[ if there is any real cautionary tale to be said, it was probably— avoid red heads in the midst of a jail break, or else... they may just bludgeon you to death. despite, the fact that this has been a relatively close call, and one he inwardly curses himself, if just because he's barely got his own stolen (or conveniently found) weapon...
but, a little dagger wouldn't have been much help with a stone to his head. that said, his own shoulders seem to relax at the familiarity in not just his appearance, but voice. ] I have to say being on the opposite end of potentially being beaten to a bloody pulp definitely is as appealing as one would expect.
[ who would expect that... literally no one.
that said, he does give his usual smile once the initial shock and the feel of his heart beating rapidly in his chest.
he has to say their first interaction was surprising in its own right. maybe sylvain was simply a man of neverending twists and turns. or they both as abysmal luck or the penchant for getting in trouble. that said, him being here could mean a lot of things and he doesn't really know where to begin. ]
[ he looks a little sheepish, though the overall situation is grave enough that his expression quickly focuses again. he steps a little closer to callisto so he can speak more quietly. (uwah)
on slightly closer inspection, the other man doesn't seem to be roughed up—and, more obviously, isn't in prison rags. nothing about him that suggests being hauled and kept behind bars. sylvain can only infer they're approaching from the same side, as outsiders. ]
You're tryna to get in, too...?
[ he wants to ask him so many questions!! but he has to settle with the practical ones, first. he gestures down the dingy hall to another corner with some stacked crates—some cover from the guards roaming about. ]
[ fortunately, even if his life was just hanging by a single thread of last minute awareness— callisto was relatively quick to forgive and forget. or maybe he was so accustomed to his own mishaps, that he finds himself a bit sympathetic to sylvain's prior plight. it's only natural to attack when you're high on adrenaline and your nerves are on edge, after all.
with that done and said, he gives a smile hint of humor; the corner of his lips curling upwards. ] You could say that. [ to be honest, he wasn't like everyone around him with some noble cause. he's heard rumors and that was enough for him to drag his legs here. it isn't that he didn't value whatever remnant of a "life" he had here, but danger was just so naturally a part of his everyday life that it only felt equally as fitting to see what this all was about.
maybe they could also discover some answers of their own. but, while that suit his own loose motivations, he does wonder: ] Outside of those hearty and powerful legs of yours, what made you want to drag your feet into this place? [ he will never forget their bond of kicking to shore.
but, ah, he probably should keep his voice down, something he only recalls once he hears a pair of footsteps draw closer. with this, he angles himself a little closer to sylvain. as much as the crates can cover for two men. ]
sylvain snorts quietly. he's flattered callisto remembers, but stop being funny or they'll both get caught. ]
A couple friends of mine got into trouble. You?
[ sylvain is assuming that callisto is also looking for someone(s) and not just waltzing into unknown danger for the sake of waltzing into unknown danger. whatever the case, he preemptively respects him for braving the gallows, when he really could be anywhere else.
—he silences himself as the footsteps approach. makes questioning hand signals to callisto that he sure hopes will be recognizable: ambush, or lay low? ]
sylvain's response makes complete sense in some ways, and in others... he can't deny wondering what type of bond they shared for him to be so comfortable with the concept of potentially putting his own life at risk. then, to the opposite of that, was he himself who was perfectly comfortable with the concept, if just to find out a bit more information. after all, they say there was a lot you could learn even from rummaging through one's trash—
prison had to follow a similar set of rules, or so he's suspected. regardless, he doesn't focus on it for long, his lips just curling into something of a smile. ] I promise you, it's nothing nearly as noble. [ but with that said, he signals: yes. on the ambush, that is and he's already readying his dagger. he leaves his position if just to straight up and throw his dagger into the side of one of the guards necks. tell me you're unhinged without telling me you're unhinged...
[ i only have fully-armored game icons i'm gomen...
for sylvain it's part a lack of self-preservation, part fierce loyalty—altogether a terrible but effective combination. he's been in enough perilous situations that this doesn't feel anything too different or special—except that he's already dead.
anyhow, he smiles wryly back at callisto. ]
Enlighten me when we get outta here.
[ in the meantime, they're gonna tango! he finally puts his rock to proper use, bludgeoning one of the guards with it. while callisto goes for the jugular, sylvain's looking to incapacitate—though he'll exercise lethal force as needed.
...unfortunately it does, indeed, become quite bloody and messy as their moonlit brawl continues. in the midst of it, sylvain gets caught unawares by a jailer's club, a heavy blow across his torso that sends him stumbling back... pls help him... ]
[ why... i have never resented armor more than now.
but, perhaps it's a good thing that sylvain has that armor to protect him in a skirmish as messy as this one. one could argue that is was likely easier to wipe stains off of armor than regular garments, which is definitely what callisto is wearing. white too... a trademark to look like a psycho painted in blood, i guess.
the fact that he is using that stone so well... could have very well been an indicator to what could have easily been his fate just moments prior. a thought that causes him to both inwardly shudder, and even smile in wry humor as he retrieves his dagger from the other guards neck. fortunately, just in time for him to leap towards the guard marking sylvain. he comes up behind him swiftly, wrapping his arms around him if just to stab him straight in the chest. the guard struggles for a few moments, his elbows coming back to try and get callisto off of him. this struggle lasts a few moments, before the guard's club loosens from his grip and falls to the floor.
blood drips down his wrists, but at least it isn't his. he doesn't seem to spare a second thought of what just occurred. he steadies his own breath a bit, before speaking: ] That look like it hurt. [ which he realizes sounds kind of shitty since that was probably obvious, but... ]
[ sylvain is still missing his armor here, alas... so he will frown when he gets blood splatters on his clothes. :C they can both look deranged, though callisto all the more so in his sullied white clothes. (yikes!!)
he wheezes unattractively for a moment as he catches his breath, rubbing gingerly at a budding bruise on his chest, but eventually straightens his posture again with a mild wince. ]
Nothing broken, I don't think. Thanks for the assist.
[ his hero...! sylvain repays the favor by lobbing the rock at one last guard approaching behind callisto. his aim is terrible, so he really could've taken his companion out for good, but his meager luck pulls through and it connects with a ring of stone smacking into a metal helmet. the sentry joins the others on the floor. ]
Call it even?
[ now that the immediate danger has been subverted, they can proceed further into the prison... there's really no point in stealth anymore, so he chats freely as he looks around. ]
he's relieved to hear that he hasn't broken anything, at least. he'd hate to think what the trek like escaping from this place injured would be like, but he had a feeling the man was durable. he did have the stature and build to suggest so at least. with that said, he's about to open his mouth and speaks, and is just barely kept speechless by the rock that goes by his head.
his eyes widen and ... he releases something akin to a sigh. ] I would argue that you have nearly ended my life twice in a night, so your good deed may have just been cancelled out. [ he's not serious, of course.
on the battlefield, there was no such thing as favors between those who fight with their lives.
but that said— ] I normally use a sword. The dagger was merely asking to be pulled out from a corpse I passed earlier. But, I suppose you could thank my little brother and his numerous number of friends for how I've learned. [ by friends, he definitely means assassins, but callisto didn't really have hang-ups about talking about himself or his life. but do you truly want this.... ]
[ it's true, sylvain is the sort to hobble off the battlefield held together by sheer obstinance and the medieval equivalent of duct tape. it's not like he's always had healers and vulneraries to rely on, either, but he's always been reckless.
anywho, ] Aww, don't be like that.
[ says one jokester to another. as far as sylvain is concerned, everything is fine...! just peachy. he can't wait to get back and scrub all this blood off him.
he arches a brow at the mention of the brother. that's a rather roundabout way of wording things. callisto's a crown prince, so it wouldn't be unheard of for there to be feuding within the family. (ha, wouldn't sylvain know about that.) ]
...'Suppose'? You mean, you actually taught yourself?
[ they are alive, so callisto would say it's a success.
or well, as alive as one can be in hell. that said, he seems to ponder on sylvain's words. he puts a slightly bloodied hand to his chin as he shifts his weight as he inspects the blade in his hand before he (thankfully) put it back to where he strapped it to on his back. ] Something like that.
You learn a lot when you're at war. I did have a formal instructor when I was younger, though. I assume that's on course with most people's education. [ a pause as he looks between the rock that is now... just resting on the side of the man it's cracked the skull of... ]
sylvain gestures for them to proceed down the hallway, though he'll first find another makeshift weapon for himself—a metal bar from an abandoned and especially dilapidated cell door. ]
...The same for me. I learned spearwork as a kid, then had to put it into practice when the actual fighting broke out.
[ he doesn't mention anything about his own brother, which is perhaps unfair... but at least he doesn't pry into callisto's history, either. ]
Unfortunately, this doesn't make for much of a lance.
[ cries his canon is embarrassing that's why.... this is all i have to work with.
when he sees sylvain pick up the metal bar, he seems to nod in comprehension. he doubts it's anything like a spear, but well... longer than a rock??? more shaped? overall, it felt like an easier weapon to wield, if just— ] As long as it's one less stone you have to risk it all for... I'd say, it's a reliable enough weapon.
[ with that said, it's hard not to envision sylvain wielding a spear once he said so. he did seem quite muscular from what he could see. a solid build, which he only seems to confirm anew, and whether his lack of disclosure is unfair, perhaps, but callisto wasn't one to take direct offense to it.
while he tended to be relatively open with his past with the right people (meaning, anyone who doesn't have the intention to kill him), he doesn't necessarily expect others to be as forthcoming. ] Then, I suppose the guards here are in luck to have two warmongers in their midst. [ he's not serious, obviously... but it's nice to have someone who has come up from something similar. ]
sylvain laughs and shakes his head. i've used this line so many times but i'm gonna use it again: ]
I'm a lover, not a fighter.
[ he hopes callisto doesn't get the wrong idea that he somehow enjoys all this. he may have the exterior of a jock but he's very much a nerd inside. that being said, ] But I'll fight when I need to.
[ someone who'll go against his own nature for the sake of necessity... he wonders if callisto is like that, too. for how easily he takes to bloodshed, he doesn't give off the vibes of someone doing it purely for the fun of it. (or does he???)
not to mention, this is the second time they've found themselves mired in precarious circumstances together; whether sylvain likes it or not, he already trusts him. ]
but, that said, he does smile at that statement. he supposed that's anyone. it's the circumstances that probably led most to a life of violence and/or war. even with his own reputation and penchant to default to cutting someone open before asking questions— he supposed there were simpler times. times where he might have not known about others ill intentions towards him. but, fortunately, that was neither here nor there. ]
How reliable. [ his expression remains rather light, as he follows along with sylvain, especially as he urges them forward. ]
I guess, you're just going to have to show me the power of being a "lover" first hand. [ maybe slightly teasing as he carries onwards with his semi-newfound (mostly just reunited with) companion. ]
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no subject
but, a little dagger wouldn't have been much help with a stone to his head. that said, his own shoulders seem to relax at the familiarity in not just his appearance, but voice. ] I have to say being on the opposite end of potentially being beaten to a bloody pulp definitely is as appealing as one would expect.
[ who would expect that... literally no one.
that said, he does give his usual smile once the initial shock and the feel of his heart beating rapidly in his chest.
he has to say their first interaction was surprising in its own right. maybe sylvain was simply a man of neverending twists and turns. or they both as abysmal luck or the penchant for getting in trouble. that said, him being here could mean a lot of things and he doesn't really know where to begin. ]
no subject
[ he looks a little sheepish, though the overall situation is grave enough that his expression quickly focuses again. he steps a little closer to callisto so he can speak more quietly. (uwah)
on slightly closer inspection, the other man doesn't seem to be roughed up—and, more obviously, isn't in prison rags. nothing about him that suggests being hauled and kept behind bars. sylvain can only infer they're approaching from the same side, as outsiders. ]
You're tryna to get in, too...?
[ he wants to ask him so many questions!! but he has to settle with the practical ones, first. he gestures down the dingy hall to another corner with some stacked crates—some cover from the guards roaming about. ]
no subject
with that done and said, he gives a smile hint of humor; the corner of his lips curling upwards. ] You could say that. [ to be honest, he wasn't like everyone around him with some noble cause. he's heard rumors and that was enough for him to drag his legs here. it isn't that he didn't value whatever remnant of a "life" he had here, but danger was just so naturally a part of his everyday life that it only felt equally as fitting to see what this all was about.
maybe they could also discover some answers of their own. but, while that suit his own loose motivations, he does wonder: ] Outside of those hearty and powerful legs of yours, what made you want to drag your feet into this place? [ he will never forget their bond of kicking to shore.
but, ah, he probably should keep his voice down, something he only recalls once he hears a pair of footsteps draw closer. with this, he angles himself a little closer to sylvain. as much as the crates can cover for two men. ]
no subject
sylvain snorts quietly. he's flattered callisto remembers, but stop being funny or they'll both get caught. ]
A couple friends of mine got into trouble. You?
[ sylvain is assuming that callisto is also looking for someone(s) and not just waltzing into unknown danger for the sake of waltzing into unknown danger. whatever the case, he preemptively respects him for braving the gallows, when he really could be anywhere else.
—he silences himself as the footsteps approach. makes questioning hand signals to callisto that he sure hopes will be recognizable: ambush, or lay low? ]
no subject
sylvain's response makes complete sense in some ways, and in others... he can't deny wondering what type of bond they shared for him to be so comfortable with the concept of potentially putting his own life at risk. then, to the opposite of that, was he himself who was perfectly comfortable with the concept, if just to find out a bit more information. after all, they say there was a lot you could learn even from rummaging through one's trash—
prison had to follow a similar set of rules, or so he's suspected. regardless, he doesn't focus on it for long, his lips just curling into something of a smile. ] I promise you, it's nothing nearly as noble. [ but with that said, he signals: yes. on the ambush, that is and he's already readying his dagger. he leaves his position if just to straight up and throw his dagger into the side of one of the guards necks. tell me you're unhinged without telling me you're unhinged...
will this be bloody and messy.... peak romance. ]
no subject
for sylvain it's part a lack of self-preservation, part fierce loyalty—altogether a terrible but effective combination. he's been in enough perilous situations that this doesn't feel anything too different or special—except that he's already dead.
anyhow, he smiles wryly back at callisto. ]
Enlighten me when we get outta here.
[ in the meantime, they're gonna tango! he finally puts his rock to proper use, bludgeoning one of the guards with it. while callisto goes for the jugular, sylvain's looking to incapacitate—though he'll exercise lethal force as needed.
...unfortunately it does, indeed, become quite bloody and messy as their moonlit brawl continues. in the midst of it, sylvain gets caught unawares by a jailer's club, a heavy blow across his torso that sends him stumbling back... pls help him... ]
no subject
but, perhaps it's a good thing that sylvain has that armor to protect him in a skirmish as messy as this one. one could argue that is was likely easier to wipe stains off of armor than regular garments, which is definitely what callisto is wearing. white too... a trademark to look like a psycho painted in blood, i guess.
the fact that he is using that stone so well... could have very well been an indicator to what could have easily been his fate just moments prior. a thought that causes him to both inwardly shudder, and even smile in wry humor as he retrieves his dagger from the other guards neck. fortunately, just in time for him to leap towards the guard marking sylvain. he comes up behind him swiftly, wrapping his arms around him if just to stab him straight in the chest. the guard struggles for a few moments, his elbows coming back to try and get callisto off of him. this struggle lasts a few moments, before the guard's club loosens from his grip and falls to the floor.
blood drips down his wrists, but at least it isn't his. he doesn't seem to spare a second thought of what just occurred. he steadies his own breath a bit, before speaking: ] That look like it hurt. [ which he realizes sounds kind of shitty since that was probably obvious, but... ]
But, I think I avenged you quite valiantly.
no subject
he wheezes unattractively for a moment as he catches his breath, rubbing gingerly at a budding bruise on his chest, but eventually straightens his posture again with a mild wince. ]
Nothing broken, I don't think. Thanks for the assist.
[ his hero...! sylvain repays the favor by lobbing the rock at one last guard approaching behind callisto. his aim is terrible, so he really could've taken his companion out for good, but his meager luck pulls through and it connects with a ring of stone smacking into a metal helmet. the sentry joins the others on the floor. ]
Call it even?
[ now that the immediate danger has been subverted, they can proceed further into the prison... there's really no point in stealth anymore, so he chats freely as he looks around. ]
So who taught you how to use a dagger?
no subject
he's relieved to hear that he hasn't broken anything, at least. he'd hate to think what the trek like escaping from this place injured would be like, but he had a feeling the man was durable. he did have the stature and build to suggest so at least. with that said, he's about to open his mouth and speaks, and is just barely kept speechless by the rock that goes by his head.
his eyes widen and ... he releases something akin to a sigh. ] I would argue that you have nearly ended my life twice in a night, so your good deed may have just been cancelled out. [ he's not serious, of course.
on the battlefield, there was no such thing as favors between those who fight with their lives.
but that said— ] I normally use a sword. The dagger was merely asking to be pulled out from a corpse I passed earlier. But, I suppose you could thank my little brother and his numerous number of friends for how I've learned. [ by friends, he definitely means assassins, but callisto didn't really have hang-ups about talking about himself or his life. but do you truly want this.... ]
no subject
anywho, ] Aww, don't be like that.
[ says one jokester to another. as far as sylvain is concerned, everything is fine...! just peachy. he can't wait to get back and scrub all this blood off him.
he arches a brow at the mention of the brother. that's a rather roundabout way of wording things. callisto's a crown prince, so it wouldn't be unheard of for there to be feuding within the family. (ha, wouldn't sylvain know about that.) ]
...'Suppose'? You mean, you actually taught yourself?
[ as in, self-defense? ]
no subject
or well, as alive as one can be in hell. that said, he seems to ponder on sylvain's words. he puts a slightly bloodied hand to his chin as he shifts his weight as he inspects the blade in his hand before he (thankfully) put it back to where he strapped it to on his back. ] Something like that.
You learn a lot when you're at war. I did have a formal instructor when I was younger, though. I assume that's on course with most people's education. [ a pause as he looks between the rock that is now... just resting on the side of the man it's cracked the skull of... ]
You?
no subject
sylvain gestures for them to proceed down the hallway, though he'll first find another makeshift weapon for himself—a metal bar from an abandoned and especially dilapidated cell door. ]
...The same for me. I learned spearwork as a kid, then had to put it into practice when the actual fighting broke out.
[ he doesn't mention anything about his own brother, which is perhaps unfair... but at least he doesn't pry into callisto's history, either. ]
Unfortunately, this doesn't make for much of a lance.
[ he brandishes the aforementioned metal pole. ]
no subject
when he sees sylvain pick up the metal bar, he seems to nod in comprehension. he doubts it's anything like a spear, but well... longer than a rock??? more shaped? overall, it felt like an easier weapon to wield, if just— ] As long as it's one less stone you have to risk it all for... I'd say, it's a reliable enough weapon.
[ with that said, it's hard not to envision sylvain wielding a spear once he said so. he did seem quite muscular from what he could see. a solid build, which he only seems to confirm anew, and whether his lack of disclosure is unfair, perhaps, but callisto wasn't one to take direct offense to it.
while he tended to be relatively open with his past with the right people (meaning, anyone who doesn't have the intention to kill him), he doesn't necessarily expect others to be as forthcoming. ] Then, I suppose the guards here are in luck to have two warmongers in their midst. [ he's not serious, obviously... but it's nice to have someone who has come up from something similar. ]
no subject
sylvain laughs and shakes his head. i've used this line so many times but i'm gonna use it again: ]
I'm a lover, not a fighter.
[ he hopes callisto doesn't get the wrong idea that he somehow enjoys all this. he may have the exterior of a jock but he's very much a nerd inside. that being said, ] But I'll fight when I need to.
[ someone who'll go against his own nature for the sake of necessity... he wonders if callisto is like that, too. for how easily he takes to bloodshed, he doesn't give off the vibes of someone doing it purely for the fun of it. (or does he???)
not to mention, this is the second time they've found themselves mired in precarious circumstances together; whether sylvain likes it or not, he already trusts him. ]
...C'mon, let's get going.
no subject
but, that said, he does smile at that statement. he supposed that's anyone. it's the circumstances that probably led most to a life of violence and/or war. even with his own reputation and penchant to default to cutting someone open before asking questions— he supposed there were simpler times. times where he might have not known about others ill intentions towards him. but, fortunately, that was neither here nor there. ]
How reliable. [ his expression remains rather light, as he follows along with sylvain, especially as he urges them forward. ]
I guess, you're just going to have to show me the power of being a "lover" first hand. [ maybe slightly teasing as he carries onwards with his semi-newfound (mostly just reunited with) companion. ]