Considering some of the things Stephen knows, he would expect both of them to coil in on one another and then lash out.
They have no reason to trust Stephen's words at all. He's appeared in this world in a flash and thrown himself into the fray with his introduction in the same breath as his assessment of the state of the worlds. How many hours went into Kylo and Ronan earning each other's trust as creatures disinclined toward opening up? How many dark scars opened? How many fatal wounds shared?
Ronan's answer, his compromise, is actually a precious gift. Stephen's eyes close briefly with subdued relief, but the depths to which it reaches flicker briefly through--eyelids squeezed a fraction tighter than a blink and the muscles in his cheek pulling momentarily taut, and an exhale through his nose that could be shaky with just a little more force.
And just like that, Stephen stands, the cloak moving with him in perfect union as he takes a moment to look around the chapel from this slightly altered vantage point once more.
"Thank you," he says, voice surprisingly steady now that he's readopting his Master of the Mystic Arts visage, "For your time. And for your endurance."
Stepping from the pew and to the aisle, Stephen's echoing step pauses once more.
"I hope there's an opportunity for me to come here again under less dire straits, in the future. Right now, it genuinely pains me to say I have.. a lot more work still to do."
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They have no reason to trust Stephen's words at all. He's appeared in this world in a flash and thrown himself into the fray with his introduction in the same breath as his assessment of the state of the worlds. How many hours went into Kylo and Ronan earning each other's trust as creatures disinclined toward opening up? How many dark scars opened? How many fatal wounds shared?
Ronan's answer, his compromise, is actually a precious gift. Stephen's eyes close briefly with subdued relief, but the depths to which it reaches flicker briefly through--eyelids squeezed a fraction tighter than a blink and the muscles in his cheek pulling momentarily taut, and an exhale through his nose that could be shaky with just a little more force.
And just like that, Stephen stands, the cloak moving with him in perfect union as he takes a moment to look around the chapel from this slightly altered vantage point once more.
"Thank you," he says, voice surprisingly steady now that he's readopting his Master of the Mystic Arts visage, "For your time. And for your endurance."
Stepping from the pew and to the aisle, Stephen's echoing step pauses once more.
"I hope there's an opportunity for me to come here again under less dire straits, in the future. Right now, it genuinely pains me to say I have.. a lot more work still to do."