[It's not the first time he's seen someone die in front of him. It's not even the first time he's seen someone die while begging not to.
But it is the first time he's seen someone react the way Setsuna does.
Usually, when someone dies that brutally, everyone else's instinct is to save themselves, especially when the threat is still imminent. Mortifyingly, that had been his first instinct, despite the fact that he found the AI's insinuation that she had somehow nullified his immortality to be dubious.
They'd all just been talking seconds ago, he'd even joked with her that they were wrench buddies, but the moment she started crumbling from the inside out he'd started running. He'd only stopped when he didn't hear Setsuna behind him, pausing and turning back just in time to see her fall to her knees next to what was left of their other traveling companion. And that display of grief hits him harder than the woman begging for her life had. How fucked was that? How fucked in the head did that make him?
Cautiously, he makes his way back over to Setsuna, almost putting a hand on her shoulder but seeming to think better of it. Instead, he fumbles to fit his pipe wrench into a makeshift belt, trading it for the bow on his back. He can't bring himself to morn like her, but he could at least stand guard and let her have a moment.
And a moment is about as much as they get before the thundering of more footsteps can be heard down the hall. Drawing his bow back in preparation, he takes a step closer to Setsuna, sparing a glance over at her.]
Hey, I think it's time to bail.
[He's surprised to hear a slight waver in his own voice.]
ii
But it is the first time he's seen someone react the way Setsuna does.
Usually, when someone dies that brutally, everyone else's instinct is to save themselves, especially when the threat is still imminent. Mortifyingly, that had been his first instinct, despite the fact that he found the AI's insinuation that she had somehow nullified his immortality to be dubious.
They'd all just been talking seconds ago, he'd even joked with her that they were wrench buddies, but the moment she started crumbling from the inside out he'd started running. He'd only stopped when he didn't hear Setsuna behind him, pausing and turning back just in time to see her fall to her knees next to what was left of their other traveling companion. And that display of grief hits him harder than the woman begging for her life had. How fucked was that? How fucked in the head did that make him?
Cautiously, he makes his way back over to Setsuna, almost putting a hand on her shoulder but seeming to think better of it. Instead, he fumbles to fit his pipe wrench into a makeshift belt, trading it for the bow on his back. He can't bring himself to morn like her, but he could at least stand guard and let her have a moment.
And a moment is about as much as they get before the thundering of more footsteps can be heard down the hall. Drawing his bow back in preparation, he takes a step closer to Setsuna, sparing a glance over at her.]
Hey, I think it's time to bail.
[He's surprised to hear a slight waver in his own voice.]