[ it feels like every encounter with Cairngorm he has brings some new surprise. This one is no different. He actually startles upon seeing their new pitch-black sheen when they come to the door. Now, that can't be right - and, of course, his first assumption is that they're sick. ]
-- What happened to you? Your skin...
[ sorry, he's bulldozing your question, Cairn. This is too alarming. ]
[ Just as the other feels like he always has to learn something new everytime they meet, Cairngorm feels like they have to explain something that they never thought would need explaining every time they come in contact with him. There's a short exhale, not quite a sigh, as they open the door wider so he can come in if he wants. ]
This is normal. Stop looking so freaked out.
[ They berate him first before elaborating. Honestly they can't help but wonder what the other was expecting considering he saw the clearly black crystal parts of them earlier with the leg fiasco... they guess he is less perceptive than they thought. ]
Some of my powder got rubbed off when I got dragged into the woods, or whatever happened, so when I woke up, I washed off all of it. [ When they lean back against the door frame to make room, there's clearly chunks missing from their jaw and cheek, less noticeable if only because it's not against stark white. ] I can't reapply it until I get all my pieces back.
[ he was thinking more about the Disembodied Leg than what color the inside non-meat parts were, thank you!!
the dismissive response gets him to stop gaping, at least, even if he still looks a little perturbed. They're human-shaped, sure, but it's more obvious than ever looking at them now that they aren't human, and once again, Lupin is confronted with the fact that he's dealing with some kind of strange fey creature here. Good thing he doesn't believe in curses. ]
... Right. Powder. [ why were they wearing powder, anyway? he'll ask in a second; for the moment, he steps over the threshold of the door, accepting the unspoken invitation. ] Honestly, there's a hundred things I'd like to ask you, but now I'm more convinced that coming here was the right call.
[ stopping where he stands a little bit inside the house, he looks at cairn's fractured jawline, then opens that pouch, rooting around with one hand until he pulls out a small, glittering rock. One that looks like it should fit nicely into a certain space on their face when he holds it out in front of himself up to Cairngorm's cheek - not quite touching them, but pretty close. ]
[ They're about to (begrudgingly) agree to his 100 questions, if only so more moments like this don't have to happen and because Lupin seems to have a genuine curiosity, but they're broken out of their train of thought when the other holds up the shard to their face.
And they just kinda...stare, in awe, for a second, slowly bringing their hand to steady his in front of their face so they can see the shard better. Yes, a perfect fit to one of the breaks in their face. In perfect condition too... It's probably the closest to off-guard that he's seen Cairngorm, since they were more stressed than they could explain that they wouldn't be able to find shards this small after knocking out for two days. ]
You just found these lying around...?
[ In their surprise, their voice loses that pointed tone it always has, and their eyes move to belatedly see the pouch in his hand that they hadn't noticed before. They let go of his hand slowly, making eye contact with him again. ]
[ they feel as cold and weird as they did the first time, but this time, Lupin doesn't jerk away, at least - especially since he hasn't seen them actually expressing much other than vague disdain until now. So they do have feelings, after all. Lupin quirks a smile, retracting his hand and dropping the shard back in the pouch, which he holds out to Cairngorm casually. ]
I'm a bit of a magpie, so I picked them up when I saw them while I was out mapping the edges of the town. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought they looked familiar. [ a big grin. ] Actually, finding lost jewels and returning them to their rightful owner is part of my usual repertoire back home. This job wasn't really flashy enough for my tastes, and there's no reward, but... Well, I guess I can't help myself.
Flashy and rewarding or not, I'm glad you're the one that found them and not some stranger...
[ When they take the pouch from him, they seem a bit embarrassed, if only because they don't normally depend on others for help. But they do what they can to hide their expression while they put their hand on the door - not closing it yet, since they want to give the other the chance to leave if that's all he was here for. ]
...If you're still that curious about me, I don't care if you ask me things. I owe you afterall.
[ This little act of kindness is a sign that the other is trustworthy, is more than just some weird climbing-obsessed human, so they feel more inclined to open up. Not that they're even consciously trying to keep anything about their life a secret. ]
[ cairn is glad it was him? now that's a surprise. ]
Oh? You are? I didn't think I'd hear that from you. [ a cheeky smile, contrasting the honest reply that follows. ] You're welcome, Cairngorm.
[ the way they're hiding their face almost makes them seem... embarrassed? It's sort of endearing. He can't tell if they're trying to invite him inside or not, so he stays put, resting his now-empty hand on one hip. ]
Ask you things, huh... I guess the most important thing to ask would be if you need help putting those back in.
[ They want to defend their position and say someone else could have destroyed them, but they just... give a little huff of affirmation, accepting the situation.
But his offer throws them off guard; it definitely doesn't help that the same gem has been fixing their wounds for the last almost millennia. The problem with living for so long with the same routine is that changes to that are uncomfortable and worrying, and it shows on their expression. ]
Well... usually I'd leave something like this to our doctor. I guess I can probably guide you through it...
[ Without thinking about it, they feel across the edge of their cheek, as if trying to reassure themselves that the break is not bad, it should be easy enough to fix. ]
As long as you don't make it any worse, [ It's impossible for them to accept offers like this in a straightforward way. ] It shouldn't take very long. Is that alright?
[ he's getting the sense that cairngorm is just bad at socializing rather than actually being standoffish... he supposes the world they're from is probably very different from the one humans come from, to be fair. ]
If you're that worried about it, you can turn me down. I promise my feelings will only be hurt a little. [ he's joking, mostly, but he also doesn't want to like. mess up cairngorm's face just because they felt obligated to agree. he's not a gem doctor!! ] But I'm perfectly happy to lend a hand. I've got time! Plus, I'm pretty good at handling jewels, if you ask me.
[ His comment about hurt feelings earns a scoff, but ultimately, they end up closing the door since he seems determined to help. ]
Fine, if you say so. [ Now that they think about it, he has mentioned knowing things about jewels on more than one occasion. ] Just...let me get some tools.
[ That's his invitation to go sit at their lovely monochromatic table, and they turn heel to go looking for the materials they'll need to do this. It's not as obvious outside on soil or grass, but when they walk through the house on these old wooden floorboards, there's a very unnatural heavy clunk to their steps that echoes throughout the building.
It doesn't take them very long to return to wherever Lupin decided to settle, a tray in their hands containing: a can filled with tree resin, several paintbrushes of varying sizes and fluffiness, and a jar of what honestly looks like flour from afar. ]
Put these on before anything else.
[ They give a pointed glance to the pair of pristine white gloves on the tray, which are their own. ]
[ he patiently takes a seat at said table, politely taking off his (recently recovered) hat and setting it off to the side. Cairngorm almost certainly doesn't care about human manners, but Lupin does, even if he's been displaced! He has an aesthetic to maintain.
Frankly, he was a bit nervous when Cairngorm mentioned tools - he doesn't know what he was expecting; a hammer and blowtorch to melt them back together or something - so it's a small relief when it's just paintbrushes, that powder, and... glue, probably? Yeah, he can handle that. Probably. ]
You had all this on hand? [ as he puts the gloves on, he speaks, eyeing Cairn curiously. That shiny, ink-black "skin" is hard to get used to... ] You're really prepared for anything.
[ They set the tray down and sit next to him, grumbling a little while they take out the shards from the bag. ]
I didn't have much of a choice, you know. I'd still be without a leg if I hadn't made this much in advance.
[ Luckily, making glue turned out to be easier than they imagined, but they're still not sure about this powder. They can't tell what flowers are truly white given the lack of color in this place, so if color ever gets restored and they're walking around with a blue face or something... it'll be weird.
Nonetheless, they busy themselves with picking out the piece Lupin had held up to their face earlier instead of looking at him when they speak. ]
All it takes to fix us is glue, and finding these brushes was pretty easy. [ They explain, while they coat the back side of one of the shards in resin. ] Though it's never been my job to make glue and powder before, so it's definitely not perfect.
[ as they explain, Lupin sits back, resting his elbow on the table and propping his chin up in one hand. ]
You made all this stuff... Huh. [ he sounds impressed - although his idle commentary is more of a distraction from what's actually impressing him. A person that doesn't feel pain, and can put themselves back together with just a little bit of glue... Wait, actually -- ]
... Does it hurt? Missing parts like that.
[ he gestures to his own face. he's not sure he ever asked; when they were missing their leg, they seemed okay, but... ]
When pieces break off, I feel it, but only in that moment when it breaks. There's no lingering feeling after that.
[ Honestly, they wouldn't say the feeling of pieces breaking off is even pain, really, just... a sensation. It's not something they think they can even describe, so they don't try to, setting the shard down closer to Lupin than themself - a silent indication that he can pick it up if he wants. ]
But that isn't how humans are, right. You feel pain when you get broken, or lose parts of yourself.
[ They lean against the table too, but moreso so that they can turn their face towards the other more fully. Up until now their understanding of other living things has been that they decay if broken apart...but they've witnessed very little organic life die or even get injured, so they don't know how to gauge for pain. They can't begin to imagine what the feeling of losing a limb would be like for a human. ]
Yeah. If something like this happened to me, I wouldn't be able to put myself back together like you. It'd be really painful, too. [ he reaches to gingerly pick up the shard Cairngorm proferred, carefully avoiding touching any of the fresh resin. ] If I got it cleaned up properly, it'd heal eventually and stop hurting, but... well, there'd definitely be a huge scar.
[ and as tough as that might make him look, he doesn't really think a big gnarly facial scar would suit his gentleman aesthetic. Lupin looks at the shard, then to Cairngorm again. ]
I don't know if I should say you're lucky, but I'm glad it doesn't hurt. You had a rough enough time as it is.
[ They can't help but make a slightly troubled expression while he explains. It was normal for the gems to think of other life forms that had these experiences as lowly and vulgar, but they can see that the quality of experiencing pain and death is completely different for a human than for a jellyfish or a crab. It's weird, to come to associate those traits with fully intelligent beings, and in a way, it is also... sad.
It's a whole new feeling to know that someone you have talked to will meet an end, eventually. ]
It could have been much worse. [ It's easier to just brush off what the other says so they don't have to dwell on it very much, and the feeling of concern is uncomfortable, especially coming from someone infinitely more fragile than them. ] Breaks like the ones the shadows caused, they are easily fixable. All you have to do is put the piece in where it's missing.
[ They close their eyes, not wanting to make eye contact with the other before he inevitably has to make physical contact with them. But they remain as still as they possibly can. ]
You're the one that's lucky nothing happened to you.
[ once again, he's surprised by Cairngorm's compassion. From their usual cold demeanor, he'd guessed they were tolerating his presence at best, but it seems like they might actually like him in some way - which he feels slightly triumphant about, to be honest. ]
Heh. It'll take more than a few shadows to take me down. Although I won't deny that my good luck helps a fair bit.
[ it's obvious that Cairn is waiting for him to put the piece on for them. Lupin rarely hesitates, but he does here, for a brief moment. Something about this feels weirdly intimate - which he typically wouldn't shy away from, if the other party was a beautiful lady, but the jury's still out on that one (logically, if Cairn's a rock, probably a beautiful neither, right?) He really was just trying to help, but he wonders if he hasn't overstepped his bounds here... Then again, Cairngorm's definitely the type who would tell him to buzz off if he wasn't wanted. So he just shakes his head slightly, lifting his hands. ]
Pardon me. [ he gently cups their chin with one hand to keep it steady, clicking the fragment into place with practiced fingers with the other. ]
[ They aren't surprised to feel the other cup their chin, since it's customary when fixing fractures in the face, but it doesn't make it any less embarrassing. A moment like this makes them painfully aware of just how much they have had to adapt to living in this place; when they had things their way, they rarely let anyone closer than an arm's distance.
There's a slight movement when the piece clicks back into place, not quite a flinch, and their eyelids flutter a little at the feeling of the dormant inclusions in the shard jolting back to life. ]
It's fine, I asked you to do this after all...
[ As soon as the other's hand is far enough away that they can touch where they've been pieced together, they move to do so. Slowly, they pull away so they can open their eyes again, because the thought of accidentally making eye contact while the other is holding their face and everything is more embarrassing than they can fathom... ]
Didn't...you say you had things you wanted to ask me.
[ It's easier to just return their hands to the task at hand, avoid any lingering weirdness by taking control of the conversation. ]
[ ... are they embarrassed? They definitely seem embarrassed. Of course, he lets go as soon as he's done (it would be inappropriate not to) but Lupin can't help noticing the awkward pausing and the clear avoidance of eye contact. It's a refreshingly human reaction - and, dare he say, a cute one. It makes his own uncertainty vanish. He can't help but smile, sitting back once again and waiting for Cairngorm to move to the next piece. ]
Oh, that's right. Why do you wear powder like that? Is it just makeup?
[ they clearly don't have any experience with humans at all, so it's not to try and blend in. ]
[ Their brows are knitted together as they almost always are, but noticeably a little more, frowning down at the table while they pick up the brush again. Of course, they definitely choose to ignore the smile they can see in their peripheral vision. ]
We wear it so we can resemble each other more closely.
[ Otherwise all the shining gems would look so different... they guess they haven't really thought about the "why" of it in a while, since it was just normal to do so. The short time they'd been without it had only gotten them stared at. Cairngorm takes a little pause, idly painting while they elaborate. ]
It's just weird to have it off. Gems only do that if we get a really bad injury, like having to get a limb replaced or something. And even that is very rare.
[ he's not heard of "cairngorm," but it must be a black crystal... he supposes that an "emerald" person would be green, and so forth. The idea of wanting to blend in with one another isn't unusual, considering humans do it all the time. Lupin nods, accepting the explanation. ]
I guess you'd have to have taken it off anyway when you put your leg back on. [ which still sounds weird to say. he stares at the refractions in Cairngorm's crystalline skin while he speaks, unable to help himself. People are drawn to shiny gemstones - infamous high-profile thieves, perhaps a little more than the average person. ] That makes sense. I was really surprised to see you looking like that, though. I thought you lost your color or something... That happened to my roommate, and he was put out for a week.
That's why it's better to just have it on. Everyone here is already used to seeing me that way... it'd be weird if everyone stared at me the way you are right now.
[ It feels kind of awkward to be stared at in such a way, especially considering they're not like Diamond or Morganite who have such colorful and bright crystallizations that tended to draw similar attention back at home. But despite saying something so direct, they don't look up, setting another piece near him and going to paint another. It'll be faster if they just get more of them done at the same time - it's more practical. ]
I don't know how long I was gone after that shadow incident, but probably not for a whole week like your roommate. I can't really remember everything after losing some of my color... [ They trail off, carefully setting a second piece near him and placing the paintbrush down. ] But it's possible those memories are in these pieces.
[ manners, lupin!! you're a gentleman thief! He shakes his head just slightly, focusing his gaze on the new shard as he picks it up and repeats the same procedure as last time - minus the hesitation. ]
Your memories are in these?
[ he'd better be extra careful, then. Cairn probably doesn't have a brain if they're a rock, so... that makes sense...? Maybe? Not really. ]
Yes. Small pieces like this have things that I won't even notice not remembering... But losing bigger parts means losing more, like when my leg was off. It's possible I forgot who entire gems were at that time.
[ They wait patiently for the other piece, looking more like a sculpture than anything given the eerie stillness of their body. ]
I guess something like that probably can't happen to you.
[ he muses as he sets the second piece into their face. Fortunately, he actually is pretty good at this, so they won't look like a Picasso when he's done - he has an eye for details and is good with his hands. ]
We can lose memories, but only if we hurt our heads really badly. There's not usually any coming back from that. [ he leans back, having finished, and double-checks his handiwork. ] ... Anyway, now I'm even more relieved you got all your parts back. Forgetting and being forgotten - that's worse than death, if you ask me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pours them some coffee...
-- What happened to you? Your skin...
[ sorry, he's bulldozing your question, Cairn. This is too alarming. ]
mmm cofy....
This is normal. Stop looking so freaked out.
[ They berate him first before elaborating. Honestly they can't help but wonder what the other was expecting considering he saw the clearly black crystal parts of them earlier with the leg fiasco... they guess he is less perceptive than they thought. ]
Some of my powder got rubbed off when I got dragged into the woods, or whatever happened, so when I woke up, I washed off all of it. [ When they lean back against the door frame to make room, there's clearly chunks missing from their jaw and cheek, less noticeable if only because it's not against stark white. ] I can't reapply it until I get all my pieces back.
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the dismissive response gets him to stop gaping, at least, even if he still looks a little perturbed. They're human-shaped, sure, but it's more obvious than ever looking at them now that they aren't human, and once again, Lupin is confronted with the fact that he's dealing with some kind of strange fey creature here. Good thing he doesn't believe in curses. ]
... Right. Powder. [ why were they wearing powder, anyway? he'll ask in a second; for the moment, he steps over the threshold of the door, accepting the unspoken invitation. ] Honestly, there's a hundred things I'd like to ask you, but now I'm more convinced that coming here was the right call.
[ stopping where he stands a little bit inside the house, he looks at cairn's fractured jawline, then opens that pouch, rooting around with one hand until he pulls out a small, glittering rock. One that looks like it should fit nicely into a certain space on their face when he holds it out in front of himself up to Cairngorm's cheek - not quite touching them, but pretty close. ]
It's a good thing I picked these up.
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And they just kinda...stare, in awe, for a second, slowly bringing their hand to steady his in front of their face so they can see the shard better. Yes, a perfect fit to one of the breaks in their face. In perfect condition too... It's probably the closest to off-guard that he's seen Cairngorm, since they were more stressed than they could explain that they wouldn't be able to find shards this small after knocking out for two days. ]
You just found these lying around...?
[ In their surprise, their voice loses that pointed tone it always has, and their eyes move to belatedly see the pouch in his hand that they hadn't noticed before. They let go of his hand slowly, making eye contact with him again. ]
I wasn't even sure where to start looking.
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I'm a bit of a magpie, so I picked them up when I saw them while I was out mapping the edges of the town. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought they looked familiar. [ a big grin. ] Actually, finding lost jewels and returning them to their rightful owner is part of my usual repertoire back home. This job wasn't really flashy enough for my tastes, and there's no reward, but... Well, I guess I can't help myself.
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Flashy and rewarding or not, I'm glad you're the one that found them and not some stranger...
[ When they take the pouch from him, they seem a bit embarrassed, if only because they don't normally depend on others for help. But they do what they can to hide their expression while they put their hand on the door - not closing it yet, since they want to give the other the chance to leave if that's all he was here for. ]
...If you're still that curious about me, I don't care if you ask me things. I owe you afterall.
[ This little act of kindness is a sign that the other is trustworthy, is more than just some weird climbing-obsessed human, so they feel more inclined to open up. Not that they're even consciously trying to keep anything about their life a secret. ]
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Oh? You are? I didn't think I'd hear that from you. [ a cheeky smile, contrasting the honest reply that follows. ] You're welcome, Cairngorm.
[ the way they're hiding their face almost makes them seem... embarrassed? It's sort of endearing. He can't tell if they're trying to invite him inside or not, so he stays put, resting his now-empty hand on one hip. ]
Ask you things, huh... I guess the most important thing to ask would be if you need help putting those back in.
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But his offer throws them off guard; it definitely doesn't help that the same gem has been fixing their wounds for the last almost millennia. The problem with living for so long with the same routine is that changes to that are uncomfortable and worrying, and it shows on their expression. ]
Well... usually I'd leave something like this to our doctor. I guess I can probably guide you through it...
[ Without thinking about it, they feel across the edge of their cheek, as if trying to reassure themselves that the break is not bad, it should be easy enough to fix. ]
As long as you don't make it any worse, [ It's impossible for them to accept offers like this in a straightforward way. ] It shouldn't take very long. Is that alright?
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If you're that worried about it, you can turn me down. I promise my feelings will only be hurt a little. [ he's joking, mostly, but he also doesn't want to like. mess up cairngorm's face just because they felt obligated to agree. he's not a gem doctor!! ] But I'm perfectly happy to lend a hand. I've got time! Plus, I'm pretty good at handling jewels, if you ask me.
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Fine, if you say so. [ Now that they think about it, he has mentioned knowing things about jewels on more than one occasion. ] Just...let me get some tools.
[ That's his invitation to go sit at their lovely monochromatic table, and they turn heel to go looking for the materials they'll need to do this. It's not as obvious outside on soil or grass, but when they walk through the house on these old wooden floorboards, there's a very unnatural heavy clunk to their steps that echoes throughout the building.
It doesn't take them very long to return to wherever Lupin decided to settle, a tray in their hands containing: a can filled with tree resin, several paintbrushes of varying sizes and fluffiness, and a jar of what honestly looks like flour from afar. ]
Put these on before anything else.
[ They give a pointed glance to the pair of pristine white gloves on the tray, which are their own. ]
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[ he patiently takes a seat at said table, politely taking off his (recently recovered) hat and setting it off to the side. Cairngorm almost certainly doesn't care about human manners, but Lupin does, even if he's been displaced! He has an aesthetic to maintain.
Frankly, he was a bit nervous when Cairngorm mentioned tools - he doesn't know what he was expecting; a hammer and blowtorch to melt them back together or something - so it's a small relief when it's just paintbrushes, that powder, and... glue, probably? Yeah, he can handle that. Probably. ]
You had all this on hand? [ as he puts the gloves on, he speaks, eyeing Cairn curiously. That shiny, ink-black "skin" is hard to get used to... ] You're really prepared for anything.
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I didn't have much of a choice, you know. I'd still be without a leg if I hadn't made this much in advance.
[ Luckily, making glue turned out to be easier than they imagined, but they're still not sure about this powder. They can't tell what flowers are truly white given the lack of color in this place, so if color ever gets restored and they're walking around with a blue face or something... it'll be weird.
Nonetheless, they busy themselves with picking out the piece Lupin had held up to their face earlier instead of looking at him when they speak. ]
All it takes to fix us is glue, and finding these brushes was pretty easy. [ They explain, while they coat the back side of one of the shards in resin. ] Though it's never been my job to make glue and powder before, so it's definitely not perfect.
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You made all this stuff... Huh. [ he sounds impressed - although his idle commentary is more of a distraction from what's actually impressing him. A person that doesn't feel pain, and can put themselves back together with just a little bit of glue... Wait, actually -- ]
... Does it hurt? Missing parts like that.
[ he gestures to his own face. he's not sure he ever asked; when they were missing their leg, they seemed okay, but... ]
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[ Honestly, they wouldn't say the feeling of pieces breaking off is even pain, really, just... a sensation. It's not something they think they can even describe, so they don't try to, setting the shard down closer to Lupin than themself - a silent indication that he can pick it up if he wants. ]
But that isn't how humans are, right. You feel pain when you get broken, or lose parts of yourself.
[ They lean against the table too, but moreso so that they can turn their face towards the other more fully. Up until now their understanding of other living things has been that they decay if broken apart...but they've witnessed very little organic life die or even get injured, so they don't know how to gauge for pain. They can't begin to imagine what the feeling of losing a limb would be like for a human. ]
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[ and as tough as that might make him look, he doesn't really think a big gnarly facial scar would suit his gentleman aesthetic. Lupin looks at the shard, then to Cairngorm again. ]
I don't know if I should say you're lucky, but I'm glad it doesn't hurt. You had a rough enough time as it is.
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It's a whole new feeling to know that someone you have talked to will meet an end, eventually. ]
It could have been much worse. [ It's easier to just brush off what the other says so they don't have to dwell on it very much, and the feeling of concern is uncomfortable, especially coming from someone infinitely more fragile than them. ] Breaks like the ones the shadows caused, they are easily fixable. All you have to do is put the piece in where it's missing.
[ They close their eyes, not wanting to make eye contact with the other before he inevitably has to make physical contact with them. But they remain as still as they possibly can. ]
You're the one that's lucky nothing happened to you.
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Heh. It'll take more than a few shadows to take me down. Although I won't deny that my good luck helps a fair bit.
[ it's obvious that Cairn is waiting for him to put the piece on for them. Lupin rarely hesitates, but he does here, for a brief moment. Something about this feels weirdly intimate - which he typically wouldn't shy away from, if the other party was a beautiful lady, but the jury's still out on that one (logically, if Cairn's a rock, probably a beautiful neither, right?) He really was just trying to help, but he wonders if he hasn't overstepped his bounds here... Then again, Cairngorm's definitely the type who would tell him to buzz off if he wasn't wanted. So he just shakes his head slightly, lifting his hands. ]
Pardon me. [ he gently cups their chin with one hand to keep it steady, clicking the fragment into place with practiced fingers with the other. ]
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There's a slight movement when the piece clicks back into place, not quite a flinch, and their eyelids flutter a little at the feeling of the dormant inclusions in the shard jolting back to life. ]
It's fine, I asked you to do this after all...
[ As soon as the other's hand is far enough away that they can touch where they've been pieced together, they move to do so. Slowly, they pull away so they can open their eyes again, because the thought of accidentally making eye contact while the other is holding their face and everything is more embarrassing than they can fathom... ]
Didn't...you say you had things you wanted to ask me.
[ It's easier to just return their hands to the task at hand, avoid any lingering weirdness by taking control of the conversation. ]
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Oh, that's right. Why do you wear powder like that? Is it just makeup?
[ they clearly don't have any experience with humans at all, so it's not to try and blend in. ]
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We wear it so we can resemble each other more closely.
[ Otherwise all the shining gems would look so different... they guess they haven't really thought about the "why" of it in a while, since it was just normal to do so. The short time they'd been without it had only gotten them stared at. Cairngorm takes a little pause, idly painting while they elaborate. ]
It's just weird to have it off. Gems only do that if we get a really bad injury, like having to get a limb replaced or something. And even that is very rare.
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[ he's not heard of "cairngorm," but it must be a black crystal... he supposes that an "emerald" person would be green, and so forth. The idea of wanting to blend in with one another isn't unusual, considering humans do it all the time. Lupin nods, accepting the explanation. ]
I guess you'd have to have taken it off anyway when you put your leg back on. [ which still sounds weird to say. he stares at the refractions in Cairngorm's crystalline skin while he speaks, unable to help himself. People are drawn to shiny gemstones - infamous high-profile thieves, perhaps a little more than the average person. ] That makes sense. I was really surprised to see you looking like that, though. I thought you lost your color or something... That happened to my roommate, and he was put out for a week.
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[ It feels kind of awkward to be stared at in such a way, especially considering they're not like Diamond or Morganite who have such colorful and bright crystallizations that tended to draw similar attention back at home. But despite saying something so direct, they don't look up, setting another piece near him and going to paint another. It'll be faster if they just get more of them done at the same time - it's more practical. ]
I don't know how long I was gone after that shadow incident, but probably not for a whole week like your roommate. I can't really remember everything after losing some of my color... [ They trail off, carefully setting a second piece near him and placing the paintbrush down. ] But it's possible those memories are in these pieces.
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[ manners, lupin!! you're a gentleman thief! He shakes his head just slightly, focusing his gaze on the new shard as he picks it up and repeats the same procedure as last time - minus the hesitation. ]
Your memories are in these?
[ he'd better be extra careful, then. Cairn probably doesn't have a brain if they're a rock, so... that makes sense...? Maybe? Not really. ]
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[ They wait patiently for the other piece, looking more like a sculpture than anything given the eerie stillness of their body. ]
I guess something like that probably can't happen to you.
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[ he muses as he sets the second piece into their face. Fortunately, he actually is pretty good at this, so they won't look like a Picasso when he's done - he has an eye for details and is good with his hands. ]
We can lose memories, but only if we hurt our heads really badly. There's not usually any coming back from that. [ he leans back, having finished, and double-checks his handiwork. ] ... Anyway, now I'm even more relieved you got all your parts back. Forgetting and being forgotten - that's worse than death, if you ask me.
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