Byleth

[katzepaw]

Comments

[katzepaw]

If you don't mind. It might help me out a little.

[But first, going to the cafeteria, grabbing some lunch for himself.]

[divineimpulse]

[byleth gets in the paint and retrieves 22 slices of cici's pizzaa personal pizza pie, then selects seating a little distance away from whoever else may be here right now.

when caleb returns with his own meal, she also has a piece of fish on a small plate, already sitting on the table. she's scrolling through her phone.]

How about... "compassion"?

[she looks up.]

Are you dealing with any conflicts?

[katzepaw]

[He smiles a little, grateful, when she passes Frumpkin a fish treat; he'll nibble at it a little while they eat. He laughs a little, tired, at the question.]

Oh, boy.

A few of them. Um, let me think. [In some ways, the easiest one to talk about is also the one with the most risks to discussing here. And he doesn't know Byleth all that well. But. . . ]

May I tell you something, and ask you to keep it between you and I?

[divineimpulse]

[she nods, and moves closer to caleb by a degree.]

It won't leave this table.

[katzepaw]

Okay.

[Sometimes there's just - a lot you can't talk about, and it's beginning to wear on you, and a nice protagonist asks you a question about it.]

. . . I have two friends of mine here with me. Very dear friends. But I'm from a future a little farther ahead of them, and things have gone a little bit badly for one of them. And for me.

I've been, uhm, struggling with knowing how much to tell them, what will even do them good to know about. Nothing, right? If it can't be changed, then nothing.

[divineimpulse]

[oh

oh boy]

You know it can't be changed?

[katzepaw]

[He just. Laughs at that, suddenly.]

Oh, that's right. You had time travel on your profile, didn't you? I noticed that. I noticed that. [He scratches at his arms a little, finding this funny for reasons he doesn't seem like he's going to explain.]

Other than reversing the flow of time, I don't think it can be changed. So let's put that option aside for the moment.

[divineimpulse]

[Oh No, Somebody Noticed That. she shifts slightly, looking to the side—then back.]

Is there any chance you might reveal what you know to them? In behavior or otherwise?

[katzepaw]

[It's alright. She doesn't seem to want to answer, so he'll drop it. It's dangerous, after all.]

Probably. One thing in particular is more likely to come to light, and is a little more out of my control. The rest, the things only I know . . . I can probably keep a lid on it. I'm good at keeping secrets.

[divineimpulse]

[she nods, eating pizza thoughtfully. as you do.]

Is it something physical you can't hide?

[katzepaw]

[He's quiet again, but - ]

In for a copper. I can hide it so long as I keep wearing this coat everywhere.

[divineimpulse]

[...]

If they see it, will your friends become stressed, and worry about what else you're hiding from them?

[katzepaw]

[He smiles a little bit to himself.]

If Beauregard sees, she will put it all together. She is a sharp cookie. But, uhm, maybe it doesn't make me sound good to say, but I don't think she'll be surprised to learn I was keeping things from her.

[divineimpulse]

It does sound a bit shady...

[she takes another bite of pizza.]

[katzepaw]

I'm a shady person. No big surprises there. [Scratching at his forearms a little, absently.] Maybe they'll figure it out, but until then. . . I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to get it off my chest somehow, as bad an idea as that is. [There's a slight belated chuckle, like he just thought of a joke he hadn't intended.] You could immediately go and tell her I am a liar, if you wanted to, but all it will do is force her to worry about all of the things I'm worrying about now.

[divineimpulse]

[she shakes her head silently—no plans to run off and narc to beauregard—and she doesn't even know the other person. besides, she was good at keeping secrets, too.

but she does give him a careful, appraising look.]

Is the physical difference on your chest?

[katzepaw]

[He's less worried about her narcing to Molly because Molly ain't that smart. He can just lie his way out of that one.]

Something like that.

[divineimpulse]

[she nods. it was probably a very good joke. then:]

Thank you for sharing with me, Caleb.

It won't leave the three of us.

[katzepaw]

Danke schön.

[He sighs a little, still unsure, but - ]

Then can I ask you, if it isn't intrusive. . . the people who matter most to you?

[divineimpulse]

[...]

Some of them are here with me.

[two friends and two friends. peas in a pod.]

[katzepaw]

Ah. Lucky us, then?

[divineimpulse]

[her eyes drift.]

One I'm not worried for. One I am.

[...]

I'll trade you a secret.

[katzepaw]

Be my guest. No one will hear a word of it from me.

[In fact, he's a little relieved to get a secret back from his secret.]

[divineimpulse]

[she pauses, hands folded in front of her, pizza finished.]

I have a somewhat similar situation with one of my two—his name is Claude.

I'm a little ahead of him. Except...

[...]

Things are... different.

[she's genuinely not sure how else to put it in context at the moment]

[katzepaw]

Ah - I spoke to him a little. Different how? Bad?