury himself in their mission and focus only on that until he's out of the company of people like this, who make him think about things that are uncomfortable, who make him focus on things that he'd already thought would be easiest kept locked away.

Even so.

He waits. He doesn't turn around, but he halts in step.]

What.. I've already told you, this conversation is finished.

[So why does he keep listening to Stahn anyway?

Why can't he just walk away guiltlessly?]

[majinken]

[there's a breath of relief that comes with the fact that leon still stops anyway. even though he doesn't have to, even though he claims to be finished with everything that just happened, he hasn't put a total stop to the conversation.

and that's undoubtedly a good thing.

also, it accounts for just one of the many reasons that stahn believes so much in him.

once again, his expression changes, brightening significant as he takes a few strides forward. he makes sure to position himself right in front of leon, holding out the stick for him. take it, friend!]

You get a free one when you win, so hold on to it! [he's not taking no for an answer here. after all, isn't less of a waste of gald when they end up getting a free ice cream out of it? it's the least stahn can do—little by little, he wants leon to see how much good there can be in other people, and that he can count on them when it really matters.]

[discard]

Wha--?

[He's taken off-guard, that much is obvious, and it takes him a moment too long to recover. After all of that, even after everything he said, Stahn is giving him...this? He should keep it for himself and get himself another ice cream, naturally. It isn't as though Stahn couldn't put another of those things away, as easily as he put away the first one.

And it's not as though he deserves it right now.

He stares at Stahn for a brief moment longer, the silence dragging on, and then slowly his fingers twitch, as though he's considering legitimately reaching for it.]

...Why are you giving me this? [He understands the concept behind a winner stick, naturally. He just doesn't understand why Stahn would give it to him.]

[majinken]

Because I've already gotten to have ice cream twice.

[yes, his logic really and truly is this simple. sure, stahn could easily eat more; it's delicious and they haven't had supper yet, so his stomach has plenty of room to be filled. but it's just not that important to him, not in the least.

wouldn't it be selfish to have a third ice cream? leon had missed his chance last time, and this is stahn's effort to compensate for his own failing to keep a promise. the fact that he'd finished the one they just had (with that subdued enjoyment) is enough for stahn to know that giving him a chance to have another, maybe on his own time when he has the chance, is a good idea.]

We'll be even that way. There's no expiration on it either, I asked when I bought the other ones! So just hold on to it for another time. [this is just what friends do, okay. selfless gestures because they care for the other person. it's not like this is any sort of inconvenience to stahn—he wants leon to have it. if there's one thing that's true, it's that stahn is unfailing in his effort to make nice.]

[discard]

[Ah.... friendship logic. The logic appeals to him but he doesn't quite understand the friendship aspect of it, naturally. Sure, it's true that Stahn has already gotten to have more ice cream than Leon, but it's his winner stick, and he should use it.

Why should he even bother with what's fair or even?

And yet...he is, and Leon's sick of feeling like he's on the defensive and knows nothing. He's sick of feeling off-balance, which he has for this entire conversation. And... it's ice cream. The treat was a legitimate enjoyment out of everything, so surely if he eats it away from Stahn, where he won't have to deal with his knowing smile...

Then it should be fine. Leon huffs out vaguely, but it's more frustration at his lack of understanding the situation than anything, and then he reaches up with a quick movement to snag the offered stick.]

Fine. If you're set on making a fuss over this, then I'll take it.

[And not because he wants more ice cream, of course not...or because he doesn't want Stahn to make the kicked puppy face from before, not that either. Naturally.]

Now we're done here. [So he's going to just...skirt around Stahn to try to stalk off, because now it's definitely a bit of awkwardness on top of the irritation from before. He still doesn't understand why Stahn was so insistent on this being fair, but...now that he has that free ice cream stick in his hand, it's feels a bit too much like a promise.

Why did he take it? He's really not sure, but...for that reason, he won't throw it away, either. He may as well use it, he supposes--it'd be a waste, otherwise. That's...certainly the only reason. He won't think any more deeply on that.]