[Fun fact: She had been sitting on the floor of the cell and just greeting everyone from there, but for Zel she'll actually stand up and go over to the bars.
No, I don't. The only information I can really give is that if another person really was involved, I think it wasn't anyone in our curfew. I mean, I only physically checked you, but everyone else looked like they were asleep.
I'm sorry. As soon as I realized you were involved... I stopped thinking. About anything other than how to prevent this, so that you wouldn't have to be standing here now...
The reason I asked you to protect me yesterday was that I was worried about someone attacking me today. So I'd say you did a good job of protecting me from that.
[There's a look of relief in his eyes at her answer, but then... he's faced with a harder question.]
It doesn't have to be like that. You...
[...]
... Look, I brought you something. It looks like we might get separated for a while, so...
[He might as well do this now. So he reaches into a pocket and pulls out... a compass. It's kind of silly-looking, but look. It's fine. He passes it through the bars.]
To help you get to where you want to be... Since you can't use stars as a guide here.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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And make a frowny face at Zel. Immediately.]
Do not blame yourself for this.
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[well, he hesitates at that. though he comes closer to face her, still.]
I'm sorry. But it really... it really shouldn't have been you.
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Going by the verdict, it wasn't supposed to be me, you're right. But that doesn't mean it was supposed to be you instead.
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[Well, he knows arguing that he'd be a better choice isn't one that's going to go anywhere. Especially not at this point.]
Do you still not know what happened? How... another person was involved?
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Okay... That narrows it down some.
[a pause...]
I'm sorry. As soon as I realized you were involved... I stopped thinking. About anything other than how to prevent this, so that you wouldn't have to be standing here now...
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[She's not mad at him about that, at least.]
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But I couldn't do anything. I just made it harder for you.
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[if anyone, zelgadis was probably the biggest violence risk today.]
Tuuri, I--
[he looks like he's about to say something...
and just turns away and coughs suddenly.]
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She smiles at that sudden cough. She can guess what's wrong but she wants Zel to admit to it.
She'll reach through the bars to cup his face gently.]
If you have something to say, now is probably the best time to say it.
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don't worry about it. with her hand guiding him, he has no choice but to look at her.]
... I don't know where you plan on going after all of this.
[look, he does not know how to interpret that thing in the notebook.]
But I've been thinking, and... wherever it is, I want to take you there.
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I would like that, more than anything in the world. I honestly don't even care where we go, as long as it's together.
[And that is her answer to the confession.
But her face falls into a more bittersweet smile a few moments later.]
But...no matter where we go, it's not going to be a very long journey. Can you accept that?
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It doesn't have to be like that. You...
[...]
... Look, I brought you something. It looks like we might get separated for a while, so...
[He might as well do this now. So he reaches into a pocket and pulls out... a compass. It's kind of silly-looking, but look. It's fine. He passes it through the bars.]
To help you get to where you want to be... Since you can't use stars as a guide here.
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And then she looks up at Zel.]
Where did you get this?
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Don't think there's anything special about it, but... it points north.
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Ohhh, THIS is the compass!
Are you sure it's okay for me to take it? You won't need it on this side?
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And I'll do everything in my power to make sure those paths lead us to the same place, in the end.
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