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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~."

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[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.]

[bestswordmaster]

sylvain is the smartest person I know.
he just tries to pretend otherwise.
don't pity me.
I'm just letting you know because
ugh I don't know why.
what would be a good reason for lying about that??
anyway dimitri said sylvain was going to call me in the morning.
so.
guess I'll talk to him then?

[vrdantwind]

I'm the smartest person you know, Felix. You'll come to appreciate that someday, don't worry.

I cite as evidence the fact that I'm the one talking to you and not him.

Also, I wasn't pitying you. I just figured you might be feeling pretty down right now, or kicking yourself, or more likely both. Just wanted to remind you that this mess was a collaborative effort.

And you're talking to me because you need someone to talk to, Sylvain's not taking your calls, Dimitri's a mess, and I'm relatively stable and already know the situation.

You're right I've got no reason to lie about that, but...well, people tend to distrust me. Or maybe they just don't want to believe me. So it's nice to be able to point to evidence that what I'm saying is true.

I'm glad you guys will get the chance to talk, though. Considering I'm sure it'll be hard to get the words out, you might want to plan what you want to say to him ahead of time so you don't lose your cool.

[bestswordmaster]

you smarter than sylvain? ha. in your dreams riegan.
I just. can't sleep. and you're good at this
feelings stuff.
people distrust you because you pretty much told them to.
at the academy.
you don't seem untrustworthy to me, though.
plan what to say?
how am I supposed to do that when I don't know what he's going to say?

[vrdantwind]

Under the circumstances, I think I can safely call you biased.

I don't know if I'd call myself good at feelings stuff, so much as I'd say I'm good at getting to the core of things. That can be really helpful in general, including with 'feelings stuff'. There can be a lot of pain, anger, pride, self-loathing, and who knows what else in the way of seeing things clearly. But if you can look at what's actually happening, and consider why it might be happening from an objective angle...it cuts through an amazing amount of emotional fog so you can get a clear picture.

We're not in the academy now, though. And the funny thing is, I think I'm more distrusted now by people who I've never given a real reason to distrust me than anything. I wouldn't mind if people distrusted me after I'd actually double-crossed them or something.

Also, planning what to say is easy. You're not limited to just letting the conversation go in whatever direction it cares to. You can decide "I want to make sure to say these things to him", make a list or a script or whatever, and then go "hey, Sylvain, I wanted to say some things". And then you say them. Simple. Conversations don't have to just be call and response; you can direct them if you've got a plan.

You can go 'okay, I want to make sure to apologize for kissing Claude because I wanted to hurt him, to tell him I was mad that he seemed like he didn't want to kiss me, and to tell him not to just run off without talking to me if things get bad', and then you figure out what words you'd use to say those things.

[bestswordmaster]

I'm not biased.
ok maybe.
ah that's why you're such a strong opponent.
you know not to bring your emotions onto the battlefield.
commendable.
I guess you have a reputation.
but listening to rumors is pointless.
they should decide based on your actions.
you're making all that seem easier than it is.
what if
you can predict what he'll say, right?
tell me what it is.
then I can respond.
as if you're him.

[vrdantwind]

Okay, of all the situations I've ever expected to be in through the course of my life, roleplaying with Felix Fraldarius never factored in. But hey, who am I to question fate?

[Granted, this kind of roleplaying with Felix Fraldarius feels like a curled finger of the monkey's paw, but. Details.]

That said, two things. One, I don't know what kind of mood he's going to be in when he talks to you, so that's going to make his responses a lot harder for me to predict. Two, even if I did know, there's no real guarantee that what I come up with is going to be accurate, okay? So...treat it like combat. There might be a rough battle plan, but you may need to use dynamic tactics if the situation changes in a way you didn't expect, okay?

Here's a question, though: why let him have the initiative? If this was a fight, I bet you'd make the first strike. So c'mon, hit me. Or him, as it were. Tell me the first thing you want to say to him, and I'll see if I can predict his responses.

[bestswordmaster]

roleplaying I don't know what that is.
he's either going to use his stupid fake smile and pretend to be fine
or he'll be angry.
but treating a conversation like a battle
I didn't know you could do that.
you're right I would strike first.
ok.

[Felix closes his eyes and pictures Sylvain. Through text, it's easier to imagine that he's writing to him instead of to...Claude.]

I can't believe you went off on your own in the middle of the night like that sylvain
I thought you said you would stop being so reckless
what were you thinking?

[vrdantwind]

[Hmm...how would Sylvain respond, Claude muses? Casually shrugging it off, or bitter?

Por que no los dos?]

I wasn't being reckless! I just had something I really had to go do. Besides, I figured this way I could give you and Claude your space.

[bestswordmaster]

[The frustration wells up inside him exactly as it would if this really were Sylvain.]

something you had to do
in the middle of the night??
no one needs that much space you nitwit
also I don't need space with claude
just get back here.

[vrdantwind]

I mean, I'm going to Goldenrod, and it's a long trip, so no time like the present to start, right?

And I mean, I guess you don't. You sure didn't give him much space the other night.

It's fine, I'll be back in a few weeks.

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix feels his face heat up, despite just reading words on a screen.]


you left ALONE.
why??
you made dimitri come after you with his ridiculous sled.
what I do with claude is none of your business.
knowing you you probably did a lot more with claude than I did anyway.
why is that a reason to run off for WEEKS?

[vrdantwind]

Maybe I just want some time to myself sometimes, okay? I figured you'd be happy to have me out of your hair for awhile.

And wait, how is what I do with Claude any of YOUR business? I mean, what you do with Claude, you did it right in front of me, so I kind of assumed you didn't care if I knew about it. Why are you acting like it's private now?

I told you, I have stuff to do. Whatever you want to do with Claude isn't related to this.

[Hmm. Claude feels like he's pretty well in-character right now, but...maybe he should put a stop to this for a moment. For one thing, he can tell Felix is getting mad, but more to the point...]

Okay, Felix, I'm breaking character for a minute here. Is this actually the way you want the conversation with Sylvain to go? Because I do think we're putting on a very convincing show of how it'll go if you just run in angry and without thinking, lashing out with accusations at him, but...the whole idea of planning what you'll say to him is so you can NOT have this kind of conversation with him. So you could have a productive one instead?

How about instead of asking him why he left - when you know why, and when he can give you a bunch of excuses why - you don't let him? Say something like "I'm really upset you left without talking to me, I want you back here with us". He wouldn't have any excuses to make about that, because you're telling him how you feel. Again - treat this like a battle. Think of ways to remove his ability to fight back. That means don't give him the opportunity to use the weapons he's most comfortable with - like making excuses and pretending things are fine when they're not. You can corner him with things he can't brush off, if you're smart about this.

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix grits his teeth as he reads the first part of the message, but then he blinks at the screen. He...convinced himself so thoroughly that he was talking to Sylvain that the reminder that he isn't is jarring. Which...why is Claude so good at mimicking Sylvain? It's kind of disturbing.]

no obviously it's not how I want it to go.
it's just
he puts himself in danger constantly for no good reason.
like he doesn't care if anything happens to him.
I hate it.
why would he think I want him to leave me alone?
he's such an idiot.
also I can't say those things.
I'm not like you.
and you and I have very different approaches to battle.
I'm not a tactician claude.
I'm a master swordsman.

[It's not until after he sends the message that he realizes he called Claude by his first name. Huh.]

[vrdantwind]

And what's that got to do with anything? You act as though a master swordsman doesn't need incredible control, precision, and technique.

I'm not saying you have to use my exact words. But look at it this way - this whole mess is because you and Sylvain don't know how each other feels, right? And you both got upset imagining how the other feels, and not getting what you want from each other. Fair enough.

But that means the solution is always, ultimately, going to boil down to "tell each other how you feel and what you want so you guys can be on the same page". You can do it in whatever way makes you want to let the earth swallow you the least, but you still need to do it. Sylvain can't give you what you want if he doesn't know what that is, and vice versa.

And don't say "we've known each other forever, he should know". By that token you should know what he wants, too. I say this with all the love in my heart, Felix - you're both idiots. Use your short words.

[bestswordmaster]

don't put words in my mouth.
wait I meant about combat techniques.
not
ugh.
look.
feelings are frustrating.
they're incomprehensible.
talking about them is like
handing your weapon to your enemy
and telling them to stab you.
except you don't even know which weapon you're wielding.
I don't know what I'm saying forget it.
he shouldn't have run off.
why does he think I don't care what happens to him?
how am I supposed to explain what happened with his inane plant
when I have no idea?

[vrdantwind]

That's why I'm saying tell him how you feel, and what you want. Even if you don't know or understand anything else, you know that, right?

And no, maybe you don't know or can easily explain all the fine details. But you know that he means a lot to you, that you want him to come back, that you never wanted him to leave, that you didn't really want to hurt him even if you were upset with him, that you're angry he ran off and doesn't take better care of himself when he's so important to you, and that you wanted him to kiss you. Those are all things you definitely know, right? It's just a matter of helping him know them, too.

And this is Sylvain. He might hurt you on accident, but I think he'd probably cut his own hand off before he did anything to hurt you on purpose. So all you need to do is let him know what hurts you so that he can avoid it. And yeah, that does mean being vulnerable. But if there's anyone I think you could trust to not ever try to use that against you, it'd be Sylvain, right?

At this point you're trusting me not to hurt you more than you are Sylvain, since you're being open with me and not him. Granted, I figured you out on my own...although not everyone's going to be able to lockpick their way into your confidence. But I don't think you could seriously tell me Sylvain can't be trusted with a set of keys. A guy who thinks Sylvain is smarter than me doesn't think he's such an asshole that he'd hit you in your weak points on purpose if you pointed them out to him.

So what is it you're afraid of, if not that?

[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.]

[bestswordmaster]

we spent all that time alone in the woods.
and he didn't do anything.
and then as soon as we got here he
even I know what that means.
he's been like this for years.
but never to me.
not that I want the awful fake sylvain.
ugh I don't know.
it's easier to tell you these things.
because I don't care what you think of me.
when I talk to him I can't say them.
it would be humiliating.

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?

I NEVER GOT THIS NOTIF, FUCK YOU DW

[rollstoseduce]

[Oh, look at all those compliments. Jaskier absorbs them like a plant absorbs the sun, they feed his ego just right. It also gives him hopes for where things may end with Claude in the future.]

You're right, any court would love to have me. But beg you I must, do not call this costume attempting to be a cloak trendsetting! It was a mere jest. Have you noticed how much of the local clothing is Pokémon-themed? It makes shopping for proper fashion more complicated than it should be.

I MEAN I ONLY JUST REPLIED TO IT LIKE AN HOUR AGO MAX

[vrdantwind]

Well, I guess it's not accurate to call it trendsetting if wearing pokémon fashion is already a trend here. But let's be fair here - it was a lot less about the article of clothing itself and much more about the model. The right person can make even the most ridiculous outfit flattering...

[rollstoseduce]

You think so? And here I was, thinking of sending you more pictures to aid me in my hunt for a proper cloak for the winter. But if you think it won't make a difference, well...

[vrdantwind]

I mean, in the sense that you'd make anything look fantastic, it won't make a difference. In the sense that I absolutely want to see them all, and that we can choose exactly what flavor of fantastic you'll be, it'll make all the difference in the world!