londoncallingrpg

Since returning to London so much in Fin's life had changed. Will had left the flat, leaving Fin alone, but with some new freedom. The young fae had still been a bit timid about taking charge at first, but he'd decided to gut the place. The once sterile series of white boxes connected by doors had been opened up to something more inviting, with rich wood floors and a more bohemian aesthetic. It was a writer's dream, with plenty of space for the fox to roam and play when being fae grew too exhausting. It was a tad lonely, yes, especially with Keats off living with Winter and Phouka, but it was better this way.

Control was an odd thing though, and after having a small taste of it, Fin found himself a bit addicted. He'd renewed his contract with the BBC, but not before insisting they give him more time to pursue theatre work. He'd agreed to do a short revival of his play, Reap, but on his terms. The theatre had wanted a huge production, but Finlay had put his foot down, insisting it needed to be simple- After all, in his mind, it was the simplicity that made it what it was. He dismissed scripts he didn't like, he turned down press he didn't want to do- And for the first time in a long while, he felt good. He felt sure of himself.

He was still looking too thin from his stay in New York City, but his appetite was returning bit by bit, and he was picking at a robust looking salad as he sat outside his favoured cafe with his notebook on his knee. His gaze combed slowly over what he'd already written, and now and then he'd put down his fork and pick up his pen, scratching things out and re-writing them. Under the table his foot tapped anxiously, going still when the fae paused and pushed his hair back out of his eyes, then beginning to tap again. He paid no mind to the occasional onlooker, thankful that in London, much like New York, most people were 'too cool' to ask for a selfie. He wasn't ready for all that. He was in control, and he was more focused than he'd been in a long time, but he was still recovering. Recovering from what had happened with Will, from everything that he'd been through over the last few years, and recovering from losing his sense of self.

He was getting there, but like all things, it would take time.

Putting his pen down again he picked his fork back up and poked at his salad a little, looking lost in thought as he skewered a bit of cucumber. These past few days he'd been keeping to himself. Honestly, he'd barely spoken to anyone who wasn't one of his managers or a business contact since he'd returned. He'd seen Pip, spent time with Greg, but he was isolating himself a little. Or maybe it was more he didn't know who to reach out to anymore. ...Either way, Finlay Finn was painfully alone.

(OTA. Late and slow tags all welcome.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"I'm not saying go to college, Phouka. There are schools for adult education though," Fin said, keeping his voice low in return. "If you think you'd like to further your education, I'd be happy to help you find something. ...Of if you want to just take a cookery class or a pottery class- There's always that."

From:

phouka

"You would help me? You would help me find schooling?" he repeated, a bright smile taking him over while he bounced a bit in his chair. "Yes, Finlay, oh yes. I would like that very much! I will get papers and pencils and I will study very hard."

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"Yeah, of course I will, Phouka. Of course I will. Whatever you want to do, I'll help however I can," Fin laughed, cheered by the other creature's excitement.

From:

phouka

"First I must find a school. A good school. The best school. And Winter and I can study together and we will both be very smart."

He pulled his phone from his pocket.

"Siri, what is the best school for me to go to?"

The question was...a mistake. Siri began listing schools in London in no particular order.

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"Phouka... Phouka, you need a very specific kind of school. It might be an online school, actually," Fin said, trying to calm him down a little.

From:

phouka

"What is online school?" he asked. "Is Siri a teacher as well?"

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"Siri? The robot thing for the phone? ...No, I- I don't think she's programmed for that," Fin replied, looking confused. "No, uh, it's school you can do on a laptop. You watch live video or recorded footage of lectures and lessons, and do a sort of independent study. ...That way you can do it when you're in the mood, or you have unexpected free time."

From:

phouka

"Oh," he replied with dawning understanding. "So there would be no classroom? No teacher? Winter gets to go to classrooms with teachers..."

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"Your needs are different from Winter's," Fin said gently. "You wouldn't be going to the same school as Winter, Phouka. ...But it would still be school, and maybe, eventually, you could go to a school like Winter does, if you find you like learning and want to continue. That could be something you work towards. ...In the meantime, we can look for a physical school, but I can't promise we'll find one."

From:

phouka

The Phouka's spirits were dampened a bit. He had such ideas of a classroom with a blackboard and a teacher and chalks and books and pencils and a globe... He had seen such things in films and on telly.

"...Alright," he said hesitantly. "If you think that might be best to start..."

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"It's not that I think it would be best," Fin assured him gently, patient as ever. "Just the things you're learning most people here learn when they are quite young, so the schools that teach those things are for younger people- And their parents might not be comfortable with someone who looks older attending school with them. Now I know that's silly, that you're lovely and those children and teenagers would be very lucky to get to learn and play alongside you, but to them, you're a stranger. So you'd have to learn alongside adults, and since there are fewer adults who need to learn these things, the classes are often online. However, that doesn't mean you'll not get to meet other students, Phouka. You might not get to learn in a classroom, but there might be local study groups you could attend. That would be fun, wouldn't it?" Fin pointed out.

"And, as I said, we can look and see if there's an alternative. A night school, maybe? Or we could find you a tutor, if you think that might be best for you."

From:

phouka

Fin's explanation soothed him and he smiled finally as Fin finished.

"Yes, that would be best. I have noticed women in the park are wary of me when I speak to their children...though they seem charmed when I talk to their dogs. It is odd, don't you think?"

From:

prince_of_nymphs

Fin didn't want to spoil the Phouka's innocence, he didn't, but it occurred to him then that it might be safer for the Phouka if he did- At least a bit.

"Well, that's because... Some people, Phouka, people like Aspid, for example, hurt other people. ...Sometimes they hurt very young people. Now usually it's someone they know, but that doesn't stop people from worrying about strangers. I know you'd never hurt anyone, not ever, especially not a child, but strangers don't know that, and they worry."

From:

phouka

"I have seen the news. There are very bad people in this world," the Phouka replied, then whinged softly. "I am not bad, though. I would never hurt anyone."

He wet his lips.

"That is a fib. I would hurt a bad person. If I saw someone being bad, I would bite them."

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"I know, Phouka. You have a good heart," Fin assured him. "Other people might not know that yet, and strangers can sometimes make unfair judgements."

From:

phouka

"The mortal world is strange. In our realm it is known all Phouka are strong and true. No one would ever think a Phouka could do anything bad. We are not made that way. But mortals...mortals are confusing," he replied softly, as if he was saying something terribly bad.

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"People suck," Fin replied, sounding a touch bitter. "Mortals don't deserve Phoukas."

From:

phouka

"Pixies deserve Phouka," he said with a small smile. "And princes deserve me too. I will ever be true to you, Finlay."

From:

prince_of_nymphs

"No, Phouka, princes very much don't deserve you, but we're very lucky to have you," Fin assured him. "Pixies, on the other hand- I think pixies might need Phouka, wouldn't you agree?" he asked with a smile.

From:

phouka

"Yes. Winter needs me very much. He needs hugs and smiles and tickles. Sometimes. Only sometimes," he said with a fond smile. "He calls me 'my Phouka mine' and it makes my stomach flutter like butterfly wings."