December Catch-All

[spiritwalks]

Who: Vyng spiritwalks and YOU
What: Catch-All for December. See comments for prompts.
When: Various
Where: Various

Content Warnings: Listed in subject lines when applicable

Notes:

- Style veers wildly between prose and brackets. Just choose whatever style feels good when responding, and I'll match it ♥

- Vyng is a warmblood.

- Feel free to hit me up at jackets for plotting and general chatter.

Comments

[spiritwalks]

"You have beer?"

Because priorities. In any case, Vyng bleats a response to the goat, who appreciatively scuffs at the ground with one hoof and gives a low maa-aaa.

"He says he'll do his best," Vyng assures him with a grin (for whatever that's worth). But in any case, they both step over the threshold and follow Varian inside.

[droptheious]

"I sure do! The sort of beer you get back home, too, so the best beer."

He's just going to be Obnoxiously German about the beer, don't mind him. But he's going to take that goatl-y word for it, leading them into his toasty, nice room. It's such a pleasant space. As promised, there's a corner in the room with big beer barrels and various food supplies.

"Cool, right? Pretty acceptable gift, as gifts go."

[spiritwalks]

Please, Varian, be as obnoxiously German as you want. Vyng is so into this beer pad.

"Wow..." He gazes around the cozy decor, and a smile lights up beneath his eyes. "Your Patron Pthumerian is so cool. It's like a parent who gives their teenager their own room, but with infinite booze and food."

Amazing.

"Anyway," he adds. "This is the perfect place to chill out. Thanks for suggesting it."

[droptheious]

"Right? I think he wanted to make sure I had a place to work free from distractions."

Because The Tower seems pretty keen on inventiveness and the like. Plus it WAS a good, safe place which he thinks is very needed when this place keeps trying to kill them all the time.

"Don't mention it. I'm glad I got it, and you're welcome to it any time. All you need to do is ask."

[spiritwalks]

"Aw." Vyng's smile softens. "Thanks, buddy."

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a large, opalescent dragon scale. Its shimmery, mother-of-pearl surface reflects the fireplace's cozy glow. With both hands, he extends it to Varian.

"Grab a seat," he gently instructs. "And hold onto this."

[droptheious]

He'll take a seat, reaching out to take hold of the scale, letting out a soft oooooh sound as he does.

"Wow, look at it! It's really pretty!"

[spiritwalks]

"It is, isn't it?" he says with a fond expression. "My friend said it was a gift from a water dragon."

A gift to Vyng, specifically. But, like many things, he doesn't remember it. Or, rather, he never got the chance to live it before washing up in the Waking World. But that's a common tale among Sleepers, so he doesn't bother explaining that part. Instead, Vyng settles down onto the floor, folding his lanky legs beneath himself, and starts fishing for the bones in his bag.

[droptheious]

"Really? That's amazing. Like...did they just hand it over?"

Look, dragons are a complicated business in his world. While people understood animals easy, it seemed less of a thing with dragons- added to the fact they were so elusive seeing one was a once-in-a-lifetime experience anyway and it created a lot of mystique.

He turns his attention to Vyng and the bones, easing himself carefully on the floor- always a tricky manoeuvre with the leg.

"Okay, so! Bones!"

[spiritwalks]

"Pretty much. I asked for one, and she gave it to me."

Vyng's words are punctuated with a wistful sigh. Dragons are rare in his old world too. It's too bad he couldn't stave off the crumbling dream any longer than he did. But he knew not long after going back home that staying wasn't an option. He'd simply changed too much.

But that's neither here nor there. They're Trenchies now, and Varian's gotta try shaking off this bout of corruption. Even if it doesn't cure the guy, it should at least provide some temporary relief.

"Ah-hah, here we go." Vyng pulls out the collection of bones, dangling them from his pale fingers like wind chimes. "Have you ever meditated before, Varian?"

[droptheious]

"Wow, lucky you. I guess you charmed her with your dashing smile, huh?"

Look, he might be having a Real Bad Time, but he's still compos mentis enough to have a little joke at his friend's expense. Besides, he COULD believe that Vyng just charmed a dragon to give up a scale. That feels like a very Vyng thing to do.

"Not...really? I mean, I've tried. Maul tried to teach me but I'm not good at it," he smiles awkwardly. "I always have too many thoughts in my head all the time."

[spiritwalks]

"Hah. Yeah, right," Vyng snorts. "Tuck and Billie probably helped out."

Tuck never told him the specifics, and he hadn't thought to ask. He'd been too elated by the surprise present — and jealous that Tuck got to see a freaking dragon — to worry about pesky details like that.

"Anyway...not to worry," he assures Varian. "Just focus on my words. If you notice your attention wandering, that's okay. You just gently shift your attention back to me. Sound good?"

[droptheious]

"I don't think I've met Billie yet, who are they?"

He's met Tuck like, once and Tuck is... well, he probably has his own charm that might have actually worked on a dragon. It takes all folks.

"Okay- sure, I- I think I can manage that," he exhales slowly. "Okay. Let's go for it."

[spiritwalks]

"Billie's our kid," Vyng answers simply. "He's actually here now, if you can believe it."

Of course, the full picture is a little more nuanced than that. But that's the long and short of it.

"Alright, we can just—" But then he stops, as if remembering something. "Oh, right. How do you feel about music? Yay? Nay? A couple scholars at the Archives gave me some decent recommendations for meditation."

[droptheious]

"Oh really? That's great! I'm glad you've got your family showing up."

He's genuinely pleased about this. After all, Trench is supposed to be an end journey for everyone, a place to settle down and make a life for themselves. That's so much better when families can be kept together. At the question, he chuckles softly.

"People sing about their feelings all the time back in Corona, random musical numbers are...pretty normal. So it's fine."

[spiritwalks]

"Yeah." His expression softens. "Thanks. Me too..."

Vyng had accepted the real possibility of never seeing Billie again. But he'd be lying if he said he hadn't cried a little bit when he found their son nestled in their bread box. As if he'd always been there.

"Random musical numbers?" Okay, he's grinning now. "That's amazing. Do you do that too?"

[droptheious]

Varian can relate- perhaps not on the level of a parent being reunited with a lost child (because WOW, that must be one heck of a feeling, he expects, like having a piece of yourself returned) but he definitely felt it when Rapunzel and Cass showed up. Complicated as Cass is right now. Family showing up is a big deal.

"I have on occasion, yeah," he rubs the back of his neck. "Not really done it a lot here. It's- people look at you weird if you do, so I just kinda...stopped."

[spiritwalks]

"You should do karaoke sometime," Vyng suggests. "Get those feelings out. Forget the haters."

They keep getting off track. Mostly because of Vyng. But they came here for a reason, and he sets his omni down on the floor between them. A moment later, and a soft soundscape floats through the air.

"Alright." The bones clink together as Vyng holds them up. "Ready?"

[droptheious]

"I perform at the Raccoon Room sometimes, not- nothing regular, but if there's an open mic night, Wu's been known to convince me to get on stage. Usually by throwing puppy eyes at me. He's good at those."

Varian night be trying to delay the inevitable a little, he's always a little nervous around magic. But he knows this needs to be done. He perks at the music and...yeah, okay, that does sound pretty relaxing. He lets out a breath, nodding once.

"I'm ready."