[ Really his motives are selfless, but his methods are utterly selfish. It's an odd combination but it's what he needs when he's alone back home. When he has no one but himself to keep him alive, when he's just a joke to the knights and to Arthur, despite it being only him that keeps them all alive at times.

What else is he supposed to say?




The truth?

He just lets her hit him in the chest, and even though he wants to wince he can't bring himself to do it. She might notice that while her own emotions are all over the place, sad, angry, upset hurt.

His are oddly calm. ]

Athena. [ His hands reach for hers now that she isn't hitting him and she isn't holding on. His touch is warm, but it's a complete contrast to the words, the burden he isn't talking to her about, hasn't talked to her about and keeps avoiding. A slight part of it comes up now, but... ]

I don't have room to fail. Here, maybe there are second chances, maybe people come back. But if I'm not good enough for here, how am I good enough for home? If I fail there, an entire Kingdom falls.

[ Not just you. ]