coordination | IC Inbox for folkmore

[ On the evening of the 24th of December, Yzak will have an anonymous present delivered to his home. It's a box with a small selection of the best-baked goods from the Catfe bakery. And thus, everything is completely cat-themed...except for one single cookie, in the shape of a bird, that someone added later. The card that comes with the present only says; ]

Happy Holidays! Keep honing those stealth skills.

[the chill of Wintermute is apparent well before the train rolls into the station: while they had been on trains before, Blue had only seen a horizon painted by an endless ocean. here, he can hardly blink before the landscape's drawn new lines and shapes to try and glimpse before they've passed. it's no slight to Yzak, who may or may not have found conversations start and stall with the way Blue's eyes trailed back to the window, only to start up again when he can provide explanations or suggestions for what it is they pass by.

mountains look so different from a view like this, as a passenger, not a refugee...

the Weeping Mouse has been weeping less, grown to trust Blue's assurance despite any inherent instincts. perhaps that's by design: it was made for him, after all; perhaps it was so fearful because it was projecting some of Blue's own unspoken fears of the unknown, of being caged as rats are. so for the majority of the ride, it sits curled up in Blue's lap - even occasionally lifting its head and sniffing at Yzak should there be attempts to interact! but it's back up to Blue's shoulder when it's time to disembark, and that's when the real cold hits...

bracing is putting it lightly.]

Cold...! [the thought escapes him quite easily as he steps out of the station and braces against the sharp chill in the air.]

Others trapped here...really choose to stay here...? [they must be terribly strong.]

[ Yzak can't even be mad when he's in the middle of talking about something and Blue's focus gets drawn away to the views out the window. The wonder in those scarlet eyes as he stares out at the distant snowy peaks and moving panoramic view ... it reminds Yzak of how little he's gotten to see and experience. And the awe and joy that Blue may not even realize he has on his face in these sorts of moments make Yzak's heart swell, and he can't help but trail off, mentally flagging whatever he was talking about to circle back to later. He just watches Blue's expression, the way his eyebrows shoot up at this or that in particular or the way he keeps his gaze on something, his own expression growing soft and fond. Blue is enjoying his view, and Yzak his.

When he feels the mouse's nose barely touch his hand when it sniffs at him, he peers down as it with a tip of his head, as if mentally asking "what?" He'll uncurl a finger toward it, having been working on making up for their initial rocky start.

Yzak's flinch against the biting cold isn't as harsh as Blue's because he can physically handle it better, but it's a flinch all the same. Much like he's not a huge fan of the desert and its extreme weather, the same goes for the opposite end of that spectrum. ]

Ugh...! [ He groans, reaching to lift the collar of his coat up. ]

Some people actually like this weather. [ First a simple fact, and then, since Blue enjoys learning and he's been explaining things to him, feels the need to add: ] And in the past before people even had the resources and means to travel away, they had no choice but to adapt if they wanted to survive.

[the mouse, better equipped but still not thrilled, fluffs up and burrows in the back of Blue's coat collar, tail curling around the front of his neck like a small muffler.

still braced against the chill, Blue manages to flash a small smile Yzak's way.]

It is those who enjoy this who I can't fathom...but I can believe in those who do what they must to live on.

It's so dark, too... [he looks ahead at the dappled lights of the nearby village.] We did not travel that long, and yet it seems like night now.

Exactly. You'd think once people were able to get away from this shit, nobody would actually opt to stay in a place like this. I guess some people are just fucking masochists. [ Says him. ]

Of course the technical school is here, of all places... it'd better have something of use to me. [ Though THAT'S going to mean taking frequent trips out here to grab books and other things.

His eyes flit back over to Blue. ]

Here.

[ He's still a Mu - still quite thin (which he's into he loves his skelly boyfriend), and clearly cold. So Yzak reaches his hand down and over to grasp his, fingers curling as he focuses himself to the Charter, concentrating so he can use the warmth spell to work against the cold. ]

[what is naturally accepted as a gesture of affection is a welcome, warmer surprise. Blue's smile broadens, eyes crinkling with some fondness, even a glint of amusement.]

Even if the school fails your expectations...this journey isn't entirely a loss. [he squeezes the hand.] But let us go and see for ourselves.

[ By now he's pretty well accustomed to the Charter, even more advanced spells (though he doesn't particularly want to dabble in the whole revival thing). So this one he's actively using shouldn't be an issue, even though this one capable of draining him if he has to keep it going for too long, and it is cold so he wants to ensure they're both comfortable here.

That they're all comfortable here - he can't really tell by look alone if the mouse can deal with this sort of weather. ]

No? Well, let's hope the school doesn't disappoint, all the same. I've still got a shitload of things to learn if I want to make any headway to advance from the position I'm in now.

[ Yzak tips his head to get a better look at the weeping mouse wrapped around Blue's neck, the falling snow landing on and blending in near-perfectly with its fur.

—with Blue's hair, too, he notes as his eyes drift upward. ]

Aside from what the station could simulate, we never really had this sort of snowy weather on any of the planets we went on missions on, did we?

Not that I can recall. [but then, there were some great swaths of time where he couldn't take in the sights as well as he should've. others would've told him, shown him... but the memory of snow is the one of the simulation room, of Finn skating about, of James helping him build snow sculptures, of paper snowflakes pasted along the bare walls of his room...]

The chill is sharper here. [likely because the simulation room wasn't set to utterly immerse someone into sheer discomfort.] Like every breath...comes with the threat of a knife... [his eyes scan ahead of them, tracing the hazy lines of the school blotted out by the snowfall.

after a beat, he feels Yzak's eyes upon him and glances over.] Shall we?

In the end the simulations were just that. So even at its most "extreme," it was still pretty tame compared to how the real thing can feel. [ A small grumble. ] It'd be nice if this wasn't as bad right now, though...! It can be quite pleasant when it's not this strong, and it doesn't get to that point on PLANT.

[ His hand squeezes gently at Blue's. ] Still, this is nothing dangerous, so it's fine. [ No actual threats or danger. Only a soft warmth that wards off that sharpness. ] Not so long as I can keep this up.

If you start to tire, please say so. There seem to be some places to stop in to rest. [and how the turn would table then - Yzak, the weary one? with Blue as the steadfast sentinel? it may not be ideal for the former, but Blue is a guardian by necessity, so it would be something he'd be keen to do if he must.

before any huffing or puffing or any other dismissals or declarations of vitality can be made, Blue starts on, pulling him a bit by the arm so they may begin their trek.]

[ Wow Blue guess what he was JUST opening his mouth to say! So when he pulls him along, all he gets is a small noise choked back as whatever smartass thing he was going to say gets lost in his throat, coming out as a small cloud of breath instead.

(let's not wonder if Yzak would actually like being doted on and nursed back to health by Blue ~~outfit included please~~ despite the fact that he would be the WORST patient ever and terribly embarrassed if he did get tired out from this) ]

[it's a brisk but enjoyable trek, passing by angled rooftops and warm, glowing window light - a snowglobe wonderland unlike anything Blue has known before. the nip in the air is relentless, but so is Yzak Jule's warmth, so there is no fear of being overtaken. without a sharp wind to really cut to their bones, it's a quiet kind of cold that's almost cozy in of itself.

still, a mile is a mile, and it's more than a mile when one has to plod through an inch or so of snow to trek it. and while certainly Yzak wouldn't fuss or be bothered himself about the distance, Blue steers them off-course a little to take a break under the awning of one of the village homes - less to catch any lost breath and more to simply be present here for a little longer.

(but yes, he'd like to catch his breath; he's apple-cheeked and pink-eared, having forgotten the feeling of his nose despite Yzak's ongoing warmth.)

the craning of Blue's neck prompts the mouse to stir, crawling out from the collar and slinking onto his shoulder, tittering and twitching and sniffing at the air.]

The sky looks different in a place like this... Brighter, almost. [even though it's dark.]

[ The perk of the Charter magic does make this easier to traverse through now that it's properly active and they're on the move. And Yzak finds his own gaze wandering when they pass views that can be seen through the blanket of white. The homes do look cozy, glow from the windows in many of them brighter from the fireplaces lit inside - it's tempting, even though he's free of the bone-deep chill that would make that temptation stronger.

Yzak's always wired to be in a rush - to get to his destination, do what he intends to do so he can move forward and on to the next thing. But he lets himself be steered slightly astray by Blue when he alters course - just because this isn't a big deal to him doesn't mean Blue and his frail Mu ass won't need a break, he figures. That, and an mile is a mile, and keeping up the Charter spell that whole time is still work that Yzak's not kept going for this long, so he'll silently appreciate the break himself. He settles in next to Blue, close because it's Blue and he wants to be close because of that particular sort of warmth that he feels in himself that the magic doesn't provide.

The comment gets Yzak to look up at the sky as well. ]

It does. [ Look brighter, now that Blue's noted it. And different, for sure. ] You'd get lost fast if you decided to fly up into it, though.

PLANT's weather is regulated, so it never gets too extreme to the point where it looks like this.

In this way, we'll be tested, it seems. [lab rats in a comfortable cage. Blue tries not to dwell on it too much, but it's ever-present. he'd rather be in this cage with someone he loves, but...he'd much prefer them not be in it at all.

the mouse titters and makes a slinky climb from Blue's shoulder to Yzak's now that they've made a bridge; here, now, the nose gives little sniffs through his hair at his ear.]

You sure say that a lot here, you know. [ Yzak says with a twinge of understanding to his voice. Blue's made it no secret as to how he feels about all of this ... and in the end, even if he can spend his time here advancing and studying and training, he'd undoubtedly drop it all for Blue's sake to stand by his side if he ever wished to try and break this "cage."

He gives his hand a soft squeeze, leans in to nuzzle against that reddened face of his...

But just as his own nose barely brushes against Blue's face is when he feels that tickle of little whiskers against his ear. So instead Yzak freezes, that tickle catching him off guard and he can't help but half-shudder/cringe as an automatic response to it. ]

H-hey! That tickles! [ Yzak tilts his head enough to peek at the mouse. Does it realize it's being a cute little soft-moment-cockblock? Is that its plan!!! ]

[Blue blinks, glancing over and quietly delighting to find such a wholesome interaction - especially since the mouse had been pretty distinctly fearful of most everyone, Yzak included.

it's cute...they're both just tremendously cute right now.]

I hardly noticed them move...they're as white as the snow.

[ Yzak especially. He just totally gives off that apex predator vibe though he can't help it. (that or he's just too reactive and stupid to have done anything else when he first crossed paths with it - he'd insist the first when it's clearly the second)

All the same, he's managed to make amends and warm up himself to the creature since then. As he'd promised to Blue, he did kick open the door one day with a bunch of books about pet care and pet training and mice ... and child care since he still thought it could be useful! And while those were helpful in their own more educative way, everything else? Happened naturally, organically. As it tends to when it comes to Yzak, in those little moments where he says or does something on his own. Even for a being like the weeping mouse, it's easy to get the impression of how Yzak just is. ]

That means you better stick close. [ He says to it; as casually as he would anybody else because Yzak doesn't do that baby-voice thing. Which is probably odd to behold when he puts on that commanding tone of his like he is now. ] You'll get lost in an instant in this stuff if you're blending right in already.

Unless you'd actually enjoy playing in it. [ He knows some animals do, and many are adapted to navigating these conditions much better than even an enhanced human. ]

[Snow? This is snow? the little mouse ponders as Blue conveys Yzak's meaning. as Blue corrects that he means what's on the ground and floating in the sky, the mouse squeaks and scrambles onto Yzak's opposite shoulder, stretching its neck out as far as it can without having to lift any grabby little feet off Yzak's coat, nose sniffing and twitching in the air. a little flake falls on its muzzle and prompts it to curl back into a puffball, tail twitching.

Cold! Wet!]

It seems to have never experienced this before...

[ Watch out mouse there's no arm to climb down on that side.

Yzak's neck rolls slightly when it shifts position, still getting used to the feeling of having ... a furry little creature just crawl on him like this. But thank goodness it's nimble and coordinated so there's no slipping or scratching or anything. ]

Not too surprising. [ He says as he witnesses the mouse's hesitant curiosity. ]

Any sort of verdict, yet? Or do you need more of a taste of it? [ An offer to it, since it's already on his shoulder. They're under an awning so are only getting the occasional stray flake, but it's a little area, small enough that if the mouse seems more curious about it Yzak will oblige by briefly letting go of Blue's hand to hold his own outward and downward if it wants to investigate further. ]

[the mouse freezes while Yzak's moving, ears up. after a moment to observe the new little platform ahead of it, it leans out, seeming to gauge the safety and distance before hopping down into the hand, all scritchy toes and fuzzy feet, puffed-up tail flicking as it balls up to fill in his hand.

given their rather intense first impressions of each other, Blue can't help but be endeared by the sight, unable to hide his smile.]

That took a lot of trust. Your research has served you well, Yzak.

[ He's layered up enough that he can just barely feel the mouse pad down his arm, but said arm remains perfectly steady as it's much lighter than many things he's had to carry before.

He's hunched forward, now, leaning out on the bench they're seated at and bringing his hand down a little more, gloved knuckles just barely brushing the layer of snow on the ground. Palm up and fingers stretched out and bent to serve as a little extra "safety," Yzak leaves the rest up to the mouse, whether it simply remains where it is, or feels brave enough to reach out a paw itself to touch the soft, fluffy snow beneath them.

He sees that smile Blue gives the both of them, brighter and more beautiful than the white of the falling snow in his eyes. Good thing his own face is already flushed slightly from the cold. ]

Of course it has! Don't forget that being trustworthy is a skill that any leader should have, too, if they want to be a good one with a cohesive team.

[amused:] Where is it you mean to lead this little one to, then? [just a snow bank?

speaking of, the mouse sticks its neck out to sniff at the snow just beyond the safety of Yzak's fingers. as gentle flakes fall and tickle its sensitive ears, they flick a few times, prompting it to squeak and shake its head before taking the brave plunge into the snow and snuffling and flopping around it like a chinchilla in a dust bath. very cute.]

I think compared to how things started out, [ Your fault entirely, Yzak. ] there's been a commendable amount of progress that's be- ah!

[ He feels the mouse spring from his hand, and for a split second he isn't sure if it slipped or maybe his hand tipped or something!

But no, it took the little leap on its own. So after blinking and realizing that, Yzak leans back to sit up a little straighter and watch it roll around and play.

It ... it is pretty cute, he thinks after a couple of beats, before shifting his gaze to Blue, somewhat amused. ]

I take it that means it likes it. [ And the way it's flopping around... ] You look like a snowball down there, we can hardly see you. [ He adds to it, if not for its moving about it would blend in near perfectly. ]

[...huh.]

Would...that be a suitable name? [Blue looks from the little critter to Yzak.]

'Snow'? Or...'Snowball'?

Snow?

That'd certainly be fitting, considering. Suitable? I guess you'd have to see if it likes the suggestion.

I think it's ... cute, though.

[fair point. look - Blue was comatose when Rain finally got named Rain, he doesn't know how this works.

either way, he posits the question to the mouse, which prompts it to stop squirreling around and sit up, ears perked.

Snow? This is snow? And I am snow?

the childlike nature of its processing of the inquiry makes Blue's mouth twitch, prompts him to shield it behind a hand just out of habit. when assured it was only if it wished to be known as snow, the little mouse squeaks and hops in some display of jubilation.]

...It seems content enough for it. ["content"]

[ Yzak looks back and forth between them when Blue asks the question. He can't pick up on those simple, curious thoughts, but he can note the way the mouse perks up, pays attention, tilts its head and get the same impression.

And he doesn't need any psionics when it lets out that happy little chirp and hops around.

... cute... ]

I can tell. [ Mildy charmed because he helped a little (also you know, guy with the name BLUE settles on SNOW for his pet) and because Blue is smiling again. ]

Snow, huh. [ He speaks as if trying it out properly himself, and to see how "Snow" takes to it. ]

[when Yzak speaks it, Snow squeaks back, acknowledging. Blue can't help but breathe out a faint laugh, sitting back while the mouse scrambles up Yzak's pantleg, up onto his lap, across it and backup to Blue's shoulder, all chilly and damp now. Blue doesn't mind it at all.]

Snow it is. [he peers past the furball to Yzak.] We are ready to continue, if you are.

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