Professor Sooty needs his own relationships counseling radio show.
Breakfast is always whatever he most wants. Given that his desires in this department run to the pedestrian and available, this isn't quite the genie-in-the-kitchen that it might sound.
Sausages from a taunka village; they'd been happy to trade foodstuffs for ammunition. Fruit. Pancakes with prickly pear syrup. All of it's fit for a leisurely meal, tidbits doled out to Sooty. He and Alevh take turns with that, turning it into a little game to send the hatchling back and forth across the table.
Sliver of sausage, some gentle preening, and Sooty head back to Alevh. Eager peep-chirps
aren't you happy to see me? It's been ages since I was over here last! At least a full minute!
which Alevh replies to in kind. Some deep aching thing settles in Chry's chest as he watches. It's mostly a good hurt, longing and affection and a sort of possessiveness that he tries to hide from himself.
"'Levh," he says, and the words are coming unbidden from his mouth, he knows he shouldn't be asking this, not again. "Is it okay I love you?"
Alevh peers over at him, attention briefly diverted from the care and feeding of phoenixling. "Weighty question," he says, but from his tone he doesn't exactly mean it. "I think we should get an outside opinion. Sooty, what do you think?"
The hatchling chirrups at him, happy as always to make conversation.
"Uh huh. And is that your final opinion, Professor Soot?" Alevh asks, giving the professor a chinscritch.
Chirp. Chirp. Peeee-eep.
Alevh looks up at the younger elf. "Soot says 'jellybeans.'" His face is mock-serious deadpan delivery of the professor's vital opinion, but then his ears come back up and his eyes relax with a fond smile. "And of course it's okay." With that he goes back to cutting a tiny piece of pancake to dab in the pool of syrup on his plate, Soot growing increasingly excited as his bite is prepared.
"Well, I g-guess Sooty'd let me know if I was doing anything that upset his mommy," Chryseth says. And something else spreads through him, a real relief and reassurance Alevh's other previous more-serious answers hadn't given him.
If it's a matter so inconsequential that Alevh would theatrically ask Soot's opinion, it isn't something that worries him. It's not causing him discomfort or distress, it's not making him lie awake at night thinking anxious thoughts.
It's okay.
Sausages from a taunka village; they'd been happy to trade foodstuffs for ammunition. Fruit. Pancakes with prickly pear syrup. All of it's fit for a leisurely meal, tidbits doled out to Sooty. He and Alevh take turns with that, turning it into a little game to send the hatchling back and forth across the table.
Sliver of sausage, some gentle preening, and Sooty head back to Alevh. Eager peep-chirps
aren't you happy to see me? It's been ages since I was over here last! At least a full minute!
which Alevh replies to in kind. Some deep aching thing settles in Chry's chest as he watches. It's mostly a good hurt, longing and affection and a sort of possessiveness that he tries to hide from himself.
"'Levh," he says, and the words are coming unbidden from his mouth, he knows he shouldn't be asking this, not again. "Is it okay I love you?"
Alevh peers over at him, attention briefly diverted from the care and feeding of phoenixling. "Weighty question," he says, but from his tone he doesn't exactly mean it. "I think we should get an outside opinion. Sooty, what do you think?"
The hatchling chirrups at him, happy as always to make conversation.
"Uh huh. And is that your final opinion, Professor Soot?" Alevh asks, giving the professor a chinscritch.
Chirp. Chirp. Peeee-eep.
Alevh looks up at the younger elf. "Soot says 'jellybeans.'" His face is mock-serious deadpan delivery of the professor's vital opinion, but then his ears come back up and his eyes relax with a fond smile. "And of course it's okay." With that he goes back to cutting a tiny piece of pancake to dab in the pool of syrup on his plate, Soot growing increasingly excited as his bite is prepared.
"Well, I g-guess Sooty'd let me know if I was doing anything that upset his mommy," Chryseth says. And something else spreads through him, a real relief and reassurance Alevh's other previous more-serious answers hadn't given him.
If it's a matter so inconsequential that Alevh would theatrically ask Soot's opinion, it isn't something that worries him. It's not causing him discomfort or distress, it's not making him lie awake at night thinking anxious thoughts.
It's okay.