Audience - Jacopo

[holyspirits]

Comments

[batterypack]

I could never say no to such sweet faces. [ lovingly holds the corgi's face and squishes its cheekies. ]

... none of us were. Saber texted me and we all sort of... well. It wasn't great. [ they collectively freaked out a little. ] I'm a little surprised how fast it was, but I guess I had hoped it wouldn't be so public. Not after the weekend we already had.

[obdure]

Being firm with dogs is very important.

[ Said even though he's sure she knows. These corgis are so well-behaved, though. ]

I also think it would be better if it wasn't public, if there wasn't going to be an explanation for it beforehand. Even due to circumstances... They got word of it from letters, I heard?

[batterypack]

I can be plenty firm. I should think you know that by now.

[ a slow nod... ]

I can only assume a few of you received news that way. And I suppose they acted first. I do wish they had thought a little more about it, or even tried to ask more questions, but we don't really know what was said beforehand. Maybe they knew something else we didn't.

[obdure]

... Do you miss that little goblin? It's only been one day.

[ speaks ill of claude because he knows he's still out there. also, because he also likes him. ]

[batterypack]

Do you think a person has to be gone a certain amount of time to be missed? [ funny. ] I suppose I got used to him being around. We would usually hang out during the early part of the week. I keep expecting him to pop up out of nowhere.

[obdure]

No, but I can still hear his voice sometimes.

[ A joke. ]

... He did have a habit of showing up when you least expect or want.

[batterypack]

[ the way she grins a little says she takes it as a joke, actually. but then, a little more seriously... ]

I doubt you would use this specific word, but were you sort of friends? He was very good at talking to people, I think. Even if some of what he said was just nonsense.

[obdure]

... He called me his, though I don't know how much the word means to him.

[ Because he's cagey... And Claude is a noble and cagey in another way. ]

[batterypack]

I feel like it might have meant something, if only because the idea of calling someone a friend at all would mean putting forth an amount of trust Claude may not have been able to give ordinarily.

[obdure]

[ ... He isn't sure. It's a lot to think about to him when he hasn't had friends in a while, likewise sometimes he doubts if he ever had any to begin with. ]

Was he your friend?

[batterypack]

I would consider him one by now, even if he wouldn't say the same. I told him things about myself I wouldn't tell a stranger, and we had conversations that I felt were different than the ones I have with people I know less. I don't try to go deeper into relationships with people I would not call a friend.

[obdure]

... He's guarded in his own way.

[ Sometimes you protect yourself despite wanting to be close. He can see it. SOMETIMES YOU UNDERSTAND? Kind of. ]

But I don't think the times were disingenuous. I'm sure he he also found you a friend. [ ... ] I don't want to see him too soon. The peace is nice.

[ HE'S JUST BEING MEAN ]

[batterypack]

Yeah. We've talked about it and I can't force him not to be, but I can try to understand a little better and help. Or... could, I suppose.

[ on account of the man being dead. she does roll her eyes though. ]

He hasn't even been gone that long, be nice. [ she knows he's just like this though. ] If our contact on the other side is telling the truth, they'll be here sooner than we think. If they don't run into extra problems, that is.

[obdure]

Try not to break his heart in the process.

[ Not that it would happen, but they are ribbing Claude. ]

That's good... I heard that they'll still have another chance at redemption, but is it that they go through the whole process again? Or...

[batterypack]

As if that man's not a heartbreaker himself! [ it's so much easier to dunk on claude than be sad he's not here. ]

Oh. I guess no one really updated you, but yes. They have their chance still, but as far as I'm aware they won't have to start over. It's like a continuation. So long as they're here by the time God's ready to judge them, they'll be up for consideration with the rest of you. It's the getting them here that seems to be the trouble.

[obdure]

He does seem like the type, doesn't he.

[ not both of them dunking on claude ]

They seem to always use... The phone. I'm not very accustomed to checking, but that is good news.

[batterypack]

Seems, but who's to say if he is or isn't. I should have asked him if he ever dated, considering how nosy he was about everyone else's romantic relationships.

[ claude. ]

Oh, you definitely don't have phones from your time, do you. It took me a little while to get used to checking mine, too. [ but this makes her think. ] Have you written to any of the lost souls at all?

[obdure]

Oh, I can tell you, though what you hear from me would be what he told me.

[ So... Grain of salt. Some things could be withheld. ]

Phones... Do not exist, no. [ WHEN HE TALKS TO THE OTHER TWO NPCS IT IS ALWAYS A STRUGGLE ] I have written to them, though mostly about how the week has gone and let them write about their week. I assumed they already sent important information to us and it'd be a waste of time for them to write it multiple times. I'll hear about it through grapevine.

Or... Read about it, in this case.

[batterypack]

So there's a 50/50 chance he was saying things just to say them. I know. But now I'm curious anyway.

[ she's pulling her own phone out of her pocket to check and make sure she hasn't missed messages. and also so she can take a picture of a very cute corgi. ]

They exist for me, but they're for people who can afford them usually. [ this is actually a kind thing to do, but she does not point that out. ] From what I gather they're spreading their resources, so there's nothing wrong with writing for the sake of saying hello. I think they'd like that just as much.

[ pausing...scritching a corgi's earsies. ]

Noah used to want to just be acknowledged, period. So I imagine they're in a similar situation now that you're separated.

[obdure]

I don't know if you've ever heard or read how nobles go about courtship. They're generally arranged, so you can only imagine how high the synergy is.

[ It's a hit or miss. Jacopo is glad in this respect that he wasn't raised as nobility. He wouldn't be able to handle going on so many dates with strangers.

Stop. It is a reprieve from it all, but thank you for not pointing it out. He stays distracted by a corgi. ]

It's important to rest. [ Said someone who didn't. ] ... What eventually happened to Noah?

[batterypack]

Oh. Arranged marriages, right. Those still exist in some places in the world depending on the culture, but I could never do that, I think. If I'm going to marry it better be to someone I know I can love and trust.

[ corgis are a good thing to be distracted by. ]

... he became a part of a sacrifice, I think, but we didn't realize it at the time. And now I'm still here trying to piece together old memories of him.

[obdure]

More like... Playdates, but I see arranged marriages seem to be universal elsewhere.

[ Jacopo wouldn't normally be for profit-marriage, but being lord means you have to be open to that. Still, he thinks people should marry for love.

It's fine. THIS HOWEVER IS NOT FINE. ]

That's... I'm sorry.

[batterypack]

Oh. Those times you bring children together so they can become acquainted and hope that maybe they'll work it out on their own. [ she sees, she sees. she would rather talk about this than noah being gone, but that is a pipe dream. ]

... I'm grateful for being here if only to help me realize I'd forgotten, and being able to regain some memories of him. But I am a little worried all of it will slip away again when I go home. Especially knowing he really did disappear.

[obdure]

Yes, yes. Maybe that can be brought back here. It might be entertaining.

[ The low interest in distraction, but you know what he's trying. ]

You're not allowed to take back any documentation?

[batterypack]

I think some of you really could benefit from playdates, actually. Maybe that will be the next bonding thing.

[ ... that's a good question, and she frowns a little. ]

I hadn't thought about it, really. It's more trying to figure out the best way to convince the others that this is what happened. I don't think they'll even have realized I'm gone if things work the way I understand them to.