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[He's...definitely squinting at her a little despite himself. What...]

... Has nobody explained the whole "other worlds" bit to you yet?

It's...

[ she's stupid, kou

you'll figure it out. ]

...rather nebulous.

[ He's welcome to explain it to her in small words, but first -- ]

Would you like me to make you some tea?

... I guess I'll try to break it down for you a bit better in exchange, if you're alright with that.

[Because tea sounds divine. Also, a pretty common thing to do when settling down to talk in Kou's traditional lifestyle so he doesn't think anything of it, really.]

Thanks, it's appreciated.

Of course. Please, have a seat.

[ She's happy! To help!

Discreetly, Lucina smothers a cough into the crook of her elbow, careful to keep her back to him. Moving to fill a kettle and set it over one of the braziers, she doesn't go far - he might as well sit down. ]

Have you been part of the Circle for long?

Since the first group of us got here.

[He shrugs a little, eyes fixed on Lucina's back as she works. Hmm...]

Not that that's as impressive as it sounds.

[ Hey, her eyes are up - around - somewhere. ]

That may be a matter of perspective. We were all conscripted against our will, yes, but that just makes a positive outlook even more important.

[ Steeping the tea leaves into the water, she lets it settle, asking -- ]

Strong or weak?

Strong, please.

[Inject the caffeine directly into his veins.]

I mostly just meant that we haven't been here that long, all things considered.

[ It may not be as effective as a direct injection but Lucina lets the leaves sit for a few more moments in the steaming water. The tea darkens further as she stirs it idly. ]

Your effort must be making a difference, though, if Astoria was inspired to bring more of us into the fold.

[A sigh.]

When you put it like that, it makes me want to apologize.

[For getting other people dragged into this.]

You have nothing to apologise to me for.

[ There are some keywords in there, certainly. Lucina wouldn't dare to presume to speak for anyone else. But her life? It wasn't as if she could have stayed in Ylisse. A fight is what she's good at. She's more useful here than she is in peacetime, hovering around parents that are not quite her own.

Without asking, she adds a small tincture of honey to the tea and then brings it over to him. ]

Here. Drink up.

Thanks.

[He'll take that cup, sipping it quietly. Thank god for warm liquids--it goes down easily on his sore throat.

After a long moment, though... he shakes his head.]

You're taking it well, then. Being stuck in a place like this instead of being back home.

[ Lucina pauses for a moment, trying to figure out how to respond to that. "I don't have a home," while technically true, is also needlessly malicious to Chrom and his own, who had always told her she was welcome to stay - and also way too much of a downer to just drop into conversation like that. ]

This is the not the first time I've found myself... elsewhere.

[ Between time travel and Outrealms...

yet she doesn't seem to understand outer space? okay ]

I don't have anything pressing to return to. Here, I can be useful.

[Well... she's definitely taking it well, but no matter how he looks at it... being told she doesn't have anything pressing to return to doesn't fill him with a lot of faith that things are great where she's coming from.]

... Are things okay, back home?

You don't have to answer, but... something like that makes me worry a bit.

[ Things weren't fine, until they were - until it was all fixed - or just erased - but what is left isn't for her - Lucina's expression grows a touch contemplative as she wades through the speculative waters of her coming answer. ]

Home is - well, it's lovely. I am proud of where I came from.

Peace has little use for a soldier, that's all.

[ It's not all. ]

... What, you don't have any identity beyond soldier? I don't buy that.

[A shrug.]

I've already seen more of you than that and it's only been five minutes. Look--you don't have to answer if you don't want to. Just say so instead of limiting yourself like that.

[ Part of her nearly bristles at his comment because, well, what's so limiting about being a soldier? Even now, serving in Chrom's army is a point of pride for her. But Lucina knows that isn't quite what Kou means and manages to reshuffle her pride without letting it show on her face.

He sees through her little omission, gently prodding loose the details she might have otherwise kept close. Severa might have said something similar, although - although it would have carried the static of her friction with the world, words sharp, jostling, alive.

Lucina is quiet for a moment. It only serves to give herself away, the inordinate amount of time she spends trying to put her next words in the right order. ]

The truth is rather... atypical.

[ to put it! lightly! ]

Would you believe me if I told you that there are two versions of my home - one, ruined by a slip in circumstance - and while the other thrives, it is... it is not mine.

[ She really doesn't want to talk about time travel and tries to sidestep around it as best she can. There's no great reason, it's just a headache. ]

[... Ah. Well. In all honesty, he knows that's something he should respond to in the negative. But...

He does know what that feels like. He's been there in his own way, and while he doubts their circumstances were exactly the same...]

... Yeah. I would believe you.

I've... kind of been there before.

[A slow breath in, and:]

So that's why you're not in a hurry to go home. You don't feel like you belong there...?

Yes. Precisely.

[ She's surprised - or, perhaps, pleased - to hear it put in such simple words. It isn't a simple feeling. When he does that, though, he validates her.

It's nice. Gentles her expression somewhat, which hadn't been altogether too severe to begin with. ]

Do you feel similarly about your home?

... I'm not sure. I didn't really have a chance to try to get used to the new status quo before I ended up here.

[He sighs quietly, shrugging.]

And because of that, I really don't have any advice. I guess I just want to say... I get it. You've got someone who understands what you're dealing with here. Alright?

[ Her eyes slide away for a moment; her expression grows inscrutable. ... ]

Alright.

[ "Someone who understands" is a taller order than he knows. Lucina has largely resigned herself to the fact that the only people who can truly understand her experiences are the people who have lived them, but... but they're not here. Her younger sibling isn't here. Severa, Gerome, Laurent - they're not here.

He's trying, though. Kou is trying. There's nothing invalid about that. She is here, even if no one else is, and there's a bed to sleep in, fresh food to eat, clean water. And kind people, evidently.

She smiles, in a friendly fashion. ]

It's nice to have a comrade.

[ that's not what this is, lucina ]

[It's honestly a bit reassuring to realize he hasn't overstepped any bounds here. Lucina carries herself as someone who has very firm, certain boundaries--

It's fine, though. Everything is fine, isn't it? If she's willing to lean on him at least a little, then she's not totally alone in her experiences...and that's what really matters.]

Yeah, well... it wouldn't be the first time I've ended up with a surprise comrade, so...that's fine with me.

[Kou is bad at this.]

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