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( Ja'far rubs Aspen's back again, looking at his wings. )

Are you still having trouble with the molting?

Ah, no... not as much.

[ He opens the wing - Ja'far is right to question, given he most certainly has less feathers than he used to at the start of the month. Thankfully no patchiness, but... ]

The pain's mostly gone. I do hope I won't molt this summer. It takes quite a while for these feathers to grow back.

That's good, I was worried about you.

And hopefully not. Let me know if you need help with it again.

[ ... something occurs to him and he looks to Ja'far with a guarded expression. ]

I... have to be there to draft up the... contracts, don't I?

Only if you want to and are ready for it. Sin, Masrur, and I can draft up our contracts on our own. You and Asra should talk about if you want to enter a contract together, but that's separate.

[ He stiffens, then looks down. ]

... I'm... not sure. I don't think... Asra should be with me. There's... doubtless others much better than I, more suited to his... ethereality and charm. I know it's only for a few months, but...

( Ja'far pats him, gentle and warm. )

Don't stress too much over it. Try to think of it objectively, how it will help the both of you, before you go into the negatives.

[ Softly; ]

... it's - very hard to think of this objectively. [ He presses his face into his hands, rubbing them down his cheeks. ] This used to be my life.

( Ja'far just stays quiet for a long moment, his hand still on Aspen's back. )

...I'm sorry that this situation is too much like home for you. It isn't fair to anyone, but to have this be so close to a situation you were in before... I'm sorry.

It's alright. I would just... gladly be a Submissive, to save someone else that pain. I wouldn't mind. But being this... I don't think I'll ever understand it.

[ He breathes in deeply and rakes a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs back from red-rimmed eyes. ]

Sh-should I make you something? I can boil water, so tea is possible... you've just been listening to me go on, I want to do something for you.

I don't mind listening to you. You're my friend. ( Ja'far beams at him. )

But, if you have some coffee, I wouldn't say no to that. Tea would be lovely as well.

[ He nods, getting up to move over to the kitchen. What would help with Ja'far's... restlessness? Well, he could just put him to sleep and deliver him back to Sinbad's floor, but that's not very friendly. Or at least, that's what Wisteria tells him. Maybe just a relaxing herbal blend... ]

Coffee, this late in the day...?

Ah, sorry, it's habit. I'm used to drinking a lot of it to stay awake to finish work in Sindria. ( He at least looks a bit sheepish. ) It's also my favorite.

I've got a blend of herbs that might help you relax a bit. You do seem tense.

( Tense? Well, he is still dealing with everything going on here... )

That sounds nice.

[ He gives a nod, stepping into the kitchen and gesturing to a stool on the opposite side of the counter. For the most part, the kitchen is immaculate - like it's rarely ever used. What isn't immaculate is the small herb garden that spans a good half of the counter on Aspen's side, most of the plants growing and showing a healthy green tint. He knows them on sight, picking a few and pressing them between his hands. There's a bright flash of light from his fingertips and he tilts his hands to let the water drain from his palms, gesturing to the cups on a hook beside where Ja'far eventually sits. ]

Ah, could you hold out one of those for me?

( Ja'far watches curiously, unfamiliar with this kind of magic. When Aspen asks for him to help though, he nods, grabbing the cup and holding it out for him. )

[ When he opens his hands, dried herbs fall from them, a potent scent of fresh lemongrass and ginger following. Somehow, Aspen seems far more relaxed and at ease just handling the plants and using his magic than anything else. ]

Thank you. And for tea, that's... [ He takes an electric kettle, filling it with water and flicking it on before rustling through the cupboard. ] What sort of snacks do you like?

( Ja'far smiles, busying himself with readying the cups as Aspen heats the water. )

Ah, snacks? Anything is fine.

If you're sure.

[ He hums as he picks out a pack of cookies, squinting at the label and mouthing the letters carefully - he thinks for a moment before he puts them together in his head, coming over to set some packaged madeleines down. ]

These should go well. I'm not... sure how to pronounce it, but they're quaint. What sort of things do you have in Sindria, like this?

( Ja'far reads the label and tilts his head curiously. Madeleines? He's not entirely sure what those are, but he'll trust Aspen's taste. )

Mostly fresh fruits and the like. Sindria is to the south, and has access to a lot of different plants that most countries do not have.

Ahhh... so you're used to a warmer temperature.

[ He's full-on pouting. ] I'm jealous...! Petir has trade with most countries, but our alliances don't fall too far to the south... it's... not safe, there.

A bit. I traveled all over the world with Sin, though.

( Ja'far smiles, a bit tickled by Aspen's pout. ) Too dangerous? The south is dangerous for us, as well. We're one of the few countries with any access, and there are a lot of large monsters we have to defend the island from.

Ah... south of Petir is Lotus, Dene, and Onin.

[ As the kettle starts to beep, he jumps a little before unplugging it, pressing a hand against his chest. He's still not used to these things...

But he pours the water into Ja'far's cup, taking the empty one Ja'far had settled and starting to pick a few other herbs, his fingertips glowing gently at the edges as he swirls them in the air. The plants grow a little higher, unfurl a few leaves and blossoms, and he goes back to work - doing the same thing with his batch of herbs. ]

Lotus is where I lived most of my life, and where I was trained. It is... a trade city. I suppose one can't quite call it the 'south', as it's right underneath Petir - they share a border. It's now characterized by its... entertainment. [ Given Aspen's own talents and training, it's clear what kind of 'entertainment' Lotus might be best at giving. ] But before, it was... a very powerful country. It originated most of Estelya's dark magics and axemanship, and it was absolutely feared. In the last few hundred years it sided with Petir, but...

[ A sigh. ] Dene was a part of Lotus, but broke off a hundred years ago when part of Lotus swore to Petir for peace. It's stayed bloodthirsty and... from what I know, Dene is the nation that wiped out almost all of the Aurain or took them as slaves. Including my family. They wage war against Petir now, and... they were winning until I was... brought here.

( He thanks Aspen as he pours water into his cup, and then watches, enthralled, as he casts a spell on the plants. It was always fascinating to see different magics.

But, as the conversation shifts, Ja'far listens, quiet and respectful as Aspen explains some of his world to him. It is... familiar, this kind of chaos that Aspen describes. ) You speak as if you saw that war first hand.

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