#earthrunes

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"So stop fussing. you're not mom and he needed back up." Jacob says after the interorgation "Anyway that's all I know" chin jut "Probably"

"That is NOT all thou knowest. And I must needs see Miriam on the morrow, and thou knowest what the Uncles are already like..."

"Nay, there shalt be a shanda upon the turkey!"

"Fine.. maybe I LIKE Shadas on the turkey" COntrary though he squirms a bit

"You have not seen a shanda. You were not there for the Great Bathroom Shelf Battle of Ought Seven."

"I once told mom the luddites sounded like morons" He counters

"Ohhhhh..."

"Yeah...' He sighs "For a while week, every day, lecture on craftsman, REAL Craftsmen...I ended up skipping dinner half the time"

Then a pause "how bad was the great bathroom shelf battle of really old?" Curious

"That's the year Hirim held onto the silent treatment for 5 straight weeks. That man has the loudest silence I have ever known..."

His mouth falls open "he was QUIET for five weeks? that's.. that's not natural"

"It isn't!"

"okay so I don't want a shanda" Glum admission.

"Exactly."

"Well, I'm not ashamed of what I did and I'm glad I did it anyway" He crosses his arms

"Feh!"

She tosses her hands in the air.

"You'd have done it if it was you"

"That isn't the point!"

"How come it's not?"

"Because... because it isn't!"

Her little brother looks up "I did GOOD. Didn't I? I scared you by doing good.. I made my sister know FEAR AND I was right!" Oh it's just too delicious

"No, you went into a Balor hold without backup or lifelines."

"I had lovecraft" He says snootily

"And I have to tell Miriam this. Do you understand?"

"Yup. You're giving away secrets freely" Scowl

"...Jacob."

"Fine. Tell her." he pets his rat , his only real friend in the world. Woe. Childling woe

"Jacob, yes. Yes, you scared me."

"Oh now your'e just trying to cheer me up" Still glum

"No, I'm not. I was scared to lose you, even if it was after the fact. I was scared you would be hurt in ways that could not be fix. I was scared you would be taken from me."

"Really?" He perks

Softly. "Like Miriam was. yes."

"oh. I .." A sigh "Well now I'm proud and feeling guilty too"

"Next time, you take one of the sisters. If you promise, I won't tell Miriam what you did."

"Spiders like you better" He says

"They do. But then, if you got in over your head, you could reach out."

And a tap at the door interrupts the scolding.

"I had love craft, she's worth two spiders and.. oh" He says as loud as he can 'Come in"

that's one way to get out of a guilt trip

GLARE.

Symon cracks the door. He is cleaned up, wearing a spare outfit that doesn't quite sit right, and is holding a satchel most gingerly at arm's length. A lovely shiner on one eye.

"Cool bruise" The boy gives a thumbs up

He responds, "It purpled up nicely since last night. It seemed a shame to get rid of."

Zara rises and offers a bow. "Symon."

Quatre taps a thanks/bye on Symon's shoulder, and scuttles off to see her sisters.

Indeed, a pop corn puff was saved for her

"My understanding is that you return in triumph?"

"It was a near miss." He whispers. "The Varich baroness got there first and was bargaining for the chain for her own."