continuing from [x] || @kcrclrezni
He's been uncharacteristically quiet since the last battle and he's growing tired to using the excuse that the Darkling's torture damaged his vocal cords because, well, he's never been much of a screamer (except when spiders were involved) and there's something rather embarrassing about them possibly coming to that conclusion. How else could he have lost his voice?
He can't look weak. Not now. Not when he's about to become Ravka's king. Not when Ravka's already looks as though it's one strong wave away from sinking to the bottom of the sea.
Vasily is the last person he'd expected to see upon his return home. He finds himself tugging at his gloves, the material feeling so foreign. It doesn't feel like the place for them and yet now it seems they're to become a permanent piece of his wardrobe.
Nikolai instinctively raises his chin when Vasily calls him Kolya, though he knows he doesn't have to prove to him that he's more than that child who used to tote around the ratty old stuffed fox and convince his brother to eat worms. But some part of him is unsure if Vasily's truly happy to see him alive at all. If Vasily's alive then, well, the crown is his.
The embrace takes him by surprise and he finds himself flinching, still not completely comfortable in his own skin after all that's happened. "I..." Maybe Vasily's been sincere after all. "Thank you, Vasya. It's good to see you too, brother."
he feels nikolai flinch and vasily immediately unwraps his arms from him and backs away. through everything, he'd forgotten where they had last left things. they were getting better but they weren't great. and then they were attacked. because of vasily's own actions. and the events that followed that. "sorry." the words are soft, he doesn't know what else to say after everything.
vasily doesn't look at him, can't meet his eye. the unspoken issue hangs between them. "i hear you're to be king. i believe a congratulations are in order." the best brother won. he won't say them aloud. he can't yet. they both know it to be true. but it doesn't stop to the hurt in his chest. "i do ask what happened to father and mother. are they... dead?" if nikolai was to be crowned king, it was obvious their father was, at least, dead. the thought stung. their father wasn't perfect but he was still their dad. that would mean that, technically, vasily should be becoming king. he wonders if that's why nikolai flinched at his touch. "i'm not taking the crown from you. i don't w--" he stops, clearing his thought. that would be a lie. he does want it. he's wanted it since he was a kid, since he figured out he was going to rule after his father. but they both knew he wasn't right to rule. he's realized he's never finished his thought and he sighs. "-- i'm just not going to."
a glance at his new arm, the fabrikator made one, then back to nikolai, finally looking at him. "if it's not too much trouble, i do ask that i be allowed to stay in my rooms. i don't really have anywhere to go and i don't have much money to fend for myself." he wouldn't be surprised if his horses are gone, sold or killed. the thought makes him sad but it could be much worse. "i'd offer any advice, if you need it. or not. it doesn't quite matter, i suppose." maybe this was a good thing. and maybe if he keeps telling himself that, he'll start to believe it.