in which nymphs are good for more than one thing

[subtly_artistic]

At least four people conclude that Bella and Celo have had sex and mention this to Bella. The fact that the door was open the entire time he spent hanging out in her room is apparently immaterial (since she wouldn't have been breaking any rules if she'd had sex with him that way, and no one was loitering in the hall supervising them the whole time). She contradicts them on this. Three people don't believe her. Miki does, and is immediately promoted to Bella's favorite out-of-class friend.

In Intro Psych for Subtle Artists, there's a discussion of what subtle artists do with their own minds, and how this differs from everyone else. Bella has already talked to all her subtle arts professors about her own peculiarities, and Professor Murray has her talk a bit about how she's used lucid dreams for introspection, self-modification, and memory boosting. Professor Murray then explains that people who aren't subtle artists can only rarely lucid dream, and even those who can don't find it an effective jumping-off point for any heavy-duty self-searching.

One of the elves in the class looks at Bella oddly through her little talk.

But she doesn't say anything, so Bella ignores her.

Comments

[subtly_artistic]

She's only chatting, not reading his thoughts; he'd have to verbally offer for him to know that she's welcome.

She considers arguing with him. She decides not to bother. If he doesn't care, he doesn't care. If there's a way to make someone care, she doesn't know it, and wouldn't do it anyway because that's one of the things she cares about.

Instead she says:

Why did you tell me, then? If it doesn't matter if people die unless they eat you alive when you ask nicely?

[pythbox]

...Is that an actual question or are you being an asshole, he says, because it sounds like you're being an asshole but I'm not totally sure.

[subtly_artistic]

You already think I'm an asshole. Never mind, I guess.

[pythbox]

You're wrong about what I think surprisingly often for a telepath, Celo observes with amusement.

[subtly_artistic]

I'm not reading your thoughts right now like I was in lab, I'm just accepting deliberate sendings. It's not exactly like talking aloud because it's minus body language and plus optional sense-memories and so on, but I'm not spying on your inmost thoughts, I'm going by what you say. One of the things you've said to me so far in our acquaintance is that I'm an asshole.

[pythbox]

Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I don't start shit with elves for people I don't like, says Celo.

[subtly_artistic]

So somewhere along the line I joined the elite circle with the friendly people-eating mermaids and now it matters if I live or die.

[pythbox]

Sure, if you want to think of it like that, he says.

[subtly_artistic]

You're bewildering.

[pythbox]

Right back atcha, he says. Wanna muffin?

[subtly_artistic]

Yeah, sure. Bella puts her notebook on the arm of the couch and walks into the kitchen to fetch herself a muffin.

[pythbox]

Warm fresh tasty muffins! Mmm.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella takes hers, waves to Celo, and walks back into the lounge. Thanks.

[pythbox]

You're welcome, he says cheerfully.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella eats her muffin and outlines her chosen essay.

[pythbox]

Celo bakes things.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella does homework and periodically swings by to update her collection of baked things.

[pythbox]

That works out well, then, doesn't it?

[subtly_artistic]

It does.

I'm curious, Bella asks about an hour later, when did I graduate from "asshole" to "worth rescuing from mad elves"?

[pythbox]

I dunno, he says. Didn't take that long. I don't really stay mad most of the time.

[subtly_artistic]

Oh.

[pythbox]

...Have you been going around all this time thinking I hated you because I called you an asshole once? That's weird. You read my mind for an hour, did you not notice the lack of me hating you?

[subtly_artistic]

Nursing an active emotional hatred doesn't always accompany thinking someone is an asshole. Not all opinions about nearby people float to the surface during every one-hour period. And I try to judge people more on what they choose to say and not on what idly crosses their minds.

[pythbox]

Well, I like you, he says. Which is why I got those elves off your back.

[subtly_artistic]

And if you didn't like me you would've gone around and left me there.