[ Nikolai watches Onni tucking the kantele away with ill-disguised regret. He wonders if Onni ever plays it for mundane reasons, or if it is strictly for magic. Some small, selfish part of him wants to ask for a song. Something to keep the shadows at bay for a little while longer, as he faces the trial that is going to sleep every night.
But he doesn't ask. Onni is already doing so much for him, and Nikolai has never been all that good at asking for things for himself, unless absolutely necessary.
After that, Nikolai and Onni divide tasks. Onni, who is more familiar with the building, goes to find a mattress and some blankets. Nikolai, who already feels a little uncomfortable leaving the room now that the magic has been cast, stays behind to bolt the chains to the walls in several places. They are heavy.
There's something comforting, he thinks when Onni returns, about being able to work together with someone in comfortable silence. They position the mattress and blankets in the area with the chains. Nothing left, then, but the inevitable and awkwardest part of this arrangement. ]
So does everyone have a luonto? Or just the followers of Finnish gods?
[ Nikolai asks the question in part because he's curious, but in part because he wants to distract himself from the feeling of intense vulnerability as he strips off his jacket and then boots. When Onni asks if he's drunk enough, he laughs. ]
Not nearly.
[ He sits himself on the edge of the mattress and gets to work on fixing that, taking several long swallows from the bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. If he'd thought this whole process was uncomfortable with Zoya, he'd had no clue how much moreso it could be with a handsome kind stranger. ]
If I do break out...
[ Nikolai breaks off, shaking his head. They'd already talked about this. Going over it again won't dim his anxiety any, so why waste his breath. He takes two more long drinks, just to delay the inevitable, and then sets the bottle aside, far enough away from the mattress that hopefully none of the monster's thrashing would be able to break it. ]
Okay. You should - do my hands first.
[ He says it, eyes closed, but makes no move to lay down or hold out his hands for Onni to bind. Nikolai ought to be used to this, but it turns out, he'd only grown accustomed to his very specific routine. Here, with someone he barely knows, away from the palace... it's considerably harder. ]
no subject
But he doesn't ask. Onni is already doing so much for him, and Nikolai has never been all that good at asking for things for himself, unless absolutely necessary.
After that, Nikolai and Onni divide tasks. Onni, who is more familiar with the building, goes to find a mattress and some blankets. Nikolai, who already feels a little uncomfortable leaving the room now that the magic has been cast, stays behind to bolt the chains to the walls in several places. They are heavy.
There's something comforting, he thinks when Onni returns, about being able to work together with someone in comfortable silence. They position the mattress and blankets in the area with the chains. Nothing left, then, but the inevitable and awkwardest part of this arrangement. ]
So does everyone have a luonto? Or just the followers of Finnish gods?
[ Nikolai asks the question in part because he's curious, but in part because he wants to distract himself from the feeling of intense vulnerability as he strips off his jacket and then boots. When Onni asks if he's drunk enough, he laughs. ]
Not nearly.
[ He sits himself on the edge of the mattress and gets to work on fixing that, taking several long swallows from the bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. If he'd thought this whole process was uncomfortable with Zoya, he'd had no clue how much moreso it could be with a
handsomekind stranger. ]If I do break out...
[ Nikolai breaks off, shaking his head. They'd already talked about this. Going over it again won't dim his anxiety any, so why waste his breath. He takes two more long drinks, just to delay the inevitable, and then sets the bottle aside, far enough away from the mattress that hopefully none of the monster's thrashing would be able to break it. ]
Okay. You should - do my hands first.
[ He says it, eyes closed, but makes no move to lay down or hold out his hands for Onni to bind. Nikolai ought to be used to this, but it turns out, he'd only grown accustomed to his very specific routine. Here, with someone he barely knows, away from the palace... it's considerably harder. ]