The detective gives that trip 0/10. Would not visit again

[gadaboutdetective]

Who; Llewellyn and people
What; 2 Open logs and 1 closed
Where; Assorted
When; All through May
Warnings; Alcohol for a start. I will update accordingly depending on what gets discussed. Update: Brief mention of homophobia and unfair laws of the era in Ignis' thread, discussion of a murder case in thread with Ivy.

( I can also do personalized starters if you want! just let me know either on Discord: WhimsicalSpook#8219 or Plurk: whimsicalspook You are also welcome to throw a starter at me if you want, I don't bite!)



Finding his way home. - Closed to Rhy

It was late in the evening and footsteps were echoing through the sewers of of the city. Steps unsteady and a little staggered as the man exited the tunnels with a distracted look on his face.

He doesn’t really look particularly different how how he did a week ago when he disappeared. His gaze lightly unfocused as he walked almost on autopilot, his mind a whirl. Less a flock of starlings as he was prone to describing it and more of a tornado, and his emotions running rampant.

There was so much in his head now, too much. It was scrambling to sort what seemed like two very different lives. Almost two years away from home, between the Sphere and this world… And nearly that long suddenly stuffed in his head from his own world, much of it far less pleasant in some ways than the two years he’d come to know away from it.

Leaning against a lamppost, Llewellyn took a deep breath and then another as his eyes finally focused on the world around him. He was back, back in the world he’d come to think of as his home… And after having been back in his world? It had only cemented that feeling, regardless of how powerless and ill prepared he felt when it came to some of the things that happened here… It was better than the gnawing pain and repeated cycle of loss that he felt trapped in.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry in frustration or relief as he stared at the quiet evening around him. Frustration for what he’d gone back to with no memories of this place, or in pure relief for being here again. Regardless, a few stray tears escaped anyway, though he’d deny it if asked.

… He’d deny a few things if asked, honestly.

“I need a drink…” He muttered, wishing to quiet his over-loud, racing thoughts just a little. It had practically been a part of his schedule over the last few months… Drink to quiet the thoughts, drink to numb the feelings that you wish you didn’t have, drink to forget how once again you were alone.

Then, absently, a particular thought rattled into place. Here he wasn’t alone. He had someone waiting for him.

Rhy.

The name comes to the forefront of his mind, and his heart suddenly ached for a different reason. How long had he been gone for? He’d promised not to leave the man, promised to stay by his husband’s side and not leave him to feel so very alone again…

The drink is forgotten for now, and Llewellyn turns in another direction, the correct direction. He wavers on his path once in a while, if only because worry had begun worming its way into his head. Worries of what to say to his husband, worries about what the man would think if he heard some of the last two years. Fear of disappointment, or judgement, or...

Llewellyn squinted at the door before him, the stained glass rose window glowing lightly with light from within. He had made it back without realizing it, so caught up in his own head again.

At first, he almost does the absurd thing, and knocks. Instead, having a small sensible thought break through the confusion, he pulls out his key and lets himself in.

It's an odd feeling as he wandered into the entry hall. Relief sinking in, the wonder of 'this is my home, it's safe here' catches a hold of him lightly. It's not the slightly lonely boarding house room, dim and empty aside from a few personal belongings, wine, and case notes. It's warm, bright, inviting, vibrantly full of life.

There's just one thing left... He wants- needs to see Rhy. Despite the vague anxiety of what on earth he might say, and the fear of how long he might have been gone lingering... He needs to see him. "Rhy?" He spoke as he began moving from one room to another in hopes of searching.

His voice doesn't sound as strong or confident as he'd like, he notes. He needs to fix that when does see his husband.

But it's a start.


Business as usual. - Gullwings or Aerith's shop ~ OTA if anyone wants to try to catch his attention when he's hiding in his work

If there was anything that would never change about Llewellyn, it was his proclivity for choosing avoidance of issues in favor of work. Why dwell and talk about the things in your head when you could be focusing on being productive and useful.

There were plenty of things that needed his attention, after all. There was work to be done at the Gullwings offices. He was a week behind on the smaller cases he'd taken on around the city, and hey- wouldn't it be nice if he tidied his desk a little? Adjust the tornado so it looked a little more...

Well, not better, but as though it had moved around a bit? Maybe a little more centralized on his desk instead of overflowing onto other people's spaces?

Plus, he noted with some confusion, he needed to tidy up the many odd little flowers that had been left on his desk. Llewellyn certainly didn't remember putting them there, and their presence puzzled him some...

Yes, anyone who walked in on seeing him organizing was probably going to wonder if they were hallucinating.


Then there was the flower shop. The detective knew he had time to make up for there, having left Aerith to take care of things by herself so rudely.

They were into the time of year where flowers were blooming and just waiting to be gathered to arrange in vases or baskets. So it wouldn't hurt to give the plants a little extra attention, would it? Especially since she'd allowed him to leave some of his starters to transfer at a later date.

Really, between arrangements waiting to be put together and flowers needing care, there was plenty for him to help with to make up for his absence!

Whether it was the office or the garden shop, there was nothing wrong with putting in a little more time here and there! And it gave him time to catch up with and check on people, which was still a priority at the end of the day.


I'll have that drink now. - The Tavern ~ OTA But warning for excessive drinking

Llewellyn was... adjusting.

Yeah, let's go with that. It sounded better than anything he could come up with. He really just needed time, he was sure. Time to finish sorting all the new thoughts and experiences into their little boxes on a shelf in his mind. Once that was done, he would lose the vague amounts of distraction and the questions of if he was listening or if something was off would stop.

He could do without those, really. He was fine. One hundred percent okay. Just adjusting. Just processing almost two years' worth of information.

Just trying to shake off the paranoia and anxiety that's still lingering from being in my own world. He let out a long breath while he waited for the tavern-keeper to bring him another drink.

Since it was just him and his thoughts? He could admit to himself that... There were some things that were less than fine.

He was tired of looking over his shoulder every time he was with Rhy, worried about some unknown seeing them and bringing danger down on their heads for just walking.

Tired of wondering when he was going to mess things up here, too. Both his personal life and professional life had... developed quite a track record. An annoying voice in the back of his mind kept musing that it might only be a matter of time before the rug got pulled out from under him.

And he was damn tired of the vague, lowered faith in the people around him. Expecting someone to spout some idiocy or opinion that would hurt someone who didn't deserve to be hurt, or even some slight against him when he didn't agree with them.

What happened to the progress he'd made? What happened to the glass being half full instead of half empty?

Another glass of something amber in colour was set in front of him, and idly he mused, 'There's a full glass.' As he pulled it towards him, hoping it might quiet his mind some while he passed some time before going home.

Comments

[neurotoxicity]

"Good." The way he phrased it seemed off for him, at the very least it seemed a bit more curt. She wasn't sure if that was because of how much he'd had to drink or if something else had happened. At least his explanation cleared up a bit of that. From what he'd said about his world it wasn't really a place he could actually be himself. He'd also made it pretty clear that he didn't want to go back.

"I thought that might have been the case." From what she'd seen of people talking it seemed likely he'd been sent back to his own home. There'd been some speculation that he could have ended up in trouble because of those new creatures, but that hadn't seemed like the most logical conclusion to her. It'd seemed more like wishful thinking from those that didn't want to accept the potential truth.

"They were doing it more for themselves," she said with a shrug. Harsh, but true in the long run. "I doubt they thought it was a waste of time." But she got why he'd think that. "At least you came back, I know you said you'd rather stay. But I take it home wasn't good?"

[gadaboutdetective]

“Astute as always, Ivy.” He responded with a small hum as she explained what she had thought probably happened. It was the more logical assumption, really. Llewellyn knew he had a habit of getting in trouble, but that was more to do with investigations and people. Knowing the creatures were lurking around in the evenings and hearing that they were quite dangerous had meant he had been being careful to avoid them while out. He hadn’t wanted a repeat of the incident with the directory spirits from last year.

“Mm… I still wish they hadn’t felt the need to, even if it was for their own peace of mind.” Because Rhy had been in damned rough shape when he made it back home, and it seemed like more than a few people had been troubled by it. He couldn’t do anything about it, he knew, but it still worried him to know he had been the cause of distress.

Llewellyn blinked, glancing up from his glass again at the question. Sometimes he forgot that Ivy was one of the few people he’d shared those particular details with. He should have remembered and should have known she’d ask. Shoulders sagging a little and leaning against the tavern counter, he considered his answer. He decided on honesty, if only because she already had a decent idea of the answer and would spot a lie. “Nope… I uh- wish I could say otherwise… But I suppose it’s to be expected, between my track record for making messes and… the way my world is.”

[neurotoxicity]

"My skills have gotten rusty here, but they're not completely lacking." At the very least she could at least make some use of deductive reasoning skills. She wasn't entirely sure if he really meant it as a complete compliment, but there was no reason to get too prickly now. He seemed on edge enough himself.

"It's not something you can control though, is it?" there was a certain inflection in her tone that indicated that she understood the irony here. It was the exact same thing he'd said to her about the situation with Harry before he'd disappeared. There was nothing he could have done to alleviate that sort of worry in people. Unless someone eventually came up with some sort of system that alerted people when others actually completely disappeared.

His body language, and the emotions that came with it, let her know that he wasn't too happy about her bringing that up. It felt a bit spiteful of her to feel a weird sense of satisfaction about that. Too often it felt like it was him catching her off guard like this. There was something nice about it being his turn. Besides, it also felt kind of nice to potentially be able to give him a chance to talk about something he was clearly avoiding. It was pretty rare that she got to help people like that.

"From what you've said about your world messes come to you." She had a hard time thinking that it was his fault for making messes. From what he'd said about not being able to be himself in his world she felt more inclined to think his world made it's own messes. "Did anything specific happen? Or a bunch of things?" Depending on how long it was for him it's entirely possible that a lot of small stressful things had just piled up on him.

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn felt a nagging, prickling sensation in the back of his mind at her words. “Why do I get the distinct notion my own words are being turned against me right now?” He mumbled into his glass to hide what could only be described as a pout, knowing darn well that he’d used those very words on Ivy recently. Even if he realized deep down that it was only fair for his friend to get to point these things out now and have a turn with poking and trying to put some perspective on a situation as he was prone to (whether asked or not).

Honestly, Llewellyn wasn’t even sure where to start. “I think the latter is more on the mark, given that it’s been a little over two years for me since I’ve been here. It’s, um… hard to know what to start with. Everything seems so cluttered up here.” He added, tapping the side of his head. “And it would be easy to blame my world for a lot… but it’s hard to deny that I’ve made some questionable choices, regardless.” And they had been his own choices, influenced by society and what had happened in his life or not… He felt like he’d lost a lot of himself in the desperate attempt to hold on to whatever he could in his world.

Never seemed to work out, though. Every time he’d thought he was in a good place… The rug got yanked out from under his feet again. Both at work and in his personal life simultaneously, and so he’d begun to feel himself heading for a particular low before he suddenly found himself back in this world again.

It almost seemed like a pattern, considering his life had also been a mess, when he suddenly found himself at the Sphere.

[neurotoxicity]

"Is that an accusation?" She gave him a smirk and swirled her drink around in her hand absentmindedly before taking a sip. At least the glass managed to hide how amused she was at the particular turn of events. He was pouting. She was 100% certain he was pouting and trying his best to hide it. A part of her wanted to point it out, but she knew that might risk further souring the mood. If that was possible.

"Two years," she shook her head at that. Him saying that everything was cluttered in his head made a lot of sense given that information. "I can't imagine how overwhelming it must be to have those new memories and your old ones form here." She kind of wondered which ones were more front and center, but it seemed wrong to ask just due to a clinical curiosity.

"Did you make some especially questionable ones?" Was that what had brought him down so badly? Or was he just being down on himself?

[gadaboutdetective]

“Mm… You could choose to take it as that, or simply an observation, if you prefer.” He glanced at her again, at least not seeming particularly mad. Just… an underlying frustration with the situation in general, perhaps.

Llewellyn wasn’t sure he could rightly say which ones were more up front. The memories he’d just gained were, of course, fresher since he’d just experienced them all. But… “It’s strange, really… I went back for roughly the same amount of time I’d been away from there for? So… It’s like I have two very different ‘past two years’ competing for the ‘real memory’ spot, if that makes sense. I don’t like it…” He grimaced before finishing off his glass despite the intent to make this one last, gesturing for another to be brought when the tavern keeper had a moment. “Always felt like I had… two versions of myself. The one I showed to society in my world, and the other… for people I cared about.” And that might have been more than he intended to say, but he had been drinking for a while. “Now it feels like there is literally two of me who live very different lives…” And he knew which he preferred.

“A few, yes… I suppose a couple were spaced out, but the point stands.” He stared hard at the empty glass before shrugging. “Questionable choices and blind trust or acceptance are a terrible combination when you’re trying to hang on to things that weren’t meant to be.” Perhaps he was being a little down on himself. Hindsight had a frustrating way of doing that.

[neurotoxicity]

"I'll be generous and go with it being an observation," she responded with a little shrug. She didn't want to add to the frustration around but she couldn't resist a bit of satisfaction.

"It makes as much sense as things here usually do," which was to say it made sense in it's own weird way. That seemed to be the way it was in this world in general, things made sense but only as much as this world allowed of it. "I understand how that is." It was how she'd spent most of her childhood and how she'd spent a lot of her recent years too. "Sometimes it's hard to figure out which one is the real one." At least that was how it was for her. "Even if do know which one you want." At least he seemed to know which world he preferred, he'd made that clear to her in conversations several times before this one. She frowned as he further explained things.

"Those are both dangerous combinations. Especially trying to hang onto things that weren't meant to be." That...was something she knew herself and she felt a surge of sympathy for whatever had happened that he was referencing there.

[gadaboutdetective]

And to be fair to Ivy? She deserved a bit of satisfaction, especially with the amount of poking, prodding and questioning Llewellyn was prone to around her.

A small, wry chuckle escaped him at that. “Which says a lot, considering this world.” But… Well, she seemed to know what he meant, and that was at least something of a comfort. Explaining it in more intricate detail was a bit complicated, and he was more than a little unsure of how to do so in a way that would seem coherent… “Mm… That’s the part that I find most troubling. Is one fake? Or simply… a slight variation. I’ve dwelt on it much in the last few days, and I can’t quite come to a conclusion I find satisfying… But I can’t help but think the one in which I can be who I am openly must be slightly more valid than the one always hiding. The truest form of myself, in a sense…” He squinted, not sure if he’d exactly made sense there, hoping so… But he also had to admit, since returning? He’d felt the need to hide anyway, to keep certain things to himself.

Picking up the empty glass and looking into it absently, he found himself agreeing. “Quite dangerous, and quite foolish of me to have fallen into, I suppose… You’d think a detective would see the signs and realize it instead.” But he hadn’t, or he’d been so deep in denial he hadn’t wanted to… The things he clung to in his world seemed so strange compared the way things were here. “Mm… Truthfully, I started to think I needed a career change.”

[neurotoxicity]

"Doesn't it?" She listened to him intently while he explained the thoughts going through his head. It seemed obvious that he was definitely struggling with a lot there. With what he said she couldn't really blame him either, she felt pretty sure she'd be in the same mental state herself. She looked down into her own glass then glanced over at him. "I wonder that all the time." Was the real her the one that found herself hunting some nights here and that longed for Piscary? Or was it the her that had some control and could live a free life? "Sounds like you need to do less thinking." Easier said than done, she was completely aware of that. "If you have to consciously hide who you are, then that one can't be the real you." See? Logic. Perfect logic.

"Depends on how close you were to the situation." If it was something he was very close to then it'd make sense he wouldn't be able to see the signs. "Was it that bad?" It was hard to imagine him thinking of a career change.

[gadaboutdetective]

Llewellyn at least offered a small, sympathetic expression as he paused his rambling for a moment. It was sad to think that Ivy understood that, but it also wasn’t surprising considering what he knew of her life. Even now, with his thoughts too cluttered and fast, it was hard to forget it. A small, wry huff escaped him a moment later, though. “I’m afraid thinking less is far easier said than done, unless extra thought is needed before action.” Then it seemed like you never thought things through enough.

At least the Detective was reasonably sure she was right, “I guess that’s true… Which would make this world’s version of me the real one- can’t say I mind it…” Though it was rather hard to not consider that even here, since returning, he’d felt the need to hide the details of his life and what had happened… He would be happier if he could pretend it didn’t happen, but his mind was making that difficult. Hence, falling back into the habit of drinking like he had in his world.

He frowned slightly. He’d been too close to most of the situations he found himself in. That was almost always the way, though. “Perhaps… Still seems like it would have been smarter to be more observant because of how close I was.” He shook his head, even if he knew she was right. It was simply hard for him to accept it that way. Llewellyn winced slightly at the question. “Considering the pattern of people ignoring my insistence on being more open to other avenues of investigation in favour of unfounded opinions and biases cost a man his life because the victim’s family took the idea of a suspect to mean someone they could go after in revenge? I think so…”

He turned a hand to look at. The man had died in his arms after being shot by the victim’s father.. His expression somewhat far off, still having a hard time with that particular new memory. “It’s been a trend at work for years… But usually I could at least get someone to listen and side with me on the issue before anything went too far.” Still, constantly being at odds was wearing on him. Sometimes it reminded him far too much of being a child trying to get someone to listen to him about his sister going missing, only to be ignored.

[neurotoxicity]

"Yeah, I know it's too much to ask for," she said with a sheepish roll of her shoulders. As much as she wanted to offer him some advice on what to do to keep his mind from overanalyzing and overthinking, she realized she didn't have any. If she couldn't do it for herself, how exactly could she do it for him? It was frustrating to know there wasn't anything she could do at all to help. Other than maybe try to listen, which just seemed useless.

"Safe deduction," she attempted to offer him some semblance of a comforting smile. Or, at the very least, her best attempt at one. "If it felt like the most real you, then maybe you should just continue doing what you were doing before you left." That was probably the worst advice she'd ever offered anyone. Good job, Ivy, you're amazing at this, she thought to herself.

"The closer you are to someone or something, the more blind you are to flaws and cracks around you. Especially if you're actively trying to protect them," she said with a frown. That was something she'd realized when trying desperately to protect Rachel. "Usually the harder you try to protect the people you're close to the worse the situation gets." At least from her experience. "That sounds like their fault, not yours." It also sounded like a generally bad situation all around.

She watched him look off and her expression softened in sympathy. "You can't blame yourself for other people not listening to you." But, she knew he would.

[gadaboutdetective]

If anything, it affirmed the plan he’d been trying to follow upon his return. To try to pick up where he left off and act like he hadn’t been away for two years. “Glad that I’m mm… not the only one who thinks that seems like a solid way of handling it.” Staring at his glass, it was hard to not wonder how well he was achieving that, given he was here now. Some people clearly noticed, but didn’t push. Then other people… Well, he could never tell if they noticed he wasn’t quite himself right now or not. “Though I’ve been trying to focus on this life and world, I sometimes find myself a bit…” He gestured, not sure if overwhelmed was the right word or not. “Something or other… Like my ability to keep everything that happened behind me falters and it all catches up. So uh- I find myself here.” He gestured at the glass, which had been his general default in his world.

Ivy had a point and Llewellyn knew it… There had been flaws and certain… tendencies that he had ignored in his attempt to hang on to things. Even with the second person he’d found himself entangled with, there had been signs. Perhaps he had just been too blind to see them. It just wasn’t an easy thing to accept. Certainly, protecting those he loved had a spectacular tendency to backfire on him in some way. Wincing slightly at the thought, he frowned. “I can’t deny that’s true, given the way things have ended up… Every time?” He shook his head, voice lowering slightly. “I find myself afraid that something of the sort might happen here if I’m not careful… But considering I never figured out how to avoid it in my world, I don’t even know how to go about it here.”

His work, though, that was easier to agree on. “On the one hand, I know you’re right. I didn’t cause it, I tried to make myself heard… But the fact that it didn’t work this time just weighs on me, I suppose. I can’t fathom why people refuse to see the truth of things instead of defaulting to stereotypes that present an ‘easy answer,’ even if it’s the wrong one.” Drumming his fingers on the bar counter, he considered the situation again. It was hard to not get discouraged after a while, harder still to not feel his respect for some people dwindling. “It makes me wonder if I’m just fooling myself by thinking I can change things there, if it might be time to pursue other options for helping people, if it’s possible.”

Humming slightly, taking a sip before he continued. “But! Now I’m here again, and… Well, more points in this world’s favour… People are far more thoughtful and like-minded here than they are there.” At least he couldn’t see the people he worked with here following such narrow minded paths without even listening to another point of view.

[neurotoxicity]

"Can't really think of any other way I'd handle it if I was in your spot." She wasn't entirely sure if it was the best way to handle it, but what other way was there? At the same time she wasn't entirely sure if you could even classify this as 'handling it'. At least his further explanation made her certain that he understood that. The problem was she wasn't entirely sure if she had any right to tell someone that their way of 'handling' things was or wasn't right. It wasn't like she had the best ways to handle shit. "Is doing this causing you any problems?"

She ran a finger along her own drink and then took a small sip as she listened to him. A part of her kept circling back to the thought that she was just shit at this. Comforting people wasn't exactly her forte and she was probably worse at giving advice. "I get the concern," it was one she had herself. "But what good is being afraid of something just because it could happen here?" Oh, there was irony in her saying that to him. Though it occured to her way too late to prevent herself from saying anything. Now all she could do was hope he didn't bring it up and kept focusing on the more important topic.

"That's the point I got with my work," she said with a shrug. Well, sort of. It hasn't been that she'd ben convinced that she couldn't actually change things working as a Runner, but more that she knew she couldn't. Not only had she known she couldn't change things, but she'd also realized she'd never change herself if she stayed. "Have you ever considered purely private work? It's what I went into." though, she really had no idea how possible that was in his world. She also had certain advantages (money) that he definitely didn't.

"Then I'm glad you're back here."

[gadaboutdetective]

Clearly, they both knew how to handle things very well. But Llewellyn shrugged a little at her question. “Ah… No, at least not as far as I can tell. I have a decent tolerance compared to others, so even if something were to come up, I can deal with it rather well.” Which was, of course, not the only way that this could cause problems, but he was more likely to consider that over the other reasons… So at some point, it undoubtedly would be a problem. Even if it was only because of some worry that the habit generated.

Llewellyn’s brow wrinkled a little, feeling a bit complicated about the question. She was really asking him that after all the prior conversations they’d had concerning her life? The look she got alone was probably enough to indicate his thoughts on that matter. “I believe we both know why that’s such a difficult worry to ignore, Ivy.” If anything he might have a slightly better understanding of her reluctance… But the idea that he might lose what he had here as easily as he’d lost… Well, it seemed like everyone at this point in his world…? It was a fear that plagued him more than most things, lingered on his mind more than almost being murdered again had in the last couple months had.

Taking a longer sip of his drink, he considered the idea for what probably was the hundredth time. “I have, yes… It was just something I found myself without the funds or backing to start.” There was the difference in their backgrounds. Aside from the obvious, Llewellyn hadn’t had such advantages in life. As it was, he’d been lucky to have the opportunities he’d had when the landlady took him in. Otherwise, he would have ended up in the boy’s home and hired out part time to quarries or factories like other orphans, where the adults in their life didn’t expect them to amount to more than that. Really, making it as far as he had was a shock to some. “Part of what’s been so… I suppose nice about these worlds, was finding myself in the position to do just that. Being able to open my own office at the Sphere was… well, a good change of pace.” Having more control over his cases, not needing to argue that he wasn’t wasting time or resources on something, was a change.

“Thank you, Ivy…” He responded with a small nod, “I am too… I just-” He shrugged again. “Need some time to adjust again, I think.”

[neurotoxicity]

They were both extremely well adjusted people, definitely. "Then is it really a problem?" Was that the best way to think about it? Nope, definitely not. Was it the way she handled things herself? Pretty much. She always knew her ways of dealing weren't healthy and she felt the shame of if after but never really tried to change. It'd be pretty hypocritical of her to try to tell him it was bad of him to do. And she was clearly being hypocritical enough with her following question.

She looked down in slight embarrassment at his reaction and sighed. "Seemed like something you'd say." Was that an attempt at saving face? Just a bit. He'd clearly realized how hypocritical it was for her to say and it was really hitting her how bad she was at offering comfort like this to anyone. How was someone as fucked up as she as able to help anyone? She couldn't. "Yeah, I know. But, haven't you said before you have to make the best of the time you have here?" Or something along those lines. At least she was pretty sure he had when he'd been encouraging her to try something with Harry.

"Mm, I'm sorry. Not a very....thoughtful suggestion." Not everyone was as lucky as she was or as Rachel had been to find her. "I'm sorry that you lost that from the Sphere." That hardly sounded helpful. "Needing time to adjust seems understandable given everything."

[gadaboutdetective]

And Llewellyn was happy to agree with her on this subject. With a small hum, he shrugged. “By that logic, no. I suppose it isn’t?” And he took another sip, knowing full well they were probably both wrong… But he’d rather think they were right on the matter, at least at the moment.

It was his turn to look a bit embarrassed as she pointed out that her advice had seemed like something he would say. She was right and not taking her words seriously would only make him the hypocrite in this… Not that he wasn’t, he certainly was prone to offering advice that he might not take himself if the tables were turned. This very conversation was proof of that, and so he leaned on the counter with a slight frown, contemplative, as he clearly was trying to think of an out for this whole mess. There wasn’t one, though… “You’re uh… Not wrong… I have said that.” Spinning the glass on the countertop between his fingers, watching what was left in the glass waver slightly, he sighed. “Suppose I wouldn’t have any business offering such advice to someone else, if I wasn’t willing to consider it myself. Part of me sees the sense in it, the other part rather wonders if I just give terrible advice.” He mused in a self-deprecating tone.

But on the subject of making the best of their time here, he vaguely remembered prior conversations and some advice from her he’d long ignored since they all found themselves here. “If anything, you seem to be more correct than I’ve been.” He added thoughtfully, tapping on the side of his glass absentmindedly. “I… Finally told Rhy about not wanting to go back to my world…” A little late, perhaps, since he’d just been back to his world… But better late than never, right?

The apology was waved off rather quickly, between not liking to be apologized to and the fact that it wasn’t her fault. “It’s nothing to be sorry for, Ivy… It makes sense for a possibility, after all. Our circumstances are simply different. It’s only natural to make suggestions based on our own experiences.” Gesturing slightly, he shook his head. He’d been guilty of suggestions like that himself. “And of the things I could have lost from my time at the Sphere, I think that was the easier one to lose… I have a place to work here, and the people there are an agreeable sort.” And the odd time he looked into things with Ivy was enjoyable, of course.

“Mhm… So just a little time, and hopefully all this will be behind me.” He was trying to convince himself that it would be that easy, at least.

[neurotoxicity]

"We've come to an agreement," she smiled and took a sip of her own drink only to be disappointed that it was the last sip left. It was shit logic and she knew it, but it was what it was. Sometimes people needed shitty things to help them cope.

"I know I'm not wrong," That's why she said it. She liked being right, so she tried to make it happen more often than not. "If you think you give terrible advice, then I guess I should start ignoring the majority of it." Had she ever really listened in the first place? Sort of. She at least let herself try a bit more than she might have otherwise, especially when it came to Harry. So, if he was just going to admit he sucked at giving advice, then she clearly shouldn't be taking any of it. Maybe it was a slightly underhanded direction to go in.

"You'd never told him that before?" something about that surprised her given how much he talked about being open and talking to people. "How did it go telling him that?" She imagined it probably went well, they were married and she doubted Rhy would want to leave him either. Then again she actually knew nothing about Rhy, so maybe he had something he missed in his own world. Come to think of it, maybe she should have tried to get to know Rhy more. She really wasn't terrific with socializing.

"I should have known about the situations being different. Rachel reminds me of it sometimes," she said with a sigh. Sometimes she got so wrapped up on the negatives of her privilege's that she forgot she actually was still privilege's in some ways. "I hope time helps."

[gadaboutdetective]

“The majority, but not all of it?” He tilted his head slightly. Did that imply that not all of it was as terrible as he or she suggested now? Well… He wasn’t aware of how much or how little she really took when he offered it. He had only hoped before now that she would try, and that it had helped in some way. But… “I suppose I couldn’t blame you if you did… Given your luck following my advice so far?” It was hard for Llewellyn to not wonder if it was his fault that things hadn’t gone well. Maybe he had a part in her bad luck where Harry was concerned, if the advice was so terrible. In his current state, the detective was a little more likely to consider such possibilities.

The question gets an awkward, embarrassed frown as he shook his head. “I hadn’t… I know I should have, but um- I suppose I was still rather afraid of what his answer might be. Unlike myself, he does have family left, and I wouldn’t want to keep him from that or whatever his future might hold for him.” It just seemed selfish to want to keep Rhy with him without considering his brother Kell or the kingdom that Rhy was set to rule. “I should have listened to you sooner, though…” Because it also had felt a little wrong to not have done so, given the amount of times he’d suggested things to Ivy. “But to answer your question, it went… Well?” The moment had been a bit emotional, considering he’d only just gotten back, but his fears had definitely been proven to be false. “He agreed, and we’re going to try to find a way to stay if we can…”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he shook his head a little. “Not that I’m particularly sure where to start to figure out how, but… It is nice to be on the same page, and to know I’m not the only one who wants it.” That maybe it was alright to be a little selfish in this situation was a small comfort, really.

Llewellyn shrugged, though, “Thank you, Ivy…” He appreciated the hope, if anything. He really couldn’t fault her for not considering the difference in their situations, even if she seemed like she still felt bad about it. “Well, you know now and can remember in the future. It isn’t as though I don’t realize there are positives and negatives to any situation.”

[neurotoxicity]

"You're impossible," she said without even trying to hide the frustration. She should have figured that in his current state he'd manage to turn it around on her. Maybe she really was just terrible at finding a way to comfort someone. "Your advice hasn't been the problem, it's my execution." The same frustration practically dripped from her statement, but that had more to do with her having to admit that she was bad at something. Under usual circumstances she'd avoid mentioning that she was at fault in any way at all, but she was determined to try help even at the cost of her own ego. "Your advice would probably work out if I actually followed it." Instead of only going half way and then twisting it all up. She could follow instructions perfectly for everything except personal matters.

"Can you say that last part again?" she gave him a brief smug smile in regards to him saying he should have listened to her sooner. "I'm glad you got some closure there." She could definitely understand how it'd be a relief to find out they shared the same desires in that respect. Even if she briefly wondered if that meant that Rhy didn't get along with his family or if they just loved each other that much. A part of her was jealous if it was the love one.

"I hope you're able to find a way." She didn't want to say she thought that'd be impossible, but she thought it'd be pretty impossible. There was no way to know, after all it wasn't like they actually even fully understood how they were brought here or sent back. It seemed random, but maybe it wasn't. At least they knew about the portal, maybe if they ever figured more about that thing they could learn to control it. That seemed farfetched but in a place like this? Ivy supposed you never really did know.

"You don't have to thank me, I suck at this." She could admit that. It just felt so shitty to see him like this. She was supposed to be the depressed vampire stereotype, not him. "You're intruding on my territory." Was this her attempt at a joke about his brooding? Yup. Was she very good at it? Probably not. Kist was really one of the only people she actually teased like this and it definitely came off a tiny bit stiff.

[gadaboutdetective]

Now that did get a ghost of a smile from him. “Worse has been said of me, I’m sure.” He responded with a little shrug, but… At least there was something nice about being told his advice wasn’t that bad. Still, it didn’t change the fact that the results were never particularly positive for Ivy. “So… You’re saying my advice should come with steps to follow to ensure a smooth execution?” He knows that’s not it, but it was hard to not say it, considering. And… Could he really fault her for not following his advice completely? Especially considering how long it had taken him to follow through on what she had advised him of concerning Rhy. “I at least understand that sometimes following advice, good or bad, is easier said than done, I suppose.” Actually, bad advice was easier to follow if his recent life in his own world was anything to go by.

“If you like, yes.” He responded with a slightly sheepish expression, “Mm… Alright. I should have listened to you sooner, and will consider that in the future should you suggest as much again.” Probably… Maybe… Stranger things had happened, right? Hopefully, he’d at least leave the bar tonight with the intent to try to move past everything… Maybe not in a way that addressed anything so much as shoving it behind him, but still. “I hope so too, Ivy.” He added with a small nod, “Considering the way these worlds are, it seems like a bit of a fool’s errand… But I have to at least try.” Because waiting for it all to end again just didn’t sit right with him. He felt too powerless in his own life in his world as it was. He didn’t want to lose all of this.

A soft chuckle escaped at her admitting she wasn’t good at this. “You’re better than you think, you know… Better than some of the advice I was given in my world.” He added with a shake of his head. The comment that he was intruding gets a rather awkward pause… Huh? Then it struck him, a little late, but it did. “Ah, I see what you were implying.” He added with a wry smile. “You’ll have to uh- forgive me this once and share?”

[neurotoxicity]

"That wouldn't be surprising," she couldn't help but at least chuckle. Not that the smile could last too long. She let out a sigh and lowered her gaze in his direction. Now he was just trying to make his advice sound bad. "I'm saying I ignored part of your advice and that I might have left out information here and there." Important information that probably would have changed exactly how he gave her the advice he had. "I'm not good at listening to other people." Rachel would probably attest to that. Ivy tended to be very single minded and often unwilling to compromise.

"You'll be the only person to do that," she gave him a slightly bitter smile. That wasn't exactly true, it was more that Rachel never listened to her and she never listened to Rachel. It ended up being a ridiculous cycle between the two of them. "That's all you can do." A part of her wanted to be more positive for him, but it seemed even worse to try to pretend it'd be an easy thing. "At least we don't really know anything about this place." Which meant that theoretically anything was possible.

"Better than advice in your world doesn't seem as comforting as you think." Considering what he'd told her about his world. "Vampires can't share. It's integral to our aura."

[gadaboutdetective]

Ah… Now Llewellyn was starting to get what she meant, and while he knew he should be a bit annoyed that she’d neglected to inform him of just how much she’d ignored of his advice… “Well… I suppose that means we both could stand to take advice a little better.” The right kind of advice, of course. Llewellyn had also followed some very bad advice, and it had gone about as well as one could expect. “Sometimes it’s not easy to listen, so I think I can understand that.” Especially knowing more about her after their last conversation. “Still… I hope that things at least, uh- get better.”

If she did eventually try to follow things, and to pursue more despite her concerns.

A small, surprised chuckle escaped him at her logic. It was better than writing it off as impossible, but it was interesting to hear from her. “Knowing nothing about what’s possible can mean anything is possible, hm?” Llewellyn shook his head a little. It was better than looking at the glass half empty, even if that was easier for him these days. “We’ll have to see what happens, but I uh- certainly hope you're right.” He added, tilting the glass back to finish the drink.

“Perhaps not, but it is true.” He shrugged, before supposing what little he knew about actual vampires could fill a book… Whether she was being humorous or not. “Then are you suggesting I should take this as a sign to stop brooding over a drink and let you take your rightful spot?” Or maybe she was just giving him a gentle nudge to stop ruining his liver and go home for the night.

[neurotoxicity]

"If you can agree that it's both of us, I'll settle." At least this was some degree of progress. She could take it to mean that he acknowledged that his advice was good, it was just that they both may not actually follow the words he said. It seemed as though that was as far as she was going to get here. "I'm sure you can understand it," she said with a smirk. Maybe she should have acknowledged his statement about hoping things get better, but she didn't. The conversation wasn't about her after all.

"Maybe. I have a friend who would say that." Rachel would definitely be on the side of pushing people to do the impossible because you never really knew. Ivy of course with her more cynical nature (and own personal history with what her future was destined to hold) didn't subscribe to that. But....she could act like she did for a friend if it offered him some comfort. "I'm sure we'd have all thought a world like this one and the last was impossible. But here we are." So, maybe anything at all was possible. Did it click in her mind that it might mean her situation might not be so impossible? Nope. Not in the slightest.

"That's my suggestion. It looks better on me anyway. I give off the sultry mysterious lure. You just give off," she gestured up and down with an elegant flick of her wrists. "This. It definitely doesn't suit you."

[gadaboutdetective]

“Mm… Then I believe we’ve come to an agreement on that subject.” He responded with a small nod, somehow feeling like this had come off as a strange deal between two people who excelled at ending up in messes and were not particularly good at following advice. An odd friendship, when one thought about it, but not entirely incorrect.

That was probably true, though… Both this world and the last were far outside the realm of what Llewellyn would have thought possible back in his own world. Both were so very different in more ways than he could describe, even if not all of them were good (but the ways that were good counted more). “I suppose in that case, you and your friend both may be correct. Perhaps neither of us would be so wrong to entertain thoughts of things that seem impossible now, hm?”

Llewellyn’s brow arched rather comically at the vague reference to how much this particular ‘look’ did not suit him in comparison to her. “I feel almost as though that could be taken as an insult, but give you’re a friend. I will instead take it as advice and an um… kind honesty on your part.” He shook his head with a wry sounding chuckle. “Alright… I suppose I could stand to not… languish here in drink simply because it’s easy given how uh- not great the look is.” It’s an attempt at being humorous, but it’s also an acceptance of the truth, really.

[neurotoxicity]

"A miracle." Was that sarcasm? No, actually. Her tone was flat and implied that she actually meant it was a miracle they'd come to this agreement as they had. Somehow she actually managed to feel mildly smug about it though, as if she'd kind of won even if it was the tiniest of tiny victories. Competitive people really will take anything.

"Just never tell her that if you ever meet her." It'd go to her head to have someone tell her she was right. Not that she thought that'd ever happen. After this long away from home she almost felt like she'd never see any of them again and she wasn't entirely sure if that was a bad thing. She let out a sigh at his last comment though and rolled her eyes. "Maybe not." That was the best he was going to get from her.

Surprisingly she actually laughed at his comment, a throaty strange laugh that was accompanied by a shake of her head. "Generous of you to take it that way." It hadn't really even occured to her just how insulting it could have been, but that wasn't that surprising. "Probably the best choice. The only other one I could think of is allowing me to get you a wardrobe that fits the mood you're projecting better. How do you feel about leather?"