"Er... yes, okay, I suppose I should tell you that if you're trying to reach me I'm not here, and if you're trying to reach me because you want to do something involving pointy bits of metal or otherwise painful objects, I'm never going to be here. So sorry."
too many to list on this blasted thing. I'll be home soon.
[in the next twenty minutes, actually, looking exhausted and in utter disrepair. Dried red mud is caked up his legs, visible from the torn hem of his robes. He's gained a tan but lost the weight he'd been able to put on since being Ported in, back to looking like haggard scarecrow in need of a decent shave.
A shave someone may have tried to give him already, judging by the thin red line curving just under his chin.
He beelines directly for the couch, halfheartedly pushing wet noses out of the way as he's greeted by the usual throng of furry housemates. The Luggage follows in a moment later, decidedly more sullen than when it left, and settles down in the corner. It left a family behind to follow its master - that sort of sacrifice demands a moment's reflection.]
[ She'd been expecting the '12 year' thing to have been more sarcasm than fact, she it's a surprised April that lingers in the entryway to the living room after hearing the pack welcome back its missing members. She takes in his whole...him. Then walks towards the kitchen. ]
Wine. All the wine. [if Rincewind's voice sounds muffled, it's because he's faceplanted on the couch, no less than three dogs on top of him. He's too tired to bother shooing any of them off.
But he'll lift his face if he hears her come back in, just enough to show that for someone claiming as much time away as he is, Rincewind only looks to have aged a year.
Not that it makes him look any less like something one of the raccoons dragged in.]
[ She does return with a bottle of wine. And a damp kitchen towel. And one of Will's carefully prepared Tupperware things of 'was previously a dinner, now is snack' food.
For once, instead of demanding couch space, she takes a seat on the floor next to where his head is, now pore or less on eye level with his pillow-smooshed face.
[good. Rincewind closes his eyes in brief relief at the answer. He's not ready to face... any of those conversations, right now. Being the unwitting pawn of an imperial coup and the reluctant determining factor of a military battle can take a lot out of a wizard. (Not to mention the unfortunate amount it nearly literally took out of him.)
When he opens his eyes again to food, wine, and a wet cloth, he nearly has to swallow back a dry sob of gratitude. Rather than waste time questioning whether April has ever been this nice to him before, Rincewind straightens enough (with a soft woof of dismay from a dislodged dog) to take the cloth and the tupperware. Food, real food first, then wine. There will be plenty of time for that.]
So is my entire life, so it feels appropriate. [cavalierly offered from behind the towel as he swipes it across his face. He peeks over a bundle of it.]
...I'm not sure how long I've been gone, I can't remember what day it last was. I don't suppose you noticed?
[probably not, given he was in a hotel at the time. There's no blaming her for that.]
[ While the Wiz disrupts his dog blanket and re-situates himself, April was offering a hand over to the still very much slunk away Luggage, waiting to see if it wanted to walk over for a pet. But even if it didn't, it still factored in here. Even the evil furniture was depressed. Must have been a trip. ]
Nah. Since you and Will had your breakup I've been kinda busy with...that. So. Don't move out again if you want calendar service.
[A carefully and very securely wrapped package wrapped in a gaily printed cloth is sitting on Rincewind's desk in the library next to two (not overdue) returned books, along with a note in practiced penmanship:]
Dear Mr. Rincewind, Thank you so much for your recommendation; I really enjoyed Herodotus' Histories. Do you have any suggestions for something more modern? I'm still trying to catch up. I'm also looking for anything you might have on botany.
I know we shouldn't be eating food in the library, but I made a little too much shepherd's pie last night, so I thought I'd share. The peas and potatoes are from one of my neighbors! She grew them in her garden herself. I hope you enjoy it.
Fair enough. [around a mouthful of something he didn't even pause to look at before shoving it in his mouth. Not that he needed to. It's delicious, heavenly - of course it would be.
The Luggage ignores the offering, seemingly lost in its own little world. Rincewind glances up just long enough to frown at it, then wave a hand.]
I wouldn't bother for a day or so. It's going to be in a mood. It ran into another Luggage it apparently got on with well enough to somehow... well, anyway. I didn't make it follow me back, you know. [added a touch defensively.] It could have stayed behind if it wanted to.
[he frowns around a gulp of wine, then lifts tired eyes to April, cautiously curious.]
[Poor luggage. She'll have to take it to the dump or something. Her gaze is 100% glued to where the miserable piece of furniture had wandered off to instead of looking at Rincewind.]
And 'course. Him and Dorian. That's what people do. Sometimes.
And children. I'm still not sure how that one happened.
[and lest he start imagining it, Rincewind swiftly moves the conversation along. Even at the risk of it plummeting into deeper, more dangerous waters.
Which there's clearly a chance of, considering April isn't even looking at him now. Rincewind sets his cleaned bowl aside, twisting his mouth. The part of him that wants to be angry, was angry before, is mostly just tired now. His whole body is.]
[ Baby luggage?! April can only blink for a moment at that, still looking where the Luggage had gone. Leaving baby momma and kids for the Wizard. April didn't think most people would manage to make the same choice.
But the man is back. After a moment of digesting the family news, April turns back to look at him, even more confused now than she had been by how baby luggage would work.]
That he'd - do something. Like that. To someone who calls him a friend. [he frowns deeply into his wine, turning so he's mostly laying down again. His feelings there are so muddled - he keeps returning to those memories of when he was in Will's bait shop, of all things; when he was a child. Rincewind's not sure why.
He glances over, guarded.]
You weren't surprised when you heard? You weren't upset?
[Normal friends isn't even the right term. April scratches the back of her head, ruffling her hair, then leans against the couch with a huff.]
You know I made peace, right? With Freddie. For you. Now he says I'm the sickness, can't stand to talk to me. They have messed up thinking about each other, the dicks from Baltimore. So. Mm. Not really surprised, I guess.
[oh, Estellise, there's no competition, but if there was she'd be winning it. About the time his eyes read "shepherd's pie" Rincewind's brows are halfway up his forehead. He gives the food a thorough, suspicious look-over (old habits), but the moment he actually takes a bite on his lunch break, it's all quickly (and happily) devoured.
Well! The least he can do in return is answer the polite young woman's request. He doesn't know when she'll next be in, but he takes care to write a short return note to keep at the front desk, in case he's not there the next time she returns.]
Dear Miss Estellise, The shepherd's pie was lovely, your neighbor has a gift with potatoes. I'm afraid the modern histories we carry tend to have something of an obvious bias (not that most histories don't), but I did learn some things from Where We Are Now by Mr. Norman Pritchard when I first arrived here. I know what it's like to be thrust somewhere new and frightening.
Botany I'm even less versed in. There are a few plant encyclopedias with helpful pictures, though, those might be helpful. - Rincewind, Nonah Assistant Librarian
[he winces. That doesn't surprise him - Chilton's been vitriolic about April from the start, he's not surprised this mess with Will has eroded that brief truce. ]
I know you did. Or tried. I appreciated that, I really did. [even as it's clear now that's not something that will ever last.] But - thinking's one thing. He - he had to cut Dorian open. For this. Like a fish.
[which is a suddenly, deeply unpleasant comparison, and it's a good thing he's already eaten.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wizzardly
no subject
Date: 2016-08-17 05:15 am (UTC)I'll be home soon.
[in the next twenty minutes, actually, looking exhausted and in utter disrepair. Dried red mud is caked up his legs, visible from the torn hem of his robes. He's gained a tan but lost the weight he'd been able to put on since being Ported in, back to looking like haggard scarecrow in need of a decent shave.
A shave someone may have tried to give him already, judging by the thin red line curving just under his chin.
He beelines directly for the couch, halfheartedly pushing wet noses out of the way as he's greeted by the usual throng of furry housemates. The Luggage follows in a moment later, decidedly more sullen than when it left, and settles down in the corner. It left a family behind to follow its master - that sort of sacrifice demands a moment's reflection.]
no subject
Date: 2016-08-17 10:55 pm (UTC)What'd you want?
no subject
Date: 2016-08-18 01:31 am (UTC)But he'll lift his face if he hears her come back in, just enough to show that for someone claiming as much time away as he is, Rincewind only looks to have aged a year.
Not that it makes him look any less like something one of the raccoons dragged in.]
Anyone else home?
no subject
Date: 2016-08-19 12:59 am (UTC)[ She does return with a bottle of wine. And a damp kitchen towel. And one of Will's carefully prepared Tupperware things of 'was previously a dinner, now is snack' food.
For once, instead of demanding couch space, she takes a seat on the floor next to where his head is, now pore or less on eye level with his pillow-smooshed face.
She offered over the cloth. ]
You're a mess.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-20 06:14 pm (UTC)seems like ur kind of thing
no subject
Date: 2016-08-22 03:43 am (UTC)When he opens his eyes again to food, wine, and a wet cloth, he nearly has to swallow back a dry sob of gratitude. Rather than waste time questioning whether April has ever been this nice to him before, Rincewind straightens enough (with a soft woof of dismay from a dislodged dog) to take the cloth and the tupperware. Food, real food first, then wine. There will be plenty of time for that.]
So is my entire life, so it feels appropriate. [cavalierly offered from behind the towel as he swipes it across his face. He peeks over a bundle of it.]
...I'm not sure how long I've been gone, I can't remember what day it last was. I don't suppose you noticed?
[probably not, given he was in a hotel at the time. There's no blaming her for that.]
no subject
Date: 2016-08-22 12:59 pm (UTC)Nah. Since you and Will had your breakup I've been kinda busy with...that. So. Don't move out again if you want calendar service.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-23 04:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-23 11:16 am (UTC)its grilled meat and were going to go get some right now
no subject
Date: 2016-08-26 04:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-26 12:59 pm (UTC)tho we could probably find bbq gator too because this is florida
[Physical Delivery]
Date: 2016-08-26 06:04 pm (UTC)Dear Mr. Rincewind,
Thank you so much for your recommendation; I really enjoyed Herodotus' Histories. Do you have any suggestions for something more modern? I'm still trying to catch up. I'm also looking for anything you might have on botany.
I know we shouldn't be eating food in the library, but I made a little too much shepherd's pie last night, so I thought I'd share. The peas and potatoes are from one of my neighbors! She grew them in her garden herself. I hope you enjoy it.
Estellise
no subject
Date: 2016-08-28 05:33 am (UTC)The Luggage ignores the offering, seemingly lost in its own little world. Rincewind glances up just long enough to frown at it, then wave a hand.]
I wouldn't bother for a day or so. It's going to be in a mood. It ran into another Luggage it apparently got on with well enough to somehow... well, anyway. I didn't make it follow me back, you know. [added a touch defensively.] It could have stayed behind if it wanted to.
[he frowns around a gulp of wine, then lifts tired eyes to April, cautiously curious.]
You asked him, then?
no subject
Date: 2016-08-28 11:10 pm (UTC)[Poor luggage. She'll have to take it to the dump or something. Her gaze is 100% glued to where the miserable piece of furniture had wandered off to instead of looking at Rincewind.]
And 'course. Him and Dorian. That's what people do. Sometimes.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-30 04:32 am (UTC)But that does sound
nice
no subject
Date: 2016-08-30 04:33 am (UTC)[and lest he start imagining it, Rincewind swiftly moves the conversation along. Even at the risk of it plummeting into deeper, more dangerous waters.
Which there's clearly a chance of, considering April isn't even looking at him now. Rincewind sets his cleaned bowl aside, twisting his mouth. The part of him that wants to be angry, was angry before, is mostly just tired now. His whole body is.]
But I didn't want to think that of him.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-30 01:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-30 11:05 pm (UTC)But the man is back. After a moment of digesting the family news, April turns back to look at him, even more confused now than she had been by how baby luggage would work.]
Thank what about Will?
no subject
Date: 2016-08-31 01:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-08-31 01:48 am (UTC)He glances over, guarded.]
You weren't surprised when you heard? You weren't upset?
no subject
Date: 2016-08-31 01:52 am (UTC)[Normal friends isn't even the right term. April scratches the back of her head, ruffling her hair, then leans against the couch with a huff.]
You know I made peace, right? With Freddie. For you. Now he says I'm the sickness, can't stand to talk to me. They have messed up thinking about each other, the dicks from Baltimore. So. Mm. Not really surprised, I guess.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-31 07:19 pm (UTC)[Physical Delivery]
Date: 2016-09-02 01:49 am (UTC)Well! The least he can do in return is answer the polite young woman's request. He doesn't know when she'll next be in, but he takes care to write a short return note to keep at the front desk, in case he's not there the next time she returns.]
Dear Miss Estellise,
The shepherd's pie was lovely, your neighbor has a gift with potatoes. I'm afraid the modern histories we carry tend to have something of an obvious bias (not that most histories don't), but I did learn some things from Where We Are Now by Mr. Norman Pritchard when I first arrived here. I know what it's like to be thrust somewhere new and frightening.
Botany I'm even less versed in. There are a few plant encyclopedias with helpful pictures, though, those might be helpful.
- Rincewind, Nonah Assistant Librarian
no subject
Date: 2016-09-02 02:12 am (UTC)I know you did. Or tried. I appreciated that, I really did. [even as it's clear now that's not something that will ever last.] But - thinking's one thing. He - he had to cut Dorian open. For this. Like a fish.
[which is a suddenly, deeply unpleasant comparison, and it's a good thing he's already eaten.]
It's all just so... wrong.
no subject
Date: 2016-09-02 02:13 am (UTC)