[ Another surprise: that the truth of their situation has not quite settled for Gaelio, a man who spent his two years in hiding reconstructing Ein into an even more gruesome tool than the one of McGillis's making.
He would've thought, in the wake of that evidence presented in Bael's hangar, that Gaelio's explanation of respectable feelings provided the fluff for his revenge. It must be the most important goal to him now. It would follow that it was the most important goal to him now. Understanding McGillis would prove a useless and unimportant distraction to that end, even as he continued to declare that it would be achieved one day. From the man who, even as a friend, had never seemed the type to question beyond the surface level of his reality, the anger does startle McGillis, such that he cannot properly prepare for his sudden stop.
Such that he is challenged with wiping away the melancholy brought on by the confusion of Gaelio's It seems it was hard for me to shake --
And is not able to do so, not cleanly, before Gaelio has whipped around to look at him. He does furrow eyebrows defensively, compensating with that, but the remnants of softer sadness remain while he attempts to drain the life out of his countenance.
That won't do them well. It will confuse Gaelio further, the evidence of that shown in his declarations clipped to nothing, in his quick turn away. The effect of attempting to understand each other will spiral and create more confusion for them both. Having his own goals to focus on, that won't do. This tenuous sort of situation, this lack of control -- it's precisely what he has avoided throughout his entire life. For every moment he was given a reprieve in control, hoarding it away in small spaces. With whatever he was able to build on, with whatever he was allowed.
The threat of Gaelio tears at that, even now -- with his quick, recoiling turn, away from McGillis, once he has slipped and shown a small amount of his true self.
Of course he would hasten away from that. That alone does not confuse McGillis, who has always suspected, always known, that Gaelio would have no use or want for the truth inside McGillis. What he doesn't understand are Gaelio's efforts towards what he has no use or want for, even in the moment, the contradiction of his aggressive assertion and his quickly retreating back. He doesn't understand why he makes it difficult for himself when it could be so simple.
Something inscrutable and impossible to hold rose during their brief interaction of honesty, but this cuts the bottom out from it. He walks on again, wordlessly, secure in the knowledge of being right.
Gaelio steps out into the beginning of a new clearance, where the sunlight pools ahead. His body disappears into that light. Briefly, McGillis considers turning around and retreating into the darkness of the forest.
Seconds later, he joins his side in the field. A good amount of distance is spaced between them still.
McGillis blankly observes their surroundings. The grass is thick, covering the bottoms of their legs, and the flowers are quite beautiful, but it's the smoke that catches his attention quicker than anything else. He turns his head, only to observe if Gaelio has seen it.
He has, from the trajectory of his gaze. ]
What should our terms be, if the situation turns perilous?
[ If they do continue to proceed together, that is. ]
no subject
He would've thought, in the wake of that evidence presented in Bael's hangar, that Gaelio's explanation of respectable feelings provided the fluff for his revenge. It must be the most important goal to him now. It would follow that it was the most important goal to him now. Understanding McGillis would prove a useless and unimportant distraction to that end, even as he continued to declare that it would be achieved one day. From the man who, even as a friend, had never seemed the type to question beyond the surface level of his reality, the anger does startle McGillis, such that he cannot properly prepare for his sudden stop.
Such that he is challenged with wiping away the melancholy brought on by the confusion of Gaelio's It seems it was hard for me to shake --
And is not able to do so, not cleanly, before Gaelio has whipped around to look at him. He does furrow eyebrows defensively, compensating with that, but the remnants of softer sadness remain while he attempts to drain the life out of his countenance.
That won't do them well. It will confuse Gaelio further, the evidence of that shown in his declarations clipped to nothing, in his quick turn away. The effect of attempting to understand each other will spiral and create more confusion for them both. Having his own goals to focus on, that won't do. This tenuous sort of situation, this lack of control -- it's precisely what he has avoided throughout his entire life. For every moment he was given a reprieve in control, hoarding it away in small spaces. With whatever he was able to build on, with whatever he was allowed.
The threat of Gaelio tears at that, even now -- with his quick, recoiling turn, away from McGillis, once he has slipped and shown a small amount of his true self.
Of course he would hasten away from that. That alone does not confuse McGillis, who has always suspected, always known, that Gaelio would have no use or want for the truth inside McGillis. What he doesn't understand are Gaelio's efforts towards what he has no use or want for, even in the moment, the contradiction of his aggressive assertion and his quickly retreating back. He doesn't understand why he makes it difficult for himself when it could be so simple.
Something inscrutable and impossible to hold rose during their brief interaction of honesty, but this cuts the bottom out from it. He walks on again, wordlessly, secure in the knowledge of being right.
Gaelio steps out into the beginning of a new clearance, where the sunlight pools ahead. His body disappears into that light. Briefly, McGillis considers turning around and retreating into the darkness of the forest.
Seconds later, he joins his side in the field. A good amount of distance is spaced between them still.
McGillis blankly observes their surroundings. The grass is thick, covering the bottoms of their legs, and the flowers are quite beautiful, but it's the smoke that catches his attention quicker than anything else. He turns his head, only to observe if Gaelio has seen it.
He has, from the trajectory of his gaze. ]
What should our terms be, if the situation turns perilous?
[ If they do continue to proceed together, that is. ]
A temporary truce would provide better odds.