Thanks for calling. If you're reaching out to sell your soul, I'll already know and I'll be there soon. If you're calling to just talk, leave a message and I'll call you back when I can. Which will probably be soon. Talk to you then~
[That sounds awful. He shivers from the thought himself. Relius Clover. He'd been watching that all go down. Even added in some battle music.]
...That sounds sad. That part of him being gone. But are you sure it's gone and not locked away? I just want to make sure. If he's build walls, maybe it's still there. But the light of it is hidden behind the new walls. Or do you think the light was fully snuffed?
Because if that kid was in there, that light? It has to still exist inside him. Somewhere.
If it's still there, even I can feel it. And I haven't been able to for almost half of the time I've known him now.
I'd like to think he's only locked it away...but I'm also afraid of that meaning that there's a limit to his trust in me. Because I trust him fully and it would mean he's lost some of that too.
Maybe. So far I only know that he feels safer and more in control with those walls. With his bar, and in his monkey form. And I do need to talk to him about some other things.
[He shakes his head.]
Not when it's only us. But there's always this...this shift if we're not alone. Like a door locking.
...I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that you're the best person I knew to talk to.
I...wish you could talk to MK about that. Not for him, but because I think he'd understand since he was the one resetting his world. At least on some level.
But if you can and want to talk about it to someone, I'm usually around.
I'd also rather that. I'd rather that I knew that talking to you would just result in a blank look and confusion. Because you're right. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
And you're not wrong. I probably would.
But...I'm grateful for you being willing to let me talk to you about this.
[Max follows and takes in everything. Each room and the state of it, and the feelings inside and how concentrated they are. Once everything is open, he stretches out his arms. He spends his glamour. Wind rushes through the house, pushing out the clouds of emotions and replacing it with fresh air and the scent of spring.]
I can teach you this contract. The humans in Germany have a similar tradition there. You open up every window quickly and shut them an hour later to air out the bad emotions and cleanse the house.
Of course. It'll be a fun learning experience. And you can ask Mk to help teach you more about cooking. I'm sure he'll love spending time with you cooking.
That's cute, I'm glad. And that sounds like a plan to me.
Oh right. [Max nods.]
I wanted to talk about linking our houses. If we each get a room add on for our houses, we could link those rooms together into one room with my powers. Then with hedgegates in those doors, we basically connect our houses and live together without moving anything.
Oh...that makes sense. I don't have a problem with it, and I have a few of those house expansion tickets so making a space to connect shouldn't be hard.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:21 am (UTC)From:...That sounds sad. That part of him being gone. But are you sure it's gone and not locked away? I just want to make sure. If he's build walls, maybe it's still there. But the light of it is hidden behind the new walls. Or do you think the light was fully snuffed?
Because if that kid was in there, that light? It has to still exist inside him. Somewhere.
But no one else noticing? That's just sad.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:34 am (UTC)From:I'd like to think he's only locked it away...but I'm also afraid of that meaning that there's a limit to his trust in me. Because I trust him fully and it would mean he's lost some of that too.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:35 am (UTC)From:Do you feel distrust or a lack of trust around him now that you've noticed?
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:41 am (UTC)From:[He shakes his head.]
Not when it's only us. But there's always this...this shift if we're not alone. Like a door locking.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:46 am (UTC)From:Talking to him is going to be a good idea. Thing is, what he's been through leaves scar tissue. A twice shattered soul? That does things to a person.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:49 am (UTC)From:But...it sounds like you know personally.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 03:50 am (UTC)From:I definitely came out a different person. And then the world reset again and now my very being is being stripped away and eaten slowly.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 06:54 pm (UTC)From:I...wish you could talk to MK about that. Not for him, but because I think he'd understand since he was the one resetting his world. At least on some level.
But if you can and want to talk about it to someone, I'm usually around.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 08:03 pm (UTC)From:No.
Would it be better if it was someone else?
I mean, Tobias would be better for you if he was here but I think you'd spiral out if he was the better person to talk to.
So in the end, it's best that it's me.
And I'll remember that. I'm good for right now. Thank you, Cole. I really appreciate the offer.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-19 08:12 pm (UTC)From:And you're not wrong. I probably would.
But...I'm grateful for you being willing to let me talk to you about this.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 02:21 am (UTC)From:You know though, it's cloyingly...gross in here. Sorry but this much misery is suffocating. How are you dealing with all this?
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 02:28 am (UTC)From:I just am. I can't do anything to deal with it, and it's been so long I've almost gotten used to it.
[Almost.]
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 02:30 am (UTC)From:[He hops up and motions for Cole to get up.]
Every room. Open every door and every window in the house. Come on. We're airing this shit out.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 02:42 am (UTC)From:There aren't many at least.
[He leads the way through the house, making sure that no windows are missed since there are predictably more.
It doubles as a small tour for Max though.]
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 02:53 am (UTC)From:I can teach you this contract. The humans in Germany have a similar tradition there. You open up every window quickly and shut them an hour later to air out the bad emotions and cleanse the house.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 02:57 am (UTC)From:[He looks up at Max thoughtfully.]
Is there anything I could do for you?
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 03:06 am (UTC)From:How does that sound?
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 03:09 am (UTC)From:Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 03:24 am (UTC)From:Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 06:07 pm (UTC)From:We can go gt one in a bit, but you said you also wanted to talk about something?
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-21 06:11 pm (UTC)From:Oh right. [Max nods.]
I wanted to talk about linking our houses. If we each get a room add on for our houses, we could link those rooms together into one room with my powers. Then with hedgegates in those doors, we basically connect our houses and live together without moving anything.
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-23 09:15 pm (UTC)From:Just...how come?
Re: Action
Date: 2025-03-30 07:41 pm (UTC)From:Two, to keep an eye on you. In a friendly kind of way. Also so you can always just knock and have some people close you can trust if needed.
And three, just seems like a good idea.
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