folklorist | ϡ - Chapter TwentyThree; In which one deals with tricky spells [video/action for housemates/voice]

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ϡ - Chapter TwentyThree; In which one deals with tricky spells [video/action for housemates/voice]

[ You can have a view of Helios leaning back in his chair, rather comfortably actually. He's in his room and in said background are scattered papers and objects. Incidentally he doesn't have his glasses on today, might be due to the fact that he's conducting a delicate experiment in his room. Keyword being delicate. If you catch a glimpse of any of the papers in the background it'll make no sense if you can't read runes. Though one in particular has the diagram of a ring with various lines and runic lettering on it. Helios will lean forward smiling at the journal. ]

Ah, I hope it's on. Erm, yes. [ Clearing his throat he still doesn't get these things. He just brings a hand to his chin, characteristic thoughtful pose is go! ]

I wonder...many of you know about magic, of course. But how many of you can actually apply magical attributes to an inanimate object? Like--ah, enchantments! They're rather tricky and if done wrong they can well...blow up in your face- [ Or you colleague's faces. ] -but they can be used for all sorts of things. Like making a sword into a flaming sword by applying a fire spell to said sword, and when the right incantation is spoken it alights!

[ A thoughtful hum. ] Also are there any myths or legends in your worlds based around objects? Like Excalibur, hammer of Thor, or maybe even the holy grail? Just wondering...all out of curiosity. [ And possibly to further his own research, maybe even get some help on the little project he's been doing since Halloween. Except during his little questioning session the spell he was trying to place on said inanimate objects will begin to sizzle in the background. Smoke is going to start clouding the video and sparks can be seen as well. His eyes will widen as he turns abruptly knocking the journal on the floor and turning off the video function but not the voice. ]

Oh! No-no not again. This wasn't supposed to--! [ There's a very loud bang and the room shakes with it. Sorry housemates there will be a spillage of black, with what seems to have shards of diamonds sprinkled throughout it, smoke coming from Helios' room as he slams the door open. Helios' face will also bear the marks of said explosion as he tumbles out of the room, face and clothes covered in black soot, but he at least has journal in hand. Also people over the journals can hear him coughing rather a lot. Before long you'll hear him laughing though, replying rather amused. ] Ah, yes, very tricky!

[ Going to be brushing off the fact that just happened. You didn't hear anything, everything is fine. Okay, well, Frederic and Giles might be a tad bit annoyed. ]

Um, right, welcome to Luceti all of you who've just been brought here! It takes a bit to get used to everything but we luckily have a nice welcoming committee! You're free to answer those questions as well if you want to! Anyone can as they are open to everyone to answer.

[ Don't mind the fact he just blew himself up, nope. A brief pause on his end. ]

Hm...oh, is that on fire? That is on fire. Just-just a moment. [ Going to go put that out now yup and you can just...talk to him after wards. Derpy derp nice way to introduce yourself to all the new people, Helios. ]

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I d-don't particularly have a p-preference at the moment... [He really couldn't care less; he just wants to something warm to drink to soothe a throat parched from too much crying, and somebody to sit there and listen to him ~~that isn't his boyfriend likely stalking him~~.

Robert leans back against the couch then, deliberately moving to the side more so Helios has somewhere to sit on it if he wants (but he doesn't have to sit on the tearstained side, since that's where Robert is). Part of him loves the fact Helios is here; part of him hates it. It's a constant reminder of "this is what I never had at home" dovetailing with "this is what I could lose at any time".

He wishes there was some way to make sure people didn't leave at random - and then immediately hates himself for wanting to cut off peoples' avenue of escape from this place just for his own sake.]

[ Then Helios will make one of his favorites allowing for the other to keep to his thoughts. Helios isn't sure if it's a good idea, but, he hopes his words have at least put Robert a bit more at ease. Tea always cheers him up at least and he's hoping Robert has no objections to a simple Earl Gray Tea.

In a faster time it usually takes water to boil, thank you fire magic, Helios will bring back two cups of tea handing one to Robert before taking a seat next to him. He'll sit and swirl his tea focusing on it a small smile on his face. ]

Mm I always liked this kind. It reminds of me of calmer, peaceful times. I think it's because I always have it before the day starts. Just before classes began and before all that rush of school started.

[ He'll take a deep breath, breathing in that aroma before exhaling slowly. ]

[Robert has no objections whatsoever to Earl Gray; it's a nice refined tea, simple but at the same time elegant, and it's soothing to have something like that now.

He takes the cup gratefully from Helios, relishing the other man's presence (and trying to push away the part that wants to go hide in the corner now and cry because of it).]

It... i-it is a nice tea, isn't it...

... Thank you f-for... introducing me to the blends here...

Thank y-you for... everything, really.

[And Robert takes a sip of his tea, a small one, looking over at Helios.]

... I... I-I... I don't understand how a-anybody could find you a-anything less than... wonderful.

[He refuses to think that Helios is not an amazing person.]

[ That smile in turn has a tinge of sadness in it. ]

Th-there's many way, really. [ It was accident he knew it was an accident. But he couldn't change what happened, couldn't even do anything to bring her back. The people in his world had all the reason to think him anything less than wonderful. He still thinks himself a horrible person and quite possibly always will. ]

I guess it's all a matter of someone's perspective.

I d-don't... don't see them, Helios. I don't think I ever w-will.

[Robert means this statement, as truthfully as he can ever be about anything, and he is already the epitome of truthful.]

...

I... I love you. At the least as a friend. A v-very good friend.

[And as more than that. But he doesn't say that part... doesn't know if he should acknowledge it aloud anymore, even if Don knows about it.]

... Perhaps I... simply have a biased one...

Perhaps you won't. [ Because Helios will probably not tell you for a long time.

Oh and there's that word again. That word he hasn't heard in a very long time. Helios might blush, faintly, but it's quickly masked as he takes another sip of his tea. He can't understand how Robert would still even feel like that. ] I think you're as a very good friend too, Robert.

[ It's a small smile touching his lips but still a smile nonetheless. ]

[Hey, there is stuff that Robert is reluctant to say to Helios, too. But maybe one day. It's starting to look more likely, now, because he trusts Helios immensely.

There are so many reasons Robert can say "I love you" to Helios and mean it. So many reasons. And not the least of them is the fact that Helios is here, right now.]

... I-I am glad.

... I just wish... th-that I was as helpful for you as you are for me...

I w-want to... repay you. For all that you've d-done on my behalf.

[He stares down into his tea some more at this, a flush just barely ghosting over his own face.]

Robert, please. You've been nothing but kind to me and you did help me when I was brought back.

[ Helios holds up a hand shaking his head as he does so. ] Friends don't need to repay friends for things like this.

Not anywhere near as much as you've helped me, though...

[Softly:] And... I would not know. I hadn't had them for five years until this place.

...

A-And I was never particularly... aware of social conventions even before then.

I just want to be a... good friend for you. Somebody like Giles.

[Still just a little bit jealous. Though now it's not so much jealousy as it is fear... fear that he, this surely-strange oddity to Helios, this person from a world of science and logic, won't be able to get as close, won't be able to mean as much.]

Anyone would have done so. Everyone here is rather helpful when it comes to things like that. Since we've all been through it and because what else can we do besides help people cope?

Five years...well this is a good place to start as any. [ Though he wonders what could have possibly happened to cause such isolation. ]

You are a good friend, Robert. You and Giles both are. A-And it's not me just saying that. You both accept me regardless of what I've done...or what I-feel like or act like. You're both unique in your own ways and I'd never put one of you over the other.

I... would generally tend to agree with you. There are q-quite a few helpful people here... but, b-but it would be difficult for me to... approach them for assistance.

[Robert looks almost shy.] Yes... five years.

... I... I honestly did not think it would change.

[Okay, that... is actually very reassuring for Robert to hear. He smiles weakly.] Helios... there is a-absolutely nothing that you could do, or could have d-done, to make me not care about you...

... But G-Giles is much more like you than... than I am.

... I-Isn't it... strange, sometimes? To talk to m-me?

I was alone. [ For a long time too. He says it bluntly, almost without emotion. Because even speaking about it requires all his emotional withdrawal so as to not affect him when he says it. Almost like a barrier it's just another way how he copes, really. All those years with Nero and then after Elise's death. ]

It's not easy for me to do so either. But it becomes easier to depend on your friends to help you back up when you fall, if you open up and ask for assistance. I doubt they'd say no, or turn you away.

I-I understand how you could come to that conclusion. It-it's hard, all change usually is.

[ He might visible wince at that Robert. ] I-I suppose. [ But lets continue with that change of topic. ]

It is strange, yes, but I enjoy it. You see I have a natural affinity towards the strange!

[ Just a laugh if to lighten the mood a little. ]

... You? [Robert finds this hard to believe. Somebody as bubbly as Helios, as outgoing and affectionate as him, being alone? It... He doesn't know why Helios would do that.] ... I am sorry that... that you were ever alone for any r-reason.

... Nobody should ever be alone. Especially not somebody w-wonderful like you.

[The idea of social stuff not being easy for Helios is almost weird for Robert to contemplate.] It... is d-difficult for many reasons. I have... a-always been very inept, socially, and... well. It makes things harder.

[Robert notices that wince, and he frowns, but the topic change means he doesn't really comment.]

It is a strangeness that you are unfamiliar with, though.

... A strangeness, perhaps, that is in itself strange...

All the reasons where my fault, really. That's usually how it goes, hm?

Robert life is filled with things we're unfamiliar with. It's just getting them to become familiar that's the fun, or not so much fun, of it all.

I think talking to you is rather...intriguing, really. Enlightening on a few levels. [ Complex technobabble he can't understand aside he does generally like talking to the other. ] Strange can be good I like to think! But perhaps it's an subjective point of view on my part, coming from where I am and all!

[Robert actually flinches at that.]

...

... I was a-alone because of... things that were my fault, too.

P-Perhaps... perhaps we... have some things in common.

[Do you mind Robert trying to take your hand now, Helios? Because... he might just be trying to be.]

Luceti is the epitome of strange to me, I would wager... though I seem to be coping well enough s-so far...

... Likewise, I would say talking to you is... intriguing for me, as well. Even if I do not understand. [Complex... magicbabble? That, and Helios sometimes referencing concepts that make no sense to Robert.] ... I h-hope to understand someday, though.

[A scientist and a magician. Even now, sometimes Robert wonders how he made friends with Helios. But he remembers what Helios is, at his core - a researcher and an inventor. Weird physics, logic, and magic aside... he's a researcher. He studies things. And he's intelligent... Even if he occasionally acts like a moron.]

We do, albeit they're not the best of things, hm? [ There's a smile. It's a small, sad, smile but a smile nonetheless. Helios also doesn't notice that hand...yet. But he finally looks to see the others hand reaching for his own and he almost pulls away just out of habit. Nothing against Robert but he will twitch his hand staying perfectly still. Robert knows of his skin which makes it so much more easier to control himself. ]

You are doing rather well given the circumstances of this place. [ Helios will actually chuckle then. ]

I hope to someday too, Robert.

Edited 2011-05-31 07:04 (UTC)

[Softly:] ... They are not... but, they are something. And, and... maybe one day... [Maybe one day I will tell you. In fact, Robert wonders if he might not be able to share some parts of his story now... In the form of Vivi's letter, which so far nobody has seen but him and maybe Adell/Charlotte/other House 44 members.

And as for the hand touch - when Helios twitches, Robert hesitates, his fingers hovering in the air above Helios' hand before gently resting on them if Helios doesn't twitch again.]

... I have you, entirely, to thank for that. You stopped me from going insane, essentially.

For that alone, you are very important to me...

[ One day, what? That Helios might finally fess up to Robert too? Funny that they're both thinking the same exact thing. Helios might look down for a second as he feels Robert's substantially warmer hand rest on top of his own. The difference in temperature was astounding, he's honestly forgotten what it feels like to...have that sort of temperature. But he doesn't twitch, doesn't move, just allows his hand to lie there calmly. ]

I-I have? Well it's, it's a good thing you didn't go insane. That would would be positively dreadful!

[Thinking - and in Robert's case, hoping, a little - because he wants to be open, wants to be honest... especially with somebody like Helios who he can really call a friend.

Fifteen degrees Celsius, or so. It'd normally be something downright terrifying to feel a hand so cold - like Helios was dead or something - but Robert doesn't mind at all beyond worrying about his friend's health. And as far as Robert's concerned, if Helios is healthy and safe, his external temperature doesn't matter... but that also doesn't mean he won't try to warm that hand a little with his own slender fingers, embracing them with his own almost shyly.]

... Yes, you have. You showed me that magic was objectively real here, in Luceti, and your magic experiment gave me the hypothesis of separate physics for people here. It... has gone a long way towards providing explanations for the strange idiosyncracies here.

Without it, I fear I might have continued to think this place was like Terra in terms of physics, and that I was merely deluding myself somehow.

That, a-and... and you comforted me during the first experiment I witnessed.

Edited 2011-06-01 00:23 (UTC)

Ah, well, I don't like to brag but I never can turn down a spell or two if someone needs one. I used to be wary of using them in front of people though. Back home it, it was a bit different after all. You...didn't seem to mind though, which I have to admit was different for me.

[ Helios' eyebrows will raise at that touch. Not expecting it in the slightest he almost pulls away again. But no, he doesn't so much as flinch. At least he was getting better at this, considerably more so than he used to be before his arrival. ]

The first experiment...ah the body changing one wasn't it? We've had those in the past. I'm glad I was able to do something during it. [ Unlike Halloween which he will be incapacitated for a lot of it. ]

Evidence is evidence, unorthodox or not... and that is certainly evidence of a k-kind. In controlled laboratory testings, it would be easy proof.

[Robert did mind at the time, but only because it pwned everything he thought was possible. He knows better now.

Robert just leaves his fingers like that, half-twined in Helios' in a strangely sweet and possibly almost pseudo-romantic gesture. Hand-holding is always a very emotional thing for Robert.]

Yes, that e-experiment...

... I remember how frightened I was for your safety, then. [A small, shy smile flickers across Robert's face - almost sheepishly.]

But... b-but it is usually you protecting me, and not the other way around.

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ϡ - Chapter TwentyThree; In which one deals with tricky spells [video/action for housemates/voice]

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