#earthrunes

"You're sweet. So - writing, yes?"

He nods slowly, gravely.

"Sometimes just putting your thoughts down on paper helps, even if nobody else sees it. Why do you think I keep a sketchbook?"

"I journal." He admits. "Sometimes."

"That helps. But, well, some letters don't need to be sent. Or you do a draft."

He nods. "I've done that too. Coping mechanism. You know." He says, one Liam to another.

She nods. "I have some... angry art."

"And, shoot, you should see the stuff from before my quest. It's dark."

He puts a hand on hers. "I'm glad you seem to be in a better place now, Derynwydd."

She nods. "The Oath helped. A lot. The quest, too. I'm glad to be here, even though I wish there was a bit less trod travel between the two halves of my life."

"I knew it would. You're as stubborn as you...." He pauses. "You can be very hard-headed, Derynwydd."

A laugh. "Stubborn as you? As Cora?"

"Well. I was thinking of Coradel." Sheepishly.

"Must be the hair. You are plagued by redheads."

"Redheads and Fiona." He agrees.

"Poor brunette Magnus."

"Well, he's Fiona."

"Exactly."

"No, I mean he's Fiona, so he... he fits in."

"He does, yes."

August clears his throat. "I'm... I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. Would you care for something to drink? I have...." He looks. "Water."

"Want to sneak down to the kitchen? Maybe there's ice cream." A grin, feathers fluffed.

August looks at the picture with some trepidation. "Ahhh..... no. Thank you."

"Oh, August, that picture is beyond the fourth wall. Pay it no mind!"

"Sorry. It's, ah, distracting."

"Frozen yogurt, then?"

"That seems.... more palatable. Safer."

"Alright then. C'mon. Maybe lemonade, too?" She holds out her hands to him.

"But, ah...." He glances at the desk. "I think.... If you don't mind, I think I'd like to... write."

"I could bring some up here?"

"Hmm? Ah, no, thank you. Can't really... write with one hand and eat with the other. Not well."

He looks back and stands, taking her hands and then hugging her if she allows. "Thank you, Derynwydd. You... you helped."

She returns the hug. "Glad I could."

"Listen, this whole... this whole thing isn't over. With the redcap. I know we could use your advice."

"Cora is the Baroness..."

"And you are the Heir. You have a talent for this; I bet you could take that Layton with one wing bound."

A laugh. "Maybe. Maybe not. Hey, you mind if I set Ladybird free? She's been so good..."

"Oh, not at all!" He seems almost as excited by the idea as Ladybird will be.

She nods, and reaches down to unbuckle the little vest. THUMP THUMP THUMP goes the tail.

Vest off. "Okay, Clock out, Ladybird! Good girl!"

The puppy explodes into a dance of wriggle-but once she's declared a good girl, and she bounds over to headbutt August's legs.

August crouches down and loves on her, as they are used to doing at home.

Ladybird struggles with the dilemma of choosing between rolling over and showing her belly, or licking Augus's hands. She tries to do both.

...It is less than successful.

Together, they make it work.

"Ha. She thinks you're the bee's knees, doesn't she?"

"Aw, she's a pushover." He proves it, and rubs her belly.

She makes a happy puppy noise, shaking one back leg as August finds THE itchy spot. "Well, see, this is Leisure Ladybird."

He chuckles; puppy play is a mood-lifter. "She's a good girl."