[the second pal picks up (or the message he left starts) viktor is in rant mode, because apparently it is that kind of day.]
Nevermind is in quite the mood- [the shuffling of just rudely passing someone with a flat,] excuse me, yes, thank you- you should see the state of things. I went looking for warmblood volumes and what did I find, Palamedes? Recipes for blood pudding. A book about hot blooded male nonsense.
Please, I am made of time. I am no longer terminal and luxuriate in having my time wasted. [this is, maybe, sarcasm]
[Oh, Viktor. Sad to say this is amusing, maybe because Viktor should know better that the Archives sucks?? Nah, it's the rant mode. Swoon...]
What's wrong with our library? [--but maybe it's a little bit of the other thing too. Sanctuary's library is nice!!] Don't offend the fool librarian so much that he traps you there, Viktor.
I've been told, [and oh, the disdain is audible when he shares this tip,] that wandering aimlessly with no plan at all will get you your books fastest. Tell me about the hot-blooded nonsense, that should help.
[when pal is right about the archives he is right. viktor makes a huffy scoffing noise at the idea of being trapped, even if that's very real.]
He's done that already once, why not again? I can learn more about questionable dishes and a fool's idea of the 'male condition.'
[a sigh. thank you for being a good husband, pal, with the useful ideas. he will chat and ignore this nonsense instead for a bit.] For your previous question we don't have much on warmblood, at least not as much as the other types. I wanted to make copies of some books here for the library if I could.
I've met a young man who came to ask about it and is a warmblood himself. Now that I have an actual reliable source of warmblood to study there are some fascinating applications the gems could have, given warmbloods are supposedly more resistant to corruption.
[Pal will come knock over some shelves at the Archives to bust him out of library prison if he truly must. Just kidding, he'll relish it. But only after he liberates the books first, so it will be a slow rescue.
Anyway,] I suppose they wouldn't have written as much literature on warmblood at the paleblood monastery in love with the moon. Fair; I'll browse the odd section of our library and see if any suspicious runes about warmblood turn up.
[The odd section: the corner with mean locked doors and mysterious ancient texts in it. He does not expect this to come to results, but. For the time being: encouraging nerdmode.]
[can't trust an archivist nerd to ignore the books. viktor's lips quirk as he moves down the shelves, already in a much better mood. gay of him.]
I would appreciate it. Though I know how much you enjoy looking for esoteric information in the... what is the term? Haystack, needle. That one.
[nailed it. but more nerding, happily.]
My hope is it can create a field or device run on warmblood gems that can lower corruption, perhaps even pollution. The question then would be is that corruption truly destroyed or filtered elsewhere? For the moment I think it better to pair it with other gems and see if it can be used to lower the blood pollution output of the machines in some way.
At this rate, I'll wind up the needle and you'll have to find me. Ask Nico to help— he can get some extra archival assisting in.
[Always more work to be done in the nerd sector...]
As for corruption: I'm not sure it can be completely dissipated, but I'm also sure that it must be dissipating, or else this world would be much worse off now than it was just months ago, don't you think? No one has posited any theories about us putting anything good back into the world, and I doubt one-on-one intimacy to stave off personal corruption is healing the planet, or anything.
[That's specifically not horny intimacy, but also not not horny intimacy, point being: the power of love and/or friendship is not saving this world but also the world isn't ending, so hmm!]
But baby steps, yes? So: withdraw first. How about preventative applications?
Ah, he's following in his father's footsteps? [amusement. dad pal is never not his favorite tbh.] A good idea though, he is resourceful and far more patient than I am.
[a long time ago, almost a year now, he talked with pal in his lab after being nearly elbowed in the face and was instantly riveted by the back and forth. once and a while he's reminded of that moment when they discuss work, or matters like this.
so just a lot to say he's having a gay feeling, then it's work time.]
I have heard the idea that corruption can never be destroyed, only balanced. That it is a natural force of this world as much as any form of its magic. [which he isn't sold on but won't dismiss.] I agree that it must at the very least lessen. Unless the corruption is spreading and building in places far beyond the city it's an observable fact.
[and ain't that a terrible thought, if that was happening. fingers crossed.
a hum as he considers that though.] Shielding perhaps? A wearable piece that wards corruption that comes from moving through heavily polluted or bloody areas, drawing on the warmblood gem. Blood ministers could certainly use that.
[Ah, stop, he's still not used to it. He huffs, a little amused and a little embarrassed, like he does literally every time the whole House Dad thing comes up. This family...]
He'll appreciate being asked. This is all assuming I get myself ensnared in some mean-looking literature.
[Which. ...He might. And that's just fact, so moving on.]
Balance is a good theory, but that still raises the question of against what? Corruption-versus-nothing-in-particular doesn't quite stack up. I'm not about to be the one suggesting that corruption has an all-parts-equal opposite, like thanergy and thalergy, because of the fluctuations— but then, what's really going on? Hold on, I'm writing this down.
[And there is a sound of papers shuffling and pen scratching, while Viktor talks about the shielding idea. Hm hm hm-]
You can make me another ring. [haha gay] To try it out. After the stones are tested for a more or less predictable saturation point.
[viktor is picturing his expression and pleased. and makes a mental note to message nico later.]
I need to ask him how the bloodtech heater is working anyway. [still a terrible name but here we are.
he does wait a beat for pen grabbing as his eyes skim the titles of passing shelves. still bullshit but maybe one day. he makes a mental game of deciding which of pal's many dumb pens he grabbed.]
What would you consider the arcane force here? Is it thalergy, is it life force, is it simple an unknowable and arcane energy? It could be the counter balance- [a pause] -though that is purely conjecture for the sake of it.
[extremely gay. he's amused as he says,] I suppose making one when sober would be novel. I'll start on making warmblood gems then. We can give your little lackeys rings as well if it goes well. You'll match.
[precious flock of nerd blood ministers, the best side ocs.]
The— Viktor. [a sigh, dearest husband, beloved, come on.] No, you know what? I'm going to be glad you didn't call it HeatTech or HotHex.
[He's still allowed to lowkey judge, while he does a bit more scribbling on his end. Give him a moment, actually, because he's still scribbling while he skips ahead to the business of the gay but also company bonding! rings-]
They're going to know you like them. Do you need blood? We've— actually, given the season, we've plenty of stones as well as liquid blood. Unless your warmblood contact came to you about lockjoint already?
[Where! Are! The rocks! They'll work it out. He hums, his patented thoughtful nerd hum, and taps his pen a bunch of times.]
Looping back: I don't honestly know. Corruption isn't entirely comparable to thanergy, so the idea of a thalergy-adjacent thing keeping it in check is... a stretch, and I don't know enough about other arcane forces. I'd need a better understanding of why corruption exists, the history of it, and so on, before I could guess at what its counterpart could be. Or, to chase a different lead, if there isn't one, then what about corruption itself innately keeps it so in check? It may have run roughshod all over this world, but like I said: it hasn't taken over completely. It's- hmm. Much as I hate the comparison, it's like the tide. But then, we know what controls the tides...
[scribbling. scribbling. muttering. ah-] Have you found your book yet?
[dang, he thought it might be pen like this. close though.]
It does not have 'hex' in it, take that as a victory. [the sad thing is he's not even 100% fucking around to mess with pal, he just names shit this way without thinking.]
They are not, you are going to keep my name out of it. I have a reputation, Palamedes. [they probably sent him a recovery fruit basket or something, the minister gaggle. he really needs to up his game here.] No lockjoint, but he is willing to offer his blood in exchange for mine. I hardly plan on draining him dry but he's given me enough to make two gems for the moment.
[trading blood with teens, life is something huh.]
There is something to consider with the moon. Lunar energy seems to do little against corruption but those moondrops, the concentrated form, seem to be able to eradicate it. [idle shuffling of books here, a soft snort when he sees a title of some saucy romance novel with an equally saucy cover. not as good as his husband's weird romance novel, thanks, back it goes.] Even cure beasthood. The one matter I keep returning to in all this is how malleable the magic system and corruption are. It bends to the victim or user unerringly, no two cases are ever fully alike whether it be corruption or how a darkblood uses their innate abilities. There's practically a symbiosis, at least in the case of blood magic.
[and pulling another out.] Do old fairytales count? [he's actually keeping this one, it might have something interesting hidden in the stories.]
I am, and I won't. They'll write you a thank you note again. [Just like for the scones... will these menaces ever stop sending gifts?? No. Viktor has been perceived.
Anyway,] I'll see how many stones I can gather from the stock at the Lumenarium to add to your- his?- two. If nothing else, we'll see how much freshness matters.
That said: I'm going to eat my pen if it's coming out of the sea literally, and not just like the tide. [He hates! The sea! What the fuck!] But interesting point; is corruption itself somehow... aware? I'm not suggesting we're all possessed, of course. A symbiotic connection would tidily explain why none of us manifest the same symptoms all together like clockwork- [like moon phases but nooo ugggh] -but I've got no idea how to test that.
Maybe there's a fairytale about corruption showing up as its own monster, separate from any one individual.
I hate it when they do that. [he doesn't, but the gag continues. ok, well admittedly he thinks thank you notes are a waste of paper, just thank the person when you see them, but still.]
The month effects matter, as it turns out. We'll need to be a little more careful when irritating ones are happening, like this paranoia business.
[a hum] True, you hardly need another reason to loathe the ocean. [haha.] The young man I mentioned had an interesting idea brought up to him when he bothered Nevermind about it. Using darkblood abilities to draw out and contain corruption or pollution in a gem. It would be a new way of observing both at the very least.
[but like. probably really dangerous. he has learned something from the whole hexcore thing, not that it's enough to stop him.]
How symbolic. I will have to see. [and tugging out another book.] Are you heading home tonight or working late?
Typical; I'll consult the dates on the blood vials we've got and pick something close to ordinary.
[The most normal, baseline trauma levels of the city... Irritating. He'll work it out. Anyway, he's never been more glad that Viktor is not the darkblood between the pair of them, because he too has learned Viktor cannot be unsupervised with magic rocks. Whew.
Although does that mean he has to do it. Hm. Give him a moment to mutter some of this as he scribbles it down, darkblood abilities... contain pollution... got it. He adds a cheeky little 'never mind is a hack' in the margin, for chortling over later. There.]
I wasn't planning on working late until you brought the myriad uses of bloodstones to the forefront, but I can take these notes home. Where do you want me?
[a hum of agreement there, imagine things ever being simple.
the next book has no title, so he decides to take it. why not? a fun surprise even. there is one that looks actually helpful he plucks up, three is better than the rousing zero of before.]
I want you where I can at least drop by. I was planning on bringing you dinner one way or another. ['dinner' meaning something simple on a stick. portable, small portion, no heavy flavors. you're welcome.] Home then?
More work? [badum tsh... dinner is work. Just kidding, he knows this means portable plain stick content, if only because Viktor has not been cooking to excess today. Jokes.
He will start gathering up not only these notes but his other various recent projects, probably some Greek homework from Nico, to take home as well. The anticipation of leaving notebooks all over the house... delightful.]
But yes, I daresay we can both drop by our own home for once. [more jokes.] I'll see you there.
You can do work while working on eating it, if that entices you. [fond. probably shouldn't be but viktor's the same so he's happy to encourage working through picking at dinner.
books are tucked under his arm.] I forgot we owned one of those. Be safe.
[and a burst of gross affection through the bond before he's shutting off his omni.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
voice, un: v
Nevermind is in quite the mood- [the shuffling of just rudely passing someone with a flat,] excuse me, yes, thank you- you should see the state of things. I went looking for warmblood volumes and what did I find, Palamedes? Recipes for blood pudding. A book about hot blooded male nonsense.
Please, I am made of time. I am no longer terminal and luxuriate in having my time wasted. [this is, maybe, sarcasm]
no subject
What's wrong with our library? [--but maybe it's a little bit of the other thing too. Sanctuary's library is nice!!] Don't offend the fool librarian so much that he traps you there, Viktor.
I've been told, [and oh, the disdain is audible when he shares this tip,] that wandering aimlessly with no plan at all will get you your books fastest. Tell me about the hot-blooded nonsense, that should help.
no subject
He's done that already once, why not again? I can learn more about questionable dishes and a fool's idea of the 'male condition.'
[a sigh. thank you for being a good husband, pal, with the useful ideas. he will chat and ignore this nonsense instead for a bit.] For your previous question we don't have much on warmblood, at least not as much as the other types. I wanted to make copies of some books here for the library if I could.
I've met a young man who came to ask about it and is a warmblood himself. Now that I have an actual reliable source of warmblood to study there are some fascinating applications the gems could have, given warmbloods are supposedly more resistant to corruption.
[straight from rantmode to nerdmode.]
no subject
Anyway,] I suppose they wouldn't have written as much literature on warmblood at the paleblood monastery in love with the moon. Fair; I'll browse the odd section of our library and see if any suspicious runes about warmblood turn up.
[The odd section: the corner with mean locked doors and mysterious ancient texts in it. He does not expect this to come to results, but. For the time being: encouraging nerdmode.]
What applications are you thinking?
no subject
I would appreciate it. Though I know how much you enjoy looking for esoteric information in the... what is the term? Haystack, needle. That one.
[nailed it. but more nerding, happily.]
My hope is it can create a field or device run on warmblood gems that can lower corruption, perhaps even pollution. The question then would be is that corruption truly destroyed or filtered elsewhere? For the moment I think it better to pair it with other gems and see if it can be used to lower the blood pollution output of the machines in some way.
no subject
At this rate, I'll wind up the needle and you'll have to find me. Ask Nico to help— he can get some extra archival assisting in.
[Always more work to be done in the nerd sector...]
As for corruption: I'm not sure it can be completely dissipated, but I'm also sure that it must be dissipating, or else this world would be much worse off now than it was just months ago, don't you think? No one has posited any theories about us putting anything good back into the world, and I doubt one-on-one intimacy to stave off personal corruption is healing the planet, or anything.
[That's specifically not horny intimacy, but also not not horny intimacy, point being: the power of love and/or friendship is not saving this world but also the world isn't ending, so hmm!]
But baby steps, yes? So: withdraw first. How about preventative applications?
no subject
[a long time ago, almost a year now, he talked with pal in his lab after being nearly elbowed in the face and was instantly riveted by the back and forth. once and a while he's reminded of that moment when they discuss work, or matters like this.
so just a lot to say he's having a gay feeling, then it's work time.]
I have heard the idea that corruption can never be destroyed, only balanced. That it is a natural force of this world as much as any form of its magic. [which he isn't sold on but won't dismiss.] I agree that it must at the very least lessen. Unless the corruption is spreading and building in places far beyond the city it's an observable fact.
[and ain't that a terrible thought, if that was happening. fingers crossed.
a hum as he considers that though.] Shielding perhaps? A wearable piece that wards corruption that comes from moving through heavily polluted or bloody areas, drawing on the warmblood gem. Blood ministers could certainly use that.
no subject
He'll appreciate being asked. This is all assuming I get myself ensnared in some mean-looking literature.
[Which. ...He might. And that's just fact, so moving on.]
Balance is a good theory, but that still raises the question of against what? Corruption-versus-nothing-in-particular doesn't quite stack up. I'm not about to be the one suggesting that corruption has an all-parts-equal opposite, like thanergy and thalergy, because of the fluctuations— but then, what's really going on? Hold on, I'm writing this down.
[And there is a sound of papers shuffling and pen scratching, while Viktor talks about the shielding idea. Hm hm hm-]
You can make me another ring. [haha gay] To try it out. After the stones are tested for a more or less predictable saturation point.
no subject
I need to ask him how the bloodtech heater is working anyway. [still a terrible name but here we are.
he does wait a beat for pen grabbing as his eyes skim the titles of passing shelves. still bullshit but maybe one day. he makes a mental game of deciding which of pal's many dumb pens he grabbed.]
What would you consider the arcane force here? Is it thalergy, is it life force, is it simple an unknowable and arcane energy? It could be the counter balance- [a pause] -though that is purely conjecture for the sake of it.
[extremely gay. he's amused as he says,] I suppose making one when sober would be novel. I'll start on making warmblood gems then. We can give your little lackeys rings as well if it goes well. You'll match.
[precious flock of nerd blood ministers, the best side ocs.]
no subject
The— Viktor. [a sigh, dearest husband, beloved, come on.] No, you know what? I'm going to be glad you didn't call it HeatTech or HotHex.
[He's still allowed to lowkey judge, while he does a bit more scribbling on his end. Give him a moment, actually, because he's still scribbling while he skips ahead to the business of the gay but also company bonding! rings-]
They're going to know you like them. Do you need blood? We've— actually, given the season, we've plenty of stones as well as liquid blood. Unless your warmblood contact came to you about lockjoint already?
[Where! Are! The rocks! They'll work it out. He hums, his patented thoughtful nerd hum, and taps his pen a bunch of times.]
Looping back: I don't honestly know. Corruption isn't entirely comparable to thanergy, so the idea of a thalergy-adjacent thing keeping it in check is... a stretch, and I don't know enough about other arcane forces. I'd need a better understanding of why corruption exists, the history of it, and so on, before I could guess at what its counterpart could be. Or, to chase a different lead, if there isn't one, then what about corruption itself innately keeps it so in check? It may have run roughshod all over this world, but like I said: it hasn't taken over completely. It's- hmm. Much as I hate the comparison, it's like the tide. But then, we know what controls the tides...
[scribbling. scribbling. muttering. ah-] Have you found your book yet?
no subject
It does not have 'hex' in it, take that as a victory. [the sad thing is he's not even 100% fucking around to mess with pal, he just names shit this way without thinking.]
They are not, you are going to keep my name out of it. I have a reputation, Palamedes. [they probably sent him a recovery fruit basket or something, the minister gaggle. he really needs to up his game here.] No lockjoint, but he is willing to offer his blood in exchange for mine. I hardly plan on draining him dry but he's given me enough to make two gems for the moment.
[trading blood with teens, life is something huh.]
There is something to consider with the moon. Lunar energy seems to do little against corruption but those moondrops, the concentrated form, seem to be able to eradicate it. [idle shuffling of books here, a soft snort when he sees a title of some saucy romance novel with an equally saucy cover. not as good as his husband's weird romance novel, thanks, back it goes.] Even cure beasthood. The one matter I keep returning to in all this is how malleable the magic system and corruption are. It bends to the victim or user unerringly, no two cases are ever fully alike whether it be corruption or how a darkblood uses their innate abilities. There's practically a symbiosis, at least in the case of blood magic.
[and pulling another out.] Do old fairytales count? [he's actually keeping this one, it might have something interesting hidden in the stories.]
no subject
I am, and I won't. They'll write you a thank you note again. [Just like for the scones... will these menaces ever stop sending gifts?? No. Viktor has been perceived.
Anyway,] I'll see how many stones I can gather from the stock at the Lumenarium to add to your- his?- two. If nothing else, we'll see how much freshness matters.
That said: I'm going to eat my pen if it's coming out of the sea literally, and not just like the tide. [He hates! The sea! What the fuck!] But interesting point; is corruption itself somehow... aware? I'm not suggesting we're all possessed, of course. A symbiotic connection would tidily explain why none of us manifest the same symptoms all together like clockwork- [like moon phases but nooo ugggh] -but I've got no idea how to test that.
Maybe there's a fairytale about corruption showing up as its own monster, separate from any one individual.
no subject
The month effects matter, as it turns out. We'll need to be a little more careful when irritating ones are happening, like this paranoia business.
[a hum] True, you hardly need another reason to loathe the ocean. [haha.] The young man I mentioned had an interesting idea brought up to him when he bothered Nevermind about it. Using darkblood abilities to draw out and contain corruption or pollution in a gem. It would be a new way of observing both at the very least.
[but like. probably really dangerous. he has learned something from the whole hexcore thing, not that it's enough to stop him.]
How symbolic. I will have to see. [and tugging out another book.] Are you heading home tonight or working late?
no subject
[The most normal, baseline trauma levels of the city... Irritating. He'll work it out. Anyway, he's never been more glad that Viktor is not the darkblood between the pair of them, because he too has learned Viktor cannot be unsupervised with magic rocks. Whew.
Although does that mean he has to do it. Hm. Give him a moment to mutter some of this as he scribbles it down, darkblood abilities... contain pollution... got it. He adds a cheeky little 'never mind is a hack' in the margin, for chortling over later. There.]
I wasn't planning on working late until you brought the myriad uses of bloodstones to the forefront, but I can take these notes home. Where do you want me?
no subject
the next book has no title, so he decides to take it. why not? a fun surprise even. there is one that looks actually helpful he plucks up, three is better than the rousing zero of before.]
I want you where I can at least drop by. I was planning on bringing you dinner one way or another. ['dinner' meaning something simple on a stick. portable, small portion, no heavy flavors. you're welcome.] Home then?
no subject
He will start gathering up not only these notes but his other various recent projects, probably some Greek homework from Nico, to take home as well. The anticipation of leaving notebooks all over the house... delightful.]
But yes, I daresay we can both drop by our own home for once. [more jokes.] I'll see you there.
no subject
books are tucked under his arm.] I forgot we owned one of those. Be safe.
[and a burst of gross affection through the bond before he's shutting off his omni.]