[He's really not himself, and Leia's reaction proves it. He knew from the very beginning what she was going to say, so why did he make that suggestion anyway?
...Ah, right. Is that what it's like, self-serving selfishness? Wanting her to be far away from this, unhappy perhaps, but safe. She has Marui, she'll recover from this artificial heartbreak. He knows she will, has absolute faith: Leia Rolando never lets anything keep her down, Jude would know better than anyone else.
But she's right in part, and he acknowledges that. Prying her away from his side is not going to make her happy, and he doesn't have the power or will to chase her away. She's always supported him and cheered him on for practically as long as he could remember, he never doubted her pure intentions no matter how many bruises she ended up leaving on him for one reason or another. They're adults now who have picked their own paths and gone off their separate ways, but this bond will never break, and their very presence in Songerein together may very well be a testament to its strength.]
...Yeah, I do. But I don't know what else to say, so we're stuck. [He manages with a quiet exhale, idly wondering if it was just him or if his voice was starting to sound different too from the curse's transformation. What a pain... In more ways than one, he wasn't even planning to make that pun, hah.]
And then what? It's not going to keep the soldiers off us, or stop the war already raging back in town. You want me fixed for the same reason I want you to run. [They'd both rather brave their odds and take the fall for themselves, if it means the other may have a chance to live. Jude finds himself incapable of grasping the same optimism and idealism as Leia, maybe things would be different if there was any modicum of sense involved in any of this. But there isn't; he can't think his way out of how they may be able to fight off an entire army of soldiers with their combat abilities reduced, or how to escape scrutiny with some shoddy escape attempt when they're so terribly outnumbered. It's not that he WANTS to give up, he just can't reason a way out of this with his own logic and pragmatism.
...
He really, really didn't mean to sound like a downer. Had he really not changed after all, from the petty and ungrateful brat who spurred her care before? The thought is demoralizing. He briefly shuts his eyes and rubs his forehead, except it's more like scratching on scales with curled claws.]
...Sorry. I promised you we'd talk things though. So set that aside for now. [He sees her handling something out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't have the will to ask.] Our chances are bad no matter what, but if you had to choose, what would you pick? Keep running, or fight?
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...Ah, right. Is that what it's like, self-serving selfishness? Wanting her to be far away from this, unhappy perhaps, but safe. She has Marui, she'll recover from this artificial heartbreak. He knows she will, has absolute faith: Leia Rolando never lets anything keep her down, Jude would know better than anyone else.
But she's right in part, and he acknowledges that. Prying her away from his side is not going to make her happy, and he doesn't have the power or will to chase her away. She's always supported him and cheered him on for practically as long as he could remember, he never doubted her pure intentions no matter how many bruises she ended up leaving on him for one reason or another. They're adults now who have picked their own paths and gone off their separate ways, but this bond will never break, and their very presence in Songerein together may very well be a testament to its strength.]
...Yeah, I do. But I don't know what else to say, so we're stuck. [He manages with a quiet exhale, idly wondering if it was just him or if his voice was starting to sound different too from the curse's transformation. What a pain... In more ways than one, he wasn't even planning to make that pun, hah.]
And then what? It's not going to keep the soldiers off us, or stop the war already raging back in town. You want me fixed for the same reason I want you to run. [They'd both rather brave their odds and take the fall for themselves, if it means the other may have a chance to live. Jude finds himself incapable of grasping the same optimism and idealism as Leia, maybe things would be different if there was any modicum of sense involved in any of this. But there isn't; he can't think his way out of how they may be able to fight off an entire army of soldiers with their combat abilities reduced, or how to escape scrutiny with some shoddy escape attempt when they're so terribly outnumbered. It's not that he WANTS to give up, he just can't reason a way out of this with his own logic and pragmatism.
...
He really, really didn't mean to sound like a downer. Had he really not changed after all, from the petty and ungrateful brat who spurred her care before? The thought is demoralizing. He briefly shuts his eyes and rubs his forehead, except it's more like scratching on scales with curled claws.]
...Sorry. I promised you we'd talk things though. So set that aside for now. [He sees her handling something out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't have the will to ask.] Our chances are bad no matter what, but if you had to choose, what would you pick? Keep running, or fight?