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[dawnwillcome]

Leave me a message if something has happened that I should know about.

If this is about saving the world, press 1.
If something needs to be done about Dorian, please press 2.

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[birdsbirdsbirds]

[okay, so... last time was awkward. he and Tek are in ongoing negotiations about a much larger topic, but he wants to patch things up a little, or at least point them to his genuine advantage. he doesn't have Jove's number or anything, so he just... shows up on the Pathstone again.

whether Jove is napping again, or doing something more important, Robin will appear and knock on whatever doorframe is nearest to get her attention.]

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[dawnwillcome]

[She doesn't spend all her time sleeping, thank you very much. Most of her time is spent looking after the ship and, to a lesser extent, the crew of the Pathstone. At the moment she's in her own bedroom frowning over a plant that seems to be stubbornly turning brown on her. The rest of the plants are still thriving, adding color to a room painted with images of wolves and home.

Solas had put his murals on many parts of the ship, but the bulk of his work was here, in her bedroom. As much as Jove enjoys sleeping in the captain's nest, this is the room she considers home, so when she looks over to find Robin knocking, she frowns a little.

Who invited you, buddy? Still, the frown fades easily enough as she sets down the pair of sheers she had been using to clip leaves from her plant.]

I won't insult you by asking if you're lost, you clearly know your way around this ship. [She pauses, for a moment, trying to find the way to ask what do you want without it sounding rude, which is sort of funny to her after their last conversation.] What can I do for you?

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[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he's noticed the murals during his earlier visits. he likes them a lot. hasn't said it out-loud to anyone, because the only people on this ship he cares about are the two reptiles who probably don't give it a second thought--but he thinks it, sometimes.

he keeps his attention on Jove, though. she's already giving him far more kindness than his previous exchange deserves, which he plans to take full advantage of.]

Hear me out, for the most part. [he gives her a small, strange smile.] I was... extremely rude, the last time I was over, and I'd like to apologize. I've also come prepared with a proper explanation, if you'd be willing to listen.

[dawnwillcome]

[It isn't kindness.

In Thedas she had had some of the most powerful people in the world on their knees in front of her throne and then, like now, it was her task to hear someone out before passing her judgement. Robin has seen her throne before, thanks to the hologram room months ago, but she hadn't be sitting in it with the Inquisitor mask on. She had been just Jove then, and this is nothing like that.

Admittedly, this has none of the weight of deciding what would happen to a man who used magic to twist the very flow of time with the intention of trapping and killing her. This isn't a trusted friend that betrayed her faith and was left at the mercy of her affection for him. Truthfully, Jove isn't sure what this is, if he'll spin some web for her or use this as a chance to find out more about whatever relationship he thinks she has with Tek, but in the grand scheme it doesn't really matter. Whatever he's here for, she'll find out very soon.

Nodding to the bed, she waves him in.]

Have a seat, then.

[She stays standing, leaning back against the table holding her ailing plant.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[lucky for her, perhaps, he wasn't lying when he said he doesn't care about whatever relationship they do or don't have. he did some thinking, realized this wasn't really about Tek at all. this is all about Robin.

(not that jealousy don't factor in, but that's far after the point that he's come to bring up today.)

he walks in, has a seat. he slumps forward, propping his elbows on his knees. he's still got a pleasant smile on his face, but that may just be a default at this point.]

When Tek was sick, growing into a new body... Do you remember the name of the ship he was hiding out on?

[dawnwillcome]

[She frowns at that, remembering the time Tek had spent off of the Pathstone with anything but pleasure. It wasn't that she missed his presence, but it was her fault he wasn't there. Her fault he wasn't safe in his own home, couldn't recover from what she had done to him in his own bed.

The guilt from her actions on Mor will likely never fade, but that's hardly any of Robin's business.]

It must have been your ship, then.

[Is that what he's here for, to get payback? It seems unlikely given how long it's been, but she has heard the saying revenge is a dish best served cold. It must be ice by now, and if that really is his intention she supposes she has it coming.

It's still a little tedious, though.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

It was.

[he looks down for a moment, shedding the useless smile to stare thoughtfully at a spot on the floor between them. when he looks back up, he is calm and collected and serious.]

I don't expect you to care about how I feel, but I am angry, and I'd rather not be. I'm the only reason he survived, and watching him heal... was one of the most terrifying things I've ever gone through. I hope he's told you how that process is supposed to go, because that was... Miserable, and wrong.

[he pauses, looking away for only a moment, before he presses on.]

I'm... Sure he's already made you feel appropriately terrible, and you've gone through this a dozen times, and you two reached an understanding a long time ago, but...

[he smiles again, but it's bitter and weak.]

I guess I walked in, saw you, and got mad that you two moved on without me. It was frustrating to stand there and realize you had no idea who I was, or that I was even involved. That's not fair to you, obviously, so... I'm sorry.

[dawnwillcome]

[He doesn't expect her to care, but now that she knows the whole story it's impossible not too. It probably shows in her face as he speaks, in the way her eyes soften and the Inquisitor mask starts to slip away. She wishes she had known, now. She could have done something, contributed in some way to help Robin care for Tek. She'd brought jewelry once she knew that helped, but the idea that his healing time could have been reduced stings.

But even as she thinks that, she can't deny it's not like she had a right to this information. She was the one in the wrong in this case, it's foolish to think anyone would consider her to help after the fact.

And what can she do now? It's far too late to ease any of the burden, any of the pain, from Tek's recovery. With a sigh, she rubs her forehead and leaves the table to sit beside Robin.]

You don't owe me an apology for that. Had I known, none of this would have gone the way it has. If anything, I owe you the apology. I've told Tek that what happened on Mor was the result of my ignorance, that it was wrong, and I've told other people that tried to warn me that dragons in different worlds are exactly that, different, that I should have heeded their advice.

[She meets his eyes and doesn't hesitate.]

But I haven't apologized to you. [She didn't know she needed to, but that hardly matters now.] That you had to watch a dear friend in that condition, that you knew he would be returning to a ship where he lived with someone who would hurt him, it must have been maddening. I am truly sorry, Robin.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[the funny thing is that he'd come here looking for an apology, or a 'thank you'. really, any sort of acknowledgement of his existence and importance would have been fine with him. but he sits still as she sits next to him, and watches her eyes, and...

it's really nice. it's really, really nice. he doesn't mean to, but he smiles with uncomfortable honesty, and his eyes well up with what's probably tears, and he doesn't seem to notice either as he looks at her.]

Thank you. That's all I wanted.

[Jove gives good apologies. maybe he owes Tek one.]

[dawnwillcome]

[If anything, Tek is the one who owes Robin an apology. That guy's a douche.

With a gentle smile, Jove lays her hand on Robin's shoulder. She hates seeing him near tears and if they were closer she would absolutely hug him right now, she might if he seems to need it and doesn't shrug her off, if he starts to truly cry, but she keeps it to a consoling hand on his shoulder for now.]

I'm glad that you came here to tell me this. The last thing I would have wanted would be for you to go on feeling so horribly.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he doesn't. he sniffs a little and rubs his sleeve over his eyes like it's absolutely nothing worth noticing. he looks like he'll be fine, after that. it was just a little breach, that's all.

he doesn't seem to mind the hand on his shoulder, though.]

Don't tell Tek, all right? I'd rather he just think I'm jealous. Maybe I was territorial and made you apologize for the whole murder business, or something.

[as a suggestion, of course. he's sure Tek will go ask about it.]

[dawnwillcome]

Or I'll just tell him it's none of his business and not worry about an excuse.

[Spoiler that's exactly how it's going to go down because if Tek can't be bothered to spill all the beans, why should she?]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah... If you're sure.

[he looks a little skeptical about that one, but if she wants to try playing the I'm-not-telling game with Tek, it's her funeral... he'll ignore that, if it's settled, and look elsewhere.]

Are you the one that keeps these plants alive?

[dawnwillcome]

There are others who help from time to time, but yes, I brought them here.

[Now that her attention has been brought back to the plants, it's brought back her ever so slightly annoyed frown as well.]

After Tek returned, I asked a dear friend to set up some wards to try to keep them separated from his aura. It seemed to be working, but with Solas gone...

[Her face is starting to fall, because that's still a very sore subject. She misses Solas terribly and as more time passes, she loses a little more hope that Atroma will return him. He never would have left on his own, not after promising Cole. Not after telling her he would stay.]

Well, I don't know if it's his disappearance or that he isn't here to renew them, but the wards seem to be failing. He didn't have the time to teach me the spells, so I can't set them up again with my own magic.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Ah, I was going to ask if you knew about that...

[his aura, he means, and how it kind of kills everything. it was bad, down in the tunnels, for those months he lived there--nothing ever grew. he looks between Jove and the sad, brown little plant she was taking care of...]

I could set up wards to replace them, if you want. It's pretty easy.