[Video] January 14th - Morning

[steife_brise]

[Few of you might recognize the face or the voice on the video. Saleh's looking out of the window of his bedroom, enjoying the wind's caresses on his hair and slightly bruised face. Four days after he engaged in a fistfight with Ryoki, the swellings in his nose, lips and cheeks have already gone down considerably, and he looks more at ease than he

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Video;

[itaidakimasu]

Are you...God, this always aounds so strange to ask...are you any good with a whip, Saleh-san?

[steife_brise]

I said this is nothing, Yako-chan.

[Trying to assure her it's nothing doesn't seem very effective, but he's not found of, neither used to having others pester him about his own health.]

[itaidakimasu]

Sorry. I...this hasn't happened before. With me.

{Statistically, she knew that it would eventually. Nobody's compatible with everybody, and it was his first time. And yet...}

[steife_brise]

It's just as they say, there's always a first time for everything, isn't there?

[He brushes aside her concern without a second thought and grins unsympathetically at her expression, sounding a bit too pleased with himself despite the situation he's in.]

I guess I'm just fortunate enough to be still alive.

[itaidakimasu]

{Her eyebrows raise slightly, and her mental file on him gets a few more notes. Her fingers still, then slowly drop back to her sides.}

Are you certain you don't want to go to the hospital, Saleh-san?

[steife_brise]

[His eyes narrow at her words, forming a slight scowl.]

Don't make me repeat myself, Yako-chan.

[itaidakimasu]

Right. Sorry.

{She sighs. She's torn between apologizing for wasting his time and asking if he wants to try again.}

[steife_brise]

[Hearing her sigh, his expression changes back to his usual smirk.]

Feel free to give up and go home if you want. It's not like there's a shortage of Meisters, after all.

[itaidakimasu]

In general, I suppose. Less so in my case particularly. I'd like to try again, but I don't want to pressure you.

[steife_brise]

Do you want to get me killed this badly? [These harsh words are spoken in a nonchalant tone, almost matter-of-factly, though his expression doesn't change a bit.]

[itaidakimasu]

Of course not. That's horrible.

{She tilts her head to the side, eyes narrowing. She had felt his soul, and before coming here her job had often revolved around what people did and didn't say, and how they said them.}

I'm not sure you don't, though

[steife_brise]

[After hearing her words, he returns her look with a grim, fixed stare, as if the meaning behind her words are written on her face.]

What do you mean by that?

[itaidakimasu]

{She shrugs. It's a little tactless to call somebody suicidal to their face, and it's only a theory.}

Just that Saleh-san needs to be more careful. Don't wait until it hurts so bad you can't stand it! You can really damage your body and soul if you don't take care.

[steife_brise]

[He laughs dryly. Her kind words mean nothing to him.]

Yako-chan, I'm not a kid. I don't need advice on how to take care of myself, much less from a complete stranger.

[His eyebrows furrow slightly as anger rises.]

Kind hearts like yours make me sick.

[itaidakimasu]

{Ah, that type. Yako may be sweet and gentle, but her life has slipped a core of steel beneath that. Something flickers in her eyes, as though he had just confirmed something for her. She smiles at him pleasantly.}

You wouldn't be the first person to tell me that. If it bothers you, you can take my words in a less kind manner. Don't do silly things during a war, okay? The hospitals are full enough. You don't strike me as a particularly silly guy. So take care. You're in a new world, with new rules, trying to do something for the first time. I think at least a little advice is merited.

[steife_brise]

[By the time she's done with her quick sermon, his anger has already subsided a little, and instead of an angry look, there's an odd glint in his eyes and a sneer playing across his face.]

You know, the only reason I'm interested in this war is because I get to see the despairing faces of all those fools who are giving their best in fighting a war that is not theirs! Even if we are allowed to go back to our worlds when this war ends, who knows if we'll ever see the end of it?

[He laughs darkly, and leans towards her, but keeping a safe distance.]

All your efforts are meaningless!