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[effiomsfavorite]

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[effiomsfavorite]

So I'm not going to see you very often, am I.

[It's a bit wry. At home, Huvrye stood out because he was a homunculus with a reputation; here, it's because he's a fairy at all. Not many people have wings, and none of them are like his. He can't exactly keep a low profile here.]

[atypical_echo]

[Of course he wouldn't. Why would he?]

Did you really want to spend a lot of time with the weird stranger you met in the middle of a desert? Like, what if I'm a suspicious person?

[Not like he has a problem with the other guy.]

[effiomsfavorite]

If you were a suspicious person, you would've stolen my teleporter and left me in the desert.

[What kind of question is that?]

[atypical_echo]

That would have been rude.

[It doesn't even make sense to him to steal it.]

I guess I was also thinking of it as sorta like 'i broke down on the freeway and someone helped change the tire'.

[effiomsfavorite]

Right, because suspicious people can't also be rude.

[He's still absolutely lost on this line of thought.]

So? Does it matter how we meet?

[Is it important? Is it a civ thing he doesn't know about?]

[atypical_echo]

Maybe?

[Mark sighs.]

What you did would sorta be considered a hero thing. And I don't think normally heroes make friends with the people they save? Not that I would turn away friends. I just thought, I guess, that you would be more of a 'it happened, nice to have met you, see ya'

[effiomsfavorite]

[Mark gets to "hero thing" and Huvrye's ability to process the situation comes to a swift and abrupt stop. A hero. Him. He'd been called a hero before, but that was the Lasardhin newspaper, and it's not like anyone in Lasardhi is trustworthy. But here, it's-]

[He'd looked at the guilds, but he hadn't actually thought-]

[Those are some low standards, if he's a hero-]

[He looks down, left to right, opens his mouth, closes it again, tries again, because he can't get his thoughts in order, let alone words, and-]

I've only been here for a week.

[It's slow and a little desperate.]

I still don't know how any of this works. I just- I thought-

[He sighs.]

Where I'm from, it's dangerous to be outside of a city, nevermind stranded outside of one. You needed help, and I- I don't really know how these things go here.

[He is so lost.]

[atypical_echo]

[Oh boy. This... That was a lot more than Mark was expecting. He watches the guy silently, and he can almost see it. How lost he is. How confused. And so Mark reaches out to touch his arm.]

You've got a room here in the hotel. So here's what we're going to do. We're going down to your room, we're going to introduce you to the wonders of Thai food from room service or take out or something, and I'm going to sit down and we're going to talk about it. Because I really needed someone to explain a lot of this to me too. I may not be able to talk about the guilds as much, but maybe I can help a little bit.

[He smiles at Huvrye because the guy needs a smile right now.]

You saved me from being lost. I owe you the same in return.

[effiomsfavorite]

[He looks down at Mark's hand on his arm and listens. He honestly wasn't sure what he'd been expecting at the end of this - he's not sure what he'd been expecting at all, except for bringing someone who'd been stranded back to civilization - but he'd never considered this to be an option. A meal and a talk. Compassion and help, from someone who wasn't expecting anything of him. A lifeline.]

[Deep down, some small, neglected part of him unfurls and starts to warm, and another part curls protectively around it. He can't trust anyone like that - not anymore, or maybe just not yet - but maybe this is a start.]

[And he really does need someone to talk with.]

[He meets Mark's smile with one of his own, small and achingly genuine.]

Thanks. That sounds great.

[A beat, and then:]

I should probably get you off this roof first, huh.

[atypical_echo]

Ah, but see, here's the thing. Since we're just going inside...

[Mark smiles and moves away to the stair well door. It takes very little work to get it open, because he's used to doing it.]

I used to come up here to take pictures. I know my way down. Come on. What's your opinion on spicy food?

[effiomsfavorite]

[...if he knew about the door, why was he so worried about getting down-]

[But Huvrye's not about to question that - not in the face of Mark's kindness towards him. Instead, he follows.]

I don't know. I don't think I've really had it before.

[Mess hall food - especially mess hall food for homunculi - is functional, not fun.]

[atypical_echo]

[He'd explain it if asked, but for now he's just guiding the man inside.]

See, that's a shame. But I guess maybe where you're from doesn't have Thailand, so it's fair.

[effiomsfavorite]

Yeah, we don't.

[Thai food coming from someplace called Thailand makes sense, though.]

[It doesn't take long to get down to Huvrye's room - he has one on a higher floor and it's been great - and he opens he door and lets Mark in. The room is messy, in a used-coffee-cups and laundry-on-the-bed sort of way, but it's not too bad. Hard for a guy who's used to living in an apartment the size of most people's closets to mess up an entire suite by himself in less than a week.]

Sooooo how do we get Thai food here?

[First things first.]

[atypical_echo]

[Not that much of a mess at all, and he doesn't mind what there is.]

You learn how to order food online yet?

[effiomsfavorite]

You can do that?

[He knows the internet can be used for communication, but he'd just figured it was some sort of advanced radio. The idea of getting food there too is mind-blowing.]

[atypical_echo]

Yeah man, age of information. I’d be happy to show you this.

[He grabs out his phone and pulls up the door dash like app.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[One of the upsides of being taller than most people is the ability to look over people's shoulders. Huvrye is trying not to crowd Mark, but he's definitely watching intently.]

I don't think I have that one on mine.

[atypical_echo]

You can add it. Apps are easy to add actually. This one lets you order food from nearby restaurants and people will bring it to you.

[effiomsfavorite]

[He's definitely still looking over Mark's shoulder.]

Okay, food first, and then that.

[Priorities.]

[atypical_echo]

[Of course food first. Mark pulls up the Thai place.]

Any allergies I should know about?

[effiomsfavorite]

No?

[Said like it's a foreign concept - which, for Huvrye, it kind of is.]

[atypical_echo]

[Well that’s good to hear.]

Alright. What about cultural rules about meat, and how is your tolerance for spicy food?

[effiomsfavorite]

[...okay, he needs to set some expectations.]

I'm used to mess hall food. Just pick something and I'll try it.

[atypical_echo]

[Mess hall food? Mark winces and then orders another three things. The poor guy.]

Thank fuck for guild cards, right? Because we’re going to teach you some good foods.

[effiomsfavorite]

[Okay, yeah, Mark gets it. Good to know.]

I keep waiting for them to make me pay it back, but they haven't yet, so. [He shrugs.] I'm paying.