[On the first read-through, Monty is angry, the resentment bubbling up, boiling. He goes to the trouble to promise not to run off again without discussing it with Cecil beforehand, and then Cecil goes and does the same thing? It hurts, and he's scared. What if something happens to the man? At least Monty had brought others along with him on all of his journeys! What is he planning to do? Wander about until he's half-faded without any distraction to sustain him? Cecil might be well topped up on the stuff, but even he won't be able to last more than a week or two, especially if he's having to make everything for himself. Monty has half a mind to go and fetch Nah and have her fly him up and out over the desert to find Cecil and drag him home.
On the second read-through, the anger shifts over to Renart. Things had been going sideways for a bit, but they'd outright flipped over at that breakfast the vixen had ruined. If she'd just stayed in the room, if she'd just kept quiet, been kind, been anything except who she really is, he could have kept everything level. Damn her and damn her Story! He should go and show her this, ask her if she's happy. The worst part about it is that he thinks she might be.
On the final read-through, anger at others has given way to anger and frustration with himself. He'd thought things were getting better after they'd talked at the hot springs, after he'd promised to try to support Cecil as best he can, after Cecil had given him Carlos' watch. He doesn't understand what he's done wrong - and it must be something he's done wrong, in spite of what Cecil's letter might say. A real man, a true gentleman would be able to prevent this sort of thing. If he'd just been cleverer. If he'd just paid more attention, tried to drag Cecil out of the house more and forced him to interact with other people, expanded his network, found connections in this new world... He should have done that, and he hadn't. Now Cecil's run off to the desert with only a letter and Monty feels compelled to listen to his last request, as much as it wounds him and his pride to do so. 'Don't try to find me.'
Monty folds the letter back up and goes to find Carlos.]
no subject
On the second read-through, the anger shifts over to Renart. Things had been going sideways for a bit, but they'd outright flipped over at that breakfast the vixen had ruined. If she'd just stayed in the room, if she'd just kept quiet, been kind, been anything except who she really is, he could have kept everything level. Damn her and damn her Story! He should go and show her this, ask her if she's happy. The worst part about it is that he thinks she might be.
On the final read-through, anger at others has given way to anger and frustration with himself. He'd thought things were getting better after they'd talked at the hot springs, after he'd promised to try to support Cecil as best he can, after Cecil had given him Carlos' watch. He doesn't understand what he's done wrong - and it must be something he's done wrong, in spite of what Cecil's letter might say. A real man, a true gentleman would be able to prevent this sort of thing. If he'd just been cleverer. If he'd just paid more attention, tried to drag Cecil out of the house more and forced him to interact with other people, expanded his network, found connections in this new world... He should have done that, and he hadn't. Now Cecil's run off to the desert with only a letter and Monty feels compelled to listen to his last request, as much as it wounds him and his pride to do so. 'Don't try to find me.'
Monty folds the letter back up and goes to find Carlos.]