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Who: Kaveh and YOU
Status: Open
Where: Surasthana Cafe on Eltrut!
What: The grand opening of a book cafe.
Warnings: God I hope not.

[Kaveh hasn't talked much about what he's been working on for a few months now, because he wanted this moment to be a surprise (and because he didn't want to be scolded for overwork). It has finally paid off, now, with the grand opening of the Surasthana Cafe, just in time for the deep end of the fall season. The cafe is cozily furnished and warm, the smell of lovingly brewed coffee floats through the air, and soft music plays from Mehrak.

Kaveh isn't expecting a huge rush on any given day--this was done for his own sake more than anything, but now on weekday afternoons, the little book cafe can be found and people can stay a spell, enjoying expertly made coffee drinks and some light reading in a ridiculous plant paradise.

If you have any requests for new kinds of books, or wish to purchase various accessories, stop by the front counter! The owner is happy to accommodate you, after all.

ooc: you may also treat this post as a mingle and toplevel accordingly, just mark if you are doing so! Otherwise, Kaveh will be coming for you!]

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[Telling him was a bad idea. Alhaitham was already skeptical of the Fatui and he was a miracle he managed to form a treaty with his family. Now that he spoke about his open secret, he was fully prepared for a scolding. He found himself shrinking into the seat as he braced himself for something.

Luckily, he never happened. Giving a sigh of relief, he mumbled to himself once more. It sucked knowing his time with the former Knave has made him be so sensitive to any form of disappointment.]

No...I haven't.

[Because let's be for real. Freminet was never going to discuss it with his family when there could be more important things they could do. There was never really time to discuss these things when they had missions to do.]

[Well frankly Alhaitham would rather have Freminet not be part of the House at all entirely if it were up to him, but that's not his choice to make or force onto the teenager. In the end, the only change that will stuck is one that comes from himself. Speaking of which...]

Is it because you don't want to do it, or because you don't feel like you can?

[They may sound the same but they are very, very different things altogether.]

[It hurts that he had to be so honest. He was so used to being in the background that nobody would ever think that something was wrong. However, with Alhaitham, he knows he can't get away with anything. Again, he didn't look at him. He sunk his head further into his shoulders.]

...I don't feel like I can.

[Especially when they have their own problems to deal with.]

You don't 'feel' like you can?

[The quotation marks are very much audible there.]

Are they not supposed to be your 'family'?

[Judging so hard right now.]

Yes, they are but...

[He said with a mumble or two.]

...that is why it's difficult but me to tell them anything. I don't want to worry them.

... [There's a pause here as Alhaitham considers how to word what he wants to say next in his mind. He has no intention of being any less blunt, but he does recognize that there are some things that can stand to be addressed in a more delicate fashion.]

From my understanding, being a family means that they are supposed to support you, be it through weal or woe, regardless of the circumstances. The fact that you do not feel your own problems adequate enough to be shared suggests a disparity in this particular facet.

[He could perhaps understand it better if it were more trivial things, but considering what the House does—and more specifically, what Freminet does—its hard to consider anything there as 'trivial' in any fashion.]

[And there lies the problem. Even when he has a family, it was still difficult for him to fully express himself. He knew his family was safe and that they were never judge him for it, it was still challenging. So much so, when he heard Alhaitham's words, he flinched a little.]

...I know. I just don't want to burden my family with it. They know how difficult being in the Fatui is, I don't want anymore on their plate.

Edited 2024-12-03 13:44 (UTC)

[Man, for a bunch of child assassins that are bound under 'family', you all sure seem very dysfunctional.]

I would assume that it is because of said difficulties that one should seek understanding and support from the ones who are in the same situation as you. [Pause.] Especially because you are a 'family'.

[What else is family for then, if not for something like this?]

[What did you expect from a family filled with child assassins???

However, with his words, that only made Freminet not want to say anything. He really didn't know what to say that would make Alhaitham happy. Right now, he felt as though he was being reprimanded. He felt like a child that was ready to cry in fear of disappointing his parents.

He kept his head downward as he found himself just being silent. What was he to do?]

[Well at the end of the day Alhaitham isn't here to give Freminet any answers, nor does he have any intention to tell the teenager on what to do—there are many things about the Fatui and the House of the Hearth that he disagrees with, but those are not his things to meddle in.

So all he does is to sigh, glancing over at the Teacaf machines for a moment before he stands up from his seat and goes over to them. A long moment passes before he returns, with only the ambience of the cafe and the sounds of the Teacaf machines operating to fill in the silence, and when he does its with a mug of hot chocolate that Alhaitham places down in front of Freminet, the man seating himself back down in the same place as before thereafter.]

It's on the house. [He says, after a brief pause, just to make it obvious that the drink is for Freminet to have.]

[What was the boy to do. He didn't want to ruin whatever friendship he had with Alhaitham over something he couldn't quite control. On the other hand, he also knew that he wasn't doing the right thing by not telling his brother anything. It didn't help that Lyney also had a tendency to hold onto everything as though it was his fault.

As he briefly looked up to see the tall scary man make some hot chocolate, he wondered just how much he should say to him. Again, Father told him to open up to people as much as he could. However, that was proving to be difficult as he disclosed one of his most personal issues to someone he was scared of.

Looking at the hot chocolate before him, he remained silent before giving a small nod.]

...Thank you, you didn't have to do that.

[Pause] ...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.

[Alhaitham huffs at the apology, having already anticipated it, and thus is quick to wave it off.]

No apologies necessary. If I truly didn't want to hear what you had to say, I would have already made it clear long ago. [Alhaitham, after all, has never been one to put on any airs or felt the need to play at being polite to people. Anything that he feels and says, he has always only been direct about it.

There is more that he does want to say, but he will actually exercise a bit of tact for once seeing how stressed Freminet had gotten, so he'll give the teenager the time he needs to calm down with his hot chocolate.]

[Indeed, he definitely would have. However, it was still a strange thing to have someone be so honest toward him. As he continues to look down at his drink, he gave a small sigh.]

...I should go tell Lyney, shouldn't I? I know I should but he...he likes to blame himself a lot. He thinks everything is his responsibility even though it isn't. If I tell him...

[He gave a pause or two.]

...I know he will feel guilt over it.

[Though Alhaitham's impression of Lyney is... far from the best right now, he can at least appreciate the way the magician cares for his brother. At the very least, its clear enough to him that Lyney cares very deeply for his sibling, given how much Freminet speaks about him back in turn with a high level of care and concern.

Even so, there is still a limit of how much another's reactions should influence one's own choices, and Alhaitham goes to say as such.]

How your brother reacts isn't something that you can control. [He speaks candidly, here.] And its obvious that keeping yourself quiet for his sake isn't a long term solution. Are you simply going to let yourself keep doing this for the rest of your life, simply because you're afraid of upsetting him?

[And—look. Alhaitham isn't going to say that the point should be to upset people, because he of all people knows how badly that can turn out. But keeping quiet isn't the way either, especially when its something that affects Freminet to such an extent. Something clearly has to be done here, before it gets to a point of no return.

Not that Alhaitham has any intention of being the one to do it, of course, but he's at least willing to talk to Freminet on the subject.]

No, I'm not.

[But in the back of his mind, he knows that he also can't expect the same from his brother. He wanted the both of them to be equals and he was glad that they were. He always thought that Lyney never thought of him as his brother but there are still things that need to be said. Taking a sip from the hot chocolate, he gave yet another sigh.]

...I just want him to open up to me also. When I tell him what is wrong, he never said anything. He brushes it off and tells me not to worry.

[Was this even a good idea to express all of his emotions to Alhaitham? Perhaps but it was a good way for him to open up more.]

[Well Alhaitham certainly did not ask for this but here they are now, he supposes. Thankfully for better or worse he has experience in the ways of stubborn blondes who bottle everything up within themselves.

Granted, the sibling angle is new, but it shouldn't change anything that he can say about the subject.]

That's where you have to remind him that everything should be a two way street. A talk of being equals is only lip service until one does something to actually prove it. [He crosses his arms back over his chest by now, falling quiet for a beat before adding on,] Just as one day you will have to be without his protection, he likewise cannot shelter you forever. Be it time, or age, or some other factor, continuing to stretch himself will eventually backfire.

[He's seen that happen before, after all.]

Which is why I want him to know that we can do it together. It's just...

[In the end, Alhaitham was right. He knew that Lyney was doing this as a way to protect Freminet and Lynette. He wanted to take on everything for himself because he was supposed to be the older brother. He already had a feeling that Lyney would take over Father one day and would have to take on the burden.

Still, it just hurts knowing how his brother just continues to flat out refuse to tell him anything.]

....Takes him some time to allow me to talk to him.

[As much as Alhaitham hates to admit it, he can understand Lyney's desires here; to shelter and protect his family, to shield them from all the things that would hurt them. Its what he feels for Kaveh himself, after all—it goes without saying that he would do just about anything to keep his senior from any and all harm as well.

But just as he's come to learn in these last few months, some burdens, even if they involve the other party, can still be shared; after all, to defend them is to also put yourself up to danger, and such an act affects them in turn.]

Whatever the case, a stalemate like that cannot last forever. [Alhaitham states, plain and simple.] Either your brother lets himself realize that his actions are unsustainable, or you have to make the move to push forward and confront him. Nothing will come from maintaining the status quo.

[Freminet really didn't want to confront Lyney like that. He was always someone who would much rather let action speak rather than words. Not only that, but he also wasn't someone who was willing to speak up in fear of upsetting people. However, it seems he didn't have a choice.

Either he talked to Lyney or he just let this continue. Leaning back against his seat, he gave a long sigh.]

I suppose not. If I talk to him, I'm not sure if he is willing to accept it but...

[Pause]

...At least I tried.

[Being a graduate of Haravatat means that Alhaitham is all too aware of the power that words can hold—and also know of both its strengths as well as limitations. While there are times where actions are what come through more quickly, there are also other moments where things have to be stated clearly, in black and white.]

How your brother desires to react is entirely beyond your control. [He repeats himself from earlier, because this is something that Freminet has to remember—how Lyney chooses to take his words is not indicative of Freminet himself.] Just as how there are things you have to face, the same also holds true for him. If he refuses to accept what you have to say, then that is a failing of his.

[Alhaitham may not have the best opinion of Lyney but he does at least understand the magician's desire to protect his family, and the feelings that comes from that. But stubbornness can only do so much, and refusing to listen to the very person he intends to protect will not help anyone in the situation at all. Surely, that much should be a recognizable fact.]

[Those words made him wince. Whatever Lyney does is his choice. There was nothing Freminet could do and that was the worst part. Especially since he was used to making sure the family always stays together. What happens to one family member can and will affect another.]

...That is a really difficult thing for me to hear. I know there isn't much I can do for my brother but that is something I will have to accept.

[All he could do was give a sigh. Not really sure what else he could do, he continued to drink some of his hot chocolate before remaining silent once more.]

[Alhaitham sees that wince for what it is, and while he can understand why Freminet may feel that way given his disposition, ultimately it is something that he needs to work to move past. Nothing can happen for as long as the status quo is maintained—so if he wants to change, that is what needs to be done.

At the very least, Freminet seems to have come around to accept that himself, so Alhaitham sees no point in pressing on the topic any more than he already has, and so has nothing else to say. In lieu of that he picks his own book back up to resume reading, more than fine with letting the silence come back in between them.]

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I'm on my second cup already!!!

chug more the House demands it

CHUG CHUG CHUG....as I zoom through the halls at midnight

gotta burn all that caffeine after taking it in

Especially now as I am back in school....!!!!

a true mood

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