PC: CALEB

[headmt]

Comments

[headmt]

[No, she was being tsundere.]

No, I don't think so. She said I could stay with the group or go run off forever with Claude if I wanted, I guess.

[katzepaw]

With Claude?

[There's kind of an amused question there.]

Well, Beauregard is Beauregard, and I suppose if you did decide to leave here with Claude we wouldn't have any right to stop you. But that isn't what she said to me.

[headmt]

A joke. Because it would be a silly option.

[An amused response.]

... What did she say to you then? And I suppose I don't know the specifics, but you'd think if I was around, by definition your Lucien problem might be taken care of.

[katzepaw]

I have no fucking idea how it will work. [He shrugs.] She was just talking about finding a safe place for you.

But. . . [He realizes after a moment.] She doesn't know that there aren't any, anymore. I've ruined that for us.

[headmt]

[Well by now they've probably made it to the center of campus, so Molly just goes to lean over the edge to the ice skating rink, arms on it, nursing his drink now. Tilting his head a bit.]

What do you mean?

[katzepaw]

[Just running his hand through his hair as he remembers this, as he remembers he had that whole conversation with Beau and she didn't know this.]

Ah. . . we made someone quite powerful very angry with us. Uhm. He followed us to Nicodranas, to Jester's mother and Veth's family.

There's still. . . there's still the Gentleman, and Caduceus' home, but we do not have an amulet for you, but I suppose that won't matter, he won't know your face.

[headmt]

[Well a lot of that is news - Nott slash Veth has a familiar? He'd heard the name Caduceus, but he's got no fucking clue what his home has to do with anything. Just reaching over to put a hand on his shoulder, patting him.]

Don't worry about me. Sure there's probably something to be done about all of that, too. We'll, ah-- Figure something out. Might even get something useful here? Seems like a powerful place.

[katzepaw]

Ja, probably.

[He shakes his head, like he's trying to shake off some of these bad thoughts, and instead goes and picks up an ice skate.]

These are a little different than I'm used to.

[headmt]

[Honestly just looking to Caleb for guidance, because he's never done this before. Looking at it, poking the blade.]

What're you used to?

[katzepaw]

These are a little nicer. When I was a boy we would just fasten something with a bit of an edge to our shoes and go slide around.

[He starts putting on a pair, smiling at Molly toying with it.]

Be careful, or you will make your own ice.

[headmt]

[Grinning at him, but he doesn't touch the blade more, just copying him - taking his thigh-highs off and setting them to the side and shoving the skates on.]

Who knows, maybe it'll be one of those things I'm naturally good at.

[Looking at Lucien's past, this seems doubtful.]

[katzepaw]

You are more graceful than me by a long mile.

[Taking him by the hands before stepping out onto the ice? Anyway, hey, Shady Creek is cold.]

[headmt]

[That's true, it is. And to his credit, he doesn't immediately fall on his ass - perfectly pleased to be led out by the hands onto the ice and dragged along, only scrambling a little bit on his feet before he finds his balance. High dex is actually useful here.]

... You look ridiculous in those glasses. Should keep them all the time.

[katzepaw]

I do like them.

[He smiles a little, aware he can probably let go of his hands now because Molly is doing just fine. But he doesn't just yet.]

It's as I feared, you are a natural.

[headmt]

[Molly seems to have no intention of letting go of any hands? He does a little exaggerated scramble like he's gonna fall, but it's like. Pretty clearly faking it.]

A blessing and a curse. Sometimes I shock myself too.

[katzepaw]

[Anyway, as he continues skating, Molly will get a memory. Vo village, a little bit of a celebration, and Caleb steals away to talk to Yasha for a moment. Just a cute little memory for once.]

[headmt]

[He does, in fact, fall over at that.

It's less of a comical pratfall and more he just sort of loses control of his knees and sinks to his ass to sort of slide off onto the ice, feet kicked out in front of him. It's a very sweet memory. It's very sweet. It's nothing but goodness, seeing these people have a gentle conversation with each other. But seeing, actually seeing Yasha again is like getting the wind knocked out of him. Especially after everything. It's a lot.]

[katzepaw]

[Seeing her and getting a nice big hug from her. He's relieved that the memory doesn't hurt so much, but then he sees Molly react, and just gets down on the ice, too. Down on his ass.]

Oh. . . I'm sorry. It's alright.

[headmt]

Ah, shite, don't you start apologizing, it's-- Sorry--

[Desperately trying to wave off the apologies? He seems maybe a little shocked it rocked him that hard, voice just a little bit wavery in a way it never is. Even when he was hit with the Lucien revelation.]

I just ... I'm glad. It's good. You'd said she was doing well and all.

[katzepaw]

[Ah. Sad. He sort of looks like he's trying to decide whether to reach out to him or not, kind of awkward with his arms like he might try to hold him, but doesn't.]

. . . She had some hard times, too, but she is, uhm, happy, I think. Her wings grew back, with feathers.

[headmt]

Yeah?

[He doesn't seem very shocked by this. Just happy, mostly, rubbing at his face a bit.]

... Always thought that was a little funny. Angel and a devil [gesturing to himself] being friends and all. Good joke.

[katzepaw]

Well, you make quite a pair.

[But smiling a little at him, fond.]

[headmt]

[He's sort of laughing for a bit, apparently cheering up after the moment of gut-dropping sadness, but after a few minutes of just sitting on his butt on this ice it fades off again.]

World sort of ... moves on, doesn't it? [...] Not saying that's a bad thing.

[katzepaw]

It does and doesn't. Maybe not grief all the time, but she didn't forget you. None of us did.

[headmt]

Yeah. Last thing I want is to give any of you more grief, though.

[A pause. Then he sort of shakes it off.]

My ass is cold.