No Good Deed

One pale brow arched at Sam's grudging answer, but since he didn't seem inclined to pick at the decision any further, the bard certainly had no energy to pursue it. The furrowed brow and nibbled lip, though, seemed to beg for clarification, and Jigano tiredly tried to parse what he had said that had confused his friend. "Vervain has the ability to heal with magic," he said, in case Samuel perhaps did not know that little fact about the Rathskeller's multitalented mistress. "And I had thought, at the time, that Isla was in the Infirmary and would know what to do. If nothing else, I've been studying with her and could have at least used the surgery needles and catgut to stitch up the wounds, if not the burns." His explanation was tired, but still patient.

And then Sam revealed that not only did he know Rory, but that he knew of Vervain's healing ability after all, so the bard was even more baffled why his friend had been confused about Jigano seeking a healer's help in the Temple. Dropping his head to his hand, too weary to keep up with the bookmaker's misunderstandings, he just nodded his head in relief that his Ascended friend did, indeed, know his Abandoned friend. "Ah, I can see why that might make things awkward." Given how poorly that whole family seemed to get along, and how awful Sam's parents were, he didn't really blame the man for not being fond of anyone associated with his blood relations. "But, no, I... Edy and I were the lucky ones." At the price of their friends, a price he never would have chosen to pay, had he been given any choice at all.

At hearing that Sam had helped someone, Jigano managed a nod of, though not quite a smile. He was proud of his friend for helping in an emergency, the Ascended bookmaker's courage and kindness once more showing through in spite of the ginger-haired man's protests to the contrary. "That's good... very good of you, Sam. Who was it, do you know?"

Sam had thought Jigano had meant to imply he was the healer, and he had had enough faith in Jigano's skills to trust that was true. So the fact that Vervain was a healer seemed like a very random fact to drop into the conversation and he just nodded. They were both tired and it appeared it was coming out in how their listening and communication skills worked. "Mmm. W-well, I d-don't...have...anything a-against him p..particularly." He shrugged, not knowing Rory. While he clearly was a man with poor taste, he could well be fine: after all, he hadn't stayed with her. Jigano asked him whose arm he'd fixed and Sam realised he didn't quite know. "..Um...h-he was rude, and had red hair...and g-gold under his eyes. I di...didn't get his name." It didn't matter much to him. He had done it because there was no one else who could and it had to be done; he'd found in those kinds of circumstances he could summon a bravery he didn't usually have. But Jigano's compliment brought forth an odd guilt he couldn't quite place...until he realised it was due to the way they had separated the last time they had spoken. He had to make it right. Speaking while the tension was still there between them (or at least, he felt it was) was just plastering over a crack that needed filling. "Jigano...um. I....w-wanted to say...sorry. For...how I sp-spoke to you. Last time. I was scared and I...d-didn't think. About who you...a-are to me. And I sh..shouldn't speak to you like that." Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

Jigano nodded, a little relieved that Sam didn't have anything against Rory personally. Distant politeness was more than fine - it was what the bookmaker would have to deal with between him and Remi, after all, and he could hardly fault the man for that.

'Rude' could cover just about anyone. A dislocated shoulder would make no few people grouchy, but the combination of 'red hair' and 'gold under his eyes' had the bard visibly perking up, first in interest that he knew the man, then in relief that he was okay. Then he blinked, taking in a slow breath of concern. "Caiside," he said quietly. "That sounds like Caiside. But how did he dislocate his shoulder?" Were they having wrestling matches in the tavern, in spite of the admonitions to be quiet? Or had a fistfight broken out? Caiside was bright and clever, but he could be proud, even arrogant... it was not impossible to think of a fight breaking out around him.

The apology was as unexpected as it was touching, and Jigano tilted his head at Sam, expression softening. "I appreciate and accept your apology," he said solemnly, knowing that brushing it off with 'it's alright' or 'you didn't need to' might not be what Sam needed to hear. "Though I had already forgiven you. I realized too late that it was coming as a shock to you, and I don't blame you for your fear. I am glad you don't want to shout at me anymore, though," he added gently, in what would have been teasing if he'd had the energy to smile. "Have you had time to think about it since then? What you will do when the attempt on the spire is made in Flowerbirth, if it is successful?"

Sam shrugged at the question about Caiside. He had not cared for the other man enough to ask. He had helped, done that much, but his kindness didn't have to extend to finding out everything about the man's past. Jigano accepted his apology formally, which helped set a balm over his panicked heart. With such a proper announcement of forgiveness he felt like a seal had been placed over the argument and now they could move forward. "I...d-don't think I have enough...enough energy to shout at anyone." He replied with a tired smile at the would-be teasing. "Well. I'm...g-going to go. If Remi is going." Sam announced with a defiant jut of his chin forward that he didn't truly feel. The confidence had to be acted out though, forced upon himself so he didn't hide away from the idea. It was what he wanted to do, but actually doing it would be a challenge. "And...if...if the b-barrier comes down. I'll go with him...too. Then. I love him, so." Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

"That makes two of us," Jigano murmured, considering how exhausted he already was. Shouting was definitely off the agenda for the near future, and perhaps longer. Ludo's payment had left him tired but functional before long night began. But the stress of the dark week, the nightmare of the perch, and the exhaustion of seeing the wounds he had left on his friends in the Infirmary had drained his reserves until he felt like a ghost of his former self. Not that shouting had ever been a preferred method of communication with him. A bard had so many other tools in his repertoire that shouting was just plain lazy, unless they were in combat or some emergency where a carrying voice mattered.

He looked up again at his friend, brow arching at the seemingly-sudden turnaround from their last conversation on the matter. Samuel, approaching the spire and being willing to leave his comfortable house and new bookstore behind, to walk the world a penniless mendicant beside his one true love? Well. Perhaps not 'mendicant' with Remi's talents to provide for them. The boy's talents at summoning useful objects made him something of the ideal traveling tinker. But whiled it all sounded desperately romantic, he wondered if they'd really thought ahead to the consequences of their actions. Everyone was so focused on bringing the barrier down but...

What would happen after?

It was something he would need to begin thinking about, and soon, but for the moment he managed a nod for his friend, pleased that the bookmaker had found someone to love. "I'm happy for you," he said, soft but sincere. "And I hope he proves worthy of your love. That you will be good for each other."

"Th...there's um. Some blankets over there. If...if you wanted to rest." Sam pointed towards the alcove him and Remi had been staying in, carefully not mentioning that they'd had sex within those very blankets. He hoped Remi would not mind returning to their rest spot to find that Jigano had taken up residence in it. He knew the projection of his future was an odd one, different to anything he'd said before. But love could transform a man, and he wanted to follow Remi to the ends of the world. "He i-is worthy. I kno-ow he is." If Sam could hear himself a few days in the future he would laugh, but of course he didn't know, not yet. Suddenly, saying that, Sam was overcome with a crash of relief. He had love, he had friends, they weren't dead (or at least not yet). Longnight had been awful but he had made it through, something he would have never guessed only a few months ago. He stood from the place he was sat and walked in front of Jigano. Pausing for just a second, he reached in to pull Jigano into a hug. "I r-really am glad you're alright." Samuel He took a step but then felt tired He said, I'll rest a little while But when he tried to walk again He wasn't a child

"Oh... thank you," Jigano shook his head wanly, though. "But I've been sleeping in the infirmary, in case Amalia and Rory need anything." Sleeping in his foxform, curled up beside Rory, to be precise, but there were two things he was avoiding thinking about too deeply just yet, content for the moment to just let it be what it was, and grateful to have even that much. Besides, Sam was giving him other things to focus on, however shaky that focus still was, and he found himself hoping that the bookmaker was right, and that the pup - Remi - was, too. Whatever his disagreements with the boy - the young man - he was a part of Sam's life now, that much was clear. The least he could give him was courtesy when they inevitably met again...

"Then I will trust your judgment, my friend," he said gently. He might have reached over to pat Sam's hand, but was surprised when he instead found himself caught up in an embrace that he had neither expected nor invited. He blinked, drawing in a sharp breath as his body instinctively tensed against the constraining arms, inside the constraining building, trapped in a metal coffin where the dead did not slumber but walked the halls, whispering alien tongues and enraged at the living who trespassed on their domain--

But, no, this was Sam, and the Temple, and the monsters... well. They were real enough, walking the night beyond the too-thin stone walls, but Jigano exhaled a shuddering breath and patted the bookmaker awkwardly on the back. "And I am glad that you are, too," he agreed, voice still a little shaky as he sought to subtly disengage from the hold. Yohgel... he thought, fleetingly, of his old, dead friend, she of the exuberant hugs and jar of eyeballs and penchant for using him as climbing tower and perch. He had been wary of being touched since she had... died. It hadn't felt right, somehow, until Rory had touched him in foxform and created new memories, new instincts that he was just beginning to accept...

But this was too much, too soon, too fast. The bard reclaimed his personal space after a courteous interval, feeling the sleepy awareness of Isuma in his heart as she woke hungry and needing to use the sandbox. "I should go make sure they don't need me in the infirmary," he said, voice still gentle. He appreciated the gesture now that it was over, and the increased confidence in his friend's actions and the way he held himself. "But... I'm sure I'll see you again soon, Sam."