Alphinaud; Catch-all

[misstrust]

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[misstrust]

You can. Just survive and get through this.

[ Simple enough. ]

[arcsplainist]

I will. For you, and Archer, and Ochako, and—and everyone.

[ He lowers his gaze again. Rubs at his eyes, again. ]

This past week, I knew not what to do with myself. My grief and anger over what our circumstances have become had overwhelmed me... Even now, I still feel it. Yet in spite of that, I want to do what it takes to save everyone. I will not die—not here. Not now.

[misstrust]

[ Man, she wants to headpat him so badly. ]

It's natural to feel sad and upset over losing people and the circumstances we've found ourselves in. But what's most important, and it seems like you've already realized it, is that we keep moving forward. We can't let ourselves lose to the kind of feelings that would keep us right where we are.

So I'm glad to hear you say that.

[arcsplainist]

[ he nods! ]

Always have you held such strength within you... 'Tis not oft you find that.

[misstrust]

Both you and Rufus today, goodness. You'll make a lady blush at this rate.

[ All this talk about strength, gosh. ]

[arcsplainist]

Well? He is not wrong. I do hope you realize that.

[misstrust]

It's admittedly hard to think about my strength when I was caught based on quite a bit of of concerningly obvious evidence.

[ None of which was actually hers. ]

[arcsplainist]

[ ... well. ]

This may be a foolish question, but were you hoping to hide what you had done?

[ Jeanne purposefully made it pretty obvious. ]

[misstrust]

[ To that, Dorothy looks at him rather steadily. ]

I'm not as kind as Jeanne, Alphinaud.

[arcsplainist]

... Perhaps so.

But I know the circumstances behind why you have done what you did. I think... I, too, would be afraid of dying.

[misstrust]

I'm not afraid of dying. If I was caught, I was prepared to accept it.

... But I wanted to guarantee that everyone would be brought back. And I... didn't want to leave Ange alone.

[arcsplainist]

And that I understand.

[ Though he is afraid of death, as most are, leaving behind loved ones is a reason why. ]

I... I simply find it difficult to find this truly your fault—to think less of you, when we are all trapped in this cruel system.

[misstrust]

And that's fine.

... But at the very least, I can acknowledge what I did was something I'm fine with taking responsibility for. And I don't wish to be saved tomorrow.

[arcsplainist]

[ boy did you fuckin ever did not ]

Certainly...

Nevertheless—I do not believe that diminishes your strength by any. No... I would say you have handled it much better than I ever would have.

[misstrust]

[ ehe ]

You and I have different experiences, after all. To say nothing of our personalities. I would say you're also much kinder.

[arcsplainist]

[ Alphinaud falls silent briefly, only breaking the quiet with a small hum. ]

I wonder. You have been naught but kind. Do you not think yourself as so?

[misstrust]

I don't, no.

[ Wow, she said that immediately. ]