|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:36 pm
“You’re joking,” Sessrumnir frowned as he stared at the door not too far from the couch they’d just been sitting on. “I thought this was a closet. I tried opening it, but almost everything in this room was locked, so I didn’t try forcing it open.”
The door looked like it might have been more than just a closet door, but it was Jupiter and the styles were different from what he was used to. Still, knowing that he’d been so close to Percy’s bedroom this whole time after wondering where it was, well. He felt silly again.
Should he have known? Maybe it was the last bit of privacy that Percy wanted, and Michael was willing to let him have that. But Devyn was there with him, and he knew more about Percy than anyone else. If there was anyone he would want to explore the room with, it would be someone who knew the importance of everything.
Sessrumnir sighed, but didn’t need any more convincing. He stepped forward and took the knob in his hand once more and turned -- locked.
He let out a breath and closed his eyes. Devyn said there was likely magic that could unlock it, if that was what the wonder would allow. What Percy would allow. It didn’t take more than a couple second of him focusing on it before he heard the lock click from the inside. He turned the now unlocked knob again, and pushed it open--
And then took a step aside, so Devyn could enter first. He’d been the last one in that room after all, from his understanding.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:03 am
Oh. That was easy. But it had been locked, so that meant no one had been in here, since–
Was that possible? Could they really have not had anyone in here? Obviously there hadn’t been another Knight of Sessrumnir–right? But how quickly had it fallen after Percy–
Alastor exhaled, because there was a small part of him that probably hoped the door wouldn’t open. If it had stayed shut, he wouldn’t have had to go in. He wouldn’t have had to confront anything. He and Michael could have continued this comfortable–whatever it was that they had going on. Could have camped in the office, or gone around to see what furniture was still in any salvageable state and built a fort or something.
He expected dust. He expected melancholy. He expected despair.
And yet, he still went through the doorway, because this room was still home to him, as much as his own room was.
“At least we didn’t have to break the door down,” he suggested, but honestly, if Michael hadn’t been able to open it he didn’t know if he would have had the heart to try and get in any other way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 5:40 pm
Sessrumnir hadn’t expected to be able to open it either. He’d tried. At least once before. He figured it was nothing and went about his business trying to figure out what this place was and what it wanted from him.
He stepped into the room behind Alastor, watching him rather than looking around. At least for a few moments. He knew it was probably incredibly difficult for him to face things he would rather not. He had been in denial for centuries, and was only just now understanding that it had all been a lie that he made up for himself.
The room itself was--
“It’s smaller than I expected,” he frowned, looking around at what was a rather cozy looking room. It had a decently sized bed. One that could probably even fit Princess. There was another open door that revealed a bathroom. There was enough room for a small table and a couple chairs, and another small couch that had bookshelves packed full. It looked put together -- the bed was made and there were no clothes or things on the floor, minus a stack of books by one of the bookshelves. There was a wardrobe too, and a smaller dresser, on which stood a decently sized mirror. The surface had small decorative containers that held various pieces of jewelry or nicknacks.
And on the walls were paintings. Some were landscapes, but it was clear that Percy put a lot of effort into one portrait of both himself and Devyn wearing what looked like what might have been wedding attire. They weren’t looking at the artist, but at each other. They looked so happy, even in paint, that Michael felt his heart ache.
But there was also dust.
He was prepared to clean up any dust in the various rooms they tackled, so that was the first thing he started working on while Devyn let himself get lost in memories or whatever it was he wanted to do. Michael started on the higher surfaces -- the top of the wardrobe seemed like a good place -- and worked on collecting up as much dust as he could.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 6:00 pm
Devyn wasn’t really overcome with emotion, but he was frozen by it. The room was everything he remembered, in every way that he remembered, just dusty–and even then, he’d seen it dusty before. It could get that way if they were gone for too long.
Not this bad, but…
It wasn’t unfamiliar to him, even now.
For a moment, he stood off to the side and just looked at everything. His memory of this room was flawless, but there was something satisfying about seeing it, about knowing that this part of his memory was untouched by time.
And it was still here. Like him. More than just things, they were memories. It was still home.
His eyes were on the paintings and his eyes traced the lines like he could see Percy making them.
He’d help clean, he wanted to. He just needed a minute more to drag himself out of the past. He could hear the whispers of their conversations while Percy painted some of them, and when they were picking which ones to hang up. He remembered laying in bed some nights, playing with his hair and falling asleep to the pictures.
Devyn sighed heavily, and when he thought he saw some dust move from that, he fanned at the air. “Princess, of all the rooms we could use that tail of yours.”
It was better that she didn’t break anything in here, though.
He moved a bit slower, but if there was any hope of staying in this room for any reason, they would need to get this dust out. He started working on the table nearest to him.
He didn’t mind the silence, maybe. He didn’t want Michael to mind it.
He didn’t want him to think he regretted coming into this room.
Devyn didn’t want to be morose in this room, so he didn’t let any sadness or despair creep into his voice when he spoke. “I wonder if my shampoo is any good.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 5:53 am
Sessrumnir was extremely careful as he worked. Everything was treated with respect, if not reverence. It wasn’t his room or his things, after all. These belonged to Percy, to Devyn. Maybe it was a good thing that he never found this room. He wouldn’t have known what to do with it. He would have rummaged through things without realizing that Devyn was still alive and deserved to have a chance to see everything as it was.
He hoped that there was some comfort in knowing everything had been left the same. No vandals had managed to access this part of the wonder.
“Oh, you don’t like mine?” Michael asked in response to Devyn’s comment. He glanced over to the doorway to make sure Princess remained there. She seemed content chewing (and drooling) all over her toy. But her tail did thwap heavily against the floor when Devyn said her name.
“You’re right. He was very talented,” he said after a few moments of carefully dusting off as much as he could of the wardrobe.
“When you get a moment, I want to take these down so I can get to the top better,” he explained, nodding to one of the landscape paintings. The top of the frame was just out of his reach, and he didn’t want to knock it off the wall trying to clean it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:38 am
The corner of his lip twitched into a smile when Michael mentioned his own shampoo, but it grew a bit more pronounced when he praised Percy’s artwork. “Yeah, I can do that.”
Probably best to start from the top down when it came to dusting, but.
If they didn’t get all the dust this time, they’d just have to spend more time in here.
He moved closer to Sessrumnir and very carefully gripped the bottom of the painting so he could lift it from the wall. He had a good grip on it, not so much that he was worried about damaging it, but not so weak that he was afraid of dropping it.
“You want me to hold it or just set it off to the side until we get the rest of this wiped off?”
It wasn’t like he was going to forget where they went, and it was probably a good idea to make sure they were still sturdy enough to stay hanging. He didn’t want some bad thunderstorm to shake them off and damage them, after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:13 pm
“Sorry, you’ll probably end up having to do double the work,” Sessrumnir apologized as Devyn took the first painting down from the wall.
“I want to clean the painting itself, but I want to double check what we can use that won’t damage the paint. I’m sure mom will know. If there’s a painting you’re not too fond of, we can probably take it back with us just to make sure whatever we use from Earth won’t damage the others,” he suggested, because the last thing he wanted to do was ruin any of Percy’s art. And he had a feeling that Devyn was going to say he was fond of all Percy’s art.
“So for now, let’s just get the frames dusted and back up. I think that will be best. Keep them off the floors. In case Princess wants to come in later,” he said and glanced at the giant canine as she squeaked her toy. She was so patient and quiet. If all dogs were like her, he wouldn’t mind having one. But she wasn’t just a dog.
“Is there anything in here you don’t want me touching?” he asked, because he didn’t want to upset Devyn in any way. This was his room more than it was Michael’s. “I want to take the sheets off, too. Get them washed at least. Sleeping in hundreds of years of dust probably isn’t a good idea. I brought some basic sheets you can use. Blankets too.”
He worked as he spoke, carefully using one of the dusters he’d brought with him to clean off the top of the frame and around the sides. He could have been more thorough about it, but he would do that once they were ready to clean the painting itself. For now, he just wanted to get the air somewhat breathable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 7:37 pm
Devyn didn’t mind doing double the work, or triple, or more than that if it meant that this place could get cleaned up and the artwork could be preserved. He was visibly interested in the idea, even if he did bristle at the idea of damaging the artwork.
But, he wasn’t an art expert. He didn’t know what might happen if they weren’t properly cleaned or better preserved.
He’d trusted Michael before, he’d do it again.
Getting things dusted and making sure this room was hospitable was the priority for now, and if he was just going to take paintings off the wall, make sure they were dusted, and put them back up again, he could do that easily.
Maybe there were some other paintings, ones Percy hadn’t done, that they could test things on. He’d look later.
Changing the sheets was a good idea, but honestly Devyn probably wouldn’t have complained if they weren’t going to get washed. If he could sleep in the dirt outside, dust couldn’t be that much worse. Probably He wasn’t really picky these days.
With Michael, he was even more agreeable.
But, he didn’t really know how to answer his question. Was there something in here he didn’t want him touching? Was there anything in here so taboo, so precious, that he couldn't imagine someone else–couldn't imagine Michael laying hands on it?
“I trust you,” he found himself saying. An answer, but not really. He didn’t know what to do about the things in here. Percy wasn’t coming back. Devyn could live in his memories of him. There was plenty to relive in this room, and he was certainly going to blame all the dust in the air when his eyes felt warm and itchy.
Nothing needed to be thrown away, nothing needed to be moved beyond being cleaned.
“If you want to touch something, I know you’ll be careful. Why, has something caught your eye?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:07 pm
“Maybe your shampoo.”
He tried not to make it obvious that the corner of his lip twitched into a smile, but after making sure the current frame he was working on was cleaned, he turned to look at Devyn more fully.
“No, nothing’s caught my eye yet. I didn’t want to do anything I shouldn’t. I might have inherited Sessrumnir, but these are still Percy’s things. And yours,” he said, because he thought it was important to remind Devyn that he had lived there, too.
He took his time with the portrait of Percy and Devyn, making sure to clean it as best he could while also not making Devyn stand around waiting too long. And yet, he couldn’t help himself with wanting to take the time to look more closely at the painting.
Percy had painted Devyn with surprising accuracy. Each brush stroke had obviously been very careful and purposeful. He was spot on with the color of Devyn’s eyes, which made Michael wonder…
“He had grey eyes?” Maybe that was a stupid question. He’d seen the tiny portrait that Devyn had in his locket, and he’d seen memories, but maybe he never really noticed things like that. Or hair color for that matter.
“You know, even if I hadn’t been reborn with his starseed, I wonder if I would have been Sessrumnir anyway,” he frowned as he let Devyn put the painting back up when he was ready. “Dad wasn’t reborn like us. Like me or Chris, I mean. If we look back in our family history, I wouldn’t be surprised to see our family branching from Percy’s. I guess our hair color was a pretty strong gene.” Dark brown with a hint of red.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:33 pm
Michael had a surprisingly easy way about him, especially given how upset Devyn could have been about all of this. But, he kept it just light hearted enough that Devyn couldn’t really sink into any upset. In many ways, Devyn was out of place, and things like this were a reminder that his place was a thousand years ago.
Michael had inherited Sessrumnir–what did he want to do with all of these things? Percy’s trinkets couldn’t be as interesting to Michael as they had been his predecessor, and while Devyn didn’t think he’d throw them away, he also didn’t know what Michael’s hopes were for them.
He held the painting up for a moment long so he could see it up close before he finally returned it to the wall.
“Now that you mention it, I do see similarities. You know, I didn’t have a favorite color until I met Percy. But that grey,” he looked into Percy’s eyes, “Prettiest color I’ve ever seen. Like storm clouds. I don’t like bad weather. I’ve got old scars that always ache when a storm rolls in. But I always look forward to the clouds.”
He had a lot of reasons not to like bad weather, but that was probably the shortest reason he could give for it.
“I can move some things out if you want to make space,” he decided, looking at some of Percy’s trinkets, at his wardrobe. It’s not like they were Michael’s size, anyway. And Devyn’s closet was big enough to fit all of them, he’d hold onto them until–
Well, there wasn’t really an ‘until’. He wasn’t going to get any smaller, and it’s not like he had anyone else that could use the clothes. He just didn’t want to throw them away.
“I’ve got a lot of his things back in my room, too. When we had a doorway to connect us, there wasn’t really much of a distinction between what went where. My room is bigger. I’ve got a few of Sessrumnir’s books there, I should probably return them.” Though, it wasn’t like people were lining up to check them out these days.
“If something catches your eye, here or there, you’re welcome to take a look. If it’s important, I’ll have a story about it. I think I’d like to find his sketchbooks. I know he kept some journals, too. There’s probably a lot of little things around here. I don’t know what to do with them. If you find something you like, let me know.”
He gave the painting one last look before he moved to the next. He didn’t know if it was cathartic to talk about his father, or if he was still trying to walk on eggshells, so he broached the topic carefully enough that Michael could have given him another dismissive answer if he wasn’t ready. “Was it easy for your father to inherit his Wonder or did it give him difficulties? I don’t know much about the process now. I suppose things are very different without the Academy, or people to help assign Wonders that need protection.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2022 4:45 pm
Sessrumnir pursed his lips thoughtfully as he looked at the portrait as it was placed back on the wall, but then shook his head and went back to the task of dusting everything else.
“I haven’t met anyone else whose favorite color was grey,” he admitted, but didn’t let the comment linger. It wasn’t important what his favorite color was, but it was interesting to know that Devyn liked the same color.
It was also interesting that Devyn seemed so ready to adjust to change when it came to cleaning up the room. Moving things and returning books. Keeping an eye out for things that might be important -- things that would have been important to Devyn. Important to Percy.
“From what Chris told me, dad just awoke one day. He was out with mom, who was already a new Page. Went to pick up something to throw at a youma that was harassing civilians, and he came into his power that way. Chris also said dad went to his wonder at least once. Met some old ghost who seemed happy that his bloodline passed on, even if he wasn’t happy dad was older,” Michael sighed.
But then for a moment, he paused and frowned thoughtfully. With Beau’s starseed in an unknown state, that meant the next in line to inherit his Wonder…
They really needed to get those kids into some kind of self defense classes… but he would worry about that at some other point in time.
Instead, he waited until Devyn was done putting another dusted painting back up before he gently placed a hand on the back of his shoulder to try and pull his full attention. If Michael tried telling him anything, Devyn might have already been too distracted by everything else. So he wanted to try and make sure he was listening.
“I’m not cleaning this place up for me, Dev. Everything can stay where it is. I just want things to be cleaned up. But this isn’t for me. These things aren’t mine. And I have no intention of changing things or moving anything. Okay?”
This was Devyn’s room, after all. As much as it was Percy’s. And Michael had no intention of changing that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2022 5:12 pm
There were a few things Devyn might have said. He might have commented on how powerful the connection of a Knight and their Wonder could be, that their spirit would linger there instead of returning the Cauldron. He might have mentioned that Peter had once told him Michael’s favorite color was grey. He might have mentioned something about the whole family being tied to Knighthood, and how he could definitely believe that they were related to the Martels, no matter how distantly.
Instead, he just felt the weight of Michael’s hand on his shoulder, and the weight of his words, and that was really all he could think about.
He half turned, not enough to break the contact but enough that he could comfortably look at Michael when he decided to speak again.
There were two people here, and Princess, and if Michael wasn’t doing it for himself then he was doing it for Devyn.
Although, Princess might enjoy a clean bed. If she was going to be up here alone, she might as well be in luxury.
Once more, he pressed his lips together, and his eyes escaped to a corner of the room. To the artwork on the walls behind Michael. Finally, back to him.
“One day, someone’s going to have to, though. I’d rather it be you and me and not some space merchant here to defile the place. I won’t lie that it brings me comfort to see it as I remember it. I like that it’s something I recognize. Sometimes my own world looks different to me. It’s not what I see in my memories. But this is. And I can’t express to you how grateful I am to be here right now. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with any of it,” he confessed. “It’s important to me, all of it is. But.”
Percy wasn’t here. It bothered him to think that he should have to do anything. Michael wasn’t asking him to, he knew that.
Maybe it was best to just focus on cleaning. Maybe they didn’t have to make any plans. Maybe there would be another, and somehow between now and then he’d have more answers.
“I don’t want it to collect dust forever. So what,” he paused, because words escaped him and his throat burned a bit; he needed only a short few seconds to work it out. “What do people usually do when it comes to things like this?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2022 6:16 pm
All of this was difficult. He knew it was. He’d experienced it, himself. He was experiencing it now with his father being gone and with Devyn there at Sessrumnir. But there wasn’t a right answer. At least not one that would fit every situation.
“What do you think Percy would have wanted?” he asked, trying to be as gentle as he could be while ignoring the pull of memories that had nothing to do with Sessrumnir or Devyn. “If it helps you to decide anything, mom wants to keep dad’s office the same. She knows she will have to go through his things to decide what to keep or get rid of. Other people could use nice clothes or shoes. Dad wouldn’t have wanted stuff like that to collect dust. But he was proud of the things he built. Models of boats and planes and things. And his grandchildren liked looking at them, so those will probably be kept around.”
His heart hurt. He still felt guilt and resentment at himself for so many things. There were so many things that he could have done differently. Probably. Things that would have made a difference. Instead, he was just trying to understand how to properly cope. Distracting himself with helping Devyn was good. For now. It was easier when he wasn’t trying to fall asleep.
“I’d like to preserve what we can. Even if we move things out of this room, we should find a place to either keep the things very personal to Percy and you safe. So no one can come and start taking things.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2022 6:46 pm
There was a way that Michael could speak to Devyn that made sense. He tried to remember if the others had ever found a way to communicate how to grieve properly–how to figure out what to do to ‘move on’.
But Michael wasn’t asking him to move on. He wasn’t expecting him to miraculously have answers, or to know what to do and need it done now. He didn’t expect things of him.
When Percy had died, Devyn had buried himself in work because he didn’t want to have to think of those things. He’d pushed himself to the brink of exhaustion because that was the only way he could sleep. He worked and never stopped.
In some ways, he’d worked through the pain, until he’d just developed a new normal.
A new normal that just erased all of his problems, and now he had to pick up the pieces and deal with them.
But, it was easier with Michael here. He didn’t know why. It probably wasn’t as simple as Percy’s starseed. But that probably helped. To know, with certainty, that it had healed.
Michael wasn’t Percy. And yet, Devyn felt calmer around him.
It helped that he gave good advice, and he was patient. He understood, without Devyn having to spell everything out.
“I’d like that, too.”
Preservation wasn’t letting things age into obscurity and disrepair. He could protect the things that were important to them. It wasn’t going to bring Percy back, they were just things.
But, ******** it, they were things that made him feel happy, and he was going to cling to every ounce of it.
“Percy would have wanted something good to come of it. Of everything. If he wasn’t using the clothes, he’d have wanted to donate them, probably. They’re out of fashion, now, I suppose. Earth has questionable taste, though. Maybe someone will want them, if they’re still in good condition. There’s a lot of jewelry, I liked to give him gifts. There are a few that I wouldn’t give away.”
Well. He’d given the necklace away, but that was different. That felt right.
“The books can go to the library. Unless he wrote them, then I want them. I am particularly sentimental to the things he created. I think he’d have been sad to see the art stay hidden away. I think I’d like to see if we could share them. If they can be preserved, I’d like to bring some back from Alastor, too. The ones in the lobby were meant to be shared, and I’m the only foot traffic right now. It’s not wasted on me, but I know them by heart. I can repurpose just about anything that doesn’t have purpose. I just have to find a project. Although, these sound like long term plans. I hope you don’t intend to get tired of me any time soon. How long can I borrow your office before I’ve overstayed my welcome?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2022 8:07 pm
“Earth does have questionable taste,” he agreed, but in a way that made it sound just slightly teasing, because he had a feeling that Devyn knew how out of place he looked on Earth. Of all the clothing styles he’d seen, Devyn’s probably belonged in some theatrical performance more than walking around on the street. Not that he was going to break that to him. Yet.
“We will see what we can do. I want to be careful about bringing too much to Earth. People might get suspicious if there’s metals or gems that aren’t found on Earth, or can’t be created. And I don’t think I feel comfortable giving it away as costume jewelry. Maybe we can have Peter come with us and take a look at everything. That’s what he wants to do, anyway. Archive artifacts and learn about them. He just thinks calling it treasure hunting sounds cooler. He might actually have a better idea of how to clean the paintings, now that I’m thinking about it,” Sessrumnir sighed, and gave Devyn’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before letting go.
“You can borrow the office as long as you’d like. I was thinking about moving the desk downstairs anyway. That way you can have a room to put your own things in. Give you some more space. I can probably move some of the furniture in my room around to fit the desk. Besides, you should probably have a proper bed to sleep in. That fold out bed is only going to be comfortable for so long.”
He’d started dusting again as he spoke, wanting to get things cleaned up while also not wanting to make a big deal about Devyn staying with him. It wasn’t a big deal. And maybe Michael liked having the company, even if he wasn’t going to say it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
