IC Inbox

[vrdantwind]

"Hey, this is Claude! Pretty sure I'm doing this correctly. You can leave me a message here, and I'll get to it as soon as I can. Talk to you soon~."

Comments

[bestswordmaster]

[A Pokegear message comes through for Claude several hours after Felix said he was going to bed.]


hey.
sylvain left.
for goldenrod apparently.
dimitri went after him?
he called me. dimitri.
he said sylvain left because of
what happened.

[vrdantwind]

Oh, Goddess give me strength. You know, I like Sylvain well enough, but the more I see of him the more I feel like Ingrid was subtly insulting my intelligence by comparing me to him?

I'm gonna have a word with him. This is the worst possible option for dealing with what happened between you guys, in that he's refusing to deal with anything at all.

Don't beat yourself up too badly over it, okay? You may not have handled things...spectacularly, but there's a lot of his bad decisions marinating in this stew too. And we'll figure something out.

At least you can't doubt that he's got some emotional investment on the line here now. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this for no good reason.

[Yes, there are some careful qualifiers to that statement. No, he won't apologize for them.]

[Text]

[rollstoseduce]

[Jaskier has been chatting with some girls while shopping for supplies, and he notices a very interesting friendship ritual they go through while shopping for clothes specifically. He must admit, it's a very nice way to keep up with acquaintances and friends instead of having to send letters that take a lot of time to arrive or wait until they find each other in person. Jaskier is a social person, he needs to take advantage of this device. And there are some people he definitely would like to, at the very least, become good friends with.

The girls thankfully guide him through it, because he was already writing a text like a formal letter before they jump in. Hopefully, Claude has learned how informal this world can be.]

Hey! What do you think? Any courts that would allow me to perform in this?

[Attached there's a picture of Jaskier in front of a large mirror in the clothing store wearing very peculiar cloak.]

Re: [Text]

[vrdantwind]

[When Claude gets a message and goes to check it, he definitely doesn't expect what he finds - but that makes the laughter that rolls delightfully through him all the sweeter. He wastes no time in replying.]

Any court with taste would love to have you. It's a true fashion statement! Bold. Brash. Dare I say trendsetting?

The Next Day...

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix saw Claude at the gym, of course, but you couldn't have paid Felix to have this conversation with him in front of anyone else. Or maybe in person at all if it isn't 3am. So it's not until he's out shopping with Sylvain afterward that he messages Claude, while Sylvain's busy looking at things in stores.]


hey.
I talked to Sylvain.
things are
fine.
better than fine I guess.

Re: The Next Day...

[vrdantwind]

Better than fine sounds pretty great. Was any of my advice helpful?

Is he coming back? Well, I guess he must be, or you'd be pissed off.

after his secret santa post

[fingersandteeth]

So. While I don't know everyone, I do know quite a lot of people and generally keep track of who knows who, unless they are *very* new. I can probably figure out who you should ask if you tell me who you got.

(Pending, of course, that your recipient isn't me, but I did do a public post about three weeks ago, so I'm assuming it's not.)

[vrdantwind]

Hey, thanks for the offer! And yeah, you're correct, it's definitely not you. I'm supposed to be buying for a guy called Dirk Strider. That's a name with zing.

Pidgey Mail | Morning of the 25th

[rollstoseduce]

[Surprise, Claude! Here is a gift for you!

Inside a small velvet box, there's a golden ear cuff. Sadly it's not 100% gold, it's only gold plated, because that's how much Jaskier could afford. There's also a postcard, which on one side has some beautiful artwork. On the other, there's a poem, written by hand. The calligraphy is exquisite and the ink is also gold.]

I hear you on the horizon
The epiphanies of a rising desire
I feel your magnificent sound waves
Purring from the depths of a heartbeat
I know that music well
It is the magic that transcends
And lifts with the light of day
in symphonic color of fire.

Have a blessed Yule,
🏵 Jaskier

[vrdantwind]

[Needless to say, Claude puts the ear cuff on immediately. It actually goes on the ear that isn't wearing his customary earring, so he can be decorated on both sides! He wants to show Jaskier how it looks on him, but...rather than send a picture or video, he hopes they'll be able to meet in person soon for that instead.

He also has to show the postcard to Sicily, who is very approving.]

[gautsome]

hey pretty boy.
got a min?

[vrdantwind]

For someone as handsome as you? Always. What did you need?

12/26

[fingersandteeth]

So about that favor... you're friends with the guy who was throwing those rats around during that whole riot when Team Rocket went after the Christmas Market, right? He made the local news.

[vrdantwind]

Oh, boy, I bet he did.

How did you know I'm friends with him, though? I doubt I managed to become famous in all of that. [Especially since he spent half that time in disguise, although obviously he's not going to mention that.]

text; backdated to probably a few days after the Cave Talk with dimitri, sent late at night

[woofdad]

Hey Claude, sorry to bother you with this, but I feel like I should let you know I might be either a huge hypocrite or losing my mind, one or the other.

Related, I might have to apologize for that whole speech about not dating younger guys, depending.

[vrdantwind]

Hey, talking to you is never a bother! Though I'm surprised anyone but me is awake at this hour.

So what's this about? Did you find a handsome young thing who's caught your eye?

[Text | Dec 4th]

[rollstoseduce]

Dear Claude, Happy New Year. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. The future is your story to write... make next year the best one yet.

Sorry for the late message, things have been a little complicated. We left Violet early today, we're on our way to Goldenrod now. I hope your travels find you well.

[vrdantwind]

Hey, happy new year to you too, Jaskier! I feel like we both dropped the ball, though. We started traveling right before the new year, and we've been on the road since, and I might actually die of exposure while my heartless companions look on, insisting I'm just whining. Anyway, point is, I haven't been on my Gear as much as I usually am when I'm in a city. Sorry I didn't check in myself!

On the plus side, we're on our way to Goldenrod ourselves! If we keep up the pace, we should be in the city by the end of the week. Maybe we can have a reunion over a nice hot meal? I'd take a nice hot anything right now, and for once that's not necessarily innuendo. But I won't stop you reading into it if you want~. ;)

I have to ask, though - what's been complicating things on your end? Everything okay?

Action | January 10th (nsfw warning for later tags)

[rollstoseduce]

[They make it to Goldenrod early in the morning, and honestly? They should rest - it's been hard to camp in the snow. But this month they actually have plans for their new lives, so they need to get busy asap! After visiting Kirishima's bar for lunch, Geralt goes to find work and Jaskier works on his busking and getting his plans set up, including being very interested in that contest announcement. This will be a busy week!

So he decides to start it with a bang - quite literally.

He sends Claude a quick message to meet at a café, hoping things go smoothly and the subject of Geralt is never brought up again. Thankfully Claude doesn't say anything about it - in fact, he says he has a surprise for Jaskier. His mind immediately goes to the gutter, obviously - they've agreed they would be shopping and experimenting today, has Claude gotten something in advance? The wait is going to kill him!

When Claude arrives, Jaskier is sitting by the fireplace of the café with a mug of hot chocolate in his hands. His blue cloak is draped over his chair, and he's wearing the red doublet set he arrived in.]

There you are, my dear. I was starting to think I'd have to eat these all by myself.

[He winks as he indicates the plate with macarons waiting for them on the table.]

Re: Action | January 10th (nsfw warning for later tags)

[vrdantwind]

[Claude smiles as soon as he sees Jaskier, striding across the café to settle in across from him at the table. There are many times he's already appreciated the similarities between the two of them and their tastes, and this is yet another instance; on a cold day, Jaskier's curled up indoors somewhere cozy with snacks and a warm drink. Claude couldn't agree more.]

Well, we both know the value of fashion, so how could I be anything but fashionably late? [He winks.] But no, really, I just hadn't expected you and Geralt to arrive so soon after we did. We only got here yesterday! So your message caught me a little off-guard. I was training with Felix, and he's not someone who likes cutting training short.

[He reaches out and filches a macaron, biting into it with a mischievous twinkle in his eye as though he'd stolen it through charm and guile rather than having been openly invited to have one.] Should I accept your thanks from saving you from such a cruel fate as having to eat these alone, or apologize for depriving you of treats?

mid-january

[uncutetomboy]

here's riku's inbox

sorry it took so long to get back to you. i got busy finishing people's presents and i forgot until early this month and then the stupid snorunts ruined everything

they broke dirk's leg and stole mr solus' tree and send evil cats to steal things from cassandra and keep sending STUPID BATS after me

how is your month going?

[vrdantwind]

Hey, it's fine! I'm glad you figured out how to reach me. I'm still learning this technology stuff, so.

Nice to talk when we don't have to pretend to be fighting, too! Man, I wonder if that actually fooled anyone. You were a real force to be reckoned with when it came to the real thing, compared to how easy you had to go on me...I don't know how convincing our act could've been.

Whoa, Dirk? This wouldn't be Dirk Strider, would it? Only he's the guy I had to get a secret Santa gift for. I've been wondering who he is. Sounds like he's been having a rough time, in any case...and I was told I ought to talk to that Solus guy awhile back, too, but I don't know him either.

Bats, huh? It really does sound like a lot of people are having bad luck this month. We've been getting mistaken for some band a lot...it's been pretty annoying, but honestly I'm handling it better than most of my friends are, so I can't complain too much. And my pokémon are doing a lot better than usual, for some reason...

[Yeah, Claude was one of the lucky people who got Great Fortune from the Snorunts, which has been translating into extra levels for his team. Feel free to resent him a little, Akane.]

I didn't realize it was all the Snorunts' doing, though. They can really make all sorts of weird things like that happen?

sometime after 1/20

[gautsome]

hey beautiful
2 questions
when r u free 2 go shopping n when r u free 2 go on a date ;)

Re: sometime after 1/20

[vrdantwind]

For a gorgeous man like yourself? My schedule is your oyster to open up. ;)

So the shopping and the date will be two separate outings? What are we shopping for?

1/28

[nastyboy]

[...Or, at least, it is probably still January 28, just very late at night when Claude gets a small message on his Gear.]

[Despite. You know. All of them being in the same house.]

Dear Claude,

Are you still awake?

[vrdantwind]

[The reply comes pretty immediately. Claude usually keeps late hours.]

Of course. What's up, Dimitri?

the night of whenever Sylvain does his Dimitri date

[nastyboy]

[This time instead of calling ahead, Dimitri is a bit more active the next time he goes to see Claude. Honestly, Claude has probably noticed the other man's desperate attempts to be quiet as he's gone... up and down the hallway a couple of times, quiet knocks heralding him speaking to some of the others...]

[Before it's eventually Claude's turn, with a quiet knock on his door.]

[Dimitri seems a bit breathless, and a little red, as he stands there.]

Oh good, you're still awake.

[vrdantwind]

[Claude has been listening to Dimitri pacing the hall, chatting with the others, and the fact that he's controlled his endless curiosity all throughout to the point of not investigating is honestly a testament to how much he values all of them. They were doing things together - talking, at least - and shouldn't he let them? And, after all, it was only a few days ago that he'd gotten to have Dimitri all to himself for a night, sleeping on his shoulder. Maybe this is Dimitri trying to even some invisible score by fussing over the others. Or seeking reassurance that he hasn't made Claude a ruined man for sharing his bed before marriage, even if it was completely innocent bed-sharing. Also not out of the question.

So he's surprised but pleased when there's a knock on his door - apparently, good things come to those who wait, and it simply wasn't his turn yet. He opens the door with a smile.]

How could I not be, wondering what you've been up to out here? I've been dying of curiosity for an hour.

[Has it been an hour, or is Claude exaggerating? Dimitri and the content of his other threads knows.]

idk sometime after the Fight Club Incident

[lovelybottom]

I've been told that you know the most about your realm's wyvern and pegasi. I have questions.

[Great opener, Geralt.]

[vrdantwind]

Oh? I don't know if I'd claim to be an expert on pegasi, but I've grown up around wyverns, so I can definitely speak to those from experience. What did you want to know?

[Claude's pleased Geralt is actually willing to talk to him. He's also not planning on bringing up any mentioning of Geralt's presence at fight club to Jaskier. He's sure Geralt heard about it one way or another, but if his name wasn't attached, he doesn't want to piss the man off. And it's not like he knew Geralt was keeping his presence a secret from Jaskier, so he doesn't think he deserves to get resented for letting that cat out of the bag...]

backdated February 3rd

[bestswordmaster]

you knew
didn’t you.

[This somewhat ominous message is accompanied by a close up photo of the ring Sylvain bought, which is clearly being worn on a hand, although the photo does its best to crop most of the hand out.]

Re: backdated February 3rd

[vrdantwind]

Congratulations!

And what can I say? I guess I'm just a natural-born ring consultant.

[bestswordmaster]

claude.
does dimitri actually think I'm attractive.
he keeps
I don't know.
backing off?
but then he said something that did not seem very
dimitri
so I'm starting to think he didn't mean it
the way it sounded.
or is he afraid of me?

[vrdantwind]

First of all, and without needing any further information, yes.

Second, he keeps backing off because he's easily embarrassed, nervous about messing things up, and also overly proper. It's not that he doesn't want to, it's that he's a fun combination of "doesn't know how to", "convinced he'll screw it up", and "surely it's loutish behavior to even think lustful thoughts about someone before we're married". Come on, you know Dimitri better than anyone, I'm surprised you need me to tell you this.

So he's definitely not afraid of you. Or, even if he is to some infinitesimal degree, it's nothing compared to how afraid he is of himself. He's a man who grew up feeling like everything he touches gets destroyed, and I don't think that only applies to weapons. He's had plenty of bad luck in other areas, too.

That said, I'm curious what he said that sounded uncharacteristic of him. Care to share?

After the Emet conversation

[fingersandteeth]

Right. So I saw you and Emet-Selch getting into it on Jaskier's post and while I *do* agree with you that Emet was being more than usually condescending tonight and I'm absolutely unsurprised that Dirk has evidently been a condescending ass to you in person, I also think there's something you should know about the two of them (and Hythlodaeus for that matter) that kind of explains why they're like that.

They're gods. They're essentially both gods back in their respective home realities and they have egos to match. Which doesn't mean it isn't as irritating as *hell* to deal with them when they're in full condescension mode, but it also makes it hard for them not to slip into their I'm A God And You're Not habits when dealing with mere mortals such as you or I, never mind that they're stuck in human bodies just like the rest of us.

This doesn't mean they're always *right*. (Dirk in particular has expressed some very retrogressive ideas about sex that I can only assume he picked up before he ascended.) It does mean that they are very stubborn about thinking their viewpoints are objective truth, particularly Dirk. Emet, at least, usually isn't operating from a position of bad faith even though it can come off that way (something it took me far too long to realize.)

Sorry if I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, but as someone who spent most of the last summer in a stupid feud with Emet-Selch and recognizes all too well the frustration he's causing you, I thought I should explain what was going on before anyone comes to blows and Hythlodaeus has to stage another peer mediation.

[vrdantwind]

Hey, it's totally fine. I appreciate the context! A little embarrassed to be seen letting people get under my skin like that, gods or otherwise, but...well, as you already seem to appreciate, they definitely don't seem to even present a veneer of talking to people like equals, huh?

It's weird. You think of gods as being omniscient and omnipotent, so you naturally think they'd be able to navigate a conversation easily. That they could present themselves however they wanted to present themselves, because shouldn't they know exactly how? But I guess that's not actually how it works.

That said, I've been doing my best to keep my cool with them. Not to the point of ignoring the condescension, but at least so far as trying to listen and work with them. Emet does seem to have good intentions, just an...incredibly condescending approach. But I acknowledged it might not be intentional on his part even before you contacted me to confirm it, so hopefully I'm on the right track.

Dirk...well, let's just say one of our more recent encounters involved my catching him trying to pick the lock of Jane's front door at 3 AM after she'd fallen mysteriously unconscious while we were staying with her, and he acted like we were trespassing. And while I can't really go into details, that was after our first meeting, in which he attacked me outright. I wasn't going to say that on the public network, though.

So, 'strained' would be putting our relationship mildly. But he's privately offered to explain some things about himself to me, and I've told him I'm willing to listen. So...tentative progress, maybe.

In person, the night of Feb. 18

[bestswordmaster]

By the time Felix, Inda, and Felicity get back to the inn, Felix has to admit that going out seems to have helped. He's not sure what it is, exactly, but he feels a little more...present. A little more himself, and a little less like all he can do is react.

So he gets ready for bed and curls up next to Sylvain just like earlier, but the deafening silence where his fiance's conversation and bedtime kisses and stupid pet names would be feels like a crushing weight. Sleeping alone with Sylvain here is worse than sleeping completely alone would have been--and, he's ashamed to admit, even that has become more difficult to do. Weak, Felix. But true.

And he thinks about what Felicity said. The others need him. Felix isn't sure about that, but the realization that he let the entire day and evening slip by without seeing any of them prompts him to get up and go down the hall to Claude's room and knock on the door.

[woofdad]

There's a bit of sound from inside the room - maybe voices bleeding through as Grant and Dimitri keep Claude from going to get the door himself - and then Grant opens the door.

"--Oh, hey." He looks back into the room, tentatively, toward Claude and Dimitri. He supposes this could be a good thing, when it comes down to it. He hopes it is. "Felix is here."

2/27 - the day Sylvain woke up and chip ran off

[bestswordmaster]

[The message comes into Claude's inbox that night, around the time Felix thinks he and Dimitri would have stopped traveling and made camp.]

hey.
what do you know about arceus?
and whatever other powers that be exist here.

[vrdantwind]

Not too much, although I looked up what I could find on Arceus after the holidays. There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot known about it for certain...which isn't surprising, I guess, considering we don't exactly know a whole lot about the Goddess for certain back home, and Arceus is apparently on the same level as a god.

Which is, really, what I've gathered. Arceus is some sort of creation god who apparently created everything. I find it pretty interesting that in this world, the god is a pokémon...and even humans consider that their god. What's more, it doesn't really seem to be the center of any religion I can find...and there don't seem to be religions with opposing beliefs of gods or spirituality, either. The belief in Arceus seems both monolithic and strangely secular - all the more so compared to our own world.

Why do you ask?

[Text] | 4/6

[bestswordmaster]

hey.
steven invited me to watch some kind of ice skating television show with him and thace
and said my boyfriends were welcome too.
do you want to come with me?

[vrdantwind]

Of course! I like Steven and Thace. And, obviously, you. It won't be as nice as watching you skate, but on the other hand, I can do it indoors. There's pros and cons to everything.

Audio | Backdated to April 2nd

[rollstoseduce]

[So after this little conversation, Jaskier tries with a new possible source. However, Claude gets a call instead of text - and there's a voice sounding quite irritated on the other end of the line.]

What the FUCK did you say to him?

[...hi? Sorry about him, he's nervous and assuming the worst.]

[vrdantwind]

[Claude blinks.] Uh, hi to you too...? What did I say to who? Geralt?

The Monday after the Cow Race

[fingersandteeth]

The sign on Fight Club's door says CLOSED and it is closed until seven, like it is most nights. The door is locked. But if Claude peers through the window, past the painted logo and illustrations of Fighting-type pokemon that covers so much of it, he'll be able to see the unreasonably tall shape of Thace sitting in a booth at the back, as well as Steven walking towards the door, so that he can let him in.

"Right," Steven says, as he ushers Claude through the door. "I've got a couple of takeout menus we can order from. I figured that would be the better choice, rather than us making you anything."

Thace might think Claude had the potential to be an ally, despite everything, but Steven wasn't so sure about that.

[vrdantwind]

Claude flashes a smile to Steven, then to Thace as he walks in. "Hey. I didn't realize we'd be eating; mind if I ask Dimitri if he wants anything? We were going to stop somewhere on our way back home, so I asked if he'd mind waiting outside for me."

This is, of course, Claude delicately placing the first card of the evening's game in full view on the table. He's here, and everything is friendly...and Dimitri, his deeply loving, extremely strong, and violently protective boyfriend, is outside. Expecting Claude to walk out of Fight Club's doors later, alive and unharmed, and if he doesn't, Dimitri will know who to demand explanations from.

It's simply a fact that Claude has made Steven and Thace aware of, nowhere even close to approaching a threat. In fact, Claude's casually arranged it so it doesn't even look like a precaution - except perhaps to men who would recognize what the precaution is, exactly, and why Claude might feel as though he needs to take it.

Dimitri, for what it's worth, is completely in the dark that there's even the possibility for danger to Claude here. For one thing, if Claude had informed him, Dimitri would have gotten protective to an impossible degree...but also, there's no way to explain why he might need protection here without potentially destroying both Steven and Thace's confidences (which he's already elected to keep) and also their friendly relationship with Dimitri. Even thinking they might hurt Claude could be too much for Dimitri to reconcile, Claude thinks. No need to tar and feather Steven and Thace with that particular brush in Dimitri's mind unless they actually do try something.

some nebulous post-prom time

[bestswordmaster]

[Ever since Felix's conversation with Greg about his wife and her battles, he's been turning over in his mind what to do about it. Maybe nothing. Maybe he should just keep this knowledge to himself. It would only cause pain and worry to tell Dimitri or Sylvain about it, and he's had enough of watching them suffer.

Claude, though, would be upset if it became relevant later and Felix hadn't told him. And Claude can obviously be trusted with it.

So Felix knocks on Claude's door one evening, without sending a message first.]

Are you there? It's Felix.

[vrdantwind]

Yeah, come on in! [Claude's voice is cheerful enough, though not too close to the door.

When Felix lets himself in, he'll see why; Claude is sitting on his bed, reading, with Voir the Umbreon curled up on his lap with every evidence of contentment - something like a large cat. Red eyes open languidly to study Felix for a moment, before Voir stretches slightly and shifts position. He seems very happy, and not at all inclined to let Claude get up.

Claude, for his part, sets his book down and smiles at Felix.] Hey. What's up?

during 4th wall | probably olivine

[blackironspur]

The sun's going down on this bizarre new world, and Glenn still hasn't found Felix. He's pretty sure he found every single person around here who knows Felix - since when did his shy baby brother have so many friends? - and they all had wonderful things to say about him because of course they did.

But where is the boy himself?

Or...man, Glenn supposes.

He finds himself back at the beach, the one that reminds him of Derdriu, as the sun starts to set. Well, he's not likely to find Felix here. The kid is terrified of the ocean. But Glenn's been running around all day, so he figures it's about time he took a breather, and this seems as good a place as any to do it. He'll deal with the matter of where he's going to sleep tonight later.

He sits on the damp sand at the very edge of the surf's territory, arms propped casually on his knees, and watches the horizon as Kyphon wheels about in lazy circles overhead.

[vrdantwind]

Glenn's not the only man reminded of Derdriu by the beach here. Claude is wandering along it, lost in thought and, honestly, trying to decompress. It's been a wild weekend already, and it's far from over.

And then he sees that particular shade of blue hair on someone sitting on the beach not far from him. He was walking in that direction anyway, but his feet seem determined to keep carrying him there now that that Felix blue is calling to him...even though he's initially expecting Rodrigue.

As he gets closer, though, he realizes it's not Rodrigue. His next instinct is that it must be Felix, then, and he's looked wrong, but closer still...and he can see it's neither of them. It's someone he's never seen before.

Even as his mind whispers it's probably someone from some other world, he knows he's lying to himself. He can see both Rodrigue and Felix in the structure of the face, in the eyes. And getting that shade of blue that perfect would be hard for some random person to pull off.

He can't tell if his heart is sinking or not. This is another awkward family encounter he has no real idea how to field. But...he'd never gotten to meet Glenn, even once. Some part of him does feel intrigued, maybe even excited, to have this chance to meet him now.

He clears his throat once he's close enough. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am...Glenn Fraldarius?"