The Weather Outside Is Frightful (But the Yarn Is So Delightful)
Epel winced when the guy took his hand, crushing it in his own. Damn… so it wasn’t just his manner of speaking that was intense. He was just Like That, all around. Epel could respect that.
The gesture was over as soon as it started, and Epel acted like his hand wasn’t sore. “I am SEBEK ZIGVOLT, retainer to the lord Malleus Draconia.” The guy crossed his arms, “Strange to reside in the same building as those never spoken to before.”
“Ah, yeah, yes. I suppose it is” Epel straightened his back some, to look taller more poised. How could he bring this up naturally. How could he work ‘I know we’re strangers but I know how cold you are so I knit you a blanket’ into the conversation. Honestly, he wasn’t the best at talking, so he decided to just go for it.
“And, well, while it is a bit strange, I admit… I couldn’t help but notice that you seemed to be having a bit of trouble with the sudden change in the weather around here.” He shifted the bag behind his hands again. “So, while I hope this isn’t too pr-presumptuous of me…” he tripped over the word he wasn’t sure he was saying right, but that he had heard Rook and Vil use before, “I-I was going to make it anyways, really. I actually tend to- in my spare time-… just… ah, daggone it. Here.”
He thrust the bag forward, presenting it to the green hair– presenting it to Sebek. This was so awful. This was so awkward. He was crashing and burning and this was SUCH a stupid idea, what was he THINKING. He shouldn’t have rushed it, they should have made more smalltalk first. He shouldn’t have bothered trying to justify himself to the guy, he just didn’t wanna come off as creepy. He shouldn’t have– UGH. Why couldn’t he be like one of those cool guys that oozed confidence in whatever they did. If he was like Leona, he would have just waltzed up to the guy, said something like 'Hey, I made this for you. Stop shiverin’, tossed him the bag, and been on his way. Why couldn’t he just do that!
Because he cared. Because he cared about what the guy would say. Because he wanted to know what the guy would think of it, he wanted to know if he thought it was good. Because he cared about what the guy thought of him. Gosh, 'guy’. SEBEK. His name was Sebek. He needed to start using people’s names… even if he doubted they would ever speak again. Or that they would ever remember him.
Oh my god, why did he even care. Why did he care? This guy was never gonna remember him as anything other than some puny little Pomefiore runt, and what about it. He didn’t even know this guy, so why should his opinion matter so much. He could think whatever he wanted. Epel knew who he was, and he knew he was just tryna do something nice. If the guy didn’t like it or made fun of him for it, he could fuck off. Epel would just take the blanket back. He’d fight him for it, if he had to. If he was gonna be a jerk about it he didn’t deserve to have it, simple as that.
With that sorted, he felt like he could breathe again.
THE CLEAR LACK OF COMPOSURE DISPLAYED BY HIS COUNTERPART did not cause him to falter, be it a lack of social awareness, or simply because he was accustomed to people having a reaction like this. his hard - headed nature did not allow him to falter, no matter how strangely that fellow students would react to his undeniably fae - raised behavior could bring him to act. a case of resembling the one who raised him too closely. it was not the norm in night raven college, but in their hometown, he fit in quite nicely - aside from a few unchangeable aspects.
the cold being brought up was a sore topic, thinking that he was hiding his own suffering quite well - only to be faced with the reality that even strangers were able to realize his plight. shoulders tensing at the mention of his weakness, his expression shifted to offended to one of shame. shaking his head, and admitting up to it with a deal of honesty. it did not seem that this student was making an attempt at a dig; his immediate reaction was to remain defensive on the matter. though, denying the shivers & shakes would have done nothing to disprove what was clearly seen with his own two eyes. “ i am not accustomed to the cold, that is the truth. if required to overcome - i shall do so, if my peers can handle this weather, then it is doable. ” he remarked with some level of confidence in his tone. considering the difference in where others were raised, other factors out of his control as well - he still would not allow those with the upperhand to make him look weak.
all of this had come out before he realized that epel’s words were leading up to something, rather than simply pointing it out for the sake for picking at his personal flaws. staring at the bag for a moment, he hesitated in taking it from this stranger’s grasp. the newfound stranger that had a name to him - one that he would bring himself to remember after giving him a gift with such thought. taking the blanket out of the bag, it was a hand - made gift. different from one that would have been made in briar valley. anything there would have been done by magic, each of the stitches would have looked exactly identical because of that fact. this was flawed, but not in an unappealing way - one that showed there was actual handwork & effort placed into it. “ you crafted this? in your spare time, that’s quite impressive. ” sebek’s expression was as quick as ever to change to one of awe - going as far as to offer a smile in epel’s direction when he looked over the gift. “ you must teach me sometime, skills like these are overlooked - very useful, in the case that one needs to mend their own uniform. ”