duke_of_illusions | one foot in front of the other

That sobers him. Especially the mention of Glen Baskerville.

"Oh."

Then she must have lost an eye in that encounter. He can remember, way back, Break acclimating to the loss of his eye, while he watched from doorways and windows, keeping out of the way.

"Did it... happen in her world? Or did the one you mentioned earlier do that?"

"In this world."

He says.

"Although I'm not entirely sure if it was the same Glen that so mistrusted me."

Liam stares in horror.

"There are multiple Glen Baskervilles here?"

"There are multiples of anyone. The same is true for Baskerville."

He reminds him, calmly.

Liam is not happy about that.

"And any of them are liable to start trouble," he says, not even bothering to make it a question.

It is, after all, common knowledge.

"Two that I know of are not. One was reformed by his Jack, and they are in a committed relationship. The other became a chain, and is now contracted, and comfortable enough.

He was contracted to- a very, very good man, who is no longer here. But the lesson has stuck."

If Glen could be reformed by Jack, why had it not happened in their world.

"What... was different about that one's Jack?"

The other part...

"A Glen Baskerville chain?"

He's so boggled that he can't stop his next question:

"Who on earth would contract with that?"

"I think, if I'm not mistaken, that version was a woman- there was a marriage."

He shrugs.

"Healing of broken hearts, that sort of thing. As to your second question, it was another Jack."

No disguising the way his hands fist in the sheets.

"So he killed the male version of Jack but married the female version...?"

He knows that such relationships can be frowned upon, but for it to cause something like this...

"That's..."

He doesn't continue that thought, startled by Barma's reaction.

"S-sir?"

"Nothing you've done, Liam."

He reassures him, promptly.

Liam shakes his head. That wasn't what he was concerned over.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be."

He informs him, determinedly.

Liam frowns at this, since that indicates that the answer is, in fact, no.

He considers, briefly, the conversation leading up to it, and realizes. He's not, after all, a servant of Barma for nothing.

"Jack?"

"Yes."

He says, knowing Liam understands, at least a little.

It's the tone of his voice that tells him what he'd only had hints of before, and his cheeks turn a bit pink--it is, after all, not his place to know about Lord Barma's... relationships.

The rest of his tone reminds him much of how he feels, the fact that Xerxes in his own world could be dead and he wouldn't even know. A... bereft sort of feeling.

"I'm sorry."

It's the only thing he knows to say, and applies both to the situation and the fact that he pried.

"A year and a half seems like such a small amount of time- but when you are content, when you know someone, it's easy to assume it's the beginning of something much longer. When they vanish, it's- a shock."

Is all he can really articulate.

There's a bitter lump in his throat. Xerxes words, as Eques took him...

"It's never long enough," Liam finally whispers.

And Xerxes could be dead--would be dead at some point in the far-too-near future.

"You have terrible taste."

He informs him, serenely, not unkindly.

"But I suppose I knew that."

Liam says nothing for a long time. Even thought Barma's tone is gentle, his words sting. They're true, after all.

But would he change his taste, if he could? He wasn't sure.

He finally decides not to vocally acknowledge what Barma said.

"It's better to have a little time than none, isn't it?"

"Undoubtedly."

He says.

"I will search for more news. And perhaps a version to visit you in your sickbed."

It isn't clear whether that worked. Liam's intent was to ease Barma's sorrow. He's too exhausted--emotionally and otherwise--to determine the outcome or try again. And it isn't his place anyway.

He is mostly able to repress the slight flinch at the second part of Barma's offer. He's not entirely certain he can handle a Xerxes who isn't his own right now. But instead he only murmurs,

"Thank you, sir."

If nothing else, he can at least serve Lord Barma by not adding to his burden.

"Whatever would be best."

He informs him, seriously.

"All that matters is getting you better. Perhaps- you'd like to meet the children?"

Liam nods. That is his number one priority--healing. After that, he'll have to figure out what to do.

Frankly, he hopes that he somehow gets out of here before that point.

"It may be best for them to know who I am, at least. I won't be much help with them at the moment, though."

He doubts either of them are acquainted with a version of him, in their worlds.

"You will be able to help socialize them."

He argues.

"Probably teaching them social niceties better than I could."

Liam blinks at him, surprised.

"Me?"

He's not sure about that, but he asks anyway.

"What kind of social nicities?"

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lmfao it's like they're talking about socializing angry cats or something