herr_bookman | OOM: Everything will always be all right

Entry tags:

OOM: Everything will always be all right

"I swear, I've passed this fountain thrice already," Autor mutters, wrinkling his nose at his map of Vane, one of Lunar's capital cities.

Mia had told him to go browse for flying carpets on his day off, so here he is, wandering around downtown and losing hope in finding the store he had set out to find. He sees groomed courtyards, crowded marketplaces, and a particularly gorgeous fresco of Althena, the local goddess, but nothing to do with airborne rugs.

Autor frowns. All of this walking around is exacerbating the pinches in his legs, sore from a new morning run routine. Needless to say, the kid is stumped and irascible--something he's thinking about working out on the stupid fountain which he has now passed for the fourth time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Taking his cue, Rabastan moves over to help Gideon put the carpet away, before the older man moves to usher everyone out of the back room, following behind the other three.

Turns out that he was more aware of the mood swing than he let on.

"Why don't you and your lady head on home, eh?" he suggests. "It's almost time for me to close, and if you're not feeling well I'll handle the cleaning tonight."

"Sure. Of course."

"Good good. And I'll see you in a couple of days, then."

Oh, that's interesting, too, the boy thinks, raising a brow at Gideon's handling Rabastan with kid gloves. He's not that fragile.

Lohengrin's flinch skitters across Autor's memory, and he jerks to a stop. No, he's not. Is he?

Drawing a breath through his nose, Autor continues walking towards the front door. He spares a backward glance for Elea, expecting to see her at Rabastan's side.

And she is. As close as you'd expect any normal couple to be. As if Rabastan's mood hadn't changed. No attempts to soothe or placate are made.

As they get closer to him she gives Autor just the faintest of inclinations that he should follow them once they're outside.

While she's not completely sure, she has a hunch that whatever just happened in the shop has something to do with her.

Autor purses his lips at her gesture. It may as well have been signal fires lit across a countryside.

The boy picks up his pace, and manages to get to the door before them. With one last thank you to Gideon, he opens the door for the two lagging behind him.

It's winter in Vane, and Autor's under dressed, as usual. He'd also expected to be back at the dorms by now. He's surprised that he can see his breath. Shivering, he leans against the shop wall and curls his hands around a hand warmer which he retrieves from his pocket.

"Well?" he asks the couple smoothly. He doesn't care much who answers.

Turning to face Rabastan, but not lowering her voice for his ears only, she remains silent for a minute.

"Did you have any plans to inform me of what happened in Gideon's shop, Rabastan?"

Her tone is understanding, yet disapproving.

"Who is this young man? You know him, don't you? Yes, I noticed that you were displeased to see him here. And then suddenly you're all miserable.

"And I'd like to know why."

"His name's Autor. I ... know him from another place, and..." Rabastan's voice trails off.

"And?"

He looks on the verge of tears.

"Rabastan... Don't cry." Pause. "Tell me what's wrong, love."

If it sounds like emphasis was placed on the last word, Autor isn't mistaken.

The boy isn't concerned with the word love, nor the emphasis she places on it. Karkat keeps saying that love is a human word which means a different thing to everyone who says it, and Autor believes him. Besides, he already knows who Elea is; that she wants him to know who she is is the only thing of note.

No, the word he's focused on is cry.

Rabastan's pinched expression and trembling hands slap the boy full in the face. He'd expected rage, or magic, or an attempt at witty banter. But reducing the man to tears within five minutes of an unexpected visit?

So it's true, Autor acknowledges to himself. I break everything I touch.

That the wizard hadn't immediately cast spells on him--the enforced neutrality of Milliways is gone, after all--and even maintained a veneer of civility in the shop isn't lost on Autor. He was looking for a job, and he found one. And here's Elea, too, to whom he believes I am a threat.

He sighs.

"I'm a student, and I have been interested in Rabastan's discipline of magic," he says stiffly. "We've butted heads more than once about methodology."

He crosses to them, but plants his feet once he's a respectful distance away. "Your hands are shaking," he says to the otter-man, and offers the warmer. "And it's cold here."

Edited 2013-03-27 16:53 (UTC)

No. No you don't break everything, but too often you are careless with others' feelings.

Elea brushes the fringe of Rabastan's hair and, amidst gentle admonishments that he's long overdue for a haircut, are assurances that she isn't going anywhere, if that's what's got him so worked up.

It seems to work, and any tears shed are tears of relief.

His good thing isn't going to leave him for another, the way he's been expecting it to.

After a few minutes, it's Elea who takes the warmer and presses it into Rabastan's hand.

"That I'm sure would make for an interesting story. Your interest in Rabastan's magic and your disagreements over it. And I'd be interested in hearing about it if both of you are willing to talk about it."

She pauses to allow Rabastan to give Autor a strangled smile and a hoarse "Thank you" before moving on.

"But would you two like to join me for a meal? I know a quiet place where we won't be bothered much by anyone."

Sure, Rabastan will jump at the offering of food, though if his appetite has been curbed a bit by his emotions Elea will not be too surprised. But what about Autor?

Wait, you thought she'd leave you? Seriously? Autor thinks, aghast. And for me of all people! Are you mad? What would I even do with her--

Once the man starts crying though, the boy has to slam his eyes shut. Ostensibly in the name of granting privacy, but also to hide. There's no reason to witness this sort of thing when Elea can do it.

Which is why he doesn't notice her creeping up to take the warmer until her fingers brush while grabbing it. Autor jumps a bit, and nearly squeaks. He jerks back even more at the horrifying smile Rabastan gives him.

The boy brings up an arm across his chest, shielding himself. "Thank you for the offer, Elea, but I really shouldn't impose..."

Edited 2013-03-28 04:32 (UTC)

Well, not for you, exactly. Just leaving in general. It is unfortunate that you should be the first person to make him more aware of his anxiety about losing a good thing to another person though.

The tears do not last, and already she's using what little healing magics she knows to make Rabastan's face look a little less like he's just had a bad cry.

After she gives Autor an amused smile at his reaction to being touched.

"It's not an imposition. And you don't have to order anything, though I hope you will. The food there is wonderful. But you two do look like you need to talk about something, and food and drink are often the best facilitators for that."

"I'd really rather--" he starts, but his words choke off as she continues fussing over Rabastan.

I don't want this, the boy thinks helplessly. His arms dangle at his sides, and his fingers are numb. The last time I saw him, he slammed me against a wall and made all of those terrible assumptions and forbid me from using the library again--and yet now I've made him cry just by being here, so why do I feel like I should be the one to make amends?

Clearly this all needs looking into. "On two conditions," he says tightly, and sets his jaw. "No magic, and no giga ant eggs."

She wouldn't fuss over him but give him a solid lecture if Elea knew what had happened during the last meeting between Rabastan and Autor.

Just because she loves him doesn't mean Rabastan will never be taken to task over any wrongdoings.

"I can't promise you the staff won't use any, but agreed. Those things are horrible anyways."

Autor glumly shoves his hands in his pockets, crackling another warmer. He gestures for Elea to take the lead, intending to remain silent on their trip to the restaurant.

He's going to avoid looking at Rabastan at all.

Said restaurant, as it happens, is not too far from the shop where Gideon sells his carpets.

There won't be too much walking, although there is yet another bookseller on the route.

Once there, Elea decides to open the door for Rabastan and Autor to enter before following in.

It's a somewhat dimly lit interior, the way you'd imagine upscale restaurants to be, even if this place is not quite as fancy.

Autor doesn't even notice the bookseller. At least not consciously.

Elea choosing to open the door irks him a bit, but she is a strange woman from a strange world--and it would probably be a terrible idea to call her out on anything at the moment.

The kid settles himself in a booth and picks up a menu, pretending to scan it. Eventually, he sets it down. "Well?" he asks the couple again. Oddly enough, he still doesn't care much who answers.

Door opening is something Elea is egalitarian on. If you see someone coming in or going out of the same place as you, you hold the door for them.

I guess it's different in Autor's [magically tampered with] time and place.

Settling into a chair between Autor and Rabastan she examines her own menu.

And points out to Autor which of the items on it are probably not going to be very pleasant if he finds giga ant eggs disgusting.

Autor orders something with truffles--half the menu has them--because he has been curious about them since he and Sunshine spoke. He takes a sip of his water glass and then sets it down quietly.

Very quietly.

"All right," he says to Elea, softly but clearly irritated, "You wanted us to talk?"

Or something. Is this as surreal for me as it is for you, Rabastan?

Edited 2013-03-28 06:28 (UTC)

"Yes, I believe I do."

She runs her finger down the menu, examining the options before making her own choice. Rabastan is given a little more time to make his.

"You two clearly have something between you that's causing you to become angry with each other the moment your eyes meet. Now, I'm not sure I want to know the gorier details, but whatever it is that's causing you to bash heads, it needs to be settled, so that the two of you can begin to get along then."

Hey. She has no knowledge of those two being disagreeable on a regular basis. Only that they are being so now.

"Rabastan? I think you should start?"

He's silent for several minutes while he cogitates.

Then, quietly, "I am sorry, Autor. I ... overreacted that time."

The pronouncement startles Autor so much, he nearly spills his drink.

"Yes," he responds, just as quietly. He stares at his hands. "You did."

So, now what do I say? 'You're absolved; all is well, go live with your girlfriend cum mediator?'

He sighs. I wonder if the person being apologized to has some responsibility to accept amends as well. It's almost like Lohengrin is laughing at him. "Still, I provoked you."

"I don't think you meant to, did you?" he offers. "You wouldn't know that I would feel like I was being attacked when you pranked me, did you?"

Being attacked? Elea has a dim idea about Rabastan's past, at least in terms of his family. What little she's been given suggests that there was a lot of unhappiness for him.

He speaks well of his parents, but try to ask about Rodolphus and he shuts up tight, hoping you'll change the subject.

"No," he says, tracing the rim of his glass. "Not then. But I should have been able to guess, had I thought about it."

Autor lifts his gaze to Rabastan, and rather than his usually cool and patronizing stare, his eyes are heated and piercing. A lance tempered in flames. After this, the tightness in his jaw says, we really do need to talk.

The boy hasn't forgotten about Elea sitting there, watching them. He wishes he could.

Edited 2013-03-28 07:44 (UTC)

Rabastan catches—or thinks he does—the unspoken portion of what Autor says.

Has Autor been delving into magical history? What does he know? How far back has he gone? How recent are the books discussing it?

...what has Autor read about me...?

Fear claws at his chest. If Autor knows...

Oh God. What is he to do if Autor knows?

Even Elea doesn't know—the subject was never raised, and he's afraid of what she'd think of him if he did tell her.

"You ... probably could..."

Edited 2013-03-28 07:53 (UTC)

Right, and now Autor has all the power in the room again. Oddly enough, he's not sure he likes that. Rabastan is as pale as milk and that's just irritating.

And now Autor's irritated because he's irritated! Gah!

If he cries again, then so help me... Autor huffs and folds his arms. This whole situation is ridiculous.

"Well?" he turns to Elea. "We've spoken."

Are you happy with your meddling? I could have taken Rabastan's past with me to my grave.

He's not going to dwell on how it was him who'd indirectly brought it up.

"If that is all it was about." Pause. "It is all that it's about, isn't it?"

She gives them both a look that says they can take it somewhere after dinner if they need more privacy than this.

"Well. Maybe."

And Autor nearly cradles his head in his hands.

Oh, for goodness' sake! the boy thinks, more than a little exasperated. I know she's your lover, but do you really have to tell her everything?

"We'll manage," he says diplomatically, trying to salvage the situation. "We can decide what do to later."

And oh, look, the food is here. Small miracles.

Edited 2013-03-28 08:51 (UTC)

You have a lot to learn about relationships, don't you Autor? No, he doesn't have to tell her everything, but there are things that do need full disclosure.

Relationships are built on trust. If you can't trust someone enough to tell them things about you, then what do you have?

At least now things between them are beginning to heal. A little.

"I'm glad to hear that. You know, he doesn't have that many friends here in Vane, and I wish he did. He's a good man, if a bit isolated. It would be nice if you and Rabastan did become good friends."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject