Robin continues smoothing out the blankets over Phalanx's shoulder in repetitive, intentional motions. He counts the seconds that way, letting three, four, five pass by as he thinks of what to say in response to his only friend.
"I'm not sure. I've seen a lot of things, but this is beyond my understanding."
Vincent grunts at that, slumping a little further down the couch, Phalanx's feet still on him.
"Shit. S'that bad, huh?"
"I don't think they're dangerous," Robin follows, quick on his heels.
"Yeah, but you don't know that," Vincent responds, countering just as quick, "And I don't know if I want it to be my job to clean up if you turn out to be wrong."
There's a pause as the both of them think again, and Vincent scratches at his head and rubs at the corners around his not-eyes. When Robin says nothing for a while, Vincent brings up something else.
"'Sides, you know I don't have time to watch a kid."
"I'll watch him," Robin states, quietly resolute. "I can't afford not to, until I figure this out."
"...Think you can?"
"Hm?" Robin chuckles then, almost a scoff, "Of course I can. I just need time."
"Okay..."
Vincent doesn't seem entirely okay, but his next question sounds more like a last-minute suggestion than any genuine effort to dissuade Robin from his path.
"And you're sure you couldn't just, like, take him to the Priesthood, or..."
"No Priesthood." Phalanx can feel Robin shake his head, he does it so pointedly. "They'll kill him, plain and simple. I don't think there's an exorcist in that whole gods-damned temple that could handle what'd come out of this if they did."
"That's not..." Vincent wheezes quietly, "Filling me with a lot of confidence..."
"It's fine," Robin says. "I just need to understand the beast before I can understand who best to hand it to. In the long run, I think you'd much rather they stay with me than with someone who may accidentally unleash a magic that they don't understand."
There is one more silence, and the next time Vincent talks, he's talking through his hands over his face.
"So he's staying on my couch tonight, huh?"
Robin laughs, an honest laugh this time. "Yes, if you wouldn't mind terribly."
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Robin continues smoothing out the blankets over Phalanx's shoulder in repetitive, intentional motions. He counts the seconds that way, letting three, four, five pass by as he thinks of what to say in response to his only friend.
"I'm not sure. I've seen a lot of things, but this is beyond my understanding."
Vincent grunts at that, slumping a little further down the couch, Phalanx's feet still on him.
"Shit. S'that bad, huh?"
"I don't think they're dangerous," Robin follows, quick on his heels.
"Yeah, but you don't know that," Vincent responds, countering just as quick, "And I don't know if I want it to be my job to clean up if you turn out to be wrong."
There's a pause as the both of them think again, and Vincent scratches at his head and rubs at the corners around his not-eyes. When Robin says nothing for a while, Vincent brings up something else.
"'Sides, you know I don't have time to watch a kid."
"I'll watch him," Robin states, quietly resolute. "I can't afford not to, until I figure this out."
"...Think you can?"
"Hm?" Robin chuckles then, almost a scoff, "Of course I can. I just need time."
"Okay..."
Vincent doesn't seem entirely okay, but his next question sounds more like a last-minute suggestion than any genuine effort to dissuade Robin from his path.
"And you're sure you couldn't just, like, take him to the Priesthood, or..."
"No Priesthood." Phalanx can feel Robin shake his head, he does it so pointedly. "They'll kill him, plain and simple. I don't think there's an exorcist in that whole gods-damned temple that could handle what'd come out of this if they did."
"That's not..." Vincent wheezes quietly, "Filling me with a lot of confidence..."
"It's fine," Robin says. "I just need to understand the beast before I can understand who best to hand it to. In the long run, I think you'd much rather they stay with me than with someone who may accidentally unleash a magic that they don't understand."
There is one more silence, and the next time Vincent talks, he's talking through his hands over his face.
"So he's staying on my couch tonight, huh?"
Robin laughs, an honest laugh this time. "Yes, if you wouldn't mind terribly."