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Entry tags:
( closed. ) in the candlelight
Who: cain (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
baguablade) & vane (defenses)
What: vane finds cain doing something potentially questionable.
When: after the aftermath things.
Where: somewhere near the marketplace in olympia.
Warning(s): probably nothing, but will update if necessary!
[ it isn’t uncommon for vane to lose his way or for him to be off from his intended course. now is, unfortunately, such a time. he presses his brows together briefly, a hand coming to below his chin as he seems to be seriously deliberating over his next step to destination x. if he recalls correctly, the pathway on the left, though a bit more convoluted would be the faster route. while the one on the right, though closer to the main road would carry on for a straight line for quite some time before he’d actually need to make a turn and backtrack?
was he remembering this right? ] Oh well. It's probably all the same, huh? [ he gives a brief shrug as he slings his weapon over his shoulder and decides on the left. something tells him it’s a bit more familiar. (it’s actually not). though, if he had to be perfectly realistic, if there was one thing that's off, it’s that it's a lot darker than he remembers.
after about thirty minutes, he crosses another alleyway into another; this time with a bit more light. from there, he then walks down an even smaller pathway. while he's about to write himself off as a little ... lost, he ends up spotting an unmistakeable figure down the way. it's kind of hard to mistake a roommate, after all! he's about to open his mouth and wave them down (maybe for some help— subtle help), but he quickly loses sight of them in light of his brief indecision. ] ... Cain?
[ before he knows it, he's actually running to catch up. while initially it starts off in a really innocent way— of wanting to see what a close friend and companion was up to... considering their last talk, it swiftly becomes something more. and vane honestly can't completely write off seeing him here as mere coincidence, either.
but perhaps, most pressingly: he purely just has a bad feeling about this. but while he struggles to figure out where he went or what he's doing or even why he's having these doubts, there's also a part of him he realizes that he's practicing what cain taught him in trailing people .... did he not want cain to realize he was following him? it's a curious thing. call it a gut feeling, or something else, but maybe more than anything— vane just wanted answers. whatever it was, it seemed like cain might have not want to be caught? ]
baguablade) & vane (defenses) What: vane finds cain doing something potentially questionable.
When: after the aftermath things.
Where: somewhere near the marketplace in olympia.
Warning(s): probably nothing, but will update if necessary!
[ it isn’t uncommon for vane to lose his way or for him to be off from his intended course. now is, unfortunately, such a time. he presses his brows together briefly, a hand coming to below his chin as he seems to be seriously deliberating over his next step to destination x. if he recalls correctly, the pathway on the left, though a bit more convoluted would be the faster route. while the one on the right, though closer to the main road would carry on for a straight line for quite some time before he’d actually need to make a turn and backtrack?
was he remembering this right? ] Oh well. It's probably all the same, huh? [ he gives a brief shrug as he slings his weapon over his shoulder and decides on the left. something tells him it’s a bit more familiar. (it’s actually not). though, if he had to be perfectly realistic, if there was one thing that's off, it’s that it's a lot darker than he remembers.
after about thirty minutes, he crosses another alleyway into another; this time with a bit more light. from there, he then walks down an even smaller pathway. while he's about to write himself off as a little ... lost, he ends up spotting an unmistakeable figure down the way. it's kind of hard to mistake a roommate, after all! he's about to open his mouth and wave them down (maybe for some help— subtle help), but he quickly loses sight of them in light of his brief indecision. ] ... Cain?
[ before he knows it, he's actually running to catch up. while initially it starts off in a really innocent way— of wanting to see what a close friend and companion was up to... considering their last talk, it swiftly becomes something more. and vane honestly can't completely write off seeing him here as mere coincidence, either.
but perhaps, most pressingly: he purely just has a bad feeling about this. but while he struggles to figure out where he went or what he's doing or even why he's having these doubts, there's also a part of him he realizes that he's practicing what cain taught him in trailing people .... did he not want cain to realize he was following him? it's a curious thing. call it a gut feeling, or something else, but maybe more than anything— vane just wanted answers. whatever it was, it seemed like cain might have not want to be caught? ]
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Normally Vane would be waving and jumping up and down excitedly, all but wagging his tail in greeting. It's strange.
He turns a corner just to test his theory, just to see— but yes, Vane keeps his pace, following behind without speeding his steps, just as Cain himself had showed him to do.
Huh.
Well, Vane's not going to get one over on him like this.
Cain ducks behind a stack of crates and waits for Vane to come hurrying past, looking for him when it seems like Vane's lost sight of him.
He steps out, grinning, hand lifted in greeting. ]
Vane! I thought it was you.
[ Busted. ]
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AH! [ he jumps back, obviously pretty startled...
he guesses there really is no beating the master. something he mutters under his breath as he does his best to recover. recover from both the potential heart attack he could have received and from the fact that his mind hasn't completely caught up to the idea that their roles had been reversed just like that. hand still over his chest, he speaks as ... measuredly as he can manage. ] Y-you really gave me a scare there!
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[ Something that Cain sounds far too pleased about. And looks too pleased about, too. He gives Vane's shoulder a pat in greeting — a bit of a rough pat. Yep. He knows exactly what Vane was doing, there's no getting around it, buster.
At least he gives Vane a few seconds for his heart to slow and to catch his breath before he asks, cheerfully: ]
So, what were you doing, sneaking after me like that?
[ Hopefully, Vane won't think to ask what Cain was doing sneaking around in the first place. ]
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it's gotta be his imagination, right? ] A-ah, that is... [ his eyes are already swimming while trying to find an excuse. he could say he was just in the neighborhood, but when he doesn't even know where this is... well, it seems unlikely for him to believe. besides, he supposed honesty was the best policy, right? right.
once he seems to calm his nerves a little, he breathes out a final deep breath. as if to show physical evidence to his mental recovery (it's still haphazard at best). ] At first I happened upon you coincidentally. It's not like I was stalking you or anything!!
Or well, not for long! I was just—
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a gut feeling? seemed kind of weird to say that. maybe most important to all of this is came down to being honest? ]
I was just worried about you. I mean, you seemed like you were doing some sneaking of your own, so...
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[ Cain's quite cheerful about it. So cheerful that he lets it grow a little menacing — he's been practicing, taking after Percival a little. Sure, he's not really tall enough to loom the way Percival does. And Vane's much more built than he is so he can't really be intimidating, either... But he tries! He grins, letting the silence stretch out, letting a little bit of malice show through in the grin. ]
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You don't have to worry about me, you know. I was sneaking, but I have lots of practice at it, unlike you.
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vane visibly winces a little, but by the time he manages to look cain back in the eye— his punitive, but very cheerful disposition seems to have dissipated for the most part. there's instant relief as he breathes out the smallest of sighs. ] So... you're not mad?
[ but, still... even if cain isn't upset, vane wonders why he still feels like things aren't settled? ]
I know you do. I mean, you are my teacher, after all.
But it doesn't mean it's safe, right? If it's dangerous, [ he starts off, not exactly knowing where he was going with this. ] I guess what I want to say is, I want to know. [ ... and when he thinks of it like that, he actually doesn't know anything of what cain really does, and in all the times cain and him can talk about things, he actually doesn't know a lot about him or how he spends his time. it's something he's thought before after the kidnappings and it's like ... the thought is coming back to nag at him. vane wasn't really good at keeping things like that to himself and it likely shows in the curiosity and concern he displays. ]
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But all of that gets promptly derailed as Vane looks up at him — well, down at him, damn being so short! — and gives what Cain can only describe as sad puppy eyes. ]
Vane... [ What can he say to such a heartfelt plea? To such obvious concern and care for him?
He laughs and slaps Vane's shoulder. ] You want to know the secrets of how to sneak into a den of ne'er do wells? You're way too early!
[ Yep. He can say that. ]
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the truth, maybe? he finds himself swallowing a little in anticipation. his expression probably looking a little more grave than he expects. only, then he feels that light contact against his shoulder. it's hard not to get swept up in cain's moods honestly. despite himself, he does give a weaker laugh. ] C'mon, no way! I've done lots of work! [ he returns it just as playfully, and while his next words don't really break that mold... ]
.... besides, [ he hates to use this...
it almost feels like he's cheating, but. he starts off cautiously: ] More than teacher and student, you said we were friends, right? Friends rely on each other at times like this, y'know? [ ... and well after all of what happened before, more than just being relied on, he wants to be able to protect cain.
though, they may have only really become well-acquainted in el nysa, it didn't matter ....the amount of time they've known each other or anything else. vane wanted to be there for him. if sneaking around is what it took, then he'd easily do it.
okay, not easily, but ... the point is there. somewhere. ]
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He'd said they were friends. But even Vane can tell; he hasn't been treating any of them like friends, not truly. He's still been trying to protect them all rather than trusting them.
He'd promised that he'd rely on Percival. Is it really fair not to do the same for Vane?
In the face of how poorly he's been treating Vane, Cain can't hold his gaze. His eyes slip away, focusing somewhere on Vane's feet instead of that all too earnest expression. ]
...I'm sorry. I owe you an apology.
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maybe it worked a little too well... ?? ]
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albeit, a touch uneasy at the corners of his lips. especially as he mentally works past cain's apology. ] I didn't mean... I mean you really don't have to go that far. [ he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly, before planting his hand right against cain's shoulder. ]
What I mean to say is [ he gives a small chuckle. a little more airy as he attempts to muster up a more serious look. ] I'm happy if you understand. [ okay, so he botched being serious up a little, but he does mean it, and maybe for the first time he feels like he's really seeing cain. as silly as that sounds even to him. ]
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[ Slowly, Cain looks up. There's no smile on his face. For once, the expression he's wearing is entirely serious, and there's a painful look in his eyes. It hurts, to open himself up like this, but... it's worth it, he's learned. It's too late to keep Vane from caring for him, anyway.
Vane is honest and cheerful and warm-hearted. Too caring, really, and Cain's already hurt him, by keeping him at a distance. To push him away now would only be doing him a disservice. Not trusting him, thinking that he knows better than Vane... thinking that Vane is some simpleton who can't be trusted with his own safety, who needs someone dictating what fights he can enter into. Treating Vane as though he can't pick his own battles.
No. Cain won't do that. Vane deserves better from him.
He holds out his hand to Vane, offering a handshake. ]
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he can tell it isn't easy for cain to do so, but that makes it all the more meaningful. vane decides from here that he wouldn't betray that trust. not that he ever planned to, but its that much more solidified somehow. and well, it isn't that he doesn't thinks cain needs protecting, it's just that he simply wants to be protect him. yes, they really were comrades in every sense of the word now, and vane feels his chest tighten.
but he brings his hand out, taking cain's in his own. firmly he gives it a squeeze. ] We are. I like to say we always have been, but... [ it's different and he appreciates that and always will. ] This is bad, I'm too touched right now to think. [ said mostly to himself, barely above a whisper as he smiles at cain. he clears his throat before he starts again. ]
I look forward to fighting beside you.
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[ Cain lets the solemn expression slip away, disappearing like morning mist into one of his more usual bright grins. But this smile is entirely genuine, lighting up his eyes, and the handshake he gives Vane is firm and solid, a confident clasping of hands.
He lets the moment linger, and then he can't resist giving Vane a solid slap on the shoulder. ]
But come on, you can't be that touched. If we're sneaking in to shady places, you've got to keep your wits about you!
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