#rivervale_lodge

A snort. "Glad there was anything left, then." He slides into a chair at the table. "I miss you guys. I'm so sick of college prep practice tests and AP classes."

"I miss you too!"

"We need to go on adventures, right?"

A thin-lipped grin, hiding his gums. "Totally. And I'm sorry I haven't been around. If you flunk math then you'll be grounded and it will be my fault we can't hang out then. But... I figured maybe I'd hang out around here for a while. I can help keep an eye on things until stuff's back to normal, eh? And I need to study my book I brought from the dreaming any ways."

"Oh yeah. Shoulda seen it, me being captain of the kitchen...."

He gives a laugh. "Oh man. Did you burn water?" Inaudible snickers that shake his shoulders. "What'd you make? Maybe I'd like it." But, it's good natured.

"You can stir the cauldron with Flyswatter...." He leans back a bit in case she takes a swat at him, which may have been deserved.

"Hmph."

"Spaghetti."

"And it was fine," Sylvi says as she comes back in on that last comment.

"Well, I -know- it's better than anything I could make. Even if I was cooking for slugs. And imagine if I was set to something like that... uh... like, babysitting or something. The kids would all have nightmares for WEEKS!"

"Man, that couldron might be cheating but it would sure be useful..."

He actually looks thoughtful for a moment. "You don't know anyone who needs a sitter do you?"

"Yeah, I asked Dad to ask Mom, but she's out like a light right now."

"Wow, Symon...I think that's what they mean by conflict of interest."

"A sitter?"

He snickers a bit. "Ever watch that show 'Scared Straight'? Put me in with the brattiest kids, and you'll get back little angels...." he tents his fingers as though in prayer - or maybe it ends up looking more like a supervillain, brooding.

"Ohhhh..."

"I'm kidding though. The kids 'round here are fae, and bad nightmares can turn into nervosa. It's not really fair - you'd think if I inspired them, I could control them, but noooo."

"So not fair."

"All speculative, of course. It's not like anyone would really ever trust a slug with their kids." He doesn't sound disappointed, though, really.

"Maybe a really bratty one. Or Lily?"

A quick shake of his head. "Oh, no. I haven't had a chance to meet with her yet... but slugs don't generally fuck with other slugs. It's like a bro code."

"Lily would probably end up scaring Symon."

"Maybe she could learn from him?"

"Maybe."

"The Spider Code or whatever?"

A snort at Sylvi, and grin to Dagmar. "Spider Code sounds like what Peter Parker writes at his day job."

"Have you been working any on your mystical spells of yore, by the way? Or just math? I haven't heard about any freak lightning storms - but maybe you've learned something new.

"Hey, guys, I told Colton I'd give him an update on things here." She gathers up her books. "Dagmar, I'm serious about that thing we were talking about, okay?"

"Yeah, Sylvi."

He gives Sylvi a wave, and looks a bit curious, but doesn't intrude - girl talk, sounds like.

"Haven't worked on magic - horses, fighting, algebra."

"Let's talk more about it, cuz I will if you will. Symon, you know where the sluagh treats are, if you want 'em. See ya." And she heads upstairs.

And now he's more curious. "What's that about?" He asks after she leaves.

"Oh... just drama."

He holds up his hands with crossed fingers as though to ward it off. "Ugh. Sorry I asked. I mean, unless you wanted to talk about it. Then you know I'm around."

"It's stupid. Just.. like, I have been kind of avoiding Adam. Since the break up."

"Hm." He says, idly rolling the eyes around in his hand like he sometimes would dice when being thoughtful during a gaming session. "He being a jerk to you?"

"Not really."

"Just... it's weird, you know?"

"Kinda, yeah... the way I see it.. there's no law saying you have to be friends with everyone at the lodge, or in the 'Vale's territories. You don't want to hang out with him? Then don't. And if you change your mind later, no biggie. Let time bleed off some of whatever is festering there - I can tell it bugs ya, a bit."

"It does, yeah."

He ponders a minute. "Maybe if you have to do stuff together, have a buffer. Like, if you gotta patrol with him, go with him and Dirk. Or if you need to teach him sword stuff... I'm sure someone else around here needs a refresher too. Then it might not be like, direct and awkward and stuff."

"That... that might help."

"Not Piper though."

"His new sidepiece? Yeah, probably not. No offense, but she seems kinda flakey. Not sure she would be useful at the kinda stuff you're good at."

"She's nice enough."

"Got a past she's hiding, but who isn't?"

"I guess. That would actually be interesting. I don't have a problem with her, you know, she's just... seems boring, unless you like, you know, one thing."