Who: Aedan, Shaun, Noah When: Current Where: Assassin HQ, a lounge and breakfast nook What: Noah shows up with the plan of drinking some soup and hoping Aedan can manage a little food. They end up poking at an early RPG that Balthier found, and Shaun shows up later. Shaun commiserates on not exactly all feeling their best, and joins the group. Aedan’s being proactive with plans that if his throat continues to be a pain, he’ll get medical help. Rating/Warnings: Vague references to Aedan’s trauma resulting in issues swallowing Status: Complete
Balthier told Noah that Assassin HQ looked a lot like a governmental building in Archades. Ignoring the heavier use of electricity and the differences in tech, it’s not that different. The last time he was there, Jacob was in pretty rough shape. He’s got a small bag of things, and some homework to work on.
Still, he’s managed the sliding door things without too much trouble, and he’s adjusting to the dimmer light inside. Right. Time to message Aedan? “I’m here,” he types, with minimal typo correction.
“I’ll head down.” Aedan types back at him before he’s pushing himself up from...well, technically you could probably call it a nest, by a loose definition of the term. There are a few clothes scattered in there, a few notes he was slowly poking at, and he’s pretty sure he might have dropped a book in there earlier today, but he’ll deal with it later, it’s not enough stuff to look like any disasters have befallen the room, after all.
He’s taking a second to make sure he looks, well, not like he’s that bad off at least. His clothes match and aren’t wrinkled or dirty, and he’s running a comb through his hair before heading down. Those are all positive signs. They took a lot of effort but he’s not telling anybody that.
And okay, that’s a decent look so he’s hurrying down, giving Noah a little bit of a wave, and decidedly glancing away from his hands right now. But he’s smiling at least.
“Hey. How’re things going?”
“Not too bad.” Noah looks tired and he’s gained a cartoon character covered bandage on his hand (a blade in a blender nipped him, which is ridiculous since he has a reputation of being fine with knives.) “Are you okay with me making a mug of something?” Since he’s assuming they’re in the ‘food around Aedan is the best way to get him eat.’
“Good enough, I think.” Aedan gives him a little nod. “And aye, do that. I should try again in a while. “ He’s not sure WHY his brain’s decided to take a vacation from being reasonable, but he doesn’t really have an interest in it staying there. “So,” he nods toward the bandage. “Burn?”
“Those little sharp things in a -” Noah frowns as he searches for the term. “Blender? So I got a cut.” He waves Aedan on. “Lead on. I still get lost in here even after visiting Master Jacob. I brought some distractions.”
“Ouch.” he makes a face at that. Good thing it wasn’t worse, he thinks, considering how that could have gone. It kind of makes him wonder if Noah’s actually sleeping enough right now, and he feels a little guilty about the whole bothering people thing. Not enough he’ll say it yet, but it’s something to consider, isn’t it?
“This place IS huge.” He has to agree there. “Trust me, it’s made for some interesting lessons.”
If you want to call it that, and not playing hide and seek with the new kid, anyway. It amounts to pretty much the same thing, with a lot of Aedan and Shaun squinting at the others because their eagle vision’s not exactly at the same level as the others. Well, and Aedan mostly gets headaches trying, but apparently it’s normal when you haven’t been born with it and have to adapt to get to using it. He gets the feeling it’s like wearing spectacles instead of lenses, technically.
“Distractions I can do with. The lounge through here’s good for most things.”
Noah trails along. “Just as long as I get a mug of something. Or is there an attached kitchen? I brought some coloring books, and some homework, and - uh - one of those game things? A simple one. Balthier recommended it.”
“On the way and not far down the hall.” Aedan steps around and indicates what was probably a breakfast nook at one point. “Sounds like a good start. I have a few things of my own I should drag down to finish reading through. There’s not exactly any rush on it, but maybe a bit later. The game thing intrigues me a bit.”
“It’s an old - sort of romantic adventure thing. Beating up bad guys and exploring, with a silly story behind it.” Noah heads toward the breakfast nook to check the options. Probably - broth with added protein powder? Mug of tomato soup, sans dairy? Leaking chicken done smooth? “Want to hear the ridiculous backstory? Apparently it came with the game on an - sort of a film reel in a box? Video tape?”
“Right, they had those before the disks and internet.” Aedan nods slowly. “Seems a bit WIERD to package with a game. I’m assuming there’s some interesting reason.”
“I’m guessing they wanted sort of a movie feel? The plot seems to be one of those - dad goes into the internet, evil is on the internet in the future. You go to the future to find dad and see if the two are connected.” Noah shrugs. “Mostly, you fight bad guys and explore places.”
“What IS it with all of the adults getting trapped in bizarre places?” Aedan wonders, shaking his head a little. “There are children’s books about this sort of thing. I mean I get most stories have a missing parent, but they’re usually not ending up in dangerous places.” He smirks, a little, amused.
“I don’t know, here, how something like that might wind up. Weird to think about.”
“The parent thing is odd, isn’t it? It’s like people assume you’re not going to be able to have problems or interesting things unless the world is deeply upset compared to normal. But it’s - not real enough I can kind of lose myself in things.” Noah’s got a mug of broth for himself and he casually sets down a second one on the table as he settles down to bring up the laptop. “Still interested in watching?”
“I mean most of the time, you’d assume they’re wanting to hide the fact adults are all secretly faking things until they make some sense.” Aedan smirks a little. “Or it feels like most people past about ...twelve or so, actually. “And sure. Let’s see how this all works.”
Noah boots it up. “I suppose one advantage of the tape is that you just start - there, in the future.” He sips his soup and starts to play. “I was thinking - some blankets, and I might nap at you in a while but - let me show you a bit of this.”
The game involves puttering through foggy corridors and fighting Cyborg bandit types and tiny punks and so on. There’s a restaurant (run by a robot) and an odd assortment of townspeople, including a werewolf that’s infuriated if you walk into his house.
Aedan’s relaxing a little, staring at the screen as the game goes on. Something of the weird tension’s lifting again, which helps. It’s definitely easier not to be hanging around dreading something that isn’t even real.
“It helps, you know,” he says absently, “Things you’re sort of not able to look away from . Feels a bit better, even.” Not quite enough that he’s able to swallow when he tries a sip, and he looks a little disgusted after that.
“This has until tomorrow to sort itself.”
“I agree. But - we’re trying. I’m glad this is helping? Balthier put together a set of things like this. Simple graphics, not a lot of flashing things. It - sometimes works.” Noah stretches his back and leans to offer the controller. “Want to try? I’m kind of wanting to make this a bit more like a nest.”
“I can give it a shot.” The controller’s a bit different than the ones he’s been playing through things with here, and it’s weird to adapt to holding the thing, but after a few minutes of fumbling. It’s starting to make some kind of sense. “Nest away. There’re probably more blankets somewhere if you like.”
Noah works for a bit and brings over some cushions and blankets and settles back in. “Oh, with that, I think you can pass through the gate. But we might want to get stronger.” He rests his chin on his hands. “Want me to take over again? Next area has weird jet bike enemies.”
“Probably a good idea.” Aedan reaches to pass it back over, and tucks his left hand out of sight fairly quickly like he’s not even really conscious of the action. And okay, he can also get an idea for the technique involved here.
“How was it? We could do this again, with other things, or continue this.” Noah smiles at him. “I’m glad you’re - at least tolerating me puttering around.” He frowns a little. “So, what’s the one to ten rating on me asking Shaun if he wants a mug to ignore and a spot to sit and work? I’ll show you the message before I send it.”
“Puttering’s fine, trust me.” Aedan shrugs a little. “I’m getting the idea a LOT of how people fill their time up can be called that though, even if it’s strictly not EXACTLY that. And I’d be fine with that. We’ve got a confused new arrival but Evie’s taken over showing him around a bit. She DID unwrap him from his tomb…” And he stops there. “...That sounds so sinister, eh no? We only stole him from a museum though.” As if that makes things better. “Shaun’s...I haven’t seen a LOT of him lately. Emails to see how things are, and Arno’s usually around at some point in the day, but…” He shakes his head a little. “I’m starting to consider the idea that our entire brotherhood’s a bit indisposed right now. It’d seem things happen at year’s end.”
“That mummy that was related to your group? I’m not sure what I think on it, but I’m glad he’s safe and here.” Noah drains his mug and stretches his back. “I’ll refill this and I’ll try messaging Shaun.” Maybe he’s overemphasizing that this is totally just some quiet videogaming, possible history homework, and some blankets. Mugs of soup. He hesitates a bit and adds that other folks would probably be fine, just - the idea is lunch near Aedan.
He slides the phone over. “Too many words, I think.”
“I’d have PROBABLY skipped the necromancy parts if it was me.” Aedan shriugs. “But, my boyfriend’s a bit odd that way and it seemed…” he shrugs. “Well, we’d put him back if he wanted. “
He’s aware how odd it sounds but, then again. Jacob skipped twenty years and showed up practically dead on his feet, or not even really ON them at the time, Arno’s teaching him to see through walls, and oddities...sort of happen around them now.
Leaning over to glance at the text, what he’s able to parse of it right now, he’s noddin. “Maybe a little. But it gets the idea out to him.”
Noah sends it off and sips his soup. “I should probably have a nap eventually, but I thought I’d spend some time here. So - the necromancy thing is more - if I died, and woke up alive again, with fellow soldiers, I might still feel weird about it. But - different cultures. Being dead and not with friends means something different for your group, right?”
“Right, I mean, it may not be something he CAN adjust to, in the long run. “ Aedan’s lips purse a little, considering it. “From what I’ve gleaned he had, well, something like a brotherhood at home, but very different. And was at least one of the first. There’ve been some pretty sweeping reforms since then. You’re not supposed to do a lot of the more interesting suggestions from back then.”
“Finishing yourself off if you can’t hack the mission?” Shaun’s in the doorway now, and he looks...well, okay, but he definitely could be better? He kind of fell asleep at his desk last night and didn’t bother moving when he woke up in the middle of the night, and probably needs to shave at some point soon if he’s not going for a new look, but it’s trying to keep distracted sorts of things and less overtly destructive. “That’s definitely something no one wants. We’re valuable. And it can depend on being dead and where you land yourself. But at least if you’re with more Assassins… There are enough things we share that keep us bonded. Call it a religion. Maybe cult’s the better term.”
And Shaun’s glancing at Noah, giving him a little nod. “Nice to see you. “ And really, it IS. Arno had a bad week, apparently, with his templars,or at least with Haytham, so he’s been...out of it and he’s not looking forward to seeing that translate to Aedan, and since he knows HE is crap with personal support…
Noah waves at him. “Would you be comfortable with me sliding a mug of soup near you? We were discussing the fact that it’s been busy here. I made about a thousand petit fours, and I think our boss is going to stop working with a client because they keep wanting tiny cakes on short notice.”
“Still?” Shaun raises an eyebrrow. “I thought that one had happened? Or another crazy person?” Then he’s looking at Aedan a little closer, raising an eyebrow. “Of all the things to say about right now, you picked busy? I don’t know if that’s loyalty or you’re just grown used to it but that’s polite.”
“I wasn’t going to admit to being part of a…” Aedan considers the fact that Noah’s around before he says what he’s really thinking, which is a little on the side of making old ladies gasp. Not that he thinks he’d CARE but… “dumpster fire about to get hit with gas. It’d cast aspersions. Or something. How do you even divide up making that many cakes in tiny scale, though?”
Noah raises an eyebrow at him. “Well, if you assume that you get a hundred cakes for every two sheet pans of cake - And it was the same customer, different order. Our ex-marine was threatening to conceal rude things in the icing artwork.” He gets a mug for Shaun and sets it next to him. “He mentioned something with a mummy. But - the more interesting math was that you could do about two hundred and fifty cakes per bowl of filling, and glaze about three hundred per bowl of glaze. So it got - interesting calculating how much to make.”
“Kind of fiddly bits?” Aedan nods. “That kind of would be. Like mixing...never mind.” he says, thinking it’s probably not a good idea to worry Noah about the fact that he’s learned how to mix a couple of toxins for dipping weapons into now. It’s not an idea anyone from home would be apalled by. Iomhar had mentioned more than a few, but…
“Explosives, mostly.” Shaun figures that’s a reasonable direction to take this. “Insurance policies. Things you’d throw to get out of anything you’re overwhelmed by.” Because that’s happened too. “Too much or too little of something though, and your smokebomb can turn into a disaster.”
Absently he’s toying with the mug, though the mummy thing? It does prompt a tiny smile. “Bayek. From Siwa in Egypt. He seems...oddly enough like this isn’t the oddest thing that’s ever happened to him. And right, if he’s not happy here, and wishes to return...we can do that too. It’s one they won’t be dangling for the tem...sorry, that’s a bit rude, considering. Templars got ahold of a friend’s body five years ago...well five years in a bit under two weeks now. I MAY be a bit sensitive.”
‘I was telling Aedan I didn’t know how I’d feel about being woken up again.” Noah sips his mug. “But as I said when you came in, it’s different for you and for your brotherhood. I don’t tend to feel that I have a brotherhood. How are you doing? Or does sensitive kind of cover it? I thought watching -” He waves at the screen. “This or some music might not be too bad, if you had the time.”
“I think...if it wasn’t here, with so many others who’ve come in from other places,, or from being dead, it changes a bit.” Shaun nods. “And well, you don’t quite have a brotherhood the way that we do, I would say. Not in the same...we ARE something like an army too. The templars seem to call each other brothers, but they’d never refer to themselves as a brotherhood either. It’s complicated when it hardly needs to be, maybe. And does perpetually annoyed count? I think I should..” Probably get back to work, but Noah’s trying and the kid looks like crap today, and… “We all right with being not okay while we’re doing that?”
“Sounds like a decent way of going about that.” Aedan gives Noah a smile too. “Remind me if I can’t manage this in a little while to call for an appointment? And could you be vague if you’re mentioning this to people at home? We don’t need anyone thinking I’m about to fall off buildings with a dizzy spell. “
“I’m probably going to let your eating specialist lady know that you’re having issues, and check in tomorrow. She might have some suggestions, and if we do have to do a fast appointment, we can have times opened up. Fair enough?” Noah tilts his head at him. “I’m fine with you calling me an ass for that, if it helps.”
“That one I’m fine with, actually.” Aedan really isn’t because the situation is one he’s not okay with but. “Only way out of this turning into a pattern on top of a….whatever I’m doing. Too many patterns around here.”
“Guilty.” Shaun raises an eyebrow. “May as well start breaking them up since Noah’s offering. It’s close as I can get to ask for help, but there we are. And BLIMEY, those graphics take me back a bit.”
“Early nineties, I think? It’s a - romantic adventure? What’d you call it, Aedan? A RPG?” Noah smiles at Shaun. “Help me know what’s okay to offer, or put up with me blundering until I learn. Think of it like - you want zero conversation, but someone there who can grunt and nudge food near you? I can do that, but I need to know. Want to try the game?”
And if he’s digging out things to write a quick e-mail to Aedan’s doctor, well - Aedan’s here. “I’ll need you to fill in some numbers for me, Aedan, but I’m writing that thing for the doctor.”
“I think I need a drink or ten.” Shaun says, and he’s not joking but, “That’s apparently Arno’s job though, so until there’s a moment it’s safe, I’ll be all right. I may end up wading into arguments on twitter for a while instead, but this works for just now. The game’s a good idea. Something to wrap my head around that doesn’t matter, right?” And then he’s nodding as Noah does that.
“If it’s not a case of...I get if if you’d rather keep it to just family, but any of us could go along if you’d like help there.” It feels a little cheap, considering he’s been ignoring all of them for a couple days here, basically retreating around the time Bayek started getting settled when it became apparent Evie wasn’t letting most of them near him for now, anyway (which had worked, and given Evie’s the person other than Shaun himself that he’d actually trust to provide explanations of the modern world that are to the point, and that she obviously needs to literally touch history, no one had argued about it. At least Bayek’s not likely to come out of that convinced that the television is a prison for small people or something…) . Still, Shaun doesn’t want to tune things out.
“Depends, probably how far this goes.” Aedan makes a face. “If I end up having to go in, I’d kind of prefer nobody from here being around, but normal stuff might help a little. OH, speaking of the normal sorts of things, one of the grooms is going to be heading by to do stuff with Cas. My uncle vetted him out back when I was going to head to camp, so that’s a thing. It’s all..kind of organized at least. ...Maker help me, I sound just like the other one. But you’re all of you in, so that’s a big help. I’m...slightly terrified of how I’m coming off but I’ve been worse and no one took off then.”
“Nah.” Shaun’s getting started with the game now. “Everything’s permitted.”
“Even not being okay.” Noah pats near Aedan. “Fill in the numbers in the spaces I left, so she’s got an idea what we’re dealing with, and I’ll call you up tomorrow to check in. And I can check in with you too, Shaun. See if you’ve got options for me.” Mostly it’s stuff like rough number of hours he’s been having issues, overall rating of how he feels on a scale of one to ten, and so on.
“Sounds like a plan.” Aedan glances at the sheet and starts jotting things down, not bothering to be worried right now about how he looks. It’s probably crazier to ignore things anyway, so not being okay is...Well, apparently it IS okay.
Noah hesitates. “If you go in, I wouldn’t mind some standing suggestions. So all I’d have to do is check in that it’s still a yes or no. Okay? Because it sounds like you’re worried that we’ll see things and check out on you. I’m not going to, but there’s no point in me showing up with plans for a loving solo on a bagpipe and you hating the idea, you know?” He pauses. “I think you’re handling a rough hand of things pretty well, you know? I’ve done a lot worse.”