His smile softens, fond, yet melancholy, and filled with a warmth that nearly reaches his cheeks. "Thank you, Brother. I can but hope you're right... that I have been able to live up to his image, to his ideals." He pauses and gently runs his thumb against the paper he's holding, across the words written, not reading, but staring at them distantly as he thinks of their father.
When he speaks again, it's quieter, softer, perhaps a bit sadder, more hesitantly, so much so that Clive might not even hear him. "...And your's."
Because he holds Clive's thoughts of him just as highly as their father's. As the person he's... loved, admired and looked up to for as long as he can remember, that he idolized for his strength, his courage, for how the people loved him... however wrongly that may have been on his own part as he put himself down to raise Clive up. Believing he could never be a leader like his brother, that Clive should've awakened as the Phoenix, not him. And he tried, after he awoke from his coma after Phoenix Gate, to live up to what Clive and their father wanted--believed he could be. To steel his nerves, to become stronger, become a proper leader to the Undying that he might discover the truth behind Ultima.
But... if Clive truly does look to try and find the timid, frail boy he used to know, rather than the man before him... it gnaws a worry in his heart. That he's maybe somehow disappointed his brother, that after twenty years, he hadn't lived up to whatever expectations Clive had of him. His heart aches at the thought, however much his head tells him Clive wouldn't think like that.
Then, after a moment, he sets aside his letter to take a new one too and looks back up to his brother and adds with a lilt of forced amusement, trying to move on. "As well as the children's. It would not do to disappoint them. I have often seen them in the Shelves when consulting Harpocrates. Perhaps I should speak with them, should it help in calming their curious minds that they might focus on their lessons."
He pauses again, a soft breath leaving him in a truer smile. There's no getting around worrying Clive, he always has, born as frail as he was. And he knows full well of Joshua's condition, how Ultima's prison takes it's toll on his body, so there's no getting away with lying. Not that he would. But if he can lessen the weight of his words so not as to worry him so much, he will.
"I am well, Brother. You needn't worry. My strength continues to wane with each passing day, but... there is naught I can do but rest, while we wait to depart for Origin. As Lady Tarja has--urged that I do on several occasions." His smile turns a little guilty, a little sheepish, a little amused.
no worries!!! ꉂ (′̤ॢ∀ ू‵̤๑))ˉ̞̭♡ there's never any rush <3
When he speaks again, it's quieter, softer, perhaps a bit sadder, more hesitantly, so much so that Clive might not even hear him. "...And your's."
Because he holds Clive's thoughts of him just as highly as their father's. As the person he's... loved, admired and looked up to for as long as he can remember, that he idolized for his strength, his courage, for how the people loved him... however wrongly that may have been on his own part as he put himself down to raise Clive up. Believing he could never be a leader like his brother, that Clive should've awakened as the Phoenix, not him. And he tried, after he awoke from his coma after Phoenix Gate, to live up to what Clive and their father wanted--believed he could be. To steel his nerves, to become stronger, become a proper leader to the Undying that he might discover the truth behind Ultima.
But... if Clive truly does look to try and find the timid, frail boy he used to know, rather than the man before him... it gnaws a worry in his heart. That he's maybe somehow disappointed his brother, that after twenty years, he hadn't lived up to whatever expectations Clive had of him. His heart aches at the thought, however much his head tells him Clive wouldn't think like that.
Then, after a moment, he sets aside his letter to take a new one too and looks back up to his brother and adds with a lilt of forced amusement, trying to move on. "As well as the children's. It would not do to disappoint them. I have often seen them in the Shelves when consulting Harpocrates. Perhaps I should speak with them, should it help in calming their curious minds that they might focus on their lessons."
He pauses again, a soft breath leaving him in a truer smile. There's no getting around worrying Clive, he always has, born as frail as he was. And he knows full well of Joshua's condition, how Ultima's prison takes it's toll on his body, so there's no getting away with lying. Not that he would. But if he can lessen the weight of his words so not as to worry him so much, he will.
"I am well, Brother. You needn't worry. My strength continues to wane with each passing day, but... there is naught I can do but rest, while we wait to depart for Origin. As Lady Tarja has--urged that I do on several occasions." His smile turns a little guilty, a little sheepish, a little amused.