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[credere]

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[magician_king]

"That's probably a good sign."

Says Quentin, leaning over to see, and then sipping his tea again.

"It's good that you can do things like that together."

[credere]

"It is good. I...."

He frowns.

"I know I have to change so I can graduate," he says, abruptly. "But what if I change into someone people don't like?"

[magician_king]

"Well, don't think about 'people' as a conglomerate with a consensus."

Is Quentin's first advice.

[credere]

He very clearly doesn't know what either of those words are.

"...you mean not everybody thinks the same thing," he ventures.

[magician_king]

"Yeah. Whoever you are, someone won't like you. Fuck that person."

Reasons Quentin, philsophically.

"Be whoever you like, and be someone who is good to the people you like most."

[credere]

That sounds overly simplistic, but maybe Credence is biased on the basis of past experience.

"You make it sound really easy."

[magician_king]

"It isn't easy, but it is important."

He says, with a shrug.

"Don't appeal to people. Be good, instead."

[credere]

How can you do that without letting people take advantage of you, he doesn't ask. He honestly doesn't think there's an answer.

"I know I should."

Which is more honest than saying he's trying.

[magician_king]

"I like you, and I think you're a good person."

He needs to say.

"You were really nice to me today."

[credere]

As usual, he struggles with the praise.

"...I just want you to be happy. I hope you can fix things."

[magician_king]

"I'm going to do everything I can to try."

He says, gamely.

"I will."

[credere]

"I don't know that you did anything wrong. But if you did - they should forgive you. That's why we're here, isn't it?"

To let bygones be bygones, even when it's hard.

[magician_king]

"Even though I'm ostensibly a warden now?"

He doesn't sound sure of this at all.

[credere]

"Yes."

To Credence's mind, that shouldn't matter.

[magician_king]

"Yes."

He agrees, letting out a frustrated breath.

"Okay, okay, I'll talk to him."

[credere]

"Only if you think it's a good idea," Credence says, with a fresh surge of insecurity. What if Quentin talks to him and that only makes it worse? He doesn't want to be responsible for that.

[magician_king]

"You're a good friend."

He says, and hitches his legs up, crossing them.

"So how do you feel about a home reno project?"

[credere]

"In here, you mean?"

His attempts in his own room have been semi-stalled for months now. Occasionally he'll paint something.

[magician_king]

"Yeah. I don't care about it much, we could practice some techniques. Maybe do an hour here, an hour on yours?"

HE could get back into it with him.

[credere]

"Okay. And - do you have somewhere for Pope to live?"

He's not sure about the finer points of hedgehog husbandry.

[magician_king]

"Oh my God, Pope. Pope!"

Leaping up- he set him down somewhere, doesn't know where or when.

"Pope?"

[credere]

"He's okay," Credence says quickly - he's been casting looks back every so often. He reaches out with both hands, gently lifting the little creature into midair, bringing him across to land neatly into his cupped palms.

"See, he's fine."

[magician_king]

"Oh my God, I'm a bad hedgehog dad."

He says, and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, he needs a bell or something."

[credere]

"You're a new hedgehog dad," Credence says, more generously. "Why is he called Pope?"

[magician_king]

"I don't know. I just knew by looking at him."

He says, looking down at that serious little face, the upturned little nose.

"I need to get a book about this."