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[rippled]

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[midway]

[ peeks at them from where he's lying on the floor, frowning ]

I saw you leave.

[rippled]

Let us not focus on that.

[ they squat down next to him. ]

Why are you down here? Did you faint?

[midway]

[ He will focus on that. ]

You thought I fainted and decided to abandon me...?

[rippled]

I didn't abandon you! I needed to see if anyone else was around...

[ they mumble something under their breath before speaking at a normal volume again, ]

So you didn't faint?

[midway]

[ Oh... ]

You went looking for an attacker?

[rippled]

Or at least anyone acting suspiciously, but there's no one...

[ ...

they poke him. ]

Then you're fine?

[midway]

[ Looks at them. ]

Does being collapsed on the floor of my tent sound like something someone who's "fine" would do?

[ sulking ]

[rippled]

[ claude is the biggest brat in the entire world, my god.

saber pouts before switching their position to be more of a kneel than a crouch, shuffling a little closer until they can force claude's head onto their lap. there were probably sweeter ways to do this but it's okay. lap pillow. ]

Are you grading me, Khalid? Tell me what's wrong.

[midway]

[ HE IS A BRAT... But oh, he was hoping for lap pillow and he didn't even have to wheedle his way into receiving one. Well, not more than what he's done already.

His demeanour immediately softens from being huffy and sulky to plainly tired, glancing up at Saber with a little frown. ]

I'm not grading you. You don't have to prove yourself to me like that. [ Saber doesn't need to physically show up each and every time for Claude to know they're there for him. ] And it's nothing dire; I'm just tired, I guess.

[rippled]

[ they peer down at him... and then pat his head. pat pat. ]

How much sleep have you been getting?

[ they assume the answer is Not Enough, and that's not even getting into everything that happens during normal awake hours. ]

[midway]

[ Oh nice, headpats...

He doesn't answer that question because the answer is indeed Not Enough, though Claude does do his best to respect his body's limits. ]

Say... Don't you wish you could have a normal life?

[rippled]

[ what a question.

their gaze shifts from claude's face to the side of the tent as they think about how to respond. ]

Yes. I think it would be nice to be able to greet the morning, and not have anything urgent overhead. Isn't settling down a nice dream?

[ pat pat. ]

But I think taking a break is something people may want, even if they can't admit it.

[midway]

[ tries to remember what this thread was about 2 months later

Saber came in here to check on Claude, and now Claude is staring at them like a bug under a microscope. Very fascinating. He is also enjoying the pats. ]

Including you? [ Reaching up to nudge Saber's gaze back toward him. ] Is that what you want?

[rippled]

[ claude i've missed you bursts into tears as i hold manwol's cutout of him

anyway. what is with the line of questions here. ]

That seems like a waste for someone as great as me.

[midway]

[ STOP HE'S SO ANNOYING Continues to study Saber.

He hums, amused. ]

So that's why you fight? For your reputation?

[rippled]

[ they feel like they are losing this conversation "you can't lose a conversation" you can and it is happening right now. ]

No! Do I seem so vain? I can simply acknowledge that I am great without being concerned about reputation. A fact is a fact!

[midway]

[ Saber... Don't be silly? This isn't PVP? He is just curious about your perspective. ]

I won't deny that you are impressive, my friend. [ Hehe. Pokes their cheek. ] So, you're saying that... exceptional people are obliged to do exceptional things?

[rippled]

[ anything can be pvp if you put your mind to it.

they are realizing claude is not going to let this go though. ]

I suppose. Although sometimes the most ordinary of people can completely change the tides, or someone who is allegedly great can sit and do nothing...

[midway]

[ He's not. This is the topic that his mind is circling tonight. ]

What I'm getting at...

Is trying to grapple with the reality that I've signed myself up to a life of this.

[ Leading. Being responsible for an entire nation. Navigating nobles biases and the demands of the population. Maybe the pressure will lessen once the war has passed, but somehow he doubts it. ]

[rippled]

[ it really is an interesting thing to witness. the problems they had in heaven were so vastly different than the ones here that it may be hard to imagine the average day to day life for everyone may be. ]

Do you consider yourself an extraordinary person, Khalid?

[midway]

[ In heaven he was Fun Vacation Claude. Now he's Work Claude.

Blinks up at them. ]

You don't think so...?

[rippled]

We're not discussing my opinion right now! It's yours! What do you think?

[ claude got to quiz saber... it's their turn now... ]

[midway]

[ Hehe. That makes him grin for a moment before simmering down, looking thoughtful. ]

No, I don't think I am. I don't think I have capabilities that others don't, it's just that... there's a specific future I want to see, and the only one that can make it happen is me.

[rippled]

I think that being able to judge yourself objectively is something that people struggle to do.

[ it is, after all, easy to brag... whether or not what you say is the truth. ]

In any case, your determination is extraordinary. You are accepting a lot of hardship.

[midway]

[ Groans and turns onto his side so that he can bury his face into their abs. Oh... How comforting. ]

It's not like I can un-accept it. [ whine whine whine ] I almost miss heaven, and the feeling of having at least an hour with no obligations.