A matter of the utmost importance

[heirtothearcane]

As with most things Viatorus does, the arrangements for tea had been worked through carefully. He'd made sure he had everything he could possibly need, and even sourced a nearby bakery for any dire emergencies that might arise. Naturally, once all his plans had been made and everything put in order, his anxious jittering had nothing to focus on except getting ready and picking up Verity.

He'd made an attempt to tidy up his hair and wear a nice shirt- but not too nice. This socialising business was a tricky thing. Now all he had to was meet up with Verity. Naugus' tower was the sensible place to agree to meet. It was easy enough to locate and Verity was there anyway. So, after briefly stopping to pet the chaos, he'll head to the tower door and, if she's not outside, he'll knock.

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

"I will remember that." There's so much to learn.

She won't pay too much attention to the private areas, but it's good to know where they are in a general sort of way. The sitting room is much more in line with what she was expecting to be shown. And of course he has a fireplace. It would be too shockingly against expectations for things to be otherwise. If a tall man named Jeeves arrived out of nowhere she wouldn't even be surprised. "I read about math to pass the time. It's not easy to bore me."

[heirtothearcane]

The books on offer aren't only in English but also Latin, German and French. Viatorus, spying a battered cover in particular, begins to wonder. Once he starts, he can't stop. "Do you... Do you have to understand something to know if it's a lie? I mean, can it be technical and you'd still know? What about languages? Is it only lies or can you tell fact from mistaken theories?"

[brave_heart_verity]

She'd been wondering when he'd start asking these questions, and she listens to them with a resigned smile. "No, I don't have to understand the subject or the language. I can discern between belief and fact." And how she wishes otherwise.

"So what is it you want me to check? Please don't say 'all of them'."

[heirtothearcane]

His mouth opens as soon as she ask her question, but closes it when she adds on that last part. Viatorus shrugs awkwardly. "Nothing. Nothing in particular... Only..." He looks at her with a sheepish smile. "My family would pay you a fortune to see how much of our knowledge was correct."

It would probably get very boring or frustrating for her, so he'll leave the thought as a passing one. "You must have all kinds of people who want you to help them."

[brave_heart_verity]

She's used to being bored, V. The idea of trading one boring job for another doesn't seem to upset her.

"Not really. Back home it was considered pretty useless. Loki's the only person who ever..." Sigh. "As much as I need a new job, I don't want to work for you. Our friendship is too important to me." She doesn't know if that would rule out working for other members of his family. His family works in ways that are mysterious and foreign to her.

[heirtothearcane]

Viatorus' smile simply widens and his hands clasp behind his back with a shrug. "It's fine. I, personally, don't have anything for you to check anyway. I haven't discovered anything yet, or made any breakthroughs."

That is a bit of an awkward subject, so he tries to brush past it. Verity doesn't need to learn the rules of the Durant family. She only needs to learn how to make tea. "The only other room is my study, but the water has probably boiled."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Viatorus, you're my friend. For you, I'd do it for free." He's so silly sometimes. "And you discovered the Nexus. That's not nothing."

Verity has to learn more than how to make tea: she has to learn the rules of being friends with Viatorus Durant. And if part of that is learning to deal with his family, she'll learn that too. For him, she can learn to be polite. Even to his dad.

"You're probably right. Let's go see?"

[heirtothearcane]

"That was using someone else's methods. It doesn't count," he tells her. Though he's trying hard not to sound like he's scoffing, he might well come across as a child outlining the rules to some made up game.

They'll head back to the kitchen where the kettle has indeed finished boiling. Viatorus will stride over to it and waste no time in filling the pot. "I really shouldn't have left it. It's best poured as soon as it's boiled, but not boiled repeatedly. And don't overfill it or it will be coming through the spout before you tip it."

Once that is done he puts the lid on it and smiles. "Perfect." He brings it carefully to the table and gestures to the seats. "We have to let it brew for around four minutes."

[brave_heart_verity]

It's good the tea needs time to steep because she's got something to say.

"Viatorus." She's very serious about this. There's no escaping that look she's giving him, and her tone doesn't leave much room for argument. "Listen to me. It counts. Everybody's accomplishments are based on the accomplishments of people who came before them. That's how life works. That doesn't diminish you or your work."

He knows how her power works, at least a little. Does he believe she could be so wrong about something? Does he believe she could lie about this? "I can't make your family believe me, or your peers, or even you. But I know what I know, and I know you're more than you've been led to believe." And she is absolutely unapologetic about having faith in him.

[heirtothearcane]

That look of hers confuses him, along with her tone though that alone assures he gives her his full attention. He listens but... he doesn't understand. Try as he might, he can't reconcile her words with what he knows to be true.

Smile well and truly replaced with puzzlement, he slowly blinks at her and shakes his head. "No, you... don't understand. I... It wasn't... I didn't accomplish anything."

[brave_heart_verity]

"That's what you believe," she agrees. "That's not quite the same thing as being true."

Poor Viatorus. She knows too well the lonely misery of not being seen. She'll try a different tack. "You recognize the accomplishments of great explorers, surely. Columbus and Magellan and so on. But they didn't invent ships and sailing."

[heirtothearcane]

"No." He blinks, a small frown forming on his brow as he tries to take in what she's saying and explain what he means. "No, it's... I walked into a room, a Nexus. Thousands, if not more, have done that. It's not an accomplishment. It was an accident. It doesn't... doesn't help anyone understand anything."

[brave_heart_verity]

"You know how to get in and out. You don't have to hope there's a naturally-existing portal, you don't have to bargain with someone else for help. Not many people can do that. And it's not like nobody had ever seen the ocean before Magellan sailed around the world."

[heirtothearcane]

He sighs and shakes his head again. "Even if it is an accomplishment, it's not big, or important, useful or even helpful. I can't even help Amelia get back to her world. Or even help the people I meet in there. It means nothing."

[brave_heart_verity]

Good gods, he's stubborn. Yes, yes, pot calling kettle.

"What makes you think you're not helping anyone?"

[heirtothearcane]

"Well. I haven't. You're still cursed, Amelia's still stuck, Naugus..." He manages to catch himself and pick his words carefully, though he rushes though them. "Naugus still knows nothing about his dreams- I haven't helped anyone."

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'm not looking for anyone to break my curse, and I know what happened to Naugus. We're roommates, remember? It'd be hard not to notice that mood he came home in." His discretion is an admirable trait, but not needed with her. "And you did help him. You were very brave to go through that portal and help him figure out what had happened. And doubly so to give him such bad news, considering his temper."

"Plus, helping isn't an all-or-nothing game. Not being able to help everyone you meet in the way you think they need help doesn't mean you never help anyone. You're my friend. That's more helpful to me than you can imagine."

[heirtothearcane]

When she says she knows about Naugus Viatorus suddenly becomes wide eyed with startled worry. As soon as she talks about the portal, however, he sighs in surprised relief. She thinks he's talking about Naugus' home. Good. He'll happily keep it that way and move on.

He sighs again and adjusts one of the spoons so that he doesn't have to look at Verity. "I'm sorry. I didn't... I didn't mean that... that you aren't important, o-or that our friendship isn't. But... it doesn't mean anything to my world, to magic here. Until I find something like that... I haven't accomplished anything. N-Not in the eyes of my family, or anyone here."

[brave_heart_verity]

Okay. She saw that, and she's now wondering what he thought she was talking about.

"You have to me." For what little that's worth. And since she'd rather not go around this circle again right now, she'll change the subject. "Is the tea ready?"

[heirtothearcane]

Thank the gods for tea. He swallows and nods, picking up the milk jug. "Yes, I imagine it is. Milk?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Please."

She'll watch him attentively while he fixes the tea, noting how he prefers his, how he handles things, all those little things. Details are important, that's why the devil lives there.

"You know I'm kind of taking care of Naugus, right?" She's sure Naugus sees it being the other way around, but whatever. "I wouldn't ask you to break his confidences, but... if there's anything I could do to help him, or that I should avoid, I'd appreciate the advice."

She really doesn't want any more furniture set on fire.

[heirtothearcane]

There is something incredibly satisfying about performing the little ritual of tea pouring. Or at least Viatorus thinks so. Admittedly his long arms help when it comes to reaching over around the table, but everything is done so that as little stretching is done as possible and no arms are in anyone's faces. A dash of milk for her, slightly less for him. Very few people like strong tea right off the bat.

Fingertips hold the lid in place as he pours their tea, hers first of course, and again he finds himself glad to be focusing on something other than Verity. It gives him time to listen to her and make sure he's speaking honestly without looking awkward about it. It's only as he sets the pot down that he speaks again. "I don't know anything about what might help him, or what you might avoid. I... I don't really know him that well."

More distractions! "Sugar?"

[brave_heart_verity]

It's nice to have things to keep the hands busy and the mind focused. All the better when it ends in something delicious. It's why she learned to cook.

"Yes, please." She'll sit quietly again, letting the silence stretch between them while they stir their tea and wait for the sugar to dissolve. She knows enough to not let anything clank or clatter. "He obviously trusts you, and I believe he respects you too. Why not work with him for a while? There might be something interesting to learn in combining your style of magic with his. And he's always working on something up in that secret room..."

And anyone with that much power and that much grief needs looking after.

[heirtothearcane]

Being sceptical of the things Verity says seems to be becoming a trend, but this time he knows better than to pick at it. He'll try to trust her and focus on giving her suggestion due consideration. It's not a bad one. Collaborating with mages in the Nexus is something he's thought about more than once already.

"I wouldn't want to bother him, a-and mages can be..." His mouth twists as he chooses his words. "... protective over their work."

A moment passes before he adds quietly, "Sometimes he scares me."

[brave_heart_verity]

She's just full of wacky ideas, isn't she?

"Yeah, he can be pretty scary," she agrees. "But, for people he respects, he can be considerate. Even kind." She tastes the tea, humming her approval. It's very good. "It's just something to think about. Maybe you'll meet someone else you'd rather work with."