Inbox: Labyrinthum

[kepthimhuman]

This is Neal. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you when I can.

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[kepthimhuman]

Nothing about that statement surprises him. There being something his father was ignoring, and the time that he would choose to bring it up. Which could have been a worse time, of course, he just suspects that there will also turn out to have been a better time.

But if it's something his father has been putting off, then it must also be something that is worrying him.

Neal stops in the middle of helping to set the table for breakfast, his fingernails still stained with the charcoal he uses for drawing. "What is it?"

[amicustenebris]

"Honestly, you arrived so shortly after it was first brought up that I forgot it for a while."

The spread is very old world. Perhaps a little more sumptuous than they would have been able to afford in the Enchanted Forest, but it has a familiar feel. Slices of fresh baked bread. Cheese. Butter and a jar of what appears to possibly be jam? Sausages and eggs. Enough for two and seconds, even leftovers to be preserved and packed away. But plated for everyone to freely partake.

"But I have been looking around to have something more permanent done about my ankle. My magic, when I have it, makes it as though there was never a problem at all, but that goes away when the magic goes, as you can see. Most here can't do much about it because it is an older injury, but a healer has offered to take the first step, at least. As payment for a recent favor."

[kepthimhuman]

Favor. He remembers well how those work with his father. Although in this case, the favors wouldn't tend to involve magic, and there's plenty of exchanges of favors happening here. They don't happen in the same way here that they might have in the Enchanted Forest. "Okay. So what does that mean?"

[amicustenebris]

"She'll be using her abilities to heal at least the bones. The rest -- the muscles, the tendons, all that? Well, they are still accustomed to what I've been for all this time. So I won't be running marathons and there is likely more to see to still. But it's a start. I've been told to have someone along that can keep me unconscious while she works -- that is taken care of. But you're family, and this is the sort of thing you tell family. Whether it's to ask them to be present or just...be aware of what is happening. Yes?"

[kepthimhuman]

"That sounds right." His father is telling him things, that's progress. And Neal doesn't begrudge him his desire to try and have his ankle fixed. "Thank you for telling me."

[amicustenebris]

"...You're under no obligation." He seats himself, takes a steadying breath. "But the company would also help. I'm essentially allowing someone to cut me open, and there will never be a part of me that doesn't hate the idea."

[kepthimhuman]

"I'll be there." There's no hesitation. He wants to be aware of what's happening, although perhaps for different reasons than his father. Not that he'll be able to do anything about it if things don't go the way Gold wants, but at least he'd be there.

[amicustenebris]

"Thank you." And because he didn't want the subject to stop the entire morning dead, he immediately busies himself with more that needs doing in the kitchen before serving himself. Things that can be put away, cleaned.

[kepthimhuman]

"You're welcome." He watches his father putz around the kitchen a bit before speaking again. "So you seem to have settled in here."

[amicustenebris]

"Yes. Something to keep me busy." And he certainly has been, especially when he was snowed in on his initial arrival. No other way to keep himself focused but to find things to do.

Even if he had access to a spinning wheel then, he hadn't quite gotten to the point where he wanted to.

[kepthimhuman]

"And made connections with people, too." He knows this is the hard one for his father, but he must have put some effort into it if he's got people who can help with healing his ankle.

[amicustenebris]

"Everyone here is in the same boat; it pays to know a few and keep up with what is going on." It is easy for him to brush it off as mainly business. "...Of course I have gotten to know a few people. People I work with. People I might have known of already. Maybe even a friend or two."

[kepthimhuman]

Uh huh. That's his father's only reason for talking to people. But Neal won't press.

"Which ones are those?" He's met a couple of people already who know Gold, even if only over text.

[amicustenebris]

"Loki is a coworker of mine at the tailor's."

Avoiding the F word, they are both comfortable around one another, Gold taking to his company quickly because his manner was very reassuringly familiar. The sort of person, for better or worse, that the Dark One would be comfortable around because they spoke a very similar language.

"Several members of the council, familiar names. Many of the princesses here -- and there are a surprising number of them gathered in one place for anywhere that isn't Storybrooke -- I don't think they are from our world but some iteration is. Webby is...Webby. And will make your acquaintance whether you like it or not."

Delivered with a thousand yard stare.

"There are several people who were once denizens of at least a version of Hell. World Without Magic-Hell, specifically. That is not a warning. I can hardly claim to have met them all, but the ones I have are just...people, at the end of the day."

[kepthimhuman]

"That's how it is in most places." People are just people, in Neal's experience, and what varies is how the people interact with each other. Something that works better for some than it does for others. "And some of these people have...abilities, of some sort?"

[amicustenebris]

"Probably safe to assume they all do, or did." This place being what it is. "I'm...friends with at least one. Stolas." There's something a little softer there. It's probably why he feels comfortable saying it so plainly. "Some of the cuttings that are about ready to transfer come from him. He's quite skilled with plants."

[kepthimhuman]

A friend. That's a comfort. He knows how hard it is for his father to make friends. "I'm glad to see you're making the best of the situation. Making a new start."

[amicustenebris]

"It was unexpected, all things considered."

But what else was there to do, in agreeing to be here?

But unexpected, yes. How certain people he looked forward to seeing. Who even the sight or sound of there is a sudden rush. The desire to be in their company. Elation that they are there.

[kepthimhuman]

"Those are the best experiences sometimes." But not always. He's had unexpected things happen to him that had been far from good. "I'm glad you're not shutting yourself away."

[amicustenebris]

"And what of you?" he asked. It occurs to him he hasn't bothered to ask. But it isn't quite right: a youth encouraging the older to live while standing back and watching. "Who have you met so far?"

[kepthimhuman]

"A lot of people who turned out to know you, actually." Or they had approached him because he had mentioned Gold in the information he put out. "Loki, the Doctor, it wasn't in person but I did chat with someone named...Belle." He perhaps hasn't gotten out as much as he should have, but at least he's not a hermit.