ALPHINAUD

[chanteuser]

Comments

[chanteuser]

[ uhhhh. um. hm. ]

O... kay?

[ she'll allow it? ]

[arcsplainist]

No need to fret.

[ He offers a reassuring smile, flipping to the next blank page. ]

It is only me, after all.

[chanteuser]

I... alright, um. Do you want me to sit any particular way, or...?

[ does she have to pretend to be doing something? looking out into the distance? ]

[arcsplainist]

[ He shakes his head ]

You may act natural. If you'd like, you needn't think about what I am working on at all.

[chanteuser]

That's easy for you to say...

[ she. tries to look natural and look out over the landscape? but she's fidgeting a bit. ]

[arcsplainist]

[ Bringing the pencil to paper, Alphinaud gives a small, good-natured laugh. ]

Speaking of hobbies, have you done much singing lately?

[chanteuser]

-- oh. Um, no I haven't much recently. I sung... a couple of weeks ago? But... there's a lot of us around so I haven't really had the chance to just sing on my own.

[arcsplainist]

A shame; I recall you having a lovely voice. We do appear to have much more space now, however, should you want for privacy.

[chanteuser]

[ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah ]

Ahh... maybe. It might be nice to have some quiet to just sing again, but there are still a lot of us and we do all tend to rush to the new areas when they're open.

[arcsplainist]

Isn't it simple, then? You need only stick around the more secluded portions of town.

[ Meanwhile: sketch, sketch. Look at him go. ]

[chanteuser]

And hope no one sneaks up on me in the meanwhile?

[ that had been... pretty embarrassing, actually. ]

[arcsplainist]

That worried?

[chanteuser]

No, it just.... surprised me. When everyone walked in on me.

[arcsplainist]

I'll have to apologize for being one of the many who had done so, though I see little reason to be so shy.

[chanteuser]

No, don't apologise for it. It was a public space, anyone could come in. I just... convinced myself I'd be alone so it was more surprise than anything.

[arcsplainist]

Well, I wish you the best of luck. Goodness knows we could all use something to keep us grounded in the meantime.

[chanteuser]

The little moments feel a lot more important, don't they? When you can't control anything else, at least.

[arcsplainist]

'Tis not oft that one can, I find, but you are right. Now more than ever, I feel.

[chanteuser]

A little bit of a quiet is important... in the middle of a lot of death, and having to figure out someone to point fingers at.

[arcsplainist]

'Tis exhausting, is it not?

[ Alphinaud pauses his sketch, flicking his eyes upward to study her face, then resumes his work. ]

I must commend that most are keeping their wits about them, at least. Even with all I have had to face, this is one of the tougher things, I feel.

[chanteuser]

I don't like any of this. If it had just been the ... gathering part, then fine. But...

...

Being so scared I can't act won't help anyone. It won't get anything done.

[arcsplainist]

Nay. There is no shame in feeling afraid, however.

[chanteuser]

If it makes me drag my heels, then maybe there is.

[arcsplainist]

'Tis a matter of knowing what to do with that fear, I always find. I am not of the belief that one's courage and determination is a lack of it... but rather, it is because they knew how to press on because of that fear.

[chanteuser]

Keep going no matter what, that's the advice?

[ it's... not wrong.