[ Open ] This is What I Brought You

[portolan]

Who: Balthier portolan and you
What: Tarot Reading, return from off-world, open post
When: Mid to late November
Where: Excelsior, his shop, around town
Content Warnings: None so far



OOC: As always, will match prose or brackets.

I. Sign of the Times

[ Business has been...odd...since the near world-ending, since everyone started leaving town, since the guilds have cracked down. It's all the more important he keep the shop safe, but he's that much more wary of people wandering in. So far, the normal folk don't seem to suspect the shop is anything more than a beautiful man with beautiful objects.

But he's been getting restless. So he puts a message out on Our Powers; stop by, guild discounts (either side) and also he's reading tarot.

There's an antique table and two comfortable antique chairs. There are a few decks to choose from. ]

You have a question in mind? You don't have to tell me, but you should think about it while you shuffle.

II. No Place Like Home

[ It's not like Balthier to be low or keep to himself. But between the world almost ending, and then his friends slowly moving our of Excelsior, the anti-meta sentiment threatening the safety of he and his loved ones. He honestly hadn't noticed it eroding his energy.

But after two weeks home, both relieved that his loved ones there are safe and buffeted by the pain of being away from them, he's trying to make a better effort.

So he's reached out, invited people over for tea or dinner, trying to keep this house full and warm as the need to just jump on a ship and go steadily increases. ]

You know this is the longest I've spent tied to one location. There's something enchanting about watching the weather change.

[ He sets out a tray of tea and snacks, all in beautiful antiques. Honestly, eleven months ago, he'd never have expected to get this much comfort out of being so domestic, but here he is. ]

III. Wildcard / Catch-All

[ All your Balthier needs ]

Comments

II

[helpdesk_hero]

[David was, of course, happy to be a frequent guest, be it for tea or dinner or even 'sleepovers' as he playfully called them. What mattered was that Balthier's home was warm and cozy and a home as opposed to David's apartment which was starting to feel... barren in anticipation. He hated that fact a lot actually.

So he was happy to take his hot cup of tea and curl up under a blanket on the couch, listening to his boyfriend talk.]

I'm actually sort of happy winter is just about upon us. I have goals for it, and being in one place will help with that.

[portolan]

[ It's...good to have David here so much, even if he frets after the reason. Balthier knew he would miss the other while he was gone but it had been more than he expected. And now he was missing Fran anew. A strange stroke of fate he couldn't have them both at the same time, though not one he was particularly inclined to fight. Risks of worse damage were too high.

For now, though, he takes a seat beside David, lifting the blanket and rearranging it to cuddle up together as he takes his own tea. ]

Oh? I haven't had a proper winter -- I've been to the snow, but I haven't stayed somewhere for the whole thing in a long time. And we didn't get any snow.

[helpdesk_hero]

Well, proper winter is lovely. Warm foods, good soups, blankets, sweaters, it's all a delight. I was from a northern city, so I love it quite a bit.

[And he sips at his drink and he's so happy about all of this.]

I think I would like to learn to skate again.

[portolan]

All things I associate with you, so I'm not going to complain. Honestly, I'm looking forward; I have always enjoyed the cold.

[ They'd met in winter. He has fond memories of David in big sweaters and leggings, of their date at the snowy art museum, of the fireplace before it got too hot.

David's other comment surprises him, though. ]

I think that's a wonderful idea. It exists at home, but I've never done it.

[helpdesk_hero]

Then we'll land on our asses together on the ice, and laugh together.

[He tries not find the positive in this, and he's going to accept that.]

And we'll buy you the most wonderful sweaters.

[portolan]

[ That gets a warm laugh from Balthier. He wriggles around to kiss David's temple. ]

You, sir, are the only person I will voluntarily get knocked on my ass for. In public no less.

I will have you yell at me for siphoning the worst of it on our way home and then soak us both in a hot bath and kiss all of you better. But not so better you don't sleep hard against me and not want to leave the bed in the morning.

[ He hums, pleased, at the offer of gifts, at the thought of being wrapped up in things David has picked for him. ]

You're going to spoil me rotten.

[helpdesk_hero]

I think it's less 'knocked on your ass' and more 'owned by gravity and not being good at standing on swords'.

[but he's glad Balthier agrees. He wants to reclaim this part of himself, and if he can do it with the man he loves, that makes it even better.]

You're going to take away my hard earned soreness? Seems unfair, love. Though I do love spoiling you.

II

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth isn't used to being invited to people's homes. Even Loki more often visits him than the other way around. Frankly, Sephiroth has had more experience with being whisked away to unfamiliar dimensions than with accepting a simple invitation to tea.

This is probably made very obvious by the fact that he's still standing not very far from where he entered the room. He looks over the tray like he's analyzing an alien device.]

...I suppose it is nice to have the freedom to appreciate it.

Re: II

[portolan]

[ It takes Balthier half a moment to realize Sephiroth has no idea how this works, and he does his best to duck and hide his grin by pouring tea. ]

Here. Take a seat -- the chair over there has a footstool if that's more comfortable.

[ Balthier hands him the tea then takes a seat in the other chair, demonstrating as much as anything. ]

Kept busy where you came from, did you?

[ He's careful not to use the word 'home.' That's not really what it is for him anymore, and Sephiroth seems to have a complicated past. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[At least he knows what tea is. Sephiroth accepts the cup and decides that the appropriate thing to do would be to sit as directed. He will not, however, be using the footstool. Put his feet up? Wild.]

I was a soldier. I wasn't meant to be staring at the trees.

[He may have forgotten for the moment that many people have the opportunity to see trees as children.]

[portolan]

[ Balthier doesn't entirely manage to duck behind something for his laugh this time. ]

I was pointedly not suited to being a soldier, and pointedly not meant to be staring at the trees. Although I do enjoy their company from time to time. A lot less infuriating than people.

[ Fran had taught him that. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[It's fine to laugh at that. Sephiroth even smiles faintly.]

Agreed. They can be a pleasant respite from people.

[He'll take a sip of his tea.]

What were you meant to be doing?

[portolan]

[ He takes a sip of his own tea to hide his sigh. He walked himself into that one, and it's fresh having just been home. ]

Running around having adventures. Causing problems. Looking dashing.

[ Building something, he thinks, instead of destroying it, and his mind wanders to David, to this place. ]

Besides. I'm terrible at taking orders.

I

[codicies]

[ Dylan had come to Excelsior on a whim, just... needing a change of scenery for a while. The anti-Meta sentiment was dangerous, but as long as he didn't use his powers, he should be okay.

When Dylan spots the antique store, he heads in to poke around for vintage records... maybe some vintage clothes, too. But the sign advertising Tarot readings catches his eye, and he keeps sneaking little glances at the table and chairs.

Back home, he'd never messed around with magic or occult stuff — mostly out of circumstance, as his devout Catholic grandpa would have had an aneurysm if he'd tried. But knowing Hunter was into it, and seeing how cool Dr. Strange's stuff was... his curiosity is a little piqued.

Besides, he's feeling pretty lost, too. Maybe some guidance from an outside perspective can't hurt.

Looks like the decision is made for him, though; The Shopkeeper addresses him directly, his question making it very clear that Dylan had not been very subtle with his glances in that direction. He smiles sheepishly and heads to the table, sitting down as the man shuffles the cards. ]

...Maybe. I'm not sure.

I guess there's a lot of stuff on my mind. I don't know how to boil it all down to one question.

[portolan]

[ Balthier doesn't get many youth in here, but he tends to enjoy the ones he does. They're either little punks he can fluster into leaving, or they genuinely have some eye for good antiques or a sense of stability from the past.

This one definitely seems like the second. ]

A topic works. You can ask for clarity or guidance. Here. It needs some of your energy.

[ He hands the deck over. Balthier has real magic. Tarot is not, not in any energy transference sense. It's very much magic in the way art and theater are, giving perspective to things we can't reach ourselves.

And he's a conman and it's fun to pretend he's magic this way. ]

I'm Balthier. I don't think we've met.

[codicies]

Dylan. I don't come out to Excelsior much, I actually live in Little Love.

[ He takes the cards in his hands, and starts shuffling them with the familiar motions of an overhand shuffle as he lets his mind wander about his question. Or even his topic. What does he actually want to know?

He's felt so... rejected in the past month. Which didn't make sense. He spent his birthday surrounded by friends and family. He knows, consciously, that he's loved. But Eddie going off world, even for just a little bit, had triggered some deeply-rooted anxiety about his dad's disappearances at home. That, on top of getting rejected by both Hunter and his dance partner at Loki's masquerade...

It feels so stupid to fixate on those rejections so much, but his brain keeps wandering back to them. Is there something wrong with him that's driving people away?

Of course not, he knows that. And yet...

Maybe he should be asking why he feels this way, why he can't shake the feeling of things he knows aren't true. Maybe he needs to ask how long he needs to wait to make this feeling stop. Or what he needs to do to stop it.

Dylan decides to settle on his general feeling of unease and anxiety, and finishes off the shuffling by cutting the deck and riffling the halves together. THe cards are bigger and thicker than he's used to, so the move's a little clumsy, but he manages to keep the cards in his hands at least. He offers the deck back to Balthier with a small smile. ]

Just thought I'd try something new.

[portolan]

[ There's a nervous energy to Dylan that Balthier recognizes. A hunger, too, for some kind of tether, some kind of direction, not knowing what but grappling for it. Wandering to a stranger, being open to the winds, to any sign. That had been him, not that long ago. A lifetime ago.

That had been when he'd first learned to read tarot, actually. ]

Ah, Little Love. I'm not there as often, but I'm familiar. Balthier.

[ Pirate's eyes can't help watching the way Dylan moves, clocking that experienced shuffling but slight awkwardness with the size of the cars. Normal playing cards then, possibly a gambler. The muscles in his face twitch slightly, face keeping that look of deep thought. Easy to guess some lack of stability, something amiss that shouldn't be.

Balthier accepts the cards back, flipping the top three over. ]

I have always found novelty a good companion and a better guide. Ah, interesting.

[ Knight of Wands. Three of wands. The Sun. ]

All fire. Are you a creative, or just stubborn when you put your mind to something?

[ His smile is warm as he asks it, the metal up both his ears glinting, a testament to all the nonsense he's survive -- and heavens forbid, enjoyed -- since he was in Dylan's position. Even the sweater he's wearing is a testament to a life he carved for himself, a gift from his beloved.

There's an odd sense of peace about this reflection, like he's getting to reach back and tell his teenage self it's alright. If he can give some of that to Dylan, he'd like to, for no other reason than no one deserves to be that lost, not when they're fighting so hard for a path. ]

[codicies]

[ Dylan would love to say he had some kind of rough history as a gambler; Maybe throw in some details about surviving alone on the street, making ends meet by hustling strangers on the street with rigged games of chance.

But no, he's just spent a lot of time dicking around with playing cards.

Dylan's familiar with the concept of a cold read. Balthier's gaze isn't intrusive — this is a conversation, after all — but he knows he's being closely watched. Maybe under normal circumstances that'd make him uncomfortable, but here it's just part of the show. The attention combined with the atmosphere of the shop makes it feel almost... mysterious and exciting. ]

A little of both, maybe? I'm a little into music, though I stopped for a while after my teacher disappeared in one of the Confluences.

[ Another reminder of someone who left. He tries not to let that get to him. ]

What do you mean when you say they're fire?

[portolan]

My condolences.

[ Loss of new bonds isn't something he's unfamiliar with, and not unique to being here. There'd been a lot of that when he was trying to find his way. ]

Tarot is built around four elements, fire, earth, water, air. Fire is typically creative -- and destructive -- energy. Passion, willing things to being. Things that need to be tended and crafted. Wands are fire, always, and the sun tends that way as well.

[ As he talks he watches Dylan's face, curious for a smile or a wince, anything that betrays what's resonating or what fears he might be after. ]

This is a past-present-future spread. Your past position is knight of wands. Knights are typically young people, teenagers, so likely you or a peer around you. They do something with their whole being, making them energetic and effective, but can be blinded by this one path thinking, often getting themselves into a corner or hurting others unintentionally.

What they work on, though, often creates a vital foundation for themselves and others. They're almost always disappointed in it though. Restless. Wanting to be more polished or more effective but don't know how. Since it's wands, it's likely a creative endeavor, an idea they're trying to make real, or a relationship with someone important.

( i )

[exasperation]

[ er. ]

Well, the big one is . . . what's all this?

[portolan]

Are you not familiar with tarot?

[exasperation]

Only what I've seen in quizzes.

[portolan]

Oh. Yes. I don't think those work quite as well.

Here. Shuffle and I'll read for you.

[exasperation]

Uhm. Okay.

[ he shuffles the cards. ]

[portolan]

[ Balthier takes them back flipping three over. ]

Hmmm...not what I would have expected.