video, after the caverns

[fuck1ngusernam3]

 So, correct me if I'm wrong about this. 

[Hank doesn't bother with an intro, just starts right on in. The angle he's holding his wrist shows both his face and the stick he's dragging along the wall behind him, which has been in a fire at some point in the recent past and leaves a long black trail of ash over the wall as he walks.]

But when all you heroes trooped into the haunted caves under the mysterious freaky lake the communication plan was along the lines of, 'gee, if someone gets their feet ate off by some freaky bullshit I sure do hope they yell real loud so I can get there before they bleed out' right? I mean, I trust you guys know to make a post letting us all know if you need backup, but what if this- [Here the screen shakes as Hank wiggles his wrist, indicating the watch] -gets busted, or stolen, or whatever? 

I don't know, I was just thinking, next time a bunch of us, or just anyone, goes into something that might get bad there should be some kind of post stuck to the top of our feed that we could all check, just something like this-

[He stops walking, still talking as he starts to scratch a little list in ash onto the wall beside him.]

Hey, I wonder how little Suzy's doing. Oh, she checked in an hour ago, she's probably fine.

[He writes Suzy on the wall, and a checkmark next to her name.]

How about JimBob the Murder Bot? Oh, he hasn't checked in for about seven hours, I should take someone to go look for him.

[Next to JimBob the Murder Bot he doodles a little skull. Sorry Jimbo, it's hard out there for a figurative probably-dead robot. Better luck next time.]

Or maybe you guys would rather do some kinda daily role call like in school or, hell, maybe it's just more fun to lone wolf your way through all this world saving shit, what do I know. Decide amongst yourselves. I might be around, I might not. Just thought I'd throw this out there. I'm gonna go eat. 

Comments

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Uh - I don't know. I wouldn't call it duty.

[He runs his tongue over his teeth, looking away as he tries to think of a way to answer. At home it'd been easier; everyone knew why he didn't bother to do try to do a real lieutenant's job anymore, so he never had to figure out how to talk around it. Avoiding the answer pretty much completely, that's a way to talk around it. That counts as answering, right? Sure. Let's go with that. ]

Or I wouldn't of back home. Here - shit, any kind of routine would probably count as a 'purposed life'. Are you having trouble with that too? Cause uh, I wouldn't say I miss going to work but it'd be nice to have something.

But yeah, I led a couple teams and stuff, so uh, theoretically I could pick that up here if you guys really need it that bad. Pretty sure you don't, but- [He shrugs.] It's all civilian stuff though, the stuff I used to do. Could be pretty useful to have someone who knows how to figure real fights, military operations, or whatever. But you said you weren't really in command, right? Just one of the guys? Is that normal where you're from, for royalty to be low on the totem pole like that?

[rightfully]

[ Chafing at the absence of routine, a goal... her, no. There's many reason she doesn't intend to return to Ylisse. She's fine here, or - or wherever. She does think of Ephraim, though. He's expressed a similar sentiment to her in the recent past, craving clear action.

But Hank's words, continuing as they are, snap her attention back to where it ought to be. ]

"One of the guys" is perhaps not quite how I would put it.

[ The idea - the sheer casualness of it - does make her smile, though, in a way that leaves faint crinkles around her eyes. ]

I wouldn't dare to presume my life is worth more than anyone fighting alongside me, and my tactical abilities are merely functional. I am not clever, nor do I inspire the same sort of blithe fealty that my father can. There's no reason for me to position myself up at the top.

[ Not - not now, not after what happened in her timeline. The victory that only occurred because Chrom's kindness pervaded good sense is not hers to claim. It's fine. ]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

So you wouldn't want to be in charge here either, got it. [He nods. Message received.] But if I need someone to swing a sword at something delicate, then I'll call you, right?

[He quirks up a little smile, teasing.]

[rightfully]

Precisely.

[ His smile is infectious, even as hers tempers down from the mirth of a moment ago. ]

You can even, um, text me! And I'll respond.

[ Disclaimer: This is not a come on. She's just very, very excited about knowing the word text in this context and being able to use it properly. Her eagerness, such as it is, is merely quite awkward. (...Hank can draw whatever conclusions he likes, though.) ]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[Luckily, the age difference plus context means Hank is able to take that mostly as its meant and his voice goes dry and amused.]

Responses generally help out with the whole talking thing, yeah.

Look, if you do need help figuring out how to do some of this tech stuff - I mean, it sounds like Connor has that on lockdown and I'm probably not a great teacher, but uh- you know. [He shrugs. You don't have to actually offer in so many words to make an offer, right?] It'd be a shame if you did need to, you know, use something like a check in on this watch thing and didn't know how to do it.