journal 🔶 psa from a former fairy

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran isn't unaware of how these journals work, but he's still working out what pages are "public" and which are for his own private use.

Thus, one evening, a sketch of a building slowly comes together, distinguished by its tall stone towers, walls topped with battlements, wrought iron fences, and a large courtyard. The artist pays special attention to the detailing in the texture, making it easy to imagine what materials the imposing place might be made of. To those familiar with the city of Aefenglom, it's clearly a representation of the Coven.

After he's done, he writes in neat print:]

Don't trust the Fae. Whatever else I've forgotten, I know that much.

Comments

[lethechained]

[ Rare as it is for her to meet someone else artistically inclined, Naminé can't help feeling a little flicker of excitement at the idea. Then her eyes go back a few words, find that, 'used to,' and curiosity replaces some part of her gladness. ]

You don't do it anymore?

[ Not that it's any of her business, but the idea seems like a shame, somehow. Which is pretty ironic considering she's mostly kept drawing out of habit, but-- ]

It seems like you're still good at it.

[ There's a trailing question there that she doesn't write out; if he did stop, then why? ]

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran has already put his quill to paper by the time he realizes how utterly depressing the true answer is. But the thought makes him pause and lift it again, not wanting to drag down the conversation any further than it already has been... or more than it has to be.]

I guess I just haven't had the time for it in a while. Until now.

[It's vaguely honest, for a given definition of time. But saying that he's been hardly more than brain dead when not being used as a weapon just seems... unnecessary.]

[lethechained]

[ Watching for the answer, Naminé doesn't miss the odd pause after she expects to see words starting to form on the page. She's done that a couple of times herself since she started using the journal, and for that very reason, she elects not to ask about it. Whatever else he had in mind is his business, no matter her tendency to pry; she'll take this at face value (with only a small notation in the archive of her memory). ]

I'm sorry to hear that.
If you missed it, that is.

[ And maybe even if he didn't. ]

But you're right. Things seem like they'll be pretty different for all of us from now on.
Maybe even better.

[ 'Better', here, is code for, 'real and not actually a super convoluted trap.' That's honestly about as much as she's asking for out of this place.

Naminé does not have high standards. ]

[noblegarnet]

[Well, as sad as this next truth is, it's not nearly as depressing as the previous one, especially since he has the opportunity now.]

I did.

[Pretty different is a huge understatement, when it comes to his situation. He'd like to take advantage of that in some small way, even if it might not last.]

I hope so.

[His standards aren't that high, either.]

[lethechained]

Then I'm glad.

[ -- Ah, wait. That didn't sound quite right, did it? Hurriedly, Naminé adds another line. ]

That you finally have the chance to do it again.

[ Whatever else might be going on, at least there's that. On the matter of hoping, there's something almost wistful about the pause before her, ]

Me too.

[ Since she's already put the poor fellow through the wringer with all her inquiries, she allows herself only one brief exhale prior to writing again. ]

Whatever happens, I wish you luck.

[ That's something close to a goodbye, isn't it? It's still a little strange for her, working out the ways to be polite in this journal-thing. (She refrains from apologizing for prying this time; might be better not to bring it up, even if she's belatedly sheepish about it.) ]

[noblegarnet]

Thanks.

[He got what she meant, even without the clarification, and he's grateful for the thought either way. In response to her apparent parting remark, he adds his own goodbye of sorts:]

Let's talk again sometime.

[lethechained]

[ Hard though it is to determine someone's tone through text alone, Naminé finds some comfort in the written gratitude regardless. And she hadn't known whether to suggest some certainty about speaking another time in the future, so she perks up to see that he's taken that step himself. ]

Sure. I'd like that.

[ Really, she would. It's still such a pleasant and unfamiliar sensation, managing to get along with someone new. ]

Until later, then.

[ That went better than expected. ]