crestfallenfor | Aefenglom Inbox

Maybe...maybe I won't now. Bully.

[She's totally trying to tease him back. It's not something she's very skilled at. BUT SHE IS TRYING HER BEST.]

...so there.

[Yep. That'll sell it for sure.]

Aww... well, in that case I'll just have to get something not as nice from someone else...

[He's pouting(?) now... Totally going along with her teasing, as if he really thinks she'll follow through.]

What a shame...

[Okay, she's just bad at this altogether. Probably because she's too nice a person or maybe because she's just too honest a person.]

I'll make it. I promise.

[But she puts on her best pout! At least she thinks it is. (She's doing better than she thinks.)]

But you're still a bully!

[She's definitely too nice and too honest to go toe to toe with him on... well, anything like this.

Still, when she relents, he reaches up to ruffle her hair, being careful to not touch her antennae this time, at least.]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[Her pout is... surprisingly effective, though.]

I know I'm a bully, I'm sorry.

[The ruffle is nice and she tucks herself into him again. He's safe and warm. Plus he's so open to this that she can't help but want to sink into it a bit.]

I forgive you. I guess.

[She's not actually upset. Really.]

[He's very much open to this - affection is nice, after all, especially with people he knows and trusts. So of course he'll let her sink into it - they both need the chance to recover and gather their wits back after the things they'd shared.]

You guess? How else can I make it up to you?

[He knows she isn't actually upset, but he'll pretend like he thinks she is, for fun.]

Umm...

[Someone hasn't thought that far ahead. But she's trying now!

...where's Dorothea when she needs her for advice on these situations.]

...A surprise? But a nice one.

[Ball is too scary. Throwing it back in his court.]

[Ah. Cute. But yeah, he can handle this, this is squarely in his wheelhouse.]

Alright. A nice surprise. I'll think really hard about what to do, so look forward to it.

[Relief washes over her immediately. Oh thank the Goddess. Now she doesn't have to fret over that.

But she smiles a little against his chest.]

Sylvain? Thank you. For helping me feel better.

[No fretting, only good feelings, now.

He does hold her a little closer when she smiles, though. Just because.]

Mmhm. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?

I guess...a bad one.

[She takes in a deep breath, relaxing as she feels all that emotional drain kicking in.]

But you're really great. Especially for the Bernie Bear.

Mmhm...

[That emotional drain sure is something... but he's not especially eager to go back to sleep, either, so sooner or later they'll have to get up, get breakfast, tea to shake off the tiredness, at least for the day.

Hopefully nightmares wouldn't come again that night, but that might be too much to hope for.]

I'm not so sure about that... Though thanks for letting me try.

Well, it's kind of up to me right? To figure out what's good for me? So if I think you're good for me then it's true.

[She's really just trying to encourage him rather than stand up for herself and her feelings. Because she thinks he might need that more than she does. After all this bond is a two way street so it's not like she's unaware that he can be so similar to her in how he looks down on himself.]

Other...otherwise you're saying you don't trust me!

[Logic!]

[That's... not quite true - he knew firsthand that some decisions that he believed were "good for him"... weren't... but. Well. He's not going to crush her like that. Not when she's standing up for herself.

Even if he thought she was wrong.]

Of course I trust you, Bernadetta.

[He's right of course. It's not how it works. She can tell he's humoring her. It does make her smile before she screws up her face into a scolding frown and then...

Pokes his nose!]

N-no. If you don't agree then...then you should say so. I...

[Okay. She can do this. Sylvain makes her believe in herself. At least enough to really want to ask for what she is now.]

I can't get stronger if you just humor me.

[She can't move past her traumas if he does that.]

Alright, alright.

[But hmm... how to put this...? It's a delicate issue, after all, and they'd just settled back into lighter banter...]

I don't disagree with you, but... It's more nuanced than that, you know? Regardless... you standing up for yourself isn't at all bad.

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