From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Their lives have settled into the sort of routine where Finn knows the days where Ever will be having dinner either with Mateo at the Greatwood or at the Collegium with his friend. And all things considered (especially between he and Tobi), the Spyglass is actually enjoying it all. It's true that there are still some uncomfortable loose ends to tie up when it comes to what happened out at the Sea of Glass, but given that he wasn't actually in attendance, the deadlines don't feel as though they are on him for once.
He's been at home from his office for about an hour, having swapped his work clothes for a plain white t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, sitting with his back comfortably against the bottom of the couch and his guitar in his lap. The music sheets scattered around him are mostly blank, and there's a pencil tucked behind his ear as he teases out a new tune, looking for all the world as if nothing else could possibly exist in the moment.
please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere
Setting down a glass of wine on the coffee table where Finn wasn't liable to knock it with his guitar but where he'd see it, the doctor curls up in one of the opposing chairs where she can watch him play. Of course if he asks if she's watching, she'll just gesture to the sodoku book in her lap so that he won't feel quite so observed, but after all this time Tobi is fairly certain he'll see through it. It's rare to see Finn relaxed, both in posture and in dress, and looking so carefree as to appear boyish. Though she knows he'd hate for her to say so, Tobi feels privileged just to sit in his orbit when he gets like this, and so she does.
Having traded her work scrubs for more comfortable things as well—opting for flora leggings, a black tank top, and a massive infinity scarf made of grey wool—Tobi tucks a lock of hair behind one ear as her long fingers twirl the stem of her wine glass. Not wanting to interrupt Finn with something like wE NeEd To TaLk, she instead waits for a lull in his playing before casually saying, "Did...Ever speak with you today? About the dinner plans he wants to arrange?"
For Finn's part, he's reaching the point where he's more than happy with Tobi's presence, especially in quieter times like this. They orbit each other, independent yet parallel, and the silent company is something he can absolutely appreciate. As he manages to string together a melody he's happy with, the living room seems to rustle with the sound of falling leaves for a moment, courtest of Safrin's strings.
It's as he gives his fingers a rest - and murmurs his thanks for the wine - that Tobi helps to break the silence. "Hm...? No, he didn't mention anything to me," he says, taking a sip of his drink before setting it delicately back down again. "I did not think Ever was the type to try and arrange dinner plans. Is... Is this about the spirits that steal cookies?" He winces - because of course he has had no choice but to tell Tobi the truth about why they're organising every single item in their apartment.
please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere
No of course he didn't, Tobi thinks with affectionate annoyance, smiling to herself and taking a sip of wine. "Oh, no nothing to do with the spirits and cookies." She says with a dismissive laugh, thinking little of Ever's sudden need to categorize absolutely everything. "I've enjoyed baking more with him." Tobi adds as she pulls against one of her ankles to more tightly wind herself into a ball.
"He and Mateo got to talking...and he really wants to have Mateo, Ronin, and Remi over for dinner." She explains gently, but bluntly. Stringing things out with Finn rarely works given how fast his mind goes, and in Tobi's experience, they can get to the heart of things faster if she simply lays her cards out for him to shuffle through. "But after everything that has happened with you two in the past, and what he said about not wanting to be involved when it comes to relics, but then taking off after one..." News of that had come through almost instantly. Word travelled fast where demigods were concerned.
"But given how the boys are, I fully expect them to hole themselves in Ever's room leaving the majority of the night being just the four of us.."
Finn is not a social creature, but proximity alone means that even he has begun to recognise some of the tells that Tobi gives away. Granted, it has to be when he is at his most open and relaxed (like now) and it has to be somewhat obvious (like now), but balling herself up is a certain sign of a thorny conversation to come, and so Finn settles his guitar in his lap rather than continuing to play.
The hammer falls quickly at least, and the slight widening of the Spyglass's stormy eyes is enough to tell her exactly what he thinks of that suggestion. He at least hears Tobi out in full, Finn feeling suddenly as if he's sitting on nails, and when he exhales it's like he's breathing Remi into their space just by talking about him. "Did Ever say why?" he asks. "I... Did Ronin and Remi agree?"
Simple answers like because they're his best friend's parents don't occur to Finn, of course. "Could we tell them that we've got a spirit problem so it's best if they stay away?" That's a stretch, even for him.
please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere
Uncomfortable, if only because it isn't in her nature to cause pain in others, Tobi watches the obvious indications of Finn's unease, averting her eyes down to where his fingers have rested on his guitar. "Well...funny you say that..." She murmurs with a small crinkle of her nose as Finn mentions their spirit problem. "Remi is able to walk among spirits, so...I actually think that's part of the reason Ever wants them all to come over."
See what happens when you lie, Finn?
"And...even after the marriage conversation a few weeks ago, I think he's still clutching for the types of relationships he sees other children maintaining. Usually the parents of best friends are also friends. Or at least friendly." Tobi points out, shifting her shoulders such that it would begin to look like her scarf was swallowing her.
The sound that leaves the Spyglass is something like a cross between a groan and a sigh, and he sets aside his guitar slowly so he can press the heels of his hands into his eyes. "That is... not ideal," he admits, which is the Finn equivalent of well, FUCK. But his own hilarious discomfort aside, what Tobi has to say next does sink in, and Finn's hands drop away into his lap.
"So... Remi comes for dinner. With Ronin," he clarifies. "And that..." And then he says it, the line we've all been waiting for. "That may require me to be sociable."
Exhaling deeply, he shakes his head. "I have never hosted anyone for dinner." That probably isn't much of a surprise to the doctor, and Finn offers her a shy smile. "Would you show me what to do? I can lay the table?"
please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere
'It would.' Tobi agrees softly with a nod of her head. Her tone is that of a doctor telling a patient that their next round of treatment is not going to be pleasant, but that it's the best course of action.
Watching Finn as he presses at his eyes, silently wondering if one day he wasn't going to do permanent ocular damage, Tobi smiles slowly but radiantly at him as he finally looks her way. "I was actually going to make that Ever's job. If he wants to have people over, he should help out too, don't you think?" Looking down into her wine, the doctor seems to hold some silent council with herself before redirecting her dark gaze to Finn.
"We can say no. Or I can host it one evening while you're working. I think Everest would be disappointed, but I also think he would understand. So if it would be too much..." It being the small talk, having Remi in a space Finn had just come to think of as safe (hopefully),of any potential jealousy or triggers that might come up.."..I'd understand."
Sagging back into the side of the sofa, it's a surprise to absolutely no one that Finn reaches once more for his glass of wine (and suddenly its presence makes a lot more sense). His lips part as Tobi points out that setting the table should be Ever's job, as if he wants to say no, I want to do it because then I don't have to talk to anyone, but he luckily catches himself in time. "That is a good point," he admits, pulling at a loose thread on his pants.
Disappointing his son was never on the table, so Finn is already gently shaking his head to Tobi. "If Ronin is there, I think things will be alright," he says softly. He hopes they will be, anyway. "And... well. He could always say no, couldn't he?" Somehow, though, Finn very much doubts that.
please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere
"You could always...help me in the kitchen? Maybe be on orzo duty or something else that requires studious stirring?" Tobi suggests with a crooked and adoring smile. "We can plan a dinner with lots of meticulous things that will require your constant attention." She adds, sipping at her wine and thinking that maybe with enough planning, this might go alright.
"That's true. I quite like Ronin, when I'm not having to stitch him up." She remarks with a small laugh. Mhmmming without much enthusiasm, Tobi concedes that there is indeed a possibility of them saying no. "Remi has earned the reputation as being quite antisocial lately, so...maybe." He was, if nothing else, a good parent. Or tried to be, so no Finn, this probably is going to happen.
'What do you think? Shall we get this over sooner rather than later?'
Finn brightens a touch at that, and there's little doubt that the coming days will see him looking up the most difficult and attentive recipes that Stormbreak has available, just so that there is as little possibility of being caught up in chit-chat as possible. "That... Yes. I think that would be good," he murmurs, echoing Tobi in sipping at his wine and forcing himself to breathe out the initial seize of anxiety that has stiffened all of his muscles.
"Well. I am sure that you and Ronin will have a lovely evening," he remarks with a small smirk flashed her way. Both the Huntsman and the doctor were the exuberant, talkative sort, so between them there ought not be any awkward silences at least. Unlike with Finn, who is a walking awkward silence, or Remi, who is basically a motive for murder on legs these days.
"Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Shall we let Everest know? He can do the inviting." Given that it's his idea.
please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere
Realizing then that Tobi had no idea if Finn was the jealous type or not (there had been that one incident during a pre-natal exam with a doctor, but...) she just smiles in easy agreement. She would have a lovely evening with Ronin. A perfectly respectable and lovely evening.
"I'll let him know, since it was me he mentioned all of this too. Maybe tomorrow night you and I can go shopping for the things we'll need?" Tobi suggests, knowing that if nothing else, it would likely quiet Finn's mind to make all the various lists necessary and to have an idea of what the proposed agenda would be.
Releasing her legs so that they dangled over the arm of the chair, she nods her head toward his guitar. "Play for me some more? I was really enjoying it."
