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text @september | pretend it's the 2nd

[dwelt]

[staring at the ~20 notifications about books from gale, finally with the message read appearing below the messages.]

nothing new for me today?

1/2

[corporeity]

[ !!!!!!!! ]

[corporeity]

August! How marvellous. I’d been so terribly worried for you, my friend.

And I’ve another stack of books to share with you. Are you quite alright?

[dwelt]

don't be.
i'm doing fine. had a couple of years to catch up on.

[corporeity]

Years?

[ now that’s a peculiar phenomenon, far more than his days on the road. ]

And you still recall your old friend Gale?

[dwelt]

six.

[he's leaving out that he didn't remember him in his home world and when he woke it was an onslaught of overlapping memories.]

of course.
my friend told me i wasn't out for too long. everything okay?
i'll be back at sol&scroll when i tie a few things up.

[corporeity]

So you’ll not have any dashing grays for yourself just yet.

[ thanks buddy ]

You missed a quiet week, to my knowledge. I personally managed to have a rather uneventful month after all my trouble the previous turn.

[ forgetting that he didn’t mention said trouble at the time. anyway. ]

Anything I can assist with?

[dwelt]

not yet
no, it's tricky magic.

[not letting that slide.]

what gave you trouble?

[corporeity]

Ah, ah, ah! I shall tell you of my troubles if you tell me of yours. A fair trade.

[dwelt]

all i can say is i'm removing something. it's not my place to say what.

is there something else you want to know?

[corporeity]

The magic within you, does it still trouble you and Nick?

[dwelt]

[ah. of course, that's what he decides to ask.]

it's worse after being away.

[corporeity]

[ :( ]

I’m sorry, August.

[ gale won’t do him the disservice of offering to help. they’re alike in some ways, and they’ve surely tried every solution, even as time ticks away. ]

[dwelt]

[he can feel those words through the screen.]

don't get misty eyed, i'm handling things fine.

[debatable!]

what happened with you?

[corporeity]

I assure it’s the pollen.

[ as for his informational debt, ]

Well, like Nick, Armand returned to us as selkie of some sort and nearly drowned me. Thus making me rather easy prey for another vampire — though my rotten blood served as a reminder I’m not for eating, even before Astarion had a word with him.

And I’ve not had any trouble since, at least. Or ventured forward in time, for that matter, since my jaunt at Christmas.

[dwelt]

[that's not what he wanted to hear gale. has august's own silence bought more from his friends, or are the two of them just as secretive? he'd been so blinded by guilt and anger he ignored the signs from gale. he ignored everyone. there is a long pause before a response.]

okay.
i'm going to make you a ward.

[somehow threatening...]

glad you're doing well now.
you can come to me if you need anything in the future.

[corporeity]

[ hey, that’s his line. ]

Ah, you needn’t worry so! I assure you it’s my intention to stay out of trouble from now on.

[ said the guy who was stabbed mere days after arriving. ]

That’s awfully kind, August. I’m sorry to trouble you — or not to trouble you,!in this case.

[dwelt]

[gale don't act like you have a choice or opinion here.]

everyone says that.
that wasn't a suggestion, i'm making you one.

[dun dun dun.]

do me a favor:
don't apologize to me unless you've done me wrong.

[corporeity]

[ he thinks about arguing, but he knows august, even with years between them. ]

Then I’ll simply thank you again, my dear friend.

🎀

[dwelt]

good.

[a few days later and (seemingly) out of thin air, a silver brooch appears on gale's dresser. the symbols shift every so often at certain times of the day. when the wearer is in imminent danger, it will release one barrier of immunity and give the wearer 10 seconds to escape. melts after use.]