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Post by Ea Cailean on Oct 6, 2017 3:46:56 GMT
Ea pouted. There was no more dignified way to put it. He wasn't sulking, because he actually agreed with Carlisle's reasons even if he didn't like them. But he pouted because he was getting really tired of this whole cocktease thing that fate was going. Every time they seemed on the verge of something more than a kiss, something came up. First responsibility, then injury. What next, stampede? As Carlisle hurried off to gather materials and do doctorly things (Ea didn't really pretend to know much about what he was doing, he knew about caring for burns and that was about it), he levered himself out of the tub and dried off though it was slow and clumsy and he ached. It made him feel old. He scowled at that and wandered towards the top of the stairs, wondering what on earth was taking Carlisle.
He heard the voices and leaned against the wall to listen. Whn he could make out the meaning of the words, he grinned but made no effort to go down. While on many other occassions he would have perhaps made himself presentable and swept down in all his glory, a few things restrained him. One was that he wasn't feeling particularly glorious at the moment. Second, it was Carlisle's mother. The thought made his stomach twist in a queer sort of unfamiliar panic. A little disgruntle, he pushed away from the wall. As he passed the dresser he paused and sifted the thin chain that held the piece of amber on it from the pile. He slipped it over his head, haphazardly pulling his hair free of it. For a moment he cradled the amber against his chest, feeling it quickly warm to heat despite the fact that he still felt chilled.
Feeling much more himself just for that, as though he had donned some kind of armor against the world, he managed to get himself somewhat clothed by the time Carlisle arrived. He had also discovered how much he could move his arm without too much shoulder pain and the answer was not a lot. And he had no desire to push it and possibly risk further pain. So maneuvering the shirt had been interesting and he was quite proud he'd managed to do it himself.
By the time Carlisle came back up the stairs, Ea was busily working the worst of the tangles from his hair with a careful look of concentration etched into his face. He glanced up though and smiled at the sight of Erin- at the same time tilting his head so his hair shielded the worst of the bruises he could feel. "Looks like she had a wild night," he said sagely, though laughter hinted on the edges of the words. "Got up to all sorts of mischief I bet."
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Physician/Father
Bisexual.
Single.
Human
Authored by Rook.
Offline.
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Post by Carlisle Hilthrom on Oct 6, 2017 8:10:28 GMT
Carlisle didn't expect to see a dressed Ea waiting for them. He smiled and allowed his gaze to slip over the man's form which wasn't any less appealing even in Carlisle's well worn commoner clothing. Ea was working at the tangles in his hair and Erin giggled happily when she noticed him. Chubby hands outstretched toward him and making little grabbing motions. "I'm sure she did." Carlisle said and blew out a breath across her dark curls, making her squirm and chatter at him. He looked back at Ea then. "You look better in my clothes than I do." He commented with a smile.
"I can help you with your hair if you want." He tossed the offer over his shoulder as he walked around his small kitchen. He was starving and still in need of a bath but it would have to wait until Erin fell asleep. Otherwise, there was no chance the infant would allow him to do so without screaming her head off for attention. Ea seemed more himself now. Even if the bruises showed starkly against his pale flesh he didn't look so defeated anymore, more like himself. And he had the heavy stone resting back against his chest. Good. "I grabbed a sling we can put your arm in, maybe take a little weight off your shoulder. Its-" His voice broke away and he held Erin out away from him to pull the sling that had become wrapped around one of her chubby leg free. "-right here."
He should cook them something he thought to himself. But right on the tail of it was worry. What if Ea hated his cooking? What if things seemed too domestic? Too boring? But surely by now, he knew that the doctor's life wasn't the adventure that he lived. Even Carlisle could admit that his life was boring. Or at least it had been until a certain fire mage had walked into it. "Do you want some breakfast?" Carlisle asked Ea as he shuffled around the counter, every so often calmly plucking something from Erin's hand and putting it back where it belonged. "I'm no chef but I can whip up some eggs pretty quickly."
Whether or not Ea wanted eggs Carlisle would begin preparing them. Placing a pan over a small rack, working at the sticks and twigs that sat in the little hearth until he coaxed a fire into life. All of this he did one handed, it was remarkable really how inventive one could be when they had a child. As he set about cracking the eggs he spoke again, plucking an egg from Erin's little hands just as she nearly dropped it without missing a beat. "Do you live in Lledrith? Or just teach or....I'm not sure what to call it." It was certainly not something he had experience with. He was asking of course because he wanted to know if Ea lived close by. Or if it would be several weeks between his chances to see him. A span of time that seemed impossibly wrong when Ea was standing so close in that moment.
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Post by Ea Cailean on Oct 6, 2017 16:00:11 GMT
Ea shook his head a little but didn't correct Carlisle's assessment or try to reason with it. He quite doubted he looked particularly good at the moment though he was feeling much better being clean and having been up and moving. "While I appreciate the offer, I think you have your hands full." Ea inclined his head towards Erin, still smile as he patiently worked the fingers of his good hand through the copper strands. He seemed to have no end of patience for this particular task. It was a pleasant one. He reached out though and snagged the sling from Carlisle's hand before it got dropped while he tried to juggle a hundred things at once, setting it besides him on the bed.
He watched with mild amusement as the man maneuvered in the small kitchen with child in hand, deftly avoiding disaster. And he felt... out of place. Ea had felt like an outsider before- it rarely bothered him. But here in this quiet, domestic scene he wondered if he fit in. Where was his place? Sighing softly, he pushed himself up off the bed and moved to lean against the wall closer to where Carlisle worked. "I suppose eggs will do if I can't have you." Covering his insecurity with innuendo, he shot Carlisle a sly smile. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
He didn't try to help even with the starting of the small fire, though his eyes watched the flames grow. As Carlisle moved on to other things, the little tongues of flame leaned towards Ea, like a friendly dog seeking the approval of it's master. He smiled softly but did not reach to caress them like he sometimes did when he was relaxing in his own him. Though not magic-less, he knew the penalties of over-exertion. He doubted even small magic was a good idea so soon after what he'd done the night before. Instead he simply pressed down on the part of him that drew the flames, tightening down his control. The flames receded back to their normal position and Ea tilted his head back to rest against the wall that was so helpfully supporting him.
"Yes, I have a suite of rooms in one of the towers." Ea's hand lifted, spinning the piece of amber on it's chain in a habitual motion. "I used to teach, older students primarily, but once I took my current position there wasn't really time anymore. I take individual students though, typically young fire mages who are struggling. Fire magic tends to manifest in shocking and sometimes violent ways. Not all of the teachers at Lledrith know how to deal with a student and gods forbid they get stuck with a teacher who is afraid of them." He shook his head a little, frowning. Fear was perhaps the worst thing you could show to a young fire mage, he thought. Show it enough and they come to believe they are worthy of that fear. It could make them see themselves as monsters even if they had done nothing wrong. "Mostly though, I'm stuck with administrative and political work. Making sure the school runs properly in accordance to the Headmaster's wishes, occasionally making a diplomatic trip, and if I'm lucky I sometimes have time to work on my own projects."
Had he ever watched someone cook before, like this? He'd spent his stint of time in the school kitchens for various reasons (usually as discipline for some mischief) but that was different from this. Did he even have a place here?
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Physician/Father
Bisexual.
Single.
Human
Authored by Rook.
Offline.
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Post by Carlisle Hilthrom on Oct 6, 2017 19:07:19 GMT
"I'm sure Erin would help too, although you might have a lot less hair when shes finished with you." He replied in a good natured way, a smile on his lips all the while. He looked momentarily over at Ea at the little comment he slipped in about the food, his gaze trailing briefly down the man in a way that promised a 'later'. As soon as Ea was up to it without the risk of harm. The offer of help was welcome and after Carlisle had cracked the eggs and messily whisked them into a soupy mess he poured them into the pan that had been warming over the small fire. He plucked a small wooden spatula from one of the drawers and handed it over to Ea. "If you're sure you feel up to helping, I usually scramble them because they are easier for Erin now that she's starting to eat food."
With that he would step back, allowing Ea control of the pan and assuming that he would know to just stir the eggs on occasion to keep them from burning. As someone who had lived alone for a long while Carlisle knew the basics. He wouldn't be capable of some big elaborate fancy several course meal. Not that it was something he could afford anyway. Especially not after his savings had been turned over when trying to get Erin back. That wasn't to say he didn't manage, he still did better than many in this area. Things were just a little...tighter than they had been before.
Carlisle moved to the other side of the kitchen where he would wrangle a small hunk of cured and salted meat from a bag and begin cutting off a few thin strips. Erin was jabbering away while her bright eyes moved between the two men. She was well aware that breakfast was coming soon. "A suite of rooms?" He repeated perhaps a little dumbly, not completely understanding what that might mean. He listened as Ea described his work. He recalled the day he had dropped by with Arlyn and there had been the fiasco outside that inevitably pulled him away all too soon. "Well then its good they have you, someone that fears nothing." At least that was how he seemed to Carlisle. He was yet to see Ea sweat. Even back at the castle Ea had been on the offense. Not running in fear as many had.
The mention of diplomacy caught his attention and in the strangest way the princess back at the ball was brought to mind. Indeed Ea probably rubbed elbows with many like her, the thought was still a little intimidating to the man. Even if Ea had worked to assuage his worries. How long before he grew bored of a common doctor? But there was little point in worrying, he should at least enjoy these moments while he had them. "You must be in high demand." He commented. Once he had cut away as much of the meat as he desired he took the plate that held it and moved back over near Ea at the fire. He set it down on the counter to wait until the eggs were finished. Erin of course moved with the speed of a viper. Her hand shooting out to grab a long lock of red hair that she immediately stuffed into her mouth. Carlisle hurried to free Ea with an embarrassed smile. "She is the reason I have such short hair."
"I know you said you grew up as an orphan, but do you have family? Back in Lledrith. I don't mean by blood." Indeed little Erin had showed him just how little something so trivial could mean.
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Post by Ea Cailean on Oct 9, 2017 16:53:25 GMT
Thankfully, this was something Ea had at least witnessed. While he'd done little cooking (but he had peeled a lot of potatoes), he at least knew roughly how to scramble eggs. It didn't seem to hard so long as he kept them moving and they didn't burn. He focused on the pan with probably more attention than was entirely necessary. He huffed a little at the claim of being fearless but didn't really say anything to deny it, just smiling and shaking his head a bit. Perhaps not fearless, but Ea had a very practical view of fear. Or perhaps he simply didn't fear the same things as most people. Fire, naturally, he didn't fear. Nor did he fear those who wielded it because he believed himself their master. Whether it was truth or arrogance speaking was something of a debate.
"I am not as political as I should be." Ea admitted with a one-shouldered shrug. "It is nice to be left to my own devices most of the time but I tend to upset people unless I'm on my best behavior and sometimes even then. Typically I only get sent out to do political things if I'm requested or if no one else is willing. Or if it's likely to become violent. Thankfully there has been little of that." Except for the ball. He paused, peering down at the eggs until Carlisle's closeness and Erin's sudden grab drew his attention back up. His face flitted between dismayed and amused, as if he couldn't quite decide how to feel as Carlisle extracted his hair from her mouth.
"Well." He seemed a little at a loss, not sure how to respond to that. In the end he turned back to the eggs in time to keep them from burning and offered them to Carlisle. Helping had eased a little of his feelings of being an outsider but he still felt awkward, not really used to the whole situation. It was with a bit of relief that he retreated after he handed off the eggs. He didn't have to think to answer Carlisle's next question though.
"Ymir." He took one of the chairs by the table, giving Carlisle space to finish up. "We grew up together in Lledrith. She helped me learn the school and even now she still keeps me patched together when I get myself into trouble. His good hand lifted and touched the back of his neck and then his wrist, where the newest burn scars he bore were cleanly healed. His expression grew clouded. "She was supposed to be at the ball. I never saw her so... I hope she left early. I need to send a message to Lledrith. I don't want to ride back to Lledrith before the shoulder heals if I can help it." And he wasn't in a rush to leave Carlisle. Not right now.
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Physician/Father
Bisexual.
Single.
Human
Authored by Rook.
Offline.
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Post by Carlisle Hilthrom on Oct 9, 2017 20:56:50 GMT
Once the eggs were handed to him Carlisle took the pan and half poured, dumped them onto a plate. He set the skillet back onto the rack and carefully arranged the pieces of meat so that they could fry. He listened as Ea spoke, smiling when he mentioned someone he was close to. The healed burns made his smile falter, if only slightly but then when he mentioned Ymir being at the ball he frowned. "If you write a letter I will take it to a courier." He offered, trying to appear reassuring but anyone at the ball could be injured or dead. He went back and forth while the meat fried, taking dishes and setting them on the small wooden dining table. Once everything was ready and the meat was scooped into a plate with the eggs he sat down at the table with Erin perched on his knee. Happily grabbing at anything within her range.
"Well then, lets see if this breakfast we cooked is any good." It was simple and something they would have been hard-pressed to mess up but it did happen. It was nice having someone to speak with while he ate. An adult conversation and the companionship couldn't have been better.
[end]
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