IC Communication

[nerdeology]

Use this to get in contact with Mikleo outside of the community posts.


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"This is Mikleo. I'll get back to you when I can."

Comments

[nerdeology]

[At the end of each chapter, Mikleo checks on the notes, adding his own details, scratching out and correcting some of Sorey's, which of course leads to a handful of debates (heated and otherwise) over the validity of certain points. Thankfully it's not a lengthy book - young adult mystery fiction! short but meaty - and Mikleo is an experienced reader, so it isn't too long before they're a good ways into the book. Mikleo's getting tired, but the extended debate session is only serving as fuel for his energy pyre.]

"'What I have yet to deduce,' muttered James, growing increasingly irritable, 'Is how the killer came to know that we had found the location of the secret chamber?'
Sebastian's only response was a quiet hmmm, and it was easy to see the gears working overtime in his head. 'Interesting,' he finally said. 'It occurs to me that we would have discovered it much sooner had you not been spared from your unfortunate fall the other day.'
'You can't possibly mean-'
Abruptly, his words were cut short by a tremendous crash. Sebastian lunged forward, tackling his partner to the ground just in time to miss being shot. They rolled as one behind a crumbling pillar, and James chanced a peek as they heard the sound of a rifle being reloaded. Sure enough, standing in the doorway of the only known exit of the ruins, was-"

[Mikleo stops. Sets the book down. Slides it along the desk towards Sorey. His expression is an unflappable mask of calm.]

Read it.

[monolike]

Uuuuugh, Mikleoooo. [He doesn't want to read it but Mikleo won't let it go. They've done this before.

Sorey rolls his eyes and pulls the book closer, reading out in a bored tone,] "-was the tour guide, Domingo. 'You could have lived if you'd only left when I advised you to,' shouts Domingo. Stone flecks from the pillar as the shot strikes above their heads. He-" Okay, okay, fine. [Sorey slides the book back.] You were right. This time.

[nerdeology]

I was right.

[Mikleo smiles, visibly pleased with himself, and reaches over to draw a little check next to his column in the journal.]

I'd call that a mystery successfully solved. It's not a bad genre, after all.

[monolike]

So if you successfully called a mystery-romance, would you think that's a good genre too? [Mystery-romance has to exist. Sorey will wean Mikleo onto the sappy shit.]

[nerdeology]

I can't give an opinion on something that only theoretically exists, Sorey. What if the two genres don't mesh together well?

[Romance novels are still rubbish, okay, and none of Sorey's examples have convinced him otherwise. One mystery book cannot save them.]

[monolike]

Wha-? They mesh. [there is no reason for him to be so hurt over such a silly question] They could totally mesh.

[nerdeology]

[he has so many doubts right now.]

Well, find me a romance-mystery and I guess we'll see.

[monolike]

I'll definitely find you one, no problem! And you'll love it.

[nerdeology]

Don't preemptively jump to conclusions.

[He hates it when you do that.]

[monolike]

Have a little faith in how well I know your tastes! I won't pick something I know you'll dislike.

[nerdeology]

It's less about you and more about the romance aspect of the equation.

[He's not so sure he can believe in Sorey's ability to find one he can tolerate, mostly because he's not sure one exists. Sorey's opinions on the genre differ... a lot.]

[monolike]

Mikleo, you are just as much a romantic as I am.

[nerdeology]

What?!

[He's so affronted.]

Just how am I a romantic?!

[monolike]

You're romantic about other stuff! You like, y'know, like ambiance and so-and-so beget such-and-such. And designs. You're romantic about atmosphere.

[nerdeology]

Isn't that more or less implying that I'm shallow?

[It's- it's not all about aesthetic...!]

[monolike]

Oh no you don't! You know exactly what I'm saying. [Starts gathering up their notes.] Who's the one always going, 'Sorey, come see this sunrise!' or 'You won't believe these cloud formations' or 'Come look at this spider's web covered in dew,' huh? It's you.

[Tucks all the loose papers into Mikleo's notebook and sends him a smile.] I really like that about you. So don't try making it sound like an insult.

[nerdeology]

[......ah

Well what the hell is he supposed to say to that? He's not... wrong, exactly... and it's not a bad thing to hear, either... but it feels like agreeing with him would be conceding defeat. And he's not about to do that while he's still riding the high of his book win.

So with a quiet huff he pushes against the desk to slide his chair away from it, making clear his desire to get up and move.]

As usual, you have weird taste. [And then, more quietly-] Help me back to the bed?

[monolike]

[Sorey slides the books away to the back corner of the desk and holds out a hand for Mikleo to take. No jokes this time; just him slipping an arm behind Mikleo's back, grip gentle but sure, walking with him slowly over to the bed and letting him crawl into it at his own speed.

Sorey busies himself with fluffing the pillows, pulling the blankets out and open for Mikleo to slide beneath if he so chooses.] Got everything you need?

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo waves a hand to shoo Sorey off - he doesn't need his pillows fluffed like he's in some kind of fancy hotel, good grief - though he does tuck himself comfortably underneath the covers. He'll probably end up kicking them off again within a few hours, but it's nice to have them at the start.]

Fine, I'm fine. Go get some proper food or something, you can't just live on sweets.

[He leans back against the (admittedly nice and fluffy) pillows, settling down to try and get some more rest. This was a nice break, though. He's glad they did this.]

[monolike]

That has yet to be proven! [No actually, he's just really reluctant to leave again.

Sorey sits down on the edge of the bed.] It's okay, I ate something while I was out earlier. I'm not hungry.

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo exhales a faint sigh; he's not surprised, but at least it doesn't sound like a transparent lie this time. Sorey's been getting better at actually leaving when he needs to, rather than hovering worriedly all day. And while sometimes it's tiresome, it's not yet unwelcome. It's selfish and unspoken, but he likes having Sorey close. The room would be far too silent and lonely without him.]

Stay if you want, then. I'm going to sleep.

[Quietly he shifts over, making a proper amount of room for another body. Then, token invitation offered, he curls up beneath the covers and closes his eyes.]

[monolike]

[Sorey gets up just long enough to retrieve a book from the stack, coming immediately back over to the bed and scooting over until his leg and hip presses against Mikleo's back. After a while he rests his hand on Mikleo's side and lets the book fall open onto his chest, staring up at the ceiling and praying that if this is a dream, please, please don't ever let him wake up.]