[Edelgard does understand, academically, magic and alchemy even if she's hardly able to practice here. It is an oddly specific thing to gather these creatures for, but certainly understandable.]
It's more of a "yes" or a "no." If they decent one of the substances they've been trained to, they react. It doesn't tell me which, but often knowing the compound is tainted alone is enough.
[He pauses briefly. Hubert's not quite sure what to say about them.]
Domestic rats and wild ones are rather different, I should clarify—not unlike cats. These are a little larger because of their steady diet and health, and they are very social creatures. The man that sold them to me insisted I take at least a pair. Apparently, many do very poorly alone.
They are also remarkably clever. [And there it is. It's faint, but there is a flicker of fondness in the Bond.] I've been training them to do more—simple things. Dust in particular takes to puzzles well.
[He chuckles. Hubert doesn't even realize his voice has warmed a little.] That troublemaker has even taken to figuring some things out on her own. She'd gotten out, once, without me realizing it. She brought me a pen she'd found on the floor; my guess is because she's never seen them anywhere else but with me.
[Edelgard takes her seat again, collecting her teacup and taking a sip. It's easy enough to listen to him talk, and to imagine cute little creatures. The bond helps, his clear fondness for them shining through.
Perhaps...this is a problem that can be solved. It will take time, yes, but she feels more at ease than when it started already.]
A pen, you say? That is impressive. You think she's taken a liking to you, then? It would seem so.
Of course she has; I feed them. [Hubert shakes his head, smiling wryly.] They might be quite intelligent for what they are, but they are still simple creatures.
[That's all there is to it, clearly.]
They are entirely motivated by their treats. Dust likely thought she could earn one by returning the pen.
[Hubert shifts, leaning back a little in his chair.]
...I suppose I did. [He absolutely did.] The rat might not be able to discern what is helpful and what isn't, but if she takes to bringing me out of place things, it could be beneficial at some point.
[And certainly not because there was an amusing novelty to Dust putting two and two together on her own.]
[Edelgard has no hesitation in saying that, now. She's relaxed a bit as she leans back, settling into the conversation. Yes, it's about rats, but she can manage.]
Hopefully it's less troublesome that Heidi. She brought me a dead lizard the other night. Strange show of affection, that.
[Even if a simple conversation is a far cry from being present with the beasts, he's pleased to watch her relax. It's the first thing that makes Hubert think this... might actually work, for Edelgard and Leslie both. The corner of his mouth crooks up.]
Mm. I would've thought you were accustomed to that by now.
[Hubert shakes his head.] Dust is her own brand of troublesome. I... admit the reason I've been reluctant to take them out of the cellar for anything is that she... is something of an escape artist. It's hardly been an issue since I've begun giving her puzzles and exercise, but I never could discern how she was doing it. [There's a flash of frustration, there—and something that was deeply impressed.] I refuse to be outsmarted by a rodent.
[Usually it's been bugs. Apparently she's graduated to some bigger prey, now. The perils of having to compete with Leslie's cat for game, she supposes.]
You...hmm.
[Okay, that makes her smile. The frustration there, and the fondness.]
Hubert, I believe you've been taking my advice to heart and finding ways to open yourself up.
[He chuckles lowly, and a little wryly. Really now, he'd thought she'd been getting murderpresents for years now.]
[The follow-up does render him silent for a few beats. Hubert bridges his fingers together, glancing aside thoughtfully to hide the flicker of sheepishness.]
...It isn't without difficulty, [He answers after a time. Great difficulty. He couldn't have chosen a rougher starting point with Dust and Cara, really.] And you give me too much credit. I had not intended for them to become... pets. [It sort of just happened, crept up on him so slowly he hadn't noticed.] That they are rats, of all things, took considerable time to accept.
[He's only spent half of his life killing them on sight, after all. Wild ones, anyway—not that the Hubert of even a few months ago would've made the distinction. But he had accepted them, despite knowing what symbols they were.]
[Edelgard chuckles right back, peering at Hubert with a curious, amused...but un-malicious expression. She doesn't want to tease him this time. She's just glad that he's doing something.]
That you took the time at all is a surprise, Hubert. And that you considered it difficult to even tell me, presumably for fear of me asking you to be rid of them, is another little indication that I'm right.
[Reaching out, she pats his hand with her own gloved one, beaming at him.]
[His gaze slides down to their hands, lingering thoughtfully. Why had he been reticent? The first fondness he'd felt towards the creatures felt equally like some kind of betrayal. Like falling in with the enemy, somehow. Because of Edelgard's circumstances with the beasts, he'd always dismissed rats as something lesser than even animals—a mere walking pestilence.]
[Hubert slowly turns his hand over underneath hers, both an offer and an acceptance of her words.]
I hardly think I realized I was doing such, at first. It wasn't difficult to continually rationalize reasons to keep them around. But... yes, you are right. I would rather not sell them off.
[His own words are a little surreal. That Hubert's first response would be to rehome them than kill the rats, had Edelgard rejected them, was something he'd never imagined. That in itself was a tremendous step.]
It's... strange. I've never felt the impulse to keep pets before. [He shakes his head slightly. Hubert's already asked, but part of him still couldn't believe the answer.] You... truly wish to meet them, sometime?
[It was indeed, and a step Edelgard had not missed. That made her smile, inside. She kept her expression light, hoping not to seem teasing to the man she held hands with. She didn't want that, at least, not right now. He had his own traumas, after all...and seemingly betraying her even a little was clearly one of them.]
I would indeed.
[Her fingers curl around his, gentle and light.]
I should not live in fear of something so ultimately harmless. I would be glad to. I should not stop attempting to learn and grow, even here. And that would be a bit of growth. Facing my fear...moving beyond my traumas. I think that will be important.
[Her smile might remain hidden, but hiding things from each other was so difficult, in this world. He felt her joy, and her commitment to the idea. True sincerity, not that Hubert had reason to doubt her.]
[Still, a ghost of a smile graces his face, and though his eyes remain thoughtfully averted, that sense of warmth fills the Bond again, directed at Edelgard.]
I see. When you are ready, tell me. I would be happy to facilitate this.
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unyieldingmarch) wrote2015-09-30 10:14 pm
no subject
[Edelgard does understand, academically, magic and alchemy even if she's hardly able to practice here. It is an oddly specific thing to gather these creatures for, but certainly understandable.]
How do they communicate what they detect to you?
no subject
[He pauses briefly. Hubert's not quite sure what to say about them.]
Domestic rats and wild ones are rather different, I should clarify—not unlike cats. These are a little larger because of their steady diet and health, and they are very social creatures. The man that sold them to me insisted I take at least a pair. Apparently, many do very poorly alone.
They are also remarkably clever. [And there it is. It's faint, but there is a flicker of fondness in the Bond.] I've been training them to do more—simple things. Dust in particular takes to puzzles well.
[He chuckles. Hubert doesn't even realize his voice has warmed a little.] That troublemaker has even taken to figuring some things out on her own. She'd gotten out, once, without me realizing it. She brought me a pen she'd found on the floor; my guess is because she's never seen them anywhere else but with me.
no subject
[Edelgard takes her seat again, collecting her teacup and taking a sip. It's easy enough to listen to him talk, and to imagine cute little creatures. The bond helps, his clear fondness for them shining through.
Perhaps...this is a problem that can be solved. It will take time, yes, but she feels more at ease than when it started already.]
A pen, you say? That is impressive. You think she's taken a liking to you, then? It would seem so.
no subject
[That's all there is to it, clearly.]
They are entirely motivated by their treats. Dust likely thought she could earn one by returning the pen.
no subject
[It's a simple question that just slips out.]
I know Ferdie is the same way. Heidi, though, is not. She simply demands treats.
no subject
[Hubert shifts, leaning back a little in his chair.]
...I suppose I did. [He absolutely did.] The rat might not be able to discern what is helpful and what isn't, but if she takes to bringing me out of place things, it could be beneficial at some point.
[And certainly not because there was an amusing novelty to Dust putting two and two together on her own.]
no subject
[Edelgard has no hesitation in saying that, now. She's relaxed a bit as she leans back, settling into the conversation. Yes, it's about rats, but she can manage.]
Hopefully it's less troublesome that Heidi. She brought me a dead lizard the other night. Strange show of affection, that.
no subject
Mm. I would've thought you were accustomed to that by now.
[Hubert shakes his head.] Dust is her own brand of troublesome. I... admit the reason I've been reluctant to take them out of the cellar for anything is that she... is something of an escape artist. It's hardly been an issue since I've begun giving her puzzles and exercise, but I never could discern how she was doing it. [There's a flash of frustration, there—and something that was deeply impressed.] I refuse to be outsmarted by a rodent.
no subject
[Usually it's been bugs. Apparently she's graduated to some bigger prey, now. The perils of having to compete with Leslie's cat for game, she supposes.]
You...hmm.
[Okay, that makes her smile. The frustration there, and the fondness.]
Hubert, I believe you've been taking my advice to heart and finding ways to open yourself up.
no subject
[The follow-up does render him silent for a few beats. Hubert bridges his fingers together, glancing aside thoughtfully to hide the flicker of sheepishness.]
...It isn't without difficulty, [He answers after a time. Great difficulty. He couldn't have chosen a rougher starting point with Dust and Cara, really.] And you give me too much credit. I had not intended for them to become... pets. [It sort of just happened, crept up on him so slowly he hadn't noticed.] That they are rats, of all things, took considerable time to accept.
[He's only spent half of his life killing them on sight, after all. Wild ones, anyway—not that the Hubert of even a few months ago would've made the distinction. But he had accepted them, despite knowing what symbols they were.]
no subject
That you took the time at all is a surprise, Hubert. And that you considered it difficult to even tell me, presumably for fear of me asking you to be rid of them, is another little indication that I'm right.
[Reaching out, she pats his hand with her own gloved one, beaming at him.]
I'm glad.
no subject
[Hubert slowly turns his hand over underneath hers, both an offer and an acceptance of her words.]
I hardly think I realized I was doing such, at first. It wasn't difficult to continually rationalize reasons to keep them around. But... yes, you are right. I would rather not sell them off.
[His own words are a little surreal. That Hubert's first response would be to rehome them than kill the rats, had Edelgard rejected them, was something he'd never imagined. That in itself was a tremendous step.]
It's... strange. I've never felt the impulse to keep pets before. [He shakes his head slightly. Hubert's already asked, but part of him still couldn't believe the answer.] You... truly wish to meet them, sometime?
no subject
I would indeed.
[Her fingers curl around his, gentle and light.]
I should not live in fear of something so ultimately harmless. I would be glad to. I should not stop attempting to learn and grow, even here. And that would be a bit of growth. Facing my fear...moving beyond my traumas. I think that will be important.
no subject
[Still, a ghost of a smile graces his face, and though his eyes remain thoughtfully averted, that sense of warmth fills the Bond again, directed at Edelgard.]
I see. When you are ready, tell me. I would be happy to facilitate this.
no subject
[She can do this. She will do this. She won't let fear beat her.]
Thank you, Hubert, for all the consideration you've shown me regarding this. But, you don't need to worry about me being bothered by your pets.
[It is easy to gloss over the fact that this clearly bothered him, but she's not of a mind to ignore it. It's progress for both of them.]
no subject
It is nothing to thank me for. It is the very least I could do, seeing as I did not consult you when purchasing them in the first place.
[Hubert chuckles.]
Ah, but it seems I do owe Leslie an apology. I told her she was not allowed to select a rat when we first discussed familiars.