Kaiba's offhanded comment about people watching over Esteban gets him to glance at his friend, eyes wide. He... hadn't considered it much. Not quite in the taken-for-granted territory, but--
It's true that since he came to the train, people have... watched over him. Paired up and made sure he was safe in missions, watched him learn to function with grav-cons and bake pies. It's not as if he wasn't aware of them, just...
"Yeah." He agrees lightly at first, then more assuredly. "Yeah, I do." He should... be more careful on his own. Be more careful from now on. His recklessness could harm others, now, and he would never want that to happen. It's been far too long since Esteban had that. Had people like that. He shakes himself free of his thoughts as Kaiba goes on, biting in the granola bar again.
He makes a mental note to ask about the myths-- Esteban is always down to hear a good story!
As Kaiba explains though, Esteban grows mostly still, trying but failing to imagine his friend as he describes himself. Attacking a grandfather, filled with hate, and over a card game? It's not the Kaiba he knows, but he doesn't interrupt, letting him speak, weaving a timeline the redhead had no idea existed. Mostly he's just glad that Kaiba's... gotten out of it.
The coma gets him worried, and with no explanation, or recollection of him getting out of it, the half-elf expects the worst-- that Kaiba is currently, at home, in the same coma that keeps him trapped on the train. He's heard that this might be their status for some of them-- but there's mention of reconnecting with his brother, then he got on the train-- that's some relief at least.
That Yugi forgave him is sweet-- he notes that there seems to be a Yugi on the train--
That they're married has him choke on the granola.
He coughs out onto his hand and drags his water bottle out of his bag quickly, clearing his airway before he takes a good long sip. It takes him a gasp or two before he can focus on the words and he turns to Kaiba with wide blue eyes.
"You're married?" He asks, astonished, but it quickly morphs into delight. "Congrat'lations!" There's still a smidge of shock in his words, but the smile he grants his friend is all the brighter for it. "See! Told you she'd be proud!"
It speaks volumes to Kaiba's efforts, the changes he's brought, that he's been forgiven, that he's earned the trust of someone whom he's claimed to have harmed before, and that he's earned his love. That is absolutely too sweet for words, and Esteban's grin widens, as he nudges his arm against his friend's.
"You--" Argh-- words! Words are his bane, always out of his reach when he needs them. "I didn't know you then. But I know you now. An' I'm glad to be y'r friend, Kaiba." Has he-- said that much before? Esteban can't recall. "Y're patient an' steady, an'--" he falters again, but he doesn't quite know what he's trying to say. "You did good?" he tries, and it kind of falls really oddly, he thinks? But he means it still.
Yeah, he's going to shut up now-- it doesn't seem like he can say what he wants to say. So he leans just a bit of his weight against his friend, a gesture meant more as a comfort, or a sharing of his warmth. A way to communicate when words fail him.
no subject
It's true that since he came to the train, people have... watched over him. Paired up and made sure he was safe in missions, watched him learn to function with grav-cons and bake pies. It's not as if he wasn't aware of them, just...
"Yeah." He agrees lightly at first, then more assuredly. "Yeah, I do." He should... be more careful on his own. Be more careful from now on. His recklessness could harm others, now, and he would never want that to happen. It's been far too long since Esteban had that. Had people like that. He shakes himself free of his thoughts as Kaiba goes on, biting in the granola bar again.
He makes a mental note to ask about the myths-- Esteban is always down to hear a good story!
As Kaiba explains though, Esteban grows mostly still, trying but failing to imagine his friend as he describes himself. Attacking a grandfather, filled with hate, and over a card game? It's not the Kaiba he knows, but he doesn't interrupt, letting him speak, weaving a timeline the redhead had no idea existed. Mostly he's just glad that Kaiba's... gotten out of it.
The coma gets him worried, and with no explanation, or recollection of him getting out of it, the half-elf expects the worst-- that Kaiba is currently, at home, in the same coma that keeps him trapped on the train. He's heard that this might be their status for some of them-- but there's mention of reconnecting with his brother, then he got on the train-- that's some relief at least.
That Yugi forgave him is sweet-- he notes that there seems to be a Yugi on the train--
That they're married has him choke on the granola.
He coughs out onto his hand and drags his water bottle out of his bag quickly, clearing his airway before he takes a good long sip. It takes him a gasp or two before he can focus on the words and he turns to Kaiba with wide blue eyes.
"You're married?" He asks, astonished, but it quickly morphs into delight. "Congrat'lations!" There's still a smidge of shock in his words, but the smile he grants his friend is all the brighter for it. "See! Told you she'd be proud!"
It speaks volumes to Kaiba's efforts, the changes he's brought, that he's been forgiven, that he's earned the trust of someone whom he's claimed to have harmed before, and that he's earned his love. That is absolutely too sweet for words, and Esteban's grin widens, as he nudges his arm against his friend's.
"You--" Argh-- words! Words are his bane, always out of his reach when he needs them. "I didn't know you then. But I know you now. An' I'm glad to be y'r friend, Kaiba." Has he-- said that much before? Esteban can't recall. "Y're patient an' steady, an'--" he falters again, but he doesn't quite know what he's trying to say. "You did good?" he tries, and it kind of falls really oddly, he thinks? But he means it still.
Yeah, he's going to shut up now-- it doesn't seem like he can say what he wants to say. So he leans just a bit of his weight against his friend, a gesture meant more as a comfort, or a sharing of his warmth. A way to communicate when words fail him.