[ She had considered getting in touch with Will or Raven first. Some stupid, irrational thought that Fidelio might fuss at her if she reached out to him for... what reason, exactly?
An hour or so ago, Nao hadn't been sure. It wouldn't make any sense for Fidelio to fuss at her, not about this, and being fussed at isn't a generally effective deterrent to keep her from doing anything, anyway. She isn't used to being unsure about things, though. Doesn't like it, doesn't like a lot of things right now, but there's more she's sure of than she's not about this and Fidelio is the best person to reach out to. There should be no one better informed about his brother than him. They're close and Fidelio, well... he's a good brother, she thinks. No "probably" about it, so she should be able to trust him to continue being that for Basilio.
Basilio, who... she hasn't been able to bring herself to call or anything, really, since she finally woke up last night. She's wanted to. And it's not like she can't just walk next door and ask for him, it's just -- and she exhales softly, calming slightly shaking hands lest the piping hot vegetable soup she's been working on be spilled everywhere -- that... well, this is something. It's a start or it's supposed to be. (Truth be told, she isn't entirely sure Bas'll wanna see her again.)
Nao takes a long drink of her soup and places the deep bowl down in front of her, finally sending the call through. ]
[ fidelio doesn't really get calls here, because most of the people he has reason to speak with on a regular basis are already in the house with him. he's never been much for socialising; he can't easily get along with people and open up to them the way basilio can. so it takes him a good while to even realise he's getting a call, and when he finally does, and he sees who it is...
oof. he winces, and takes a quick look behind him before accepting to make sure basilio isn't going to be there in the background of the frame (not really for the sake of nao's comfort, but because fidelio's not sure if bas is ready to have her look at him again yet).
well... he has no idea how this is going to go, but he supposes he'll have to find out. so he answers, looking about the same as usual, if a little more tired. ]
[ Up and not quite at one hundred percent yet, but she's better than she was when she first arrived back at the cottage. Better than when she first woke up at the Healer's Conclave, that's for sure. Sleep, bolstered nutrition, hydration, and rest will do that for a person. Taking the time to focus and think and sort so many things out, try to properly work through them -- she's been at it since she got up the night prior between and during items on the first list, but this matter especially has weighed heavily on her heart, questions, concerns itching increasingly.
It's somehow worse now. That Fidelio looks a little more tired than usual sparks more, enough that she has to remind herself that the tentative end of the world is enough to make anyone a little tired. Still, her heart is squeezed, lungs pressed, and, as she looks intently at Fidelio on her screen and the roundness of his question dawns, she finally asks the question that made it's home on the tip of her tongue days ago. ]
[ It's visible, the amount of tension that melts from her shoulders, and with it goes a breath Nao hadn't realized she'd been holding. She had believed Laserhawk when he told her he didn't hurt Basilio. The thing is neither of them knew what happened after he ran off, so hearing that he's physically sound is a relief. That he feels terrible about it and was worried he'd keep hurting people--she hasn't known Basilio very long, but she thinks that sounds right, correct. Like the Basilio she knows. ]
I'm sure that was the cause. He was on top of it by the time I caught up to him.
[ She should've been faster. Could've spared all of them this heartache. ]
I think Laserhawk-san figured he was under some effect, too.
[ there's a little sound of wry amusement at that. ]
Sounds like everyone figured it 'cept for him.
[ though at first, even he...
fidelio pauses, frowning to himself. he wasn't intending to get any deeper into this; he doesn't like spilling details of his and basilio's personal lives even to people he likes.
...but given that bas thinks of this girl as a friend — not to mention that he cut her bloody arm off — he supposes he ought to give her some context for everything. especially if she still wants to be his friend after this.
he sighs, rubbing the side of his neck. ]
...He weren't just overreactin', so you know. All us paripus what got experimented on — we don't know what all the lasting effects might be. Losin' control and flyin' into a violent rage like that, that's something we saw happen to some of our old friends. He thought maybe the same thing was finally happenin' to him.
[Basilio's been feeling a little more like his regular self since patching things up with Nao, and since he's been keeping well away from the fissures, he hasn't experienced any further violent outbursts. So he's feeling confident enough to go on a supply run into town when he stumbles across something that has him contacting Fidelio in a hurry.]
Hey, Del! [The video feed is at an unflattering angle from below -- enjoy the view up Basilio's nose? -- at least until it becomes obvious he's turned on his Oracle in a hurry, and quickly jostles his phone to point it the right way, toward a familiar gold cuff he's holding in his other hand.] Don't this look like that fancy bracelet what Lord Louis were wearin'? I just picked it up near the library.
[ well, despite the initial unflattering angle, fidelio is just relieved to see that this isn't some sort of emergency call, especially after last month's fiasco. the question isn't one he was expecting, though, and he brings his phone up closer to his face and squints to get a better look. ]
...Huh. Yeah, it does, far as I can tell.
But— you think it's actually his? Not sure how much variety there is in the designs of these things.
Thought it looks just like it, but what d'you reckon? Lessee if I can just...
[He's figured out cameras enough to know that if he brings the bracelet closer, it brings the detail into sharper focus... until he gets a little overzealous and puts it too close, so it just becomes blurry again.]
Bleedin' thing! You saw it for a sec, right? Has wings on it. [Now he's waving it about as if that will magically get the camera to work properly. So helpful.]
You were holdin' it too close is the problem, stop moving.
[ but there was a brief moment of clarity where he got a decent look at it, and that design... he remembers now, stealing a glance at it on louis's wrist and thinking that it sort of matched his breastplate. probably not something everyone would have had on theirs, is it? ]
...Reckon you're right though, yeah. That's it.
[ weird as hell when you think about it, actually, the way people left these things behind and disappeared, like bugs shedding their shells. he keeps that image to himself, though; he figures neither louis nor junah would much appreciate the comparison.
...anyway, settling that question invites another. ]
You gonna hold onto it?
[ a couple of months ago he's sure they both would have, given the chance. they would have kept it with them and looked to it for inspiration in his absence when things got hard and they needed a reminder of just what they were staying strong for.
but now, after all basilio's questioning, and after what they'd both heard louis say so casually about that village... as much as he hates thinking it, he has to wonder whether that reminder might just weigh them down rather than lift them up. ]
[The fact that Fidelio is asking him that question, not instructing him as an order, is telling on its own, and Basilio flips the phone away from the gold cuff and back to his face so he can get a good look at his older brother.]
Kinda wanna throw it away, to be right honest.
[The same way he'd had that gut reaction to take Fidelio and leave, pretend they never saw him, when they'd stumbled across him by chance at that café. If there's one thing that's saved their skins countless times before, it's trusting that instinct.]
This place don't need someone like him. People here are like Will and his friends -- they look out for others, no matter the danger. They don't crush others so they can be on top. Even now that Vaeros bloke is dead, people aren't fightin' to take his place, just helpin' each other.
[ he averts his eyes, furrowing his brow. even if he was leaning toward the same answer himself, somehow it still feels a little like a slap in the face to hear it. the result of tying himself so closely to louis all this time, he supposes; believing that his ideals and goals were theirs, and that anyone who opposed him was their enemy too.
and complicating it all further... it would never be as simple as just going their separate ways. even if fidelio could put aside the debt he felt they owed to louis, even if it didn't eat away at him whenever he considered how much of the blood that had stained their hands over the years might have been spilled for the wrong reasons, he knows louis doesn't take betrayal lightly. maybe basilio doesn't see it that way; maybe he doesn't understand that for people who've been in louis's inner circle for so long and know so much, there's probably no leaving it alive.
even here, now that he's shown up once, fidelio is going to be living with the constant worry that they might one day turn a corner and find themselves face to face with louis again. what would happen then? if he lets himself drift too far, would he still even be able to play his role and pretend nothing had changed, like he'd just barely managed to do this time?
...it's his own problem, though. he doesn't know how the hell he's going to deal with it when the time comes, and the uncertainty gets a little worse every day that he thinks about it. but it's not on basilio; he doesn't need those thoughts looming over him too, not when there's been so much here that he's been eager to experience (even if those opportunities might seem less attainable now than they did a few weeks ago). ]
Mm. [ the closest he'll get to conceding to the point out loud. ] S'pose it wouldn't hurt anything none if you did.
[ At some point while Nao is over at Furryhouse for the Idlesweek dinner, she presents Fidelio with a package and a grin. No wrapping paper, unfortunately, but it seems Nao made do using layers of colorful string to neatly tie the contents together and topped it off with a bow she knitted.
The package contains the following:
1 x festive red scarf in a shade that doesn't completely clash with the grays of his usual outfit; it's been designed in such a way that it can't be grabbed easy if he gets into it with anyone or anything. Strong fibers and a nice width so that if he wraps it, he can easily benefit from its comfortable warmth, doubly if he feels like tucking his head in it. In fact, it seems she made it to hug his higher collar when wrapped, creating a double layer to keep the wind chill off him while keeping him snug and warm as can be! 1 x pair of the warmest, fuzziest, most comfortable pants ever produced in the history of everything. To touch it is to know True Comfort. It looks like Nao accented his usual grays with that same red and white somehow. Forgot to take his tail into consideration? No, she did not, and she made sure it's sure to be a comfortable process dressing and undressing with it. There's also a tiny tag attached that reads: "For cottage use! And anywhere else you want to wear them, I guess. IDK. I'm not your boss." 1 x pair of the warmest black socks ever for general wear and inside the cottage to offset cold hardwood floors. They're just thick enough to be used as the lightest cabin socks ever invented whilst still fitting comfortably in regular shoes. It looks an awful lot like someone might've carefully considered the material in case claws are a thing re: his feet. No catching on the way in!
There's a handwritten note attached to the bow that reads:
"Fidelio,
Thanks for helping me out! These projects turned out to be just what I needed to get my head on a little better.
I wanted to get you something sweet to go with this package since Bas says you have a sweet tooth, but the stores won't let us in right now and I like you alive I'm not to be trusted in the kitchen, so you'll have to look forward to it for now.
Merry Christmas and Happy Idlesweek!
水下 直
PS: Let me see your hands before I head out! I'm making you some gloves and that's that!!"
[ Incoming! There's a picture of a certain someone from a certain meeting that happened not too terribly long ago in the day. It would appear he ran into some kind of trouble if the prominent handlebar mustache complete with curl and the word "newb" drawn on his forehead are any indication. He appears to be grasping... nothing? With one hand, and he's clearly flustered. His coat also seems to be missing a button. How curious.
Accompanying this image is the following innocuous text: ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
video | un: pink.cloud | forward dated to 12/5 @ 8:51 AM
An hour or so ago, Nao hadn't been sure. It wouldn't make any sense for Fidelio to fuss at her, not about this, and being fussed at isn't a generally effective deterrent to keep her from doing anything, anyway. She isn't used to being unsure about things, though. Doesn't like it, doesn't like a lot of things right now, but there's more she's sure of than she's not about this and Fidelio is the best person to reach out to. There should be no one better informed about his brother than him. They're close and Fidelio, well... he's a good brother, she thinks. No "probably" about it, so she should be able to trust him to continue being that for Basilio.
Basilio, who... she hasn't been able to bring herself to call or anything, really, since she finally woke up last night. She's wanted to. And it's not like she can't just walk next door and ask for him, it's just -- and she exhales softly, calming slightly shaking hands lest the piping hot vegetable soup she's been working on be spilled everywhere -- that... well, this is something. It's a start or it's supposed to be. (Truth be told, she isn't entirely sure Bas'll wanna see her again.)
Nao takes a long drink of her soup and places the deep bowl down in front of her, finally sending the call through. ]
C'mon, Fidelio. Pick up.
video | un: fidelio.magnus
oof. he winces, and takes a quick look behind him before accepting to make sure basilio isn't going to be there in the background of the frame (not really for the sake of nao's comfort, but because fidelio's not sure if bas is ready to have her look at him again yet).
well... he has no idea how this is going to go, but he supposes he'll have to find out. so he answers, looking about the same as usual, if a little more tired. ]
You're up, eh?
no subject
[ Up and not quite at one hundred percent yet, but she's better than she was when she first arrived back at the cottage. Better than when she first woke up at the Healer's Conclave, that's for sure. Sleep, bolstered nutrition, hydration, and rest will do that for a person. Taking the time to focus and think and sort so many things out, try to properly work through them -- she's been at it since she got up the night prior between and during items on the first list, but this matter especially has weighed heavily on her heart, questions, concerns itching increasingly.
It's somehow worse now. That Fidelio looks a little more tired than usual sparks more, enough that she has to remind herself that the tentative end of the world is enough to make anyone a little tired. Still, her heart is squeezed, lungs pressed, and, as she looks intently at Fidelio on her screen and the roundness of his question dawns, she finally asks the question that made it's home on the tip of her tongue days ago. ]
How is he?
no subject
[ though that's not so much what she's asking, he assumes. ]
Feels like shite about it, of course. Was real worried he'd keep hurtin' people, too.
[ he isn't going to get into just how worried basilio had been about that. seeing him in that state, fidelio had been pretty shaken himself. ]
But he hasn't. Reckon keepin' away from them big cracks in the ground helped with that.
no subject
I'm sure that was the cause. He was on top of it by the time I caught up to him.
[ She should've been faster. Could've spared all of them this heartache. ]
I think Laserhawk-san figured he was under some effect, too.
no subject
Sounds like everyone figured it 'cept for him.
[ though at first, even he...
fidelio pauses, frowning to himself. he wasn't intending to get any deeper into this; he doesn't like spilling details of his and basilio's personal lives even to people he likes.
...but given that bas thinks of this girl as a friend — not to mention that he cut her bloody arm off — he supposes he ought to give her some context for everything. especially if she still wants to be his friend after this.
he sighs, rubbing the side of his neck. ]
...He weren't just overreactin', so you know. All us paripus what got experimented on — we don't know what all the lasting effects might be. Losin' control and flyin' into a violent rage like that, that's something we saw happen to some of our old friends. He thought maybe the same thing was finally happenin' to him.
(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)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
video | un: basilio.magnus
Hey, Del! [The video feed is at an unflattering angle from below -- enjoy the view up Basilio's nose? -- at least until it becomes obvious he's turned on his Oracle in a hurry, and quickly jostles his phone to point it the right way, toward a familiar gold cuff he's holding in his other hand.] Don't this look like that fancy bracelet what Lord Louis were wearin'? I just picked it up near the library.
video
...Huh. Yeah, it does, far as I can tell.
But— you think it's actually his? Not sure how much variety there is in the designs of these things.
no subject
[He's figured out cameras enough to know that if he brings the bracelet closer, it brings the detail into sharper focus... until he gets a little overzealous and puts it too close, so it just becomes blurry again.]
Bleedin' thing! You saw it for a sec, right? Has wings on it. [Now he's waving it about as if that will magically get the camera to work properly. So helpful.]
no subject
[ but there was a brief moment of clarity where he got a decent look at it, and that design... he remembers now, stealing a glance at it on louis's wrist and thinking that it sort of matched his breastplate. probably not something everyone would have had on theirs, is it? ]
...Reckon you're right though, yeah. That's it.
[ weird as hell when you think about it, actually, the way people left these things behind and disappeared, like bugs shedding their shells. he keeps that image to himself, though; he figures neither louis nor junah would much appreciate the comparison.
...anyway, settling that question invites another. ]
You gonna hold onto it?
[ a couple of months ago he's sure they both would have, given the chance. they would have kept it with them and looked to it for inspiration in his absence when things got hard and they needed a reminder of just what they were staying strong for.
but now, after all basilio's questioning, and after what they'd both heard louis say so casually about that village... as much as he hates thinking it, he has to wonder whether that reminder might just weigh them down rather than lift them up. ]
no subject
Kinda wanna throw it away, to be right honest.
[The same way he'd had that gut reaction to take Fidelio and leave, pretend they never saw him, when they'd stumbled across him by chance at that café. If there's one thing that's saved their skins countless times before, it's trusting that instinct.]
This place don't need someone like him. People here are like Will and his friends -- they look out for others, no matter the danger. They don't crush others so they can be on top. Even now that Vaeros bloke is dead, people aren't fightin' to take his place, just helpin' each other.
no subject
and complicating it all further... it would never be as simple as just going their separate ways. even if fidelio could put aside the debt he felt they owed to louis, even if it didn't eat away at him whenever he considered how much of the blood that had stained their hands over the years might have been spilled for the wrong reasons, he knows louis doesn't take betrayal lightly. maybe basilio doesn't see it that way; maybe he doesn't understand that for people who've been in louis's inner circle for so long and know so much, there's probably no leaving it alive.
even here, now that he's shown up once, fidelio is going to be living with the constant worry that they might one day turn a corner and find themselves face to face with louis again. what would happen then? if he lets himself drift too far, would he still even be able to play his role and pretend nothing had changed, like he'd just barely managed to do this time?
...it's his own problem, though. he doesn't know how the hell he's going to deal with it when the time comes, and the uncertainty gets a little worse every day that he thinks about it. but it's not on basilio; he doesn't need those thoughts looming over him too, not when there's been so much here that he's been eager to experience (even if those opportunities might seem less attainable now than they did a few weeks ago). ]
Mm. [ the closest he'll get to conceding to the point out loud. ] S'pose it wouldn't hurt anything none if you did.
(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)
🎁 DELIVERY: 12/25
The package contains the following:
There's a handwritten note attached to the bow that reads:
"Fidelio,
Thanks for helping me out! These projects turned out to be just what I needed to get my head on a little better.
I wanted to get you something sweet to go with this package since Bas says you have a sweet tooth, but the stores won't let us in right now and I like you alive I'm not to be trusted in the kitchen, so you'll have to look forward to it for now.
Merry Christmas and Happy Idlesweek!
水下 直
PS: Let me see your hands before I head out! I'm making you some gloves and that's that!!"
Post Party - text | UN: Catra
IGNORE anything I did at the party!
I don't know what was going on there. I am NOT that cuddly.
no subject
Anyway I won't tell if you won't
1/2
2/2
You mentioned a meal or something.
no subject
Near the lake
You want to come see Bas in action?
Get a sense of what flavours you prefer
And what ingredients look like
no subject
Might be a good idea. I'll stop by sometime today I guess.
[ She has literally nothing better to do so! ]
no subject
Just let me know when you're planning to head over
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
TEXT | un: pink.cloud | 1/8
Accompanying this image is the following innocuous text: ]
so i found tis clemar
no subject
The hell did you do
no subject
honest!! (人´∀`)
no subject
Where'd the scribbles on his face come in
no subject
figured id help im learn sum manners since he went 2 teh trouble ٩( ᗒᗨᗕ )۶
(no subject)
1/2
2/2
(no subject)
1/2
2/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)