[ ububububu he tears up as soon as he's offered it and accepts it gratefully, reaching up to dab at his eyes with it. at this point, they're rubbed red, the skin underneath sore from crying so this is. nice? silk. this is nice. ]
... It - it has been a very, very long week. [ EVERYTHING HAS TRULY HAPPENED SO MUCH!!!! ] And today was a very, very long day.
[ not the tears!!!! yeah, the silk is nice. like rich person shit. very ridiculous. but it's soft and it smells good. i hate typing war smells good but whatever. ]
there's a beat, and... he sucks in a breath. in, out. in, out. ]
I know. [ people will need him, and rondo will be there for them. truthfully, this is what he excels at. he can't know it now, and maybe he never will, but sazantos himself says it - that rondo's pure heart and unerring ability to bounce back from sorrow and despair are what makes him a better flameguard.
he clutches the handkerchief, for a long moment.] So long as I continue to follow my heart, I will continue to walk with the Flame. I won't allow it to ever be extinguished by anything.
[ ok, stubborn. they really can't say anything about that. ]
Even so, that doesn't mean you can't also ask for support when you need it. Like my brother, I think people often forget to extend that courtesy to those who seem strong.
[ he thinks, for a moment, about sazantos. about the regret that was practically burned into his skin that first week, about not knowing that he was upset, about not being able to help him. sazantos was so strong, but he was suffering, because people just assumed he didn't need help. (and, well. he wouldn't accept it if he was asked, anyway, but that's besides the point.)
and maybe that's the difference between them. he feels all of his emotions, as big and fiery as the sacred flame itself, and he lets other people know he feels them, too. he's willing to accept help, because he used to just need it, all the time. there is strength in being known.
he manages a small, wobbly smile. ]
...I know. [ the laugh that comes after is a little wet, a little humorless. he knows. ] ...Thank you. Thank you for extending a hand to me.
[ war please you are so nice to rondo every day. EVERY day. out here like "i'm so mean and tough" and giving him hot cocoa and handing him rich boy hankies and giving him pep talks.
rondo's quiet for a moment after the question, worrying the handkerchief in his hands. this is a little war wisdom, so he intends to take these lessons seriously, as he often does, focusing on the trial at hand. what would he do differently...
... and honestly, the answer comes quickly.]
... I would have stopped Yuffie. Aqua was the most actively dangerous at the end. [ CONSIDERING ] And I know... I know Mr. Lucas could have also snapped at any time, but he hadn't yet. When I was questioning him, I was trying to do it as carefully as possible - I knew it would really upset Mathis, so I wanted to try to balance that.
look, they just think feeling better means rondo talking about how things could have gone better rather than dwelling on the things that did not go well at all. ]
And if you could not have stopped Yuffie. If you could not stop a single person now, or later, what would you do differently?
he blinks - not being able to stop someone at all? for a moment, rondo falls totally silent, his brow furrowing together, as he racks his brain. what... what would he do differently? what would he do differently. he investigated evidence, he tried to be helpful, he went to find aerith...
he looks a little lost as he goes through the actions of the trial mentally. war can likely almost see the ....? over his head from the effort he is putting up with trying to come up with an answer to this question. ]
[ war can really see the braincells making an attempt to rub together. wow. ]
You're thinking too hard unnecessarily. Is there anything you would do, or have others do differently which doesn't concern killing someone afflicted, or stopping someone from killing the afflicted?
This isn't an exam. There are no right or wrong answers.
this isn't an exam makes him laugh, a little. ] It feels like one... [ but, this seems like a little bit of a joke, if a tired one.
okay. okay, let rondo actually try a little more, now, a little more relaxed as he considers. ] ... We should be... I think it would be good to have more than one person look at the bodies, if we can manage it. In case something gets missed. [ or if like, a killer looks at it or something. ]
And... I think we did a better job checking for injuries this time. People were more cooperative. But... we should do things like that a little earlier, so we don't run out of time or miss something because of it.
[ don't say their talks feel like an exam!!!!!!! (they do). they nod gently. ]
Good. The best thing you can do is not dwell on what went wrong, but what you can change as you go forward so things may go right. Despite the... drama... you all did fairly well again in finding who you needed to find.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
... It - it has been a very, very long week. [ EVERYTHING HAS TRULY HAPPENED SO MUCH!!!! ] And today was a very, very long day.
no subject
Yes, it has. Are you all right?
no subject
he just sits there for a second, wiping his eyes, trying to hold himself together. ]
....I don't know. [ quietly - a little hollow, just. so sad. ] But... I will be.
no subject
Will you?
[ they feel as if rondo will press forward, as expected, but they aren't sure if rondo will be all right exactly. ]
There are some here who could use your support.
no subject
there's a beat, and... he sucks in a breath. in, out. in, out. ]
I know. [ people will need him, and rondo will be there for them. truthfully, this is what he excels at. he can't know it now, and maybe he never will, but sazantos himself says it - that rondo's pure heart and unerring ability to bounce back from sorrow and despair are what makes him a better flameguard.
he clutches the handkerchief, for a long moment.] So long as I continue to follow my heart, I will continue to walk with the Flame. I won't allow it to ever be extinguished by anything.
no subject
[ ok, stubborn. they really can't say anything about that. ]
Even so, that doesn't mean you can't also ask for support when you need it. Like my brother, I think people often forget to extend that courtesy to those who seem strong.
no subject
and maybe that's the difference between them. he feels all of his emotions, as big and fiery as the sacred flame itself, and he lets other people know he feels them, too. he's willing to accept help, because he used to just need it, all the time. there is strength in being known.
he manages a small, wobbly smile. ]
...I know. [ the laugh that comes after is a little wet, a little humorless. he knows. ] ...Thank you. Thank you for extending a hand to me.
no subject
You're welcome.
[ (war voice) don't say i never did nothing 4 u i was nice (1) once ]
Now that you have been through the trial and tribulation of today, if you could do it over, what would you do differently?
no subject
rondo's quiet for a moment after the question, worrying the handkerchief in his hands. this is a little war wisdom, so he intends to take these lessons seriously, as he often does, focusing on the trial at hand. what would he do differently...
... and honestly, the answer comes quickly.]
... I would have stopped Yuffie. Aqua was the most actively dangerous at the end. [ CONSIDERING ] And I know... I know Mr. Lucas could have also snapped at any time, but he hadn't yet. When I was questioning him, I was trying to do it as carefully as possible - I knew it would really upset Mathis, so I wanted to try to balance that.
no subject
look, they just think feeling better means rondo talking about how things could have gone better rather than dwelling on the things that did not go well at all. ]
And if you could not have stopped Yuffie. If you could not stop a single person now, or later, what would you do differently?
no subject
he blinks - not being able to stop someone at all? for a moment, rondo falls totally silent, his brow furrowing together, as he racks his brain. what... what would he do differently? what would he do differently. he investigated evidence, he tried to be helpful, he went to find aerith...
he looks a little lost as he goes through the actions of the trial mentally. war can likely almost see the ....? over his head from the effort he is putting up with trying to come up with an answer to this question. ]
no subject
You're thinking too hard unnecessarily. Is there anything you would do, or have others do differently which doesn't concern killing someone afflicted, or stopping someone from killing the afflicted?
This isn't an exam. There are no right or wrong answers.
no subject
this isn't an exam makes him laugh, a little. ] It feels like one... [ but, this seems like a little bit of a joke, if a tired one.
okay. okay, let rondo actually try a little more, now, a little more relaxed as he considers. ] ... We should be... I think it would be good to have more than one person look at the bodies, if we can manage it. In case something gets missed. [ or if like, a killer looks at it or something. ]
And... I think we did a better job checking for injuries this time. People were more cooperative. But... we should do things like that a little earlier, so we don't run out of time or miss something because of it.
no subject
Good. The best thing you can do is not dwell on what went wrong, but what you can change as you go forward so things may go right. Despite the... drama... you all did fairly well again in finding who you needed to find.
no subject
anyway
he listens to this advice, quietly, looking out at the stream. he notably relaxes a little when war says "good" because he's predictable. ]
Always looking forward. [ quietly. always looking towards the light. ] ... Do you think we'll have fewer, next week? Because we caught everyone.