[ This is an awkward moment, with Damian's momentary embarrassment and Noctis's careful pause to consider his own words, which means of course the strudel would arrive now. Waiting for the waiter to leave after mumbling that yes, everything's satisfactory, is just one more annoyance. ]
We all wanna' be home. [ Maybe too broad a statement, but not by much. ] But I'm not trying to make you miserable or anything, so I'm checking.
[ Listen, he didn't ask to be brought to a foreign planet but he's here and you are going to eat your strudel while he watches. ]
You mean a raid? 'Cause people have already been playing... or they better have been. Otherwise they're gonna' be underleveled and way behind everyone else. Which would be pretty embarrassing for them.
[ He'll pause to order whatever passes for fake terrible coffee in the future. ]
I have. [ kind of caused some too. ] I protect people who can't protect themselves. [ from themselves more often than not. ] And sometimes that means fighting.
[ Somehow, he almost hears the pauses that make room for internal commentary. And he gets it.
But now that Damian's ordering a coffee? Noctis has to too. ]
Yeah. I know.
I'm in the middle of one back home... a war, I mean. Right now it's more fighting than protecting, but when I get to do more of the latter it feels good.
It's not entirely true - Clark does. But Clark's in prison now. He's on his own, back with his mother's family. Which means its survival of the fittest. ]
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He feels his face heat at the misunderstanding, shoving past it without a second thought. ]
I have things to do back home. Being here is a stressor. I can handle being social.
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We all wanna' be home. [ Maybe too broad a statement, but not by much. ] But I'm not trying to make you miserable or anything, so I'm checking.
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It takes more than this to make me miserable.
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I don't care. I'm not miserable, I'm annoyed.
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Ah, whatever... I'm just gonna' assume you're secretly having a good time.
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he doesn't resist the urge to roll his eyes. ]
When do you plan on having people play this game?
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You mean a raid? 'Cause people have already been playing... or they better have been. Otherwise they're gonna' be underleveled and way behind everyone else. Which would be pretty embarrassing for them.
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Some people have responsibilities.
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We've been over that five times. Six times? Can't remember.
... tell me something else from your world that you like.
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Ugh. Whatever. ]
Being a hero.
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So helping people.
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[ BECAUSE WHO WATCHES SOMEONE ELSE EAT ]
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Me too.
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You're a hero?
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But I make a difference, and I help people. You said you fought in wars, right?
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I have. [ kind of caused some too. ] I protect people who can't protect themselves. [ from themselves more often than not. ] And sometimes that means fighting.
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But now that Damian's ordering a coffee? Noctis has to too. ]
Yeah. I know.
I'm in the middle of one back home... a war, I mean. Right now it's more fighting than protecting, but when I get to do more of the latter it feels good.
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coffee is also gross and he's adding sugar to that. ]
They're one in the same. Every battle you fight is a battle someone else doesn't have to.
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[ A more cowardly side of himself wishes that weren't the case, but every day he accepts his fate more and more. ]
What about you? Who protects you?
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[ Sip.
It's not entirely true - Clark does. But Clark's in prison now. He's on his own, back with his mother's family. Which means its survival of the fittest. ]
No one.
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[ "No one". He doesn't believe for a second that that could be the case here, not if he's so concerned for specific other people, but. ]
Fine, I'll watch your back.
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[ :/ ;/ ;/ ]
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And you can watch mine.