abraxaslogs | [open] november catch-all

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[open] november catch-all

Who: Steve Rogers & various
When: Throughout November
Where: Cadens, the Red Path, the Horizon
What: Renovating the Sarstina inn, restoring the Red Path, being Bothered by an execution, and hanging in the Horizon.
Warnings: Mentions of execution/dead bodies.

[ Open prompts below! If you want a specific prompt or starter (or something in Nocwich), let me know and I can throw something together. Find me at

demonology or on Discord at demonology. If you need any more details re: Steve's Horizon domain, also reach out! I haven't put a page together because of who I am as a person. ]

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[ Good thing Hilda is great at playing the out of sight, out of mind, game. If the disappointment isn't visible then it doesn't exist - at least as far as she's concerned. ]

Yeah, you know! Sort of like...

[ She pauses, wondering how exactly to best describe an aerie. It's so common in Fodlan that she's never had to go about explaining it to someone else about what an aerie actually is. So rarely is she ever on the other side of this explanation thing that it takes her a moment to try and find a proper comparison. ]

A stable but for creatures with wings that prefer heights. It's also easier to take off from higher up.

[ They had taught Kharsid not to fly off on his own anymore so letting him out onto the terrace wasn't so much of a concern as it had been early on. ]

The balcony is pretty large. We're at the top of the building so we have lots of space. [ She tilts her head to the side. ] Were you thinking we could build some kind of nest for him out there?

[ It can be hard to figure out how to describe something that you've never had to explain before since it's so commonplace where you're from, but Hilda gets there. So an aery is essentially a stable for a flying creature, meaning it makes sense for it to be high up.

Steve nods. He's picked Hilda up from her place enough times to know that they were at the top of the building rather than on street level. That seemed to work in their favor in this instance. ]

Yeah, if your neighbors don't mind too much that seems like it might at least work for now. [ He braces a hand on his hip and shrugs. ] I don't know if the wyvern will eventually get too big for even the roof to be enough space, but it might be a good holdover.

[ He doesn't really know how any of this works, but it seems like the logical answer given their setup. ]

[ The mention of the wyvern growing much larger than it already is has her wincing slightly. Wyverns grew to various sizes so it was impossible to say how big their adolescent wyvern would grow. The specifics didn't matter though - Kharsid was going to grow far bigger than the inside of their loft. But like so many things in her life, she figured there was no harm in letting Claude deal with the specifics. ]

If Kharsid is like the wyverns back home, he's probably going to grow. [ Cheekiness fills her gaze, giving Steve a playful little hip bump. ] Good thing we took our break together, hm? You're full of ideas!

[ And a nest probably wouldn't take much effort in the grand scheme of things if it was for their little wyvern.

The cheekiness in her expression burns away, replaced with warmth that covers up just enough bashfulness when it comes to her next question. ]

How have you been though? Staying out of trouble?

[ Oh, so the wyvern has a name. If they've named it, then that means they're definitely not going to be able to let go. Steve just hopes that the government doesn't get involved and try to confiscate it or anything like that. If they take good care of it and keep it out of trouble, then hopefully not.

At that bump from Hilda, he briefly grins and nods, trying not to overthink the whole situation too much. ] Well, try it out and let me know how it goes. [ Then they can decide whether or not it's a good idea.

When Hilda asks after him, Steve takes a moment to think before he shrugs. ]

I'd say so. For now. [ His mouth twitches. ] I was busy with the inn renovations up until now, so it's been a busy month for me. [ And one filled with manual labor, but that doesn't bother him too much. He takes another swig of water, then adds: ] You'll have to come by soon and see what we've done with the place.

[ Don't you dare even speak that into existence, Steve Rogers. The thought of their little wyvern being taken from them and released, or worse, slain, has passed Hilda's mind on occasion. Unsurprisingly, it's a thought that doesn't linger too long. Better to focus on the short term. That's what she was best at anyway. ]

We will.

[ Funnily enough an invitation is on the tip of her tongue to come and meet Kharsid in person when Steve apparently has the same idea. ]

I'd love to! I know you've all been hard at work. And I want to see where my fabric choices ended up. And when the work is all done that means you'll have to come and meet Kharsid. You don't just have to come by the loft to carry me to training, you know.

[ In a very roundabout, probably not subtle way at all, the standing invitation is Hilda's way of trying to bridge the odd gap that had appeared between the two of them. She hadn't intended for it to happen. And because she hadn't intended it, she knows that an apology about what had happened to them in the mountains has to happen now lest it become more embarrassing than it already is. The thought is enough to cause a moment of hesitation, gaze flitting down to her hands as her cheeriness dims just a fraction. But she pushes through, ignoring the warmth rising to her cheeks. This won't be her most eloquent apology - but it's just Steve. If he's seen her on the ground with fake crocodile tears as she protests doing another drill, he can likely handle this. ]

Also, I wanted to say I'm sorry. For turning on you in the mountains. I know it wasn't my fault entirely but I still feel awful that I couldn't stop myself.

[ Fabric choices? Of course Hilda had some say in how the inn got a makeover. Steve should have known, and thinking back on some of the new flourishes that have been added, he can recognize her hand in them.

Her remark about him carrying her to training makes him laugh despite himself, and he wonders if that's her way of telling him that she's ready to start up again following her injury. He would be curious to meet the wyvern, so he isn't about to say no, especially when she accepted his invitation with no hesitation.

Though then there is some hesitation, and when Hilda forces out an apology, Steve blinks with a lack of understanding. He can't think of what she needs to apologize for, other than maybe avoiding him and not telling him directly about what happened to her, but...

Oh. This is about what happened on the mountains. Steve heaves out a sigh and immediately shakes his head. ]

Hilda, you definitely don't have to apologize for that. And you weren't the only one. I... I almost hurt Claude myself, while we were fighting a monster in Aquila. [ Steve has no idea if Claude mentioned that to her. He may not have, as Claude seems to value privacy, even those of other people. He crosses his arms over his chest and glances down to the dusty path at their feet. ] It seems like if we were linked to one of those monsters by our arcana symbol, there was just... no way of stopping them from getting into our heads.

[ Thankfully, Claude was able to snap him out of it before anything truly disastrous happened. Steve glances back up then, pinning Hilda down with his gaze. ]

I'm just glad someone was able to help bring you back to yourself. I felt bad for letting you get away while in that state.

[ ~~uno reverse, this is his apology now~~ ]

[ The look on Hilda's face when Steve admits to being afflicted with the same thing she had is a clear sign that Claude hadn't mentioned it. It's one of those things that she can't even fault him for. Not entirely considering it had involved Steve who valued his privacy just as much as Claude did. But it's still difficult to ignore the way it brushes up against one of the many tender bruises that remained on her relationship with Claude. Trust was not an easy thing to win or repair. But she has to remind herself to at the very least be reasonable.

Besides, worry is the primary emotion here. Worry because she still remembers vividly the desire to hurt Ciri and Steve even though she would never think to do that if she were in her right state of mind. Worry that is directed towards these Arcana symbols that truthfully, she hadn't thought twice about since arriving here because they hadn't mattered in her day-to-day life until the rifts. And if it had affected Steve, someone that she thought was strong in all the ways that mattered, what would it do to others like him?

What Steve says next however has a little sliver of bewilderment making its way onto her features. ~~Not the uno reverse!!!~~ ]

Why would you feel bad? That wasn't your fault.

[ Nor was it hers. Despite Steve having just said as much, she still holds herself responsible. Even she can understand that this might just go around in circles though. And that isn't the only thing she has to apologize for, she realizes. The words come out a little rushed in her embarrassment, but no less sincere. ]

I didn't mean to avoid you for so long. I just felt...awful. Like I had disappointed you somehow.

[ They really could go back and forth arguing about whose fault it was or wasn't, but the truth is that it didn't really fall in either of their laps. It was the magic of this place, it was the Singularity and the rifts and the arcana and they'd been helpless to do anything about it. Which is frustrating in its own right, but they shouldn't see it as a reason to steer away from one another.

It does help that Hilda's expressing herself now, even if it's coming so late. Better late than never, Steve knows, and he appreciates that she's being upfront about it.

So, he gives her a warm smile and reaches out to grip her shoulder. ]

Well, you didn't. So the next time something like this happens, and hopefully it won't, but if it does... just come talk to me, all right? I'll always listen, I promise.

[ He gives her shoulder a little shake, not enough to unbalance her, and then a pat before pulling his hand away. His smile then grows into something more playful. ]

So, does this mean we're good to resume your training from here on out?

[ The downside to having an overactive imagination and mind that runs a mile a minute is that as she waits for Steve's response, she's already come up with several different scenarios that all result in Steve dismissing her. Telling her that he didn't accept her apology and that he had disappointed her in her behaviour, whatever that might encompass including the timing of this belated apology.

Of course she should know better. Steve isn't the sort of that particular brand of pettiness. His hand clasping her shoulder doesn't make her physically stumble with the weight of it. Rather, it has more to do with the fact that he's so kind. Even though it should have been a no-brainer, her relief shows clear as day. There's a little nod of confirmation on her part before it dissolves into something that is the complete opposite of relief.

It should come as no surprise to Steve that his suggestion about training is immediately met with a lamenting pout. If he hadn't already been on the receiving end of this multiple times before, he might think she's on the verge of tears. His shoulder shake isn't enough to knock her off her feet - they both know she's far sturdier than that - but she dramatically staggers, feigning a faint into him. ]

What was that? I think blacked out there for a second - you weren't saying something about training, were you?

[ Steve had been expecting some sort of overdramatized reaction from Hilda, because that's the routine they've found themselves in when it comes to her training regimen, but pretending to faint for a moment and stumbling into him? That takes it to a whole new level.

He catches her, of course, both hands holding her by the shoulders as she slumps against his chest. Even if it's all for the sake of theater, he isn't going to let her accidentally hurt herself, and his reaction is instinctual more than anything else. ]

You must have spent too much time out in the sun. [ He can't quite hide an amused smirk as he uses one hand to wave in front of her face as a makeshift fan. ]

But yes ma'am, I was. I'll come pick you up next Tuesday, then?

[ She can whine and stamp her feet all she wants, that just means they're back to business as usual which is all that Steve could want or hope for. It means that everything has been smoothed out between them, that they can stop dancing around each other, and hopefully that Hilda is feeling better overall. ]

[ Had a part of Hilda been hoping that he'd catch her and that she'd get to rest for a brief, blissful moment in that chest of his? Maybe. That doesn't diminish her gratefulness for his lack of petty bones in his body and quick reflexes. Because honestly? The thought of falling face first into the dusty sand isn't how she had planned to spend her time out here.

(Although, it might serve her right for the dramatics.)

Her lashes flutter rapidly as she's righted and soaks in the slight breeze from Steve's hand. ]

I've barely recovered from my heatstroke and you're already talking about training? [ Feigned fainting isn't going to stop her from lamenting. It only lasts a moment before she lets out a relenting sigh. ] Let me think about it on the walk back to the refreshment station.

[ But they both know that she'll be ready with the same song and dance next Tuesday when they inevitably meet up for training. ]

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[open] november catch-all

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fin! 💕