"Me too," Tal assured his friend, his own rueful smile softening to something warmer. He didn't need the constant reminders that he had friends, not the way he used to, but it was still nice to hear the words. It was good, too, to hear about all the successes in Zavien's life of late, in spite of the anguish caused by Sol's absence. And, sure, a week didn't sound so bad, but Tal winced in sympathy when he heard that things hadn't gone exactly to plan. A week would be hard enough, but a month? He shivered in spite of the hot water, but nodded emphatic understanding to hoe his friend described getting his companion back, hearing some of what he'd watched Alys go through in Zavien's words.
"Yeah... yeah, y'got closer'n anyone should have t'get," he agreed fervently. And even if what Alys had been through was unimaginably worse, Tal couldn't find it in himself to belittle the pain that Zavien had experienced during his separation.
But maybe he hadn't been hiding his own problems as well as he'd thought or at all, and he grimaced as he tilted his head back to look up at the sky above them. "Thanks, Zav. I 'preciate that. It's just... I really fucked up. In the 'no goin' back' kinda way. Over LongNight a monster - somethin' in th'dark - broke th'window in th'house an' was howlin' like a banshee an' I thought--" He drew in a sharp breath, chest constricting at the memory. He stayed silent for a long time before he spoke again, voice low and reluctant. "I had my Dagger with me an' I stabbed through th'hole in th'house. 'Cept it wasn't th'monster I hit." He shrank in on himself, starting to pull his knees up to his chest under the water before catching himself and forcing his limbs to stretch out again even if they were taut and tense. "It was usin' a human shield. Dunno who th'girl was but... I killed 'er, Zav. An' then the monster ate 'er eyes." He stopped there, swallowing hard as he blinked up at the sunset glory of the sky and unable to look to the side to see his friend's expression.
"Yeah... yeah, y'got closer'n anyone should have t'get," he agreed fervently. And even if what Alys had been through was unimaginably worse, Tal couldn't find it in himself to belittle the pain that Zavien had experienced during his separation.
But maybe he hadn't been hiding his own problems as well as he'd thought or at all, and he grimaced as he tilted his head back to look up at the sky above them. "Thanks, Zav. I 'preciate that. It's just... I really fucked up. In the 'no goin' back' kinda way. Over LongNight a monster - somethin' in th'dark - broke th'window in th'house an' was howlin' like a banshee an' I thought--" He drew in a sharp breath, chest constricting at the memory. He stayed silent for a long time before he spoke again, voice low and reluctant. "I had my Dagger with me an' I stabbed through th'hole in th'house. 'Cept it wasn't th'monster I hit." He shrank in on himself, starting to pull his knees up to his chest under the water before catching himself and forcing his limbs to stretch out again even if they were taut and tense. "It was usin' a human shield. Dunno who th'girl was but... I killed 'er, Zav. An' then the monster ate 'er eyes." He stopped there, swallowing hard as he blinked up at the sunset glory of the sky and unable to look to the side to see his friend's expression.
