Thatch listened as he finished rinsing off and stepped out to dry himself off, wrapping a towel around his waist before rubbing at his loose hair. He'd need to wash it soon. He was touched, but not terribly surprised. He'd never been one to kid himself how much he meant to people. In fact he always strode to make sure he knew. (miscalculated a little on that one, didn't we, matey?)
Strong as him. As if anyone was really strong at all, come to think of it. What really mattered was being vulnerable. Being able to hold on, let go, go on despite the wind and the waves kicking you in the teeth the entire way... and Marco was more weathered than any one of them. Because of his age. Because at the end of it all, he would stand alone. But nah, not alone.
He flipped the towel from his hair over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around Marco's shoulders, resting his chin on the man's head.
"Depends on what you mean by saving. Saving people from death? Nah, you can't do that. In fact, no one can. Maybe you can hold it off for a little while but everyone dies. Even phoenixes." No matter what Marco thought about it, Thatch knew it was the truth and Marco could stuff it.
"But you gave Toby a family." He grins and rubs his beard against Marco's scalp. "A pops. Nakama. You're giving Espio a family when he has shit and Grell someone she can hang around for a long time. Maybe you only get close to the people who need you the most, because if nothing else, you give them something worth living for... Anyone can die, sweetheart, but living well and happily? That's something to fight for."
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Strong as him. As if anyone was really strong at all, come to think of it. What really mattered was being vulnerable. Being able to hold on, let go, go on despite the wind and the waves kicking you in the teeth the entire way... and Marco was more weathered than any one of them. Because of his age. Because at the end of it all, he would stand alone. But nah, not alone.
He flipped the towel from his hair over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around Marco's shoulders, resting his chin on the man's head.
"Depends on what you mean by saving. Saving people from death? Nah, you can't do that. In fact, no one can. Maybe you can hold it off for a little while but everyone dies. Even phoenixes." No matter what Marco thought about it, Thatch knew it was the truth and Marco could stuff it.
"But you gave Toby a family." He grins and rubs his beard against Marco's scalp. "A pops. Nakama. You're giving Espio a family when he has shit and Grell someone she can hang around for a long time. Maybe you only get close to the people who need you the most, because if nothing else, you give them something worth living for... Anyone can die, sweetheart, but living well and happily? That's something to fight for."