[ If these were regular circumstances, one could argue that Lyney's mental fortitude could have withstood this onslaught. He'd be able to brush things off as normal without even thinking twice, not leaning a bit into something as simple as a hug while listening to what Vil had to say.

He'd kept both himself and his sister alive, managed to get them off the streets and survived things most normal people might not have been able to. Learning magic had been hard and time consuming but he'd managed it, and now was VERY well known all across Fontaine for his and Lynette's shows. That wasn't something normal people could have done so easily, huh?

Lyney opened his mouth to say something; anything at all. There were no protests he could really manage, lies dying on his tongue as fast as they formed. His real thoughts bitter like poison and harder to ignore. ]

Yeah... it is.

[ The truth felt hard to admit but didn't taste as sour to him as he thought it'd be, a quiet admittance to his housemate whose hand was soothing as it rubbed at his back. Archons, he was entirely too tired and this moment was truly making him begin to realize this.

He closed his eyes and a slight, bitter laugh escaped him, lips curled into a wry smile even if Vil couldn't see it. ]

Father always told us that we shouldn't show weakness in front of others. That's always how it's been for as long as i've been there.