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3:41pm May 21 2014
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Alfred nodded. "Well we'll certainly see when we get there," he said, turning to lead Ivan into the game store, heading back towards where the DS games were. A great deal of them had cute boxart, but Alfred quickly scanned through and motioned to where the Nintendogs ones were, actually able to spot the Golden Retriever one. He grinned, glancing up at Ivan. "Found it," he announced happily, reaching out to grab it and offer it out to the larger male. "Want to go ahead and get the Animal Crossing game while we're here too?" he questioned, turning to look for it so he could go ahead and grab it should the Russian decide he wanted it. It couldn't hurt to have multiple games to choose from should Ivan get bored, after all.
((Ooh okay ovo)) |
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3:55pm May 21 2014
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"Okay~" Ivan replied, allowing Alfred to lead him by the hand. He felt a little like a kid being taken on a shopping trip for gifts, possibly as a reward for good behaviour or something, and it was kind of nice. He spent a good few moments looking at all of the cute boxes within reach, his sunflower pocketed again, sometimes making little squeaky sounds. When Alfred told him that he had found the game he'd chosen, he turned to look, his ex
pression pleased and hopeful. "Yay, thank you~" He responded, giggling a little at his own utterance. He didn't usually say things like 'yay' out loud, but he was feeling kind of childish at the moment. Squeaks, though, were practically a given. "Even the box is cute, da?" He added, taking the box for a closer look. "Hmm? That would be nice~ Should I look for it as well?" He queried, liking the idea of getting that one as well. "Ahh, it won't be too much, will it? I could help pay, if it is..."
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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4:05pm May 21 2014
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"It's been out for a little while so it shouldn't be priced like a full game," Alfred responded before he smiled gently up at the other. "Besides I don't mind paying for them even if they are," he said softly, reaching out to gently grab the Animal Crossing box once he'd spotted it, holding it out for Ivan to take as well. "Especially sine I'm sure you'll get plenty of use out of them. It'll be more than worth it." Making Ivan happy took precedence, especially since he knew he still had enough money left after this for groceries and such should they need more. He wasn't going to be broke or anything.
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4:23pm May 21 2014 (last edited on 4:25pm May 21 2014)
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"Ahh, okay - I suppose that would make sense." Ivan responded, smiling. It was good to know that he wasn't causing inconvenience to Alfred. "O-ohh, thank you..." He murmured, feeling a little tickle of happy when his friend told him that the price didn't matter. He took hold of the Animal Crossing case when it was passed to him, reading the back with interest, and he gave Alfred another little smile when he looked up again. "Da, I'm sure that I will~ They look very fun, and adorable as well. I think that I will be playing with them for some time." He replied, feeling another pleased little tickle when Alfred said that it was worth it, and in such a gentle tone. There was no getting around it - he definitely had a thing for the grinning blond. Well, he supposed that the American was the sort of person it was easy to get attached to, being so friendly and sweet. Since it was Alfred who was paying, he kept hold of the games, so that his friend could fish out his money without having to put anything down. He wondered vaguely whether there was actually anything in town that Alfred would want for himself, and he decided to ask, but he'd wait until they were done with this purchase.
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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4:28pm May 21 2014
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Alfred smiled before he turned to lead the other up to where they could go ahead and pay for the games, glad that Ivan seemed happy. Another batch of butterflies fluttered around within him, but he decided to ignore it in favor of feeling the pleasant warmth that accompanied making the Russian smile. He had such a sweet smile, too, that it was an honest shame that the poor guy wasn't used to using it. Hopefully Alfred would be able to change that, be able to keep him so happy that he wouldn't have time to feel sad, or to think that he was a monster because of a nightmare. Alfred was determined to brighten up Ivan's days from then on, to guide him out of darkness and nightmares when they would try to claim him. He...wanted to be Ivan's hero of sorts, he supposed.
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4:43pm May 21 2014
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As he followed Alfred, and watched as the blond paid for the games - when they reached the counter - Ivan had no idea that his friend was experiencing butterflies. As far as he could tell, everything about Alfred was normal at the moment. He would have blushed quite a lot if he had known what thoughts were crossing the American's mind, and probably mumbled something almost incoherent in response. He was still getting used to the idea that someone outside his family thought that his smile was sweet, so knowing that it fuelled a warmth for the person he saw as being a source of warmth would likely cause him to lose the power of coherent speech for a while. As for Alfred's desire to protect him from night-time fears, like some kind of personal hero - well, it was pretty safe to say that he would quite like that, but likely be reduced to squeaking. It was one thing to think of things that way himself, but it would be quite another to find that Alfred saw them that way as well. When his friend had finished paying for the games, Ivan decided to speak up. "Alfya, is there anything that you would like to get while we are in town? It seems as though it has all been about what I would like so far, and I do not want to leave you out."
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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4:49pm May 21 2014
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Alfred blinked as he handed the games, in a bag, back over to Ivan. "Well, the only thing I've been thinking of getting today is a book, honestly. Something productive to do while I'm at work when it's slow," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Or, well, try to do. If not at work then at night back home when I have trouble sleeping," he said, smiling a bit. "Beyond that I don't really need anything for the time being." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. He already had most of what he needed back home, seeing as he'd already been living their a while...but Ivan was new so of course he'd need more things. Besides, all of this was pretty nice for Alfred, walking around with Ivan and having him be happy and smiling and laughing.
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4:58pm May 21 2014
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Ivan happily stashed the games bag inside the other bag, which he had in one of his pockets. It was for things like this that he found this old coat of his particularly useful, and he was glad that he had brought it with him. "I like books, so I would not mind coming to a book store with you." Ivan responded, "I was thinking of visiting one anyway, actually. Are there any particular sorts you like, besides comics?" He asked, intrigued, before registering what else Alfred had said. "Do you have trouble sleeping often?" He queried, concerned for his friend. That bad dream the American had mentioned earlier had sounded pretty nasty, and he didn't like the idea of Alfred having to experience that sort of thing on a regular basis. This was someone who was made to laugh, sing, grin and bring warmth and light to wherever he went - not be trapped in dark dreams. That would be like locking away the sun. His concern showed in his ex
pression, worried amethyst eyes peering across at Alfred, and his smile slipping a little.
((Gotta go, see you tomorrow.))
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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7:47pm May 21 2014
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"Oh, well, it's not because of bad dreams or anything," Alfred said with a smile, laughing gently. "Sometimes I just have too much... 'oomf' left in me for me to calm back down and sleep. So I mean it's a problem I have fairly often but just because I didn't burn off enough energy or something is all," he assured the other, smiling up at him. "I actually don't usually have many bad dreams. I usually end up having dreams about superheroes and stuff," he said with a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck slightly. "The nightmare thing was a very much recent development, so you don't have to worry too much about me," he said happily, smiling wide in the hopes of easing his friend's worries.
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12:42am May 22 2014
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"Ahh, I see." Ivan responded, relieved, as Alfred assured him that it was usually to do with the burning off of energy - or lack thereof. "That sort of thing doesn't usually happen to me, but I know what it is like when it does." He added, grateful for the other's ready smile, his ex
pression returning to a more tranquil and positive cast. Surely, if there were a problem, such a smile would not be so easy. Even more of a relief, Alfred had indicated that bad dreams were not his norm - that was good. "I am glad to hear that nightmares are not frequent for you. When you mentioned problems with sleep, I - ahh... I may have leaped to conclusions, after last night." He admitted, sheepish, as they ambled towards a book store together. Or, at least, in a direction that Ivan was pretty sure led to a book store - Alfred was still leading, after all. "Such... terrors as I faced last night are... not normal for me either. My dreams are usually more vague, or filled with sunshine, warmth and, well, sunflowers." He contributed, feeling that he should offer reassurance in turn. "Oh, or filled with snow as far as the eye can see... Those ones are pretty lonely, actually, but not terrifying like last night. How could they be, if I am... the only one there?"
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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5:10am May 22 2014
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Alfred nodded slightly. "I can understand why you'd assume that after last night," he said gently before he moved to walk a little closer to Ivan when he mentioned the dreams filled with snow. "How often do you have the snow-filled dreams?" he asked softly, wondering just how often Ivan ended up waking up lonely because of that dream. "Because, you know, you don't have to worry about being alone or lonely any more," he promised softly, gently squeezing the other's hand. "I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon, plus you have the chance to make more friends too," he said, giving his friend a warm, gentle smile in the hopes of easing that away. "And at home, if you do have unpleasant dreams of any kind I'm right next door if you need me and I don't wake up to yelling or something. You can come get me whenever you need me."
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5:24am May 22 2014
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It was good to know that Alfred understood why he'd made that assumption, Ivan reflected, deriving comfort from both the increased proximity and what his friend told him next. "Ahh, I am not too sure, actually." He responded, thinking about it. "They are pretty normal for me, though. It doesn't happen so much when I have been doing things with people... until I begin to think that they don't actually like me after all... Ahh, but I do not think that of you! You have made it very clear that you think I am nice to be around, and you have done so much to make me happy - best friend yet~!" He explained, hastening to assure Alfred that he didn't doubt him. The gentle squeeze he'd been given, and those words he'd been offered - it felt as though something inside him was melting. It was one of those feelings that was kind of painful, but actually positive - like thawing out. "More friends?" He asked softly, hopefully. "That would be nice." He breathed, squeezing Alfred's hand back. "I - I can? Spasiba... That means a lot. Ahh, if you have another bad dream, you can do the same - I would not mind being woken up to help you~" Ivan responded gratefully, giving his friend a wider smile than before. "Ahh, we seem to have arrived." He pointed out, noticing where they were.
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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7:15am May 22 2014
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Alfred smiled gently. "I'd hope so," he said gently. "Because I really enjoy having you around." He smiled, more gently than before, and blinked slightly once it was announced that they were there. "Thank you," he said softly at being told the offer to come to him after a bad dream was being reciprocated. He nodded a little bit before gently leading Ivan into the store. "Oh and as for me reading things besides comics I kind of like fantasy books," he responded. Something about the dragons and unicorns and fairies felt almost nostalgic, like they reminded him of good times and a person who loved him. It was odd, since he couldn't remember anyone like that who had enjoyed fairies and such, but...he didn't mind too much. It was always a comforting alternative to rereading comics or staring at his ceiling. "Especially the kind that almost sound like you could use them to read someone to sleep with, believe it or not."
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8:55am May 22 2014
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Ivan's face was starting to complain about all the smiling again, but he simply couldn't help it right now - he had to smile. "That is very good to hear~" He breathed, "I also enjoy being around you~" He added, feeling inwardly uplifted to have finally found someone who would not tire of him, or whatever other reason people had for disregarding him. "You are very much welcome. I believe in returning good favours, and it seems like a natural thing to offer... I would feel guilty if you were left to fend off nightmares alone, when I could have helped. If I can be there for you as you have been for me, then I will be happy - sleep or no sleep." He responded, slightly bashful but managing to keep from retreating into his scarf. "Fantasy? That is frequently an interesting genre - I like to read those as well. Ahh, and I like mysteries, and exciting plot lines. It can be fun when they are all mixed together~" He added, glad of another point of comparison between their tastes. "Ahh, if you wanted, I would be happy to read to you... if you do not think that is too childish, that is..."
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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9:22am May 22 2014
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Alfred nodded slightly. "Yeah, seems pretty fair for neither of us to have to deal with those alone," he agreed as he moved towards his usual section of books, only to pause a moment with a pale flush dusting his cheeks. "Oh! No, I...I don't think it's childish at all," Alfred responded before he smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck slightly. "Honestly I wasn't expecting you to offer. Minus textbooks in school I haven't been read to since I was like, three I think. But...yeah, I...I'd like that, actually," he said, smiling up at his friend. "I dunno there's just always been...something really soothing about being read to so I've kind of missed it." He started to look through the books in the Fantasy section, tilting his head a little bit as he searched for a good book to purchase to suit his preferences. "If you see any books you think you'd like feel free to point them out by the way," he said, glancing up at Ivan. He didn't make trips to shop for stuff too often but today was a bit of a special day, so...there they were.
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10:28am May 22 2014 (last edited on 10:33am May 22 2014)
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Oh? It seems that I have made him blush – that is very sweet to see~ Ivan mused, though he would not say as much aloud. He listened carefully to what Alfred's response was, having felt that his offer was a reasonable – if whimsical – reaction to his friend's explanation of the sort of fantasy stories he liked best. He was relieved when the American told him that he would enjoy being read to, finding the mental image of little Alfie being told a story rather endearing, and he was glad of the opportunity to connect with Alfred in this way. After all, it would be a new way of spending time, and one that might help to fend off turbulent dreams – particularly given what his friend had just said about it being soothing. “I'm glad~ I enjoy telling stories, you see. When I was younger, it helped me to make friends, reading stories to other children – particularly the ones who could not yet read for themselves. It stopped working as I grew older, though – nobody was interested in storytime any more, and the newer littles in the area thought I was scary.” He explained, browsing in the same section as his friend. He ran his finger along the tops of the books, reading the titles as he did so. His finger stopped on one called The Stolen Sky, and he picked it up, perusing the blurb on the back. It was a tale about a dragon named Kafziel, a once-mighty creature of fire and wind, who had been changed into a common lizard while he slumbered on his hoard – which had remained untouched. The story, it seemed, followed the quest of this dragon to discover the cause of his plight, and find a way to recover his true nature – while more and more fantastic creatures fell prey to the same fate. It seemed interesting, so he decided to show it to Alfred. “What do you think of this one?” He asked, handing it over for inspection. The blurb had also stated that, while trying to find a way of accomplishing his goals, the dragon had accidentally become the familiar of an apprentice mage, named Mentha Leporid, with whom he was travelling. Ivan found that idea quite amusing, and wondered whether the apprentice knew what it was that he had found.
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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10:45am May 22 2014
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((That sounds like a book I'd wanna read xD))
Alfred frowned a little bit, looking over at Ivan. "I honestly don't understand how people can find you frightening at all," he stated. "Though I guess not everyone gets to see you fawning over their cat's kitten pictures," he said with a soft laugh, only to look at the book that Ivan had picked out. He tilted his head a little bit, reading over the the back before he smiled and glanced up at his friend. It was almost like a reverse version of Ivan. People apparently saw him more like the dragon, when in fact he was more like the small lizard. He looked back down at the book, then nodded a bit and smiled. "Sounds like it's a great story!" he chirped, pleased with the deion. "Anything else catch your eye?" he questioned, planning on at the very least purchasing this one. It honestly did sound like it'd be a good story, both to read for himself and to possibly listen to Ivan reading it. His ex
pression softened a bit as he thought on that, an ache of nostalgia making itself known. Had he missed getting read to by his parents this much? Or was it something on a deeper level, like how everything with Ivan was falling into place so oddly well?
((Also all of this stems from me believing that England read fairytales to Alfred as he grew up ;v;))
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11:07am May 22 2014
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((I'll be making up bits here and there for them to read~ I was originally going to use the ti
tle for a story about a stranded alien, but I got stuck.))
"Ahh, well, I had gotten tall for my age then, and I have odd eyes. The little ones who did not already know me as a story teller found them eerie, and I was bigger than them." Ivan explained, shrugging slightly. He was a little regretful that he had caused his friend's smile to slip, but he was also grateful that Alfred would take his side so easily. "Ahh, no, they never saw me doing that - none of them had cats." He chuckled, glad that the American was brightening again. "I thought so too, I'm glad that you also find it interesting~" He smiled, already looking forward to discovering its twists and turns with his friend. "Ahh, well, there is this one - Three O’Clock at All's Well. I have another book by the same author, and I quite liked it, so I would like to see what this one is like. As far as I can tell, it involves time travel and magic water." He added, picking up the relevant tome. He'd heard of this one online, when he had been perusing the author's web page in order to see if there were any new stories on offer. Alfred's current ex
pression, sweet and soft as it was, made Ivan feel oddly protective - as though he was looking at a little puppy that needed to be cared for. Logically, he knew that this was not the case - if anything, he was the one who needed looking after, being unused to America. Nonetheless, it was quite endearing.
((That strikes me as being very likely. :3 I named the apprentice mage after someone he'd have heard Arthur talking about/to, though I used the Latin roots of the relevant words. Who do you think it is?))
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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11:21am May 22 2014
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((I googled it is it flying mint bunny? :'D))
Alfred chuckled softly, the leaned over to look at the book that Ivan had grabbed next. "Well if you think it's going to be good I'll trust your judgement," he chirped, looking up at the other male with a wide smile. "Should we just start with these two and make another trip to get more books once we've gotten through these?" he questioned, tilting his head slightly. The selection of books often changed as well so next time they came there could be even more books that were a nice read. Well, that and he was eager to see if Ivan really would enjoy the games he'd suggested and he was sure Ivan wouldn't mind being back home with him and Penny.
Speaking of Penny, she was probably expecting them home soon anyways. She wasn't too fond of Alfred's all-day excursions into the city, so he was pretty prepared to deal with a grumpy cat. Though he guessed he couldn't blame her, seeing as he was the one who often left her home on her own, having to go out and do things that he couldn't bring her with him for.
((I just realized that Alfred never ate his burger oops))
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11:59am May 22 2014 (last edited on 12:09pm May 22 2014)
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((Yep, it certainly is~ ( : B ))
Pleased that Alfred trusted him to pick out a good book, as minor as that achievement was, Ivan nodded. “That sounds to be a good idea.” He responded, figuring that this way would be better than lugging a big pile of books back from the store all at once. He'd had that sort of experience with library books before, and it tended to be somewhat cumbersome. It looked to Ivan as though Alfred intended to pay again, and he decided to let it be this time. If his friend wanted to shower him with gifts like this, then he was welcome to – but his turn would come. There was plenty of time, after all, and it wasn't as though this would be the only time they visited town. Besides, he knew when Alfred's birthday was, so he could always plot in advance for that... He handed the second book over to his friend, watching and waiting as the American paid, then deposited both books into the bag in his pocket – which filled it up nicely. Then, holding Alfred's hand in his, he ambled out of the book store with his friend.
While they were walking, Ivan heard a sound that could best be explained as some form of chirping. It was not, however, coming from the sky, nor did there seem to be any birds nearby. In fact, the sound seemed to have come from behind the nearest post box. Intrigued, he peered around. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that the noise had been produced by a rather hefty-looking cat. It was black, with hints of smokiness, particularly around its ruff. It was covered in copious amounts of fluff, making it look both shaggy and very huggable, and it had a plumed tail that lay curled beside it. Ivan blinked, startled – he would certainly not have expected a large feline like this to have chirped at him. The cat stared up at him blandly for a moment, its lamp-like yellow eyes examining him, before it padded over to him and draped itself squarely over his feet. “Ahh, Solnyshka?” Ivan began hesitantly, “There appears to be a rather big cat on my shoes. What do I do?” As though amused by something, the cat in question had begun to emit a rumbling purr, and it looked back up at Ivan as though daring him to do something about it. The cat did not appear to be wearing a collar – though there was a flattened ring of fur that could once have lain beneath one - and was not very clean. It certainly seemed to be used to humans, if it was content to sprawl across one. This was because this particular cat, a smoke black Maine Coon, had once had a home, in which he had grown up. However, the human who looked after him had recently grown very ill, and had been unable to continue caring for him. She had sent him to a relative, in the hopes that they would keep him, but they had abandoned him instead. The tomcat, rather preferring to be catered for and looked after, had been on the lookout for an ambulatory food-provider ever since. As Ivan had reacted non-negatively to his noise, and smelt of food and female cat, he was selected for persuasion.
Natalya Arlovskaya, an exchange student from Belarus, was going about her business trying to learn her way around Kansas that afternoon. She had long, pale blond hair that bore a white bow at the top, and her piercing dark blue eyes flitted around nervously as she realised that she didn't know where to go next. She was looking for a place to buy some rock music CDs, as she wanted to sample the works available in America, but the names of many of the stores were unfamiliar to her. With a determined ex
pression, and a vague swish of her old-fashioned silvery-blue dress – one of many such, she picked a direction at random. As she strode purposefully on, she caught sight of someone. Normally, this would not phase her at all, but this person she'd spotted sent shivers of something running down through her, and she blinked. There was a man, tall and scarf-wrapped – which was fairly unseasonal – and his hair was feathery-platinum, almost cloud-like. His eyes, which were fixed on something else – it looked like a cat – were like amethysts, and the soft smile beneath his eminently prod-worthy nose was... enchanting. She didn't know why, but something about the sight of that fellow made a part of her sit up and say: Mine! Who was that, anyway? Perhaps he was a college student as well? She hoped so. He wasn't exactly the only person around, but he was one of the most striking. I could drown in eyes like those... Are they – natural? She wondered, ducking nto the nearest store – to avoid being caught staring.
((I hadn't noticed that... er, maybe he ate it while walking, and simply didn't think about it?))
Gneiss, but not taken for granite~
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