[ he can tell that something is wrong, but he doesn't know if he should pry. if they'd wanted him to know what this was about they would have clued him in ahead of time, yes? ]
Uh, but yes. I can take care of the Theater. Are there any instructions you'd like to leave? Or... anything I can do while you're gone?
[ Nate thinks about it, but it's honestly a little hard to concentrate.
No. Not concentrate. Care, it's a little hard to make himself care. ]
Nothing unusual.
Potions are in the back. They're labelled. So are the charms. There's a performance roster hung up backstage. Just open when we should be open, and let people in to rehearse.
[ henry listens quietly for a moment, aware than nate can't actually see him nodding along. the monotone makes his heart ache. ]
Yes well. Don't tell him I said so, but I'll miss him, too.
[ he speaks softly. ]
Listen Nate... I'm sorry. I can't say that I know what you're going through, and I know that our relationship is mostly professional and that you have probably more friends and confidants than you know what to do with and there's likely nothing I can do to help, but I... care about you, too. You know?
I guess. Just. If you didn't know. I want you to know.
This is the sort of thing that ought to provoke more feeling from him, he thinks. He doesn't know why it doesn't. Why nothing does, ever since his head cleared. It's like the insanity climbed off him, and dragged every other emotion with it. ]
You're my friend, Henry.
But so that you know, caring about me is what got Nick and Caleb in jail. So you probably shouldn't.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Is he better now?
[ Nate is, but he only has been in the last few hours. ]
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[ henry has only ever been magic-adjacent so he isn't always clear on how the pieces fit together.]
Are you though? Nate and Caleb?
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[ All very matter of fact, still lacking anything like emotion. ]
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[ he can tell that something is wrong, but he doesn't know if he should pry. if they'd wanted him to know what this was about they would have clued him in ahead of time, yes? ]
Uh, but yes. I can take care of the Theater. Are there any instructions you'd like to leave? Or... anything I can do while you're gone?
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No. Not concentrate. Care, it's a little hard to make himself care. ]
Nothing unusual.
Potions are in the back. They're labelled. So are the charms. There's a performance roster hung up backstage. Just open when we should be open, and let people in to rehearse.
[ A pause. Then: ]
The dreamlings. They'll miss Nick.
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Yes well. Don't tell him I said so, but I'll miss him, too.
[ he speaks softly. ]
Listen Nate... I'm sorry. I can't say that I know what you're going through, and I know that our relationship is mostly professional and that you have probably more friends and confidants than you know what to do with and there's likely nothing I can do to help, but I... care about you, too. You know?
I guess. Just. If you didn't know. I want you to know.
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This is the sort of thing that ought to provoke more feeling from him, he thinks. He doesn't know why it doesn't. Why nothing does, ever since his head cleared. It's like the insanity climbed off him, and dragged every other emotion with it. ]
You're my friend, Henry.
But so that you know, caring about me is what got Nick and Caleb in jail. So you probably shouldn't.
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Shit. I've always wanted to be arrested for a cause and I heard you had an in. I suppose I'll now have to find another way.
[ he jokes because he doesn't know what else to do. ]
Hey. Everyone'll be fine.
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[ Neither does he, he stands by what he did.
But still... ]
I wish it had worked. And I'm sorry to have to leave you in charge.