Xoconan blames Lotlhuitl

[00:19:24] Away from prying eyes, the Nagual let her concern be, well. Visible. The Warchief of the Coalition didn't need his wife cooing and looking worried over his injured form.

But Xoconan? Xoconan perhaps did.

Besides, Lotlhuitl genuinely was concerned.

Gently, the woman brushed her hands against him. "Do you need my attention?" she asked, healing water magic suddenly blossoming at her fingertips. A weak healing force, it wasn't really Lotlhuitl's speciality. "I have some Lax Essence on me, if you are hurting."

She wanted to ask what happened. Wanted to ask so bad. ".. did an Archon attack you, again?"
(Lotlhuitl)
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[00:21:58] Xoconan shook his head. "I already have Lax, but... It wasn't an Archon." His teeth grit, falling backwards on the sand. Taking a breath.

"Your slut of a friend did this. Well - not her specifically. There was a skirmish next to the watchtower. Xitlalli and I fought, she had help. Her help did this." The stab wounds weren't the worst part - she could see from the holes, a light golden glow. Holy lightning sparks, zipping through his skin.

A magical, painful wound.

"I'm going to tear her apart, inch by inch."
(Xoconan)
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[00:32:12] Lotlhuitl had followed Xoconan, lying down on the sand next to him. The beach was still warm, even though the moon was high overhead. The sand was dry beneath them. Silky, almost. Fine grains.

Truthfully, not good for armour or for wounds.

But she put that out of mind. Reached out with a hand, intending on brushing her fingers through Xoconan's hair.

To her credit, she hadn't even flinched when her beloved explained what had happened.

Xitlalli.

Lotlhuitl's feelings towards her old friend, her best friend, were incredibly conflicted. Seeing her husband injured wasn't a point in Xitlalli's favour.. and yet, the way Xoconan told it, it wasn't actually Xitlalli who had injured him.

Lotlhuitl swallowed.

"And her help?"
(Lotlhuitl)
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[00:36:28] "I have no clue who the hell he was. Some kind of holy magi. Some fucking kid." Fury, palpable from him. Leaning back on his cloak. Staring to the sky.

"All because you made me stay my hand." His gaze turned over, accusatory. "If I had been able to act, I would not have to track her into the city of demons now."
(Xoconan)
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[00:53:32] Lotlhuitl didn't move from his side. Not even when his anger built. Unless he'd otherwise prevented her, the Nagual had slotted her body in against his. Her hair draped over his arm, her head resting against his shoulder.. ignoring the discomfort that might have presented with his armour.

"You blame me?"

How could Xoconan blame her? The idea plainly bewildered Lotlhuitl. Her gaze large, lacking guile, as she met the accusatory look her husband was giving her.

She withdrew her hand, but not her body. She didn't look away. Staring up into Xoconan's crimson gaze with, well, steel. With a glimmer of anger of her own.

Anger masking pain. Fear. Unbelievable, soul wrenching agony.

Lotlhuitl thought Xoconan would tell her that all of this was her fault. That if she hadn't been so weak, so pathetic, she never would have become thralled by Xitlalli in the first place.

"I'm sorry I'm such a lowly screw-up, Xoconan. I'm sorry I disappoint you."

At heart these truly were things that she actually did believe about herself. She was disappointing. A screw up.

"I'm glad that I'm able to provide you some comfort, however." Her voice was soft. "At least you can blame me for your failures. Not everyone gets to have such a perfect opportunity at a free pass."
(Lotlhuitl)
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[01:08:03] His rage didn't dissipate at her gaze. Arm wrapped tightly around her body as she'd slotted it against him. Uncaring for a long moment. Simply staring as she spoke, until his eyes closed, groaning at a particularly painful jolt from the wound in his chest.

"I'm angry with your past actions." He spoke, coarse, blunt. Hands clenching into fists. "No, I don't blame you for them, but I'll hold my fury regardless. I blame myself for not having the strength to win that fight."

His arm tightened again, almost painfully.

"But if I'm going to call you a failure, then I call myself one. Because you are mine, and anything that applies to you, well... Applies to me."
(Xoconan)
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[01:54:08] Lolthuitl exhaled as Xoconan drew her nearer. She found his embrace unyielding. Hard. Punishing. Her soft flesh was pressed up against him, his armour pressing into her in an almost unpleasant fashion.

She didn't attempt to pull away, however. Instead, she leant in. Against him. Careful. She didn't want to hurt him. She didn't look away, not even when he closed his eyes. Her ears were pricked up, listening to her husband.

The Nagual didn't say anything initially. Well, nothing other than a soft, "Mn." Xoconan was hurting, and.. well. He was right. This was all happening because she had been weak. "I.. I will do better."

Lotlhuitl could have winced at that.

Her words were the truth. She didn't want to be a failure. She didn't want her actions to come back to Xoconan and make him be perceived as a failure by the unwashed masses.

But at the same time, some part of her felt something close to despair that in the eyes of the majority she was merely an accessory. Xoconan's wife. Doing well was expected. Really, hearing Xoconan talk, reflecting over conversations she had with others since stationing herself in Ardent.. it just made her realise how difficult she was finding living in Xoconan's shadow. How much she envied those who could stand on their own merit.

But.. to complain about such things right now? That seemed unwise.

"I don't want to reflect poorly on you, my love."
(Lotlhuitl)