september catch-all; open

[ushiri]

WHO: "Kyle" and you
WHAT: Monthly catch-all, including errands and quests
WHERE: Castle Thorne, Nott and Horizon
WHEN: Post-Libertas and Thorne farmland attacks
WARNINGS: General talk about war, violence, mention of sex work. The farmlands prompt has mention of handling animal remains. Additional warnings in thread subjects.
OTHER: Will match brackets or prose!

Comments

[ushiri]

Knowing how to use a rifle is at least something, even if it's not as useful here in Thorne where they aren't used.

At the question he rests his hands on his hips akimbo and cocks his head slightly.

"Because I'd like to teach you some basics of hand to hand combat, if you're interested."

It might be a good distraction from the issue with his magic. Give him some confidence back, and then see what they can do about that mental block.

[ordinar]

Somehow, it's not where he anticipated this conversation to turn. But everything revolves around the coming war now, doesn't it? Lucifer's warning echoes in his mind: Your title means nothing to anyone in charge. I don't think there's any more playing under the radar.

"You think I'll need it?"

He can't hide the tic in his jaw any more than he can hide the anxiety thinning his voice. His fingers sort of cannibalize themselves in the meantime, nails picking at skin.

[ushiri]

"I hope that you won't, but I'd feel better if you knew how."

The uptick in Wilhelm's anxiety at the suggestion doesn't go unnoticed, though, and his brow furrows, his posture relaxing a bit.

"I won't force you to."

He's not like Dayyid. He won't force the boy to learn, won't beat him within an inch of his life with the intent of impressing upon him the inherent risk of his position. Wilhelm already seems afraid enough: of his own power, of the war ramping up.

[ordinar]

Catching himself — or rather, catching Kyle's gaze — he swings his arms back to his sides. He shakes his hands out, tries to hold them still, and ends up crumpling them together behind his back. His eyes smooth shut for a second. Come on. In through his nose, out through his mouth.

"No, it's... It would be good for me to learn how to defend myself."

If he can't do anything else, he can at least try not be such an easy target. And this at least aligns more naturally with him than magic — he's decently athletic. Though, committing to studying self-defense makes the war all the more starkly real. Not that it didn't already hold enough weight to crack his ribcage and smash his heart, but now that pressure gathers more density.

"I'll do it."

[ushiri]

He watches Wilhelm work through the decision, fifty-fifty on which way it might land. When he finally answers, Kahlil smiles at him.

"We'll start tomorrow. Basic battle forms, to start. Meet me here in the morning at seven, wear something you can move easily in."

He expects Wilhelm might object to either starting so soon, the early hour, or both, but he sees no reason to put it off now. This part of the gardens is relatively untraveled, and the ground is soft.

[ordinar]

Oh, there's definitely the start of a complaint on his tongue. It's in the pinching of his eyebrows and the wrinkling of his nose. But Wilhelm swallows it, letting nothing more than a soft scoff out. Begrudgingly, he nods.

"Okay. I'll...see you then."

At an hour he hasn't been conscious for in months. Awesome.

Belatedly, he thinks to add, "Um, thanks, Kyle. For helping me."

Because it's time out of Kyle's day, too. Effort he could choose to expend on someone else. Wilhelm just hopes he can prove to be more than a waste of that time and effort.