[Would Felix like Constantin half as much if he wasn't so willing to push back? Like, sure, complaining about trivial things is annoying, but as Felix rolls his eyes (of course he refused to spin him, because spinning him would have resulted in a grievous injury, they both know this) before once again allowing Constantin to lead him somewhere...
...Well, you know. They've settled into a routine, of sorts, and it's comfortable. Less comfortable are the, like, dozen eyes trained on him as they approach. He can feel them! Ugh! Time to bring a hand up to absently scrub at his face.]
Do I have a choice? [he grumbles, knowing that he really doesn't—and that he really doesn't mind.] As long as the snack isn't sweet.
[He Will Endure. But that sure is a child pressing their entire face to the glass as they approach? Felix gives them A Look.]
...Maybe I'll help this Ragnar paint the front door.
[Spin him, punk. Constantin will have his demands met one of these days. For now he leads them back to the orphanage, watching these shameless kids not even try to pretend they're not staring at Felix... He has raised them well. There is no shame in this house.]
I'll ask for some crackers for you, [he says, gesturing for Felix to go in ahead of him, which will definitely end in Felix being followed by a bunch of little kids. They are in awe of this sword man... Constantin takes a quick look around once they're back inside, doing a headcount.]
Wait here and I'll find him and Luther.
[And... bye! Enjoy these several minutes spent with The Children, while Constantin goes off. Not pictured: Ragnar telling Constantin that Felix, by association with his horse, is the worst person to ever breathe, and Constantin making a quick detour upstairs to fetch his favorite son and usher him down. Ragnar's continued complaints can probably be heard faintly in the background...
Anyway, he's back! With baby.]
You've charmed Ragnar irreparably. He'll be a minute.
[In the meantime, he very casually nudges Luther forward; Luther in turn shuffles his way over to Felix and staunchly without looking at him, holds out a sheet of paper. Has this child drawn Felix a picture? Is it (supposedly) a drawing of Luther and his dads in Kyst? Well these brown boxy things are probably buildings, so: yes and yes. Take this.]
[Damn, Constantin, but how is Felix supposed to complain about crackers when he's suddenly surrounded by wide-eyed children? Spoiler alert: Felix doesn't. Felix can't, because before he can make so much as a single disgruntled noise—oh. Hmm. He is suddenly the only adult in the room, blinking down at the gaggle of children blinking up at him. It's one thing to hear about a stranger; it's another thing to come face-to-face with him, and thus some of the children are content to hang back.
...But not the twins. The twins, emboldened by being Known as troublemakers, bound forward, waving their sticks about and asking Felix fifty questions at once. Which sword is the sharpest? What other weapons did he bring? How many monsters has he killed? Utterly ridiculous things that Felix normally scoffs at, but as some of the quieter children press closer, curiosity triumphing over wariness...
Well, by the time Constantin wanders back into the room with Luther in tow, it's like this: Fritz (maybe Otto?) is holding his stick-slash-sword in front of him, watching as Otto (maybe Fritz?) brings his stick-slash-sword around in a slow, smooth, Felix-instructed arc to smack against it. The other kids are watching from the sidelines, so hey, it's cool? It's fine? We are all Learning here, thanks, even as Felix shoots Connie a quick look. Whomst? ...Oh, right.]
I haven't met him. [And he Does Not Care about this stranger's opinion, clearly, which is why he looks back down at Fritz (maybe Otto?).] Always block with the flat of your blade. Understand?
[Of course they understand. They're going to spend the rest of this fine afternoon smacking the shit out of one another, and Felix sees absolutely nothing wrong with it—but oh, hello, Luther. Felix offers him a nod of greeting before the boy heads over to him, holding out that piece of paper that Felix carefully takes. The other kids are torn between watching the twins and watching Felix; it's loud and chaotic and exactly what a room full of kids should be, but as Felix takes in this drawing, all other distractions temporarily fall to the wayside. A small figure flanked by two taller ones. Well, one is Constantin, naturally, but the one with the sharp scowl...]
That's— me? [A glance up at Luther, who nods, before Felix shifts his attention back down to the paper.] ...Right. Two swords.
[Two very carefully drawn lines. ...How do you praise a child? Hell if Felix knows, but after staring down at this picture for a few seconds longer, Felix looks back up at Luther before reaching out to, like... pat him on his shoulder. Gently. He never liked when others abruptly ruffled his hair, so maybe it's the same for this small human.]
...Thank you.
[Constantin, please appreciate this tender moment—but also help him, because Goddess above, but where does one go from here. Luther caught him off guard! He is defenseless! This is cheating.]
[Hmm, this is the most tender thing Constantin has ever witnessed? He may die over here in the doorway, where he's chosen to linger while Felix is mobbed by curious children. He'll come to Felix's rescue in a moment, of course, but it's way more than endearing to watch him, ah, teach the twins how to hit each other properly... Look! It's cute! It's all very cute, Luther's bumbling gift giving and Felix's equally bumbling affection included, and Constantin is content to lean against the door frame and just watch. At some point Ragnar appears at his elbow and Constantin hastily motions for him to please contain his complaints for a minute, there's something adorable happening...
Or, actually, hold on— he will turn and listen to Ragnar's hasty complaints, all muttered while passing him a tray of Afternoon Snacks and promising he will be back with some water in a moment, leaving Constantin to finally come to the rescue if only to put the snacks down on a little crafts table and wag a finger at a child instantly more interested in food than grumpy sword man. Patience is a virtue, etc.
Then, helpfully, to Felix:]
I think he captured your essence.
[Two swords? Scowl? That's the Felixperience(tm)! And Constantin's appearance is all Luther needs to nod at Felix again and then hustle away to stand next to the other dad. He does not cling because the twins would be, well, the twins about it, but he does linger. A successful Felix interaction...? Yes.]
Ragnar says you've spoiled his whole garden. What did you do?
[Thank goodness there's now something in this room that's marginally more interesting than Felix himself! Most of the children hurry over to the snack table, eager to see what they'll be enjoying today, and Felix is free to look over this picture for a bit longer. He is... touched? Oh, but he is touched, as evidenced by the way his expression softens the slightest bit.
But that doesn't mean he's about to be all open about it, so when Constantin addresses him—ah! Well. He glances over at him, humming in wry acknowledgement—and straightening up as he's reminded of the, ah, distinct difference between his stick figure's height and Constantin's stick figure's height. He's not that much shorter, Luther... damn...]
I didn't— [A beat, as things click in place. A sigh. A hand once again coming up to scrub against his face, because oh, dear.] ...Dorte.
[Problem Child #2! Thanks, Marianne.]
A horse. From my world. He eats everything. [Hmm—] I didn't know the flowers would be a problem.
[And he's not concerned with Dorte's welfare, because Dorte the War Horse can and will take care of himself.]
Your horse ate my garden? Where did you leave him?
[Surely Felix wouldn't tie his horse right next to the flower garden, right? Surely he wouldn't do that. That would be silly, at best.
But since Felix surely didn't do that, Constantin gives him one last look before, like, extracting himself from the mob of children to make his way over to the Grown Up Seating, which is a beat up old couch. It's comfortable, if a little lumpy. It's snack time, so pop a squat, mister!! There's no getting out of this one!]
Well, hold onto that picture, [like he's not super soft for it, ha ha] and I'll find you something to hold it in later.
[Like a folder... or a clipboard. It needs to be safely transported home so he can frame it. And oh,]
Ah- and I promised I would make it worth your while for helping with the swing! I owe you a cup of tea. Later.
[Listen, Connie, maybe Felix had other things on his mind! Maybe Felix was too busy thinking about gaggles of children to consider that flowers are, in fact, Dorte's favorite snack. They're only plants, right... they grow back...
Or: Felix is stupid, and thus Felix only offers up a stiff shrug before he does indeed drop onto this lumpy couch. The picture is safe and sound atop his lap; he resists the urge to keep looking down at it like an idiot, because yes, he is charmed by it. It's like... one of Annette's silly songs? It's sweet.
Speaking of sweet things:]
Tea, [he repeats, blinking down at the picture after all as he briefly considers how long he intends to stay. It isn't as though he made any other plans, so. Hmm.] I see. Almyran Pine would be... appreciated.
[His awkward way of saying he'd quite like to enjoy evening teatime with Connie, all while he stares down at their stick-figure likenesses. Ah. The warmth is back—or, more accurately, the warmth never left, because the warmth is always there; it only intensifies when he glances back Connie's way.]
[Could Constantin spend the rest of the day glancing at Felix and being endeared by the immeasurably soft way he does literally anything with that drawing? Yes. However, the tea is At Home, because no one in their right mind would drink Pine Sol Blend besides this grumpy man. Constantin's many affections have one limit, and that limit is drinking nasty gross tea. Hard pass.]
Not even once. I did get it for you, if you'll recall.
[It's the perfect excuse and it keeps on giving!! He could not possibly deprive Felix of this Rare Gift.]
I've left it at home, so you'll just have to come and see what I've done with the cottage.
[He sort of spreads his hands out in wonder at this, the cottage(tm), now finally ready to accept guests of honor to make it smell like goddamn pine for days. But! No matter! Come to his house and see all of his choice decorating!!]
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...Well, you know. They've settled into a routine, of sorts, and it's comfortable. Less comfortable are the, like, dozen eyes trained on him as they approach. He can feel them! Ugh! Time to bring a hand up to absently scrub at his face.]
Do I have a choice? [he grumbles, knowing that he really doesn't—and that he really doesn't mind.] As long as the snack isn't sweet.
[He Will Endure. But that sure is a child pressing their entire face to the glass as they approach? Felix gives them A Look.]
...Maybe I'll help this Ragnar paint the front door.
[He's KIDDING! Mostly.]
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I'll ask for some crackers for you, [he says, gesturing for Felix to go in ahead of him, which will definitely end in Felix being followed by a bunch of little kids. They are in awe of this sword man... Constantin takes a quick look around once they're back inside, doing a headcount.]
Wait here and I'll find him and Luther.
[And... bye! Enjoy these several minutes spent with The Children, while Constantin goes off. Not pictured: Ragnar telling Constantin that Felix, by association with his horse, is the worst person to ever breathe, and Constantin making a quick detour upstairs to fetch his favorite son and usher him down. Ragnar's continued complaints can probably be heard faintly in the background...
Anyway, he's back! With baby.]
You've charmed Ragnar irreparably. He'll be a minute.
[In the meantime, he very casually nudges Luther forward; Luther in turn shuffles his way over to Felix and staunchly without looking at him, holds out a sheet of paper. Has this child drawn Felix a picture? Is it (supposedly) a drawing of Luther and his dads in Kyst? Well these brown boxy things are probably buildings, so: yes and yes. Take this.]
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...But not the twins. The twins, emboldened by being Known as troublemakers, bound forward, waving their sticks about and asking Felix fifty questions at once. Which sword is the sharpest? What other weapons did he bring? How many monsters has he killed? Utterly ridiculous things that Felix normally scoffs at, but as some of the quieter children press closer, curiosity triumphing over wariness...
Well, by the time Constantin wanders back into the room with Luther in tow, it's like this: Fritz (maybe Otto?) is holding his stick-slash-sword in front of him, watching as Otto (maybe Fritz?) brings his stick-slash-sword around in a slow, smooth, Felix-instructed arc to smack against it. The other kids are watching from the sidelines, so hey, it's cool? It's fine? We are all Learning here, thanks, even as Felix shoots Connie a quick look. Whomst? ...Oh, right.]
I haven't met him. [And he Does Not Care about this stranger's opinion, clearly, which is why he looks back down at Fritz (maybe Otto?).] Always block with the flat of your blade. Understand?
[Of course they understand. They're going to spend the rest of this fine afternoon smacking the shit out of one another, and Felix sees absolutely nothing wrong with it—but oh, hello, Luther. Felix offers him a nod of greeting before the boy heads over to him, holding out that piece of paper that Felix carefully takes. The other kids are torn between watching the twins and watching Felix; it's loud and chaotic and exactly what a room full of kids should be, but as Felix takes in this drawing, all other distractions temporarily fall to the wayside. A small figure flanked by two taller ones. Well, one is Constantin, naturally, but the one with the sharp scowl...]
That's— me? [A glance up at Luther, who nods, before Felix shifts his attention back down to the paper.] ...Right. Two swords.
[Two very carefully drawn lines. ...How do you praise a child? Hell if Felix knows, but after staring down at this picture for a few seconds longer, Felix looks back up at Luther before reaching out to, like... pat him on his shoulder. Gently. He never liked when others abruptly ruffled his hair, so maybe it's the same for this small human.]
...Thank you.
[Constantin, please appreciate this tender moment—but also help him, because Goddess above, but where does one go from here. Luther caught him off guard! He is defenseless! This is cheating.]
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Or, actually, hold on— he will turn and listen to Ragnar's hasty complaints, all muttered while passing him a tray of Afternoon Snacks and promising he will be back with some water in a moment, leaving Constantin to finally come to the rescue if only to put the snacks down on a little crafts table and wag a finger at a child instantly more interested in food than grumpy sword man. Patience is a virtue, etc.
Then, helpfully, to Felix:]
I think he captured your essence.
[Two swords? Scowl? That's the Felixperience(tm)! And Constantin's appearance is all Luther needs to nod at Felix again and then hustle away to stand next to the other dad. He does not cling because the twins would be, well, the twins about it, but he does linger. A successful Felix interaction...? Yes.]
Ragnar says you've spoiled his whole garden. What did you do?
[Said with amusement... sorry Ragnar.]
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But that doesn't mean he's about to be all open about it, so when Constantin addresses him—ah! Well. He glances over at him, humming in wry acknowledgement—and straightening up as he's reminded of the, ah, distinct difference between his stick figure's height and Constantin's stick figure's height. He's not that much shorter, Luther... damn...]
I didn't— [A beat, as things click in place. A sigh. A hand once again coming up to scrub against his face, because oh, dear.] ...Dorte.
[Problem Child #2! Thanks, Marianne.]
A horse. From my world. He eats everything. [Hmm—] I didn't know the flowers would be a problem.
[And he's not concerned with Dorte's welfare, because Dorte the War Horse can and will take care of himself.]
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[Surely Felix wouldn't tie his horse right next to the flower garden, right? Surely he wouldn't do that. That would be silly, at best.
But since Felix surely didn't do that, Constantin gives him one last look before, like, extracting himself from the mob of children to make his way over to the Grown Up Seating, which is a beat up old couch. It's comfortable, if a little lumpy. It's snack time, so pop a squat, mister!! There's no getting out of this one!]
Well, hold onto that picture, [like he's not super soft for it, ha ha] and I'll find you something to hold it in later.
[Like a folder... or a clipboard. It needs to be safely transported home so he can frame it. And oh,]
Ah- and I promised I would make it worth your while for helping with the swing! I owe you a cup of tea. Later.
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Or: Felix is stupid, and thus Felix only offers up a stiff shrug before he does indeed drop onto this lumpy couch. The picture is safe and sound atop his lap; he resists the urge to keep looking down at it like an idiot, because yes, he is charmed by it. It's like... one of Annette's silly songs? It's sweet.
Speaking of sweet things:]
Tea, [he repeats, blinking down at the picture after all as he briefly considers how long he intends to stay. It isn't as though he made any other plans, so. Hmm.] I see. Almyran Pine would be... appreciated.
[His awkward way of saying he'd quite like to enjoy evening teatime with Connie, all while he stares down at their stick-figure likenesses. Ah. The warmth is back—or, more accurately, the warmth never left, because the warmth is always there; it only intensifies when he glances back Connie's way.]
Have you tried it?
[Do you love Pine-Sol, Connie. Do you.]
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Not even once. I did get it for you, if you'll recall.
[It's the perfect excuse and it keeps on giving!! He could not possibly deprive Felix of this Rare Gift.]
I've left it at home, so you'll just have to come and see what I've done with the cottage.
[He sort of spreads his hands out in wonder at this, the cottage(tm), now finally ready to accept guests of honor to make it smell like goddamn pine for days. But! No matter! Come to his house and see all of his choice decorating!!]