Sebastian Vael's through waffling (andrastian) wrote in angellogs, @ 2020-01-22 21:49:00 |
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Entry tags: | noah fon ronsenburg, sebastian vael |
Who: Noah Vael, Sebastian Vael
When: Current
Where: Out and about near Craigcrook Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
What: Noah's still not used to riding horses, but he's trying this best. Conversation flows between various people and some mild flirting.
Rating/Warnings:
Status: Complete
The weather is that slightly chill damp that was a bit too springlike to be winter, but definitely weather to wear a coat. Then again, Noah's still getting used to not living in a desert and not wearing plate mail almost the entire time. However he e-mailed Sebastian.
The plan, more or less, was to grab a thermos of something (broth? hot chocolate? tea?) and ride out for a short ride. Sebastian had a dinner and then a teleconference affair that'd pull him out of the house and stick him in a chair for hours, so - the plan was they'd get some exercise, a light lunch, and Sebastian could shower and head back off again.
Sounds good to Sebastian. He’s especially dreading the dinner and having to be social, but he puts on the Bruce Wayne face and does it anyway, when he can’t get out of things. So far, no one really minds, but then, he does bring good wine to these occasions. There’s a lot that people can forgive with THAT.
At any rate, a ride is a fantastic idea and he’s sending back a yes, with a note of when he can head down to tack up. He’s a little curious to get Noah back into a saddle, actually.
"I never asked if you wanted me in on this party." Noah smiles. "I might have to leave early though, due to work, depending on if it's a bread baking night."
Admittedly, the last religious leaders one had someone very gravely asking if Noah was comfortable joining his household with someone like Sebastian, and Noah had a very earnest discussion of how the rank thing was well handled by Sebastian, and dating a high ranking person would be a bit like a teacher / student affair back at home, especially if there was an age gap. That was one reason why he made sure to have no connection to Sebastian's security to avoid awkward power issues, or compromising Sebastian's safety.
Later he wondered if the question was actually about gender or homelands, but well - he answered something?
“If you’re able to, it’d be interesting, but if not, I do completely understand.” Sebastian says. And that was an interesting conversation, certainly. Sebastian’s working out those semantics himself because it’s hard to tell in different groups, and with different subsets of chantry people. If it had been anyone from the black chantry, he probably would have boycotted the event completely, but he’d have also known to avoid discussions of Noah.
“Still, if you can stand it and don’t need to leave, it’d be nice.”
"I'd just need warning to be sure I'd be dressed at the right level, and probably warn your team if I have to get the finery out." Noah leans to kiss his cheek. "Shall we go riding?"
“Let’s do that first, aye.” Sebastian nods. “It shouldn’t be hard to manage if they do need. They’ve got to grab mine, after all, so…” he smiles returning that kiss.
"I'll check in with work about having time to go with you, and I doubt they'll get back to me until we're done." Noah tucks an arm around Sebastian. "How was your morning, love? Are you ravenous?"
“Chaotic.” Sebastian laughs. “There WERE, however, muffins at the meeting. Terrible packaged muffins, but muffins. The coffee was completely foul, but we did get a few things worked out.”
"Sounds ghastly." Noah's moving to help get his horse ready. He's still happiest with the most placid slow moving horse of the lot, but at least climbing on no longer feels quite so much like trying to wrestle himself onto a sofa on top of a spindly table. "I packed bread and butter, and some hot chocolate to go with it. We could always eat more when we're back."
Sebastian smiles over at Noah. “Need some help with the girth? I swear she plays tricks with you about how tight it ought to be.” No, really. He’s been watching this interaction for...quite a while now.
"I think she'd sooner hunt for treats and stay in a warm stable." Noah offers his hand. "Help me out?"
“I do believe you may be right.” Sebastian laughs and takes the hand. “And of course.” And he looks at the mare in question, giving her the eye. “Now, come. We both ken you’re going to have to be letting that breath out eventually, lass. Sooner it’s done, the sooner you’ll be back inside after our trek, hmm? And Aedan made new treats for you lot on his early release day and they SHOULD be just about aged to the part you like it...there we are.”
"I'm very proud of Aedan, you know. I should probably let him know. Just the work with Officer Pat and his goals so far. Even with his stress lately, he's been still thinking of the future." Noah climbs up on his horse and nudges her a bit. "I didn't want to wait till later on the ride, because I'm afraid it'll rain."
“And he’s handling that all a lot better than he would have, once.” Sebastian nods. “Not exactly with GRACE but he’s also being remarkably calm about his break up. I LIKED Sherr, I still like him, but…” he shakes his head. “It’s up to him of course, but I can’t say I fancy the idea of him being with someone who would be willing to leave so easily for an ex.” His thoughts on Damien range more to the whole thing seeming fairly inappropriate but Damien HAS always made the effort to see that Aedan is healthy and was willing to stand up to him when he was damaging himself, so he gets extra points in Sebastian’s book for that.
“And the internship is good for him.” he adds, nodding. “ He technically doesn’t HAVE to be out here doing anything, between the stipend and, he IS at some point heading towards being able to finance his horse showing career with what he’d win. He’s never going to get rich from that, not with horses but... “ He smiles. “It’s good he wants more than just that.”
"I'd say the guy has an excuse with all the strange visitors we had at the time, but - even after his ex left, I haven't seen Sherr visiting. Which -" Noah sighs. "I know his ex wasn't good to him, from the implications of what Aedan said. I can't imagine having your ex show up would leave you happy when he left. But I can see why Aedan's letting Sherr decide how he'll handle things now, instead of chasing him."
Sebastian nods and winces. “I know Aedan did send back his gifts at Christmas, but after, when the cloud had settled...I think Iomhar’s rethinking the last bit of madness too. The situation that is, not him in particular.” He’s moving around to check his own horse and mounting. “Sherr DID have Aedan come and meet the guy. Seems like that was the last time Aedan did much with regard to any of it. Though, it can’t have been an easy situation on Sherr’s end either, I’ll agree.”
"I just - you know when people couldn't resist the impulses?" Noah waves a hand. "If you can forgive that, you could forgive this, right? Unless if it is different. And I think Aedan's issue is that Sherr thought mostly about how he felt, and not how Aedan felt, and Aedan felt they were at a point where they were both trying to consider each other? That's just shooting from my hip. And Iomhar, on the other hand, is thinking of Jacob and frustrated it's not calmer with the children, but not actually talking to the children."
“Aye right. THAT was a thing.” Sebastian winces. “And so I could. Aedan’s issue seems more to be...I believe he thought Sherr genuinely loved him and this throws that into all sorts of questions about everything. Have something like that happen never seems to end well. It...I’ve told you about Anders. Hawke, the Hawke from home..he questioned whether Anders had loved him or used him to get access to what he needed to carry out his plan after it was said and done. They did seemingly fix that, but it WAS there. And with Iomhar, aye that’s quite different, indeed.”
To Sebastian it may as well be considered as two separate events.
“In Iomhar’s case, he seems to wonder whether trying again would be a good idea, given how it played out. As far as I can tell, they had less of a formal break up and more of a pause, though he seems not sure how Jacob means to play that. And ah the children.” Sebastian winces. “THAT is another nightmare waiting to play out for them if that part doesn’t change. Did I tell you, Emmett showed up to one of our meetings, asking to be considered?”
"I want to talk to him, but I don't think he'd listen. He reminds me a lot of how Aedan wanted to push himself too far." Noah reaches his hand over to touch Sebastian's arm. "Should I change the subject?"
“He wants Jacob and only Jacob to train him is the issue. And if he can’t have that, he’d rather betray the entire thing.” Sebastian shakes his head. “It’s different from Aedan pushing himself, I think but probably the root’s closer to the same. He talks to Shay’s Harry some and apparently he IS pushing himself with school things, so there IS that.” He winces. “BUT at least that’s not my problem to solve so that helps. It’s easier on the outside.”
And he shakes his head, laughing a little.
“All the same, I’m SO relieved Aedan and Ellie didn’t want to go the university route. The entire thing is so complex and filled with stress. But, other things.”
"He reminds me a bit of me. Loyal to the thing you pinned your ribbons on. But I do not think he would listen." Noah smiles at him. "Shall we stop a bit for a cup and some bread? Or circle around the bridge?"
“We could do that now, and THEN the bridge.” Sebastian smiles. “It’s a good day for that and we’ve got the time.” He’s dismounting and patting his horse, then moving over to grab Noah’s reins if he wants the mare’s to be held steady too.
Noah slides down and snags the bag with their snack. "I did grab the little stools that collapse as well. So we can do a luxurious sort of snacking." He steadies himself on his feet. "That felt a lot more like I was in control of things this time. I think I'm getting more confident with horses."
Still a bit Mary on the donkey for his form, but he's trying to get better with Aedan.
“You’re amazing.” Sebastian gives him a little grin. “You look much better too. Your hand is steadier for one and you look less like you’re going to fall over. It’s good to see you’re getting comfortable. Aedan mentioned you’ve been spending more time with that lately.”
"It's something I can do, and it's good exercise. Muscles I'm not usually using either, which is a nice feeling." Noah sets up the tiny folding stool and waves a hand at it. "I'm glad I look better? You're more of an expert than I am."
“I’m not quite an expert but I like it.” Sebastian says. “I mostly stopped hacking like this when I was thirteen or so. I’ve ridden out since then, and in battles, but...Aedan’s the one who is REALLY good at things like this.” He smiles. “It’s nice to have the chance to do this with someone I like.”
"I asked Calum for some ideas for things we could do together, and he mentioned you liked riding." Noah pours some cups of hot chocolate and offers Sebastian one after sipping his own. "I like things like this? The planning and the execution and just doing things with my husband." Noah ducks his head a bit. "Who I love."
“It’s fantastic.” Sebastian smiles. “I do appreciate that you asked him and found out.” He accepts the cup and sips. “Oh this is lovely. And I love YOU. Very much.” he adds. “It’s nice to just take the time with each other, you know? And this...I am fond of it. It was one of the things I tried to do in Starkhaven, after I came home. I didn’t always manage to get the time. Usually before light, I was sneaking out of my window to go shoot with no one catching me and then after things ended, it was WELL after dark.”
"I have plans for that too." Noah tucks an arm around Sebastian as he stretches a leg out. "But I think it's good for both of us. I tend to work long hours because I enjoy it, but having time like this is good."
“For shooting?” Sebastian smiles “I’d enjoy it. We can talk more about doing that soon. For now, all of this..it’s good to have you about. Aedan appreciates that too, I know.”
"I'm glad. And I've - been trying to get closer to Ellie as well. Meghan seems - I don't know. I feel like if I chase her too much, she'd be upset, and I'm trying to be steadily not something to worry about." Noah sighs. "I feel like Balthier would do better, though I suspect he'd probably be more stressful to be around."
“Ellie appreciates that, when she is here. That DOES make this a bit harder.” Sebastian muses. “But I know at the holidays, it was a good thing. She’s simply...it’s easier for her, not hiding. And Meghan...that’s…” he winces. “It reminds me too much of something Iomhar will NEVER understand, and that I know all too well.”
"I sort of feel like your family - your parents, in particular, were a bit prone to say someone only existed if they had a place to slot into." Noah sighs. "But she's here now."
“So she is.” Sebastian nods. “And she’ll be sixteen this spring. That’s enough to get her into volunteering, as you’d mentioned to her. That would help a lot, I’d think. Having, well, SOMETHING she can call her own. Not to mention the hawking society will take her then. That’s their dead youngest estimate of when you should start to raise and train a hawk. She does seem happier out there. Reminds her of Starkhaven. Not that it was half so wild as all of this but… “
"You see, what I've mostly heard is that she thinks she's not being seen as smart and she hates the school, and all that. I think Ellie might help her a bit with that, but -" Noah shakes his head. "I think part of that is that I don't hear the little things she's happy with."
“Aye, socially, she seems to.” Sebastian nods and frowns. “I don’t know that there are things like that here for her. Or she hasn’t seemed to have found them. And well, neither Ellie or Aedan DID the school thing after a while. THat MIGHT have been better, in the long run. Not that she says much about school anymore. Just sort of gets on with it. But branching away from that...it ought to help.”
"Maybe she'll talk to you?" Noah leans a little. "Eat. You worry me, surviving on bad coffee and muffins."
“I did try once, but I’ll keep at it.” Sebastian smiles and goes for some of the bread. “I think that she knows a little now, that I get things. It was a little less formal toward the end of things the last time. If we get rid of THAT urge first, the rest will come. Not that it’s entirely a bad thing but...some things hold people back here.”
"Ellie said the same thing? Like that she found it a little hard to find things that worked for her, but she was happy with me." Noah has a sandwich. "We can head back and heat up something hot, but I thought you might want to hit the archery range and then the shower sort of thing. Or the shower and a nap."
Sebastian nods at that part. “And it took her a long while for it too. This is good for now. If you’re up for the range, I’d love that. Shower’ll definitely need to follow after though. We’ll have to time it. “But I do think Meghan WILL get there. Ellie might be willing to slip in there too. Might be easier with someone closer to her age.”
"I just get the feeling that Meghan doesn't - know how to talk about things. I get it that it wasn't easy for her, but it reminds me of - when I felt like I couldn't talk." Noah sighs. "Shall we start riding back?"
Admittedly, that specific anger of being an outsider and a victim and a conquered nation probably wasn't something he could put words to. He wasn't sure sometimes that Basch understood, but their calm was so amazing that Noah didn't want to poke it.
“I’m thinking the same.” Sebastian nods. “That she doesn’t have the words, exactly. It’s a matter of helping her with finding them.” He glances at Noah. “That might be good if we’re going to do shooting as well. “And I’m glad that you’re able to talk now, and not just hold things in.”
In Meghan’s case, it seems to be less about anger, most of the time. Sadness, yes, especially when the actual event of having what she wanted ended, but more of...feeling like she doesn’t belong in something that she once used to.
“I’ll keep trying. I did try speaking to Iomhar, but..I don’t know that he understands entirely. Calum was actually at home a bit more when I was still there. He was more directly involved in trying to keep me there. Iomhar didn’t avoid the issue, but...it was clear from really early on that our uncle had a lot of faith in him and he was being sent out a lot. Well, AND they were much older than me then. It’s strange to picture, considering now, but Cal’s thirteen years older and Iomhar’s around…” He stops for a second to count, actually. Nine years I think. So, it makes sense he was out and about when things started, most of the time.”
"I can try too. I just - she reminds me of a soldier with a chip on their shoulder, and I don't have the rank or my usual methods to work around it." Noah looked thoughtful. "Something to bring up at therapy, I think."
“Probably so.” Sebastian nods. “Good idea to get some perspective from outside of it too. We might be missing something obvious.”
"I suspect she's still working like she's in Starkhaven. Which is understandable, but I'm alien enough from it that I don't trust my reflexes." Noah starts to pack up their things. "How has Hux been? I'm thinking he might need to talk to a doctor, if we can find one he trusts. Maybe Mr. Finn can make suggestions for dangerous triggers?"
“Aye, it seems that way. And Hux…” Sebastian frowns a bit. “He’s seeming to adjust to things at our meetings, the structure and everything to do with that. Like he’s more comfortable with something to focus on. He’s intense but...quieter than you might have imagined about some things.” He leans over to grab something too.
“He does seem to..” Sebastian considers for a moment. “I think it’s something with his stomach. He looks like he’s pained a lot but not saying. And that’s possible with Finn. He WAS much lower down in the pecking order, but…”
"He might know how doctors treated people. Plus it might help him for finding people who'd work well with him? Do you want me to message him?" Noah offers. "I could do that while you're setting up to shoot."
“That’s true.” Sebastian nods. “Close enough to how the organization works. I get the impression Hux didn’t often go, as a matter of course. And that would be good, to get that moving.”
"Stomach. Could be an old injury, or something treatable like ulcers," Noah guessed. "Or stress." He dug out his phone once he was on the horse. "I should probably apologize for asking for help for Hux, but maybe he'd understand the logic."
“Nah I think he’d get it.” Sebastian says. “He was with them once too, not by much choice either. I mean, Hux was higher ranking and directed things, but...It’s not the sort of thing that you can easily back away from either, and, anyway. Finn had to find friends in the group resisting them. So he’d understand THAT shock. AND Hux did, technically save Finn’s life. He was acting as a spy, in the end of things. “
"I get the feeling Hux spent . . . a lot of time blaming the Jedi and Kylo for things that happened to him, if that makes sense?" Noah frowned. "I guess like me saying Dalmasca's a cocky sandpit that started a war, when it's - not talking about what the actual problem is."
“Well,” Sebastian considers how to put this. “TheJedi weren’t exactly around by that point. So the only force user he KNEW until Finn’s friend Rey popped up was his unstable eventual boss. It reminds me of the mages, you know. How we once reacted toward them at home. Because of being afraid of things. AND the worst examples always managed to find a way to make the biggest scene and the loudest noise. Aedan’s still rightly terrified of magic, though he’s used to it happening around Ellie now. So I can’t suppose it’s something he’d have known much of. To him, the Jedi, and the Sith, are a terrifying ancient religion. It’s like if someone met their first Pagan. That’s not the actual problem, though, you’re right.”
"Well I mean, he's a child soldier, and it sounded like the most recent person abusing him was wearing terrifying ancient religion hat." Noah tucks away his phone. "So that's the one he's thinking about to survive."
“Right.” Sebastian nods. “It’s understandable with that as his only experience in any of this. But, the good news IS that he seems fairly comfortable within the order so far. Granted, Haytham seems torn between approval and…” he frowns. “There’s times he just goes quiet, looking at him. It was like that with Hanzo too. Haytham’s seen too many put through something similar, perhaps. OR it’s mirroring what happened to him, but no one dares ask about THAT.”
Shay had explained some of the details, once, that Haytham’s father had been an assassin who became friends with templars, and that after his death, one of them had trained Haytham, who was a child at the time, but still.
"Maybe . . . suggest Balthier and his family?" Noah guessed. "We're clueless on age stuff, because of Archades, but we did start early. Or I could talk again. He seemed semi okay around me, if a bit ready to fling back his cloak or whatever and pontificate on plans."
“That’s an idea.” Sebastian nods. “He might feel better with that. He did seem to like you, though. And well,” he laughs a little. “To be fair, it was just after he’d gotten here. I suppose anyone might cover up those nerves like that.”
"I don't mind it? It reminds me a lot of Lord Vayne, when I thought he was merely traumatized instead of insane. So it's - I guess a bit like smelling smoke while you're in a kitchen." Noah looks up at the clouds. "We might want to hurry a bit, to be sure you can do your shooting and not in the rain."
“Good point.” Sebastian heads around so they can mount up a bit. “With any luck this will hold. And if not, I can think of other things we might do and save that for another time if you can get it.”
"I'm terrible and honestly would take a shower with you and a nap. Or lunch." Noah smiles. "But I'm interested."
“Those would work as well.” Sebastian laughs. “And we do have some time before I need to start getting prepped. Notes to go over, just in case.”
"Plus I should wear something acceptable. Is it the kind of thing I can't slip out from if something comes up?" Noah's turning them toward the stables. "Do you want me in your colors?"
“You could manage to head out just fine if you needed.” Sebastian says. “It’s nothing that I have to be front and center at. It’s nice having you along, but if you can’t, that’s all right too.” he smiles. “And if you like. The only thing that I’m definitely doing, since it IS official is wearing the chain, so you’d have your order to pin to whatever it is.”
"I'd be happy to do that. Call your people and let them know?" Noah slid off his horse and moved to start taking care of things. "I'll make sure to get a hold of work, but the text I got sounds promising."
“Of course.” Sebastian smiles, and goes for his own phone. “I’ll have Jane let them know you’re coming.” and he’s sending off a quick text. It’s weird to him that texts are now the main way of communication, but if it works, he’s willing to do that instead. It’s also more like sending a raven, but with more instant results. He does like that aspect, it just feels ridiculously informal at times.