perfectteatime | Victory Road Inbox

[Lorenz tenses, jaw clenching briefly before he breathes out a slow, measured breath and tries his best to be still, be quiet. Not show how much it might hurt, nor let Byleth see how hard he is searching for a plausible compromise he can tell the Professor that's not as shameful as what actually happened.]

Hm? [Oh? Pardon? Why, look at how dismissive and unimportant this information is.

He's.... he's not fooling anyone.] I ended up somewhere I wasn't meant to be, I suppose. A bird of sorts attacked me.

[He huffs something that's meant to be a scoff but it turns into something far closer to a whimper at the sudden shift of his chest. Something else he tries not to acknowledge. He's no idea what you're talking about, Byleth. He's fine.... clearly.]

All right... so then why are you being evasive about it?

[ Nothing slips by him. His tone isn't accusatory, more matter-of-fact. As he helps Lorenz to his feet and back towards the bed so he can lay down. Helping him the rest of the way off with his shirt. Fetching a few things out of the freezer and whatever ice he can get, along with a few towels.

He props a pillow under his head and sits down to get ice wrapped in towels on some of the worst places. ]

There we are. That's better isn't it?

[ The care he gives him is gentle and he seems to have developed a good bedside manner, given that he's been the archbishop for the better part of a year now. Visiting the sick and injured is often required of him. ]

[It takes some doing to find a position laying down that isn't agony, really. His lungs are always strained in some way or another but all the damage to his chest just makes it that much harder to breathe properly. He ends up having to piles some pillows and one of the cushions from the chair itself behind himself against the headboard to recline in a way that is comfortable.]

Professor... [For all his evasiveness up until now the deadpan tone he takes now offers little room for argument.] I'm meant to be a knight of sorts and I was just soundly beaten by a bird.

[That someone threw said bird at him is irrelevant. He got his ass kicked by a bird. It's absolutely shameful.]

Our abilities are suppressed here. Besides, that's not just a bird. Pokemon are incredibly powerful, from what I've learned.

[ He goes briefly to fetch Lorenz a glass of water and some painkillers. The medicine they have here is so much more effective. It's amazing really. ]

Here. Take two of these.

You know that if you really disappointed me I'd tell you. This is not one of those times. You're being too hard on yourself.

Perhaps they are but...

[He eyes the pills suspiciously, frowning. See, the wonderful thing about vulneraries is that they're liquid. He's... not great at swallowing things but these seem small enough, he supposes. Lorenz still coughs after he gets them down and makes a horrible face at the taste of the pills in his mouth, cringing and then down the rest of the water in one long pull.]

I feel like that's hardly an excuse.

[ That earns a very flat look. ]

That is a very good excuse actually. Have you seen what some of these things can do? Last week I saw what I'm pretty sure was a living pile or garbage take out an entire tree.

A.... What??

[ Sorry did you just say "living pile of garbage" Professor? ]

You heard me.

[ Yep. That's just a thing. ]

Either way, you really don't need to be kicking yourself over this. You know me to be an honest man when it comes to that, too.

Edited 2022-02-05 04:50 (UTC)

I'm sorry, Professor... I suppose I may, at times, have rather high expectations for myself. Too high, perhaps. But one must always hold oneself to the highest standards, lest they become part of the problem rather than the solution.

[ So yes he's being unreasonable but he's always unreasonable.... So it's okay? Would he be this hard on himself if it were a demonic bird that had hurt him? Yes. Probably moreso. ]

[ A sigh. ]

It's okay. Just understand that nobody can be perfect all the time.

Just- you have permission to rest and allow yourself recovery, and to make mistakes. I'd prefer it if you did, actually. These unreasonable expectations must stop.

[ He goes to brew some tea finally and set up some snacks for him, which he brings over on a tray, setting it on the bedside table for him. ]

For now, eat and drink.

[Going to make tea means that Byleth doesn't see the guilty look that flickers over Lorenz' face. Telling him not to have such high expectations is like telling water not to be wet, Professor.

Still he nods when Byleth returns with that order, reaching for the tea cup and promptly adding a bit too much sugar to it. Only because he feels so miserable.]

Thank you, Professor.

[ A comforting hand rests on his head, stroking down his hair for a moment, holding his cheek. ]

It will be okay, Lorenz. I'm here.

[It is horribly telling just how fragile his emotional state is that one simple gesture of affection has him simultaneously leaning desperately into the touch and looking for all the world like he might cry again. It's difficult in that moment, to force out a steady breath and not succumb to his emotions, to swallow back the threat of tears and force himself to pull away from the Professor with something that is, perhaps, meant to be reassuring.]

You have already done far too much for me, I fear. You needn't stay any longer than you desire.

Ah, then I will stay as long as I like.

[ You played yourself, Lor. ]

You just relax and don't mind me, okay?

Ah-

[That's not what he meant?!

But he slumps back against the pillows after a moment, surrendering himself to the professor's stubbornness.]

Very well, Professor.

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