He takes a seat next to her and puts an arm around her shoulder.

"I can't do this. I, I've been putting it off, I've been making jokes about how you're the one with a plan and you're crazy prepared but it's me, I'm the one who doesn't have a plan and hasn't prepared at all. Fuck, I was doing so well, I thought I could do it, I did a few bounties and I was collecting the reagents Yndra asked me for and, and I really thought I could but I can't," she sobs. "It hurt so much and it wasn't even as bad as yours and you were just, just talking about how it was a learning experience and you'd do better next time and all I could think about was how much it hurt and how much I didn't want to die, and I know I wouldn't have died for real this time but someday I will and I don't want to. I don't want to."

"Let's go back to the Guild," he says, gently. "Get you something to eat, some comfortable clothes, a hot chocolate."

"What's a hot chocolate?"

"Sweet Freyja save me from this land of barbarians."

"You're," sob, "such a dick."

"How are you feeling?"

She shrugs and takes a sip of her hot chocolate. Her second hot chocolate, she really liked it when she tried it.

"I'll take that as a positive."

"Do whatever you want."

"I will!"

Snort.

"Do you want me to leave? Would—"

"No," she says instantly. "—I mean, don't stay if you have shit to do, but…"

"Got it. I'll stay."

She nods into her hot chocolate.

…man that must've messed her up real bad. She's barely even biting his head off. That's downright affectionate, for her.

There is a sudden noise from the door that suggests someone just tried to slam it open and was foiled by the lock.

Astrid jumps nearly out of her skin and stares at it (but she manages not to spill any hot chocolate).

Vallynn rolls his eyes and telekinetically unlocks the door.

"Ruin my dramatic entrance, why don't you," grumbles a girl in a sand-coloured robe with fluffy sleeves.

"...Magnhild?"

"No, it's her evil identical twin sister, Hildmagn."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sure if you try hard and believe in yourself you'll figure it out," she says, walking into the room and closing the door behind herself.