A joy hard learned in winter was the warming of the bed { catch-all log }

[hasitsthorns]

Rosie

WHO ○ Rosie & you!

WHAT ○ A catch-all log for happenings outside of main events.

WHERE ○ All around Town and then some

WHEN ○ End of 2024/Beginning of 2025

WARNINGS ○ Body horror, self-harm, mentions of suicidal ideation from past events

basic info

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[snapp_crackle]

"I actually learned the basic version of this spell to get out of drowning."

The experience itself was really incredibly unpleasant when it was happening to him but he looks back on the memory with more fondness than he was expecting to.

"As long as I have enough magic power to get back, I can even go flying out over the open ocean with no problem."

He comes to a halt, looking around at the surrounding houses. He's pretty sure that she would live in a house with roses by the front, right? But also, it is winter and there is a distinct lack of flowers going on here.

[hasitsthorns]

It does make her a bit more sympathetic to know he went through anything similar to her. She doubts it was same circumstances, but almost drowning on its own is terrifying enough.

"Hm," she hums, losing focus a little as another wave of poison-induced nausea comes over her. "How do you run out of magic power?" But even as she asks, she points in the vague direction of which house is hers. No rose bushes in the front, no, but there is a lot of pink from the curtains to the little painted embellishments on the windows.

[snapp_crackle]

He's absolutely leaving out the part where he was tied to a large rock and tossed in a lake on purpose, because she's sick and does not need to hear about that right now or possibly ever. He's known to be pretty careless; she can go on thinking he fell in a river or whatever she's assuming, he's even done that a couple times here already.

"Using a lot of spells, usually? Or just a few really strong ones, like the one that turns you into a dragon - but hey, I won't ever have to learn that one now, that's a huge timesaver!"

Here they are, at the door. Popp doesn't appreciate the work that goes into decorating but he does clock all the pink as cute and characteristic of Rosie. He's worried enough about her that he's not having nervous jitters about going into her house and seeing her bedroom that he would in just about any other circumstances.

[hasitsthorns]

That would be distressing to learn but it'd mean all the more sympathy. Her own situation wasn't quite the same, but similarly being held underwater against her will. It's nothing she'd wish on anyone... though she'd appreciate Popp's continued cheer despite the circumstances he's been through. After all, like recognizes like in that way.

"Huh," she hums. "Being a dragon was something you had to be born as for my world. And they all though that made them better than everyone, which was dumb." Divine heritage, they'd claim, and hold it over everyone else. Dicks. She's tried not to let it taint her feelings about dragons here, naturally, but it's still hard sometimes to untangle.

"It's not locked," she offers. Maybe it should be! It's not something she thinks about though. "You can just, like, let me off in the main room." Because she totally won't just go back to doing more than she should if left to her own devices.

[snapp_crackle]

The curse of not wanting to bother people with your personal issues and expose all your weaknesses is that then you cannot bond over your traumas and go about thinking that you are the only person with this stupid problem. It is a common affliction and Popp has a bad case of it.

"We have regular dragons, but they're just extra strong monsters these days, they don't talk... Except for the Dragon Knights, who kind of are better than everyone else? Dai doesn't let it give him a big head or anything but his dad's a huge asshole. Not the worst person ever, but maybe top ten?"

In they go. Popp isn't consciously thinking about how he's holding Rosie because he's distracted by complaining about Dragon Master Baran, so instead of fussing over the door, he shifts her weight entirely over to one arm without noticing that he can do that.

"Hey, you'll call someone over, right? You should have someone taking care of you when you're sick."

He knows Rosie likes to be alone when she's feeling rotten about herself, but also, she really shouldn't be? She is poisoned!

[hasitsthorns]

It is an unfortunate curse they're both afflicted with, apparently. It'll have to be broken eventually though.

She listens to him talk about dragons though. "I wish ours couldn't talk," she huffs. Honestly, a lot would probably better if they couldn't. Granted, she doesn't think they'd need to talk to be assholes either so- Eh. Who knows? "At least his kid isn't following in his footsteps. More than can be said for our dragons, but- Part of the issue is there is no heir to the throne and the current reigning king refuses to sire one. Plenty of the new generation are fighting for it though when they can. No one's managed to beat him though." So, you know, sure. He's strong and maybe his pride is warranted.

Still doesn't mean he needs to be a dick about it.

"-Uh." That's probably a reassuring answer though to the question of her calling someone over though. "I can! I usually just power through on my own though? Never been sick, but definitely had a bad hangover to weather before by myself." That's just how it was.

[snapp_crackle]

"I guess the dragons going after each other is better than them fighting anything else they could be fighting..?"

He's seen what a handful of dragons can do to a human town. It's not pretty. If there's a couch or a chair or anything, he'll help her over to it.

"I think this is worse than a hangover, Rosie. For one, if you're already hungover, you're not still drinking."

Popp thinks this because his dad doesn't introduce him to all of his friends.

[hasitsthorns]

"They still fuck up other stuff," she huffs. "Zennyo Ryūō is the worst though. He's the rain-maker and just kind of dumps buckets on people when he's upset or feels they aren't giving him enough tribute." Again: an absolute dillhole.

She almost thinks to make a joke like 'Not with that attitude' about not still drinking but that's perhaps a bit too dark to actually be funny. Yet, hair of the dog- Or so they said? While she'd never really tested it out too much, she did know sometimes a stiff drink when hungover could help.

She does begrudgingly sit on the old couch in her living area at least. Flops onto it, really, and sighs dramatically. "I can't even imagine getting sick, like, regularly? How do people do this?"

[snapp_crackle]

Being wet all the time because of some jerk dragon sounds less life threatening than just...

"That's really, really petty for someone who goes around demanding respect. Kind of childish, if you ask me!"

Popp is, arguably, an expert on being childish. He knows what he's talking about! Case in point...

"I mean, I usually whine at people who care about me until they bring me blankets and soup. Your friends and family need to be nice to you when you're sick; that's the only good part."

[hasitsthorns]

"Yeah, he's an immature jerk," she confirms. Most older men in power are, she had come to learn. Maybe she's just feeling especially bitter now though because she also doesn't feel well.

"Huh," she hums though, about that little tidbit. "It wasn't being sick, but I do remember one time being really out of it? The Morgans were there when I woke up and felt better, which was nice." It's all still a bit of a blur, honestly, what happened exactly. She remembers waking up though to Reyson draped over the end of her bed, Feldspar working on something, and Misto with his head by her side and hand in his.

"But also kind of embarrassing? Like, I don't want all that fuss over me." At least, not like that. Other kinds of fussing are fun.