sweethymns | Mι∂ηιgнт ιη Ƥαяιѕ

Yeah, well. I don't give him that tough of a time.

...Do I?

He's very particular!

[She takes a pink macaron and pops it into her mouth before continuing.]

I mentioned to Claude that he hasn't been with me for that long so he's getting used to working with me since he had to break his routine of serving the same person for a few centuries.

If anything, I give him the opportunity to be more honest.

Huh. I guess that makes sense.

[ A cant of the head, and he goes for his coffee and cake, taking a thoughtful bite out of his dessert. ]

Hey. Does Oren ever complain about how he wants to go out and do his own thing?

Edited (SUBJECTS?!) 2015-07-17 07:25 (UTC)

... No. Not at all.

[The closest to a complaint would be his criticisms and his surprising aptitude for sarcasm. But it was never about himself.]

I mean, he does have things he likes to do. Like cooking and cleaning... Okay, bad example even if he really does enjoy those.

[Iona taps her cheek, trying to think of what Oren does outside of what she tells him to do and what he feels like he should do for others now that he's better at that last part.]

Um... Reading... I mean, there's plenty of time for him to do that and it helps him keep up with the present and remember stuff from the past... Uh, movies?? But he only started watching them because of my grandma...

Never? Not once? He hasn't ever said...

[ A beat, where he tries to look as austere as he can: it works, to a certain extent, even if it doesn't suit him. ]

'Iona. Wish to go out. Won't be back for a week. Maybe more.'

[ He's sincerely curious, not because he doesn't think Oren is incapable of being selfish— he has a feeling that he can be, to some extent— but because he wonders if that's what it means to be under someone. To not complain.

(his brother comes to mind, always with that vague half-smile. 'I won't say no, if that's what you decide'.) ]

Hm... [Iona takes a bite of another macaron, trying to decide how to answer him, how to describe their relationship to one another.]

I can tell you right now that he wouldn't leave me without a reason. I'm the one who usually goes out and does my own thing. He... He waits until I tell him to act on his own.

[But it would all circle back to either her or Berna.]

Alright, I might as well tell you since it's not so much a big secret. Do you know what a golem is?

'Waits'. Yeah, alright.

[ Gus almost wants to roll his eyes... almost. Oren certainly hasn't struck Gus as a waiting kind of person, but then again, he can't exactly judge.

So he just shakes his head in lieu of that first instinct, sets aside his own subjectivity on the matter, because it's apparent to him that this is different from familial obligations or any sort of artificial obligation. 'Magic' again. ]

And no, I can't say I really do? I think I heard about a folklore or two about them, but nothing I can really remember off the top of my head.

They originate from Jewish folklore, specifically, but in general, a golem is an anthropomorphized being created from inanimate matter, usually earth related. Think marble, granite, or clay.

[She pauses to pick up one of the teddy bears that might have fallen on the ground, moving around its arms as she explains.]

For "us," golems are servile tools and usually not much else. They'll have a core that houses the energy needed for it to move and to obey the commands that its creator has etched on its surface. That energy runs out eventually or when its commands are fulfilled, it shuts down and just becomes rock again.

[A beat.]

Oren's a golem. But he's the only one of his kind because my grandmother was the one who created him.

Edited 2015-07-17 07:52 (UTC)

So...he's like a walking, talking doll? That's...

[ 'A little sad', he's almost tempted to say. But he supposes that that's the sort of signifier someone who isn't familiar with magic would use: and besides, he'd be a hypocrite if he said that. He's always been intimately infatuated with wires and gears, and those things have a life of their own, he knows that.

So, backpedal: ] ...Pretty remarkable, all things considered.

That's one way to put it. But you've been able to see enough of him to tell already, right?

[Iona grins, setting the bear on her lap.]

He's got an attitude to contend with.

Well, he's had centuries to brush up on that, right? I'd be more surprised if he didn't pick up anything, especially since your grandmother is so...

[ ...okay, that's awkward. Let's find another word that isn't equivalent to 'hot'... ]

...Spirited! Spirited.

Yeah, yeah.

[She rolls her eyes, but the good nature from her expression doesn't fade.]

My point is, is that Oren takes his job listening to me very seriously, to the point where he probably wouldn't concern himself with anyone else. But, I don't let him do that!

[Iona nods, as if pleased with herself.]

That's why, when he argues with other people, I think it's a good sign that he's able to care, even if he's being a brat about it. After all, that's better than a doll, right?

[ Well. He mulls that over in his mind, thinks about that answer as he takes another sip of coffee (again, delicious) and cake.

It sounds simple, and maybe it is— he hopes it is, at least.

So he grins over the rim of his mug, shrugs amiably. ]

Yeah, sure. I guess he doesn't need to take it easy on me, then— I can take him, anyway.

So that means you have no problem with him coming to the ball with us right?

[sparkle sparkle]

[ And perhaps, surprisingly: ]

No! None at all.

[ sparkle sparkle in return ]

[Oren returns to clear their table. He looks at the cake and then the macarons and then at Iona.]

. . .

. . .

Too much sugar. Both of you. Overdoing it.

[ And, without missing a beat: ]

Yes, mother!

[ Watch him shove the entire rest of that cake into his fatass mouth, Oren. ]

[Iona, on the other hand actually holds back on the macarons for now. There's one more important thing she should tell Gus before she gets excited about going back to Paris.]

Oh, and Gus, about Hei! He's not just a friend, but the reason why he mentioned keeping him updated, is because he's part of a group of warlocks who are more or less a peace keeping task force.

[ Huh. Through a mouthful of cake: ]

....And he thinks I'd get in his way or something? It's not like I can do anything about a coalition of magical people.

It's not so much that Gus... "Peace keeping," isn't just fending off or combat although they are trained for that. But for his group, it's more of cover up and concealment.

[There's a pause as she takes the dress off the table to fold it neatly and place it in her lap.]

If something blatantly magical and supernatural catches the attention of a larger group of normals, they do behind the scenes work to manipulate the perception of events such as clearing away any evidence, feeding the press information that lines up logically, or... Worst comes to worse, they'll change or wipe away memories.

[ Ah. That isn't completely out of the ordinary, minus the methods: where he's from, 'behind the scenes work' is usually, well.

Killing, so there's that. Memory wiping seems a lot kinder in comparison, not that he's quite so keen. There's a strange sort of detachment that happens here, and Gus doesn't look quite so fazed. ]

Yeah, well.

He's not coming anywhere near my head, so.

Yeah, well...

[She pokes his cheek with one finger.]

Behave.

You know I'm 20, right... I'm not a kid?!

And I'm 23. Guess who's got the upper hand, hon?

3 years isn't that much older. Most of the people I know are 10 years older than me, give or take.

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