[OTA] patience is finite

[lenire_feris]

There’s a woman coming up the path from Outside. You’d be hard-pressed to guess in which direction from Outside she came from, not that that anyone has ever bothered to find that out about new arrivals to the Deck. The Deck is for secrets, after all. It tends to be a last resort

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[aedificavi]

Burke isn't overly patient. He never has been. It's only gotten worse over the years. Here, now, with more thoughts than actions (it's not enough, what he's doing, not nearly enough), it's treading toward nothingness. He needs justice. He needs an actual hand on his massive shoulders to steady him, temper him, keep hold of him.

He does not need the women coming to the Embassy and dragging him to a halt in the halls of the castle he did not build.

[lenire_feris]

No one is in the Embassy besides the servants and the Arcana themselves. This means that Silke has absolutely no reservations about popping out from around a corner and shaking her head reprovingly. "Oh, Burke. Burke, Burke, Burke. You berk."

[formyowngain]

Ah, and look who follows, though with far more approval. "Oh Burke, such chaos!"

[aedificavi]

Thank goodness he's not a jumpy man. He doesn't even jerk back; just shifts slightly as he comes to a halt, stone settling into its foundations. Sudden change so rarely suits him.

These aren't the faces he might have dearly desired to see, but... it could be worse. "And you've traveled all this way to say that?"

[lenire_feris]

"There's worse I could say," Silke points out, her hands going to her hips. "There's far much worse I could say. But I quite think 'berk' sums and summarises it nicely." There's a slight eye roll as she raises her brows at Asmodai's declaration. Not helping, Asmodai.

[formyowngain]

In her defense, she wasn't here to help. Though her lips curve up at Silke's reaction; the berk had been hers, after all.

"It does, it does. What if we had a better reason? Would you want to know it? Maybe we came bearing gifts!"

[aedificavi]

"I have missed being summarized." It's a genuine enough statement. Burke's a lot of things, but good at misrepresenting himself? Not particularly. It's hardly his own fault other people can't read him.

These two, he imagines, can, more than the... 'Cards' running around here.

His brow does have to lift in Asmodai's direction. "And I should hope you'd be quite frank with me about such a purpose."

[lenire_feris]

"How fortunate that we've come, then." She shakes her head at both of them, with a rather tired kind of affection. "Is Christophe's insufficient as a reminder of home? What a pity." Shame, Burke. Shame on you.

Then again, at least she's not mentioning Gustave.

[formyowngain]

"Tophie should clearly be enough of a reminder. How is he? How's Gustel? How comes the embassy is still standing? Why don't you say please when you want your gift?"

Because yes, she has a gift. And yes, she is mentioning both Christophe and Gustave and yes, she wants you to answer all these questions.

[aedificavi]

There's balance to it. Burke can appreciate that. Of course The one doesn't mention the Magician; of course the other does. And, of course, for all Silke's faint disapproval, they hardly seem to want to chase him from the Embassy.

It's not all bad, at any rate.

The dip of his head is a more natural movement than he's made in weeks, arms coming together behind his back in a slightly eased position. "They tend to remind a person of the wordiness of home more than the quiet of it." If he doesn't look particularly enthused about it, well, he looks earnest enough in the report. "And they're entirely well. Quite possessive of their toe hold here."

There's a touch of a pause before he bends more properly at the waist. "And something less vociferous and biting would be a wonderful relief. Please."

[lenire_feris]

That finally wipes the slight disapproval from Silke's face with a small purr of laughter. "Something less biting? I shouldn't have come, then." She gestures to Asmodai, stepping back. "Go ahead while I defang myself. I shan't take long." She is still going to blast his ears. But better to sweeten things while there's time.

[formyowngain]

She smiles at Silke. Now, time to drag Burke along. Because really, she's not carrying that box along.

The box itself leaves quite the impression. Both in size and in color. Inside, every last inch appears to be candy, though, if one tries to lift the large box, it's clear that it can't be just the sweets - it's far too heavy.

Digging through the first part of candy, eventually, he'll come across this - let's hope he takes it out, because if it is unfolded, a letter and likely more candy will fall out. His name is written across it, in a handwriting that is most likely familiar - Justice's.

But still, that hardly explains the weight. Well, what's hidden underneath will. Asmodai believes the hammer will make up for digging, the generally hideous gifts and the lack of simplicity with which the letter was delivered.

[aedificavi]

The shift toward a smile is slower, a little more visible. True, they're not exactly what he needs, but... they're still his. They're from Home. And if there are more of them here, it will make things a little easier to bear.

So it's a proper sort of smile shot at Silke before he's marshaled off to get his... giant pink box, apparently. Of course he'll heft it without opening it, test the weight in his overlarge hands. And let his face crack into an expression of contentment he hasn't worn a lick since arriving here.

"...you brought a hammer."

Even with everything else obscuring it, that's a weight he knows.

[lenire_feris]

She can't help the annoyance that crosses her face at his words. It's not for him; it means that Asmodai had planned this earlier than she expected. Her mutter might be caught by Burke, or it might not. "Really? You could have just travelled with me instead of surprising me halfway."

Not that she wants to spoil Burke's joy. It's just the principle of the thing.

[formyowngain]

"I did. Thought you'd might like to have one here."

And, whispering to match her:"But then I wouldn't have gotten to surprise you halfway.~" And clearly, that was part of the joy, wasn't it?

[aedificavi]

"A kind thought on your part. I've been sorely missing one." Not that he hadn't been fairly effective with hands and fire, with his scattered network of men and arms. Just... nothing quite like using the right tool for the job.

It's no hardship to get the box under his arm, slam an exuberant hand against the comparatively small woman's back in appreciation. And just think how he'll light up when the letter is discovered--there will be hugs.

"It will be good to have you here."