[open-ish] hard to be soft, tough to be tender

[scowlish]

Who: Onni Hotakainen and whoever
What: a catch-all
When: Oct-Nov
Where: Wherever!

A catch-all for various random Onni interactions through October and November. Shoot me a message if you want to plot something.

Comments

[braidmage]

Good plan.

[ And this is how Reynir knows that even if he has less experience, Onni will be just fine with the tiny animal. Because without even being asked, he is volunteering to spend his time on such a task. Because selflessness is embedded in him by this point.

He watches Onni cradling and feeding the lamb, feeling happier than he can remember being for a little while, now. Was it just because of having something from home returned to him? But no. He'd been delighted to see little Anne, to carry her around and feed her, but the feeling was not quite this.

Who knows. He doesn't dwell on it long. Reynir isn't a dweller. ]

I forgot you didn't know the end of that story.

[ They hadn't really been talking, then. Tuuri had just died and everything was awful and Reynir knew that Onni didn't want him around. He'd made that extremely clear.

But he thinks that now, Onni might like to know. So, as Onni continues to feed the lamb, he explains in a soft voice: ]

She set herself free. And the rest of them. I just found the ancient temple, kept Sigrun and Mikkel from killing her, and spent the night there so the ghosts would follow.

[ He lists all of that off as if it is completely negligible. Not a big deal, right? ]

Once they arrived, she was the one that got through to them. All of them turned into lambs and flew off into the sky in this... column of light. It was actually... beautiful.

[scowlish]

Mhm.

[It's just a soft acknowledgement of his intention to do as he'd said and try to find a new and better bottle for Anne. When he glances up, Reynir is looking at him intently, watching him feed the lamb, and he looks happy. Of course, Reynir almost always looks more happy than Onni thinks is entirely called for, but this is different. There's some kind of softness in his expression, probably because of the lamb. Onni can't really fault him for that, the lamb is very cute, and even Onni is feeling a bit attached to it as it curls against his chest for warmth and works to finish his bottle.

When Reynir mentions that he'd forgotten Onni didn't know the end of Pastor Anne's story, Onni looks up at him again, eyes locked on his face, and shakes his head as acknowledgement. The younger man seems eager enough to tell him, at least, and Onni helps the lamb to finish his meal while Reynir explains that the pastor had set herself and the other spirits free. That Reynir had stayed in the temple and spent the night there to lure those creatures to her - at that, his brows raise, eyes slightly wide. To Onni, it seems like a lot of effort and risk, though it had apparently worked well.

And when Reynir says that Anne had gotten through to those lost spirits, had helped them turn to lambs and fly into the sky together, surrounded by light, his expression softens a little.]

So she was able to help you after all. I'm glad.

[He glances down when the lamb butts his head against Onni's arm, and he sees that the bottle is empty. When he pulls it away, the little thing doesn't protest, doesn't bleat his displeasure, he just butts his head against Onni's shoulder and then settles down, possibly to sleep. Onni looks down at the little creature, wrapping his other arm around it, holding it securely, expression soft. It's still soft when he looks back up at Reynir.]

It is a beautiful thing, to see souls that tormented find peace and rest.

[braidmage]

Yes. It is.

[ He sees the way Onni adjusts his hold on the lamb, keeping it tucked securely to his chest, warm and close. No great surprise, then, that with a belly full of milk and warm arms holding him fast, Anne falls asleep right away. It must have been an exhausting and terrifying day, after all. But, Reynir thinks, even without the little thing's mother around... they will keep it happy, and safe, and healthy. It's also a beautiful thing, this new life, precious and fresh and full of possibility. ]

I had never seen it, before that, but... I understand a little better, now. Why it's so important for you Finnish mages, to help ghosts pass on.

[ Reynir doesn't know if that will ever be something he can do. He had only led those ghosts to the right place, after all; it was the original Anne who had done the rest. But he at least has a sense now of why Onni had offered earlier to lead Anne to her afterlife. Why he interacts with spirits in the way that he does. ]

[scowlish]

[It's surprising, how quickly the lamb came to trust him, just from a little feeding. Enough that Anne is now asleep in his arms, a limp dead weight. Onni looks down at the little creature, his expression still soft, and he gently scratches against the lamb's jaw, stroking his wool and comforting him in his sleep while the little creature snores softly.

Reynir says that he understands why it's an important task of the Finnish mages to help spirits pass on to the afterlife, and Onni nods, making a noise in his throat.]

It's very rewarding. And even if, as you say, she mostly brought them in on their own, you can't act like you had nothing to do with it. I was there when you went to find her, remember? And I know how much effort you put into finding her. It wouldn't have happened without you.

[When Onni says that, he has his eyes down, looking at the lamb as he sleeps in his arms.]

It's a good thing. I can't imagine them, left to suffer for so long. The Rash does terrible things to the soul.

[It's why he's so relieved that Tuuri had done what she did, that she hadn't let it take her. For a moment, Onni is quiet, and his eyes sink closed while he takes a little breath.]

I'm glad it worked out.