--Galatea--

[takesitall]

[Aventurine watches as the movers bring his new statue into his garden. He recently bought a new house with a garden and it seemed a shame to keep it empty like it was. He'll figure out if he wants a statue or not later, but this one was decently priced for the quality and he is never going to say no to art of a pretty man where he can see it.

As the statue is placed down, Aventurine notices an odd device stuck on the back.]

Take that off, what the hell.

Comments

[takesitall]

Well.

[Hm.]

We're going to have a fun few months. Do you have a name?

[ignoranceisblight]

Technically, no. I was never given one by the sculptor. But... I call myself Veritas. I'd been planning on giving myself a full name, but that was interrupted.

[takesitall]

Veritas. You can call me Aventurine, for now. Can you move off the pedestal?

[ignoranceisblight]

[He nods, carefully stepping down from it.]

[takesitall]

[Aventurine moves to help.]

Do you eat or drink? Dammit, did he deny you food and water?

[ignoranceisblight]

[Veritas tries to avoid relying too much on the help-- mainly out of concern for potentially hurting him.]

I do not require either. Even if I could ingest them, I wouldn't be able to taste them, so there's no real point.

[takesitall]

Huh. Lame.

[What's the point of life if you can't eat.]

Do you sleep? I can get a spare bed brought over if you do.

[ignoranceisblight]

[Listen, if he could he would, it's not his fault whatever made him animate didn't think to include the rest of the sensory package!]

I don't sleep, no.

[As much as he wishes he could sometimes.]

[takesitall]

Meditate? Anything? I didn't intend to get a housemate but I've got one, and I'll be damned if I don't see to it that you're comfortable.

[ignoranceisblight]

I... have never attempted meditation or the like. I mostly occupied myself overnight before getting that device attached to me by finding things to do quietly.

[takesitall]

Well, what did you do?

[ignoranceisblight]

Housework that I could do quietly, mostly. Read, otherwise.

[takesitall]

Well, that's. Something. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do while you're here, for however long that is.

[ignoranceisblight]

... Alright, thank you.

[takesitall]

Here, I'll show you the house. You two movers, I'll pay extra if you gather up everything you guys have on the bastard who had Veritas.

[ignoranceisblight]

Oh, consider it done.

Yeah, that bastard needs to go down! You worry about getting Mr. Veritas settled in, Mr. Aventurine, leave the rest to us!

[Veritas is a little surprised at the movers' eagerness, but he turns his attention back to Aventurine.]

Lead on, then.

[takesitall]

[Aventurine nods at the movers and leads Veritas into the house. It's a nice thing, a bit fancy for a single guy but with plenty of space for two or more people.]

The bedrooms are upstairs, and I know you don't sleep but I'll make one into a room for you to do...whatever you want in it, I guess.

[ignoranceisblight]

[He nods.]

Thank you. I'll... figure out something to do, I suppose.

[takesitall]

There's always television or the internet, if all else fails. Or if you want to try something new, just tell me and I'll get what I can together for it.

[ignoranceisblight]

[Veritas tilts his head a little, surprised, but nods.]

Alright. I will... let you know. Perhaps I will find something I'd like to try.

[takesitall]

[Over the next month or so, Aventurine does what he can to help Veritas learn to be a person in whatever way that is for him. In return, the living statue starts to open up and pick up a few new hobbies. It's slow, but Aventurine finds he enjoys his odd new housemate.

One day, about a month after everything started, Aventurine walks in with a very fancy letter.]

So. Do you want to watch the bastard who sculpted you eat shit live and in person, or later on video?

[ignoranceisblight]

[Veritas, who'd been cleaning up the living room while Aventurine was out, pauses in what he was doing.]

I think I'd like to watch it happen in person.

[Oh wow, no hesitation there huh.]

[takesitall]

Tomorrow, then. We are going to watch his entire life burn down around his ears and when it's over I am getting the fanciest wine, having a glass in your honor, and we are celebrating as best we can.

[ignoranceisblight]

I'm looking forward to it. A shame I won't be able to partake in that wine myself, but it is what it is.

[He thinks for a moment.]

Perhaps... a walk in the park, sometime when there aren't a lot of people around. I know it's a simple request, perhaps disproportionately so, but... it was something that would've been denied to me even before that wretched device he'd fitted me with.

[takesitall]

Nighttime? We can find a spot in the park and stargaze, if you want.