Branch (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchifer) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
nightlogs2023-10-08 10:05 pm
branchifer) wrote in nightlogs2023-10-08 10:05 pm
A Promise
Who: Locked to Branch and Boba
What: A talk about what happened
Where: One of the little studies
When: After they've both adjusted a little
Warnings/Notes: N/A
[It's not exactly easy for Branch to get around the place to find people and he'd needed time to rest. He'd had to simmer down emotionally and get a more accurate sense of the danger of the place. He'd also needed to give his leg time to fully heal. Fortunately, it did, despite the fact that the poison might have made him lose it if he were back home. The poison was bad enough there's a messy scar, despite the myth healing, but it's otherwise fine.]
[But he does eventually seek out the kid, swinging around until catching him passing through one of the quiet fire-lit studies. He swings himself up onto a side table, where he's easier to see.]
Hey, kid! I want to talk to you for a second.
What: A talk about what happened
Where: One of the little studies
When: After they've both adjusted a little
Warnings/Notes: N/A
[It's not exactly easy for Branch to get around the place to find people and he'd needed time to rest. He'd had to simmer down emotionally and get a more accurate sense of the danger of the place. He'd also needed to give his leg time to fully heal. Fortunately, it did, despite the fact that the poison might have made him lose it if he were back home. The poison was bad enough there's a messy scar, despite the myth healing, but it's otherwise fine.]
[But he does eventually seek out the kid, swinging around until catching him passing through one of the quiet fire-lit studies. He swings himself up onto a side table, where he's easier to see.]
Hey, kid! I want to talk to you for a second.
no subject
Yeah. I get at least two meals a day-- [He set himself a reminder on his watch for every morning and night after missing too many meals.] --and as long as I check in no one is going to try and hunt me down. I'm free to go almost anywhere I want, even outside!
[He's unable to suppress all of his excitement at that.]
No one's threatened to hurt me and no one's tried to lock me away.
[He quiets his voice and leans in so it's harder for anyone to overhear.]
I got all my weapons taken away but I'm working on making new ones. I just have to be really careful.
no subject
[And then the sheer novelty that no one's threatened him or tried to lock him up?]
[If there was any part of Branch's plans that were insurance for himself as well...the importance of that fades, relegated to nothingness in the face of the needs of a child that need to be met. In a situation where he's not sure anyone else is going to truly understand the paranoia behind them.]
[He has to think about how to handle this and it's not easy. He gets on well with the kids in the village but most often with the absolute weirdest ones like Keith, who seem to just like Branch as he is. Which makes sense when Branch himself is so weird. This requires actual finesse though.]
[One thing he does know for sure is that if he were the one from a situation where he was surprised at not being harmed, he'd hate having attention called too hard on how terrible that is. He schools his expression, not wanting to give a strong negative reaction. He looks serious and concerned, which the situation warrants, but doesn't show the horror he's feeling.]
If you want three meals a day or more, or snacks, go for it, okay? I've got someone I think I maybe trust here. She had a few chances to hurt me while I was unconscious, and definitely had a chance to leave me behind back when we were fighting those monsters. She chose to save me, even though it put her at risk.
I bet she'd be willing to keep watch if you need that to feel safe getting a third meal. And she's powerful. I can stay with you while she's there. So come get me if you want to eat more often but are worried about going alone.
[Since he's concerned about safety when eating.]
[As for the weapons...okay, he 100% understands that. There are many, many weapons and sharp traps in the bunker. Alongside all the bear traps, he has a whole weapons room.]
[He is vaguely aware he should probably be discouraging that buuuut he's not gonna.]
[He quiets his voice a little too and looks around to make sure no one is nearby.]
Just keep any weapons hidden. And don't - Do. Not. - use them on people here unless they're actively trying to hurt you. Even if it turns out some of the people can't be trusted here, a lot of the others are like us. They didn't choose to be here so we have to be careful about hurting them.
[To make it seem less like he's assuming Boba will make a mistake, he self-negs to make it seem like he's turning his own failure into a learning moment for them both.]
I hit way too many innocent people with my traps. I regret it now.
no subject
[He's too used to having his meals given to or taken away from him at someone else's will. He's too used to other people controlling every part of his life.
Boba quickly moves on because he doesn't want to talk about any of that if he can avoid it.]
I liked your traps. I thought they were clever.
no subject
Do you want me to show you how to make more of them?
[Clearly teaching him how to engage in some mayhem is an appropriate bonding activity.]
no subject
Yeah! My dad taught me how to make some, but most of them use different materials.
[Some of the ones he learned for survival are similar, but the ones for bounty hunting tend to use more complicated technology.]