[ AUDIENCE: BYLETH EISNER ]

[dormheads]

Comments

[azuta]

I'll do everything I can.
I swear it.

Please allow me to see you before tonight, too.

[divineimpulse]

It would be nice to see you, Viola. If you have time.

[azuta]

Of course.
Once you're done seeing to Dimitri, please let me know when you have a moment.

[divineimpulse]

[later:]

I think he's headed back to the Winter dormitory.

[azuta]

I'll give him some time to himself.
Where are you? I'll come meet you briefly.

[divineimpulse]

I'm at the summer dormitory. I can open the door.

[she has an arm]

[azuta]

[well!! she heads over there in a rush - and will knock knock on the door]

It's Viola. Please let me in.

[divineimpulse]

[she opens the door, partially using it for a support, and gestures viola in.]

Thank you for your help.

I'm always indebting myself to you.

[azuta]

[this is literally the worst - she's rushing in immediately, offering her arms out to help keep byleth steady. viola is a absolutely noodley in terms of strength but she's determined]

Don't say that. Thank you for looking after him. I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you. Here - let me help you to a place where you can lay down.

[divineimpulse]

Just the beanbags will do. It's no trouble.

[she accepts viola's noodle arms, but if she's in any pain, she isn't showing it.

once she's sat on a cushion pile or beanbag, she lets a little breath escape her.]

I suspect I should have gone to Sally, but...

...As his dormitory leader, it felt right to speak with you.

[azuta]

[BYLETH PLEASE - well she'll be as gentle as she can, moving to sit next to her and hovering worriedly]

Simply make sure your next purchases are with Sally - I understand why you went to me and I'm grateful for it. I worry he'd just hide it away from me otherwise.

[she looks so frustrated]

Can I get you anything? Water? Ice? A heating pad? I... I don't fully understand what you went through, but I'm so sorry...

[divineimpulse]

[she shakes her head, and offers viola a wane smile.]

I'm not very good at these dormitory wars... [ironic, probably.

but she waves away the offers.]

We went to a place where we had to fight each other with our words under duress—except the words had the power to hurt one another.

[...]

And I suspect... Dimitri isn't telling me everything.

[azuta]

[ . . . . ]

You had to fight against each other? ... it's getting so hard to grasp if there's anything similar about these...

But what makes you say that? About Dimitri?

[divineimpulse]

[she grows quiet.]

...When we first arrived, we were all together. The pink-haired man we met first wanted to talk to me—and then, suddenly, I was in a room with Caleb, and I had a concussion.

Dimitri said we were all separated, and attacked individually, that I must have been the only person who wasn't. How would he know? And then he looked...

[...

did she sound crazy? not everyone watches dimitri all day.]

...Elsewhere.

[a little embarrassed:]

It... feels like something is missing.

[azuta]

... he is the type of person who keeps to himself, doesn't he? Or won't elect to volunteer information about how he's hurting.

At least, from what I've witnessed...

[ . . . ]

Perhaps you can ask again when the wound is less fresh. I know you must be worried - and reasonably so, of course. But... I wonder what could've happened that might make him react that way.

[divineimpulse]

You're right. He is.

[.....

she looks at her hands, falling quiet again.]

[azuta]

[ . . . . well.

she'll reach out then, letting her fingertips brush against the back of byleth's hand]

And how do you feel about it?

[divineimpulse]

How do... I feel?

[...]

I...

[she's struggling, but instead of it being over text, now it's simply happening in real time.]

I don't know. [...] I'm fine.

[azuta]

[ . . . she's patient, thoughtful as she tilts her head.]

... it's okay if you're not. [she'll reassure her again]

... if I name a few words, would you tell me which resonates most? Something you feel your chest react to, even if you wouldn't reach for the word yourself.

Would that be easier?

[divineimpulse]

[she nods mutely, not even certain what she's agreeing to.

but as ever, she goes with the flow, eyes now solely on viola.]

[azuta]

Then...

Do you feel...

Unsettled? Afraid? Worried? About him, or yourself? Or do none of those quite fit?

[divineimpulse]

I'm...

[she tries each word, testing each one gently, feeling for an ache, something substantial.

she places a hand on her chest.

...

a little bit of her face crumbles.]

I think... it's all of them.

I know he's not alone. I know you're here. Others, too. He's doing better.

But I still...

[azuta]

[ . . . viola lets her hand rest over byleth's]

When you care for someone, you wish for them to be well. What happened - no matter how he's getting better or healed now, did not treat Dimitri well.

You don't need to say it's fine, or that you feel fine, even knowing he's safe now or that he'll be looked after later.

To feel negatively is simply proof of how much your heart cares.

[divineimpulse]

[...

the last part of her expression crumbles, leaving nothing but stunned silence.

she moves as if to speak, but nothing comes out.

instead, she feels her eyes, inexplicably, well with tears, one after another dropping to her lap.]

Wh...at?

[the confusion is writ large, even as she tries to blink the tears away.]

[azuta]

[ah...

viola sits patiently through it, taking byleth's hand in between both of hers as she waits for her to process her emotions.]

.... it's alright. You can cry. I won't tell anyone.

[her voice is soft and after a few more moments, she'll raise her other hand, now holding a soft handkerchief, so that she can wipe the tears away]