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If you need help, please ask for it. The people that care about you won't think less of you for it. They'll be relieved and honored that you trust them.

And if you think no one cares about you, you're wrong. I care about you. I'll look after you, if no one else will. I won't tell anyone.

Everyone can benefit from a little kindness sometimes. It's nothing shameful. There's too little of it here.

[General advice or one very specific call-out? who knows~]

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[ Lily leaned into Eleven comfortably, ducking her head to rest against the side of his as she let her arms tighten slightly, drawing him that little bit closer. ]

Do you want to tell me what happened? I missed you last night.

[Eleven hummed, eyes lowering]

I'm sorry. I was.. [He trailed off with a frown, quiet for a few moments]

You know Archeval has been out of town for the past two months or so..

[ Lily straightened up enough to look at El, her eyebrows raising worriedly. ]

Did you find something out? Is he alright?

[Eleven glanced off, lips pressing together. He took a breath]

He's.. I haven't heard from him in several weeks, so I contacted the Merchant- he was out doing something for him- but he hasn't heard from him either.

[He swallowed] He more or less dismissed my concerns, but he doesn't know.. and I promised I wouldn't tell anyone so I can't say, but Archeval isn't.. wasn't quite well when he left.

[ Frowning as he spoke Lily's eyes went a touch wider at the mention of Arche's illness. ]

He's ill? Or?

[ In this world one could never assume that what was ailing a person was something as straightforward as sickness. ]

[Eleven took in a breath, met her eyes, and considered telling her.

Come lecture me, he dared the color of her eyes, then finally shook his head]

I can't say. But.. I do know that it was getting worse. I should've.. I don't know- insisted before he left maybe, but I wouldn't have been able to help him then. ..I don't know if I could now, but I'm- I'm worried. He's stubborn and prideful and I don't know what he was doing out there, but I can't even reach him at all, now.

[ Looking at him oddly as he elected not to tell her Lily said nothing for a long while. It was a lot to mull over, undoubtedly made all the more intricate by the pieces of it she clearly didn't know. Still, he had never pressed her, and she returned the courtesy, however concerning the situation was. ]

The Merchant said he would tell you if he heard anything, right?

[ The Merchant was creepy, having to wait on him struck Lily as a very unpleasant prospect. With a sigh she pulled him back into a light hug. ]

[Eleven huffed an aggrieved breath, and reminded himself not to translate his frustration with the man into the arms wrapped around Lily]

He said he'd make Archeval 'aware of the calls on his attention'. As though he wouldn't already be, but.. I'm desperate enough that I offered to make it worth the effort of telling me if he found anything. I think I'm more worried he won't find anything, but I don't know that I'd rather hear he's..

[He exhaled, shaken] Archeval was the first person I really came to know, here. He promised me..

Promised you what?

[ None of this sounded especially promising, and the Merchant didn't seem as though he expected to hear anything any time soon, leaving El in a kind of limbo. ]

I'm sorry El. I wish there was something I could do.

[It felt stupid to think about saying it out loud. Childish even, that he'd hold onto that sort of promise, but remembering the words 'our future' didn't fail to tug at his heart over again]

I know there isn't. There isn't anything I can do, except run East and hope to find him, but that would be.. short-sighted and reckless.

[ Her expression changed when he mentioned running east and she watched him uncertainly for a moment. Without question, there were those in the group she felt strongly enough for that their disappearance would leave her just as shaken as Eleven was now but running off in pursuit of them was not something she was sure she could do. The lot of them were in this together, as dysfunctionally as the group operated at times, seeing it through to the end felt like the only way.

After he referred to that choice as reckless Lily nodded briefly before she caught herself and glanced away with a troubled frown, worrying over the unknown dangers he would likely be putting himself in. ]

I know waiting to hear something will be agony.

[ She looked back to Eleven briefly before pulling him into another hug. ]

I'll be here for you while you are.

[He settled back into her arms with a sigh]

I haven't heard from him in over a month. I've been trying not to worry, but knowing no one's heard from him now.. I just pray he'll turn up and call me an idiot for ever doubting him.

Me too. [ She said quietly, brushing a hand over his hair. ]

I've never hoped someone would turn up to insult you more.

[ Leaning against him, her tiredness was somewhat evident, but she tried her best to lighten his spirits in whatever small way she could. ]

Do you have somewhere to be soon? Would you like to stay a while?

[It really shouldn't feel like the likely loss of Archeval has left him alone, but it persists despite Lily's comfort and the handful of other friends he's made in their group. The man had become a steadying and rational presence that he feels unmoored without.

He breathes and shifts subtly as her weight leans more heavily against him]

I'll stay as long as you want me to. You should eat, besides. I can try warming the soup for you.

[ Glad her face was hidden behind her hair so that he couldn't see her grimace at the mention of food. ]

I just want to lay down I think.

[ She took a breath before looking back to him, doing her best not to look as tired as she felt. ]

Stay, please? You need to rest too. [ If anything about their time on this journey had taught her anything, it was how to recognize exhaustion. ]

[He meets her eyes with a frown, but elects not to push the matter- yet. Later, or perhaps when they wake up, he'll insist.

For now, he's more tired than he has any real right to be. Eleven brushes strands of hair out of her face]

Yes. I'll rest with you.

Everything feels so much worse because I feel like utter shite.

[ She didn't want to say it - because a friend going missing was terrible - but she suspected the same was the case for Eleven.

Lily drew back from their embrace, catching Eleven's hand as she crossed the short distance to her bed. ]

[He nods. The sick feeling in his stomach hasn't entirely abated since the warnings began to echo through the city. Made worse now through loss and some degree of hopelessness.

Eleven follows and settles into bed with her in a loose hold. He's grateful for this, for being able to feel her against him. He isn't sure how he'd manage another night like the previous one. He presses a gentle kiss to her temple]

I pray we feel better in the morning.

[ Wasting no time wrapping her arms around Eleven while they both settled into her bed, she rested her chin on his shoulder with a frown, tired and worried for him, and indeed, the whole group of them. ]

We'll stay in bed until we feel better.

[ She imagined for that to truly work, they would have to hide there for longer than either of them had - but she would take all of his time the following day that she could. ]

Emilia's been by with a basket of treats, we've got provisions, I'm well enough to conjure proper tea again instead of just weird hot water.

[ Another reason the last few weeks had been such a trial. ]

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