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The conversation could have gone better, you think to yourself in the small hours of the morning. You have warned him but you doubt he will listen, his stubbornness never ceases to amaze.
Still he has not told that sidekick of his, or a shark would have burst through your wall already. You smile, it is the first time you smile all night.
You stare at the ceiling for a while, trying not to think thoughts that you don't want to think. As a high class hero the Institute has gifted you with some very extravagant living quarters, heavily monitored. For your protection of course.
You roll over and that is a mistake. The picture the Institute gave you stares back. It's from the first time you defeated Ballister as an official hero, with him as an official villain. You hatelove this picture, you used to love it in the beginning. You are triumphant, golden and good, Ballister simply looks as yet undefeated. You have toyed with idea of tearing down the picture in the past, but it was the Institute who put it up. You doubt that even if the girl came in all her dragon fury tonight she could even scratch the gold frame. So in response (punishment?) for your behaviour, the picture forces you to think more on your conversation with Ballister.
The Joust, damn it the joust. What was wrong with Ballister? Everyone had believed you that is was an accident, everyone could see that it was an accident! Everyone but him, and surprisingly that was the one that hurt the most. The therapist who the Institute hired for you after the incident told you that you should simply ignore his anger, he obviously felt he needed to blame somebody.
(Sometimes you wonder why you got a therapist, you hadn't lost your arm. More rarely you wondered what happened to Ballister and what he was getting)
The look in his eyes from earlier still haunts you. He looked angry yes (but not as angry as you), but also sad and weary. Like he felt the only person your denial really hurt anymore was you.
You try to stop that train of thought before it runs away from you. But this is Ballister part of you argues. It is short and skinny and weak before the Institute (and Ballister! it protests) made you strong.
This is Ballister who you have known before the reputations outgrew the men.
Ballister with his cocky smile and his apple and his bravado.
Ballister who holds onto your shoulder and leans in-
You stop that thought before it stops you. You decide you have had enough of reminiscing. You know that you will be very busy soon. A short reprieve has been granted, you take your rest while you can.