IC Inbox

[makingmyway]

INBOX audio / text / action [This is the place to leave messages for Dorian on his bird device.] code credit

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Audio because he's too angry to write--

[fundamentalchaos]

If you hear anything break...I'll replace it.

Fuck De Rolos.

One specific De Rolo.

[makingmyway]

[ …well that doesn’t sound good. ]

What happened? Are you okay?

[fundamentalchaos]

Oh yeah I'm fuckin' GREAT.

I just thought I'd be the bigger man and ask that Percy fucker if he'd do me a solid because he's one of the better crafters in this stupid fuckin place. I'd've asked Barcus but I can't exactly ask him to make his own fuckin present, that'd be REAL fuckin weird. I'm not THAT much of an asshole.

And what does the prissy fuck do? Calls me a 'Good boy' and is a condescending prick. Then sits there and has the fucking balls to say I'm no fucking threat to him when even I don't know what I can fucking do so where the fuck does he get off?

Guy is an asshole of the HIGHEST order!

[ Sorry Dorian... Also there might be stomping around coming from Ashton's room but no breaking sounds....yet. ]

[makingmyway]

[ Dorian frowns a little, hearing the words both from his bird and muffled through the walls. So he gets to his feet and heads out of his room and down to Ashton’s door, knocking a few times before opening it. ]

…want to go grab a drink?

[ It’s not a solution, but it might help calm the barbarian down a bit so they could talk easier. ]

[fundamentalchaos]

[ Looking up from the crystal bird perched on his hand, Ashton sighs. Shoulders slumping a bit as they take a deep breath. ]

I can always go for a drink.

Won't feel as bad if I break something at a tavern either.

[ They have a home and they don't wanna ruin their home. So Ashton stoops down to pull on their boots they had kicked off earlier, all the while grumbling something about rich assholes named De Rolo with no compassion...or something to that affect. ]

[makingmyway]

[ With a nod, Dorian quickly stops by his room to grab his cape and his own bird before joining Ashton to head out. ]

So… you might need to start over, because I am a bit lost. What happened with Lord de Rolo?

[ After all, he hadn’t been there when they’d gone to Whitestone to revive Laudna. ]

[fundamentalchaos]

[ Walk and talk, huh. Wonder if Dorian realizes he's doing the same thing that Ashton is sure Orym would have done. They sort of push that thought aside as they start over. ]

Okay so, when I got here I ran into the old fuck, just younger obviously. We didn't get on well because I already can't fucking stand the guy and this younger him is even more insufferable.

[ He takes a deep breath as they walk, the fresh air actually is helping even as Ashton feels like they are going to vibrate out of their skin. The vibrant sparks are dimming a bit as they calm slowly. ]

I've been avoiding the guy because like...he and Barcus get along and Barcus doesn't have a whole lot of tinkering buddies so I mean...it's not my business who his friends are. I mean we're just friends. [ Uh huh. ] But i had to reach out today because...I mean other than Barcus I know the guy is a skilled craftsman and...and I had an idea for a present. For Barcus. So I can't ask him to make it so I had to ask fuck face De Rolo.

[makingmyway]

[ Dorian nods as he listens, filing the information about Barcus away for later. It’s definitely something he wants to ask about, but this is not the right time for that conversation. ]

Okay. So what happened when you first met him that caused all these problems here?

[fundamentalchaos]

First time meeting him here or back home? Back home it was when Laudna died and we carried her back to Whitestone.

[ And isn't that a whole fuck off story. ]

Wait...do you know about that? I don't know if they told you...

[fundamentalchaos]

Ashton is pacing around his room far longer than he should be, mind racing as he is trying to process how he's been feeling lately. It's only after a loud "Fuck it!" that he storms out and stomps over to Dorian's room. He's pretty sure the other had ducked in at some point and while Ashton really should knock he doesn't have the filter at the moment. What ever it is that's going through his mind is overriding any real thought about personal space and you know...common decency.

Instead he just pushes his way into the room that Dorian and Orym have been sharing since they got together, something Ashton watched gradually from the sidelines not at ALL teasing his blue friend about, and just starts talking.

"Dorian! How the fuck do you know if you're in love with someone?" It's almost all said in a single breath, strong hands gripping the doorframe as Ashton just stairs at the floor. "Because I keep getting this...this feeling around him and I'm not used to it and I don't know what it is."

[makingmyway]

Dorian had just been stopping by home briefly to drop something off at the house, and has just been leaving something on Orym’s pillow when Ashton bursts in, and he jumps slightly startled.

Turning back to Ashton, he blinks, as it takes a moment for his mind to register the words. But when he does his cheeks flush a bit, and he clears his throat nervously.

“Ah well… to be honest I’m… not sure myself,” he admits hesitantly.

[fundamentalchaos]

At the moment Ashton doesn't register what Dorian is doing, only his words and he groans.

"Fuuuuck."

[makingmyway]

Dorian can only manage a sheepish shrug. “Sorry,” he says, as if it’s his fault he’s never fallen in love before.

Probably.

But understanding that that answer probably isn’t very helpful, he offers his friend to sit down. “What sort of things do you feel when you’re around him?”

He maybe not be able to offer much advice, but he can at least listen and let Ashton talk things through.

[fundamentalchaos]

"I don't know....it's just...I can't stop smiling when I'm with him. I want to always be around him..." It' hard, actually voicing what he feels. Ashton isn't a feelings kind of guy after all. But this is important.

"Sometimes he looks at me and I just...I want be better because I think he sees me as better than I am."

[makingmyway]

Dorian can't help a small smile as he listens, and he chuckles softly as he nods. "Well, that I have felt," he says after a moment. Honestly, that is exactly how he feels when he's around Orym.

"To be honest, I don't know if it is love... all I can tell you is that, that feeling? I know for me personally, I want to find out if it is."

[fundamentalchaos]

Moving further in Ashton drops down at the foot of the bed, face in his hands.

"I mean...it's not the first time I've felt this way but....first time it's been you know, returned." Not going to say much more than that because there wasn't a point, other than to say that this isn't the first time he'd felt this way. Breathing in deep through his nose he stops and looks up at the other genasi. 'Really? I'd think you had it figured out with him...I mean...I don't know."

Dorian just seemed like the romantic between the two of them so why wouldn't he have a better grasp on the feeling she had for Orym?

[makingmyway]

Another chuckle, this a bit more nervous as he takes a seat beside Ashton, careful to not dislodge the sprig of flowers he'd placed on Orym's pillow.

"The truth is, when I left home I had... all these fanciful notions of what it would mean to be free, to explore and have all these adventures. And everything I've experienced since then is nothing like I expected it to be." He sits, a bit hunched forward with his elbows resting on his knees, playing a bit with his hands. "Everything is so much different than how I pictured it, even who I thought I would be, and..." He pauses a moment, trying to find the right words. "I'd always imagined falling in love, what that would be like. And I've had flights of fancy with people before, even back home. But the way I feel for Orym... it's unlike anything I've ever felt for anyone before. And I guess... part of me is a bit worried about messing it up. Maybe I just want to be sure of what it is, because I'm scared of either of us getting hurt in the end."

He falls quiet a moment, then shakes his head and clears his throat. "Sorry, uh... you weren't asking about all that." He mentally kicks himself, feeling bad for dumping all this on Ashton when the other had been the one coming to him for advice.

[fundamentalchaos]

Ashton doesn't seem to mind they even shift so there is a comfortable space between them, not as much distance as Ashton would typically put between himself and someone else however. Dorian and Orym are safe people for him, and he and Dorian just seem to get closer the longer they're both there.

"No, it's okay. I mean I'm the one who barged in here and dumped my bullshit on you." They shrug. "For what it's worth, I remember Laudna saying love is pain and I mean...I don't think she's completely wrong but...startin' t' think it's part of it, y'know?"

[text] ingenuity

[badnewsandshitlist]

[This is a long shot but....]

Have you seen or heard from Vex'ahlia?

[gift!]

[arlathvhen]

[ A few days after Dorian managed to wrangle Beleth home, and she asked Ashton for ideas, Dorian will find a present for him wrapped up on his door: A bottle of nice wine and flowers. A note accompanies it: ]

Dorian-

Thank you for your kindness in aiding me when I made unwise decisions regarding the magical drinks from the tavern. I appreciate what you did for me, and if you ever need aid in return, you need merely ask.

-Beleth Lavellan

Text | un: sonofthewind

[makingmyway]

[ Sometime later, Lavellan will receive a text. ]

Thank you very much for the gift. You certainly didn't have to, but I appreciate it. I was happy to help and make sure you returned home safely. After all, what are friends for?

Action

[halfling_dad]

[At some point during the day, a lovely blue lily will wind up on Dorian's side of the bed, but anyone trying to reach Orym will get no answer.]

[text] ingenuity

[badnewsandshitlist]

…Apologies. For my behavior. Earlier.

I was not—it was not representative of my better self. Not that that excuses it. It was wrong. I was wrong.

I’m… glad you’re alive. That our meeting didn’t end in… something final. Permanent.

You didn’t deserve that. I’m aware.

Thank you, for… not making it worse. For being—gracious, even when I was not.

Right. That’s all. I’ll let you be.

Text | un: sonofthewind

[makingmyway]

[ Dorian has largely been avoiding Percy, even knowing that the other man had likely returned. Not because he was upset at him for what happened, but for his own part he had played in their confrontation.

He’d been thinking of how to apologize himself, and he’s both relieved and frustrated with himself that Percy reached out first. ]

No, it’s… it’s all right.

I mean, not all right, but. I’m glad to hear from you.

And I’m sorry as well, for my own fault in it. I know there were several things playing into it, but that doesn’t change what I tried to do.

I wasn’t… as gracious as you might think I was.

[needsexcitement]

Happy Hearth's Warming Eve and a merry Season of Light, Dorian!

Yours,
Cadence

[Inside the box is an aquamarine Unicorn about the size of a paperweight.]