The Bull sighs, stares at the stone, works to think over his options. He doesn't have a lot. More honesty, that's pretty much the only one. Or, take the honesty that was in there and clarify it. He can't just say he's just off his game in here, not without having to lay out the sort of details he doesn't really want set down in words, not if he can help it. But all Dorian really wants to know is that the Bull's not in some kind of immediate danger, that he isn't dying over here while Dorian is stuck on the other side of that wall with nothing he can do but listen.
Pretty reasonable thing to want to know. It's not too much to ask, this push that the Bull explain that to him, one way or the other.
He's going to explain. He's going to figure out how to say it to set Dorian's mind at ease, or as close to it as they can right now. Alright.
"Just my leg," the Bull says, dropping the try at putting any humour in his tone in hopes that will help Dorian believe it. Sure he might have been trying to deflect when he said he wasn't bleeding out, but that doesn't mean it wasn't true. Important to emphasize that. "Isn't even bleeding that much, like I said. It's just-"
Here's the tricky part. He speaks a little slower, figuring out how to say it as he goes. How to explain it in a way that's honest enough to maybe satisfy Dorian, but makes it feel a little lighter than it is.
"Those ruins we saw earlier," the Bull starts, and pauses for a second to think. "Those were a little friendlier to a guy like me. These ones aren't, uh, as easy for a qunari to get around in. Getting through that's just kind of- distracting. That's all. If it's a promise that you need, Dorian, I promise: If I can't get out of here and die, it's going to be because I got stuck in this little- this hallway for a month and starved."
Might not be reassuring in the normal sense. In fact, that Bull felt himself tense up even more just hearing that come out of his mouth. But if that's what Dorian needs to hear to calm some worry about how hurt the Bull is, then maybe it's worth the price of saying it out loud.
He takes a slow breath. He keeps talking.
"Won't be because of the fall. You don't have anything to worry about. Not about me, anyway." You're the one exposed alone where the darkspawn can get at you, is the implication there. What he maybe should have done a better job at pushing Dorian toward from the beginning, if he hadn't needed- wanted Dorian here so much. Worry about yourself.
no subject
Pretty reasonable thing to want to know. It's not too much to ask, this push that the Bull explain that to him, one way or the other.
He's going to explain. He's going to figure out how to say it to set Dorian's mind at ease, or as close to it as they can right now. Alright.
"Just my leg," the Bull says, dropping the try at putting any humour in his tone in hopes that will help Dorian believe it. Sure he might have been trying to deflect when he said he wasn't bleeding out, but that doesn't mean it wasn't true. Important to emphasize that. "Isn't even bleeding that much, like I said. It's just-"
Here's the tricky part. He speaks a little slower, figuring out how to say it as he goes. How to explain it in a way that's honest enough to maybe satisfy Dorian, but makes it feel a little lighter than it is.
"Those ruins we saw earlier," the Bull starts, and pauses for a second to think. "Those were a little friendlier to a guy like me. These ones aren't, uh, as easy for a qunari to get around in. Getting through that's just kind of- distracting. That's all. If it's a promise that you need, Dorian, I promise: If I can't get out of here and die, it's going to be because I got stuck in this little- this hallway for a month and starved."
Might not be reassuring in the normal sense. In fact, that Bull felt himself tense up even more just hearing that come out of his mouth. But if that's what Dorian needs to hear to calm some worry about how hurt the Bull is, then maybe it's worth the price of saying it out loud.
He takes a slow breath. He keeps talking.
"Won't be because of the fall. You don't have anything to worry about. Not about me, anyway." You're the one exposed alone where the darkspawn can get at you, is the implication there. What he maybe should have done a better job at pushing Dorian toward from the beginning, if he hadn't needed- wanted Dorian here so much. Worry about yourself.