Better call Lassie

[stockingfeats]

HOLED UP


You and whoever replies to you are stuck together after falling in a hole.

You're in a deep, dark pit that you can't climb out of easily, and you're trapped together. Maybe it was a trapping pit, maybe it was an open manhole cover, maybe an uncovered well or elaborate secret trap in a spooky house - but whatever the cause was, you two fell for it. Literally.

Comments

[lotusdancer]

[ Aw, well she appreciates the consideration. He can't help his height though, and it had to be more cramped for him than her. So while he tried to settle in a way to give her more room, she almost instinctively tried to make herself more.. compact? Sitting with her knees tucked up to her chest and her arms curled around them absently, she leaned back a little in thought.

She had nothing but respect for people like him, even if that intelligence could be incredibly intimidating. But even if she didn't fully understand the explanations, she did often try to follow along, sometimes going quiet to think lest and process at a slower pace.

Part of her understood why some people might not get along with him, given his curt nature, but it never bothered Nilou any. ]

That's so strange - you know so much, I would have thought that people would seek you out most of all.

[ Though at mention of debates, she almost gave a small shudder. Just remember that one - and hopefully ONLY - debate she had with one of the Akademiya's people still gave her night terrors. Being locked in a debate with that guy was bad enough - being in a debate with Alhaitham?? ]

Oh gosh..No offense, but I hope that never happens. [ She held up her hands in a defensive gesture, only half serious. ]

Debating someone once was more than enough for me..! [ Not because she lacked conviction towards her values, but because it was absolutely terrifying! ]

[discontentment]

Mm, I do not think the same way others do and it does lead often into disagreements. Like for instance my arguing with Kaveh.

(All of which multiple people across Sumeru have seen and wondered just how the two can stand each other enough to be under the same roof. Then again he isn't going to answer that naturally, the thought aside he does seem to notice that she seems to not be interested in debates. There's a small vague recollection as to why that might perhaps be the case; not that he'd on one hand blame her for her dislike of doing so since it can be draining to those who are not ready for it in any shape.

Or quite truthfully are interested in debating ones convictions and beliefs passionately beyond what they must. He won't ask further on it but he near wonders if she's thinking of him locking into one with her. Though he would entertain the thought, that isn't the case.

Not with this instance of it mind you. He has no reason to do so with debating some manner of issues with her but there is enough of an idea that he could step in if that does seem to be an underlying possibility to happen to her; only to be nice for a change before returning to his normal behavior without a second thought about his actions if it comes down to that.

For the time being however there's other things on his mind once he settles enough in his makeshift space on the dirt.)

It is not as if I am going to for one thing, another thing is that I do have enough of an idea as to why they avoid me. (As well as his own knowledge that Kaveh has in fact decided to commentate on Alhaitham not having friends, actual friends mind you, outside of the Traveler at most. Any others that sprung to mind were simply seen more as acquaintances to begin with as is.

But this didn't stop Alhaitham from carrying on and not quite bothering to give the notions much attention either.)

[lotusdancer]

[ Well.. a lot of her dislike of debating likely came from her having to mediate arguments between her parents in her earlier years too. Debates could get very heated and felt too much like an argument, which left her overwhelmed and uncomfortable, unless it was something she truly felt passionately about, like with what happened with that sage that tried to shut the Zubayr Theatre down. ]

Ah, y-yeah.. I did hear that you have a lot of arguments with your roommate.

[ That was one of the questions she had wondered herself. Maybe he owed Kaveh a favor.. or maybe Kaveh was blackmailing him into letting him stay! GASP. ..well it's not her business either way, at the moment, and she wasn't close enough to Alhaitham to ask something so personal. ]

That's one of the things I like about you. You tell people exactly what you think, whether or not they want to hear it. I worried once that I might be bothering you when I invite you out to come on a walk with me, but .. you'd tell me if I was being bothersome, right?

I couldn't do that- I mean, be as up front as you are. I worry too much about what people think.. and there's my reputation at the troupe to consider.

[ She was always genuine, make no mistake, but even she knows that people expect that cheery nature of her, if they aren't a close friend or family. It -can- be tiring. ]

[discontentment]

(The truth of their cohabitation is stranger than fiction really. Alhaitham won't say anything outside of it being partly the cause of their friendship fracturing into what it is now; although he fully intends to not reveal anything more than this for that matter. All that has to be known in his opinion is that Kaveh is there due to more complicated reasons in addition to him needing a place to stay. That and Alhaitham didn't in particular want to kick him out on the streets as shocking as that is for the remarks Kaveh makes and then some.

Even if they fell apart he still cares enough to not want that happening, so he deals with it and pretends he saw nothing after her words start to register. It's not something he's use to, being told that someone likes him being to the point. Odd. Alhaitham himself is quite truthfully in his opinion doing what he must do; telling others that he's caught mistakes or that he's discovered something unusual to the point it's rather concerning. As well as enforcing it all and reporting the mismanagement and more.

If there's something he gained from this encounter it is in fact that she is an odd woman, not that it's bad, he's dealt with Dehya after all, but he can safely say that he thinks Nilou is an oddity regardless. He'll just keep this thought to himself for the time being just like he's always done with these matters once he briefly looks up at the top of the hole again in thought.)

You're right. Although I make it clear I'm not paying attention or interested, typically by blocking out any sort of noise around me.

(This is said of course with him tapping his ear piece. He does still use that to block out surrounding noises, others really who are in his opinion invading his peace and quiet to the point he is irritated.)

[lotusdancer]

[ Probably a lot of people would have kicked Kaveh out for all the arguments that have been had. That Alhaitham hasn't - well that's proof he's not a horrible person, right? Of course Nilou suspected as much. Though she'd be just as perplexed at him thinking of her as odd, as he would be for knowing she pictured him as a cat. Was it really that odd to like talking to him? ]

Ah, I forgot that you had that..! [ That's actually really clever. ]

They must be pretty expensive though.

[ She doesn't see a lot of them, at least. Alas - that would be pretty convenient to have when she was practicing her moves out in the desert. Or in the forest. Or.. wherever the whim struck her, to be honest. ]