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[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

[rollstoseduce]

Indeed, it was a stunning ensemble for a stunning performance. I got all those nobles to sing, dance and clap along to one of my bawdy jigs that I'd usually save for taverns. Unless we assume they didn't understand what "pulling at my horn as it raises in the morn" really means.

[He doubts it. He'd rather think he's so good he made those stuck-up arses sing along to a dirty song. But hey, gotta joke a little.

And yes, of course he knew about buttercups being poisonous, it's one of the many reasons why he chose the name. But he can't say that and risk Claude asking him what his real name is, so let's leave half of that story out of this.]

Oh, believe me, I knew. Many a reason I have to love my name, and that's one of them. Isn't it poetic irony? Beautiful and innocent, alluring with its color and catching those that underestimated it by surprise? I thank you for the compliment, my friend, but buttercups being one of your favorite flowers says a lot about you as well.

You're right, I didn't get a good look at your outfit! These "screens" are small and I was too distracted by your handsome face. Why don't you send me a picture of it? Claude and yellow, two delightful things put together for something beyond pretty.

[Attached comes a new pic: Jaskier wearing a yellow scarf and winking for the camera.]

[vrdantwind]

I didn't even say anything, but I guess if you're already imagining what I could say, maybe I don't even need to. It's like my teasing is doing itself!

And yeah, they're pretty much identical, aren't they? Not sure how that works. But asking definitely can't hurt.

I'll be training my team while you're out smooching Sylvain, so whenever you're back, I'm sure you'll be able to find me.

[vrdantwind]

[It's too bad this is a text conversation, or Jaskier would be treated to the burst of bright laughter his little story gets from Claude.]

Okay, the idea of a bunch of nobles singing merrily along to a song like that? Sir, I don't say this lightly, but you're my new personal hero.

I'm curious what you think my liking buttercups does say about me, now that you've said that. Care to share?

As for pictures...you know, I haven't taken one of myself before? But I think I know how it works. Let me see if I can get one of my pokémon to operate the camera, so you can get a full view...

That scarf is perfection, by the way. Blue and yellow - or gold, which sometimes serves as an excellent stand-in - is one of my favorite color combinations.

[vrdantwind]

[Several minutes pass.]

[vrdantwind]

[Finally, Jaskier gets a picture. It's of Claude, standing back enough from his camera that Jaskier can see the full details of his outfit from home. As promised, yellow is the most prominent accent color.]

Congratulations, you have the honor of being the first person to ever receive a picture of me. This is my riding outfit from back home, you know. Obviously you need something kind of practical when you're shooting bows and riding wyverns, but when you're leading a country you have to look the part at least a little, too.

[bestswordmaster]

you're insufferable.
they have the same name too.
I'll let you do the asking.
then you can tell me.
as long as it takes less than ten minutes.
ugh I knew I was justified in telling you to shut up preemptively.

[vrdantwind]

Wait, why am I doing the inquiries? It's your question. And you're already out.

And you want this process to take less than ten minutes? You...really know nothing about extracting things from plants at all, huh. It'll take as long as it takes and you'll deal with it.

[bestswordmaster]

not that.
you telling me the answer.
because if I don't give you a time limit
you'll talk forever.
and you're asking because you actually like talking to people.
but also you know what to ask.
and if I take sylvain in there he'll probably flirt with that woman.

[vrdantwind]

Oh, okay. I was gonna say!...or did say, I guess.

That said, I wasn't really going to bother explaining the process to you. I don't imagine you're going to learn how to do it for yourself, right? You're just going to outsource your nectar harvesting to me. So I could instruct you, but it wouldn't really have any point.

You know, not to be so gauche as to charge a friend for my help, but...apparently there are gifts that need to be bought for the coming holiday, and I could use a bit of help in the funds department...you know. If you wanted to show me your gratitude for my help, and your appreciation for my special expertise.

On the one hand, Felix, I get your concern. But on the other hand, I have a sneaking suspicion that either Sylvain is not nearly stupid enough to flirt with someone else while he's with you, that he won't even have eyes for anyone else while he's with you, or both.

Either way, I'm not asking. You can do that part yourself. You'll never get good at socializing with people if you duck all your opportunities, you know!

[bestswordmaster]

even better.
I'll watch though.
I need to be able to recognize the flowers at least.
I don't have any money either.
sylvain insisted on giving me his for the gifts.
would a new pokemon suffice?
claude he flirted with ingrid's grandmother when we were children.
he never cared about flirting with people in front of me before.
I don't know why that would change.
and I don't want to get good at socializing.
that's the whole point of not doing it.
so I don't have to.

[vrdantwind]

Well, I wasn't going to not let you observe. I just don't see the point in going over the details exhaustively with you! Which was what you were complaining about, right? That I'd talk your ear off with them.

I mean, I've got nothing against new pokémon! I'm actually curious what you've got to give me. Or are going to get, whichever.

First of all, a kid flirting with a grandma sounds more like class clown behavior than a child actually thinking he's going to get lucky with an elderly woman. Or a child even genuinely wanting to get lucky with an elderly woman. So I'm not really considering that as admissible evidence that he's going to flirt in front of you. Especially since, you know...that was decades ago, probably? And things are very different between you and Sylvain, as of today, than they've ever been before? Things you took for granted up until now might no longer be true.

Second of all - well, what I just said. Things between you and Sylvain are different now. Whether or not he needs or wants to flirt in front of you might've changed.

Also, if he does flirt with someone else in front of you, unless it is VERY OBVIOUSLY a joke or he knows it won't bother you, I will absolutely hit him with a chair.

[bestswordmaster]

I have faith that you'll talk my ear off about something else instead.
you'll get your new pokemon on the road then.
I know for a fact that you of all people do not need evidence of sylvain's insatiable behavior.
things are different but
he's terrible at breaking habits.
make sure it's a sturdy chair.
for his hard head.
anyway I'll see you back at the inn.

[bestswordmaster]

[It's late in the afternoon on the second day of their journey along Route 32, after a break for lunch during which Felix ate quickly and then vanished for a little while to hunt Pokemon, that he comes up alongside Claude on the trail and holds out a pokeball toward him with no preamble.]

Here.

[vrdantwind]

[Claude pauses, bemused at the sudden presentation.] Did you just get this one? It didn't take you too long...

[Curious, he presses the button to release the pokémon inside. Just what did Felix get him, he wonders?]

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix shrugs.] I looked yesterday, too, but didn't see one. Today I did.

[When Claude opens the pokeball, out pops a little yellow Pokemon that looks like a seed, about a foot tall, with a small sprout growing from the top of its head.]

[vrdantwind]

Wait, you were looking for a specific one? [Claude is a touch surprised, and maybe a little flattered as well. He'd assumed Felix was just going to scoop up a random pokémon that Claude didn't already have, but to put enough thought into deciding on a pokémon for him and seeking it out...? He hadn't expected that.

The seed makes him laugh a little.] Oh, did you get this one for me because it's yellow and black? Reminds me of my old academy uniform. [And, reflexively, he lifts his Gear to scan his new acquisition for his Pokédex.

The mechanical voice drones to life.] "Sunkern, the Seed Pokémon. Sunkern try to move as little as they possibly can. They do so because they try to conserve all the nutrients they have stored in their bodies for their evolution. A Sunkern will not eat a thing, subsisting only on morning dew."

[Claude's eyebrows raise as he listens, and once the Pokédex finishes reading off its entry, he gives Felix a sidelong grin.] A Sunkern, huh...?

[He doesn't make any direct accusations. He doesn't have to.]

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix knew, of course, that Claude would get it immediately. He thought he’d prepared sufficiently for it, figuring Claude would laugh or make fun of him or something. Instead what he gets is this...conspiratorial grin, like it’s a secret they’re sharing...which, he supposes, it kind of is? Even though it’s not like they agreed on it or anything.

And, Goddess help him, he’s starting to really like it when Claude grins like that. It means he’s about to be insufferable, but hell if he won’t look good while he’s at it. ...ugh.]

Yes. ...don’t look at me like that. I just...wanted there to be a legitimate reason for that stupid nickname, that’s all. Now there is one.

[Come on, Felix, you know you can’t fool Claude.]

[vrdantwind]

You know this doesn't somehow retroactively justify the nickname, right? It just plays into the theme. [Claude winks at him.] But who am I kidding? Of course you know that. I'm touched.

[He extends a hand to the Sunkern, who settles into his palm quite contentedly.] In the meantime, I guess I have to come up with a name for this little guy - [The Sunkern makes a small sound of disapproval, and Claude corrects himself without batting an eye.] - girl.

I'm thinking...Fen. [He smiles at Felix.] A name that starts with F, in honor of the person who gave her to me.

[bestswordmaster]

Hmph. [Which is, apparently, Felix-speak for approval, since he gives Claude a slight smile in return. He doesn't find it necessary to mention that it will evolve into a flower, which...may or may not be (is) related to the time they spent together collecting the nectar. Because Claude said he...liked spending time with him and wanted to do more of it.

...Felix blames Sylvain for turning him into a sap. Disgusting.

But it is pretty satisfying to see that Claude likes it enough to name it in honor of him.]

[vrdantwind]

[Really, Claude wonders how he'd made such a massive miscalculation as to not get to know Felix any sooner than this. He's really come to enjoy the other man's company, all in the space of a few days, and that little smile on Felix's lips right now is worth its weight in gold.

He supposes, if he'd tried to befriend him back in Garreg Mach, that it wouldn't have gone so well. Apparently Felix has changed a lot since then. Claude isn't sure he has - not dramatically - but it still might not have worked any sooner. He may as well just content himself with how well it's going now than to worry about the past.]

Well, it sounds like Fen's not much for activity, so I think maybe I'll keep her in her Pokéball for now. [He looks thoughtfully down at her.] That way she can save her energy, like the Pokédex said. I do want to train her, so she can save her energy for that, too.

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix squints a little at the Sunkern.] How do you train a seed? Does she not grow into a flower if you treat her like a normal seed? I really don't understand this world.

[Felix considers briefly that he's spent an awful lot of time talking to Claude over the last few days. Sure, it all started because they were both in the wrong place at the wrong time and Felix did something stupid, but they didn't have to spend several hours chatting in Claude's room the other night, nor did he have to spend all that time yesterday messaging him. So although it's true that he still thinks Claude is absurdly attractive and has thought about kissing him again a not-insignificant number of times, he must also legitimately like the man. Which is not something he expected. Huh.]

[vrdantwind]

No idea yet. [Claude's voice is cheerful. Of course he's happy about the idea of having something new and interesting to look into.] But I can research it!

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix reaches over to sort of awkwardly pat Fen's head. How do you pet a giant seed? It doesn't have ears to scritch... He looks at Claude.] You're like a sponge.

[vrdantwind]

[Well, the seed seems happy about the patting, to what degree a seed can seem happy. So...there's that.

Claude, for his part, simply laughs.] It pays to be! I already told you once - knowledge is power. Knowing one key fact your opponent doesn't can win battles no sword ever could, you know.

[bestswordmaster]

[Maybe surprisingly, Felix nods.] Of course. I'm sure you're aware, but my father operated a spy network for the crown. Technically, I suppose, I operate it now, not that I know a damn thing about espionage. [He shakes his head, wry.] But as far as I can tell, you want answers to everything whether it's relevant or not. Don't claim tactics are the only reason. You're just nosy and too curious for your own good. One of these days that's going to bite you.