[ 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

[portolan]

I shall tell anyone courting you practical jewelry only then.

[ It’s a tease, but he still watches for reaction with curiosity. He won’t pry but he will absolutely observe. ]

How are things at the library. My apologies again for…honestly everything about Halloween.

[ He’d gotten increasingly irritable and eventually run off. His transformation muddled his head a good deal more than others. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[The remark earns him a snort. No one's courting him. Loki isn't courting him.

...probably? Not after that one time.]

Things have returned to their usual semblance of normalcy, for now. And there's no need to mention it. I was... irritable, myself.

[Among other things.]

[portolan]

Oh so you do have a taste for flashy gifts too.

[ He's teasing, fairly certain that's not what the snort was for. ]

Agree to consider it done and out of character for both of us. As much as I would choose to stay here, the bodily impacts are something I could do without.

[unkindled_madness]

I don't know what you mean about flashy gifts.

[Since the snort was not for that, he legitimately isn't following.]

...you would choose to stay?

[portolan]

[ Balthier would normally be attentive to having lost a conversation partner, but the latter catches his attention more. ]

There are things here I don't have at home. Anonymity. David.

[unkindled_madness]

Of course.

[He understands this completely, actually.]

But does David not wish to return home?

[portolan]

In a rare stroke of kind fate, no, he doesn't wish to either.

[ Which had been an enormous relief. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[...well, that's different. The David he knew on the islands had wanted to return quite badly.]

I didn't meant to suggest it would separate you. If we find a means to return properly, you might go with him.

If he wanted.

[portolan]

[ Balthier had considered that. Knew he'd follow, if that was what David wanted. ]

Not my place to speak for him, but -- I think we both appreciate how much we're able to just...be people here. Crises and all.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth nods.]

...I believe I can understand that.

[portolan]

How about you? Would you go back?

[unkindled_madness]

Only to tie up loose ends. It was never much of a "home."

[portolan]

That's about how I feel about home. Archades, not Ivalice as a whole but -- not sure I want to deal with either these days.

[unkindled_madness]

Archades was... the land of your birth?

[If it's not really a home, then let's not call it one.]

[portolan]

[ He nods. A long time pirating means he knows sometimes it's easier to talk -- and let off that built up pressure -- with someone who knows nothing about it. ]

Born and raised, though I like to believe there's little of it left in me. Changed my name, ran away. Left the military and my family's titles. I don't think it ever fit correctly on me. Or maybe I didn't fit correctly. Either way, we're better off apart.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth nods.]

I suppose that's the way of it, sometimes. What you were raised into is not who you are.

[portolan]

Usually the sort of people I get along with.

[ And he suspects Sephiroth feels some resonance with not being who he was raised to be."

[unkindled_madness]

...yes.

That realization requires the capacity for more complex thought.

[portolan]

Complex thought and a spine. Never met anyone who had fought for something that I couldn't respect.

[ Unfortunately that applied to his father too. ]

Have a hard time with people who feel suited to the path they're set to.

[unkindled_madness]

Oh... I've met plenty of those.

[He doesn't respect very many people.]

But I imagine those who don't question their paths have been set on a charmed one indeed.

[portolan]

Perhaps. Or maybe cursed to not know themselves well enough to dream of anything more.

[ He'd been told enough times his was charmed. He wasn't sure if he believed that. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[Plenty of people envied Sephiroth. He knows better.]

Yes... I've seen that, too. But it must meet some standards, for them never to realize.

[portolan]

I think you're right on that. Or a high enough standard that losing what is good in it is more frightening than being stuck with its lows.

[ He'd seen that, over and over. ]

[unkindled_madness]

...I think that's straying into different territory. It can be necessary to weigh the options.

[portolan]

Perhaps you're right.

[ He earned his biases, has vetted and recommitted to them every year since. ]

You don't strike me as someone who is particularly social. I'm pleased you took up my invitation.