[He shows up to Joshua's place looking quite cheerful, wearing a hat and smiling brightly. He's humming some sort of nonsense tune as he wanders up towards the treehouse. He's in a good mood - how could he not be? The sun is shining, Joshua's around, and he's going to help with some animals!]
[While he didn’t expect Ryu to be in a surly mood, the downright chipper display manages to throw Joshua off. It’s taking all he has to keep a neutral countenance, given the task they have ahead.]
[He’s almost envious.]
[Torgal whines before leaving Joshua’s side to trot over to Ryu, where he sticks his massive head into the other not-quite-human’s hand for a pat. If Joshua isn’t going to give Ryu a warm and happy welcome, he’ll take care of it.]
Thank you for coming on such short notice.
[Joshua does his best to greet Ryu with a smile, and he manages to show one, but it’s empty. Devoid entirely of its usual warmth.]
[He stops when he sees Joshua in... a less than happy mood. Torgal trotting over and giving him a welcome tells him most of what he needs to know - he can tell Torgal feels obligated to act on Joshua's behalf. So something's wrong. Very wrong.]
[He drops the smile and puts on a somewhat more serious expression, a little at odds with the hat. Still, Joshua clearly needs him.]
[He scritches Torgal gently in the good spots and nods as Joshua puts a hand on his shoulder. He's... pretty sure that's not the whole story.]
[... He doesn't like this. It's not a lie. But it's not the truth. And he hates this weird in between feeling - it feels awful.]
Okay.
[He walks alongside Joshua, keeping an eye on him and his mood. He's worried...]
During the fishing tournament Hiyori came and sat with me for a bit. She and I talked for a little while and then she asked me if I had a hat to protect my eyes from the sun. I said no, and she... her present from her and Yato happened to be this hat...
[There's real, genuine affection in his voice - along with a touch of disbelief.]
I... I don't know, everything I've had has always been like armor or weapons or supplies or - even the things I have here are for some kind of use. And I guess the hat has a use but it's also just... it's just a hat. And it can be just a hat.
I guess I've never had something that was... I don't want to call it unnecessary? But something that wasn't something I needed rather than something I wanted. ... Even if I didn't know I wanted it.
[... It's a hat. But it means a lot more to him than just a hat. Journals and books are great but they serve a purpose. Fashion is... dumb, it's ridiculous, it doesn't mean anything. And that's kind of the point - he has something that someone's given to him personally (rather than having it show up by magic like some of the gifts from Reverein) and it doesn't... it's a gift that he doesn't have to have but he has and it means something just because someone gave it to him, not because of its use.]
[Walking along, listening to Ryu chatter about his gift, Torgal beside them, Joshua forgets for a short, but blissful, time what is weighing so heavily on his heart. Even as they walk towards the empty cottage that once belonged to his siblings, he finds that he can smile. Truly smile.]
That was kind of Hiyori and Yato. They’ve proven themselves to be wonderful friends many times over.
[Joshua reaches out to playfully place a hand on Ryu’s head, mindful of the hat as he gives it a careful ruffle.]
Enjoy it, my friend. Such things are not mindless. They hold value, even if only in our hearts.
[He’s been here daily to care for the animals left behind, but he’s only familiar with Torgal and Ambrosia, and the former is the only one he has space for currently, until he builds a new stable. As a favor to Clive, he'd kept the snow cat for a few days hidden from Jill, but he learned quickly that was little time for bonding with such an animal.]
[That one will need a new home entirely. Ambrosia, a temporary one.]
[And as for the rest of the cottage...]
[Joshua swallows. Why does it feel like he's taking care of the last of their estate? As if Clive and Jill have died instead of leaving him behind?]
Nothing--
[Somehow, his voice cracked. Joshua clears his throat and tries again.]
Nothing spectacular. Writing. Taking care of the animals here. Although that has proven itself a task too arduous for me alone.
[For myriad reasons.]
Edited (last edit i promise...!) Date: 2024-06-08 04:04 am (UTC)
[The crack in Joshua's voice betrays his worry. The word 'alone' betrays his purpose in leading Ryu here. His eyes widen, and Ryu slips his hand into Joshua's, squeezing it gently.]
... I see.
[He's not sure what to say. What do you say in a situation like this?]
[Clever. Ryu has always been clever, with only his innocence getting in the way of potential misuse of that talent.]
[Joshua squeezes his hand in return. How long can he protect that innocence? How long until his clever friend––adoptive brother––undergoes one experience too many that finally wipes away that wholesome qualia and changes him, if not completely, then close to it?]
[He leads Ryu ahead towards the cottage with purposeful steps. He cannot falter now.]
You're already helping with my animal conundrum. I need little more than that.
[He's innocent. He's naive. He's new to the world. He's not stupid and he's also not totally inexperienced in the cruelty of the world. He's seen some horrible things... and he has some blood on his own hands, too. He tries to not let it get to him.]
Okay. I'm here if you do need me.
[Ryu lets his hand fall and moves so that Torgal can stick near Joshua. He gets the sense that Joshua is going to need (closer) family support as he gets inside.]
[Joshua looks over his shoulder and nods in gratitude. He doesn't trust himself to speak as he finds the appropriate key and unlocks the door. With one hand on the knob and the other places on Torgal's head, he sucks in a breath, opens the door, and heads inside.]
[The cottage looks lived-in still. Whatever blankets and knickknacks that look out of place haven't been moved, although the kitchen is clean and the bedroom door has been pulled shut.]
[Joshua has been called a ghost many times in his life, few of them pleasant. Yet it wasn't until he stepped into his siblings' abode, frozen in time, that he finally felt like one. A specter, gliding throughout a place it isn't meant to be, unable to interact with the physicality of this chosen space.]
[Except to Joshua, the barrier is less one made of a veil between worlds, and more of the ache in his heart knowing that to move anything means to slowly destroy the remnants of any evidence that Clive and Jill were here.]
[He holds the door open so that Ryu can join him. Torgal, in the meantime, pads in without a problem, although his tail and ears hang low.]
[He knows the feeling of stepping into ancient ruins, of places frozen in time. He knows what it's like to feel like you're intruding on someone's space, like you're doing damage just by being there. He doesn't know what it's like to have loved ones other than his friends, but... no, he can't imagine what it's like for Joshua right now. He has no frame of reference.]
[He follows Joshua inside, placing a hand on the other's back for a moment before letting go and stepping aside.]
All right. I'm... I'm not going to touch anything.
[With all of his focus honed in on holding himself together, the touch makes Joshua's shoulders stiffen. It's a minute reaction, one that barely registers even to himself, but telling in its very presence.]
[This is a place that robs Joshua of his wherewithal. Dangerous in a multitude of ways, but unavoidable.]
Thank you.
[That's all he can manage when there's little else to say.]
[Then again, the opposite is more likely to be true. There's a lot to say. Given the chance, Joshua knows his thoughts would spill out of his mouth for hours on end, accompanied by pained shouts and hot, angry tears directed at nobody and everybody at once.]
[But he has a reputation to uphold. He is a paragon of emotional control. Supposedly. Myriad actions borne of lapses in judgement cast into fire-hot emotions have reaped many-a-consequence that he's had to endure. In those moments, stoicism was key. Just as it is here.]
[Joshua opens the door leading into the backyard. It's a serene place, blessed with ample land and a small pond. He'd heard Clive and Jill's plans for their property, even given some of his own input, and it was all for naught.]
[Torgal perks up as he trots around the perimeter of the yard. Joshua, in the meantime, brings his fingers to his mouth in a loud whistle.]
My brother's chocobo, Ambrosia, should arrive anon. Her favored greens are in a chest just over there. Could you see that she is fed while I find the cat?
[The area outside is... beautiful. It's the sort of place that maybe he'd have wanted for himself one day if he were a mortal man. But he's not, and even here... it feels strange to play pretend that he's going to be here forever.]
[The whistle pulls him out of his thoughts and he processes what was just said. The meaning of the name is totally lost on him but he nods, heading towards the chest.]
If you have trouble calming the cat down, let me know and I might be able to get them to be less afraid.
[Being so connected with nature has been useful sometimes.]
[Ryu's connections with nature has been useful many many times!]
Given my past experiences with this particular beast, it is more likely than not that I will accept your offer.
[Thankfully, a far more friendly animal barges in right on cue: a silver chocobo with a scar over one eye. She's clearly a little on edge, but she's present enough that she's willing to listen to Joshua's calming tone.]
Woah, girl. Easy.
[He reaches up to place a hand on the chocobo's massive beak, giving it a gentle stroke.]
This is my friend, Ryu. Ryu, this is Ambrosia. My brother's most faithful and noble steed.
[The words hurt. Not just Joshua, but Ambrosia as well, evident in an antsy shuffling of her massive talons and a low trill.]
[He reaches a hand up to show the chocobo that while he carries a weapon he's not got it in his hands. Slowly he stretches until he touches her side gently and pats her carefully.]
Hello, Ambrosia. You're very big... and very pretty. It's nice to meet you.
[He scritches her feathers a little bit and nods to her.]
[Ambrosia is a noble lady and handles herself as such. That is, until she receives those scritches. They're enjoyable enough that she leans into Ryu's fingers, and it's obvious that she's happier for it and the promise that comes after.]
[Meanwhile, Joshua is searching for the cat. He makes it halfway through the yard before he finally calls out a name.]
Gnistre! It's mealtime!
[No response, although Joshua seems more exasperated than worried.]
[Oh, good. He was worried that without her rider she'd have grown too depressed to do anything but at least she's got some people to help her. Ryu keeps petting her until he hears Joshua call out.]
... Try sitting down in the yard with the food? I've had animals come to me that way.
[Including when he's hunting but... that's necessity.]
[He glances around once more before he turns to head back into the cottage. Passing Ryu and Ambrosia, Joshua dips his head at the large bird and briefly places a hand on Ryu's shoulder.]
Thank you for spending time with her. This is the happiest I've seen Ambrosia in days.
[Sensing that friendly presence, a large snow leopard cub peeks out from behind the bushes where she'd hidden herself, sniffing the air around Ryu.]
[In the interim, Joshua pulls her food from out of the fridge, working as quickly as he can. The less time he spends in Clive and Jill's home, the better.]
[He doesn't pull away for a moment, letting her get used to his scent. Once that's done he takes the bowl and sets it next to her. She's really pretty... he'd like to pet her but he also doesn't want to spook her, especially while eating.]
Here you go. See? You'll be okay. ... Just because one person leaves doesn't mean you can't still make friends. Even if that person was really important to you...
[He pats the ground next to him for Joshua before going back to watching the cat eat.]
My Dragon's Eye gives me a way with animals... I don't fully understand them, but I understand them enough that they're more likely to be friendly with me.
So I kind of have an unfair advantage.
[He laughs a little bit, looking up at his brother. It's true that he meant it for Joshua as well, but he's not going to say that. He doesn't need to.]
[Joshua first glances back at the cottage. There's so much to do. Cleaning. Compiling. Figuring out what to do with various items.]
[The very thought of those tasks is overwhelming, and it makes his heart hurt.]
[But when Joshua returns his gaze to Ryu, sitting there and offering that spot next to him, some of that pain ebbs away. He lowers himself slowly and carefully so he can sit as directed next to the brother he has left.]
[When he speaks, it's as if it's around a lump in his throat.]
Tell me more about your Dragon's Eye. It sounds like quite the useful talent.
I can tell you what I know - that it lets me get along better with animals... and that it lets me sense things that are like gods. That's... how I knew you were really powerful - I could feel it.
[What else...]
I've also had dreams of the future before. It... was kind of helpful but... I shared my dream with everyone else. I didn't mean to.
[Joshua welcomes Ryu's lean with a playful, but gentle, bump with his shoulder. A little something to show gratitude towards the warmth brought by his younger brother.]
Ah. So it's all connected.
[It makes sense. All of the Dominants' extraordinary abilities center around their unique elements. There's no reason the same wouldn't apply to otherworldly powers.]
As for sharing your dream, it may not have been purposeful, but it needn't be a mistake.
[He looks down at the cat and smiles. It's so cute... just like Joshua. Both fluffy...]
[But... ah.]
I mean... before here. I had a dream about the future when we were still in the east about a place we went to in the west. It... we were able to walk around and everything and we all remembered it when we woke up.
I haven't had a dream of the future here, just... worrying things. I don't know if that's better or not.
[The suggestion takes him by surprise. He blinks and looks between Joshua and Gnistre.]
But I couldn't - she... she's Jill's, right? So shouldn't she go with... you? Unless you don't want or - or don't have room for her. ... I'd be happy to take her if she wants, but... are you sure?
[The cat prrts and wanders over to the pair, flopping down in the grass. Hello, am cat.]
Gnistre and I did not have the most marvelous of starts. She's warmed up to me since, but I have not the room nor the aptitude for an animal of her needs.
[He smiles sadly.]
I cannot bring myself to set her into the wild, and I know you've an affinity for all manners of creature. If she is with you, then she is still within the family, so to speak.
I can confirm that she is exceptionally fond of it. I’ll be sure to send you with what food is left over for her.
[Joshua sighs, relieved.]
That just leaves taking care of Ambrosia, but I should be able to extend the stable soon. She’s taken to Alder well enough. Sharing a space won’t be a problem.
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timeasmymeasure
Backdated to June 3rd
Date: 2024-06-08 12:47 am (UTC)I need some help with a few animals. Would you be able to assist?
Thank you,
Joshua
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 12:50 am (UTC)We'll be traveling from my home to another.
I'll await your arrival out of doors.
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 12:59 am (UTC)[He shows up to Joshua's place looking quite cheerful, wearing a hat and smiling brightly. He's humming some sort of nonsense tune as he wanders up towards the treehouse. He's in a good mood - how could he not be? The sun is shining, Joshua's around, and he's going to help with some animals!]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 01:27 am (UTC)[He’s almost envious.]
[Torgal whines before leaving Joshua’s side to trot over to Ryu, where he sticks his massive head into the other not-quite-human’s hand for a pat. If Joshua isn’t going to give Ryu a warm and happy welcome, he’ll take care of it.]
Thank you for coming on such short notice.
[Joshua does his best to greet Ryu with a smile, and he manages to show one, but it’s empty. Devoid entirely of its usual warmth.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 01:40 am (UTC)[He drops the smile and puts on a somewhat more serious expression, a little at odds with the hat. Still, Joshua clearly needs him.]
... What's going on?
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 02:16 am (UTC)[Joshua shakes his head. The last thing he wanted to do is worry Ryu, and yet it was the first thing to happen.]
Pray do not worry.
[He walks over and places a hand on Ryu’s shoulder.]
Today’s errand isn’t exactly thrilling. Hence my more subdued nature.
[Not a lie. Not technically.]
Come. Let us be on our way. Tell me of your hat in the meantime.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 02:27 am (UTC)[... He doesn't like this. It's not a lie. But it's not the truth. And he hates this weird in between feeling - it feels awful.]
Okay.
[He walks alongside Joshua, keeping an eye on him and his mood. He's worried...]
During the fishing tournament Hiyori came and sat with me for a bit. She and I talked for a little while and then she asked me if I had a hat to protect my eyes from the sun. I said no, and she... her present from her and Yato happened to be this hat...
[There's real, genuine affection in his voice - along with a touch of disbelief.]
I... I don't know, everything I've had has always been like armor or weapons or supplies or - even the things I have here are for some kind of use. And I guess the hat has a use but it's also just... it's just a hat. And it can be just a hat.
I guess I've never had something that was... I don't want to call it unnecessary? But something that wasn't something I needed rather than something I wanted. ... Even if I didn't know I wanted it.
[... It's a hat. But it means a lot more to him than just a hat. Journals and books are great but they serve a purpose. Fashion is... dumb, it's ridiculous, it doesn't mean anything. And that's kind of the point - he has something that someone's given to him personally (rather than having it show up by magic like some of the gifts from Reverein) and it doesn't... it's a gift that he doesn't have to have but he has and it means something just because someone gave it to him, not because of its use.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 03:15 am (UTC)That was kind of Hiyori and Yato. They’ve proven themselves to be wonderful friends many times over.
[Joshua reaches out to playfully place a hand on Ryu’s head, mindful of the hat as he gives it a careful ruffle.]
Enjoy it, my friend. Such things are not mindless. They hold value, even if only in our hearts.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 03:20 am (UTC)It was. Maybe to them it was just a hat, but to me it was a lot more.
[He glances towards the cottage. ... Hm. Why is he getting an oddly bad feeling about this?]
... What have you been doing lately?
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 04:03 am (UTC)[He’s been here daily to care for the animals left behind, but he’s only familiar with Torgal and Ambrosia, and the former is the only one he has space for currently, until he builds a new stable. As a favor to Clive, he'd kept the snow cat for a few days hidden from Jill, but he learned quickly that was little time for bonding with such an animal.]
[That one will need a new home entirely. Ambrosia, a temporary one.]
[And as for the rest of the cottage...]
[Joshua swallows. Why does it feel like he's taking care of the last of their estate? As if Clive and Jill have died instead of leaving him behind?]
Nothing--
[Somehow, his voice cracked. Joshua clears his throat and tries again.]
Nothing spectacular. Writing. Taking care of the animals here. Although that has proven itself a task too arduous for me alone.
[For myriad reasons.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 01:18 pm (UTC)... I see.
[He's not sure what to say. What do you say in a situation like this?]
I'm sorry. ... How can I help?
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 02:07 pm (UTC)[Joshua squeezes his hand in return. How long can he protect that innocence? How long until his clever friend––adoptive brother––undergoes one experience too many that finally wipes away that wholesome qualia and changes him, if not completely, then close to it?]
[He leads Ryu ahead towards the cottage with purposeful steps. He cannot falter now.]
You're already helping with my animal conundrum. I need little more than that.
[The door is close. Joshua steels himself.]
But I thank you, nonetheless.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 03:23 pm (UTC)Okay. I'm here if you do need me.
[Ryu lets his hand fall and moves so that Torgal can stick near Joshua. He gets the sense that Joshua is going to need (closer) family support as he gets inside.]
I'm right behind you.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-09 04:11 am (UTC)[The cottage looks lived-in still. Whatever blankets and knickknacks that look out of place haven't been moved, although the kitchen is clean and the bedroom door has been pulled shut.]
[Joshua has been called a ghost many times in his life, few of them pleasant. Yet it wasn't until he stepped into his siblings' abode, frozen in time, that he finally felt like one. A specter, gliding throughout a place it isn't meant to be, unable to interact with the physicality of this chosen space.]
[Except to Joshua, the barrier is less one made of a veil between worlds, and more of the ache in his heart knowing that to move anything means to slowly destroy the remnants of any evidence that Clive and Jill were here.]
[He holds the door open so that Ryu can join him. Torgal, in the meantime, pads in without a problem, although his tail and ears hang low.]
Come in. The animals in question are in the back.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 04:07 pm (UTC)[He follows Joshua inside, placing a hand on the other's back for a moment before letting go and stepping aside.]
All right. I'm... I'm not going to touch anything.
[Or he'll try not to, at least.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-13 03:37 am (UTC)[This is a place that robs Joshua of his wherewithal. Dangerous in a multitude of ways, but unavoidable.]
Thank you.
[That's all he can manage when there's little else to say.]
[Then again, the opposite is more likely to be true. There's a lot to say. Given the chance, Joshua knows his thoughts would spill out of his mouth for hours on end, accompanied by pained shouts and hot, angry tears directed at nobody and everybody at once.]
[But he has a reputation to uphold. He is a paragon of emotional control. Supposedly. Myriad actions borne of lapses in judgement cast into fire-hot emotions have reaped many-a-consequence that he's had to endure. In those moments, stoicism was key. Just as it is here.]
[Joshua opens the door leading into the backyard. It's a serene place, blessed with ample land and a small pond. He'd heard Clive and Jill's plans for their property, even given some of his own input, and it was all for naught.]
[Torgal perks up as he trots around the perimeter of the yard. Joshua, in the meantime, brings his fingers to his mouth in a loud whistle.]
My brother's chocobo, Ambrosia, should arrive anon. Her favored greens are in a chest just over there. Could you see that she is fed while I find the cat?
[Ryu's getting the easier job of the two.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-13 12:51 pm (UTC)[The area outside is... beautiful. It's the sort of place that maybe he'd have wanted for himself one day if he were a mortal man. But he's not, and even here... it feels strange to play pretend that he's going to be here forever.]
[The whistle pulls him out of his thoughts and he processes what was just said. The meaning of the name is totally lost on him but he nods, heading towards the chest.]
If you have trouble calming the cat down, let me know and I might be able to get them to be less afraid.
[Being so connected with nature has been useful sometimes.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-14 03:48 am (UTC)Given my past experiences with this particular beast, it is more likely than not that I will accept your offer.
[Thankfully, a far more friendly animal barges in right on cue: a silver chocobo with a scar over one eye. She's clearly a little on edge, but she's present enough that she's willing to listen to Joshua's calming tone.]
Woah, girl. Easy.
[He reaches up to place a hand on the chocobo's massive beak, giving it a gentle stroke.]
This is my friend, Ryu. Ryu, this is Ambrosia. My brother's most faithful and noble steed.
[The words hurt. Not just Joshua, but Ambrosia as well, evident in an antsy shuffling of her massive talons and a low trill.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-14 11:38 am (UTC)Hello, Ambrosia. You're very big... and very pretty. It's nice to meet you.
[He scritches her feathers a little bit and nods to her.]
You're going to be okay. We'll take care of you.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-18 02:45 am (UTC)[Meanwhile, Joshua is searching for the cat. He makes it halfway through the yard before he finally calls out a name.]
Gnistre! It's mealtime!
[No response, although Joshua seems more exasperated than worried.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-18 05:00 pm (UTC)... Try sitting down in the yard with the food? I've had animals come to me that way.
[Including when he's hunting but... that's necessity.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 01:02 pm (UTC)Give me a moment. Her food is inside.
[He glances around once more before he turns to head back into the cottage. Passing Ryu and Ambrosia, Joshua dips his head at the large bird and briefly places a hand on Ryu's shoulder.]
Thank you for spending time with her. This is the happiest I've seen Ambrosia in days.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 04:22 pm (UTC)Of course. She seems very sweet. I guess she takes after her family!
[Because obviously they're family - why wouldn't a chocobo count as family?]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-24 05:30 am (UTC)She's just as bold, brave, and stubborn as she is pleasant. Take that as you will.
[He's joking! It's not a great joke, but it's a good sign.]
[Joshua heads inside and immediately that lighthearted attitude deflates. Keeping himself in check, he works on the food situation.]
[Outside, there's a flash of white in the bushes. Something is sneaking around.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-25 12:17 pm (UTC)[He chuckles a little bit, watching Joshua go. And... oh! That must be...]
I'll be right back.
[He gives Ambrosia another pat and goes to sit near the bushes - not right in front of them, but nearby.]
Gnistre? If you come out, we've got food. I'm sorry your person isn't here anymore, but we'll take care of you.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-29 06:11 am (UTC)[In the interim, Joshua pulls her food from out of the fridge, working as quickly as he can. The less time he spends in Clive and Jill's home, the better.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-30 02:36 am (UTC)Joshua will be right back. He's just worried about you. ... And I think he's sad, too.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-30 01:25 pm (UTC)Ah!
You've found her––or perhaps it is more accurate to say she's found you.
[He hands the large bowl to Ryu.]
Mayhap you should do the honors.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-02 06:12 pm (UTC)Here you go. See? You'll be okay. ... Just because one person leaves doesn't mean you can't still make friends. Even if that person was really important to you...
no subject
Date: 2024-07-03 01:56 pm (UTC)[If the latter understood, it shows as she presses her face into Ryu's hand before sitting to eat.]
She's warmed up to you quickly.
Far quicker than she did to myself, anyroad.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 05:31 pm (UTC)My Dragon's Eye gives me a way with animals... I don't fully understand them, but I understand them enough that they're more likely to be friendly with me.
So I kind of have an unfair advantage.
[He laughs a little bit, looking up at his brother. It's true that he meant it for Joshua as well, but he's not going to say that. He doesn't need to.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 01:51 am (UTC)[The very thought of those tasks is overwhelming, and it makes his heart hurt.]
[But when Joshua returns his gaze to Ryu, sitting there and offering that spot next to him, some of that pain ebbs away. He lowers himself slowly and carefully so he can sit as directed next to the brother he has left.]
[When he speaks, it's as if it's around a lump in his throat.]
Tell me more about your Dragon's Eye. It sounds like quite the useful talent.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 07:30 pm (UTC)I can tell you what I know - that it lets me get along better with animals... and that it lets me sense things that are like gods. That's... how I knew you were really powerful - I could feel it.
[What else...]
I've also had dreams of the future before. It... was kind of helpful but... I shared my dream with everyone else. I didn't mean to.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-12 08:22 pm (UTC)Ah. So it's all connected.
[It makes sense. All of the Dominants' extraordinary abilities center around their unique elements. There's no reason the same wouldn't apply to otherworldly powers.]
As for sharing your dream, it may not have been purposeful, but it needn't be a mistake.
We were able to talk about it, after all.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-14 02:04 am (UTC)[But... ah.]
I mean... before here. I had a dream about the future when we were still in the east about a place we went to in the west. It... we were able to walk around and everything and we all remembered it when we woke up.
I haven't had a dream of the future here, just... worrying things. I don't know if that's better or not.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-19 04:59 am (UTC)[He watches Ryu look at Gnistre with such fondness.]
[Then, he pauses, and considers something.]
...If you want to bring her home, and she is amenable to it, she's yours.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-19 03:44 pm (UTC)[The suggestion takes him by surprise. He blinks and looks between Joshua and Gnistre.]
But I couldn't - she... she's Jill's, right? So shouldn't she go with... you? Unless you don't want or - or don't have room for her. ... I'd be happy to take her if she wants, but... are you sure?
[The cat prrts and wanders over to the pair, flopping down in the grass. Hello, am cat.]
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Date: 2024-07-22 12:36 am (UTC)Gnistre and I did not have the most marvelous of starts. She's warmed up to me since, but I have not the room nor the aptitude for an animal of her needs.
[He smiles sadly.]
I cannot bring myself to set her into the wild, and I know you've an affinity for all manners of creature. If she is with you, then she is still within the family, so to speak.
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Date: 2024-07-22 11:14 pm (UTC)[He pats her side gently and she catches his hand with her paws. She doesn't scratch, just holds his hand.]
Is that a yes?
Prrt!
I think that's a yes.
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Date: 2024-07-23 03:07 am (UTC)Then the matter is settled. Gnistre has a new home, and you a new companion.
[He squeezes Ryu's shoulder.]
Congratulations.
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Date: 2024-07-23 05:37 pm (UTC)[He opens his arms and the cat just... stares at him. Nah.]
Okay, okay.
[He pats her on the side and chuckles.]
I... um. I guess I'll have to get you some food. Do you like fish?
Mrow!
Oh, good.
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Date: 2024-07-24 12:30 am (UTC)[Joshua sighs, relieved.]
That just leaves taking care of Ambrosia, but I should be able to extend the stable soon. She’s taken to Alder well enough. Sharing a space won’t be a problem.
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Date: 2024-07-24 12:47 am (UTC)... And I can make sure that Ambrosia understands the need to share.
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Date: 2024-07-24 02:10 am (UTC)[Joshua looks over at Ambrosia as she finishes up her greens.]
However, I will not rebuff help with the stable.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-24 02:53 pm (UTC)