Who: Balthier, Shaun, Desmond When: Current Where: Assassin HQ What: Balthier drifted off to sleep after he had some tea with Shaun, and they end up talking when he wakes back up. Rating/Warnings: Mild spoilers for Desmond plot related things. Status: Complete
Balthier's gotten the habit of bringing food by to Jacob. Usually it's a thing for tea, or a savory thing, sometimes with a recipe and an offer to cook it with him at some point. He's been e-mailing it to Clint too, since he's typing it in, and offering to stop by, but Clint's - Clint's been occupied.
Since he's coming by with cake, he picked up a box of tea for Shaun, and teleported in to pouring cold rain that's starting to freeze up. Thankfully he doesn't have to drive.
Shaun had headed out when he heard people and waved Balthier in and is hanging around now, checking things off on a tablet as he does. He glances over at Balthier a little, since he seems to have fallen asleep there. He probably should wake him up soon.
Balthier's curled up on a couch, and he's got a mug of tea that's almost empty perched on a side table. At least his hair's dried out by now. He does stir a little. "Did - I fall asleep on you?" He stretches a little and hisses as - yeah, his back's stiff. "How was the tea? Did I get the right brand?"
“You did, thanks.” Shaun says. “Looks like you’re going to have trouble moving later. I could grab some paracetomal if you wanted.” They have stronger on hand, but he’s pretty sure Balthier isn’t going to want to deal with the side effects. “There’s tylenol with codeine too, but I know you don’t like the drugged up feeling.”
"Considering I'm feeling a little stiff, the drugged up feeling is probably not great. Thanks for the offer, though. What's para - ketoma? Paracetomal?" Balthier's uncurling to stretch his back and leans to snag his mug. "Sorry. Didn't sleep well last night, and apparently my brain thinks the couch here is great. Or the sound of the rain."
“Over the counter pain medication. For headaches and such. It MIGHT take the edge off.” Shaun explains, “And ugh, been THERE.”
Well, obviously. Balthier SAW some of that from him.
Balthier smiles. "That'd be good. I know I've tried - what is it - ibu - profinen? Profen? Want me to top off your tea, since I fell asleep on you?"
“I’m good for now.” Shaun says and gets up. “Let me go and grab it, then?”
Balthier nods. "Mind if I follow and also get some food? There's a cake I dropped off at the communal kitchen, since I was bringing one for Jacob, if you want something that's purely indulgent."
“Please.” Shaun nods. “I know that Ezio and Bayek are around at least. Our apprentices too, somewhere. Aedan wanted to blow off some steam and ‘not murder Hans’ .” He snorts.
“At least he’s honest.”
"Huh - is Hans having issues? Or is it more - just irritation? Hans had a rough home life, from what Noah said." Balthier's following Shaun, carrying his mug. "So some of it might be Hans being a jerk because it's old habits, you know?"
“Wouldn’t let him jump since he’s JUST out of the hospital” SHaun explains. “Which makes a LOT of sense if you asked ME. So he’s just annoyed about it all. You know how it is when you feel fine and people don’t believe it yet. “
Balthier nods. "I can imagine. So - not too bad. Just fighting with healing." He looks over at Shaun. "And you? How're you doing? I kind of wanted to pick your brain about Jacob a bit, when - uh - he wasn't around."
Shaun laughs at that, actually laughs. “And I DO have thoughts, believe me. Besides Arno, I’d say he’s closest to Shay if you wanted someone he actually spends more time around, but I’ll do what I can.” He snags the ibuprofen from a cabinet.
"He's - said he wants to spend time with me, and Basch, and -" Balthier shrugs. "I don't know. I guess I just want to know that he's not more upset about it. Does that make sense?"
“He seems to be fine now.” Shaun said. “He WAS a lot younger when the drama happened and it’s been quite a while. I don’t know what to make of him these days, but he seems to be actually fine if that helps.”
"That's good at least." Balthier takes some pills and grimaces a bit. "He seems - happier? Going to Whales seems to make him a lot happier. I think he feels more like he's at home there."
“Well, and he HAS his own place now.” Shaun says. “So that helps. Emmett’s better now too, so that’s a load off of his mind. Though really, things got better after he went home. Well, post recovery, I suppose. “
"I suppose it - makes sense that it'd help living through the stuff you were warned would happen?" Balthier grimaces. "Sorry - that sounded better in my head. He is older as well."
“He’s spent twenty years without being in Evie’s shadow.” Shaun says. “That too...that seems to be a big thing. He’d never been on his own before that. I think it gave him confidence, if that makes sense. I wasn’t at the top of my game in the field until after our cell broke apart and Becca and I had to do our own thing.”
"I suppose that makes sense. How are things with you?" Balthier smiles at him. "Since I picked your brain about my worries."
“Not bad.” Shaun shrugs. “Nothing really stands out just now. I like the new kid on the block and we’re watching some others to approach. Bayek saw a girl fight her way out of a mugging who he was impressed by, and I’ve heard rumors about a few other people.”
"Is Desmond still worried about Ezio being here? Or has that kind of settled down?" Balthier's getting a piece of cake for himself, and making another cup of tea.
“Oh Desmond’s still convinced he’s crazy.” Shaun says easily enough. “I mean, it’s not TOTALLY far from the truth, so we go with it. It only gets weird if he plays games too long. Not even ours, but there’s something about the whole perspective and viewpoints that make his brain go a little..animus happy? Two Ezios. At least the actual one is GOOD at talking people down.”
"Doesn't sound too bad though." Balthier frowns. "Did you see that kid named Bow, on the net? I think he might need someone safe around him. I wasn't sure if you'd know any good candidates. I was thinking Steve, but I don't think Steve - he seems like he's still struggling to find balance in his own life."
“Archer, right?” Shaun considers. “He doesn’t seem like he’d work for us but it’s probably worth finding someone apart from that. Arno, maybe. They’ve got room. Shay insisted they only have wolf kids but…”
"They might have contacts? He just seems - young and enthusiastic, and I don't want him getting hurt due to it." Balthier slides the cake closer to Shaun. "Am I keeping you from stuff? I'm just - sleeping is nice enough that I kind of want to hang around and see if I can get more. First time in a while that I've had this much trouble sleeping."
“I’ve got time.” Shaun says, “And sleep is good when you can get it, definitely. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare”
"It's been pretty cold at the house, so that's probably part of it. I know my brother was saying he was feeling a little sore." Balthier leans on the counter and waves a fork. "Have you been by Noah's place recently? He's been kind of quietly worried because his brother's talking about getting a place of his own, and he might be happier to vent about it with someone."
“Des hasn’t been great lately.” Shaun nods. “Phantom limb stuff, I think. “ Shaun had told him to check himself into the looney bin when he’d noticed and Desmond had laughed and flipped him off. It’s GOOD to have his friend here.
“Has he? I’ll send him a text.”
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind someone stopping by." Balthier hms. "Want anything savory? Or is this good?"
“This IS.” Shaun says. “So, besides the sleep, are things all right?”
"I think so?" Balthier thinks about it. "Courfeyrac still - I think he'd love a pile of friends, but we're trying. His grades seem all right, and he's - right now he's convinced he needs to go Olympic level fencing or give up the idea, but Noah suggested he look into it carefully. And he listened to that. Which is a good thing. Evan's working with Calum, and my sister's doing all right. I haven't inquired too much into what she's doing at Craigcrook, but she seems happy enough."
“Evie wanted her.” Shaun looks thoughtful. “A while ago. It seems there’s a lot going on there. And Courfeyrac...he DOES seem to love it. I mean, if you’re going to have an unrealistic fantasy, there could be worse ones.”
“Bleeding.” Desmond supplies, heading in. “Hey, Shaun. Balthier. “I’d say the brand of it where kids think they’re someone else because they played a game too much is a worse one.”
"That does sound pretty bad, from what little I've heard about it. I think his is more - he's good at fencing and he has the skill and the drive for it, but that doesn't mean it's the best for him to pursue it." Balthier waves. "There's cake, if you'd like some. How're you doing, Mr. Desmond?"
“I mean, MINE, apprentice anyway, is pretty obsessed with the idea that he and his best friend should play on Team England the summer olympics after this one. “ Desmond offers. “Kids, right? I’m decent. How are you?”
Shaun SNORTS at that. “Good thing they're going for different events. Otherwise we’d have a repeat of The Napoleonic Wars back home. Kiss Me Hardy.”
"Kiss you - is that a TV reference?" Balthier's guessing. "And I suppose it is good. Noah was worried about exploitation, mostly, when it came to sports."
“History, I THINK.” Desmond squints a little. “He’s weird. ANd well, it’s not as if it’s going to be something all that likely. I mean I wouldn’t let that be the reason I was worried, speaking as someone modern. It could happen literally anywhere.”
Balthier raises an eyebrow. "I'm probably weird, I'd guess. Set painter. Technically a pirate. Friend of Noah. You visited him at one point, he said?"
“I’m not saying I'm not other.” Desmond smirks “I invent cocktails for the bar that hired me before I knew you guys were at the other one and make sure they have dumb pun names.”
“And he has shit taste in television.” Shaun grins, like he’s said something really nice.
“And yeah, I’ve met Noah.” Desmond nods.
Balthier smiles. "I'm glad you're making Shaun happier, at least." Since he suspects that'll get Shaun grumbling at him. "I stayed here, when I first got here, before I moved out. Want some cake?"
“Cake sounds awesome.” Desmond grins. “Thanks for that. Wait, you’re the guy. The one Jacob was all GUILTY about.”
Balthier winces. "Cultural differences. You - probably don't want to mess with that." He's automatically backing up a little, since - well - the grin's nice and all, but the GUILT - he's not sure what to make of that. He's guessing Desmond probably just thinks he's a Brit, like Shaun, so - that's fine, right?
“You’re from what’s a Japanese video game in this universe, right?” Desmond nods. He isn’t sure how he freaked out Balthier here, but given that the guy was a little too messed up for the brotherhood to bring in, or so he’d surmised, it makes enough sense that he’d do it.
"I think so. Final Fantasy something or another. I apparently tell people I'm the leading man a lot." Balthier's picking up his tea mug. "I was in kind of rough shape when I got here, and Jacob was younger. He really doesn't have to feel guilty. I was asking too much of folks."
“I mean, he’s over it now.” Desmond shrugs. “It as just a underlying thing. Thankfully there’s only one person in this house I’m realted to and have shared memories with, so I couldn’t say it was a thing right now.
"You see, I'd think the - uh - stuff other than the memory sharing was rough, from what little I heard about you." Balthier tilts his head. "Though I suppose the privacy thing might be really strange."
“I mean the weirdest part of being around Ezio right now? Is DEFINITELY the fact I experienced his sex life and I’m watching him flirt with Shaun.” Desmond says. “But the bleeding’s more...I count that as its own special side effect.”
Balthier grimaces. "Wow. I didn't know that included uh - things like that." He hesitates. "Jacob and I - he's angry with the Templars, and I was afraid he'd go too far. We're trying to be friends again now, and I think it's working."
“Well, they’re terrible people” Shaun says bluntly. “Not to rehash it, but I’ve never known one who wasn’t.” He shrugs. “Well. the traitor, sorry, Shay, could be worse.”
“Seems reasonable.” Desmond says to Balthier. “Finding out Haytham was a templar was pretty awful. And you and Jacob seem like that’s working from what I’ve heard.”
Balthier winces. "And I accept they're terrible. But . . . then - Jacob was talking about wanting people who weren't Templars hurt. And I wasn't okay with hearing that." He shakes his head. "But - I should probably get going. It was nice meeting you, Desmond. And talking, Shaun."
“Well we thought they were joining. That would have been as good as.” Shaun points out. “I mean obviously if they really aren’t it’s bad, but if you believe that philosophy, you’re lost for the world anyway.”
“But since they aren’t.” Desmond nods. “That makes sense. Nice to meet you too.”