steepwithdead | Folkmore

That can happen, after a long time apart. [Even if it's been a short time for Donatello, Leo could have been the one who changed.] Could be the time difference is making him uncomfortable, and harder to read.

[Caduceus phrasing it that way does make the turtle pause to mull it over as they walk together.]

I think you're right about that. He's... still stuck in the place he was when we last saw each other. I don't think I am anymore.

People change, in absence and through time. He isn't stuck, he's been left behind. That must be very frustrating for him.

[He pauses, halting by a stall and beginning to pick through the vegetables for good options.]

Keep in mind, this is not an excuse. How one feels doesn't make it acceptable to mistreat other people. But pain and grief for oneself is not rational.

You make it exceptionally hard to stay mad, you know that? [He grouses back with no real heat. More amusement than much else.

His gaze drops to the vegetables, more idly picking over their options. Caduceus has the eye for it, but Leonardo will hold up a piece or two he thinks is good.]

Not an excuse, yeah, but... a reason enough to not hold a grudge as much as I'd like to. Give him some space, but still have my own line in the sand.

Better if I don't meddle in some things at least. [He thinks about the conversation he had with Casey about Leonardo's fight with Donnie.] I've made things messier already.

Edited (I THINK THE TIMELINE CHECKS OUT??) 2025-12-06 01:18 (UTC)

[Caduceus gives a glance to the vegetables Leo finds, then holds his basket out for them to be added to the pile. Looks good to him.]

I think it was a joint effort in the mess-making business. But yeah, space, a break, and boundaries are all important steps when it comes to rebuilding bridges. One brick at a time. First step, we take a breath. Then, we make pizza.

[After that... well, maybe that can be tomorrow's problem.]

[He deposits the vegetables into the basket once they receive Caduceus approval.

He lowers his voice, raising a hand to half shade his mouth towards the firbolg as if sharing a secret.] If I'm gonna be honest, pizza is my favorite step. Don't tell anyone.

You can't ask someone to keep a secret like that after you've told them.

[He makes no promises! (He will not tell, though.)]

The insurmountable guilt of spilling pizza truths will hold you back. [He teases back, proving he's a pain as always.] Besides, I know you'll keep a secret.

Hmm. Guilty as charged, I suppose.

[He's not a good liar, but he can keep his mouth shut.]

Probably not the worst secret you've ever had to keep. [His gaze flicks back to the veggies. They don't need a ton for pizza, but... it is nice to just linger like this and enjoy the moment.]

That's true. Though I'd really have to think about what that might actually be.

[Caduceus seems content to move at a relaxed pace, at least, so there's no hurry to move on, though he does shift to the next stall to avoid blocking other shoppers.]

[There is truly nothing pressing either of them need to be doing. The pizza will be made when they actually get home again.]

Obviously, I won't ask, since what kind of secret keeper would you be if I tempted it out of you?

Not a good one at all, no. I guess I could share one of my own secrets, if you'd like it fair. Though, I'm not sure what that would be, either.

[He really doesn't have many secrets at all... he's too much of an open book when it comes to himself, mostly.]

Could be fair. Only if you feeling like dishing up a secret of your own, of course. [He teases back easily.]

I like hearing about you, so, I win either way.

Hmm. I think you might find my secrets a little boring. [He really can't think of anything interesting at all.] Have I told you the pink isn't natural?

[That does openly surprise the turtle.] 'my secrets are boring' he says, while admitting to me the pink isn't natural. I've never seen you dye your hair once.

It isn't as if we bathe together on a regular basis.

[Just like, that one time.]

Yeah, but, dye is so... complicated for people with hair! It should be everywhere. [He grouses back with no real heat. He's never really dyed hair, but he's aware of the process from jealously looking things up.] The pink suits you perfectly, too.

Thank you. [He thinks so, too, otherwise he wouldn't have been doing it basically all his life.] It's a lot less complicated than you'd think. Though I couldn't do it as much on the road, so until I got here it started to look kind of terrible when I was away from home.

Depending on how much bleaching you need to do, it seems complicated to me, but, hey, I'm all scales. You probably have a well oiled machine of a system at this point.

I'm kind of surprised there isn't some kind of spell or something to lengthen dye's life span on hair. [He muses absently in turn as they idly walk together.] Might be a bit silly for a spell though.

Bleaching? I've never done that. My hair is naturally grey, it colours very easily.

[Is bleach even a thing in Exandria?? Likely not for hair. Since his fur is grey, it tracks that he'd have a similar natural hair colour.]

That wouldn't be the strangest use of a spell ever done with magic, I'm sure. I've got that one that lets me change the colour of my eyes, remember?

You're just naturally lucky in a lot of ways, huh-? [It is a passing tease at best.] Humans go crazy trying to get that pink and bleach the hell out of their hair to get even a little close.

True, maybe that spell does exist out there somewhere. [He's fortunately for everyone here not a wizard or too magic adjacent.]

I'd say that's still a pretty damn good secret to start with.

Strange to imagine. Human hair's already so colourful.

[One of the reasons his family dyes it so much is they'd otherwise look so drab they'd blend right into their own graveyard. All that stone and a handful of grey firbolgs...]

If my wizard friends ever happen to come back, I'll ask them about it. I'm sure they'd love to debate it for at least three hours.

Humans want to go even more colorful, trust me. [He offers back with a brief laugh.] I'll sit back, absorbing as much as I can while being the most laymen of laymen.

Should I pry more secrets from you? Or should I make it even? Hmmm- [He's pretending to mull that one over.]

I really don't know if I could come up with another one.

[Thinking of the first was hard enough!]

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