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 Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2022 1:42 pm
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The first thing Caleb had done with Camille had been to take him shopping. There was no way to start a new life with just the clothes on your back…it was possible, sure but not practical.
Perhaps he should have thought about getting a new place to live where it could just be the two of them…though…he was decidedly unhappy by the thought of leaving Ilya’s house. He enjoyed living there. Enjoyed the way life went with his friend, didn’t enjoy all of the rules but they had become part of life, and honestly…he would most likely keep them no matter where he ended up living.
He held Camille’s hand as he walked up to the house, stroking the back of it with his thumb. If worse came to the worst, he knew he could get them a hotel to stay in until they could find an apartment on their own but…he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
“Now, when we get in, there’s a little rug and we’ll leave the shoes by the door and then go and wash our hands. Ilya doesn’t like dirt, or touching really, so just keep that in mind. Sometimes it’s okay, but just make sure you keep your hands clean around him. He’s the nicest guy who would do anything for the people he’s friends with, but. It’s his house.”
He gave a little sigh as he unlocked the door and went inside, stripping his shoes off and putting them on the rug and then gestured for Camille to follow. “...I haven’t really told him about you, but I’m sure it will be fine. And if it’s not. I have money. I’ll just get us somewhere else to stay. No big deal at all.”
It was though. A very, very big deal indeed.
When his hands were dried on his towel, he left the bathroom, and waited for Cleeia to follow before heading to the living room. “Hey, Ilya? I brought home a friend…um. I did what you kind of told me too. He was corrupted and…I didn’t kill him…and now he’s purified so…are you cool if he lives here with us?”
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:31 pm
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Ilya was, quite obviously, caught unawares by the information.
He was sitting at the dining room table, looking out the sliding glass door at the fresh snow all across his backyard. He’d had his herbs inside and by the window since the cold started, but he still dreamed of his nice, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a proper space to grow his herbs.
Stacks of papers were around his desk, and he was working from a laptop when Caleb stepped in and addressed him.
It was a comfortable temperature in the house, and it smelled faintly of cleaning supplies. Everything had a specific spot.
Ilya took his organization as seriously as he took his cleaning.
His hair was tied up in a very neat bun while he worked, and he wore a pale gray-blue sweater and black jeans. He wore socks, but that wasn’t surprising given the temperature outside. Ilya looked clean and put together, and regarded his new guest with curiosity and–
Well, acceptance, probably. He looked to Caleb and then back, and there really wasn’t any way he could say no right now.
“I could clean out the room in back,” he said after a few seconds; he closed the laptop and looked towards an open door to his left and then back at the two. “It doesn’t have much furniture, just a futon.”
There were questions, of course. He should have given an introduction too, he was just so surprised that it slipped his mind.
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Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2022 3:34 am
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It was....disconcerting. Disorienting, even. To be a new person, remade completely, and to be trying to find his way through the world with barely any knowledge of what it was to live. He remembered being Cleeia, everything he'd done powered up, but the rest....the vast majority of his life....was a gaping, blank hole, and it left him off-balance.
But he had a new name. It had taken a little thought, before he left the Negaverse, but he'd picked it, and it was his. He had clothes, now, since Gelria--Caleb! It felt so good to know both his names, and for him to know both of Camille's--had taken him shopping. And he had somewhere to stay, hopefully. Somewhere warm and safe, where he would at least have a bed, while he figured out what else he was going to do.
He nodded along at Caleb's explanation, and he followed, taking off his shoes and going to wash his hands.
"Is there anything else I sohuld know?" Keeping things clean wouldn't be too hard. He liked cleanliness, neatness, order.
A bit of the impression he was developing of himself was that he might be a tad fussy. At least he was somewhere where that wouldn't be too inconvenient, it seemed.
He gave Caleb's friend a polite smile and a nod.
"A futon is fine, I can make due," he said. "Ah--I'm Camille." Since Caleb hadn't given his name. He wasn't sure if she sohuld mention the other name, if this person would want to know that, or any more specific details, but...at least he wasn't being kicked out. "And thank you. For letting me stay here. I know it's an unexpected inconvenience."
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 6:06 pm
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Caleb watched Ilya, a fond expression in his eyes, easily read by everyone in the room. “...I’m so sorry to just spring this on you. It…it did happen rather suddenly. I knew you wouldn’t want me to lash out like I did at the battle. I frightened you and upset you. I’m trying to be better, Ilya. But if this is going to bother you, it’s okay, I have the money to get a hotel room for a few days, or weeks even. Until we figure out another way to do this…but.”
He gave a small smile and hesitated, taking a step towards Ilya. “...This is a wonderful home, and I know it would…be the best option. Even if it’s only temporary. I’ll see that he follows your rules, they’re good ones anyway.”
It wasn’t a lie either. Caleb liked it. It was calming to make sure everything was clean, and Ilya’s comfort did matter to him. A lot.
He paused and pursed his lips, giving a little sigh. “I appreciate you, Ilya. Thank you for putting up with all of my bullshit. Camille is a good sort. I promise.”
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:57 pm
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Ilya wasn’t quite used to praise, obviously, and seemed a bit guarded against it. It was probably just a defense mechanism he’d put in place a long time ago and it took only a few seconds to settle.
“No, you made the right choice. I’m proud of you for helping someone. It’s much better than the alternative. You just took me a bit by surprise.”
He looked Camille over and continued, “I like structure, so surprises throw me for a loop. But, you’re welcome here. I trust Caleb. So, save your money, you don’t have to get a hotel room. It’s safe here, it’ll give you time to get your bearings and get things sorted. I don’t mind sharing my home. I like things in a very specific way. It’s not always convenient, I know I can be a bit difficult about everything. But if you can accommodate me, I don’t mind sharing the space while you get settled.”
Or, if he did, he was still too surprised and polite to say anything else about it, but it seemed like that could be a problem for another day. He was here, safe, for now. That was the most important thing; everything else could fall into place.
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Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2022 11:36 pm
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It all still felt a little...up in the air. Yes, Ilya said he was okay with Camille staying, but it wasn't hard for Camille to wonder if that was....well, if it was just for now. If there would eventually come a time where he was too much of a burden and was expected to leave.
That would just have to work itself out, he supposed. There was nothing he could do about it in this moment, and if it did end up that he eventually had to go, he would do it in a better position than he was in now, he was sure. Or, hew had to believe that, even though his brain wanted to circle around a dozen, a hundred, a thousand worst case scenarios.
Worst case scenarios were for tomorrow. For tonight, he had new clothes, and a new name, and a place to stay.
"I can accommodate you," he said. "I'm sorry, I wish I'd been able to give more warning, but....everything happened really quickly." He reached up to tug at the ends of his hair, briefly; he'd found that he liked how it felt to have it long when he was powered up, and so while it wasn't nearly as long as his corrupt form, he'd definitely let it grow out over the past few months, and he found it a convenient thing to fidget with, given the chance.
"Please let me know if there's anything I can do around the house, to help you both. I don't expect to freeload here." Because if he made himself useful, they would keep him. That was how it worked, wasn't it?
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