Isidor doesn't move, her gaze flickering between the two people. It's only when Runa walks over to her, puts a hand on her shoulder and reassures her some more that she eventually relents, allowing herself to be directed to the spare room. In the brief moment he's alone Steve will find the apartment silent but for Runa's muffled coaxing and the soft rustling of papers from Viatorus' study, its door ajar.
When Runa returns she takes a deep breath, smiles, and then fixes her hair as she approaches the study. She raps twice on the doorframe. "Viatorus? It's Runa. I'm coming in now..." She opens the door slowly and steps inside with a wave for Steve to follow. "Look who's come with me!"
White cloths have been draped over the furniture as though it's about to get painted, all the edges and corners tucked away nicely underneath each piece of furniture. The corner of the study that has always been brightest has thin cream blinds pulled down to allow in the light without it being blinding. It's over in this corner that Viatorus stands, dead centre of the circle marked out on the floor that is decorated similarly to the ward above his bed. The scholar turns slowly, looking between pages that hang suspended mid-air all around him. He points vaguely at some, taps others, frets and mumbles to himself. As Runa warned, he doesn't look his best. He still has his suit shirt and trousers on, but they're mostly hidden by his dressing gown, and he seems to have forgotten to put on shoes or socks. His hands come to his face again and he whimpers at something he's read, or something he's thought.
"Viatorus," Runa says, stronger this time, to catch his attention.
Viatorus' eyes snap to them and he stays stock still, staring with red eyes and through loose strands of wild hair.
The lack of reaction worries her so Runa gently prompts him. "It's Steve."
"Steve!" The scholar lets go of the breath he was holding and closes his eyes, nodding and half collapsing before he pulls himself up again. "Steve. Yes. Hello."
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When Runa returns she takes a deep breath, smiles, and then fixes her hair as she approaches the study. She raps twice on the doorframe. "Viatorus? It's Runa. I'm coming in now..." She opens the door slowly and steps inside with a wave for Steve to follow. "Look who's come with me!"
White cloths have been draped over the furniture as though it's about to get painted, all the edges and corners tucked away nicely underneath each piece of furniture. The corner of the study that has always been brightest has thin cream blinds pulled down to allow in the light without it being blinding. It's over in this corner that Viatorus stands, dead centre of the circle marked out on the floor that is decorated similarly to the ward above his bed. The scholar turns slowly, looking between pages that hang suspended mid-air all around him. He points vaguely at some, taps others, frets and mumbles to himself. As Runa warned, he doesn't look his best. He still has his suit shirt and trousers on, but they're mostly hidden by his dressing gown, and he seems to have forgotten to put on shoes or socks. His hands come to his face again and he whimpers at something he's read, or something he's thought.
"Viatorus," Runa says, stronger this time, to catch his attention.
Viatorus' eyes snap to them and he stays stock still, staring with red eyes and through loose strands of wild hair.
The lack of reaction worries her so Runa gently prompts him. "It's Steve."
"Steve!" The scholar lets go of the breath he was holding and closes his eyes, nodding and half collapsing before he pulls himself up again. "Steve. Yes. Hello."