Final Week, Sunday Night Private Conversation: Caleb

[unwittingking]

[It's late into the night when King goes to Caleb. He's knocking on the door to house 10, despite knowing he could go in. He's not going to just walk in right now.

It's a normal knock this time, rather than the previous 'Shave and a haircut' thing, and speaks loud enough that Caleb should be able to hear him.]

Caleb? Can...can we talk please?

[He's somber. Like he's ready for things to get sad-and he knows it will.]

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[unwittingking]

[He’ll be able to see King’s looking better, relatively speaking. There’s still tear tracks on his cheeks, but he’s got himself under control enough to put on a calmer face.]

Would that really be for the best though? Just plucking them out from the life they’re still getting to know and bringing them somewhere else? Would that really be a good idea?

[katzenpfote]

... I don't know. I just don't want you to have to be apart.

I've seen the pain on Nott's face as she thinks about how she was away from her husband, how he and her child thought she was dead. How disappointed she looked when her son said that he hadn't believed that the gifts she signed her old name with were really from her. How scared she looked when she learned where her husband had been taken, and who had been involved in using him and kidnapping him.

[Though when he'd heard the Assembly were involved, he'd been terrified, too. He'd also freaked out when Nott blamed 'his people', but that's his own issues, not the ones at hand.]

... And how happy she looked when they were reunited. How relieved she was when she dropped the illusion of her old self and he didn't freak out.

I don't know what's best, King. I've never really had family to worry about from afar. I only know what I have seen.

I am... I just do not want you to have to go through that. You or your family.

[unwittingking]

[He listens, and he thinks, and he realizes that that’s something he does not want. He doesn’t want to be away from his his kid, leaving them to think he abandoned them or think he didn’t care about them enough to be with them more. Them just casting aside any gifts he gives them because he couldn’t come to a holiday or their birthday. The idea of something else going after them, when he couldn’t do anything to keep them safe.

It scares him, and he feels the tears start up again as he just goes forward and hugs Caleb again.]

I don’t...I don’t want that either! I want to be with them! I want to hold them and hug them and tell them how much I care about them, and just look at them without feeling worried!

I miss them...I miss them so much...

[He’s just crying now, and he hates it, but what else can he do right now? Not much, that’s for sure.]

[katzenpfote]

[Oh. Oh no. Did he go too far? He holds King gently, pressing his snout to his shoulder. Not the first time someone's cried on him.]

I'd say 'I know', but that's not something I can know. But I am... I think we can work things out. We have resources we can call on if we need. And there are others here that can speak on your behalf if need be, as well.

[unwittingking]

[Caleb pushed him...but it might’ve been a good push. A push he needed, if he really didn’t want himself and his family miserable in the long run.

It might take a minute, but King will be able to bring himself together again, or enough form a complete sentence at least.]

You’re...you’re right. About everything. I’m still scared, but...I can’t live my life in fear over everything that could go wrong. I already said as much to Karma; you can’t just keep thinking about the ‘what if’s and ‘maybe’s. It’s just...it’s making me miserable, and it would make things worse for everyone I care about.

I still don’t know for sure how everything’s going to happen, but...whatever it is, I want to be with my family through it. I’m going to be with them.

[His voice is still small, but when he say that, it’s firm. It’s the one thing he’s not budging on. Not anymore.]

[katzenpfote]

We're going to be with you. And we'll keep you and your family as safe as we can.

I just want you to be able to be happy again. You deserve it. Forget what anyone else says - you have been through hell and come back. You deserve some peace.

[unwittingking]

[He gives a small laugh at that...and this time, it’s genuine. And he smiles-He honest to goodness smiles. The tears are still rolling down his cheeks, but for the moment? He doesn’t care.]

I don’t know for sure if that’s true, but...thank you, for saying. For thinking it. At this point, after getting out of here, that’s the one thing I’m going for.

And...making sure you get to be happy, too. You deserve to be happy as much as everyone else, and, after everything you’ve done to help...I think you earned that much, at least.

[He’s earned more than that, to King, but...small steps. He should get out the important parts.]