[But that was always the case with most people, Byleth found. Faerghan knights baffled him, with how readily they threw themselves into hopeless causes for no material gain - and for what? For their kith and kin to daub their eyes and say 'oh, he died so honourably'? For them to dig in their heels and fight and their deeds immortalised in tales around the campfire, when a retreat and conceding ground and ambitions would ensure survival and possible victory later in the future?
For some reason, he felt mildly agitated at the thought of Dimitri doing something so pointless, in the same way he felt agitated when Claude had dug in his heels about Adelfoúla, even though Byleth had told him to give up on those like her as it'd just bring him pain to be continuously attached. It was logical. Pragmatic. It was basic survival.
Annoying, he thought, how annoying is it that those he was close to didn't understand how to protect themselves from the pain of living. Even Jeralt was a hypocrite, as much as Byleth loved him - Jeralt would never give up on him, no matter how hopeless Byleth became... and in turn, Byleth was the same. He'd never give up on Jeralt, no matter how hopeless.
It was confusing. So Byleth shoved it all aside and ignored it.]
Survival is all that matters in the end. That's what I believe.
no subject
[But that was always the case with most people, Byleth found. Faerghan knights baffled him, with how readily they threw themselves into hopeless causes for no material gain - and for what? For their kith and kin to daub their eyes and say 'oh, he died so honourably'? For them to dig in their heels and fight and their deeds immortalised in tales around the campfire, when a retreat and conceding ground and ambitions would ensure survival and possible victory later in the future?
For some reason, he felt mildly agitated at the thought of Dimitri doing something so pointless, in the same way he felt agitated when Claude had dug in his heels about Adelfoúla, even though Byleth had told him to give up on those like her as it'd just bring him pain to be continuously attached. It was logical. Pragmatic. It was basic survival.
Annoying, he thought, how annoying is it that those he was close to didn't understand how to protect themselves from the pain of living. Even Jeralt was a hypocrite, as much as Byleth loved him - Jeralt would never give up on him, no matter how hopeless Byleth became... and in turn, Byleth was the same. He'd never give up on Jeralt, no matter how hopeless.
It was confusing. So Byleth shoved it all aside and ignored it.]
Survival is all that matters in the end. That's what I believe.