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[sterngaze]

Liem Talbott

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Liem's mindscape is dark; quiet; contemplative. Any feelings or sensations that Liem doesn't intentionally project himself seem distant, as though echoing from a far-off room. Following any given sense to its source is bafflingly difficult.

Comments

[sterngaze]

[At this point, Liem has to smile, just a little bit, even if it is a rather wry smile. A little bit of this feeling bleeds through the connection.]

I fear I am not being of much help to you, Miss Gray.

[She keeps asking him questions he doesn't know the answer to, even for his own world, much less D's.]

I don't know how long I might have to live, or how long our mutual friend might have. I haven't even asked him how old he is.

[He suspects that D is much older than he looks, but Liem still isn't anywhere close to guessing just how ancient he actually is. Liem would guess perhaps a thousand and still think he might be guessing too high.]

My guess would be that most dhampirs die from trauma, rather than from natural causes. But that is just because I have trouble imagining one living a safe, domestic lifestyle.

[Says the man who hosts cooking lessons at the community centre every week.]

[gravings]

[ So even dhampirs might live indefinitely... It's a pretty amazing fact that Gray won't have much time to appreciate as she rushes to wave off Liem's self-deprecating comment. ]

No, you've been very helpful! I don't know anything about dhampirs, so any information at all is helps.

[ Vampires get plenty of attention, but dhampirs not so much. Maybe there's an encyclopedia in some library she can look up an article in... ]

Wouldn't you like a safe, domestic lifestyle?

[ Because yeah. The cooking lessons. And Liem's temperament (around Gray at least) is mild enough that she could see him settling down somewhere given the choice. ]

[sterngaze]

[Gray's question gives Liem pause, makes him frown a little as he considers this possibility. He hasn't spent every day of his life in dangerous situations, of course. He's had periods of idleness where he was mostly doing paperwork, or just travelling or observing — and he enjoyed those peaceful stretches. But the lulls had always come between periods of fighting, investigation, struggle. They were the exception rather than the rule, he felt.]

I don't know, [he says finally.] I don't think I could live like that, if there were other people who were still in danger.

[gravings]

[ His answer both surprises her and doesn't. ]

You're really a nice person, Mr. Liem.

[ It feels maybe a bit too rare that she talks to people who are actively invested in doing good. ]

[sterngaze]

That's very kind of you to say.

[Liem should be happy that Gray hears him say this and just thinks he's nice, instead of assuming he has severe emotional problems. Many, possibly even most nice people are probably capable of living peaceful lives without feeling crippling guilt about it.

Unfortunately Liem isn't even properly grateful for not being perceived, because he doesn't acknowledge his own issues. However, he is still grateful that she said something sweet about him.]

Do you think your new housemate is a nice person, too?

[gravings]

[ You'd probably have to be a little damaged to still be a nice person despite all of the crap that's happened to them as Shard-Bearers (and Aions), so emotional problems are a bit of a given.

Liem gets a quietly pleased spot of warmth for his question. ]

Yes, he's been very kind. He isn't talkative, but I think he tries to be thoughtful however he can. Oh, and his horse is cute.

[ By some definition of cute... ]

[sterngaze]

[Wait... his horse? She doesn't mean... the demonic-looking horse with the mechanical legs that D had ridden up to his house the day he showed up to ask if Liem was being naughty?]

Are we thinking of different horses...?

[Maybe D has more than one?]

[gravings]

[ Hm. That more than anything suggests to Gray that they are talking about the same person. ]

You should try petting him or giving him a treat. I think he likes the attention.

[ God knows D isn't showering that horse with love........ ]

[sterngaze]

Ah...

[Normally he would avoid going near someone's horse, even a friendly one. Something about him has always made most animals a little nervous, and a horse like that looks like it could do some damage if it spooked. It occurs to him that D's horse is probably used to weird inhuman men, though, and probably doesn't spook very easily besides.]

I suppose I could, if I see it again. Though I'm not in the habit of carrying horse treats on my person.

[Unless the demon cyborg horse wants jerky?? He's not convinced it wouldn't...]

[gravings]

[ That is fair... ]

Well, his name is Erebus. Maybe he'll like it if you use it.

[ Pure speculation, but she really just wants D's horse to have nice friends. And seeing as how the horse's name only saw the light of day in recent days, Gray figures he'll like that it's being used. ]

If you ever happen to be in the area, you should visit and meet him. I don't think anyone would mind.

[sterngaze]

[Normally Liem would politely turn down an offer to visit someone's home to make friends with their housemate's horse, but Gray seems like a bit of a shy girl, and he thinks perhaps it might require courage for her to make offers like this. He probably shouldn't just shoot her down.]

I will remember. And, the next time I feel like baking, perhaps I'll stop by to share the results. I suppose I could say hello to him then.

[gravings]

[ Gray usually oscillates between being too shy to invite people to things and spontaneously inviting people to things before she can regret it. In this case, it's somewhere in the middle. Even if they aren't close, per se, she's known Liem long enough that she doesn't need to feel anxious. ]

Please do. Until then... thank you, Mr. Liem.