abraxaslogs | April Log

Koby looks momentarily surprised, like he hadn't expected Will to notice or care. Then he laughs a little, awkwardly. "I actually only need them for reading. It's just...people tend to overlook you easier when you look nonthreatening, and they do that." Almost camouflage -- he's just some skinny little guy with glasses. Not anyone to worry about. It's helped with the copious amounts of eavesdropping Koby's done, both at home and since arriving in Abraxas.

Then, squaring his shoulders, he nods. "I'm sure. I can keep up, don't worry." Even if he has to push himself.

Will narrowed his eyes, noticing several things about Koby at once. One. Koby seemed genuinely surprised when he commented about not wanting him to hurt himself without his glasses. That was concerning. Two. He tried to look nonthreatening. Which he understood a bit, from what Koby had told him about his own world and past. But that he was still doing it here? Trauma or habit? And three. The squaring of his shoulders. The way he had to assure Will that he could keep up.

"Nope. Turn around. Back in the room." Will's voice made it sound like it was not a request. Congratulations Koby, you just set off Will's alarm bells. He was cancelling this run in favor of a talk. Will had been through multiple wars. He'd dealt with demigods with all sorts of issues. And you Koby? Were waving a red flag.

"Huh?" Koby blinks a few times, eyes widening a bit, looking alarmed -- and immediately apologetic. "I-I'm sorry, did I -- say something?" Something wrong, he means. But also notable is that Koby doesn't argue or protest beyond that -- he backs up, back into his room, sitting on the bed and pulling his glasses out of his pocket.

They're replaced, and he shifts a little, taking a slow inhale, then wincing. Too tight -- he's not used to the bandages he'd gotten from Nadine, still wrapping them tighter than he needs to. Why he thought it'd be a good idea to run like this was anyone's guess.

More importantly right now -- Koby looks up at Will with a furrowed brow, rubbing at his chest. "I didn't mean to, w-whatever it was."

Will follows him right into the room, and closes the door. He had been about to point to the bed but Koby had already beaten him too it. Right now, he has so many gods damn questions and dammit Koby is already putting those glasses back on. The same glasses he just basically admitted he didn't need. Sighing, Will sat on the bed next to Koby. With everything going on, the last thing Koby needed was a strained neck from looking up at Will. Gods, he'd probably thank him for the neck strain wouldn't he?

"You're not in trouble. I'm just concerned." He too a breath, trying to calm himself down because he didn't want to frighten Koby any more than he already had. Unintentionally, but still. Koby wasn't a demigod.

"Why are you putting your glasses back on Koby? It's just us. You just told me you didn't need them. Is it like a safety blanket?" The fact that Koby is wincing and shifting and rubbing at his chest has not escaped Will's notice either. " You want to tell me what's going on? You're not hurt, I just checked." Will was starting to put the pieces together, but he didn't want to assume. And yes, he kind of wanted Koby to start first. Be brave Koby. "You can trust me Koby."

Edited (last edit i swear. <3) 2024-04-22 02:46 (UTC)

The question gets a moment of blinking, another of those surprised, stunned looks, like Koby isn't used to being noticed in any context -- which is, of course, a huge part of the problem. He swallows hard, still rubbing at his chest, nudging his glasses back up. "I-I don't need them, I...it's not that I don't trust you I...I'm used to it, I guess? I've gotten used to them."

Like he's gotten used to the pinch at his ribs, the way he can't take deep breaths, the persistent ache of his chest being compressed. It's all very familiar to Koby by now. He isn't fully conscious of how he keeps rubbing at his chest, looking over at Will with a cautious, wary expression.

Finally: "I don't...know how to be around other people. Yet." Well. It's something, at least?

Will smiled at Koby, a smile that was soft and genuine. Was he glowing a bit? Maybe it was the light? He almost found it funny and oh so lovely just how similar this situation felt to the one he had been in with Nico. Granted, Koby wasn't one step away from literally melting into the shadows and never coming back, so that was a plus. And Will? Will was going to make sure you never got there.

He reached over, and if Koby will let him, removed his glasses.

"Let's start with the small things. You are safe here. You. Me. This room. Is safe. So. Maybe try letting your guard down a bit. Where it's safe. And it's up to you to decide where you feel safe. Understand? Camouflage is just that, but you can't be weighed down by it. And, I think you are."
Will sighs and eyes Koby's chest, caught between wanting to let him say it and just ripping the bandaid off himself.

"Now, do you want me to help you bind a little better or do you want to keep pretending everything is fine?" Honestly, he was going to go running in the rain? With his glasses and that kind of compression? Koby, you were almost worse than demigods. At least he was sure you had enough sense not to run on broken limbs. He hoped. Don't prove him wrong Koby.

Edited (spelling) 2024-04-25 14:56 (UTC)

There's something familiar about that particular smile, something that twists at Koby's chest in a way that nothing else has, not for a while. Not since arriving in Abraxas, at least. He's met people who've been extremely kind, who've helped him in all sorts of ways, yes, but there's a certain type of glow that makes him think suddenly, achingly, of Luffy. And Will has it.

So Koby doesn't recoil from the other boy, lets him remove the glasses, blinking a couple times, then reaching up to awkwardly push his hair back. "I -- maybe you're...you're right. I haven't really...found anywhere I can do that. Not in a really long time." Maybe never. "But I believe you. I trust that you're...not out to hurt me." It feels odd, saying it out loud.

But it's true, which is why Will's gently stern, knowing question gets some surprise, but not any genuine fear. Koby winces a little, rubbing along his ribs for a moment, then ducking his head to mumble: "Help? I'm not used to these ones. I've been using just regular bandages for years."

"Good. Now that you're done being dumb about it, let's see if we can get you in better shape so you can actually breathe. I got some medical tape in my bag, that might help." Will up ended his bag, letting the contents stream out onto the floor where they could sort through anything that might be helpful.

"Alright, let's get you sorted then. I really wish we could get physical materials from home, it would make this a lot easier. But we can't so we'll get creative. So, shirt off, and you can have these back." Will handed Koby's glasses back to him, giving him another one of those smiles, like he's channeling the sun.

"Why did you switch from regular bandages?" Honestly it seemed like the change wasn't really working for him, so.....

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