They're dangerous, and they'll hurt people again; that's exactly why.
[ Fervent with Cain's conviction, and Cain tips his head up a little, a wordless plea for Percival to listen, to understand.
He's afraid. He can admit that. He's afraid that Percival won't understand, that Percival will hear all of this, all that's yet to be said, and decide that he wants no part of it. No part of Cain.
He's afraid of losing Percival. He's already felt it, when the Pact had gone cold, Percival's flame extinguished — when it had felt like something necessary and vital had been ripped right out of his chest.
But keeping Percival at arms' length hasn't kept him safe. And if Cain doesn't explain, if he doesn't force the words out, reveal everything that he usually keeps so closely guarded — so much that by now it's habit to keep these secrets — then losing Percival is a certainty.
He pushes on; he has to trust — trust Percival, trust whatever there is between them. ]
They released that virus. They have the resources for far more than such an attack, and I can assure you, they aren't satisfied to stop at just that. We're strangers to this land; I can't dismantle an entire criminal organization without resources, without manpower, without information. [ All the things he'd had access to in Idelva, as Pholia's favored general. Things that, until he'd arrived on El Nysa, he'd almost taken for granted. ] The only chance I have at stopping their next move is to be close enough to see it coming.
[ It's easier, somehow, to say this with Percival's hand on his. Easier, to have that touch to ground him. It doesn't feel so much like he's being judged, doesn't feel like Percival is moments away from condemning him and pulling away. Even if Percival is only seeing to his wound, Cain's grateful for the contact, for the warmth of Percival's skin against his. ]
And Takasugi... He helped me, at first. At first, I'd thought he could be an ally within the Cage. I was wrong. Now, he's a dagger at my back.
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[ Fervent with Cain's conviction, and Cain tips his head up a little, a wordless plea for Percival to listen, to understand.
He's afraid. He can admit that. He's afraid that Percival won't understand, that Percival will hear all of this, all that's yet to be said, and decide that he wants no part of it. No part of Cain.
He's afraid of losing Percival. He's already felt it, when the Pact had gone cold, Percival's flame extinguished — when it had felt like something necessary and vital had been ripped right out of his chest.
But keeping Percival at arms' length hasn't kept him safe. And if Cain doesn't explain, if he doesn't force the words out, reveal everything that he usually keeps so closely guarded — so much that by now it's habit to keep these secrets — then losing Percival is a certainty.
He pushes on; he has to trust — trust Percival, trust whatever there is between them. ]
They released that virus. They have the resources for far more than such an attack, and I can assure you, they aren't satisfied to stop at just that. We're strangers to this land; I can't dismantle an entire criminal organization without resources, without manpower, without information. [ All the things he'd had access to in Idelva, as Pholia's favored general. Things that, until he'd arrived on El Nysa, he'd almost taken for granted. ] The only chance I have at stopping their next move is to be close enough to see it coming.
[ It's easier, somehow, to say this with Percival's hand on his. Easier, to have that touch to ground him. It doesn't feel so much like he's being judged, doesn't feel like Percival is moments away from condemning him and pulling away. Even if Percival is only seeing to his wound, Cain's grateful for the contact, for the warmth of Percival's skin against his. ]
And Takasugi... He helped me, at first. At first, I'd thought he could be an ally within the Cage. I was wrong. Now, he's a dagger at my back.