#okay as always I'm living to write the Dadmiral in action

[caeloservare]

James listened carefully. He didn't interrupt, but his eyes focused were on Eira along with his attention.

"Do you want to stop?" He asked gently. That wasn't any sort of judgement. He would never admit it, definitely not to his struggling students or colleagues, but sometimes quitting was the very top of his dreams.

"It might sound a bit too trivial, but life truly goes in ups and downs. It tends to look good in theory, but in practice some are truly low and no one can really see if the path leads further down or up, nor when it changes." He paused for a moment, giving her a small, encouraging smile. "It would be entirely unrealistic to expect you to run on the top of the waves and jump over the lows. That is no different for leadership."

"You are no less reliable to your teammates because of making mistakes. No one knows the right answers or choices all the time. That's why even headmasters have to ask for advice sometimes." Gods know how much he missed being able to ask Ozpin for advice. Or calling Leo or Theo, even just to bicker at each other and bounce some ideas around. "I believe your teammates would like you to rely on them as much as they rely on you, but that would be wisest to discuss with them."

"Oh, y-yes sir. Thank you."

Eira took the coffee cup carefully, taking a sip of the warm liquid. It did make her feel just a little better. Coffee was her preferred drink of choice, after all.

She pondered her words for a brief moment, staring into the cup.

"I've messed up more times than I can count. I'm supposed to be the one my teammates can depend on, the one they look to for decisions and guidance. And lately I can't even do that right!"

Their latest mission still weighed heavily on her mind. Eira had made a decision that resulted in her and her teammates being absolutely swarmed by Grimm, all four of them barely making it out.

It hadn't been the first time she made a bad call that put them in danger.

"I don't know what happened. I used to be better, I should be better." She sighed, lowering her head. "Maybe it's a sign that I should stop..."