realpolitik | Leon Magnus | Stahn Aileron

[Judas snorts faintly at that, shaking his head. It's just like Stahn to be this sweet and thoughtful about this. It's just like this family to be so warm and caring about it.

It's what he's starting to get used to, and...he thinks that for that--he's happy.

He's happy to have been given the chance to get used to something like this. So he absorbs the words as ever, and only responds to the last question, amused.]

It's little more than an ache regardless. It's fine.

[And it is feeling better too, so he's content. He can't really complain about old aches and pains.]

That's good. I thought it might do the trick, since it usually works for me. It can get pretty bad in this weather.

[actual old man stahn aileron here. he's not giving away any indications as to where his aches and pains are—he generally bears it until the kids go to sleep so they don't worry about him too much.]

[Such an old man...not that Judas is any better, let's be real here.

He just shakes his head quickly, lips twisting into the wryest of expressions.]

Yet another reason to not be fond of the rain.

You really don't like it at all, do you.

[though stahn's not sure he can blame judas at all. water in general... after what happened in that life, if must not have been easy. stahn doesn't mind the rain too much despite the aches and pains.

he won't trouble judas with his own, despite admitting they exist at times like this]

No.

[That's an easy question to answer--though a moment later he adds:]

I did not like it much even before that happened, however.

[He doesn't want Stahn to think that his death ruined an entire sort of weather for him, after all. He doesn't like being wet because of that, but he didn't like the rain even before that.]

Rain is just...miserable weather. It makes a mess of everything. You cannot go out, even if you wished to, and if you have to be out in it, it is an equally miserable experience.

[In other words, he wasn't able to go out and enjoy the warm weather with Marian when he was home, and when he was on missions and it rained, it was just awful.]

Ah... I guess it can be like that.

[stahn laughs a little, shaking his head though.]

I never really thought of it like that. I used to like to go out in the rain and play... but I think I see what you mean. [it seems like something that's deep-seated well before what happened, so he knows there's probably not changing his stubborn mind about it.]

I guess it just means we'll have to find things to do inside to get your mind off that feeling, right?

[It's really just like Stahn again to be like this. He sees Judas at less than 100%, and he wants to fix it. That's how Stahn functions.

Judas thinks that sometimes it's okay for him to be at less that 100%--that sometimes he'll be melancholic or less than content, and that's fine.

But for now, he'll humor Stahn.]

If you're thinking that you'll placate me with an indoor game like you do the children, you'll be disappointed.

[he knows that he can't fix judas to 100%; stahn himself has those moments too, and he's had so many over the years that he knows it's not possible.

but still, he wants to at least lighten the load, and keep judas' mind off the worst if his mind starts going to a bit of a darker place.]

No... but maybe sometimes you don't have to bear it alone. We can just talk like this, or do something else if there's something you'd like.

[It sure is a lot harder to rile Stahn up these days, now that he's all adult-y and dad-like.

Judas just hums quietly under his breath at that, thoughtful, before he nods. You know? That honestly doesn't sound bad.]

Very well then. I won't protest, if that is what you'd prefer.

[Doing something with Stahn, talking with Stahn... it's not like he could ever really argue that, for all that he pretends.]

Mm... I'd like it a lot.

[for so many reasons.] We... have a lot of time to make up for, don't we? Eighteen years is a lot of time to lose.

[he says it lightly; he's not trying to drag the mood down—it's gentle teasing just to say that he wants to spend more time with judas. he's always willing—there's no doubt he prefers it.]

[He quirks an eyebrow at that, somewhat amused by that sort of statement--in a lot of ways, it doesn't make any sense at all, since Judas shouldn't even be here right now.

In other ways, though, he agrees.

Eighteen years is a long time, and there's honestly still a lot he'd like to know about that time--so he nods to the chair by him.]

Take a seat, then. We may as well talk, if you are so carefree that you can hover around me.

[He's just teasing, really... he's happy that Stahn always comes to check on him, and though he's sure Rutee won't always be happy about the slacking--she's never said anything when it comes to Stahn looking out for him, and he knows that that's her way of looking out for him too.]

[rutee can deal with it.

(or stahn can deal with it later once everyone's gone to sleep; for all their bickering, they never really fight in front of the kids over things like this. rutee and stahn both respect each other too much to give the kids any idea that one parent has more authority, after all.)]

I didn't really have much else to do anyway. The kids really do think finding leaks is some kind of game. [probably because there are always new ones to patch up. in any case, it leaves him free enough to take a seat, almost immediately leaning back a bit and stretching out one leg a bit.] I definitely have time to just talk for a while.

[especially when it's judas.]

[Ah yes, the leaks... Judas snorts vaguely at that, too, and shakes his head. And when he finally does speak, after musing for a bit, it's not about their mutual past or the Swordians or anything serious at all.

Instead--]

That had ought to be your next project, when the rain stops. Patching those holes with plaster would not be too difficult or expensive.

[Problem solving!!!]

It does add up after a while, though. We have to wait until we don't think there'll be rain for a bit.

[the truth of the matter is that finances are really pretty tight. they're not living in total poverty, but most of the money they got as stipend from their heroics has long since gone into maintaining the orphanage and feeding so many kids.

stahn doesn't love it either, but with how much needs repairing, it's a bit of a slow process.]

Hm.

[Judas is quiet for a moment at that, before he nods simply.]

Leave the buckets where they are when the rain has stopped so I know where the holes are.

[He's got some things he'd like to poke around with and try.]

Eh? Oh... uh, sure...

[he'll tell rutee and the kids not to move them?? he's giving judas a puzzled look though, because what is he thinking of right now?]

Good.

[It's something he'll take care of tomorrow. While Judas knows there are a lot of problems he can't fix here at the orphanage... he feels like he'd like to at least try to fix the ones he can.]

I will see what I can do about it. [With his 5000 dumb random skills.]

Eh? Do you have a way to fix it, Emilio?

[wh...at? clearly, stahn is baffled. what kind of other tricks are you hiding up your sleeve?]

...Perhaps.

[He just shakes his head, crossing his arms vaguely.]

I would not put too much stake into it as of yet. I am not completely certain.

[But maybe. It's worth trying.]

If you have an idea, I'm sure it'll probably work. You're pretty amazing at that kind of thing... you always were.

[he believes in judas, unsurprisingly.]

...Honestly.

[So much faith!!!]

Do not expect too much from me in that case. I am just a child at an orphanage now, remember?

[It's said in relatively good humor; he knows he has 50000 skills that he totally shouldn't have, and he'll never be "just a kid at an orphanage", but he's certainly not wearing a fancy title anymore.]

[stahn knows he's teasing, but stahn still can't help but to make a face that resembles pouting.]

You're family, and everyone in this family works hard and does their best. [so even if he wants to play the "just a kid at an orphanage" card, stahn still has a rebuttal.]

[Hm.

It's a pretty good answer, and unsurprising coming from Stahn, but still.

He still thinks Stahn has far too much faith in him. Still, he doesn't really have an answer to that, so he just shakes his head.]

I suppose that is true, yes.

[He can't deny it, not when he knows who is all in this family.]

That's why I know you'll do great with whatever you have in mind.

[stahn grins, because he believes in judas so wholly. while he does that though, he's stretching and bending his knee slowly; for a moment, his gaze shifts towards the window.]

Hopefully this rain won't last too much longer.

... It won't.

[He says that much with some certainty, because...well, he's more optimistic than he was before.

He can believe that it won't last longer now. He knows that no matter how troublesome or dark the rain can be, they'll be fine. The sun will come back out.

(And he's fine--because he has a sun right here next to him.)]

And even this will be fine. [Even the rain...it won't bother him for long when he can talk with Stahn like this.]

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