Welcome to Gaia! ::

Caedus was not a fan of the winter. He’d spent more time indoors than usual, grateful for the generosity of those that offered him a safe place to hide himself. He’d been kept fed and warm, but his restlessness always seemed to catch up to him. He had little to offer this world, and the more he stayed put, the more anxious he got.

Now was no exception.

He just hated the snow. It wasn’t only the chill, or the way it made his bones crack and rattle when he moved. He hated the footprints, too. He hated the way it made him easy to find. Often, once he found a secluded place away from everyone else, he would walk in large circles to disrupt the entire area and dirty up the snow. He didn’t like the silence, either. No birdsong, no animals. No leaves to shake in the wind.

He heard Leah well before she arrived.

In better times, he might have gone to greet her. Now, he was rooted to the ground in front of an icy tree. It wasn’t the only one of its kind, but it was the worst of it. Some of the nearby trees were in various stages of similar icy mutation. His brows were knitted together as he observed the anomaly.

Caedus had his hood pulled up; he wasn’t dressed in any Velencian garb today. He was dressed in a custom cut outfit that looked expensive and well fitting, and a winter coat and cloak. From a distance, he looked like any other well-dressed city-goer. Up close, he was still Caedus.

“Caedus,” he called back softly, not at her volume, but enough to be heard. He sounded a bit distracted. He tore his gaze from the tree but it was a slow and arduous process. His bones creaked as he did so but he half turned to face her.

His voice was gravely and he had to forcefully clear his throat. The cold was not kind to him but he had enjoyed the fresh air. Even if the chill hadn’t sparked any new revelations about how to help Earth or Velencya.

Caedus’ brows lifted slightly when presented with the treats and he examined the gift with great interest.

“It is not unbearable,” he assured of the cold. He held out his hands to accept the box. “Sometimes I find the cold pleasant.”

Not often. It was unkind to his bones, and once the novelty of the snowy stillness had worn off, it was impossibly lonely. He didn’t need reminders.

He did not know if he was looking for a new home. He’d lost so many already. He had places to stay and that was enough for his needs.

“Will you share these with me or do you wish for me to eat them all? We can sit and talk. I want to hear all that you have been doing here.”

“Normal is subjective,” Caedus mused, making himself comfortable. He opened the box and selected a cookie before he held the box out for her to make a selection.

“I do not think I am qualified to determine ‘normal’, anyway.” He was an anomaly now and always. He couldn’t fit in no matter how hard he tried. So, sometimes, he didn’t.

“Do you feel satisfied when you put so much effort into masking who you are?” he asked, and as there was no judgment, he seemed to be asking in earnest. I do not think you should have to hide who you are. Although,” he was quiet for a moment. “I suppose I am hypocritical in that regard. Are you happy? I suppose that is what matters most.”

Caedus considered this for a moment. He reached out to accept the embroidered symbol, because it had been offered, but he seemed contemplative as he did so.

“I think, if you can, you should reach out to them. Your friends will miss you. I think they will have been worried. Do not isolate yourself. You can make your own path without leaving them behind. Earth is full of possibilities. And…”

His voice softened, faded. Silence. It took him a few seconds more to finish his thought.

“I do not recommend walking a lonely path if you can help it. Can you make an outline for yourself? You are very clever. What goals do you have for yourself now?”

Caedus tilted his head just slightly to the side. “Is being reported to Commodore Lyndin so bad? I do not think he would reprimand.” Maybe he just saw the best in him. Though they had their history, it was difficult for Caedus to think poorly of him. Lyndin had always been professional.

He had always seen what others had missed.

He had always had a heart bigger than they knew.

Caedus understood fear, though. He grappled with a great many emotions, and as such his eyes eventually drifted to the cookie in his hand so he had something innocent enough to focus on.

“I am sorry, I know it is a complicated situation. There are many sides, and I am a bit out of touch. I think the Vanguard is not unlike what it was meant to be. It is a difficult situation to be in. He is just trying to save our people. I do not envy positions of power. It is a great burden.”

He sighed heavily but tried to lift his mood. “I am glad your path is not lonely, though. Do you get homesick?”