𝙕𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙠

@veritasabexilio.bsky.social

𝘈 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘵𝘺... icon - rene0elric

If he’s to be hauled around like a sack of rice, he may as well try to get something out of the situation. Zandik goes limp like a scruffed cat, sighing deep as he’s scolded like some—some something! Fingers run through his hair the moment he’s set down, a half-assed attempt to look presentable.

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴.@ideal-circumstance.bsky.social · 2mo ago

"These insults have been in disuse for ages. You are lucky there's few people that could understand them, or you'd be in a pickle." He put him down once they reached the street, though, no need to drag the act longer than needed. He even smoothed the few wrinkles he left on his robe. »

Emboldened by the offense that cuts through him, Zandik swipes for the stolen book. “That won’t help me sleep, if that’s your concern—“ Tempting as the coffee is, he’s stubborn. Grumpy. And determined to finish his current work.

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴.@ideal-circumstance.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"No." He quickly replied, taking one of his books away. "We are going to get coffee." 'we' as in 'them'. The two of them. Non negotiable.

Lying has never been his strong suit. Even with ‘practice’ (though he dreads to call it that), he remains terrible at spinning tales on the spot. Zandik huffs, picking up his pen to tap-tap-tap it against the table. “I’m not attempting to sleep right now… Can’t I finish this first?”

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴.@ideal-circumstance.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"Sure. Like yesterday, for example. Having to wake you up before you'd get locked inside the House of the Daena the whole night..." Pokes back his fluffy hair. "Don't you have somewhere to sleep?"

As more and more voices fill the room, Zandik retreats inward. He picks at the corners of his nails, leg jittering with an incessant tap, tap, tap of his heel. ‘Friends’ (though, he’s not even sure if he can call the other that— acquaintances? Pity-filled strangers?) ought to endure for each other.

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴.@ideal-circumstance.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Alhaitham is a bit of an asshole, sometimes. Like just now. He was completely miserable, hating every second spent sitting outside, watching over the food and the seating space. Now he just dragged another person into that same misery, just to keep himself in adequate company. What an asshat. »

"’They?’" Oh, Archons… was he being dragged to some odd potluck? A grimace spreads before he can catch himself, but he plays along all the same. Sighing, he takes the spot beside the other, hands settling in his lap. Ugh. "I’m not very hungry. Waiting isn’t an issue, really…”

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴.@ideal-circumstance.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"Come on, nobody will notice if there's a bit less in the pot. Our friends bring each a dish of their own so there's always leftovers." Funnily enough, he was alone at the table at the moment. "They'll take a while. Sit. Eat something, please." Pats the empty seat beside him.

The momentary eye contact makes his skin crawl, avoidant gaze trailing to the documents. … When was the last time he ate? He hadn’t thought about it in some time, but he didn’t 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 hungry. "Ah, I wouldn’t want to intrude— I can get something down at the markets… But thank you."

𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑴.@ideal-circumstance.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"Kaveh made it. Says it's his mother's recipe. Nothing much I can do to stop him once he's started." Alhaitham's eyes stop for a few seconds on the boy's, then blinks and gazes away, back to the document he's redacting. "Of course I didn't think you died. Welcome back."