saudade

Levi grinned and had to agree. “Just a pet,” Levi confirmed. “We’re had Stevie about since we adopted Millie, and the two get along nicely. I’m hoping Stevie has a nice long life to be there alongside Millie as she grows.” Stevie handled unwanted touches from the toddler remarkably well, and Levi hoped that would never change.

His cleared his throat and gestured toward the cat. “What about yours? Any hidden talents or gainful employment.” The ability to happily take a walk seemed to be one of them, but that didn’t mean anything beyond pet status and a purposeful training.

.

Raising kids around pets was something that Tristan supported and he nodded, thinking momentarily of how he would like to have kids one day and they were certain to be raised with furry companions.

"Just a normal cat. A friend of my sister found a stray kitten outside and brought it to me, so now I have a shared cat." Although being a normal muggle cat didn't mean that it could be trained and it was hardly as if normal cats couldn't be of use. Perhaps they weren't as talented as kneazles, but Sage still had value in his mind. "Makes for good company, but also good for messes."

Zahi nodded. “I suppose that’s fair. Every predator is in some way prey.” Plant and animal alike. As they approached the thicket in question, Zahi slowly in his walk, not wanting to create any problems by rushing into a situation where the plants might not react favorably. Best not to surprise them or attract undo attention. “Is that why you planting them originally?” he asked.

"They were here before me, but we are reclaiming this space, so perhaps." Tristan admitted with a nod, fairly certain that the area had been used as a habitat before, which meant that it was quite likely that there had bee additional food sources provided as well as safety measures for the creatures. "If the creatures adjust well, perhaps there will be more potion ingredients available." Although considering the poaching problems happening recently, perhaps ingredients weren't that much of a problem.

“Daydream? I mean maybe but that might still be to expensive to just sit there and hope you know?” After all, Nate might be seen as a slacker by his old teachers but he was a hard worker. He spent a lot of hours making sure that Nic and him would be okay. Picking up to many shifts and pretending that it was sustainable.

It’s why now he was so - angry wasn’t quite the right word but upset might be worse. He had just wanted to forget about all of it for awhile and it felt like he wasn’t allowed to. 

“I miss the sun too, but it was probably different feeling. You’re ocean is bigger than our sea.” Well Nate knew the mediterranean went into the ocean but still. 

 At the suggestion and offer Nate titled his head and thought about it for a moment and went. “Actually yeah that sounds nice.”

.

"My home is warmer than yours." Tristan had never even been to Nate's home, wasn't entirely sure where it was, but he was still certain this his home was warmer, better. He'd considered Itacare a special place before going to Europe and truthfully, he'd only become more convinced that Itacare was a sun drenched paradise after experiencing how cold and gloomy England was.

Smiling when Nate accepted his offer, Tristan nodded his head. "Then come with me. I can tell you about home and you can daydream of it." Maybe it would give nate something new to think about, something that would make him smile more.

He would let Nate sit on the shore and daydream if he wanted or get his toes wet or just enjoy the scenery if he wanted, but Tristan wanted to feel the water around him and knew he likely wouldn't be good company for long. "Have you ever looked out from the shore and thought you were on the edge of the world?

When Tristan repeated it Nic grimaced, unusually sensitive about his mishap in the moment. He waved a hand, many-silvered rings glinting in the light. “I forget the word. Phrase. Mind…” but it was a blank. He let out a small noise of frustration. “You know what I am thinking without the need for me to say it.”

He realized only belatedly that he’d spoken over something Tristan said, and when he paused, backtracking in his own mind, he finally registered the “I like that” from the other man. He flushed, hand dropping. Too late to address it now, he just looked grumpy and ungrateful, probably. Although he was usually grumpy so it wasn’t as if he’d sold himself short or anything. And he’d warned Tristan at their first meeting that he wasn’t a good person. Still, part of him felt bad, even if he wouldn’t move to do anything about it. 

He watched as Tristan dug around in the kitchen, curious about the concoction being made. He wasn’t much of a drinker originally, and he didn’t tend to have a sweet tooth, but human behavior was hardly 100% consistent all the time. At the question about problems, he blew out a hard breath. 

“I have… many problems.” The problem that was Nate, in an of himself, and now specifically his not-boyfriend. The problem of Nic’s magic. The problem of Yuki and Luka, who were still stubbornly trying to get past his walls, and the fact that he was maybe inclined to let them. The problem of working for a homicidal crazy person who’d been angrier than usual, according to the higher-ups Nic worked with, and the fact that his little brother was also wound up with said homicidal maniac with him. 

“Most alcohol tastes worse than dirt,” Nic shrugged, unable to fill in Tristan’s blank. “I am not particular about it. But I appreciate you making this.”

Another beat of silence. Nic slid a bit down the couch,and let his gaze drift to the ceiling while he settled a hand over his chest, the other trailing to the floor, and pulled up one of his legs so it was crooked at the knee. His fingers tapped dully against the floor, frantic. 

“My brother is seeing someone, but he is lying to me about it. It. Is one of the problems.”

"I didn't know the word was wrong." And normally Tristan wouldn't have admitted that, but the flush on Nic's face made him think that admitting his mistake was more important than his pride in that moment. "You are okay." He knew what it was like to mess up your words and be frustrated at yourself and everyone around you, after all.

Having many problems made it sound like Nic needed a strong drink and Tristan wondered if he shouldn't just pull out the tequila so the two of them could spread it around, but he wanted to give Nic ice cream since Tristan usually thought of that as a soothing thing, a... oh, what did you call it? Something for coping? Oh, a comfort food, that was it. It would give Nic comfort as well as get him drunk and take away the edge of the pain or the stress or whatever else it was his problems caused. 

"You do not like alcohol?" Perhaps Tristan hadn't realized that because he and Nic drank the first time that they met, but he frowned a little, hoping he wasn't going to let his new friend down with the drink. Really, Tristan didn't drink particularly complicated things and he didn't know how to make them, either, likely the only reason he knew this drink was because it had ice cream and giving someone alcohol and ice cream at the same time was multitasking, which seemed like a useful thing.

Offering the drink out to Nic, Tristan offered a shrug of his shoulders to go along with the concoction that he still couldn't remember the name of, but it was something to do with nature. "Try this..." Earthquake? Something about the ground. "We can destroy it if it tastes bad."

That was the best that Tristan could offer to do for Nic besides listen and Tristan settled down in a spot as his mouth screwed up in response to Nic's words, gazing absently at the rings flashing from Nic's hands. He was familiar with having problems with a sibling's choice of romantic partner and he wasn't shocked that it was a brother problem, but Tristan wasn't going to hold it against Nic for being concerned about his sibling.

Zahi nodded. “If they’re the same breed, we’ll be fine. If you find something else, I might have to come back, depending on what kind of containment they need.” But whatever it was, he would find a place between the shop or the estate. If it was small, perhaps it could simply live in his apartment. “Flesh eating?” he repeated. “My my, but don’t you all keep exciting things around here.”

Nodding, Tristan was pleased to see the man sounded well prepared to handle whatever they found and move it away in a safe manner. "Some dangerous places are the best places for animals." If a dangerous plant like that could thrive, chances were that it meant it was private and the animals would be safe, but in some cases, the plants were even a food source. "Some plants don't need to be moved, but i can tell you they are here if you need them."

Odette was always wary of big crowds such as this, she always had been, and everything that seemed to happen at events seemed to back up her immediate feeling to stay away. But, and there always seemed to be a but, she’d people in passing, on the street, and even at work express excitement about the funfair. Odette was only human, and it wasn’t exactly like she had a busy social life.

Odette waved Tristan off. “Takes more than a bump to do some real damage to me, thankfully.” She replied. “Besides, I wasn’t exactly looking where I was going. There’s just so much here, isn’t there? You really don’t know where to begin.”

"It is not what I expected, not like it is back home. Is it like this where you are from?" Tristan asked, unfamiliar with France and the way they celebrated there. Really, Tristan still felt unfamiliar with things in Europe in general and the fact he'd been there for over a year was something he found startling and unpleasant. There was much he would do for Xiomara, but Tristan was truthfully wondering if it was worth it when things didn't seem to be getting better or even changing at all.

"And do you know where the food is? I smell fried dough." It didn't smell quite the same as donuts, but it still made him think of a bakery and Tristan's stomach rumbled in the hopes of finding something to eat. Maybe his focus was on the wrong thing, but it was impossible to ignore that smell and it would be nice to eat something other than eggs.

Oh. My. God. Zara’s jaw dropped before turning into a smile from excitement and disbelief. If she was sober, she would’ve kept the sharp display of emotion in, but since she wasn’t, she didn’t.

“They’re my cousins!” she half-shouted, though, in the context of the bar, it didn’t register as abnormal.

Zara wanted to talk more and figure out how the man knew Valerija and Vanja, but play had resumed. As if an mammalian instinct, Zara’s head whipped around so that her eyes could re-glue themselves to the screen. However, just as quickly as play at resumed, it stopped again as a German chaser was knocked off of his broom and fell to the ground. A Bulgarian beater had hit a Bludger directly at him, nailling him in the shoulder and sending him plummetting towards the ground. It was a nasty blow, Zara couldn’t deny it, but it was the exact kind of play she used to make as a beater when she was at Durmstrang and it was her team that made the play - she couldn’t help but be a bit proud as well.

In a much gentler manner than she had left it, Zara returned to her conversation with the man. “How do you know Val and Vanja?”

Oh, no, another Novak. It was the first thought that went through his mind, but Tristan didn't really mean it. He'd since decided that Vanja wasn't the absolute worst person that Xiomara could be around even if he did have a gift for getting under Tristan's skin, and he'd always gotten along with Valerija, so there wasn't any proof that Zara wasn't a nice person to talk to. After all, what did he know but that she went to Durmstrang and liked sports?

In fact, she seemed quite devoted to sports since her attention went back to the match the moment coverage resumed and Tristan resumed drinking, thinking that if that was the extent of their conversation, then he didn't mind Zara at all. She didn't seem to be as chatty as Vanja and that was fine since Tristan was a grump that didn't do a lot of talking at times.

"Vanja is a friend of my sister, he brought a cat he found to me and we share Sage." Tristan said, assuming that Vanja's cousin would know about the little black kitten that tended to travel back and forth between its parents. Tipping as head, Tristan soon realized he wasn't exactly sure how Valerija came into the picture. "I do not remember meeting Valerija. In a grocery store, maybe? We talked about cocoa for her girlfriend. And she helps with my English."

Hearing Tristan speak English was an unexpected jolt that made Nic aware that he maybe hadn’t just been speaking English? But Tristan took it in stride the way he always did and merde, Nic really enjoyed his company much too much to keep indulging in it. It was just so easy to be around Tristan and stop worrying about things for half a second. Really Nic should just cut him off now, insult the other man or maybe set fire to something precious, so he could be run off and forget all about this? 

But he was too tired and upset to think about burning bridges right now. Instead he just hauled himself up on the couch with a groan so that he could see Tristan heading to the kitchen. 

“You are a mind-knower,” he said, having aimed for mind-”reader” but forgetting the right word, knowing he’d gotten it wrong, fairly sure Tristan would understand what he meant anyways. “Sugar and alcohol will solve each of my problems.” Not even close, but he could pretend for a bit.

"Mind knower?" Tristan hadn't heard that phrase before, but he thought it was fairly obvious what it meant. To know someone else's mind seemed like a great compliment and Tristan nodded decisively before adding, "I like that."

Sugar and alcohol were easy to provide and Tristan set out the tubs of ice cream on the counter before he began to dig around in the cabinets, hoping that Nic would like the drink. Then again, even if he didn't, he might just drink it in order to deal with his problems. "Each of your problems? How many problems do you have?" It seemed like most of the problems that Tristan dealt with recently were about Xiomara's poor life choices, so he didn't know if he could actually help Nic with anything.

No? That is a type?

Kinda? I am good at hugs.

Yes. How did you know?

“Yes. It is fun. You don’t hike?”

Vanja merely shrugged at the question, not even having realized that Tristan was there. “Thought I might try something new,” he answered simply, entering further into the flat. Looking at the perplexed expression on Tristan’s face, he rose a brow. “Would you rather I continue to come in unanounced?” While he still technically let himself in, at least there was a bit of a warning this time.

“There was someone outside in the hall, it almost looked like she wanted to head this way before I got to the door,” Vanja confessed, eyes gazing back to the front door with slight suspicion. If Tristan had been expecting someone, Vanja wouldn’t stay long, though he got the impression that perhaps hers was not planned either. “Ring any bells?” His tone remained neutral, though Vanja was rather curious about it. As he walked by Tristan, Vanja placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, brushing against him slightly to get by. “But yes, to answer your question.”

As if on cue, Sage came sauntering out of his hiding place, rubbing up against Vanja’s legs. Letting out a small chuckle, Vanja unzipped the jacket and set it aside, crouching down to pet the cat behind the ears. With the leather jacket removed it was much easier to notice the top he has been wearing was basically a crop top, exposing the middle of his abdomen. “I figured I would come over early, give you a break.” And give myself a reason to see you, he thought to himself. But of course, it wasnt that easy. He couldn’t just say that, that would be absurd. Vanja stood up after a moment, leaning against the counter as their cat started to paw at the laces of Vanja’s boots. “I figured Xio wouldn’t be home, but I was hoping you would.”

Shrugging, Tristan found that he didn't have an answer to that question simply because of how he was used to Vanja simply waltzing in. After all these months, it seemed somehow ridiculous to have Vanja announce his presence when it seemed like he spent more time in the flat than Xiomra did. While there had once been a point where that annoyed Tristan ferociously, time had softened that into something that was merely an accepted fact. Xio was going to do what she wanted to do, and Vanja... well, he asked Tristan, which was more than Tristan expected. Let him do as he pleased.

"Neighbor. She visit frequently for sugar and such, she must like to bake." Or at least, that seemed as likely of a reason as any to Tristan. Maybe she had a lot of kids and enjoyed making them treats or something like that. He supposed that she could ask about it, but truthfully, he was still a bit wary about making friends with the neighbors and maybe Vanja was, too, since something seemed strange about Vanja's question. "She doesn't ring the bell, she knocks, too." Tristan added as Vanja brushed against him, eyes tracking Vanja's movements.

It wasn’t exactly something he wanted to do, it was far easier to be unahppy and grumpy about the entire thing, but at least he’d attended the fair, he was socializing and getting out and all that, and it seemed like the effort was being rewarded. Not only did he enjoy the food, but the tower looked promising and Tristan rubbed his hands together as he considered the height. “Are you going to try?”

Still, the fact it was different from his expectations didn't stop Tristan from walking around with his face tipped up, attempting to see things far beyond his view to learn figure out where to go and what would be the best thing to start with. It was really all his fault when he bumped into someone, hands immediately going out to steady them. "Sorry, I - Odette? Did I hurt you?"

There had been a lot of years where she felt just like Tristan – honestly, she still felt that way most of the time.  It wasn’t her English skills so much as the years she had spent avoiding any real human contact, but they weren’t so different.  “I understand,” she nodded, shooting him an empathetic look.  “I admire it too.  Mostly because I can’t even comprehend that level of confidence.”

“Oh,” she hesitated.  “I suppose it might, but I’m not going to protest progress to protect my job.  I could find something else to do.”  She wasn’t too concerned about employment.  She translated because she loved it, not because it was a job.  “Well,” she paused.  “I have found that forcing yourself to speak in the language is helpful as well.  It’s a bit awkward at first, but it gets a bit easier each and every time.  I also enjoy reading in the language I’m attempting to learn.  I know those aren’t super helpful, but they work.”

While Tristan wasn't sure what Valerija wasn't confident in since it clearly couldn't be her language skills, he wasn't going to push it in an attempt to find out her insecurities, so instead he only nodded. "I think... someone would need to check the quill. Some words mean more than one thing." Could a quill have the sentience required to understand context? There would always be a use for skills like Valerija's in some way, he was sure.

"My sister does that." He commented with a sigh, hating that Xiomara was right. "I am not supposed to speak portuguese outside the flat. But... I do when I have bad things to say." Tristan admitted, not thinking Valerija would judge him too harshly. "Reading is easier. Hearing is not. Words seem too fast, they are a blur and I get mistakes."

Levi smiled as he watched the other wizard greet his daughter. She was young enough that it was hard to say whether her flapping hand was a responsive wave or mere excitement over her crackers. Either way, he personally thought it was adorable. Levi did have to admit that he was possibly a bit biased. 

“That’s awesome honestly,” he said. “I don’t think my husband or I have ever taken our kneazle for a walk specifically, although I’ve taken it out and about with me if I’m not going very far. Wait, no, I think I do remember Marcus talking about the time he tried to take her while he had Millie in the stroller. Stevie didn’t care for it. She hopped in the basket instead.” He laughed at the thought. He was sure it had been quite something to witness, and it didn’t surprise him that the cat has the same stubbornness as everyone else around.

"That is nice. Good bonding moment." Really, it seemed adorable that they took their kneazle out with them and the fact that it simply decided to be lazy and insist on being pushed make it seem like it was a much loved and coddled pet. Tristan had seen strollers built for two kids and though perhaps that would be a good way to bring about both the baby and kneazle, but he wasn't sure how to explain it and have it sound right. 

"It is just a pet kneazle? Or do you have it for other jobs?" When you were a kid, anything was considered a pet, but Tristan knew that a kneazle wasn't just a regular cat. Even if their tails weren't considered the best material for a wand core, they were still quite capable of protecting a home and could be quite useful and determining which people you should be wary of. A good companion for a child to have, really.