[ Perhaps he lets himself get too caught up in his fight. With Hythlodaeus having guarded his back thus far with such great skill, perhaps he allows himself to get lost in the fight before him, a chance to cut loose with someone who wishes him dead as much as Estinien wishes the same.
Then—
There is a rush of alarm, a split second in which Estinien thinks wait that isn't and then Hythlodaeus, fury rising at the thought that someone thought to bypass him and attack Hythlodaeus instead, at himself that he would allow something like this to happen.
A gun fires behind him but Estinien is already turning, body lowered so he can clear the distnce between them in an instant and— finds Hythlodaeus in no such peril. Finds him loosing another arrow into one of them men on the floor... whose firearm had been pointed in Estinien's direction.
The picture becomes clear.
Hoping to capitalise on his distraction, his the man he'd been fighting attempts to attack his back but Estinien is not so unaware this time. He is also very much done with this bout. He dodges up over this attack, blocks the next with his lance, and then lashes his tail around the man's neck to snap it like it is nothing more than dry tinder.
[ As soon as the man is down his gaze moves quickly across the rest of the bodies on the ground quickly making sure no one will be getting back up before he turns it once more back to Estinien. He watches he way he moves, measured, steady, gracefully. Everything about him is graceful and powerful and contained and something twists in his stomach. He’s not sure the last time he’s been this attracted to anyone. He can’t help but imagine what that contained power would be like focused on him.
He mentally shakes himself, swallowing dryly as he nods. ]
Yeah…[ his voice cracks just slightly and he clears his throat. ] Yeah, I’m unharmed. You?
[ I too am unharmed, thanks to you, is what he means to say, however there is a familiar sense at the back of his mind. A bloom of emotion like a blot of ink in water, seamlessly mixed in with his own but not born of him.
Another bond.
And what the bond is telling him is—
Estinien's attention sharpens on Hythlodaeus.
(His conversations with G'raha and Emet-Selch flash in his mind, back to back, but... Words are imprecise. This, this he understands.) ]
Not a scratch on me.
[ He holds his arms out as though for inspection as he closes the distance between them. ]
That was some impressive shooting. [ And he does sound impressed. Approving, almost. This too is something he understands well.
And then, as the reason for their outing reasserts itself: ] Perhaps a firearm would suit you best. Fortunately, you seem to have your pick of them.
[ His eyes track Estinien as he comes closer, making sure nothing is amiss, his sight double checking his aether- just in case. He does seem as fine as he says however and for that Hythlodaeus is grateful. ]
Thank you. [ He notes the approval, can hear it in his tone but also...it's almost as if he feels his approval as well, but...that can't be right. He tilts his head to the side slightly, studying the other man until Estinien mentions the reason they are actually here. ]
Oh. Yes, that is why we are here after all. [ He takes a step towards one of the bodies and then hesitates, he isn't all that fond of dead bodies (Hythlodaeus, who would be?) and looks over at Estinien who seems unaffected by it. Hythlodaeus expects he wouldn't be. He takes a breath before going over to the closest body, bending down and grabbing the firearm out of his hand- examining it. ]
A passing familiarity. They were used in Ishgard, but as a dragoon I had little to do with our machinists.
[ The words are somewhat distracted. Estinien frowns, catching the hesitation in Hythlodaeus. Feels, for a moment, a flash of... something. Not quite distaste, not quite fear. Disquiet might be the best word for it, and understanding comes not too long afterwards. He berates himself silently for the misstep, the memory of their first meeting flashing up in his head.
Doesn't say anything about it however, merely joins Hythlodaeus by the body and very quickly and efficiently strips it down—weapons, ammunition, money, valuables—before dragging the body away and out of sight. ]
However firearms seem to be a common weapon on this star. It shouldn't take long for someone like you to learn how to use them. And, I'll wager, with your skills you'll accomplish the truly remarkable with them.
[ He gives a slight snort of disbelief, his cheeks flushing slightly at the compliments. He’s still not used to that. ] I am not sure I would go that far, but thank you.
[ It doesn’t go unnoticed that Estinien takes care of the body for him and he’s silently grateful for that fact.
He examines the gun in his hand, he could probably figure out how it worked but it might be better to bring it to Hades and ask for a lesson. He glances around at the rest of the bodies. ]
We should search them and leave sooner rather than later. We don’t know if there are anymore of them lingering around the area.
If you are happy with a firearm as your weapon then we can. I do not wish to cut this venture short, however, and leave you vulnerable.
[ He's stripping down the bodies as he speak since Hythlodaeus is correct in that respect. The people here have a plethora of weapons between them and Estinien ensures that the sum of them is left in a pile in front of Hythlodaeus. Along with firearms and their respective ammunition, there are a couple of blades that Estinien helps himself to, and a stack of joolies that he divides equally between them. ]
And if there are others lingering in the area, let them come. They'll meet the same fate.
[ There is an intensity to him that wasn't there before as he says that. To have Hythlodaeus at his back has proven itself to be nothing short of a boon, but he'll not have his carelessness put them at risk again. If there are others wanting to start another fight then he will put an end to it, quickly and permanently. ]
I think that might be the best weapon we're going to find out here, at least it's common enough that ammunition and maintenance should never be a problem.
[ He appreciates that Estinien takes it upon himself to strip down the bodies quickly and efficiently. He's examining the weapons that Estinien is piling up. ]
We might as well take them all, we can try to sell some of what we don't want to keep.
[ He quickly and with a practiced ease engages his sight to scan the area as far as he can. ]
As much as I know it would not be a problem I would still rather avoid one... [ Even if there is an intensity he's suddenly feeling for a fight, one he knows he would win. That's...odd. ] Our surroundings look clear enough at the moment.
[ He helps pack up their spoils from the fight and then leads the way out of the warehouse and back to his bike. Moments later Estinien is speeding them back out of the diffusion zone and back towards Panorama. The exit from the zone is far less dramatic than their entrance was, and that's when Estinien realises that time has somewhat slipped away from them whilst in the zone, and that they would not be making it back to Panorama before night was upon them. ]
We will soon need to stop for the night and then continue on in the morning. [ Again, yelled over the wind. ] Let me know if you see somewhere we might bed down.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Then—
There is a rush of alarm, a split second in which Estinien thinks wait that isn't and then Hythlodaeus, fury rising at the thought that someone thought to bypass him and attack Hythlodaeus instead, at himself that he would allow something like this to happen.
A gun fires behind him but Estinien is already turning, body lowered so he can clear the distnce between them in an instant and— finds Hythlodaeus in no such peril. Finds him loosing another arrow into one of them men on the floor... whose firearm had been pointed in Estinien's direction.
The picture becomes clear.
Hoping to capitalise on his distraction, his the man he'd been fighting attempts to attack his back but Estinien is not so unaware this time. He is also very much done with this bout. He dodges up over this attack, blocks the next with his lance, and then lashes his tail around the man's neck to snap it like it is nothing more than dry tinder.
The body is dropped to the ground, forgotten. ]
My thanks. You are unhurt?
no subject
He mentally shakes himself, swallowing dryly as he nods. ]
Yeah…[ his voice cracks just slightly and he clears his throat. ] Yeah, I’m unharmed. You?
[ smooth. ]
no subject
Another bond.
And what the bond is telling him is—
Estinien's attention sharpens on Hythlodaeus.
(His conversations with G'raha and Emet-Selch flash in his mind, back to back, but... Words are imprecise. This, this he understands.) ]
Not a scratch on me.
[ He holds his arms out as though for inspection as he closes the distance between them. ]
That was some impressive shooting. [ And he does sound impressed. Approving, almost. This too is something he understands well.
And then, as the reason for their outing reasserts itself: ] Perhaps a firearm would suit you best. Fortunately, you seem to have your pick of them.
no subject
Thank you. [ He notes the approval, can hear it in his tone but also...it's almost as if he feels his approval as well, but...that can't be right. He tilts his head to the side slightly, studying the other man until Estinien mentions the reason they are actually here. ]
Oh. Yes, that is why we are here after all. [ He takes a step towards one of the bodies and then hesitates, he isn't all that fond of dead bodies (Hythlodaeus, who would be?) and looks over at Estinien who seems unaffected by it. Hythlodaeus expects he wouldn't be. He takes a breath before going over to the closest body, bending down and grabbing the firearm out of his hand- examining it. ]
Do you know anything about guns?
no subject
[ The words are somewhat distracted. Estinien frowns, catching the hesitation in Hythlodaeus. Feels, for a moment, a flash of... something. Not quite distaste, not quite fear. Disquiet might be the best word for it, and understanding comes not too long afterwards. He berates himself silently for the misstep, the memory of their first meeting flashing up in his head.
Doesn't say anything about it however, merely joins Hythlodaeus by the body and very quickly and efficiently strips it down—weapons, ammunition, money, valuables—before dragging the body away and out of sight. ]
However firearms seem to be a common weapon on this star. It shouldn't take long for someone like you to learn how to use them. And, I'll wager, with your skills you'll accomplish the truly remarkable with them.
no subject
[ It doesn’t go unnoticed that Estinien takes care of the body for him and he’s silently grateful for that fact.
He examines the gun in his hand, he could probably figure out how it worked but it might be better to bring it to Hades and ask for a lesson. He glances around at the rest of the bodies. ]
We should search them and leave sooner rather than later. We don’t know if there are anymore of them lingering around the area.
[ One fight was probably enough for one day. ]
no subject
[ He's stripping down the bodies as he speak since Hythlodaeus is correct in that respect. The people here have a plethora of weapons between them and Estinien ensures that the sum of them is left in a pile in front of Hythlodaeus. Along with firearms and their respective ammunition, there are a couple of blades that Estinien helps himself to, and a stack of joolies that he divides equally between them. ]
And if there are others lingering in the area, let them come. They'll meet the same fate.
[ There is an intensity to him that wasn't there before as he says that. To have Hythlodaeus at his back has proven itself to be nothing short of a boon, but he'll not have his carelessness put them at risk again. If there are others wanting to start another fight then he will put an end to it, quickly and permanently. ]
no subject
[ He appreciates that Estinien takes it upon himself to strip down the bodies quickly and efficiently. He's examining the weapons that Estinien is piling up. ]
We might as well take them all, we can try to sell some of what we don't want to keep.
[ He quickly and with a practiced ease engages his sight to scan the area as far as he can. ]
As much as I know it would not be a problem I would still rather avoid one... [ Even if there is an intensity he's suddenly feeling for a fight, one he knows he would win. That's...odd. ] Our surroundings look clear enough at the moment.
no subject
[ He helps pack up their spoils from the fight and then leads the way out of the warehouse and back to his bike. Moments later Estinien is speeding them back out of the diffusion zone and back towards Panorama. The exit from the zone is far less dramatic than their entrance was, and that's when Estinien realises that time has somewhat slipped away from them whilst in the zone, and that they would not be making it back to Panorama before night was upon them. ]
We will soon need to stop for the night and then continue on in the morning. [ Again, yelled over the wind. ] Let me know if you see somewhere we might bed down.