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Belrun is so close to getting this damned flu strain to calm down in this one egg. She copies the change across to a few more eggs' worth, iterates, writes everything down, and Fetches the egg that is getting scary into her pot of simmering water before it makes a break for it. It's getting on toward dark and if she keeps working she's going to have to do it by candlelight, and she doesn't like that - it's already too easy to bump into things when she can see them. She calls it a day and closes up the lab for the night and heads out to walk over to the university cafeteria. It's a nice evening, and it's Flatbread Night, and she's in a generally good mood.
velgarth bell and leareth become very upset
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kindestgarden
"No, no, different kid. So I know there's all kinds of mage-work, what kind do you usually do?"
the-final-accounting
Well, the true and complete answer to that is definitely not parentally acceptable. "I work with mage-artifacts," he says. "Shields and various other types of spells." He can say some more things about common types of artifact if Rana seems interested.
kindestgarden
"I noticed the new bracelet, I knew she hadn't gotten that for herself."
kindestgarden
"You were twelve and it wasn't decorative, it was for carrying a pen."
the-final-accounting
Leareth smiles fondly at Belrun. "Has she always liked writing so much, then? It is rather impressive."
kindestgarden
"It picked up to its current level of enthusiasm when she was, oh, six? Though she has learned to write faster since then so I'm sure the volume's up."
the-final-accounting
What an incredible mental picture. Leareth feels a wash of affection and almost reaches out to take Belrun's hand, before realizing that he didn't clarify if this was appropriate in front of her mother.
occhiolino
She will hold hands with him in front of her mother; her fingertips reach his before he can abort the gesture.
kindestgarden
"Awwwwwwww... sorry, I know it's been rough for the two of you, but -"
occhiolino
"Well, you know, there's no point in making up our minds to be depressed about it forever."
the-final-accounting
Leareth has no idea what Belrun told her mother about them and the 'rough time' they've been having, so he just nods and gives her his best neutral smile.
kindestgarden
Rana keeps them a few minutes longer - she wants to know if Leareth has brothers and sisters, and that he shouldn't take Belrun to watch Bards because she doesn't like them, and to recommend that they go to dinner at a specific fish restaurant she likes - and then she shoos them out the door to go get their meal.
the-final-accounting
Leareth tells her no on brothers and sisters, which is the most true answer at this point. He hopes she won't ask about his parents because he would have to make something up; he drafts a few sentences in his head just in case. He'll keep the part about Bards in mind (he bets he can guess why), and he appreciates the restaurant recommendation.
"Thank you for raising such a wonderful daughter," he tells her as they stand up to go. And then blushes ferociously. Why does this keep happening to him.
occhiolino
"So that's Rana," says Belrun. "I was pretty vague - it's not that uncommon to give a false name at Healers', I told her, uh, you're older than me but not by an amount that makes me worried I'll outlive you..."
the-final-accounting
Leareth chuckles. "What a clever way to put it. I like her. Is it actually common at Healers' to give a false name or did you make that up?"
Are they going to hold hands on the way to the restaurant?
occhiolino
They are going to do that! "It happens when people are worried about being found, such as by whoever injured them - or if they don't want to be followed by people interested in taking it up with the attacker, sometimes - also people on inadvisable drugs. I mostly don't see it myself, I'm a pinch-hitter if that, but one hears secondhand."
the-final-accounting
He's walking down the street holding hands with his lifebonded. This is so surreal. "Huh. What sorts of inadvisable drug use do people end up at Healers' for?"
occhiolino
"Alcohol. Too much of it, or combined with literally anything. It's literally poison and it tastes bad and yet! Dreamerie plus having tried to light a fire or what have you. Painkillers - had a bad argonel case once and I took a half-night supervising to keep the patient breathing."
the-final-accounting
"That sounds tedious – I hope that is not a tactless thing to say. Do you dislike alcohol because it has effects on your mind?"
occhiolino
"Good guess, yes. Though it does also taste bad. I acknowledge its value in making there be less life in one's drinking water, of course, dysentery is also bad, but..."
the-final-accounting
"It is! Maybe you can research some better method of avoiding it. Did you grow up somewhere that had problematic drinking water?"
occhiolino
"I was born in a town barely large enough to have its own little Guard unit and it's iffy there but I don't remember living there, Rana moved me to Haven when I was a baby and it's all right there. But I don't want to come off like I'm judging people with questionable wells for mixing wine in, it serves a purpose and they're going to deal with some kind of health consequence any which way."
