Something terrible had happened, and Tal chewed his lower lip in worry that he wasn't able to hide as Zavien - cheerful, optimistic, endlessly brave and kind - cracked and came apart at the edges. His brow furrowed in confusion at his friend's first words, but as he continued Tal's eyes widened with dawning horror. "What... y'mean th'one who died was--?" Alys had told him about Sascha's death, and he knew that Melita had been the one to bring the little bear's body back to the Citadel, but he hadn't asked his partner to dwell on the rest of the details. He'd just assumed that the one who died had been the small ursur. Hearing that it had been Zavien was like getting punched in the gut and Tal leaned forward, unable to breathe as he processed the information. The fact that the man was sitting next to him telling the tale obviously meant that he'd gotten better but--
Tal acted without thinking, pulling the Dragoon into a tight - maybe painfully tight - hug. He released him quickly, self-conscious of the sudden outpouring of awkward emotion, and ducked his head while he cleared his throat. "I-- sorry. I didn't know-- Anyways, keep goin'," he mumbled, rubbing at his nose.
He nodded enthusiastic agreement to leaving Stormbreak, but then the complications started to come out and Tal paused, brow furrowing once more as things went from 'his friend had really actually died' to 'and now shit's gotten real fuckin' complicated'. He reached over to squeeze Zav's forearm in support and tentative congratulations at the news that he'd told Lena his feelings, but somehow he didn't think his friend would look so miserable if it had gone well. The question that it all ended on felt way to heavy for the courier to lift and he froze, swallowing hard as he tried to pull his thoughts together into a semblance of something that could help Zavien.
"Uh, well... I dunno about everythin'," he said slowly. "Hail, I dunno if y'even ruined anythin'. I mean... She came with you today, yeah? So it can't be all bad?" He clung to that hope as he cleared his throat again and rubbed the back of his neck. "But askin' her t'leave Stormbreak... I get why y'want 'er safe, but she's not exactly helpless, y'know? I mean, Frey chose her t'be Their Caretaker for th'whole ass Celestine. Askin' her t'walk away from a task a god gave her... I dunno." He winced, biting his lip so hard it almost bled. He hunched forward as his voice took on a more hesitant tone and he glanced to Zavien out of the corner of his eyes as he charged ahead like a bull in a china shop to ask the blunt question that rose to the top of his mind. "D'you not trust her t'be able t'take care o'herself?"
Tal acted without thinking, pulling the Dragoon into a tight - maybe painfully tight - hug. He released him quickly, self-conscious of the sudden outpouring of awkward emotion, and ducked his head while he cleared his throat. "I-- sorry. I didn't know-- Anyways, keep goin'," he mumbled, rubbing at his nose.
He nodded enthusiastic agreement to leaving Stormbreak, but then the complications started to come out and Tal paused, brow furrowing once more as things went from 'his friend had really actually died' to 'and now shit's gotten real fuckin' complicated'. He reached over to squeeze Zav's forearm in support and tentative congratulations at the news that he'd told Lena his feelings, but somehow he didn't think his friend would look so miserable if it had gone well. The question that it all ended on felt way to heavy for the courier to lift and he froze, swallowing hard as he tried to pull his thoughts together into a semblance of something that could help Zavien.
"Uh, well... I dunno about everythin'," he said slowly. "Hail, I dunno if y'even ruined anythin'. I mean... She came with you today, yeah? So it can't be all bad?" He clung to that hope as he cleared his throat again and rubbed the back of his neck. "But askin' her t'leave Stormbreak... I get why y'want 'er safe, but she's not exactly helpless, y'know? I mean, Frey chose her t'be Their Caretaker for th'whole ass Celestine. Askin' her t'walk away from a task a god gave her... I dunno." He winced, biting his lip so hard it almost bled. He hunched forward as his voice took on a more hesitant tone and he glanced to Zavien out of the corner of his eyes as he charged ahead like a bull in a china shop to ask the blunt question that rose to the top of his mind. "D'you not trust her t'be able t'take care o'herself?"
