[Seasonal Event] Boy Problems

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? Sam had a lot on his mind lately. Between opening a new shop, his bad experience at the temple shrine and his constant internal battle about Remi...his mind was always abuzz with cyclical thoughts and nerves. He had begun to find comfort in a place he would never had imagined. He'd interacted with the Luxere several times now and had found them to be gentle, docile creatures. They listened easily and did not insult or critique. He had sat next to one and simply spoken of everything many times now, until it would get bored and leave (usually when he ran out of fruit). Sitting against a old, crumbling wall in the fields, he began to nervously, quietly sing until he saw the antlers glowing in the distance, getting closer. Eventually he was surrounded with three luxere, all of them patiently staring at the food in his arms. "Hello." He said, tossing an apple out in front of him. All three of them bent down to bite at it. "I...I have a lot to talk about today. There is a...a boy. Who I am having t-troubles with."

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe made her way out to the fields again, hoping to see the pretty glowy deer again. Maybe it was her age, maybe it was because she was a girl, or maybe it was just her preference, but the shiny deer were just adorable! This time for treats she made some hearty bread that she crumbled up and put in a bag with some finely chopped up carrots and apples. Perfect feed for hungry glowy Luxere! Once that was prepared she bundled up in her cloak, mittens, boots, and hat with her long blonde tresses flowing out around her shoulders from beneath it, and set out for the fields once more. The young midwife really liked the fields. It reminded her of her home back in Northwind. They had lived in a very rural town surrounded by farm fields and the stone quarry where her parents worked. Nostalgia. She sighed with a sad smile curving her lips as she reminisced for a moment. That was when the sound of singing caught her ears. Brown eyes scanned the fields and found a man sitting on an old retaining wall with a small cluster of Luxere around him. She smiled brightly. Luxere and perhaps a new friend? What a nice surprise! Phoebe approached slowly, not wanting to scare off the deer that had congregated around the man. But she did come into earshot just in time to hear him lamenting about his love life to them. Oh, how she could relate. "Hello." she said softly with a warm smile, her innately soothing nature radiating off her like usual. She reached into her bag and then carefully tossed out some treats for the Luxere to graze on. "I am sorry for interrupting, I came out looking for the Luxere too. My name is Phoebe." she said, stepping a bit closer to where the man was sitting. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? The Luxere were quietly listening as they normally did. Sam was about to delve into the real meat of the problem when he heard a voice from next to him and turned around with a start, glancing between the woman and the Luxere. Had she heard what he was talking about? Would she question why he was here? He didn't really want to explain the Luxere again. But she'd come with her own treats and seemed to know what was going on, so he gently smiled and nodded at her. "Hello. Yes. I-I mean no. I don't mind. Please." He gestured to the wall as if he had any say about where she sat. "You...you are the mi-midwife. Right? I've seen your clinic." Sam said, trying to make conservation, then paused. "Not. Not from the inside. I don't...know anyone pregnant. Or anything. But I saw you and the o-outside." This was an awkward beginning already. He fiddled with his hand, looking out at the Luxere. "I um. I make books. Y-you probably don't know me..."

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet The poor fellow seemed absolutely rattled. But Phoebe was used to dealing with people who were emotionally unsteady...though for certainly very different reasons. So she smiled warmly, maintaining her sunny, soothing disposition as she took a seat next to him. "Thank you. The Luxere seem to really like you." she said softly, holding out a handful of the yummy bread crumbs, carrots, and apples she brought, hoping they might eat out of her hand. "You've a very nice voice. Is that what they like? When people sing to them?" she asked, conversationally. Phoebe smiled and looked over at him as he stumbled his way through introductions. "Yes I am the midwife. I know it is a fairly focused practice but should you ever need anything I might have you are more than welcome to stop by, with or without a pregnant woman." she said with a light laugh. A pregnant lady was not the door charge for her clinic. If someone needed help and she could assist, that was what she was there for. "I am afraid I don't but that doesn't mean I can't know you now. What's your name? A bookmaker is a very good trade." she said encouragingly. Perhaps he needed to also talk about his boy troubles...especially with someone who could actually respond. "I...also heard you talking to the Luxere. You can talk to me about your boy troubles if you like. Maybe I can help." she said with a smile.

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? She immediately lied and told him he had a nice voice, which made Sam shake his head. "I...d-don't. Not really. But thank you." The only good thing he had to say about his singing was that he didn't stammer during it, but his voice was still scratchy and thin. "They do...they do like singing. I-I don't know why." It appeared he had been right in his guess at her profession, at least. Sam had no idea what he would need her services for without expecting a baby; he had Isla for medical concerns. "I'm Samuel. W-wordsworth. Samuel Wordsworth." He cringed at stumbling through his own name but tried not to let it deter him (he usually did so well at interactions now, but the context of what he had been caught doing made him anxious). "What is your name?" Then it turned out she had heard his talking before. If he had the blood to blush, Sam would have been beet red. "Oh it's not...not important. I..um..you-you probably know R-Remi, so it might be um..awkward or..something, and we're not...really...anything."

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet She smiled, laughing a little as one of the Luxere bravely ate some of the goodies she had to offer out of her hand. The whiskers around its lips tickled her hand. Phoebe looked back at Sam with a warm smile. "Oh, now, don't put yourself down needlessly. I think you've a nice voice." she repeated. He could believe what she wished but she was sincere. He might not be a professional singer or anything, but he kept a tune nicely. Besides, he seemed in need of a pick me up after all. "I suppose it makes some sense, like how babies can be soothed by singing. It is comforting to listen to." she surmised. "It is good to meet you, Samuel. May I call you Sam or do you prefer Samuel?" she asked with a smile. Phoebe grabbed another handful of treats and threw it out on the ground for the Luxere. "I'm Phoebe Steadman." she said, deciding not to point out that she had already said her name. She didn't want to make him more anxious than he already was. When he mentioned who this boy was though she brightened up. "Remi? He is a very good friend of mine." she said happily. So Remi had an admirer? Oh how fun! Did he even know? Or...Phoebe internally hesitated. Was this the man Remi had liked but had disappeared once Frey cursed him? Hmm. She would withhold judgement until that became clear. "I don't think it is awkward. Does he know you are fond of him?" she asked with a kind smile.

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? Phoebe repeated her compliment, which only served to make Sam more embarrassed. He nodded just so that she might drop it, a hand coming up to rub against his face almost as if he was trying to hide it. At least she moved on quick enough, talking about babies...he hadn't known they were soothed by singing. Sam had never really met a baby. "Sam is fine." He confirmed. 'Samuel' was alright, but reminded him too much of his family to be very comfortable. Despite their treat from Phoebe, the Luxere were still looking at him rather desperately. Sam pulled another apple out and held it out for one of them, smiling as it came closer and munched. Moving it deftly in his fingers so he wouldn't get bitten, he was quiet for a moment before answering Phoebe's questions about Remi (and oh no, she did know him). "Oh yes. H-he knows. We had sex. Well. Um." Alarmed he had blurted out such a thing, Sam waved his hands in panic. "Not r-really. Kind of sex. Started. Um. It was in a c-cave. I don't know." This was far too much to tell a stranger, but he'd begun on the slide of words now and couldn't stop. "I touched his t-thighs. But that's not sex, is i-it? It's just. Touching. But now we're friends. Sort of. And we haven't..been back to the cave. I..I want to touch him again. But I c-can't. Because he doesn't want me." Mortified at himself, Sam finally shut up and buried his face in his hands, wishing he could sink into the ground or disappear up into the sky.

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet She smiled as the Luxere flocked to Sam for more apples. Hmmmm. She dug around her bag and threw out bits of apple and carrot for them, intermingled with the yummy oat bread. There! That should sate them for a minute. It was also good to know that Sam was good by him. She did her best to not use nicknames with people if she did not know their preference for them. That was a fast way to get on someone's bad side unintentionally in her experience. "We had sex." If Phoebe had been drinking something she would have spit it out. Her head whirled around to look at him, brown eyes wide, cheeks bright red. First of all, wow okay that was a lot of very personal information to hear very quickly and unexpectedly. Second of all, didn't that mean things were going well and not an indicator of a problem?? But as Samuel stumbled on with his story it became clear to Phoebe that they certainly had not had sex but perhaps fooled around...or Sam was reading much more into the situation than there really was. When he finished his tale she blinked a few times, trying to regain control of her face but...wow. Okay then. This was not what she had expected. She tried to put herself in his shoes to bring herself out of shock. He was obviously attracted to Remi. There had been...some sort of physical encounter that led him to believe there was an intimacy between them...and yet he felt rejected. Finally her features settled into an empathetic smile. Yes, she could understand how that would be a problem. "I see." she said in a soft, gentle tone. If he allowed she would reach out and place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What did he say that made you think he did not want you? Have you told him plainly how you feel for him since then?"

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? There was a distinctly shocked silence after he blurted out his story, which was little surprise. Sam prepared to hear Phoebe walking away, but after the expected sound of footsteps didn't come, he raised his head. She was...smiling, albeit a little awkwardly, and he relaxed just a touch. "Well. ..Um. H-he told me he didn't want to...have s-do it anymore. Because I couldn't...because I'm a-ascended and he didn't like that I couldn't...feel it. A-as much as he could. But I didn't care." His hands splayed out in his lap in his frustration in the last word. Sam's actual memory of the encounter was now getting fuzzy, too replaced with his talking about it, and he was beginning to imagine Remi obviously looking at him with disgust. "And I don't...know. Wh-what my feelings for him are. I don't...don't know him that well. But he is handsome and k-kind and he touched me, no one else has ever touched me." Sam held his fingers and bent them back and forth as he thought, absentmindedly fiddling in a way that definitely would have hurt if he had feeling. "...I have been...th-thinking of asking him to...try with me. A real relationship. Wh-where we meet and talk and maybe don't have...anything ph-physical until. We want to. But he probably d-doesn't. Want to." Sam sighed, his shoulders sinking down as he tried to make his whole posture smaller. "I'm sorry. This is...too much. For a st-stranger. I just...sometimes I start talking and I can't st-stop."

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe listened intently as Sam spoke, doing her absolute best to make sense of his rambling. Is this how she sounded when she got on a tangent? Oh boy she needed to work on that. Anyways, she focused on what he said, nodding here and there to show she was listening. "Well first of all, Remi seems to be making a shortsighted call about...the physical aspects of what occurred." she said gently. She wasn't sure what she was saying was wholly true but...this man needed some uplifting words and being a touch critical of Remi's reaction might help. "How it feels physically is one thing. But there is an intensely emotional aspect to it as well, which you can obviously still feel. The gratification is different, but still equally important." she said with a small smile. "As far as wanting him because he is the only one to have touched you before...well that is sort of a silly reason to be so attached isn't it?" she said with a grin. "What if he snores? Or maybe he chews with his mouth open. Or maybe he leaves his clothes everywhere. Or something that would really bother you. I am not saying he does, but you don't know. Just as there is more to intimacy than physical touch, there is more to consider in a person than their willingness to touch you." she said, her counselling voice coming out. It was hard not to. How many such conversations had she had with distraught women before? "I think that would be very wise of you. Focus on getting to know him. You know, I met a man I thought was terribly handsome and wished for a little he might notice me. But the more I spoke to him, the less I liked him, and soon enough the fact that he was attractive didn't matter because I did not want him. That could easily happen with you towards Remi." she said with a an encouraging squeeze of his shoulder. "Ask him on a date. Just a date. Where you talk and...well he could eat and you could just keep him company. No touching." He apologized and she laughed and shook her head. "Don't apologize! I am happy to help if I can. I like helping people, and Remi is my friend. I am glad to hear he has an admirer."

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? Sam nodded in agreement at Phoebe's evaluation of the importance of emotional aspects of sex. He would have been quite content just knowing he was pleasing Remi, that he had been found attractive; the physical sensation was something he had never had anyway, so he could not miss it. The next part was something he had not considered and gave him pause. While what she was saying was true, the insecure part of him immediately came up with a response: "But w-what if no one else ever t-touches me again? What if they don't wa-want to? They never have before." As horrendous as it sounded, it felt like he'd somehow successfully tricked Remi into wanting him, and that he had to act while he had him. "...What did the m-man do? And...I am going to ask him. As-ask Remi to come to my shop for...tea. And I can make...um...some...thing." He was not a chef. Hopefully Remi would like very simple sandwiches or crackers. "And not t-touch him. I wouldn't, again...unless h-he wanted me to. Or he did first."

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe gave him an empathetic smile as he aired his concerns. ”Just because they haven’t before, doesn’t mean they never will in the future.” she said. ”If I told you no man had ever shown interest in me at all, would you tell me that they never would?” It was sort of a baited question; she knew he was down on himself but those who are harsh with themselves were generally very forgiving and encouraging of others. She knew, because she was that way herself. It was a fatalistic view he was taking, and she hoped she might coax him out of it with some logic. He asked after Bastien, though he didn’t know it, and she sighed. ”He…said things that made me question his moral compass. He made me concerned that he might put people in danger…not by his own hands but by the hands of those more powerful than him. And he yelled at me and slammed a door in my face when I tried to point that out to him.” she said and shrugged a little bit. ”A standard case of pretty on the outside and ugly on the inside. But the most important thing is the inside. Everyone gets old and loses their beauty eventually, but the core of a person usually stays very much the same. If you don’t like that, it isn’t worth it.” she said with a nod, giving advise her mother had once given her. Phoebe smiled and nodded. ”I think that is a splendid idea, Sam! Just be yourself. That is the only way you will ever know if there is potential.” she said in a chipper tone…before a Luxere nudged her side and nearly knocked her off the wall. She caught herself though and quickly tossed more treats out for them to eat. ”And if you want to talk it through after, let me know.” she said with a smile. ”I hope it works out.”

Samuel Tell me little dear if you've only lived here, have you ever really lived at all? "No. N-no, I wouldn't. You're pretty and nice. Men like that, I think. ...I on-only say I think because I am not...I have never liked women much. I mean, as d-dates. I think women are fine people." Stumbling explanation aside, he assumed Phoebe was lying to make him feel better. She obviously had to have suitors falling over themselves to get to her. He was certain everyone except him did. He had no idea who she was referring to, but the man sounded dangerous. Sam didn't think he knew anyone like that, was glad for it. He didn't think any of his friends would put him into danger, at least not intentionally. "Then...I su-suppose I might ask him. Do you...know what Remi likes?" Sam asked, tossing another apple in the direction of the Luxere but not really paying too much attention, too interested in the conversation. "...Have...you ever tried to d-date him?"

Phoebe I know I am good at something, I just haven't found it yet Phoebe smiled. The poor guy was a nervous wreck. Frankly, she couldn’t think of anyone better for him than Remi. He had the patience of a saint. ”I understand what you mean, don’t worry.” she assured when he confessed he was interested in men, not women. She had actually deduced that already; thought she would make him feel stupid by saying so. ”Well it is true. I’ve never had a suitor. Never even had someone who has had a fondness for me that way. I haven’t been kissed or touched or anything.” she said, maintaining her smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. It hurt to say these things, because it was a reminder of her own poor prospects. But Sam needed to hear these things, and know he wasn’t alone. When he asked if she ever tried to date Remi she laughed a little and shook his head. ”When he and I first met, his preference for men was made known to me under some…less than pleasant circumstances. So I have never thought of Remi that way. He is more like…a brother to me. My best friend.” she said with a smile. When asked what Remi liked she tapped her chin in thought. ”Remi has always seemed very laid back to me. I am certain so long as whatever you do is pleasant he will enjoy it.” she said, smiling a bit. ”Though, I think he might appreciate something romantic. Flowers and an intimate meal with conversation in a comfortable, decorate environment…intimate in this case meaning just the two of you not out in public.” She said, trying to think. But it was hard! She had never been on a date herself after all!