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[beshackled]

[It's that fellow with the glowing red eyes again. And this time, he looks... tentatively happy? Quite the reverse of some of the general sentiments being posted in the most recent of days.]

Greetings. Pray forgive my neglect of checking these devices as of late. I ought to have checked more frequently... but, I confess, I became so absorbed in assisting with the matter of housing that I did little else this past moon.

On that subject, I am pleased to say that a number of small houses have been completed. Those we brought back from the desert worked hard on them, so I am sure they shall be pleased to see them put to use.

Ah... on another subject, I have yet to check over much of what I have missed, but did anyone else have an unrelated transmission involving mysteriously-appearing tattoos come up when they activated their charm?

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[beshackled]

I shall be happy to show them to you.

[That said, he imparts to the other the area of the town in which the buildings have been constructed.]

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch's image vanishes. Presumably he is heading out to meet Erichthonios. Indeed, a short time later the Ancient will see him stepping out of a black rift near the construction site.

Emet-Selch casts his gaze around until he locates the other man and then strides purposefully over. ]

Impressive progress.

[beshackled]

I am sure they shall be glad to hear of your approval. Considering the laborious method of their construction, it did take some time to construct them... and they are on the simple side. However, they appear solid enough to make additions to, should one desire it.

[He procures a key from his robe.]

...They use these to secure them. Odd little things, are they not?

[emet_sulk]

Those are called 'keys'. They are commonplace now. Since mortals succumb to greed far too easily, one must needs protect one's property.

[ These houses are...surprisingly generous living quarters, he thinks. For people who are supposedly prisoners. Well, one must have a cell to live in, he supposes. ]

How do they plan to allot these to the Chosen?

[beshackled]

[Their greed... drives them to take from each other? 'Tis said that a modicum of avarice is a sign of sentience, but to simply barge into another's rooms and take is... contrary to Erichthonios' own impulses. Such is why he had not picked up anything in the desert; nothing there belonged to him.]

I know not the finer details... but I believe these smaller quarters are to be assigned freely. There was some talk about potential additions... which is why they are spaced the way they are.

[Room to grow, as it were.]

[emet_sulk]

How generous...

[ Generous indeed. The sort of charity his people would never think twice about. All had a home. None were left to squalour. He should be pleased yet it feels so...foreign now. ]

I suppose I shall look forward to being allocated my own then.

[beshackled]

[Erichthonios glances down to the key, sinking once more into thought. If all the abodes are the same, does it matter aught which he is assigned? If not, then why not this one?

Looking up again, he offers a meek smile, proffering the key.]

If it is to your liking... I can inform them come the morning.

[emet_sulk]

[ He stares at the proferred key. Then at Erichthonios. ]

But this is your dwelling.

[beshackled]

...Ah. W-well, you see...

[Rapidly becoming self-conscious, Erichthonios shifts his weight, fingers reflexively closing over the key.]

I... asked Themis... Elidibus, that is... not long ago if we might live together. And he agreed, so... we would only need the one.

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch's stare must surely be discomfiting at this point. But ultimately he closes his eyes and sighs quietly, holding his hand out for the key. ]

I didn't know you and he were so close.

[beshackled]

[Emet-Selch certainly does have a piercing way about him, one that only seems to accentuate Erichthonios' natural shyness... if not so badly as the gaze of his father does.]

We met in Pandaemonium. We... had some time to get to know each other a little.

[Fingers uncurling, Erichthonios hands over the key.]

[emet_sulk]

'A little'.

[ He tucks the key somewhere secure, once again eyeing Erichthonios. ]

A man doesn't move into another's abode unless they know each other more than 'a little'. There is no need to be ashamed of it, boy.

[beshackled]

[At first, Erichthonios can only stare in open-mouthed shock at the sheer audacity of the statement. If Emet-Selch's plan was to throw him off-guard, said plan is a resounding success.

Color soon follows; a flush so deep and so bold that it makes its mark upon his cheeks.]

...I-I-- I did not wish to make such bold suppositions about our... our...

[Oh no. What was the word? He cannot think of it! Oh, to draw a blank at the most inopportune of moments!]

[emet_sulk]

Relationship?

[ He sighs. Then again, it isn't like he can judge. He has yet to acknowledge his feelings for Hythlodaeus - he has yet to acknowledge he is even Emet-Selch to his friend. But he will, in the maze later. ]

Mayhap you should ask him then.

[beshackled]

[Erichthonios' cheeks burn all the brighter with the utterance of the word. Of course a relationship can be any sort of relationship. Friendship, familial...

But, he cannot deny that small feeling of longing, ever-present in his breast. He is, in some ways, his father's son.]

M-mayhap...

[He clears his throat, rallying his composure... or at least making a thorough attempt at it.]

Shall we go in? It will not take long to show you around.

['Tis a small abode, after all.]

[emet_sulk]

Aye.

[ He starts forward without waiting. A sign, perhaps, of how accustomed he's grown to leading. The key fits into the lock easily and he lets himself in, holding the door open for Erichthonios afterwards. ]

[beshackled]

[Erichthonios follows without delay, immediately starting the tour.]

There is a general living space upon entry. The kitchen for meal preparation is through here.

[He gestures to one side of the house where, sure enough, a doorway exists.]

And the small hallway on the other side leads to a bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

[emet_sulk]

I see...

[ It's not much of course but it's impressive what can be done with enough manpower and effort. Emet-Selch has slept in worse conditions; a house - a home - is truly a luxury. ]

A single bed, I imagine?

[ He's certainly not thinking about having a certain someone over, nope. ]

[beshackled]

Aye, though there is space enough to add another.

[Says he who hasn't thought about how that single bed might affect his own situation. Surely ot will be fine, offering to sleep on the floor.]

[emet_sulk]

How convenient.

[ Yes, very convenient indeed... ]

I'm impressed by how quickly these were constructed. Ordinarily it might take a year per home.

[beshackled]

Truly?

[Not being from a time when building by hand is the norm, Erichthonios doesn't even have a basic grasp of such architectural feats. He just made the tools for them to use and helped with the lifting.]

[emet_sulk]

Mortals don't have the surfeit of aether our people do. They do not have access to the same enduring materials we do either. Surely you saw what they used to make these particular dwellings?

[ He gestures widely around them. At the minimum, Emet-Selch would say...wood. Some kind of mortar. Brick. ]

[beshackled]

[Even though Erichthonios was there during the building process in question, his gaze still follows Emet-Selch's sweeping gesture.]

Aye. I did witness some of the process when I was creating tools for them...

[Temporary though they were... At least they did they job they needed to do.]

They seemed to know what they were doing. Mayhap they are accustomed to building similar structures? Efficiency does tend to improve with experience...

[emet_sulk]

I suppose. Hardly any point in complaining about the work being done too soon. I would hardly have liked for them to work more slowly.

[ He'll be grateful to finally move out of the inn. ]

...My thanks again. I did not imagine I would be able to have a place for myself already.

gently starts wrapping this up...

[beshackled]

I am glad it is to your liking.

[It feels good, to be able to do something of benefit to his people.]

I shall return to the inn. If you have need of me, I keep the charm they gave me on my person.

[While different than what he is accustomed to, it is also close enough that he feels more comfortable using it than the devices others have started to tinker with.]