It's Never Too Late

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Sebastian had been rather...grumpy of late. Not that anyone would notice. He always had the same dower expression and clipped tired tone and he only barely managed to not come off as annoyed with nobility. Well, most nobility, anyway.

He attributed part of his low mood to being stabbed. In general, that sort of thing wasn't one he found to be a positive experience. More of it, he attributed to recently visiting the grave of a friend. Another aspect was likely his general lack of interest in...well, anything. Or maybe that was a symptom. He could never remember.

As with most mornings, he spent it training. The captain wasn't a royal guard because he had friends or rank to get him there. He was a good soldier. A dedicated one. One who knew how to handle himself and others and to ensure the job was done. For the most part, he kept himself busy. If he wasn't on duty or on a mission or making sure others did their duty and their missions, Captain Arcturis was training. Or ensuring others were. Or attempting to keep Baird out of trouble which was really just code for needing company and not knowing how to ask for one.

He'd finished a run before dawn and just finished putting a few of the other guards through their paces. Not a serious fight or duel, just something to take his mind off of everything and to ensure his guards (and the wardens that some of them were) knew what they were doing. Knew what was expected of them. Knew that he would never ask them to do something he wouldn't or couldn't do himself. Knew that he was there to help, in his own way.

The captain paused to take a breather, leaning against the railing on the edge of the practice yard, stripped to the waist, covered in sweat, and, even after five years, marveling at the fact that he could endure that sort of workout and breath so easily. The healer sure had kept his promise. Sebastian wiped a hand through his hair and worked the muscles in his left shoulder, not sure if he wanted to take a break or keep working.

[Dante Vance ]

[Dante Vance]

Dante, too, was a bit on the grumpy side. As of late, it seemed most of his men were purposely working his nerves and the bit was getting very old, very quickly. Of course, he'd expected nothing less. With a recent promotion to Captain, something he'd worked damned hard to achieve, he was well aware that the men placed under his command would test him. No one wanted to follow the orders of a weak leader, after all, and Dante was no exception to that. Still, it had been several weeks now and his patience was wearing thin.

He'd spent the better part of the day training alongside his men, running drills in the forest that rested on the outskirts of Teronna - which is what had led to the testing of his patience in the first place. But by the end of it, he'd gained at least some respect. After all, he'd out performed some of his younger men, which was a testament to his dedication. That, and it wasn't everyday that a nearly forty year-old ran circles around fit, healthy men in their twenties. Unfortunately, he'd had to end the training session a bit earlier than he would have liked. He was to see his son today and he certainly didn't want to face the wrath his ex-wife would reign upon him should he not keep well to his promise.

Passing through the training yard, he paused when he caught a familiar face leaning against the railing. Sebastian was a man who tended to get things done, and Dante liked him enough for that reason. They could be called friends, in a very.. Distant and professional-setting sort of way. But it seemed to work for the both of them. As he approached, Dante wiped his brow on his sweat soaked shirt. It didn't do much good, but it was something better than nothing. "Captain Arcturis." He greeted plainly, wearing the emotionless expression that was typical of him. "I caught part of your training session earlier. Your men seem to be coming along nicely." The compliment sounded empty, but if anyone knew he meant what he said, it would be Sebastian.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Sebastian didn't have very many friends. He didn't seem to understand the concept. He did understand what it meant to be lonely and all that, but most people didn't seem to like him, or at the very least found him...strange. He recognized that. And while he wouldn't say he was okay with it, it wasn't something he could change. Captain Vance wasn't a friend by any means, but he occupied a similar space that Baird did, if a bit more distantly. Something beyond professional, but hardly warm and friendly by most standard. To be honest...sometimes Sebastian found he liked Vance's company. They were...similar, in some ways.

Vance was older than he was, but Sebastian had been a captain longer. The younger man didn't generally put much stock into either, judging the man's accomplishments more than anything else.

"Captain Vance," he greeted back, tone just as even, studying the man for a moment. He looked tired. Not exhausted or worn out, but clearly he'd been working hard. Sebastian himself was just as tired but after training with the group, he'd needed to keep doing something. He nodded. "So are yours," he traded back.

His blue gaze considered the mostly empty courtyard and then he looked back at Vance. "Are you busy?" It wasn't often Sebastian invited people into his company, but it also wasn't often other people even spoke to him. He hadn't seen Vance in a while and he honestly really needed company, even if he wasn't sure why.

[Dante Vance]

Perhaps what was the most enjoyable about interacting with the fellow captain was that there was no need to feign enthusiasm. They could both interact with plain words and expressions without being mistaken as cold or rude. Their distant natures and the similarities in them made 'emotionally empty' conversations easy, almost natural between the two. Dante wondered, for the briefest of moments, how it might looks to someone on the outside for two deadpan men to have a conversation.

Dante gave a nod as Sebastian returned the compliment, as if it were a silent way of saying thanks. Questioning then if the older man was busy, Dante glanced to the sky, squinting his eyes against the sunlight before turning back to Arcturis. "I suppose I have some time to spare." He replied plainly. It had been some time since Dante had spent any sort of moment with anyone at all besides his son. He couldn't say that his men counted among those company worthy. He had to keep them in line after all, and he really didn't need any of them getting the wrong idea that he was friendly - or that they could befriend him. Everyone was at arms length, even his own son at times.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Likely it was very boring. Especially considering that they were two taciturn deadpan men. While Sebastian wanted company, it certainly wasn't for conversation. Though that was more of a personal judgement against himself. Even if he wasn't a very outwardly emotional man, he still had emotions and he imagined Vance did to. But neither of them were the sort of get caught up in any of that.

Sebastian stretched and then looked back at the captain. "Would you care to spar?" He wasn't looking for an entire fight, nor was he looking to extend his workout much longer, but it would be nice to do so with someone else. It was good motivation, as well as a good means to stay connected with some of his comrades.

And perhaps afterward they could get a drink or something. That, too, had been something he had not done in a long while. With everything going on, he needed it. Sebastian knew little to nothing about Vance's personal life and wasn't one to judge, but the company of another soldier was something he had had surprisingly little of, being a guard for nobility and royals.