The corner of Bene's mouth pulls up faintly, into what might be a smile if he hadn't just dredged up a whole bunch of things that individually give him reason not to.
"They let me out on the condition I can be useful," he continues softly, "and if I can't, then..."
He spares the finger-across-neck gesture, just looking wearily downward instead.
Edgard curses in Orlesian under his breath. It's always the same. People in power looking for someone to blame, hung up on usefulness and regulations. It's Alexandre all over again. Maybe it's because he's raw from the dream, but for once that thought doesn't bring him shame. His blood boils at the injustice of it and anyone given unfair burdens. He chews his lip, breathes out and speaks gruffly.
"Then you do your best. If that's not good enough, then, we'll figure it out."
If Benedict were aware of Edgard's thought process, he might seek to correct him-- but he isn't, and he won't, already regretting the amount of detail he's given.
Edgard's response merits a little smile, and a nod into his crossed arms as Benedict lays his head back down onto them.
"I do," he assures him mildly, "I am."
A brief pause, then: "Colin and I are going out in a bit, to take the edge off. Want to come?"
Edgard's eyes widen in surprise and he nods yes eagerly before thinking about it. He then grits his teeth a little when his brain catches up.
"You sure that that would be alright? Colin might have indicated that he needed some time." He didn't necessarily say away from Edgard, but he's a little wary of taking chances at the moment.
It seems sort of funny, that Colin would need more time than Benedict, but Colin is a sensitive sort in a way Bene doesn't always understand, and perhaps it's a sign of growth that he actually stops to recognize that before fishing the crystal out from under his shirt.
A quick conversation follows, in which he asks Colin if he'd all right with Edgard joining, approval is gained, and he smiles triumphantly at the latter.
"I do just fine." He says a little defensively. Edgard sighs, looks at Benedict, who has invited him out and is kind enough to forgive him. He sighs again and relents. He rolls his eyes.
"Alright, you can comb it." He says nearly inaudibly.
"You can borrow some of my clothes, if you want to look nice," he adds, "...you'll have to take a bath first, but I think we're about the same size."
Unearthing a wooden chest from beneath his bed, he sorts through it until he finds his comb, then comes to sit on Edgard's bed behind him. This will take a while.
Bene shakes his head to himself, this being the most obvious thing in the world.
"Your hair's like... well it's part of you. And it deserves to be treated well. At least treat it as well as you would a pet. You wouldn't let a dog get this ratty, would you?"
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He folds his arms over his chest. "I didn't know any of this. But, it seems to me you're no longer in the dungeon. For what it's worth, I trust you."
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"They let me out on the condition I can be useful," he continues softly, "and if I can't, then..."
He spares the finger-across-neck gesture, just looking wearily downward instead.
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"Then you do your best. If that's not good enough, then, we'll figure it out."
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Edgard's response merits a little smile, and a nod into his crossed arms as Benedict lays his head back down onto them.
"I do," he assures him mildly, "I am."
A brief pause, then: "Colin and I are going out in a bit, to take the edge off. Want to come?"
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"You sure that that would be alright? Colin might have indicated that he needed some time." He didn't necessarily say away from Edgard, but he's a little wary of taking chances at the moment.
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It seems sort of funny, that Colin would need more time than Benedict, but Colin is a sensitive sort in a way Bene doesn't always understand, and perhaps it's a sign of growth that he actually stops to recognize that before fishing the crystal out from under his shirt.
A quick conversation follows, in which he asks Colin if he'd all right with Edgard joining, approval is gained, and he smiles triumphantly at the latter.
"Let's dress up," he decides, and pauses.
"Can I comb your hair?"
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"My hair?" He repeats faintly. "A-are you saying something is wrong with it?"
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"It's dirty," he points out, "you'll never pick up anyone that way. Or. ...you might, but they won't be the kind of people you want."
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"I do just fine." He says a little defensively. Edgard sighs, looks at Benedict, who has invited him out and is kind enough to forgive him. He sighs again and relents. He rolls his eyes.
"Alright, you can comb it." He says nearly inaudibly.
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"You can borrow some of my clothes, if you want to look nice," he adds, "...you'll have to take a bath first, but I think we're about the same size."
Unearthing a wooden chest from beneath his bed, he sorts through it until he finds his comb, then comes to sit on Edgard's bed behind him. This will take a while.
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His eyes roll to the top of his head to try to see Benedict's progress. "Ow! That hurts! I'd like to have hair left when you're through, thanks."
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He won't push it, though-- it's Edgard's loss.
Combing through as carefully as he can, he scoffs.
"Don't be a baby. I'm being as gentle as I can, all things considered."
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"I'm not being a baby! It hurts! Do you do this to yourself every day? Is this why it takes you so long? What are you doing? I can't see it!"
Edgard takes a deep breath. He is staying very still despite the string of complaints.
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...but that would take too long, to do properly."
He's being quite careful about not ripping the comb through knots, because tearing it would remove any chance of salvaging what's there.
"You could have lovely hair, if you'd only care for it."
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Each word is punctuated with a grimace as Benedict tears through it.
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"If you're not going to care for it, why keep it long?"
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He flinches a little in response to the battle with the wretched knot.
"Plus cutting it is also work."
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Bene shakes his head to himself, this being the most obvious thing in the world.
"Your hair's like... well it's part of you. And it deserves to be treated well. At least treat it as well as you would a pet. You wouldn't let a dog get this ratty, would you?"
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He huffs. "I am not mean to my hair, I just let it be natural."
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"No." He says quietly.
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Time to just. ...sit with that.