felldenbox

[takeroot]

can i get an f in chat for fellden

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[summonere]

Is that what all this is?

[ V pauses over a basket of junk, poking through it curiously. Maybe other people would think twice, but V has some very loose concepts about personal property. ]

Do you know how to cook, or are you going to starve in here?

[ Can he starve with the fairy cottage sending cookies all the time. ]

[takeroot]

[The pause is telling. Hm.]

I know how to boil things that need boiling.

[He can also make sandwiches!]

[summonere]

Practice frying eggs.

[ That is V's sagest advice. He comes out of the basket with a set of tangled wind chimes. The carved wooden decorations appear to be... an umbrella and some ducks. It comes out of V's mouth before he can stop himself, ]

What is this?

[ Did he actually want to know though?? ]

[takeroot]

[Hmm, frying eggs sounds like work. And oh, be gentle with those--]

Wind chimes!

[Like there's nothing strange about keeping wind chimes in a basket. You know, he's getting to it. Slowly.]

I'm trying to pick a place for them, too.

[summonere]

[ He untangles the different threads of the decoration. Chimes, yes they do make noise. V isn't sure that it's pleasant noise or why anyone would want this?? ]

Are you going to-- individually select places for all these things?

[ Like. How does one determine 'spots' for things like this? He blinks. ]

I wasn't involved in decorating the house.

[ Hakuno had curated the entire thing, down to his quiet black bedroom. Some might say that's too on the nose, but V actually found it incredibly peaceful when he was well and truly in the mood to just be left alone. ]

[takeroot]

Well, I am going to put them somewhere, and consider them meaningfully, and move them around a few times until it feels right.

[That is how one decorates, for sure? This house came furnished, he can only contribute the kitschy parts.]

I'm sure it will be invigorating.

[summonere]

[ That sounds absurd, V nods like that makes sense but he's laughing a little. ]

Good luck.

[ He really feels like all these little things will never stop being moved around, because there's no way to give any reason to all of it. ]

Is there any theme to these things?

[ Maybe he'll want to buy you something silly one day. ]

[takeroot]

Yes— I like them.

[Duck wind chimes... blood-sucking plants... he has a couple children's drawings around here somewhere, delicately set aside, waiting to be framed. It's the least princely he has ever been and he is enjoying himself.]

Why should there be a theme? It's my house.

[summonere]

You're the theme, I see.

[ That's an interesting enough way to think about it. ]

[takeroot]

I suppose I am! You did bring me a plant.

[See? It's like V already knew about the theme.]

[summonere]

You were very emphatic about liking flowers.

[ There was also that bit about needing to embrace smelling the flowers... Sigh. ]

I've wanted to ask, did it upset you? The letter I sent.

[ The one full of V's anxiety about not keeping a tight enough hold on his soul and a bargaining chip to that effect. ]

[takeroot]

I kept some of them.

[And clumsily attempted to press them, but his flower antics can wait a moment. Was he upset... hm! His brow furrows, thoughtful; hmmmm.]

You know I hate to see you upset, but I did want to help. It didn't wake me in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, if that's what you mean.

[summonere]

You were right, about how I don't-- Hm. Do a good job of carrying my weight. I realized I might have asked too much.

[ His gaze is thoughtful on his friend, sinking down to sit on the arm of a chair. His hands hang loosely between the set of his knees. ]

[takeroot]

Oh.

[...well, maybe so? Constantin is admittedly still a novice about how much is too much to ask of another person, after all.]

Are you asking for your trinket back, then?

[It's in his coat pocket because it pinched, but nobody has to know he doesn't understand how to wear ear cuffs.]

[summonere]

If it troubles you, yes.

[ Maybe it wasn't cold sweats at night, but maybe the niggle of dread that V really didn't mean to inflict on him. ]

[takeroot]

It is just an earring, you know. I'm not that fragile.

[But he crosses to where his coat is hanging by the door and fusses with it; one of these pockets... "If it troubles you" just sounds like polite noise, so is it a yes, for real? Hmm.]

You changed your mind so suddenly!

[summonere]

Well. I haven't been there for anyone as much as they've needed.

[ Hakuno had, much like himself really, lost it to a fit of anxiety that had needed talking down. Then there was haunted Dimitri alone in his big house pretending to be fine. Everything is great! Everything is fine. ]</small

[takeroot]

[Ah. He pauses, looking at V over his shoulder. Is that the secret crux of the issue...]

Sorry, what does this have to do with returning your trinket? Is that going to help?

[summonere]

[ Constantin, please. V rubs the space between his eyes with his thumb, this is already hard. ]

I'm apologizing to you.

[takeroot]

Ah. [He lets go of the coat.] You think you've wronged me somehow.

[Absolutely wild that people seem to give a shit when they do that to him these days, or at least, a few people do— but never mind.]

Did you come all this way to give me a plant and tiptoe around saying you're sorry? You are adorable, but it's nothing so earth-shattering as you think.

[summonere]

What was it you said about not being able to juggle my way out of it?

[ His tone is dry. ]

I'm apologizing instead.

[ Is he still tiptoeing, or is it clear enough now? ]

[takeroot]

I don't need it. [...okay,] Rather—

[There's a cute little coffee table in front of the chair V's halfway claimed, covered in packages and more baskets of nonsense; Constantin scoots one of these out of the way and sits right there on the edge of the table, to look up at him. Hey bud.]

I will take it, because we're friends and it troubles you, but I do want you to rest easy over it.

[summonere]

It did... relieve me to think that there might be help coming if I needed it.

[ Not... something... he's used to feeling, at all. But that is why he'd gone ahead and sent it, it did make him feel better even if there was too much panic and dread motivating him as well. ]

[takeroot]

See? You can have it both ways.

[An apology and an insurance policy! Constantin will hand the trinket over without protest if V really wants him to, but all the same, it's nice to feel relied upon. Friendship is full of so many twists.]

Did something happen?

[Surely his chattering about juggling did not really inspire this...]

[summonere]

[ The obvious answer is yes, but watch him say it, ]

No. I just-- I had decide whether or not I was really going to put time into being someone.

[ Despite what might have come out of his mouth, he had not really fully committed to this. Not in his actions. ]