I N B O X

[reznikolai]

@volkvolny NIKOLAI LANTSOV

✉ ☏ 📷

Comments

[lumberlady]

[It’s been some time since a certain King of Ravka sent a very tasteful apology gift basket to the address of a converted barn in Emerald Park’s agricultural district called home by a certain married woman who may have been left a bit sudden and bereft after a gem and heat-fueled liaison.

Except, unlike the last time he sent one… This one isn’t acknowledged at all. No message. No return to sender. No contact since.

It isn’t until a later date, after words and apologies exchanged between women, that the same gift basket makes its way home. This time, the contents have been replaced with a variety of home-made sweets fitting (by some people’s reckoning) for the coming autumn season: steamed red bean jelly with chestnuts wrapped in dried bamboo leaf, moon-viewing dumplings, and sweet dried persimmons.

Attached, a short note,]

apologies for delay
thank you for gift
it was delicious.
please enjoy
share if you like

- konoha

backdated to ??????

[reznikolai]

[The silence stretches on. Knowing that there is nothing more he can do or say to heal the wound he's inflicted, he allows Konoha her space. Then, finally, an olive branch.]

So far the little tea cakes are my favorite. In case you were wondering.

[The dumplings, he means.]

Re: backdated to ??????

[lumberlady]

[Ah. He responded.

Rather quickly, the sort of quick that came of consciously not wanting to make the other person think you had to hesitate even a second-]

tea CAKE?
i no bake which you like?

[except wait that’s not-]

i am glad
that you like them.

you is healthy?

[reznikolai]

[It's not the point, but he clarifies anyway:]

The little round ones.

[Accompanied by a picture of his remaining (and much depleted) stock.]

Now, I didn't devour ALL of these by myself. Alina helped.

I'm exceedingly well, thank you. And yourself?

[lumberlady]

i am glad you and ALINA enjoy
(those is moon viewing dumpling, for knowing.)

[was she well… ? being honest means admitting to her roommate leaving, to her loneliness, and now doesn’t seem the time. he’s not supposed to feel sorry for her, she’s supposed to-]

is fine.

alina speak to i.
about incident.

[reznikolai]

[Well, it is customary to answer any question about one's present state with pleasant lies. Although he really is, all his troubles notwithstanding, exceedingly well.]

Moon viewing? Then I'll be sure to step out onto the porch the next time I eat one.

Yes, she mentioned something to that effect. I trust it was a fruitful conversation?

[lumberlady]

yes
is custom for autumn full moon



was.
i received forgiveness.
is glad.
and was reminded
of how rude i was being.

i apologize.
for not returning basket earlier.

[reznikolai]

You're entitled to your feelings. On the list of maltreatment I've suffered at the hands of women, you don't even crack the top five. A girl once tried to stab me with a letter opener. And by "tried" I mean she succeeded remarkably well.

Apology accepted. It was well worth the wait.

[lumberlady]

just because is not stabbing you
does not excuse it...

i has no right to feel jealousy or loneliness about other person
so i is at fault
if apology accepted then i am glad.

(but also please do not be getting stabbed or doing thing to get stabbed)

[reznikolai]

I share some of the blame. I should have discussed the matter with Alina before I could stumble into any, shall we say, delicate situations. And I should have communicated with you before we got so far. I admit that this sort of relationship is still new to me.

I'm relieved that we can move forward now. I'll try not to do or say anything that merits a good stabbing, but I'm afraid I can make no promises. 😏

(I jest, of course.)

1/2

[lumberlady]

[Nikolai, now isn't the time for jesting!!!]

[lumberlady]

is sort of not new to i
if needing help
navigation, i mean.

but most important thing is talking and understanding
and not giving hope
can i ask for NIKOLAI 's cooperation on this one?

[reznikolai]

It's kind of you to offer your expertise. You may be pleased to hear that I've since improved by leaps and bounds in the way of talking and understanding.

Not giving hope... Well, I hate to dash hopes and dreams, but I suppose it's kinder to dash them sooner rather than later. I do know how to behave.

I promise. This time it's one I can keep.

[lumberlady]

is not “dash” like bad thing
just i mean
now you has deal with ALINA so
could stay after, could go
i am sure depend on many things

if accident were to happen
with other person, i mean
just be saying early which will do after
is i ‘s advice

and then
other person will probably return gift basket much very sooner
good thinking
no disappointment

[reznikolai]

[Ah, so that's it. Because he left when he said he would stay.]

Your advice is good, Konoha. It's always best to have a plan in place.

Are you receiving gift baskets from other men? Here I thought I was unique...

[lumberlady]

[she feels hideously petty over it, regrets that it had taken Alina contacting her to muster the gumption to put aside a rare moment of what she considered immaturity… but in the end, that’s all (“all”) it had been.

she’d been looking forward to someone staying with her. to the safety and privacy of a coupling indoors, somewhere the aftermath could be soft and warm and unhurried even if she knew very well where the emotional lines were drawn.

and that hope had been dashed, leaving her sore even if she found the reason noble and well-intentioned.

and though she thinks of saying some platitude about advice or how it was just up to him what he wanted to do…]

no.
only NIKOLAI sends gift baskets
is still unique
no worry.

[reznikolai]

Oh, good. 😄 One of these days I'll have to send one that isn't an apology.

[A thank you basket, perhaps, for being a reliable friend.]

[lumberlady]

if you do
i will return
more fast this time
promise.