emet_sulk | [avalon] IC Inbox

At some point during the debates - if such a word, beloved by their people, could be applied to the arguing on the network, - Hythlodaeus couldn't take it anymore. Hades's grief, anger, disappointment - and the way he only drowns himself in all those things further, throwing himself deeper into rage and despair. There is nothing to be gained from these exchanges, Hythlodaeus knows, and so after a little while he makes his way over to Hades's side, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hades."

His voice is quiet and gentle, purposefully so - hopefully a means to draw his attention away from his accursed phone (and if Hythlodaeus had the opportunity, he would likely hide the device for the next moon or ten).

He reluctantly tears his eyes away from the device, only to look away again quickly when he meets Hythlodaeus' worried gaze. He knows what the other man is going to say. He cannot help himself though - his anger has no outlet save for vicious words and an ill mood. Why? Why are mortals constantly like this...?

"What?" he asks tersely.

They've known each other long enough that Hythlodaeus, too, can tell how his friend is going to react to his words. And so rather than come out with an outright answer he gives Hades a smile before looking over to the window.

"'Tis a fine day. Are you certain you wish to stay cooped up inside?"

He drags his gaze towards the window. A thin layer of snow rests upon much of the city but it is an otherwise clear day. Cold, bracing weather, but nowhere near as cold as the northern mountains of Ilsabard.

Like Hythlodaeus, he understands the implication. 'Hades, let's take a walk to clear your head.'

He fiddles with his device, runs his thumb along the edge of the case. Eventually he bites his lip and bows his head.

"Fine..." He sets his phone aside and starts to stand. "I need to dress more warmly before we go out."

Internally, Hythlodaeus breathes out a sigh of relief. Truth be told, he was not entirely certain that Hades wouldn't lash out - or simply refuse to go out for one reason or another. But it's heartening to see that he seems to understand he needs a break.

"Certainly. And if you wish, we can stop by somewhere to buy hot drinks. Some mulled wine, mayhap?"

He nods wordlessly. Mulled wine, coffee - anything hot would be welcome on a day like today.

Disappearing into their room, he quickly throws on a thicker, sturdier coat over his current attire. He cannot help stewing over the arguments he had incited as he does up the buttons, but when he eventually re-emerges, he looks a little bit less incensed.

"I'm ready."

Once again Hythlodaeus feels a pang of relief at seeing his friend reappear, seemingly a little more collected. He is rather well aware that Hades likes to get lost in his own head, oftentimes to his detriment.

"Ah, handsome as ever," he replies with a hint of mischief, reaching out to take his partner's arm. "Mayhap we could get you one of those big scarves they sell here? You would look precious, I'm certain."

He rolls his eyes as he walks them both to the stairs that descend into the store (and by extension, the front door).

"As long as it isn't 'cute' or exorbitantly priced, 'Daeus, I will wear whatever scarf you choose."

Is that...him trusting Hythlodaeus' judgement? Good heavens.

Predictably, Hythlodaeus lights up at that - in part, yes, because it's a way to distract his friend, but also because of the sheer freedom of the statement.

"Whatever I choose?"

He manages to work up a wan smile. It will mean trouble, he knows, but somehow he cannot find it in him to snap at his friend. Seeing the other man smile...it is a reminder that a promise of home awaits him.

"Whatever you choose."

"My! What is a man to do but swoon at such display of trust and affection?" Hythlodaeus laughs, leaning onto Hades's shoulder playfully - but for all his mischievous demeanour, he is not ungrateful. And while he certainly will pick out something terrible that still does not violate the rules his friend has set, there is also an opportunity to give a sincere gift there, as well.

"Ah, speaking of which - Irhya has invited me to go clothes shopping with her."

"Did she now? She has an impeccable sense of aesthetics. Mayhap she'll finally put you in some decent clothing so that I'll be less embarrassed being seen walking with you."

He doesn't mean it of course. How Hythlodaeus (or anyone) chooses to dress is a distant consideration.

After letting them out of the shop, Hades pauses to lock the door. The cold, winter air immediately assaults him, warded off for the most part by his coat. He turns back once he's done, glancing up at his friend.

"Where to...?"

Hythlodaeus only laughs in response to the quip, lightly nudging Hades in the ribs.

"Is that so? You do not have enough trust in my ability to embarrass you, my dear Agesandros. I've plenty of other ways to make being my partner unbearable, as you well know."

When Hades locks the door Hythlodaeus does not answer right away, instead spreading his arms and taking a deep breath of the frosty air - theatrically so. Unbeknownst to Hades, it's a way for Hythlodaeus to give himself a little time to think as he ponders over a destination to choose - he doesn't want to come across something that would bring Hades's grim thoughts back.

"Why not simply the park? The trees are quite beautiful under the coat of snow."

"The park, then."

He offers his arm to Hythlodaeus. "Do not breathe so deeply of the cold air. If it were any colder, you might hurt yourself."

He takes that arm happily, leaning onto his partner.

"Hmm? Now that sounds as though you speak from experience."

"It is." He starts towards the nearest park, not in any great hurry. "In Garlemald, the winters can grow so harsh that the air seems to freeze in your lungs. Many have fallen ill simply from staying outside overlong."

"... Goodness." The information, indeed, is a little harsher than Hythlodaeus expected. "I assume they had little means to warm themselves?"

"Initially. But then the people discovered the rich ceruleum fields that lay beneath the ice. It provided the fuel they needed to maintain their fires during the longest nights." He watches the path ahead as he speaks. "They had such strong wills to live in spite of the hardships they faced. How could I leave them alone?"

Briefly, Hythlodaeus wonders if this is a good topic, given how upset Hades was about mortals earlier - but at the same time, he often speaks of the Garleans with fondness. Perhaps a reminder of the better side of humanity is what he needs right now.

"You did always seem to prize stubbornness, even when away from me and Azem."

Though it's a quip much like a lot of their remarks to one another, it's also a tacit encouragement to elaborate more on the nature of the people Hades ended up leading.

"Hmph. Someone needed to curb your flights of whimsy."

He interlaces his fingers with Hythlodaeus', squeezing gently. "They endured eight hundred years in that harsh land before I decided to shape them into a military force. Though they lacked any sort of control over aether, they built a city amongst the peaks. Sometimes I would look over it as their emperor and feel as though I was home again..."

He trails off, expression dimming. "I suppose it will have been razed by now during the war of succession."

Hythlodaeus does not quite reply to that last part - the more violent ways of the mortals are still a mystery and a shock to him, nor does he want his friend to dwell once more on cruelty and suffering.

"Selfishly, I cannot help wondering if that lack of proficiency with aether did not remind you of me. Though you might oft grumble, you've always had the urge to take others under your wing."

"You have aether, Hythlodaeus, and you know how to use it. You simply chose not to." He eyes his friend in tired exasperation. "Do not downplay your potential. Please."

You were not useless.

"But if I do not, how am I to have you do things in my stead?" he replies jokingly, bumping his shoulder against Hades's gently.

"That aside... would you tell me more of the Garleans?"

He wrinkles his nose even as his heart flutters happily. Silly fool. But as ever, he is willing to indulge.

"They were once farmers occupying the warm, southern region of the continent of Ilsabard," he explains. "Their lands were fertile. Despite not possessing the ability to utilise aether, they eked out a humble living tending the fields. But their neighbours, jealous of their prosperity and disdainful of their inability to wield aether, drove them further and further north until they had no choice but to settle in the frigid and barren mountains.

"They had fought every step of the way of course, but without any meaningful way to combat the native magic of the other races, they were left to scrounge for what they could in the harshest region of the land. With their discovery of ceruleum - a type of fuel formed of aether liquefied underground - I was able to set them on a path towards technological dominance."

Hythlodaeus nods carefully, not commenting on the animosity between the races - that's still a strange and confusing subject to him, and not one he wants to explore right now.

"Oh? I confess, it's surprising to hear you took an interest in advancing technology. 'Tis not quite your field of expertise, is it?"

backdated; action, during dragon discourse

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at least he was useful for [spoilers] :)

hey now >8(

:3