#the important part. the most important part. is that legundo listens. because legundo actually sees viking for what he is.

[betweenlands]

legundo's been going back and forth around his villagers for about half an hour now by viking's best estimate. sometimes he talks to himself, but it's all idle chatter that viking really has no interest in, so in effect viking is getting nothing by just sort of waiting around -- and he's not even phased into the wall, he's just standing on top of something and legundo straight up hasn't looked at him yet.

which just won't do, so, viking waits until legundo's right under his perch, at arm's length, to make his next move.

"bell noises."

legundo scrambles back several paces, not only nearly dropping the pickaxe in his hand but also knocking a villager in a minecart down a railtrack. "viking, you can't just -- how long have you been here, nearly gave me a heart attack,"

"eh," viking says, shrugging, "five, ten, fifteen minutes maybe? you just didn't see me."

"you were in the wall," legundo protests, "what, do you expect me to just assume you're always watching me?"

viking's snicker is less of an unhinged giggle and more of a soft, low noise. "eheh. wasn't even hiding, legs. i was out in plain sight. you just didn't see me."

legundo stops with his hand on an empty minecart, and his involuntary shaking slows just a bit, which viking is pretty used to in terms of body language by now, because it means-- "viking, you're doing the voice again."

which isn't quite true and they both know it -- there's been no mania, no fervent and desperate energy behind the low tone. but viking will take partial recognition, honestly. at least legundo's picking up on things, unlike -- no, wouldn't do to think about that, stay focused. "which i shouldn't do," viking says, slowly, "because it scares you?"

"okay," legundo says, "okay no this is actually new and worse to be honest. how did you get worse. i don't like that."

viking snickers again. there's no joy in it. "i don't either."

legundo stares at him. just. stares at him. viking sits down on the wall, leans his head against one hand, and stares back. legundo backs away slowly, like he's worried viking is going to lunge.

"i'm not gonna hurt ya, buddy," viking says. "wouldn't do that to a friend. friends don't hurt friends, right legs?"

"i cannot express enough how uncomfortable this is making me," legundo responds, fiddling with his crossbow.

viking snorts. "shoot at me and i phase through the wall and you accomplish absolutely nothing."

legundo's fingers slip on the crossbow bolt he's loading, fumble and cause the bow to fire early and snap the arrow in half uselessly. he curses softly and closes his hand around the broken arrow.

"i just want to talk," viking continues. "that's all."

"right," legundo says, and his voice has reached that exact pitch between annoyance and fear that tells viking he needs to make a point quickly, "so, out with it, what horrible scheme are you going to try and rope me into this time?"

viking rolls his eyes, waves one hand, head still propped up on his other hand. "no scheme, just wanna know something."

"which is?"

viking hops off the wall onto the ground, pushing off the side with both hands to land a respectable but short distance between himself and legundo (who, predictably, backpedals, but not enough to get away entirely). "you. you're scared of me, legs. why are you scared of me?"

legundo does that nervous, panicked laugh that viking has always understood to mean he needs to close distance or legundo will bolt. "viking," he says, "seriously, what's going on?"

viking takes a step forward. "answer my question first."

"no, seriously-"

"answer the question, legundo."

"i don't know," legundo says, almost squeaks, "you're just creepy!"

"mhm," viking says, and now he is right up in legundo's face and there is just a little tiny bit of manic light back in his eyes. "so! how do i get worse?"

"worse!?" legundo looks a little like one of those toys where you squeeze them and their eyes bulge out right about now. it's not exactly the reaction viking was hoping for, but it's within the expected range of reactions, he'll take it.

"yeah," viking says, "worse. 'cause you take me seriously when you're scared of me, gundo. but everyone else? nobody else takes me seriously at all. therefore: how do i get worse."

legundo raises a finger, one hand clutching his heart, and takes a shaky breath in. viking waits patiently for him to compose himself. "ohhhhkay. okay. listen, viking, you don't want to go where you're going right now."

"nope," viking says, popping the p just a little, enunciation extra strained, "but it's either this or start killing at this rate, and c'mon, we don't need a second shadowmech type situation around!"

"oh," legundo says, "oh you're serious serious. oh i don't like that at all."

he turns. viking's pickaxe is already in his hand and then stuck into the waystone before he can get that distance. "nope," viking says, voice still flat and dull, "no, you are not running away right now, we are going to talk."

"viking," legundo says. "viking. buddy? you need to calm down. you need to take several deep breaths and you need to calm down."

viking's laugh, unlike the glint in his eyes, can no longer be mistaken for mania. it's just pure desperation all the way down, nothing else to temper it. "already tried that!"

he stops. shakes his head like it'll help clear his thoughts, even though he already knows it won't work. forces his tone back to steady. "already tried that."