[good man. Elder Faerie nods decisively. he will get Silent Salt to eat more than just bread next time.
if there is a next time]
Very well, I shall return.
[he's only moving a few feet away, anyway, to grab food. and speak with Genya. Elder Faerie appears light on his feet, as he once was so long ago. he feels lighter, too, because he's had a very selfish wish granted. sure, the horrors persist, and, sure, this could all disappear tomorrow. but, for now, he feels at peace]
[Honed as his senses are, it will not be lost on Elder Faerie that he is being watched. Though his own gaze flickers away every now and again — watching exits, confirming there are no targets to be concerned about — by and large Silent Salt keeps a close eye on where Elder Faerie goes. It isn't just that he is worried about the Cookie. Rather, he wants to know how well the man has gotten on over all this time.
What glimpses he had of the cookie were fleeting, after all. There is so very much he has missed. And while he will not debase the other cookie with his interest, he can still lament what has been lost.
It is only once Elder Faerie deigns to return that he truly tears his eyes away, forcing himself to focus anywhere but on the approaching cookie. Anything to spare himself - what? Embarrassment? How juvenile.]
[Silent Salt, please. there is nothing to be ashamed about.
Elder Faerie returns to the couch and sits down with his plate. he obtained more tea, too. by this time, people are heading out of the inn, the bustling dying down as friends eat and then embark back to their own homes in the Grove. for a couple hours, there was solidarity]
[He did not expect to lament the loss of so many strangers. As they begin to file out, and as the food begins to be packed up, he finds himself wishing for the feast to continue for as long as possible. Or perhaps for there to be more. Surely such bliss is not that fleeting.
Elder Faerie, however, is easily able to pluck Silent Salt from his thoughts. Though his gaze remains on the departing souls, he is able to focus on his words more than his remorse.]
It is... strange. Defiant, I suppose. [His head turns back to the cookie finally, albeit slightly tilted downward.] There are many needs that must be met. Otherwise, I find myself feeling... faint.
[Shame floods through him for even admitting as much.]
[Elder Faire looks up, alarmed! is he hungry? tired? or maybe...]
Faint, in what sense?
[he wants to assume nothing, even if he thinks he may understand what Silent Salt is implying. there is enough food on Elder Faerie's plate, in case the Beast Cookie needs a bite. look at all those potato wedges.......]
[Just as quick as Elder Faerie reacts, Silent Salt shakes his head.]
It has already passed. And... happened to be a combination of many things. [Thirst, hunger, exhaustion. Managing it all had proven exceedingly difficult.
Though he does look at those potato wedges for a moment too long. Don't worry about it.]
I have better control of it now. This much I can promise.
[ah. well, that's better than what he had guessed. Elder Faerie is eating something else. those potato wedges are just sitting there, going ignored!]
Do not try to fight that feeling for too long. You need rest and food, now, the same as we all do. I shall let you keep watch tonight, since you have already said you will.
[but he is not going to allow Salt to get sick, a promise (a threat)]
[Surely just one wouldn't hurt... Though he'd spared a few bites at Shadow Milk's urging, it was little more than a grazing. And if he were to keep watch all night, surely a morsel would only serve to keep him going. His gauntlets have already been removed and everything, nothing to sully the rest of the food if he reaches out and -
Before he's truly thought about it, a single wedge has been grabbed. He angles his head enough to slip it beneath his mask. It... tastes even better than he might have expected, and already his gaze drifts back toward the plate.
No, no more.]
And you... have managed to adjust to these changes yourself?
[Perhaps another potato or two is swiped. Really, he should use a fork, but that would mean getting up. To say nothing of how difficult it would be to manage to swipe it under his helm. No, this will have to suffice. He can only hope Elder Faerie will forgive his poor manners.]
Tell me more.
[So far, he has not seen what benefits there could be. The dough of it grows cold so easily, never mind the aforementioned needs to be kept up with.
But... maybe he also just wants to hear Elder Faerie talk.]
[Well, the good news is that White Lily has explained how bathing actually works here. The bad news is that Silent Salt is indeed thinking about Elder Faerie visiting the bathhouse. It is good, then, that he has not deigned to remove his helmet. The way his face contorts beneath the force of the thought would probably be concerning. Or humiliating. One or the other.]
The - accommodations here are strange, but not unwelcome. [He's still not used to not getting soggy.] It is a good way to warm up from the cold.
You have found peace, though. That... is good. You, of all cookies, deserve it.
[is peace the correct word? after all, Elder Faerie cannot sleep at night, and he has to navigate through the horrors surrounding his new friends and fellow Cookies. but bathtime is nice]
So it would seem, for now. This body is most durable, but still fragile, all the same. At the very least, I still have my wings. Though, I am not sure they remember how to fly.
[Silent Salt is, predictably, silent as he studies Elder Faerie. Through his helmet, his eyes scan over the other cookie, taking note of his form, his wings, anything that might help. Only after that lengthy gap does he finally deign to speak.]
You may need more practice. Training. There is a chance it is not a lost cause.
[He cannot say for certain, but he has seen his own knights come back from injuries. A limb was often stiff after an injury, after all. It needed to be reconditioned.]
[practice would definitely be good. Elder Faerie didn't have his sword, but that did not mean he could no longer move. he could find a training sword, somewhere, he was sure]
You are correct. Now that I am falling into a routine, I should do more with my time here. All I have been doing is studying.
Knowledge has always been one of your many strong points, my friend.
[There is no condemnation in his voice, just a simple acknowledgement. The balance Elder Faerie has managed to strike between sharpening his mind and his work with a blade only speaks to his discipline. No wonder the Salt of Solidarity had been so fond of him.
But those were thoughts of the past, weren't they?]
But if you do decide to pursue this, and find you want for help, I will gladly join you.
[flattery will get you everywhere, Silent Salt. at least Elder Faerie does not say so, but he does look pleased, puffing up like a proud bird]
Your guidance would be most appreciated. Once I find an acceptable sword, we can get started. Perhaps, tomorrow, we can go for a morning jog, together.
[The reaction alone is enough to stir some sort of warmth within Silent Salt's cheeks. Once more he is left to begrudge the way his "flesh" has wrought such loathsome changes. All he can really be grateful for is the fact that he's left his helmet on so far.]
That would be... more than acceptable, I think.
[He just has to hope Elder Faerie doesn't get on him about not resting after that. Don't worry about it.]
[Silent Salt gives an affirmative nod, content at first to leave Elder Faerie to it. However... an urge strikes him in that moment. Taking a quick second to put his gauntlets back on, he then extends his hand for the plate.]
Allow me. I shall meet you at your room once I have finished.
[There is a bit of sternness through that helmeted gaze. He will not take no for an answer.]
[Silent Salt does hesitate for a moment. One might think he was only watching the direction in which his companion went, so that he might track him down easier later. The more accurate answer, though, is that he merely wants to take the chance to commit the sight of his old friend to memory once more. If things are as they say, peace like this will only prove to be fleeting.
If he is only allowed this night, then he will ensure he remembers it forever.
Yet even as he thinks this, he recalls what White Lily had first told him when he arrived. That if she was worth love and kindness, so was he. More than that, he can still visibly remember her tale of nearly losing someone for good.
... If ever there was a chance -
But Silent Salt ousts the thought from his mind in favor of turning toward the kitchen. He deposits the plate and, when that feels like not enough for all he has been given, lends a hand in scrubbing a few plates as payment.
Admittedly, he loses track of time before he finally is able to depart from the kitchen once more. He heads down the path he'd watched Elder Faerie take, eyes sweeping across each door for a sign of his friend. He... probably should have asked for a room number.]
[Elder Faerie is glad to have some time alone, because he has to collect his thoughts. it still feels like this is all a dream, and that, when he wakes up, Silent Salt will no longer be here. or, worse, he never wakes up, at all.
during the past few weeks, he has learned how to tend to his human body. things like brushing his teeth, washing his face, combing out his hair... he never had to do things like this as a Cookie. it's strange, but he wants to take care of the body he's been given, dough or not. once he's gotten ready for bed, he lights a candle and leaves his door open. Elder Faerie's room is in the middle of a hallway, since he did not want to be on an end, for some reason. he just feels safer in the middle, surrounded by other rooms. most of them are probably empty, anyway.
he waits, still feeling slightly shaken up, but then he pulls out the notes Pavlova Cookie gave him and starts rereading them]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 04:37 am (UTC)if there is a next time]
Very well, I shall return.
[he's only moving a few feet away, anyway, to grab food. and speak with Genya. Elder Faerie appears light on his feet, as he once was so long ago. he feels lighter, too, because he's had a very selfish wish granted. sure, the horrors persist, and, sure, this could all disappear tomorrow. but, for now, he feels at peace]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 05:15 am (UTC)What glimpses he had of the cookie were fleeting, after all. There is so very much he has missed. And while he will not debase the other cookie with his interest, he can still lament what has been lost.
It is only once Elder Faerie deigns to return that he truly tears his eyes away, forcing himself to focus anywhere but on the approaching cookie. Anything to spare himself - what? Embarrassment? How juvenile.]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 05:25 am (UTC)Elder Faerie returns to the couch and sits down with his plate. he obtained more tea, too. by this time, people are heading out of the inn, the bustling dying down as friends eat and then embark back to their own homes in the Grove. for a couple hours, there was solidarity]
How do you find your new body?
[Elder Faerie asks him out of curiosity]
Has it been agreeing with you?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 05:38 am (UTC)Elder Faerie, however, is easily able to pluck Silent Salt from his thoughts. Though his gaze remains on the departing souls, he is able to focus on his words more than his remorse.]
It is... strange. Defiant, I suppose. [His head turns back to the cookie finally, albeit slightly tilted downward.] There are many needs that must be met. Otherwise, I find myself feeling... faint.
[Shame floods through him for even admitting as much.]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 05:50 am (UTC)Faint, in what sense?
[he wants to assume nothing, even if he thinks he may understand what Silent Salt is implying. there is enough food on Elder Faerie's plate, in case the Beast Cookie needs a bite. look at all those potato wedges.......]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 06:01 am (UTC)It has already passed. And... happened to be a combination of many things. [Thirst, hunger, exhaustion. Managing it all had proven exceedingly difficult.
Though he does look at those potato wedges for a moment too long. Don't worry about it.]
I have better control of it now. This much I can promise.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 06:18 am (UTC)Do not try to fight that feeling for too long. You need rest and food, now, the same as we all do. I shall let you keep watch tonight, since you have already said you will.
[but he is not going to allow Salt to get sick, a promise (a threat)]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 06:30 am (UTC)Before he's truly thought about it, a single wedge has been grabbed. He angles his head enough to slip it beneath his mask. It... tastes even better than he might have expected, and already his gaze drifts back toward the plate.
No, no more.]
And you... have managed to adjust to these changes yourself?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 05:30 pm (UTC)I have managed. It is a strange body, but there are things that I like about it.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 09:02 pm (UTC)Tell me more.
[So far, he has not seen what benefits there could be. The dough of it grows cold so easily, never mind the aforementioned needs to be kept up with.
But... maybe he also just wants to hear Elder Faerie talk.]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 12:01 am (UTC)he sits back into the couch, enjoying the atmosphere, letting his friend steal from his plate. it's cozy. and then he says]
I enjoy baths.
[this isn't even him being a sneaky Cookie about what he's saying to Silent Salt. he is genuinely happy to talk about this]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 12:23 am (UTC)The - accommodations here are strange, but not unwelcome. [He's still not used to not getting soggy.] It is a good way to warm up from the cold.
You have found peace, though. That... is good. You, of all cookies, deserve it.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 12:31 am (UTC)So it would seem, for now. This body is most durable, but still fragile, all the same. At the very least, I still have my wings. Though, I am not sure they remember how to fly.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 03:51 am (UTC)[Pot, meet kettle. He has stopped swiping potato wedges for the time being, opting to fold his hands back into his lap now.]
Why do you feel you cannot fly? Is it so different here?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 04:15 am (UTC)Mmn, I feel this body is too heavy for them. Or, perhaps, they are still stiff.
[from, you know, being dead]
It is not as though I need them, I do not fly unless I have to.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 05:19 am (UTC)You may need more practice. Training. There is a chance it is not a lost cause.
[He cannot say for certain, but he has seen his own knights come back from injuries. A limb was often stiff after an injury, after all. It needed to be reconditioned.]
Only if you wish it, though.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 05:29 am (UTC)You are correct. Now that I am falling into a routine, I should do more with my time here. All I have been doing is studying.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 05:35 am (UTC)[There is no condemnation in his voice, just a simple acknowledgement. The balance Elder Faerie has managed to strike between sharpening his mind and his work with a blade only speaks to his discipline. No wonder the Salt of Solidarity had been so fond of him.
But those were thoughts of the past, weren't they?]
But if you do decide to pursue this, and find you want for help, I will gladly join you.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 05:43 am (UTC)Your guidance would be most appreciated. Once I find an acceptable sword, we can get started. Perhaps, tomorrow, we can go for a morning jog, together.
[he's got to work off this feast]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 06:13 am (UTC)That would be... more than acceptable, I think.
[He just has to hope Elder Faerie doesn't get on him about not resting after that. Don't worry about it.]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 06:17 am (UTC)Very well. Then, I shall clean up and get ready for bed.
[his heart feels lighter. he almost thinks he shouldn't monopolize more of Salt's time this way, but he just wants to be selfish for a little longer]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 06:32 am (UTC)Allow me. I shall meet you at your room once I have finished.
[There is a bit of sternness through that helmeted gaze. He will not take no for an answer.]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 04:06 pm (UTC)but Elder Faerie will not argue against that look. so he surrenders his plate and silverware with an exasperated]
Thank you, my friend.
[once he's given the plate to him, he rises from his seat and stretches out his wings a little. he is all smiles again]
I shall see you soon.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-18 11:46 pm (UTC)[Silent Salt does hesitate for a moment. One might think he was only watching the direction in which his companion went, so that he might track him down easier later. The more accurate answer, though, is that he merely wants to take the chance to commit the sight of his old friend to memory once more. If things are as they say, peace like this will only prove to be fleeting.
If he is only allowed this night, then he will ensure he remembers it forever.
Yet even as he thinks this, he recalls what White Lily had first told him when he arrived. That if she was worth love and kindness, so was he. More than that, he can still visibly remember her tale of nearly losing someone for good.
... If ever there was a chance -
But Silent Salt ousts the thought from his mind in favor of turning toward the kitchen. He deposits the plate and, when that feels like not enough for all he has been given, lends a hand in scrubbing a few plates as payment.
Admittedly, he loses track of time before he finally is able to depart from the kitchen once more. He heads down the path he'd watched Elder Faerie take, eyes sweeping across each door for a sign of his friend. He... probably should have asked for a room number.]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-19 01:39 am (UTC)during the past few weeks, he has learned how to tend to his human body. things like brushing his teeth, washing his face, combing out his hair... he never had to do things like this as a Cookie. it's strange, but he wants to take care of the body he's been given, dough or not. once he's gotten ready for bed, he lights a candle and leaves his door open. Elder Faerie's room is in the middle of a hallway, since he did not want to be on an end, for some reason. he just feels safer in the middle, surrounded by other rooms. most of them are probably empty, anyway.
he waits, still feeling slightly shaken up, but then he pulls out the notes Pavlova Cookie gave him and starts rereading them]
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From:well i'm not so jot that down.
From:i lied i'm actually feral
From:you're right for that bc me too
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