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[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

Asar-Suti has been on a morning walk along the lake.

Yesterday had been extreme. To say the least. There had been David, and there had been Loki-the-god, and they both fell under long-time temptations finally given in to - one fulfilled, and one accepted for future reference.

And then, there had been the funeral of a friend, something Asar-Suti can't remember ever having been to, not in human shape. People had died on him, and he had missed them, but he's never been in a crowd of mourners that he remembers, crying, and comforting two people that he loved. Yes, loves.

Pensively and rather snowed-upon from his walk, Asar-Suti drifts over to the coffee machine to make himself a café au lait; for some reason, he's chosen a rectangular cup, and so he watches in geekish fascination how well the milk foams up in that form.

Shape informs being, he muses, deciding that in the near future, there has to be more Blais. Or possibly more Hyde, although Asar-Suti would much prefer Blais for some female-shaped fun.

With the foam almost rising out of the cup, he drifts over to his usual chair by he fireplace and sits down with his book.

{{OOC: 1) Mun's at work on her freelance project again; replies will be intermittent. 2) Warnings for both links up there, David's for sex and blood-drinking and magic/vampiric mind stuff, and Loki's for Wrongness That Makes Certain Muns Wail.}}

Comments

[femme-wizard.livejournal.com]

At least someone around here looks relatively cheerful.
It's Esk. She hasn't been in the bar for a couple of days, and has no idea what's been happening. She sits down heavily in the chair across from her friend.

"Hi."

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Esk - where have you been?" Asar-Suti asks. "Have you found your country again - I have not yet found my not-friend who might help, but he's been very busy with a friend of his whom calamity has befallen - so dreadfully to justify this choice of words."

Asar-Suti drinks his coffee; milk foam sticks to his upper lip.

[femme-wizard.livejournal.com]

"Well, not exactly found it, but I think it's going to be..."

She pauses.

"Is your friend OK?"

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"They're neither exactly my friends, and no, they're probably neither all right - somebody died who was dear to my not-friend's friend, and in fact to many people in the bar including me."

She must be confused by so many people and such an utter lack of names.

"Sorry, things have a been weird recently."

Obviously.

"So, what about your country, then? Going to be found?"

[femme-wizard.livejournal.com]

"Died in the... unexpected sense?" Esk has seen people die, but they all knew it was going to happen and had the good manners to throw a goodbye party for the students and faculty. She falters a little.
"... I'm sorry. That must be awful."

She looks down at the ledger on her lap, cheer mostly gone.

"I'm fairly sure it's going to be found: one day at least." She's not so certain now.

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"In the unexpected sense, yes. I don't know particulars, people were to shocked to talk much, but his brother said he had been murdered. But you don't really have to worry about it, you probbly never met him, nor any of his friends yet. It's only a setback in so far that my not-friend who knows Granny Weatherwax is caught up in that, in not at all in evidence."

David had told Asar-Suti about Lochiel's involvement, and the fact he's taking care of Bartleby.

"What makes you think your country is going to be found, though? Have you seen a future where it's there again?"

[femme-wizard.livejournal.com]

Esk frowns. She wasn't thinking about setbacks. But she drops the issue.

"Yes, pretty much. It appears that someone from Lancre's future has been visiting this bar."

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"Oh have they - who are they? Any iea? And what kind of papers are those?"

Asar-Suti eyes Eks's ledger. It look - boding, and important.

[femme-wizard.livejournal.com]

"This," she says, hefting it, "is the chorus and cast lists for the Ankh-Morpork Opera House over the period my letters stopped coming. I've been filing through all the paperwork I could find in the place," she sounds pleased with herself. "And that wasn't easy. Opera people are not organised people."

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

Once Gil has finished talking to Esk [in a different Milliways continuum] he approaches Sooty and sits down.

"How are you today?" he asks, grateful for someone he doesn't have to pretend with.

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"I feel odder than I can possibly describe," Asar-Suti says, putting his arm around Gil and burying his less-than-dainty nose in the ex-faun's warm brown hair, inhaling the scent of him, holding him close.

"I love you, you know, Gil," he says, seriously, offhandly, as if he were making a remark that's not quite to the point.

When he was just talking to Esk, Asar-Suti had suddenly felt so very proud and happy about Gil. Somehow, Gil should know that, despite all the grief that has been visited on him - and Sooty doesn't even know about the fact that Gil has been helping with Charlie's dead body.

He holds Gil close, and feels the sadness coming from him like a small, dejected cloud of dark brown unhappiness.

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

"" Gil turns in his arms and buries his nose in Sooty's neck.

"They are so unhappy and I can't do anything to help," he whispers.

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

Among the 'they', there is somebody whose name Asar-Suti will not mention to Gil again, but who is unhappy right along with the rest of the Cabal by virtue of the lir-link to Bartleby. Asar-Suti knows precisely how Gil feels. And then there is David, of course...

"I know exactly how you feel," he sighs, staying vague, and pulling Gil as close as he can. "But they love each other, and they're there for each other," he adds very quietly. Even Bartleby and David got on yesterday, didn't they?

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

"" Gil says with a rather painful sigh. "Oh gods, Sooty. It was a long night."

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"Like us," Asar-Suti confirms, his face against Gil's hair, his hands gently stroking Gil's shoulder.

"A long night - what happened after you went back to work and I went upstairs?"

His hand now strokes Gil's cheek - if there is anyting that can make him relax after that 'long night', Asar-Suti will gladly provide. Tenderness, cuddles, and gentle words...

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

"Nothing - nothing at all," Gil replies. "I worked then it got quiet but I couldn't get to sleep. I went for a walk in the end. I hate it when the hours go on and on and on." He sighs closing his eyes. "I wish I could make them feel better. Thank the gods I'm not a faun anymore, the smell would be awful"

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

"You should have come to see me; I feel awful to know you were that unhappy. I come to you when I'm deeply unhappy as well, don't I?"

He kisses Gil's cheek.

"Does unhappiness have a distinct smell to fauns?" he asks then; when he tried faun-shape, he didn't go into details all that much.

[mailorderjunkie.livejournal.com]

A very large snake (not so large as having his head the size of a dolphin, but rather large...bigger than is natural anyway)slithers across the bar and wraps around one of Asar Suti's legs before poking his head up to nuzzle at Asar Suti's hand.

Are you well, Esteemed Asar Suti? You seem as if something weighs on you. Is there anything I could do?

Asar Suti should recognize the voice, even if it is no longer being projected with sound from mouth to ear but now, mind to mind.

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

Strange how you can touch somebody in animal-shape that you'd never touch in human-shape, Asar-Suti muses as he pats the head of the big snake.

"Hello, Yamino," he says aloud. "Yes, a friend of ours died, and there was a funeral by the lake last night. Things are a bit - subdued at the moment."

[mailorderjunkie.livejournal.com]

The snake's head rises to nuzzle at Asar Suti's cheek and the coils wrap further and squeeze a little in a hug.

Thus have I heard. I am sorry for your loss, Esteemed Asar Suti. I did not know the man who died, but from all accounts...I am deeply sorry that I never met him.

His tongue flicks out to brush across Asar Suti's cheek.

If there is anything I can do...

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

Asar-Suti's hands comfortably touch the sleek coild of huge snake, and he smiles at the touch of that tongue.

"I am mostly sorry for those of my friends that knew him better than I did, that miss him with sharps, merciless pain instead of the more modest grief and stunned feeling I have," he says. "There are people here who loved him fiercely, and one I used to care for very much is very good friends with the dead man's lover."

[mailorderjunkie.livejournal.com]

Pain and grief are still pain and grief. Yours is no less worthy of comfort than any other. There *are* those here who knew him better, and I have spoken to some of them, but I am here for you as well. I did not know him, so his death has left me relatively unscathed...though I am no stranger to loss.

He nuzzles again against Asar Suti's cheek.

I will do all that I can to help those here. I have found nothing but kindness here.

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

His arms full of giant cuddly snake, Asar-Suti leans back in his chair.

And here he was, always thinking that kittens are love, and there's nothing better for petting than a purring furry thing...

"Thank you, Yamino; I appreciate that very much. I spoke to your father, by the way, and I am going to come see your world soon."

[mailorderjunkie.livejournal.com]

The snake pounces and in a flash curls all around Asar Suti with a delighted light squeeze.

Oh, that is *wonderful*, Esteemed Asar Suti! I cannot wait to be able to cook for you and show you some of the items I've gotten from my mail order catalogue!

He nuzzles at Asar Suti's face with deep delight.

[asar-suti.livejournal.com]

Asar-Suti grins with unexpected delight; why shouldn't he go there for a tryst with the father and some innocent fun with the son at the same time?

"What kind of things do you have for breakfast in your world?"