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[selfconcept]

HELLO

"..."

GOODBYE

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[lucentia]

[WHERE ARE YOU]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien is just out there.





He's eating samples at Bostco's. ]

[lucentia]

[WALKS RIGHT OVER TO HIM and then holds onto the nearest shelf or whatever for support.]

Hien!

[selfconcept]

[ He turns around to see. Lucien.

It's Lucien.

Hien meets him halfway. Why do you need support?? Did you not go in the river?? ]

"... I'm right here."

[lucentia]

[he did!!!! no more burns or stab wounds. he is kind of out of breath, though... tired.]

... You died.

[selfconcept]

"... Yeah."

[ The balancing act for this was always so hard for him. He's used to dying but these people aren't. ]

"I do feel guilty about the earlier violence, but other than that... I'm fine."

[lucentia]

... The others may demand their apologies from you if they want, but I hope you know that it was horrifying to come back and see that you were lost to us.

[retraumatized!!!]

What happened...?

[selfconcept]

"They can demand apologies all they want, and I'll give it to them."

[ He doesn't sound so bothered by it, but. ]

"... I felt that my memories and experiences were somehow being taken away from me... like they were being erased. There were these strange books in the church and it was gradually writing me out. Unfortunately, a part of me consists of the concept of Self, so to have that taken resulted in... that."

[lucentia]

[just stares, appalled and sad and also a little pale but anyway.]

... So that's what happened while we were separated. I'm sorry.

[selfconcept]

"It seems a lot happened while we were all away from each other, so don't be sorry."

[ Hien walks up to Lucien, closer, until he puts his hands on his shoulders lightly. ]

"But what you should be sorry for is trying to stay behind on that cursed island."

[lucentia]

[looks a bit like he's going to keel over. but also, blinks.]

... Huh?

[WHY ARE WE BRINGING THIS UP!! IT'S FINE!!!]

I was infected. If I had gone with you, and had things not ended then, I would've likely been a danger to you and Sylus.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien stares at Lucien. It's not some Overseer power pressure stare, but Lucien can tell that Hien would be Upset if he did that. ]

[lucentia]

[It's not like it's the first time I've had to...]

—I am sorry that it upset you, however. I didn't mean to hurt you.

[selfconcept]

[ Hien's expression relaxes and he quietly breathes out. ]

"Just know that it's how I feel too."

[ regarding this whole crashout and traumatizing lucien ]

[lucentia]

[...

there is the kind of stunned silence of someone who is definitely not used to hearing that, or thinking about his death(s) in any way except that he'd be letting down the people who invested in him, giving some shitty people the free pass to do as they'd like without him to stop them, and/or being a burden to the people who'd have to deal with the fallout of him dying. thinking about people being... emotionally upset??? about him dying is still a new one.]

Thank you, Hien. [he'd unfortunately still do it but he really is touched.] I'm very fortunate to know you.

[selfconcept]

[ Same hat, except it took way too long for Hien to internalize it, but he still thinks it's a pain to deal with personally. ]

"Then thank me by taking better care of yourself. If you don't, I'm gonna start carting you around in my arms instead."

[ boy, you look like you need it ]

[lucentia]

[It's a little too late for that... wait, what?]

Huh? [HUH???] Really, I'm fine. I'm just feeling a bit weak after coming out of the river.

[selfconcept]

"It's never too late as long as you're here and alive, Lucien."

[ So Hien picks him up in his arms like a bridal carry. Yippee. ]

[lucentia]

[anything he might've said or thought in response to that is overtaken by

?????]

H-Hien!?

[selfconcept]

"You're putting your body under stress when you should be resting. Unlike you, I'm fit as a fiddle or whatever."

[lucentia]

[give him a moment to recover from vertigo of sudden changed position...]

I-I'm used to it! [Even if it's not usually this bad...] I was worried about you!

[selfconcept]

"I'm worried about you too. C'mon. I'll take you back to the manor."

[ brb walking ]

[lucentia]

Hien, you don't need to carry me like this! And weren't you in the middle of eating!?

[selfconcept]

"I was just eating samples..."

[ They're not that important to him, but Lucien will learn why very soon: ]

"... I can't taste anything."

[lucentia]

[...

looks stricken because he knows how much hien loves to eat ): ]