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[floreat_etona]

 *His question should be - what's good for removing the swelling from a black eye? - but he doesn't look like he's in any mood to ask it. Instead he sits down on the ground, eyeing his scuffed boots as if they hurt him more than his cuts and bruises.*

When you make plans, should you always have more than one?

((EDIT: Mun has to go, owing to brain-

Comments

[vicioussweetie]

"It's usually a good idea." Ali offers both advice and an ice-pack today, it seems. "Though perhaps it's better to have one flexible plan with many alternatives at each step. What happened?"

And worry. She offers advice and an ice-pack and worry.

[floreat_etona]

*He looks sulky-teenager at her, fine black brow arching angrily up over the puffy mess of his left eye*

Sometimes I can't afford to be flexible.

*Though he's taking the ice-pack, thankyou!*

[vicioussweetie]

"Nearly right. What you mean to say is that you can't afford to not be flexible," she teases gently, sitting down beside him. "But I know what you meant."

[floreat_etona]

I know what I meant to say.

*His grumble isn't nearly so impressive when it has that younger treble note to it, and add in the bruises to boot.*

[onemorebounty]

Well, that depends. Do you want one unexpected thing to completely spoil your day?

*Subtle as a sledgehammer, is the woman in armor. But she's not utterly without sympathy.*

What happened?

[floreat_etona]

*And he's about as friendly as a snapping turtle today.*

I don't have a lot of choice, do I?

Don't tell him he looks cute when he's angry.

[onemorebounty]

*She rarely tells anyone they look cute, sulky boys among the least.*

A few bruises are hardly enough to spoil everything. I'd thought you were clever enough to turn them to your advantage somehow. And that, really, is the best sort of plan to make--where you get something you want even if everything goes completely against you.

[floreat_etona]

*He sniffs. My, my, we're not being co-operative.*

What do you know about me? I'm not used to getting what I want without striving for it.

[rent_and_torn]

"Always. You never make progress otherwise, and in the meantime you've got a stash of plans to use later. I take it Plan A didn't work out?"

[floreat_etona]

*The look he gives her might be familiar to her on another face: an older one, admittedly with fewer bruises right now. It's so old-fashioned it could be carbon-dated. Right now, it seems, he's on the defensive.*

It wasn't by my folly if it didn't!

[rent_and_torn]

Almost makes her wanna pinch his cheeks, now that he's only got two normal hands! But she doesn't, for the safety of everyone in a 5-mile radius.

"Folly? It doesn't matter who screwed up, kiddo. That's why you always want backup plans- the end result would still be what you want, or else you'd be closer."

[floreat_etona]

*His cheeks flush red with his anger. Blame the impetuousness of his relative youth?*

I didn't say I didn't get what I wanted, did I?

[thesoulbound]

"In order to properly account for all variable possibilities, it is a good idea to have 'back up plans' if you will. To run head long into a problem without proper thought given to all consequences that may reveal themselves." Alphonse tilts his head a little and thinks that perhaps his explanation might be too much.

"Ah... to avoid injury... yes. More than one plan is necessary."

[floreat_etona]

*He gets a withering look, or at least the best of one that may be achieved with one eye half-swollen shut*

You don't think a plan can be a success unless it is without injury?

[thesoulbound]

"No, I simply don't believe that one is motivated enough to attain their goals if only one plan is set in place. Of course people can get hurt, that's one of the contingencies. But don't put all of your eggs in one basket and expect you to get what you want the first time around, as my Mom would say."

[floreat_etona]

*The young man looks down at his own hiked knees, his battered lips curling in amusement*

You get all of your plans from your mother...? This must be where I'm going wrong. I don't have one.

[fannyfae]

She regards him for a minute and then reaches for a bunch of arnica flowers that she pours hot water over to steep. A clean, soft cotton cloth is folded and placed near the bowl with the steeping infusion.*

Contingency plans are always a good idea to have at least in the back of your mind, should your initial plan choose to be 'less than successful'. The only question you need ask yourself was whether or not your goal was a worthwhile one worthy of more than one avenue of approach.

[floreat_etona]

*He watches her preparations with a sort of stiff, semi-pouting mistrust, though he doesn't move.*

I don't need to over-complicate things. They should be easy. I should be able to do them easily.

[fannyfae]

*She notes the expression on his face but her expression does not indicate that she has. She drops the cloth into the mixture and preses it into the bowl with a wooden spoon to absorb the moisture, letting it sit for a few moments*

Of course they should. Afterall, you have youthful enthusiasm on your side, do you not? *her lips do not curve into the slightest smile, but there is a small whisp of humour in her tone.* A prize that is not so easily won is sometimes a more valued one, although I can empathise with your predicament.

*She sees that the cloth has steeped enough. At last she drags her eyes up to his. She will not move to minister to him unless he approves.* This will take out the sting and your bruises will most likely have faded by morning.

[floreat_etona]

I'm not that young.

*He's bridled, but his head obviously hurts, and he pulls his long legs up closer to his chest where he sits, as if insecure.*

What is that you have there?