[ there's a slight widening of his eyes at the reaction - that surprising to ask, really? - but the stray thought amidst the muddle changes the surprise to understanding quickly enough. ]
Ah, that's how it is. I thought you were a little young for multiple children. [ by normal human standards. ] You seem pretty fond of them. "Sticky" and "Murky"... nicknames, or self-governed?
[ he hums. by normal human standards. it's not lost on him - nodd
was half elf after all, the man was long-lived as well. curious as
always. ]
Self-made... Sticky and Murky were both orphaned - the latter's parents
died during the last bout of the plague, the one quelled prior to the most
recent outbreak I face now. The children of the Town are a bit more
independent than most. Probably why my father put so much weight in them.
[ he doesn't sound like he agrees, though. children should be
allowed to stay children for a good while should they desire. ]
Rural children tend to be so. Comparing the children of border towns to the uppity Capital kids is like trying to reconcile a dagger and a cushion.
[ we're ignoring that he was born in ketergia himself. he hasn't lived there for yeeears. there's a slightly cautious kind of hum, mostly agreement but with an edge. ]
There's a girl on my squadron at the moment - Serendis. She's human, came to us only two years ago. She's still just sixteen, now. Incredibly talented, very shy. I keep making her mad accidentally and she hits me. [ despite this, he sounds fond. ] I worry that she's more mature than I am.
Cushions to daggers... you have a way of describing it perfectly. Having
spent time going to school in the Capital, well, that's not far from my own
experience. I was more an oddity myself coming from the steppe to study
modern medicine there.
[ a little chuckle leaves him before he settles in to listen about
serendis, nodding softly. ]
She sounds a little like my Murky, but much older. Girl says she hates me
one moment, then climbs me like a tree the next to pull my hair and say I'm
walking too loudly, disturbing the herbs.
[ playfully: ] Oh? What makes you think Serendis is more
mature than you, hm?
Visiting Ketergia after working for years on the surface just makes me uncomfortable now. It's only ever boring business that requires a visit, too. [ and, with a little breath of a laugh; ] Both the oddities at our alma maters, then, though mine was more because the student body was almost entirely beast- and plant-folk.
[ amused at the imagery at play here, a faint smile past the usual expression. ]
There's always some way for them to act out, even well into their years. She'll probably keep that up into adulthood. [ a slightly sheepish droop of his ears... remembering some scolding. ] I've been told as much to my face, and I suppose she's never had to write me an apology note, while mine might be in the double digits by now.
Apology notes, huh? What have you gone and done to write so many of
those...?
[ just sipping unknowingly on his pre-death margarita like nothing
is wrong, amused just a little. under the table he will tap the tip of his
shoe with his boot lightly. ]
[ haha yayyy pre-death drinks. he's not yet responding to that little foot-tap but he's not moving away from it, either. ]
She works with fabrics and textiles, takes a lot of pride in it. I think they're very impressive, but apparently she doesn't like that I compare the colours and textures to poisonous plants and insects. Even though they're supposed to be toxic. [ sips his own drink. ] Despite reminders, I keep doing it out of habit.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-07-25 01:37 pm (UTC)Ah, that's how it is. I thought you were a little young for multiple children. [ by normal human standards. ] You seem pretty fond of them. "Sticky" and "Murky"... nicknames, or self-governed?
no subject
Date: 2025-07-25 02:25 pm (UTC)[ he hums. by normal human standards. it's not lost on him - nodd was half elf after all, the man was long-lived as well. curious as always. ]
Self-made... Sticky and Murky were both orphaned - the latter's parents died during the last bout of the plague, the one quelled prior to the most recent outbreak I face now. The children of the Town are a bit more independent than most. Probably why my father put so much weight in them.
[ he doesn't sound like he agrees, though. children should be allowed to stay children for a good while should they desire. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-07-25 02:48 pm (UTC)[ we're ignoring that he was born in ketergia himself. he hasn't lived there for yeeears. there's a slightly cautious kind of hum, mostly agreement but with an edge. ]
There's a girl on my squadron at the moment - Serendis. She's human, came to us only two years ago. She's still just sixteen, now. Incredibly talented, very shy. I keep making her mad accidentally and she hits me. [ despite this, he sounds fond. ] I worry that she's more mature than I am.
no subject
Date: 2025-07-25 03:43 pm (UTC)Cushions to daggers... you have a way of describing it perfectly. Having spent time going to school in the Capital, well, that's not far from my own experience. I was more an oddity myself coming from the steppe to study modern medicine there.
[ a little chuckle leaves him before he settles in to listen about serendis, nodding softly. ]
She sounds a little like my Murky, but much older. Girl says she hates me one moment, then climbs me like a tree the next to pull my hair and say I'm walking too loudly, disturbing the herbs.
[ playfully: ] Oh? What makes you think Serendis is more mature than you, hm?
no subject
Date: 2025-07-25 03:58 pm (UTC)[ amused at the imagery at play here, a faint smile past the usual expression. ]
There's always some way for them to act out, even well into their years. She'll probably keep that up into adulthood. [ a slightly sheepish droop of his ears... remembering some scolding. ] I've been told as much to my face, and I suppose she's never had to write me an apology note, while mine might be in the double digits by now.
no subject
Date: 2025-07-25 06:08 pm (UTC)[ seeing the droop of those ears, he hums ]
Apology notes, huh? What have you gone and done to write so many of those...?
[ just sipping unknowingly on his pre-death margarita like nothing is wrong, amused just a little. under the table he will tap the tip of his shoe with his boot lightly. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-07-26 01:50 am (UTC)She works with fabrics and textiles, takes a lot of pride in it. I think they're very impressive, but apparently she doesn't like that I compare the colours and textures to poisonous plants and insects. Even though they're supposed to be toxic. [ sips his own drink. ] Despite reminders, I keep doing it out of habit.
no subject
Date: 2025-07-26 07:16 am (UTC)[ he can't help himself, it's maybe both amusing and intriguing? ]
no subject
Date: 2025-07-26 11:58 am (UTC)[ hmmm. other examples... ]
Her previous work was a brightly saturated red. Like the cap of a fly amanita.