The half-elf wrapped an arm around his young companion and reached out to the last blanket that remained, tucking it close to his tiny friend. He understood Romeo's point, he did, but--
"Yeah, but, y' matter too. An' you shouldn't run yourself to rags t' keep them healthy." Oh-- oof, that sounded callous.
He winces, his face pinching before he shakes his head, but they've left him already, and he's going to have to explain it better than that, he knows. He still makes sure that Romeo is comfortable against his side first, hoping his warmth and presence will lull the child to some sleep just like it has for the toddler. A large hand cards through Romeo's hair softly, the gesture akin to something a parent would do to a child.
"You should rest when y'r tired, Romeo," he says, instead. "Even if things aren't perfect 'round you. I know you wanna help-- an' we all do. But y' have to be careful too. Y' can't help anyone 'f you're fallin' over from exhaustion, okay?" That's... just it.
The train brings aboard a lot of people; and a lot of kind people no less. And a lot of them worry Esteban because "it's just for the mission," and their needs takes a backseat to everything else. Esteban doesn't believe in it. There has to be a balance that can be struck, a gift that can be given without them drained to the last edge of their resources for those few days.
And if he has to prioritize his companions over the strangers that he's never met... well. Esteban's always known he was selfish in the end.
It's a bit why he insisted on having Romeo help him-- he doesn't quite trust that the child would go to sleep if someone hadn't made him. Like now. Maybe he read Romeo wrong, but if there's anything to the words he's just said, the redhead against him is pretty sure he wasn't far off the mark.
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"Yeah, but, y' matter too. An' you shouldn't run yourself to rags t' keep them healthy." Oh-- oof, that sounded callous.
He winces, his face pinching before he shakes his head, but they've left him already, and he's going to have to explain it better than that, he knows. He still makes sure that Romeo is comfortable against his side first, hoping his warmth and presence will lull the child to some sleep just like it has for the toddler. A large hand cards through Romeo's hair softly, the gesture akin to something a parent would do to a child.
"You should rest when y'r tired, Romeo," he says, instead. "Even if things aren't perfect 'round you. I know you wanna help-- an' we all do. But y' have to be careful too. Y' can't help anyone 'f you're fallin' over from exhaustion, okay?" That's... just it.
The train brings aboard a lot of people; and a lot of kind people no less. And a lot of them worry Esteban because "it's just for the mission," and their needs takes a backseat to everything else. Esteban doesn't believe in it. There has to be a balance that can be struck, a gift that can be given without them drained to the last edge of their resources for those few days.
And if he has to prioritize his companions over the strangers that he's never met... well. Esteban's always known he was selfish in the end.
It's a bit why he insisted on having Romeo help him-- he doesn't quite trust that the child would go to sleep if someone hadn't made him. Like now. Maybe he read Romeo wrong, but if there's anything to the words he's just said, the redhead against him is pretty sure he wasn't far off the mark.