relinquishing | IC - Appointments

[It's not long after Jade's been reacquainted with Luke that he decides to seek out Guy. He needs to figure out for sure exactly what everyone knows. Not to mention discussing what Luke's presence means for them.

Guy isn't the easiest person to find - perhaps he doesn't want to be found. But Jade is sure that he will return to his room at some point. Of course, Jade would not consider himself a stalker. He won't wait in Guy's room. Instead, he leaves the rappigs and Colonel the dog in his room, to act as a makeshift alarm for Guy's eventual arrival.]

[Having already plowed his way through the village in his attempts to get to Luke, there's no point for him to sneak back through the window as he had earlier in the day. Through the front door will be good enough! He even makes it to his bedroom without incident.

The noises from behind the door are acknowledged a split second too late. The click of the lock sends a pile full of animals scrambling against Guy's legs, earning a loud squawk and one blond servant tumbling straight to the floor.

Any indignant calling of a certain scoundrel's name drowns under a million puppy licks.]

[And Jade casually strolls on over, his hands in his pockets as he stands over Guy's form with an imitation of a curious look.]

Guy. I see that you're home.

[The Colonel will only get a grimace in return before Guy flops his head back onto the floor, grumbling.]

Should have guessed it was you.

[Gently trying to get the dog off his chest isn't working, since the dog is far too excited in lapping up all the snow and dirt that still lingers on his face.]

I have no idea what you're talking about. [He says with a shrug as a serpentine smile crosses his lips.]

Incidentally, I've been meaning to speak with you.

[The blond rolls his eyes, plucking the dog up long enough to hoist himself to a sitting position. He ends up with a rappig in his lap for the effort, but at least he can breathe now.]

Really? Sorry if I've been hard to catch -- Colonel, stop, down -- aah, I'd only gotten back today.

You seem relatively easy to catch at the moment. [He hums as the animals play with their blonde prey.] Additionally, it seems you've chosen quite the day to return.

Edited 2014-02-14 01:41 (UTC)

I'll say. Not every day you find someone locking a bunch of animals in your room.

[Sarcasm aside, he lets himself smirk fondly, giving the nearest rappig a scratch behind the ear.]

I guess that means you saw Luke.

[And Jade smirks right back.]

That's right. It seems that the young viscount has decided to grace us with his presence once again.

[To exist once again. To be alive and here once again.]

[To be alive...

The slight shift in Guy's expression is quickly exchanged for a forced look of curiosity, one knee bent with an arm against it, holding his chin up with the back of his hand.]

What, no comment about his attitude? I'm surprised.

I happen to specialize in surprises. [He shrugs as he glances down towards Guy, reflecting on his implications. Had Guy not seen Luke through to the end of the story...? But then, Jade did always like to take jabs at Luke even after he changed, so his comment could still be relevant to a similar timeframe. With all of this, Jade still maintains a flippant tone.] And Luke happened to be on his best behavior. Perhaps he'll fit in well here, with all the pets.

...You're horrible.

[If you make his little brother a pet, he will make your face a giant bruise for the rest of your life.]

Well, he's got some thawing to do first. Don't go pulling any of your surprises on him until he's got his head on straight.

I wouldn't dream of such a thing. [He says with that tone that doesn't quite sound convincing at all.] Don't worry, I'll be sure to have my fun with him only after he's reached a mild room temperature.

Thanks, I feel so much better now. [It's said in as thankless of a tone as possible as he peers back up at the older man, looking puzzled.]

Is this what you wanted to talk about? What you and I think of Luke being here now?

It seemed like an interesting enough topic to start with.

[He leans over and softly scratches at the underbelly of Jade the rappig, which gets him off of Guy.]

After all, I'm not quite certain of the last time you saw him before today.

[...

Still... looking puzzled, although in a different way. Jade prying into information like this never leads to anything good.]

That's a pretty loaded statement.

[Jade needs to have all the facts, as simple as that. But beyond that, he does want to see if Guy knows the full story about Luke or not.]

To be fair, a majority of our time in Auldrant was loaded in some manner or another. However, I don't doubt your ability to properly unload such a statement.

[Such a backhanded compliment!

Guy stares up at him for a few seconds before crossing his arms across his waist, head leaning back against the wall of the hallway.]

I saw him right before I showed up here. It was the night before we left for Eldrant.

[It's Jade's favorite kind of compliment.

Jade's hands migrate back into his pockets as he considers this. So he didn't know of Luke's fate - but it seemed close enough that Guy could have known for his condition.]

Ah yes. I remember that night clearly. [He leans against the wall next to Guy, but standing up, hands still propped in his pockets.] You're not as far behind as I estimated, Guy.

Your memories go past that point, then.

[It's a quiet question, not much punch to it. Really, he wouldn't be surprised if Jade found a way around that. The tightness in his gut just returns at the thought of what else Jade might remember, or what he could confirm.

He'd never admit to being too scared to ask.]

[Jade speaks slowly and in his more matter-of-factly tone, without lightness or the hints at sarcasm.]

That's right. I've seen a fall of Eldrant.

[It's an odd comfort to him that he's from a later time than the others. It helps him to hold onto that sense of being a step ahead of everyone else - a confident feeling that had been threatened by arriving to Luceti and finding everyone else to be more experienced with this world.]

[His fingers tighten their grip against his arms. So many things had been hinged on Eldrant's uprooting. For it to be gone meant the world would be free of Van's plan... plus anything else that might have gone down with it.

His smile is forced; to hold the conversation on what light notes could still be salvaged. It's a bitter hoorah.]

...So all that strategy really paid off. [Colonel whines - Guy obliges with a scratch under the pup's chin.] And here I thought it was beginning to look like a suicide mission.

[He glances down as the dog is pet and otherwise maintains his posture. Some lightness returns to his voice.]

My, so you truly believed that. You really should have more faith in my intellect, Guy. [And the light tone starts to transition into something slightly warmer.] And, of course, in Luke.

[His expression quirks in response, amused and yet restrained.]

Pretty sure my faith had nothing to do with it. You're not exactly the type to make decisions rashly. And Luke...

...Well, he's willing to give everything he has to make things right again. Even if the odds are piled against him.

[It's an unspoken jab to Jade's implication. To say Guy didn't have faith in Luke was like saying the sky wasn't blue. Some days, it felt he was the only one who bothered to keep any sort of positive outlook on the redhead. Maybe it was caretaker's bias, but he doesn't give a damn. Let him be biased for someone he cares about.]

[Jade gives a light smirk.]

It seems that I have no reason to doubt that you're the true Guy Cecil. [He says that with a slight amused sarcasm, but then he goes on in a more serious tone after a moment as he taps at his chin.]

Given that, we should count ourselves lucky that Luke arrived on such a quiet day. In different circumstances, this world can seem determined to stack odds against individuals.

[And he knows such a day would come again. Jade hadn't worried as much about Luke the first time he was here. But that was partly a biproduct of Luke having been in this world longer. And now a Luke had dropped into their laps without memories - like a newborn to this world.]

No kidding. At least we're all... aah, "ourselves" right now.

[Showing up in the middle of a Shift or Malnosso conflict was a handful for anyone, let alone New Feathers. With Luke's current emotional state, Guy doesn't exactly want to think about how the redhead would handle such a drastic (and likely ridiculous) change.

The blonde gives a shrug, leaning forward to rest his arms against his knees.]

He'll figure things out, once he gets his bearings again. This isn't the first time that the world's been a mystery. The luck's on his side this time around, I guess.

[First Auldrant, now here... Really, it seemed sometimes that the lessons of the world wouldn't ever stop for Luke. Not that Guy minded, seeing his position called him to assist for so long anyway. But there wasn't a way to make it easier in a place like this.]

IC - Appointments

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