Iskaulit mingle

[lord_wizard]

Who: Anyone!
Broadcast: No
Action: Iskaulit
When: Feb. Drift Week (and beyond?)

[The fleet, more or less patched up after their battle, has once again left civilization behind for empty space. Maybe it's a good time to distract yourself and get away from the endless repairs and nothingness, though there might still be cleaning up that needs to be done here too.

Whether you're grabbing a broom or grabbing a drink, this is a fleetwide mingle for the Iskaulit.]

Comments

[axiomed]

[ His expression softens. ]

That's fair. We could . . . go to the gardens. Or the library.

[reconstitution]

Library is fine.

[ Maybe finding a new book or two to read will put his head somewhere better. ]

[axiomed]

[ With a quiet smile, Charles reaches out to squeeze Winter's arm before heading to the library. ]

It feels like it's been ages.

[reconstitution]

[ Winter falls into step a few paces behind and to the left of Charles, watching the halls as they make their way to the library. It'll help him get out of his head for a while, at least. The pair of them. ]

Maybe there are some new books. [ The words sound distracted, even to him. ]

[axiomed]

[ Randomly, interrupting any train of thought Winter might have had. ]

Have you ever read the Once and Future King?

[reconstitution]

That one isn't familiar to me. Who wrote it?

[axiomed]

T.H White. He hasn't written a lot but that book always stood out for me. He said once . . .

[ Charles trails off before he quotes the passage. ]

"You could not give up a human heart as you could give up drinking. The drink was yours, and you could give it up: but your lover’s soul was not your own: it was not at your disposal; you had a duty towards it."

[reconstitution]

Good words.

I'll have to see if it's there. I'd like to read it.

[axiomed]

I'm sure there's one. It's a classic in its own right. The motions of loss, love and healing all occur in there.

[reconstitution]

All the signs of a good book.

[axiomed]

[ He smiles. ]

I think you'd find a lot in common with Lancelot. At least the one portrayed in these books. He loved very deeply, but he hated himself. A thought planted in him long ago he could never erase.

[reconstitution]

Sounds a little familiar at least. [ A pause. ] If it's there, I'll read it.

[ It's unlikely that Charles would recommend a book that he wouldn't like. ]

[axiomed]

You should tell me all about it when you do. Like I said, it's my favourite.

Erik's too, I believe.

[reconstitution]

I'll do that. It'll be something else to talk about, anyway.

[axiomed]

[ It's an old struggle between them. Charles knows that. He brushes his fingers against Bucky's knuckles. ]

We'll always have things to talk about. Even when we don't say much.

[reconstitution]

[ It's a struggle he's trying to work on, but some of the oldest ones are the hardest to break. Bucky offers him a quick smile. ]

I try to remember that.

[axiomed]

You should tell me what kind of reminders would help.

[reconstitution]

It's still something I need to force myself to do. Reach out to people without a reason.

[ There always had to be a reason to talk to them. Checking in, asking something, getting a status report, following up after a conversation. Very seldom is it because he's bored. He enjoys talking to them, they're as close to family as he has here. ]

[axiomed]

[ Hm. Charles looks at him curiously. ]

what kind of reason do you need? I don't think any of us ever engage without a reason to begin with.