felldenbox

[takeroot]

can i get an f in chat for fellden

Comments

[summonere]

I seem that unhappy to you?

[ I mean, that's probably fair. He's just checking. ]

[takeroot]

Oh, yes.

[Trust him, he's well-versed in self-destructive unhappiness, his is just usually louder.]

But you are ambitious, which is lucky.

[summonere]

Oh? You don't think my ambition is the source, then.

[ Cuz V would probably point there first if you really asked him. ]

[takeroot]

[He shrugs.]

I don't know about that. It could be both.

[summonere]

[ That brings a bitter little smile to V's face, not entirely lacking actual amusement, but sharp. ]

That sounds about right.

[takeroot]

[Well, self-awareness is good...]

So I was right about you still being unhappy, then? [sad......cheer up bud.]

[summonere]

Listen.

[ He seems a little stern about that. He needs people to just stop worrying about him and listen sometimes. ]

Once a week I stay at Dimitri's house in Neutral territory. That lets me teach at the house and read to the local kids in Kyst. It's less travel for me, and I can see K or Lottie in town on those days.

[ Maybe once a week sounds like nothing but it's an increase from his absolute zero personal time that he had before. ]

I like doing those things, and I'll just be unhappy the rest of the time.

[ He's joking, but maybe he's always going to have some unhappiness. ]

[takeroot]

[Once a week is nothing at all, but— well, but. Constantin holds up a hand, placating; at least he got more than a few words out of V about This Thing, but please, take a breath.]

Alright, alright. I care for you, of course, but please don't mistake that as my thinking of you as some sort of problem to solve. I have plenty of those of my own.

[He'll make a mental note to fret less.]

[summonere]

[ V thinks of himself as a problem to solve, so maybe it's just 100% projection when he thinks other people look at him to same way. ]

Can I help with any of them?

[ Not that he needs more projects, but well. Friendship is kind of a project that requires time put in. ]

[takeroot]

[You know, he really should have expected "can I help" to be a possible response to that, and yet it still gives him pause. Ah... maybe he should just divert with something about helping him decorate... hm.]

Ah— no, I think these puzzles ought to stay all mine. Were it such that I could be more of a tragic hero and endure for some noble triumph; my many imperfections are only embarrassing!

[Fun! Life improves but does he, has he at all? Who knows.]

[summonere]

[ V looks at him carefully, not really buying this display of dramatics, but he also knows the best he can do is offer. If his help isn't wanted, he's not actually going to try to fight it. ]

Then I'll help you get all these things on shelves so that you can get on with rearranging them three more times.

[takeroot]

[There are a handful of reasons V isn't allowed to make Constantin one of his many projects, and that right there is one of them.

He blinks. He might have said as much before, but wow...]

As always, you don't have to tease me about it. Pick something, then.

[summonere]

[ He does. ]

Have you named this one?

[ Is he teasing, or is he trying to get into the spirit of the junk? Unclear. ]

[takeroot]

Why would I name that?

[It's, like, not alive... Come on, V.]

[summonere]

There are rules now?

[ Don't hit him with unspoken rules, why would he know them. ]

[takeroot]

There might be some dastardly common sense, yes. That is a decoration.

[It is only generously "decoration," but.]

[summonere]

I'm naming it Surus.

[ Hannibal's elephant. It gets placed on the shelf. Next! ]

This looks impractical for tea.

[takeroot]

That is also a decoration.

[Eyeing him now... you gonna name everything, bud?]

[summonere]

I'm waiting to hear what you liked about it.

[ If you like this junk, tell him why. ]

[takeroot]

I thought it was creative.

[It's adorable, let him have this.]

[summonere]

[ V places it, giving it a little side turn so that its spout and handle don't take up too much room. He reaches down into a different crate, coming back with something. ]

That's what I think of this one, it's interesting.

[ Still doesn't need it in his own space. ]

[takeroot]

[Well, at least he's having fun now, Constantin supposes. He sinks into the armchair in turn; if he's going to rearrange everything three times anyway, why not just watch V follow his decorative vision. Hm.]

Sure, yes. I bought all of them.

[Some of them were blessing-borne, but that's still asking, so. Eclectic is the theme.]

[summonere]

[ Without interruption, V will definitely start to group things. A few more teapots of different sizes here, the little things with faces which he personally asserts should all have names. Quiz him next time to see if he remembers them all. The metallic things, the porcelain things.

He only seems torn by the little animal figurines that overlap in categories, again mainly the little things with faces. He scoops them all from their individual categories and groups them together in a little menagerie at the center of things.

Does apparently have a weakness for cute statuettes of pets. ]

[takeroot]

[Hm, he's going to have to leave the cute things with faces like that, isn't he... It would feel cruel to undo V's very particular menagerie-making just to alleviate his own restlessness. He'll make a note to move the wind chimes around a bunch instead.

He's not going to get up and interrupt, but he'll peer at the shelf from here in the chair. Hmm.]

Enjoying yourself? It looks nice.

[summonere]

[ He glances over his shoulder, looking amused. Is he enjoying himself, or can he just not stand the idea of Constantin living amongst all these unpacked crates and baskets after he leaves? ]

They make a pleasant picture, all together.

[ Cheerful, carefree. He supposes they are indeed mostly to theme. ]