middle ground

i don't know whether you'll like this or not but uh anyway. thanks for all the food you've provided the xc2 tag with!

When Lora gets hurt, Haze and Jin react immediately, but with practised ease and no panic. Haze heals her, or Jin asks her if she wants to swap places, and Lora smiles at them and says that she's fine, really. What effortless synchronicity, Minoth has thought more than once, watching Lora and her Blades move around each other, always expecting each other's moves, always keeping one eye on each other's backs.

What easy companionship.

If Hugo takes a hit he rarely lets it slow him down, since he rarely sustains anything worse than bruises in that heavy armour of his, but Aegaeon is nevertheless always quick to ask his majesty whether he's alright. Brighid, however, is not any sort of hovering mother hen and seems to prefer keeping silent vigil over her Driver, and then paying back for any injuries with twice the blood. There's a solid bond of trust tying the three of them together, as well - Brighid and Aegaeon united in watching over the young emperor, who dearly values his Blades in turn.

Lastly, there's Addam. Haze is quick to heal everyone if they get hurt, Addam of course among them since Addam has no healer of his own. But in the moment when Addam gets hurt, or the moments right after before Haze has had time to heal him, it's up to Mythra and - well, Minoth, to deal with the situation.

Addam always keeps fighting and refrains from complaining, but he doesn't hide his injuries either. He's not ashamed to be healed by Haze - rather, he thanks her happily just like Lora and Hugo do. He...

...acts quite a bit more sensibly than Minoth, but what can he say? Blades are supposed to be more durable than humans - or at least be able to keep up the illusion. As much as Minoth values his freedom from Amalthus, he still suspects he's a failed experiment.

Let us set the scene: on an errand from Auresco to Dannagh the lot of them are ambushed by wildlife, and as they're fighting them off Minoth slips in the loose sand and twists his leg. Something in his ankle snaps.

The only sound Minoth lets slip is a hiss through his teeth. He remains sitting ungracefully on his ass in the sand; when Addam shouts for him he aims his gun from the ground and nails the last Scorpox right in the eye. The teams put away their weapons and start to coalesce back into a single group, congratulating each other on well-executed manoeuvres and asking about dinner plans. Meanwhile, Minoth holsters his guns and watches Addam start to head his way.

"Minoth," says Addam when he walks up to him, looking down at him with a grin and an outstretched hand. "Need a hand?"

Ah, and so begins the embarrassing part. "I think I'd rather have Haze's assistance first."

"You're hurt?" And the smile vanishes as pity takes its place, his expression turning into a concerned frown - he's such a bleeding heart - and lastly he finally turns his back to Minoth and calls for Haze. Haze signals that she'll start coming their way, and Addam still keeps his eyes averted from Minoth.

Good. Seems what Minoth told him last time managed to actually stick.

Minoth gingerly rises to his knees, testing his foot.

It hurts like hell.

He sits back down again.

Addam shifts on his feet, and Minoth observes how stiffly he holds himself, the tension in his shoulders. That's Addam's problem: he's always trying to shoulder all the responsibility alone, the fool. He's a dependable rock for all his comrades, but when it comes to his own worries? Oh no, suddenly he's all about dealing with things without any help, because he thinks he needs to always appear optimistic. That he can't let people down. And as a prince with his own militia and as the lord of Aletta there are a great many people depending on him.

...Minoth's made a lot of observations about Addam, hasn't he.

Well, such is the life of a playwright, and-

"I know you told me that you don't need anyone to fuss over you," says Addam suddenly. It takes Minoth a second to catch on to what he's talking about. "And that I don't need to look so worried about you, and so on; you made quite the speech actually..."

"And how it warms my heart to see that you clearly memorised it," Minoth dryly quips back.

"Yes, yes," says Addam. "I get that you want to go lick your wounds in peace. But is it really so terrible to be taken care of? We only worry because we care about you, Minoth."

"I've only been with you for a few weeks," Minoth points out. But he knows Addam's ragtag band cares about him, and about each other, and about everyone else in this country too, probably. That's not the problem. The issue is that Minoth is used to travelling alone, and had come to much prefer it over his Driver's company. Amalthus, who wouldn't be caught dead caring or fussing over anyone.

"So what if you only just met the others," says Addam. "They still care. And I've known you for a while, haven't I?"

"I suppose you have," concedes Minoth. "I'm just not used to concern. And I don't need a Driver who fusses over me."

Not only is it embarrassing, it's unnecessary.

He's done just fine without any Driver at all for two years.

"Ah," says Addam. It seems like he's about to say something else, too, but Haze arrives before he can. Haze efficiently localises the problem and uses a healing art on Minoth, who manages to stand up easily after she's done. Incredibly done, as always. Minoth thanks her, after which they all join up with the rest of the team to start heading towards the location their client had specified.

Minoth and Addam end up walking next to each other, Mythra a few paces behind them and bickering with Milton.

"You don't want a Driver who fusses over you, you said," says Addam, with a glance at Minoth. "So, is there anything you... well, would want a Driver to do?"

Minoth cracks a grin at Addam's awkward thoughtfulness. He and Amalthus are so different it's funny. "What you're already doing is quite enough, prince."

"Really?" Addam says. "Is there really nothing more you'd like from me?"

"Well, you could always treat me to a nice dinner," jokes Minoth along. "Who wouldn't want to go out with a prince?"

Minoth glances at Addam, but he apparently was already looking at Minoth and so their eyes meet. "Huh," says Addam, and seems to genuinely consider it. "Are you free this evening?"

His manuscripts can wait. "For you? Certainly."

"Then it's a date!" Addam grins and slings an arm around Minoth's shoulders, and Minoth shakes his head and huffs. But Addam's arm stays.

(and the dinner does turn out to be really nice)