#interactions; felix and thea 001

[manybcdthings]

"I am, and a very humble one." Felix quipped, his hand touching his chest with a heartfelt gesture as he grinned. Despite the estranged nature of his and Nina's current communication, Felix found true amusement in his sister's competitive nature and the need to skyrocket above him and Oskar. His teasing grin was back on his face as he spotted Thea's reaction and Felix feigned a small expression of shock. "You've smoked weed?" he whispered before a tsk escaped him.

But even his playfulness subsided after a few moments of holding the pendant, Felix able to even feel how his blinks were slower. Everything seemed slower, in fact. It wasn't drowsy or a blur but suddenly, the rushing relentlessness of life managed to pause. He listened to Thea about the metals, taking a curious look to the pendant with a nod. "That makes sense, like a talisman but not. Probably emits easier." he mused, his voice a drone for a different reason than his usual sarcasm. Slipping the chain of the pendant around his neck, Felix drew in a deep breath. A peaceful breath, still skeptical of the tranquility around him.

If life was like this before for him, why the fuck was he ever so miserable? "Yeah it feels...good." he nodded, his head angling slightly as if attempting to pick up faint sounds he had no choice to be subjected to for months. "I think if I focus, I can still hear things I did but..." he shrugged, relatively content with the device. And his immediate thought was how he'd be able to sleep, or walk through the streets without feeling as if a drill was being held to his skull. A slight laugh escaped, and Felix shrugged a hand but suddenly all of his motions were tired. He was tired. Not from the pendant itself, but from the months of insomnia catching up in a moment of stillness. "Well, I've always been told I have a generous nature." Felix quipped, blinking as if to keep his eyes open. "But in seriousness, this would help a lot of people. How long did it take?"

Thea nods along as Felix speaks, following the story with furrowed brows before a slight laugh escapes. "Well, I guess you're a good friend. And a good uncle, Felix." The witch asserts before lifting her hands in a what can you do gesture. "We'll just have to see. Nina in her goth booths is literally the tallest person I know." And she can't imagine Henrik sprouting to that height but knowing her son, he'd surprise them all.

She coughs, amusement crossing her face with a wrinkle of her nose. "Yeah, but less smelly." Thea snorts at his attempt at diplomacy and waves a hand. "Like I said, I wasn't focused on the aesthetics so much as the functionality. We can work on it, though. The metals are more important. They each conduct different spells to varying degrees. I might even try to make one with both at some point but for now," she taps besides the boxes, "this is what we've got." Months of work and concerted effort had gone into them, all for Felix's benefit, even if she hasn't exactly admitted as much.

Thea watches him with cautious anticipation, noting the way his shoulders sag the moment he makes contact. She notices the way his jaw no longer seems so tense, or the slight tip of his head, as though seeking out noise that's no longer there. "Yeah?" She sits up straighter, excitement brimming. "Yes! That's what I've read. Like a current wherever you go. You'll still hear it I think but...maybe not as often? Or to a lesser degree." Thea explains and gestures at him. "See if it feels alright wearing it. I don't want your senses to dull completely. That'd be ill advised." The whole idea of not being able to feel pain is only good until you realize that pain can keep you alive or warn you of danger.

She waits for him to put it on and moves around her desk, tugging out a notebook and pen before setting it beside him. "Keep everything there. Once I've gone through your notes, I'll be able to transfer them to a grimoire." And hopefully use it to help others. "Does it feel alright?" Thea adds as he puts it on, hands buzzing with magic. "Do you need to feel more? Or less? Can be a bit in either direction or not at all." The witch is eager to make it work and clears her throat at the question. "Uh, I haven't brought it to them yet. I didn't want to say I had something to help if it didn't work..." Never mind that her focus had been on helping him, sincerely sympathetic for his loss and his struggle as she'd be for any member of her family. "So really, you're an essential part of an alchemic experiment, Felix. You're going to help make it possible for others to feel this relief too."

[manybcdthings]

Felix chuckled at Thea's teasing, but beneath the surface, he sensed the weight of a fractured family. What struck him most wasn't only Thea's struggle, newly highlighted to him as she navigated a broken marriage while raising a child, but the resonance it had with his own upbringing. Despite his parents never once considering divorce, Felix could see a cycle happening. As if every Ranström was destined to follow a pattern of coldness. "That's one way to word it." he chuckled about his brother. "But I'd call it a fun-radar. Oskar can sense when someone's enjoying themselves and needs to put a stop to it immediately." he quipped, though his laughter lacked any comfort.

It had been too long since he had spent genuine time with Thea and his nephew, away from the strained gatherings the Ranströms called family get-togethers. But his own absence only seemed to emphasize Oskar's, and Felix couldn't ignore it any longer. "How much of this are you doing by yourself?" Felix's question cut through the banter, but his tone was soft and filled with something like concern. "I know co-parenting is…I get that. And I know Oskar does that. But I guess what I really mean is, how much of the emotional labor do you have?" He braced himself for a flicker of offense to cross Thea's features but he couldn't ignore the silent unraveling between them. The way Thea had been looking at him as if she wished to say something else, and the way he looked at her with an identical expression. It was a process Felix wished to rip off like a bandaid rather than endure the slow torture of.

The atmosphere shifted with Henrik's arrival, thankfully, the innocent voice piercing through the heaviness. Felix's interest brightened as he engaged with his nephew, finding laughter much easier while eagerly following him to the playroom. "I've never been great at respecting authority, but I think you'll be the best manager I've ever had." he remarked to Henrik, knowing the joke would fly over the four-year-old's head but chuckling nonetheless as little Henrik laughed as if he understood it. As they settled into the playroom, Felix lowered himself to the floor with a slight stiffness but extended a hand for Thea to join him and her son. He watched with amusement as Henrik asserted dominance over the toys with a bossy but passionate demeanor. These ones go...these ones go with dees and DIS...to...you put them hwere! "I see, I can do that no problem." Felix nodded, reaching for a block, only to be promptly corrected by Henrik. Noooo Uncle Fe, with dees! "Oh, my mistake." Felix laughed, amused by Henrik's earnestness. Are you wistenenin? Henrik sighed, little hand to his face as he sighed like he returned from a long day at the office. Felix glanced at Thea with a grin, fighting back a laugh. "I'm scared to touch anything. Your son is terrifying."

Thea grins at Felix's laughter, joining it when she looks at her son's wiggling moves. "Hey! We dance just fine." She insists, a fond smile on her lips as she glances at the video once more. "I think he know he's funny too. Which means I can't laugh without encouraging his antics." But there's something warm about Henrik trying to make her laugh. Something comforting that despite how the world might see her – cold and removed, he only sees her as mom. "Besides, I've seen you dance too. Like the boogey man." She quips good-naturedly and it strikes her that it really has been too long since she'd last seen Felix. Their worlds orbited each other, but the divorce separated their families.

Most of the time, Thea accepts that things happened they way they did for a reason. But sometimes, she wishes they were different. That she could reach out to her ex-brother-in-law and see how he was doing. Before it was a stretch, but now it seems like an overstep. But five years of a relationship, four married, meant she'd developed a fondness for Felix. For the troubled soul she'd seen from a mile away. Always a bit out of place at family dinners, just like she'd been. A kindred spirit of sorts in their mutual displacement. So she takes these moments for what they are – a rare glimpse into the life of an old friend. A younger brother of sorts. Her lip twitches at his recollection. "I think he's got a Felix-radar. Can detect when there's been Felix-ing afoot," Thea teases, making up the word. "Oh, well, thanks for the favor. I would've like a hot air balloon ride, though." She grins, finishing her wine. "Maybe that's why he never offered to take me up on one. Traumatized by you practical jokes." She accuses with a light laugh, eyes drawn to the door as Henrik rushes towards Felix.

"Oh, so no hug for me?" Thea teases her son who clings to Felix, elated to see his uncle. Henrik giggles at the tone of Felix's voice and leans back to press small hands to either side of Felix's face. I wanna – I wanna show you my blocks! I got red ones and and blue ones. And and a llellow truck! The small boy exclaims, Thea watching with a slight twist in her chest. "Let's show your Uncle Fe what we've been working on," she suggests, moving to their side to pull of Henrik's small shoes. "You wanna lead him to the playroom?" Thea encourages to her son who nods vigorously and wiggles out of Felix's arms, giggling as he slides down his uncle's leg to the ground. He grabs Felix's hand and begins to tug him down the hall, Thea following suit. "I hope you're prepared to work hard, Fe. He's quite the shift manager when it comes to building." She warns with a grin.

[manybcdthings]

"Well, I stand in solidarity with him." Felix laughed, though he quickly realized there was no need to be so coy. Leo was, after all, to blame for the Millennium Dilennium. "Your brother thought it could fly and broke the first one. Henrik was understandably distraught, so I went and got another. Then Leo claimed Han Solo would fly back the first one because it was being repaired. So, I had to get a third to ensure Leo wasn't only the guy who broke Henrik's hard work but also wasn't a liar." he shrugged, the story concluding with a chuckle. "That's a rookie number." he teased about his nephew's future height. "But, he'll probably surprise us and be taller than Nina in her goth boots."

Felix watched everything with keen eyes in Thea's office, from the boxes floating off the shelf to the blueprints he clutched like a lifeline. Since reversing past events was impossible, finding remedies seemed the only way forward. "So, like weed in a necklace." he quipped, grinning as he straightened up in the seat once he realized he was hunched over the blueprints. As Thea showed him the pendants, his grin widened with genuine approval. "I'm...sure there’s a market for those aesthetics." he said diplomatically, chuckling as he reached for the copper one first. He wouldn't say it out loud, but at least it would be hidden under his clothes.

The instant his fingers brushed against the pendant, relief washed over Felix. He looked at Thea as she spoke, feeling an ease that relaxed his shoulders with each passing second. The world dialed down. He no longer heard her heart beating or the tiny breaths between words that no one else noticed. Even the steps he could hear beyond the house vanished. Felix blinked, surprised by the sudden tranquility. "It's er… already pretty good." he muttered, slightly confused as he glanced around the office, his posture slowly relaxing into the seat. "Wow, I…" his words trailed off as a thoughtful frown creased his brow. "I've been hearing electricity this whole time?" the steady hum and buzzing static were gone.

Felix took another moment to adjust to the newfound sense of peace, his gaze sweeping the room as if he didn't trust this sudden calm, as if his body didn't believe it could finally relax. But it did, and soon a slow, involuntary yawn escaped him. "No, yeah. I can do all of that. I'm great at notes and picking things apart, so if there's anything wrong with them, I'll find it." he rambled slightly, not realizing his hand had come up to rub his eye. Within minutes, he transformed into an older and taller version of Henrik after mac and cheese. "This will be great. Who… wh… is it like an institute study you said?" did she say that?

"Hmm," Thea fixes him with a considering gaze, "you sound like Henrik when he says he's eaten his vegetables but he hasn't," she teases as they walk towards her office. There's always been an ease when hanging out with Felix. Maybe it's because she sensed they were the outliers at family dinners when she and Oskar were together. And maybe it's because he reminded her of Leo in some ways, and she'd always loved her younger brother, even if she didn't say it all that often. Henrik now makes it easier to bridge the gap, with her son idolizing both his uncles to an uncanny degree. But Thea isn't one to discourage familial bonds, considering that the Ranströms especially found them harder to form. "Or maybe it's just fuel for a growth spurt. His doctor says he's due for one any day now. They say he'll be a bit over 6'. I'm afraid that's my fault," she laughs, pushing open the door of the office.

Thea watches as he inspects the blueprints, trying to gauge his expression as he takes it in. "A bit like them in theory, yes." With a flurry of her hand, two boxes float from a nearby shelf and she takes them both from mid-air, placing them on the desk so Felix can see. "It should do the same thing as ear protectors, but it should also mimic the feeling of running cold water over your hands when you're stressed?" To set the nerves at ease. Thea opens one of the two boxes, revealing two small pendants, one made of iron, the other of copper. She gives him a slightly sheepish look. "I'm not exactly a jeweler, but they're rudimentary right now. I was trying to see which conducts the magic more efficiently, and lasts longer."

She listens to everything he's saying and shakes her head. "No, that's exactly what I need, Fe. That's great." Because as much as this was an emotionally driven project – seeking to help someone she cares about, the mechanics behind it were precise and driven by information. Thea gestures at him to inspect the pendants. "If this works, all your senses should be taken down from, say, a hundred and fifty to seventy or eighty. I'm still working on it, of course. But I'll need you to take notes, see how long each pendant lasts, where you're wearing them, which works best, all that." She explains excitedly, clearly animated at the idea of taking it for a test run. "Right now, they're a bit of a guess. So once you wear it, I'll calibrate it a bit more. I tried it on myself but our senses are different and I ended up not hearing anything at all. We don't want that." Thea clasps her hands. "We just want to turn down the volume."

[manybcdthings]

Felix found himself wearing a faint smile as Thea talked about Henrik. "If he's funny, that's definitely Ranström. Sorry to say. We're known comedians." he declared, smile dimming when Thea's attention moved to her phone. Doubt appearing that Agneta ever had these conversations about her children. Him. But the smile returned, almost immediately, as Thea's gaze lifted to show him the video. Felix laughed out as he watched, seeing Henrik's childlike happiness was almost enough to make him envious. "Oh, you know what? This is a rare occasion that I'm wrong. I take it back. That's Sinclair. I've seen you and Seraphina dance." Felix quipped, giving Thea a grin.

The commonality between them became obvious to Felix. How there were two places they wanted to be in at once. Two people they wanted to be, but there only seemed to be room for one inhabitant at a time. Felix could see their interaction happening from above. Him sitting there and pretending, Thea indulging the pretense while their true conversation existed somewhere outside of the moment. In the same token, Felix was indulging hers too. Still unable to apologize on behalf of his brother, for the struggle that was becoming evident to him that she waded through. "Oh, yeah. He knew pretty much instantly. Which is impressive, I'll give him that." Felix chuckled, giving her a wry shrug. "But hey, you're welcome? If I didn't intervene, I could have a really weird nephew now that didn't dance when he ate."

Felix was convinced he stood strangely to follow to the door, or perhaps it was because Thea was no bigger than a thumbtack that he naturally tried to slouch. Or perhaps it was because this moment felt slightly bigger than simply stopping to see his nephew. "Ah, at least that's poetry. A good stepping stone to it, anyway." he smirked, hearing Henrik's voice from beyond the door. Crystal clear, in fact. Felix was under the impression it would be another moment that he felt slightly outside of, but Henrik managed to prove him wrong when he diverted from Thea and straight towards him. Felix laughed within the same instant. "Hey, Henrik. How was piano?" he had to get even lower then, and for the sake of his own back he lifted Henrik into his hold. Great! the little voice replied, but Henrik was more interested in giving a hug. Arms around his neck and head flopping to his shoulder. The confused expression on Felix's face said it all, glancing to Thea with amusement. "Awesome, I feel as if I was there, you painted a really vivid picture."

"Sweetiepop," Thea repeats with a soft smile. "Yeah, he is. Not always. But...a lot of the times." Her son had eyes as big as the saucers, taking in the world around him with a curiosity and freedom she envied. There was no analyzing, no dissecting everything he encountered. He was simply an explorer in the great big world. The lens with which he looked at the world was innocent and full of wonder. She couldn't remember the last time she'd ever looked at anything that way.

"He's funny too." Thea adds, unlocking her phone. "He does these little dances." The nanny had sent them to her, but she'd saved them for herself. And maybe so she didn't have to go through the texts to see all the moments she was missing from someone else. At least in her saved albums, Thea can pretend she was there. "When he eats," she laughs, opening a video and showing it to Felix. Henrik with sunglasses on, an ice pop in one hand, wiggling both arms and legs as he enjoys the sweet treat.

"I hope so," she admits, thinking of things she might've done different had she broken the mold. Instead, she was following a path she'd always claimed was her own, but some days she wonders. Had her upbringing primed her to want this? Had she shut the door on other opportunities? Thea loves what she does, she's good at it – better than. But is it all there is? She'd have sworn left, right and center it was before. Except she knows there has to be more now. Henrik is proof. "Maybe I should put him in theater now, get the bug out of the system before it can take root."

Thea lifts her glass, giving Felix an observant look. He's tired. And it's not just the circles beneath his eyes. It's everything – the slight slump of his shoulders, the way he talks. He's exhausted and she wishes she had words to help. But sentiment has never been her strongest suit. "Oh no it was definitely because of you," she insists, laughing as she accuses him. "Oh God, do I want to know?" But she does. And amusement fills her expression as she listens to Felix's tale, cackling. "I can just picture his face when he realized what was happening. Did he know it was you?" She can see it clear as day – Oskar attempting to keep his face neutral as some poor girl didn't realize she'd been subject to brotherly anticts.

She shakes her head. "You're not imposing. He'll be excited. Though you might have to try Dr. Seuss before Dostoevsky." Thea encourages with a smile, moving around the island as Henrik's little voice fills the home. Babbling to his nanny, Cynthia, before zipping into the kitchen, a ball of energy as he spots Thea. Mommy! He exclaims, about to run to her before stopping in his tracks at the sight of Felix. He's frozen for a moment, taking in his uncle whom he hasn't seen in several weeks. Or has it been months? He looks to Thea and then back to Felix. Henrik's grin grows. Uncle Fe?! He zips past his mom and collides with his uncle's legs.

[manybcdthings]

Felix wore a small grin, but his tone was entirely sincere. "No, really. I think you'll find I'm actually one of the victims in the entire situation." he fought his laughter from growing too loudly, which wasn't usually an issue for him but he was reminded of Henrik sleeping soundly in the other room. Passed out as if he had hit the city on a club crawl. His grin became far more well meaning at Thea's quip, the slight soften of his gaze hopefully telling her that she didn't need to worry about falling within the category of a bad mother. Felix knew what one of those consisted of, and he didn't think Thea had any of the characteristics. "I don't need to, he clearly hates you." he remarked with an obvious drawn out sarcasm, before her additional comment made him glance to his frame with a chuckle. "If he keeps shoveling mac and cheese like that, yeah." his laughter was genuine about Henrik's appetite, and the vision he could recall of his nephew's cheesy stained clothes.

Felix's joking sarcasm subsided as he entered Thea's office space, automatically taking the seat she gestured to. It suddenly reminded him of sitting opposite Finn, which caused a curious grin over his expression. His intrigue rose the second she requested help, along with the mention of a werewolf which made him bite back a laugh. "Oh, I'll see what I can do. Luckily, I know one or two." he muttered dryly, but his tone didn't carry it's usual bitterness as he took the blueprints. Felix took a moment to study over it, falling into a silence as he could see the intricate design. Something that must have taken weeks to piece together, maybe even months.

The intrigue didn't subside, if anything, it raised. "Like er...magical ear protectors, right?" Felix asked, glancing up to Thea and then nodding subtly. "Yeah, I'll try it. If it works, it'll be great. Everything sort of feels like it's either right...er, right next to me or in the next room? If that even makes sense. It all feels close, I guess." he began to ramble. "So stopping it would be nice, maybe even feel like I could breathe a little." but Felix caught his admissions and gave an awkward laugh. "I'm not sure why I'm saying all this. I think eating that much cheese in one go has drugged me." he cleared his throat. "What do I have to do? Just wear it and then...report back or something?"

Thea scoffs at the mention of her brother. "Mmm, should've known. Though I don't believe you're completely innocent either." She gives a wry smile, glancing back towards Henrik's room with a soft chuckle. "I don't know. Just call me a bad mom already." Said with a bit of levity, as though making fun of one of her fears makes it less scary. Less likely to become true. "Good, you're a stick, Fe." She teases, "I don't think Henrik's gotta worry about that. I swear he eats his weight in chicken nuggets and mac and cheese daily. At least he likes fruit or I'd be a bit concerned." No matter how much international cuisine she or the cook try to incorporate into his diet, Henrik is just a kid after all. Ranstrom and Sinclair genes aside.

"That's exactly it," she nods vehemently. "I've got the football here actually. But don't tell anyone." Thea says as she walks into the room and goes over to her desk, shuffling through some papers as she gestures at him to sit. "So...I've been working on something," since the moment she heard what happened to him months ago. "And I could use your help." The Sinclair witch says it with complete sincerity as she finds what she's looking for and moves around the desk, leaning against it opposite him. "I need a trusted opinion and, well," she hesitates for the slightest second before trudging on, figuring it best" to treat this like any other presentation, lest he think it has anything to do with pity. "A werewolf's opinion at that."

Thea proffers the blueprints to him, diagraming a small pendant shaped item with dozens of notes scrawled on the side. Referencing sounds and feelings and spells to diminish and enhance senses, as well as everyday human inventions like ear plugs or sensory deprivation chambers. "I've been working on this for the institute," she continues to explain. It's not a lie but it's certainly not the full truth. "But I need someone to give me their honest feedback on how it actually works from day to day before I bring it to the labs." There's little she can do to help, but at least there's this. Over the years, she'd come to view Felix as a younger brother, and a genuine friend. And no matter how her relationship with Oskar went, she still cared about him. "So you'd be doing me a favor, actually." She adds, hoping he'll agree. After all, this was for his benefit most of all.

[manybcdthings]

Felix nodded, somehow managing the movement to be deliberate despite the sheepish smile over his expression. "Yeah, definitely. I don't have plans. Nothing important." he replied, using his phone for a more honest reason to set the reminder. "Even if there was, this is more important. He's a...what word does Gen Belcourt say for everyone? Sweetiepop." Felix laughed, but he had made up his mind. This was more important. It always had been, and he wondered why it had taken him so long to realize. He was a bigger hypocrite than he thought, swearing blind that his family never nurtured anything and hating them for it. Meanwhile, too caught up in his own happenings to even put his money where his mouth was. "It'll be good, and they say fresh air is supposed to be good for us too...apparently." he grinned, unable to control the constant scramble for levity.

Despite the lapse in his words, where Felix showed his typical genealogy of making statements and demands as if they were laws to be followed, he appreciated Thea's response. Like a slight forgiveness given, as if she knew it wasn't really him. Or, what he wanted to be. He offered a small nod, managing an easier smile. "He might be the revolutionary Ranclair, right? Breaks the mold." he hoped, and not just to see his family's empire fall but for Henrik's sake. Felix hadn't realized, until this bizarre moment where he was forced to stop and think about it all, that hope was a reoccurring theme. In suddenly everything. Slowly, it was making sense why people had children, and he could roll his eyes at the vision of his past self calling parents selfish for bringing more lives into doom. "I think whatever he does, he's going to be good at it. Probably better than good, realistically." Felix added with a slight shrug, speaking somewhat statistically but also with a tinge of optimism. "But, can I make one more joke? I'd disown him if he got into performance art."

There was a slight reaction from Felix where he was ready to help clear the table, but Thea beat him to it, meaning he had no other option but to decline with another shake of his head. "I'm good. Everything tastes like cardboard to me lately." he admitted, but that was the cocaine and nothing to do with anything else. A mischievous grin was stuck to his face as he witnessed Thea's moment of realization, and Felix shrugged in a faux innocence. "Maybe! Maybe that was because of me, I can't say. No one can say." he laughed about his brother's card. "I doubt he ever told you about the hot air balloon thing, right?" he grinned. "He was in Sweden, I'm going back a lot of years, I was about to start college and I must have got into his calendar...somehow. That part genuinely was innocent, I swear. But he, you know what he's like, breaks everything down into routines so I saw how he had this whole itinerary for a first date with someone. And so, being nice, I scheduled like...a flower arch, and photographer and a hot air balloon ride. I had no idea whatsoever it would look like he was planning to propose on a first date."

The bell gave a good indicator that it was time to leave, and there was a flash of a thought in Felix's mind. That he wanted to at least see Henrik properly, and Thea's words followed through the air as if she had read his mind. "I don't want to impose or anything so, only if you're sure." he nodded to her, already moving from his seat. Was he feeling excitement to see his nephew? And if so, what was it Oskar felt when he saw Henrik? Surely it was something more intense, so why was it so easy for him to never find the time to feel that? "Is he too young for some Dostoevsky? I don't think love and death and everything in between is too heavy for a four year old, right?"

Thea's smile grows a bit and she gives a little nod. "Great...I'd like that too." She admits, having not considered spending much time with Henrik and his uncle before. Mostly because she knows Felix is having a hard time, but she doesn't have the words to help. She's never experienced what he's dealing with, and to assume she has the answer would be arrogant at best. But maybe spending time with Henrik and Felix is a way that she can help. "I don't think anyone would call, but I'm happy to go with you. There's a few parks in the neighborhood. My dad wants to take him to a museum this weekend...but we can plan for playground next? If you're free." She can't deny the slight stir of excitement at seeing Henrik's face when they both go with him. She wonders if Oskar ever has the doubts she does, or if that's the luxury of being a father? Never wondering if you're doing it wrong. And if that’s the curse of being a mother? Always concerned you're fucking up your kid.

She shakes her head. "It was funny," Thea replies with a slight twitch of her lip. "And I'd rather he go into science. But I guess...that's up to him eventually." The witch shrugs, considering how she'd followed in her parents' path, but Henrik has two to pick from. More, with other family members scattered across industries. Ultimately, she won't be able to decide for him. In a way, it's a relief. "What do they say? You can lead a horse to water...not that I'm comparing my son to a horse." Thea laughs out, waving a hand. "Just...well, who can see the future is all. He might be as stubborn as all of us combined and do something else entirely.” Sometimes, she hopes he is. That he'll stand firm despite the strong opinions that will surely come his way.

Thea stands to clear her food, packing up leftovers. "You sure you don't want to eat?" She asks, placing her utensils in the sink and pouring more wine into both of their glasses. "Hey, I'm sure between our families, someone has their number. But we should just craigslist a teacher," she grins. "I'm sure Oskar will appreciate the effort anyway." Though she's sure the opposite is true. But she's wiling to think positively for the moment, riding the wave of amusement as Felix explains the credit cards. "You're the reason he'd do that!" Thea exclaims with a laugh, pointing at him. "I just thought he was OCD. I mean, obviously, but, you know, just really big on cyber security." She chuckles, taking a sip. "I guess he was. But you're just the culprit. I won't say anything. Swear it." Comes the affirmation once more before she snickers at the suggestion. "I think he'd like that even more. Brother bonding and father-son bonding. Doesn't get much more Hallmark."

She finishes just as the ring doorbell chimes. "Oh, that'll be them," Thea informs before glancing at her ex-brother-in-law. "Do you...would you like to, you know, stick around before he goes to bed?" She asks before Henrik gets in, in case Felix's time has run out. She doesn't want to disappoint her son, but she also doesn't want to impose on Felix's time, knowing that the whim of stopping by might have already run it's course over the past half hour. "We usually build and read some books before he gets ready." It's an invitation, but not an expectation. Maybe it's closer to a hope than anything, but she's not sure. Mostly because she's learned to let go of those where Ranströms are concerned.

[manybcdthings]

Felix offered a hesitant nod to Thea's answer, hearing an unsure note in her response. He had no way to explain it, but atmospheres spoke to him more than words could. In that moment, he could feel nothing but uncertainty in the room with them. Mingling between Thea and himself as they both, quite evidently, didn't really have a fucking clue. Her question seemed surprised, causing his expression to perk slightly. "Yeah, of course I do." Felix responded with complete sincerity, almost as if he was also surprised. Surprised that it seemed as if he didn't, but it dawned on him that it possibly wasn't so obvious that he held a natural care towards his nephew. "I'd like that." Felix expressed to the suggestion, nodding his head. "And I think I do actually need you to be there if I go to the park with him. So, no one calls Child Help." he added for levity and a slight grin. Something told him that Thea would also benefit from the day, and it made Felix realize two pressing questions. Could Oskar really not see what was happening? Why had it taken him so long to, as well?

He caught the quick addition to Thea's comment, but there was something of a slight grin on his face. "Just try and steer him away from anything money." he commented but his own words caused discomfort as he said them, Felix immediately clearing his throat and waving his statement away. "Ignore that. Do what the fuck you want, Thea. I don't know why I said that. Was trying to be funny."

It was amusing to him how quickly mischief replaced the uncertainty. That, when in doubt, childish and harmless fun could be a strange anchor for the two of them. "Oh, yeah. I'll just call Phil, Thea." Felix returned the quip with amusement, laughing. "Had him and Lily on speed dial for years." he added for good measure, watching with amusement as he could see Thea come into some sort of life. And how he had, too, giving her a cheeky nod. "Yeah, yeah. Every time he changes it, I make a point to memorize. Since I was sixteen. He does everything by er...routine, right? Well, I worked out that every six months he usually has a new one. And when he worked out that I worked it out, it changed to every five months." he laughed out, giving a confused shrug at Oskar's expense. "But, obviously, I don't make a habit out of doing that." he nodded to the phone, his grin betraying his sincerity. "I kind of want to learn drums now. Maybe we should do a family lesson." Felix chuckled. "Fuck me, that would just turn into a make-shift rage room."

Thea thinks for a moment, a twinge of guilt in her chest when she realizes she doesn't actually know. When was the last time she'd taken Henrik to the park? Maybe when he was still small enough that she could sit on a bench with him in a stroller, going through work emails. She clears her throat. "Yeah, I think so." Think. Not know. She takes a sip of her wine and gives him a surprised look. "You do?" There's a slight twinge of emotion as speaks, but Thea can't say why. Maybe it's the fact that despite Henrik being a Ranström in name, she's tried to protect him from the distance and coolness that exists within his father's family. Within his father. And while Thea is no Mother Teresa, she does what she can. So the fact that Felix says as much, without beating around the bush, touches the Sinclair witch in a way she can't entirely describe. She nods. "I think he'd like to see more of you too. Maybe we can go to the park together." The witch offers, wondering how it'll go but knowing she can't be the only mother for whom motherhood has been anything but natural.

"He is smart. Already knows basic addition. I don't force him into it either," she feels compelled to add. Because one never knows. "He just saw me with a calculator and thought it was a game and, well, I guess the Sinclair genes kicked in." Thea chuckles, a warm smile on her lips as she thinks of Henrik reading the numbers aloud. Two tee two lines four!

The witch shakes her head, holding her hand aloft in a solemn swear. "I won't. Promise. Because you can easily do the same for me. Mutually assured destruction and all," she quips quickly, amusement brimming as Felix begins the order. "Mmm maybe we get a professional musician to teach them? Reach out to Phil Collins' people. I don't think he's drumming anymore but that's not to say he can't teach." She jokes before waving her hand. "Or whomever can book lessons first. He'll be at Oskar's tomorrow until Friday and then I've got him the weekend through Tuesday." She explains for planning purposes. Reaching across he table, Thea snorts at the order confirmation. "Did you memorize his card?" She asks with a laugh, genuine mirth in her tone as she turns the phone back to him. "He really is. Some father-son bonding is in order anyway." Even if she's certain he'll get rid of the drum kit, she hopes he'll at least give it a go for Henrik, even if it is a joke. "So make sure you get it delivered for tomorrow night when Hen can see it arrive." Thea encourages, mischief written on her face.

[manybcdthings]

Henrik's happiness had a way of being contagious, sneaking past Felix's well-maintained facade of indifference. He couldn't help but catch his nephew's gaze and share a mischievious smirk as Thea tried to curb the antics. Mouthing, "I mean it, I was replaced." over the top of her head to a concerned looking Henrik. But returning with them for lunch felt more like a reward than an obligation.

At the mention of Lego sets, Felix stifled a sigh as a grin slowly appeared over his lips. "Oh, that? That...is a very long story." he mused, immediately veering for a deflection. "One that Leo is far more equipped to tell you about at length." Felix added and Thea's quip brought out a quick laugh from him in the next moment. "He doesn’t have an inventory already, Thea? What sort of home are you running here?" Felix tutted for emphasis, giving the witch a little shake of his head in faux disapproval. "Oh, no thanks. I’m all good. I think I’ve managed to have eyes bigger than my belly for the first time in my life." he said, giving her a polite wave about more food. But when she mentioned the office space, Felix’s curiosity was piqued and he followed her with a keen interest. "I don't have any plans until later, I can stick around. Is this where you show me that you’ve been trusted with the nuke buttons all this time?" he joked as he waited for Thea to enter the room first. "Flattered that you'd trust me with them too but...also a horrendous decision."

Thea stifles a laugh at the turn of their conversation because it turns out that even for a 40 year old woman, her son talking about farts could still be funny. She clears her throat as she continues to search for Henrik and only once they've caught him does she let herself crack. Her laughter echos with Henrik's as he giggles at the surprise of both her and Felix accosting him. She relishes the way his smile comes as easy to him as breathing, his little voice ringing loudly with mirth. Please don't lose that. She silently prays before rolling her eyes at Felix's story. "Don't believe everything your Uncle Felix says, Hen." She warns her son good-naturedly. "I didn't always behave. But that's our secret, okay?" Thea says with a wink at her son's wide eyes. "Now," she begins, changing the topic. "Lunch?"

--

"I'm still confused how he ended up with...three? of the same giant LEGO Millennium Falcons," Thea says when she returns from Henrik's room where he's napping. Lunch had consisted of Henrik eating his weight in mac and cheese because it turns out that private chefs don't matter when you're almost six. "Maybe we need an archive of what toys he gets. People might begin to think he's spoiled." Said with a good-natured, and very self aware smirk as she nods at Felix. "Can I get you anything else?" Thea offers, already guessing his answer, before glancing at her watch. "Do you have time to stick around for a little? He'll be asleep for a bit and I actually wanted to show you something." She asks, inviting her ex-brother-in-law to follow her down the hall to her home office.

[manybcdthings]

When Thea spoke, Felix obviously heard how he had completely bypassed a normal outing with a small child. In his defense, it wasn't exactly something he knew a lot about. "Does he...find that fun?" he asked, a genuine note of curiosity while he simultaneously tried to trudge up any memories of going to the park as a child. Must have done. That was literally what everyone did with their kids. "Either way," Felix cleared his throat. "I'd like to see him more. So, I don't mind. Although, might be a cause for concern to some of the parents. Seeing me with a kid at a park." he laughed through his wry grin, an age old habit to beat any of the punchlines about himself.

Felix chuckled to the response, giving Thea a quick nod. "Well, let's hope he gets a science brain like yours. I'm sure he will. He's already smart." he said earnestly, certain that Henrik's better traits were because of the Sinclair genes rather than the other side. It was in that moment, he felt the urge to apologize on his brother's behalf. Despite there being involvement in Henrik's life, it went without saying that Oskar could do more.

But levity managed to find the moment and Felix's thoughts. Instead of apologizing on his brother's behalf, he could take delight in making Oskar's life just that little bit more annoying. Felix gave Thea a wider grin, unable to fight his chuckle as he retrieved his phone. "Okay, but if you throw me under the bus..." he glanced up at her, his tone not even carrying a genuine threat. She could, it wouldn't even be the worst thing he'd ever done. So Felix got to googling, bringing up the first link of a drumset. "I think to really make it a meaningful gift, there should be a drumset for Oskar too, right?" he suggested, grinning again. "And he should sign up for the lessons with Henrik? For encouragement." Felix added, suddenly unable to fight his laughter and a few moments later it was all done. Oskar's card details used, because Felix had long since memorized them, for the two drum sets and the block booking of a month lessons. "There." he slid his phone across the table for Thea to see the confirmations. "Wow, who knew? Oskar is actually, really thoughtful."

Thea nods at the suggestion. As nice as it is, she's not exactly holding her breath on the follow through. And not because he's Felix, but because he's a Ranström and something always comes up. Still, she gives him a small smile. "I'm sure he'd love an art thing for kids," Thea chuckles. "Or you can always swing by and just take him to the park. Push him on a swing, that sort of stuff." She suggests if he doesn't want to make it a large outing. On one hand, she feels for Henrik, but on the other, her family and Oskar's aren't exactly known for excessive outward expression. And maybe he'll resent them for that later, but for now...she does what she can. He's got everything a child can need because of them. She thinks that's as good a start as anyone can hope for in life.

"Delight is a bit strong. Amusing is better. He's not annoying like Oskar, thankfully. Just particular. Though I'm sure he'd say that's from me." She shrugs with a small smile. "Poor kid never stood a chance." Even if she loves him regardless of his similarities to his father. In some instances, he reminds her why they'd married in the fist place. And then next moment, or tantrum, she remembers why they divorced.

"If you swing by this weekend, I will have more to say on that. But right now I'm not convinced we do either," she chuckles, tired but present with Felix. She'd known him more so through her cousin before joining his family. Once she joined, however, she could look at things with an outside perspective. And she'd seen how difficult it was, being so different from the people who should to accept him. Now, she can only imagine his struggle: being completely altered in a family that already put him on the outskirts. Still, Thea doesn't go there, giving him his peace and space to say something without dissecting it.

Instead, a mischievous smirk replaces her smile, setting her fork down to take anther sip of wine. She nods. "Exactly. I can't imagine Oskar wanting to deprive his son of the chance to be a protege." Thea snickers, holding up her hands at his question. "Of course. I want my son to have the best instruments. I'm sure Oskar would too. And you're just helping make your nephew's life more fulfilling. It's quite altruistic of you, Fe. I'm touched. Your brother will be too." She nods, "but I cross my heart too. If that helps." Thea adds, drawing an x across her chest, amusement rife on her face as she watches him pull out his phone.

[manybcdthings]

Felix let out a slight laugh as Thea knocked him with her elbow, playfully rolling his eyes. "That's true and I don't know anyone who catches their farts as well as he does, either." he mused, hearing Henrik's gasp of surprise. I said I TRY to but I can't! the small voice insisted, Felix fighting more laughter.

There was a genuine lift of glee at the sound of Henrik's screech of laughter, reminding Felix once again that all of his sour and bitter opinions about parenthood were clearly made in ignorance. Or sheer determination to be the most dreary and opinionated man in the room. Whenever he was with Henrik, he could see how his nephew symbolized many things but most of all hope. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I promise, we won't ever replace you Henrik." Felix laughed, raising his hands with his apology. Yeah, good! I don't wanna be replaced. But, Felix would always find amusement in a faint little psychological torture. "Did you know I was replaced once, did I ever tell you that?" he engaged with the small boy, Henrik suddenly wide eyed with mild horror. What happened!? "I wasn't well behaved, so a fake Felix had to come and take my place until I learned to be good." Where did you go!? "Oh, that's simple. When a kid is replaced they have to watch the new kid have all their fun. And no one can see them." You're lying, Henrik declared with a nervous laugh, looking to his mother for clarification. Uncle Fe is lying, right!? "Well, your mom has probably been good her whole life so, she wouldn't know."

Her son's stifled laughter brings a smile to Thea's face and quells the regret that threatens to bubble up when she thinks of how much time she hasn't spent with him. She chooses to focus on the fact they're together now, and he's enjoying time with his uncle. Even if Felix leans into psychological torture. She jabs a light elbow into his side, a bit of amusement crossing her face. "You know, I don't think anyone can replace Henrik. I don't know anyone as messy as he is." she teases, hearing a I'm not messy from the slide. "I can hear it too...maybe if we say the magic words he'll reappear." Thea suggests, moving to the other side with light steps as she hears how Henrik shifts in the slide, adjusting small limbs to make himself smaller.

She resists the urge to laugh as the silent countdown commences and when they both land on one, she gives a little ah-ha, popping her head in one side of the slide while Felix does the other. Henrik screeches in surprise and laughter, arms flailing as he ends up careening down the slide in a flurry of giggles. "Oh thank goodness! It looks like we don't have to replace Henrik after all, Uncle Fe. I can't believe you suggested that." She teases as Henrik laughs, standing up and brushing his pants off. Yeah! I was hidin', Uncle Fe! He says, stomping over to Felix now with a frown on his face. You have to look for me.

[manybcdthings]

Felix wasn't sure if he nodded to Thea in thanks to her thanks, or just a simple acknowledgement of it. Because the more he glanced to the boxes and bags, the more excessive it seemed. Like they'd be a little bandaid for barely seeing Henrik and in that moment, he was basically his father and also Oskar. The thought bringing a brief frown to his face. "I could take him to something." it sort of blurted out, awkwardly. "Or somewhere. One day. An interactive..." Oh God. "Art thing for kids." he said too much, clearing his throat into a slight laugh. "I'm sure Henrik being just like Oskar is a delight for you." he commented, unable to help himself as he gave Thea a well meaning grin. Although, it became obvious they shared a similar wavelength with the drumkit. Felix refusing to say a thing else out loud, but said plenty with his mischievous gaze.

He offered a quick shrug, briefly amused. "If we even have souls in the first place, sure." he muttered, aware that Thea just trying to find time to actually eat and be human was not the time or place for that topic. Felix managed an actual laugh in agreement, but was also thankful for the topic to be ignored entirely. Another irony, that the little voice in his head acknowledged even if that was also ignored. "I think it would be a nice gift from Oskar, yes." Felix nodded, his grin slightly youthful for the first time in months. "I think, actually, it should be a call Oskar makes right now to order so it arrives as soon as possible. It's torture for a creative to not have the instrument for their expression, I heard." he was already sitting straighter, but slowly as he slipped out his phone. "Can I trust you though?" he squinted to Thea, since he was a mere second away from committing fraud.

"I mean...all that to say – it's sweet of you to bring them." Thea clears her throat, waving a hand. "I'm sure he'll love them. Maybe getting gifts from his cool uncle is more exciting than from dear old mom and dad, hmm?" She grins as she says it, nodding. "Yes, it's a real shame. I think he got that from Oskar. A real feline sensibility in some ways. Sleeps like one too. Had to crawl out of his room the first few times I tried putting him down." Then she'd let the nanny take over because she couldn't get to work completely exhausted. It just wouldn't do. The mention of Oskar's place has her brow raised, a slight smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth. "Mm.m. That is tempting..." She takes another sip of wine, a laugh on her lips now. "Oh yes, she reminds me of it every time she sees him." Thea jokes of her ex-mother-in-law.

"I think most impressive things tend to be depressing. They wouldn't be impressive if they were easy and didn't steal your soul a bit, would they?" Thea poses, taking another bite of her food as she contemplates Felix's words. Even in the manner in which he delivers them, she knows there's something deeper going on. But, she also knows she's not equipped to help him navigate, nor is she the person he'd want to be helped by. So instead, she nods. "Saves you from having to get a pet I suppose." She clears her throat and nods at him. "You know, I actually think Henrik should get a drum set. Don't you?" Thea gives him an out to a more entertaining topic and focus. "And you're right. It would probably fit better at Oskar's."

[manybcdthings]

Felix never imagined he'd find himself playing with a child as naturally as he did with Henrik. Usually, he felt out of place, like an awkward giant. Stiff and uncomfortable. If a kid handed him a toy phone claiming Santa was on the other line, Felix would likely shrug and say, "Oh no, he hung up. What a shame." before passing it back. But with Henrik, it was different. A connection to a childhood that he wished for himself, or even comfort when he noticed the similarities between his nephew and his brother.

"Consistent, particular, meticulous. I think the lines blur after a while." he chuckled to Thea, but soon found himself deeply immersed in a game of hide and seek, awkwardness melting away. The chorus of children’s laughter and high-pitched squeals occasionally made him wince, piercing at his senses which he fought for the sake of Henrik. "Hmm, swings. Maybe. That boy looks a little like him." he nodded in the complete wrong direction, nowhere near where Henrik’s giggles were emanating from the slide. "No, wait. I think we're terrible at this game, Thea." he mock-lamented, flapping his arms in exaggerated defeat.

When Henrik’s voice, brimming with excitement echoed from the slide urged them to find him, Felix suppressed a laugh. "I'm really starting to miss him. Sometimes, it's like I can still hear his voice." he mused theatrically, drawing out the moment as he inched closer. His sharp ears picked up Henrik's breath hitching as he held it, trying to stay hidden. That was Felix’s cue. He signaled Thea to circle around one side while he took the other, counting down silently before they both were ready to pounce on the anticipating child.

Thea smiles as she counts with closed eyes, glad that Henrik's uncles play such a vibrant part in his life of late. She feels a twinge of guilt for not reaching out to Felix sooner, or as much as she had Leo, just given the state of her marriage, space felt most appropriate. But, with enough time (and plenty of complicated feelings later), Thea's glad that they've both gotten more comfortable reaching out to the other for Henrik's sake. After all, her son adores both his uncles. "At least he's consistent?" Thea says in an aside, chuckling to herself before she hits zero and opens her eyes.

Squinting a bit in the sunlight, she grabs sunglasses from her collar, pretending to scan the area with a hand above her face like a sailor might scout the sea. "But you have to help, uncle Fe," Thea insists, volume loud enough to be heard by Henrik. "Maybe he's hiding by the swings?" she suggests, a grin crossing her face at her son's light laughter, pure and simple.

"Oh no, teleported?" Thea parrots with mock concern, playing along until Felix goes off on a tangent and she shoots him a look. But before she can disavow his idea, her son's small voice echos from the slide. No! You can't do that, uncle Fe! Find me! Thea chuckles, "Oh, I think I heard him! By the jungle gym." Thea says, taking dramatic steps in that direction. "C'mon, uncle Fe, no replacing Hen, we've gotta find him."

[manybcdthings]

"Oh, right." Felix laughed, taking another glance to the bags and boxes. Not certain if he felt stupid or embarrassed for getting a barrage of toys that his nephew didn't even need. "Is that because he's...turned into a cat or something?" his tone remained serious even as he gave Thea a slight grin. It became a chuckle, a vivid image of Henrik smashing drums to pieces. "Oskar has enough room in his place for a set." Felix shrugged with a somewhat coy expression, reveling in any potential of torturing his brother. "At least with piano, he can learn all the same pieces, Oskar and Nina and I know and be the next little show horse Agnes likes to trot out at her dinner parties." Felix quipped, taking a sip of his drink. "Yeah, I can't see her wanting guitar as much, which obviously is fair enough considering she carried Henrik herself for nine months."

He settled more comfortably as Thea replied, raising his brows in a slight teasing manner of acknowledgement. "Oh yeah, forgot. Can't talk about the impending machine takeover. I'm fine, though. I always say please to my open A.I." he laughed before returning to seriousness and delivering a more polite nod. "Sounds awful, honestly." he mentioned with a thoughtful tone and a lingering chuckle. "You know, in an impressive but depressing sort of way." it certainly wasn't pity in his tone, maybe sympathy if he had to find a word for it. And of course, Felix was quick to deflection. "Oh, yeah. Barely have a chance to think. I wake up, scratch behind my ears, drag my butt around on the carpet and then spend all day sniffing other people's." he shrugged. "Which is exactly what it was like before, but nowadays I get a particular sense of excitement for the word park. So, make of that what you will."

"S'fine," Thea shrugs with a grin at the toys. "You know he'll probably like the boxes more than the toys." She says with a slight chuckle, taking another bite and shaking her head. "Exactly. violin and drums are out of the question. As is most percussion in general. I can't do it. Doubt Oskar can either. I might entertain guitar but I don't think that's what your mom had in mind when she brought up lesson." The smirks, "too pedestrian, no?" And for the sake of peace, they'll keep Henrik in piano for a year before determining his talents lay elsewhere. She fills up their glasses and lifts her shoulders again as he declines the food.

"Mmm, I'm afraid that's classified, Fe." The witch says with a wink. "But something like that. Though I suppose I'm more of a glorified babysitter at this point. Making sure everyone's doing what they're supposed to. Not as much in the lab anymore these days." Something she laments but had known was inevitable. Sinclairs ran things. They weren't run by others. "And you?" Thea cants her head to the side a bit, observing her ex-brother-in-law. "Busy days?" She hasn't seen him in weeks, but doubts texts would merit any response. Still, the fact remains she's thought of him, and wonders how this new adjustment is going. If it can be called that. Forced evolution might be a more apt description.

[manybcdthings]

Felix chuckled as soon as Henrik captured the moment, playfully flicking a finger from his eyes to his nephew with a nod to Thea's words. "Oh yeah, won't lose track of him." he warned teasingly to the young witch who was already sprightly running away in a giggling flurry of all arms and legs. Immediately, the sight of Henrik's tinge of red hair under the sun brought out another laugh from Felix as the Sinclair witch beside him started the countdown. "Yeah he's...heading straight for it. Not even trying to throw you off a trail." Felix commented in amusement as Henrik began the climb to the slide. "I'll have to teach him how to get a little better at that." he added with a slight grin.

Moving to his feet, Felix let out a playfully loud scoff to Thea's request. "Well, I'm not sure where he went so I don't think I can help." he said loud enough to stir another laugh from Henrik that echoed from the slide. "Maybe that way." Felix added, pointing in another direction altogether as he and Thea neared the slide with a feigned clueless search. "I think he's won this, probably teleported somewhere. Maybe we should choose another kid to be Henrik." he claimed, hearing a small gasp and a thump of feet from the slide. "And he can get all of Henrik's toys and sleep in Henrik's bed. And his favorite snacks, and his friends."

+ FELIX / PARK

Close your eyes, mama! Thea stops what she's saying mid-sentence to Felix, a smile crossing her face as she looks to Henrik with a raised brow. The park is busy because it's a Saturday, but there's plenty of space for her son to run around. And it helps she's put a locating spell on him.

"Okay, but your uncle Fe is going to keep eyes on you, alright? I'll count and you hide," she says, playing their familiar game as Henrik giggles and nods, already scampering off to the jungle gym, his floppy hair shining with undertones of red in the sunlight. "He'll hide in the slide. It's his favorite spot," she tells Felix as she shuts her eyes, beginning her countdown.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 6 and a half, 5, 4, 4 and three quarters, 3.141592, 3, 2, 2 and a half....1!" Thea opens her eyes, "ready or not, here I come, Hen!" She declares loudly for him to hear. As if on cue, she hears a little laugh echoing down the slide and shoots Felix a grin. "Told you," she quips before nodding to him. "Felix, can you help me find Henrik? I think he's hiding from me." @manybcdthings

[manybcdthings]

Felix's sudden presence to Thea's home was out of the ordinary but it was also obvious that time spent with Bella influenced him, given the bags of shopping in his hands when he arrived. Because of course, she was considerate enough to start thinking about a child she wasn't even related to as she browsed...which prompted Felix next to consider him. How it had been a little while since he saw his nephew that wasn't at a horrific family gathering. And then he was there at Thea's home, somewhat bitter that Bella had once again proved that connections between people improved people.

"It's fine, I'm not that hungry. I was going to text but it sort of..." he shrugged, taking a glance to the bags and the over-spill of boxes of toys that couldn't fit in them before he glanced back to Thea. "Got away from me." he cleared his throat, letting out a slight laugh about the piano. "Well, there'll never be another Mozart, I guess. And, given how it all ended for him, that's a good thing. Suppose it's lucky it's not violin too, right? Disgusting instrument in the wrong hands. Even the right ones, sometimes." he grinned, fetching two glasses before he returned to the table, setting one down for Thea first before his place. When he sat and began to fill them, Felix's gaze dropped to the plate of food, deciding it was best with it's rightful owner. "I think you should have it. As Tarq and Tavi would say, you look knackered. What are you doing again? A.I? I sort of..." don't pay attention. "Lose track."

+ FELIX / THEA'S HOME

"I would've ordered more if I'd known you were coming." Thea says, pushing over the extra to Felix, though she suspects he's on more of a liquid diet these days. "Henrik will be home soon," she offers of his nephew's whereabouts, the reason she presumes he's stopped by in the first place. "He's at piano. Can't say he's a natural, but I can tell your mom we finally reached out to her friend. Some concert pianist from Vienna. Fabian?" Agneta had insisted they reach out to for Henrik's education. That they'd be depriving him of something wonderful if they didn't. Along with something about starting young. And one would think that was it but her assistant would check with Thea's that they'd reached out until finally her people made the arrangements. Apparently it was the mother's responsibility and Oskar simply couldn't be bothered by his own mother by such distractions. She takes a sip of her wine before nodding to Felix across the counter. "Glasses are behind you." Thea offers. It's not the most glamorous of meals but she's got a mountain of work and didn't feel like having anyone in her home to do the cooking tonight. @manybcdthings