"Like I said, it is work I enjoy doing, and I have precious little else to do here." They're not bitter. Not at all.
Rutile pockets their tools as they rise, then takes the glue from the table and pockets that, too. Their fracture is hardly worth looking at, and Antarcticite's fears are more important now anyway. They lean on the edge of the table and, while they avoid looking Antarcticite directly in the eye, it is not from guilt so much as pensiveness.
"Of course Padparadscha knows who you are, and you would hardly be bothering them," Rutile reassures them. They cross their arms, tapping their fingers against their upper limb. "I've certainly spoken of you on occasion to them - perhaps it was the last time they were awake... ? or the time before that? I don't quite recall, but it would be in one of my journals.
"Anyway - " and here they do glance back at Antarcticite, a conspiratorial grin tugging the corners of their mouth, " - though they'll never admit it, Padparadscha is very old, and loves to be the wisest one in the room." (It's not Padparadscha's fault that they often are.) "They won't mind answering some of your questions."
Just as quickly, Rutile adds, "Perhaps company that isn't mine will be good for them." Though it is casual, they can't quite hide the wistfulness in the words.
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"Like I said, it is work I enjoy doing, and I have precious little else to do here." They're not bitter. Not at all.
Rutile pockets their tools as they rise, then takes the glue from the table and pockets that, too. Their fracture is hardly worth looking at, and Antarcticite's fears are more important now anyway. They lean on the edge of the table and, while they avoid looking Antarcticite directly in the eye, it is not from guilt so much as pensiveness.
"Of course Padparadscha knows who you are, and you would hardly be bothering them," Rutile reassures them. They cross their arms, tapping their fingers against their upper limb. "I've certainly spoken of you on occasion to them - perhaps it was the last time they were awake... ? or the time before that? I don't quite recall, but it would be in one of my journals.
"Anyway - " and here they do glance back at Antarcticite, a conspiratorial grin tugging the corners of their mouth, " - though they'll never admit it, Padparadscha is very old, and loves to be the wisest one in the room." (It's not Padparadscha's fault that they often are.) "They won't mind answering some of your questions."
Just as quickly, Rutile adds, "Perhaps company that isn't mine will be good for them." Though it is casual, they can't quite hide the wistfulness in the words.