(Untitled)

[tinylittleonion]

*recent conversations have had Alyosha thinking, and though it's difficult for him to put his thoughts into writing, he manages this afternoon to make a note and put it up on the bulletin board

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[priorphilip]

Philip has spent the past few days exploring the grounds, looking for a chapel. So when he sees the notice, he eagerly seeks Alexi out.

[tinylittleonion]

He can find Alexei standing by a table with a lilac bush of all things growing from it, roots clasping and cracking the wood; he has a book in his arms with Cyrillic lettering down the spine, and a thoughtful, earnest expression as he reaches to touch the leaves. When he sees Philip enter, he smiles. "Hello, Father."

[priorphilip]

"Good day, my son. Are Alexei Fyodorovitch, by chance?"

[tinylittleonion]

He laughs warmly. "Not by chance -- I was christened so. And you must have read my note about building a church ... ! How fortunate it is that you came."

[fingersofleaf]

It's Percy's day to bring food up to the Mansion, and as always on his way out he squints at the things on the bulletin board, trying to piece out the words as best he can. When he figures out the gist of this particular message, he sets right off for the library.

[tinylittleonion]

Alyosha will be waiting and certainly be glad to see someone, beaming, as it were, all over, and going straightaway to meet him. "Hello! Are you here about the church? Don't mind me if you aren't, or if you aren't interested, but I thought perhaps you might be ... I'm Alexei Fyodorovitch."

[fingersofleaf]

"Yeah! Yeah, the church." Percy grins at him, happily. "I build stuff. I mean, I built houses before. And I surely would like havin' a church."

[tinylittleonion]

"Ah, but that's wonderful!" Percy's grin is infectious, and Alyosha returns it, laughing. "I'd been hoping to find someone like you, when I put up that note -- and here you are. Truly it's wonderful. Then you'll build it, the chuch? And you'll be in the congregation?"

[tinylittleonion]

But this Alexei is Fyodorovitch and not Fyodorovna, and if Marius has a look he'll only find a young man with a face like one of those paintings of St. Sebastien, no arrows but sitting in a chair and turning the pages of a book.

[tinylittleonion]

"Ah -- ! Indeed I am," he says, and looking up and brightening at once. "Forgive me for not taking notice of you sooner ... you must have read my message?"

[edgar_huntly]

Edgar is scanning the notice board for any names that might jog his memory regarding Hagbard's. Seeing nothing of the sort, though, and intrigued by the church matter, he reasons that he would have as much look searching the library as anywhere else. Therefore, after half-heartedly canvassing a few empty rooms, he will swing by.

[tinylittleonion]

And he'll find Alyosha, dozing by his lilac bush on a table, rousing himself at the sound of footsteps and the opening door. "Ah, hello -- welcome --"

[edgar_huntly]

"Hello," Edgar ventures. "Are you--Alexei ..." He gives up utterly on the Russian.

[tinylittleonion]

"I am -- Alyosha, if you'd like. Forgive me for greeting you like this, I'd been reading and my eyes were tired ..." (But he smiles beatifically, nevertheless.) "You are here about the church?"

[tomboy_22]

Anita will show up - to see Alyosha, mostly, but also because she does have an interest.

"Hey, sweetie...." She furls herself around him affectionately. "Got room for the furry?"

[tinylittleonion]

Beaming, he reaches to ruffle the fur at the back of her neck and stroke her ears, as easily as he would a kitten's. "Of course, there will always be a place for you, Nitya."

[tomboy_22]

She purrs under his touch. "It's good to see you, Alex. How are you?"

[tinylittleonion]

"Wonderful, and wonderfully grateful. How are you?"