Loose Threads

"Loose Threads" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread started on [IRL DATE] and finished on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
The Jaw and its residents had settled fairly well after the devastation the divine battles had left in their wake. They fell into routine once more, the norm again like clockwork, save for a few new endeavours here and there amongst the rebels, whether political, physical, personal, or otherwise.
One of these was Juro, who found himself floating somewhat in a haze of mental uncertainty. He was grateful to have found a place to stay with Milae and Dario while he recuperated and slowly began to tackle… whatever it is that he was and able to do with his magic, yet it was also a little strange walking around with people, accompanying the two on their daily duties, observing, but also now being further involved in others, while making new discoveries about himself and everything he had sealed away that he had to both learn and unlearn. It was an odd process, and the unfamiliarity of it all periodically sent anxious confusion through him.
Nevertheless he kept on, with the two precious people he could comfortably let his guard down with by his side, and his golem that he had conjured back to life all by himself. How, he couldn’t explain if one asked, but Virion was there, and stayed ever since. The Library was also functional as it had been, with the return of Roku’s gifted journal, and entries from across the multiverse streamed in as they always had, although noticeably with more vigour and life and freshness in them, like a collective veil that lifted and breathed a sigh of ease all through the timelines.
But that was the extent of his abilities in the mean time, he found, and it was frustrating, unable to open the Library or anywhere else for the matter. The low frequency beneath his chest cavity was noticeably constant if he concentrated well enough, his right side articulating like it was both a newborn and an agile acrobat, the opposing extremes making it that much harder for him to move through the persistent fatigue that seemed to plague him since waking. Still, he tried again and again to open the Library, his home all these centuries, at least. It wasn’t until the eleventh day of the month that he succeeded, as the sun was dipping below the horizon of the Scrublands and everyone was settling from the work day.
It was a dull exploding sound that seemed to rock the house, shaking the eaves enough for dust to shift as the half breeds downstairs heard muffled thumps and a soft ‘ow’ from what used to be Yun’s room.
Milae would never admit to being fussy or overprotective of Juro, though it was absolutely true, especially when it concerned possible threats. The attitude held true today as goat hooves quickly clopped up the stairs and paused outside his room, knocking briefly on the door and waiting in case it was something inconsequential. 
“Juro? Are you alright in there?”
“Ugh. Yeah! Yeah.”
Milae heard a couple more muted thumps before the door opened to reveal the Bookkeeper peering down at him, one blue eye squinting, looking very disheveled but also pleased with himself, lopsided grin smaller, yet more genuine than it used to be. Behind him, the room was in disarray, but stood intact and unbroken, for what it’s worth.
“I did it,” Juro loosely grabbed the half breed’s arm to pull him down the stairs, socked feet padding on the floor, with the same boyish excitement of a child learning something new, “Where’s Dario? Is he home? I opened the Library!”
Dario rounded the corner, watching as a visibly confused goat and giddy man skipped down the stairs to meet him. The stag rubbed his half-awake eyes; the rumble from before had stirred him from a nap that he had just fallen into, and though he would never say it to either of them, the disturbance put him in a slightly soured mood.
“…you opened a what?… who?… what?”
“The Library,” Juro exhaled, while wilting apologetically, “Sorry.. did I wake you?”
He released his hold on the goat half breed as he came down from the initial high, slightly waving a large hand to materialize a familiar portal before them, although it came with a new, gentle breeze, like the energy pulsed outwards with less control. He continued, “The Library, where all the stories I record go. I’ve been trying to access it since… uhm, the fight, but I couldn’t manage until now.” 
Juro turned towards them, “I was going to ask both of you if you wanted to come along, but we can go another day…” He was sheepish, although it was an odd show that mixed with his usual, easy confidence.
“Of course we will, that sounds wonderful.” Milae was warmed to see Juro in another one of his odd but happy moods, and he gave Dario an apologetic grin, taking his hand and kissing the back of his fingers. “Unless ástin mín needs to further sleep through the afternoon.”
His frustration quelled at the physical love language conveyed by his partner; though sleep sounded wonderful in that moment, this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He could see how much the development meant to Juro.
“I’ll survive. It’s far too early, anyhow. I would love to come along.”
The way he grinned at them was curious, the corners of his usual smirk finally reaching his eyes in fondness and muted excitement, before motioning for them to follow him through.
The Library was different from what Milae remembered. The clutter remained, so did the quiet noise of whirring cogs and machines hidden somewhere in the unseen ceiling, and the foreign gadgets that were scattered on some surfaces that neither of them recognized. It seemed more spacious this time, despite the seemingly unorganized stacks of books and scrolls, with clearer paths and stairways and doors leading to other rooms and levels, windows wider and taller to let the early morning light filter through, air clear with a fresh, mixed aroma of tea leaves and parchment.
The biggest change that the half breed could see was a set of low couches situated around a quaint table before a warm fireplace in the corner of the Library, three cups of steaming tea prepared obviously for them.
Juro inhaled sharply, eyes flicking around and momentarily forgetting he wasn’t alone anymore as he stepped away slightly and took in the new surroundings.
“Oh…”
Milae wasn’t aware he had said anything as he, too, took in their surroundings. Something about it gave him an odd feeling of a place he once called home–a quiet cave with a crackling fire smelling of tea. He squeezed Dario’s hand, which he hadn’t let go of yet, and traced shelves he thought he wouldn’t see again with the other. Then he glanced at the deer by his side. 
“I couldn’t bring you to my looms,” he said, with a gentle look, “but…this seems like a close second.”
There was something solemn in the goat’s voice; Dario knew what that place had meant to Milae. The stag returned the squeeze, pulling his mouth into a smile despite his still lingering tiredness. There was an odd air of familiarity amidst the foreign place they both now occupied, in the company of Juro.
“This… is remarkable.” The deer’s eyes scanned every surface, though not taking enough time to absorb any of the information. “I can certainly say I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
He turned to Juro, who still seemed entranced at it all.
“So this is your Library, huh? Everything you remember it being?”
“Sort of… the couches are new. And it’s brighter. I don’t really know why though…” the Bookkeeper murmured, sweeping his gaze once more as the portal closed behind them before settling on the couple. His eyes widened slightly as he regarded them, as if seeing them for the first time, realizing that he willingly brought in people into the interdimensional space for the second time in the span of two months, and visibly taken aback by his own decision.
He had to shake himself out of his surprise, ushering them towards the new couches as he remembered why he wanted to bring them there in the first place, “Uh, give me a second. I just have to get some things…” He said before disappearing, leaving them comfortably on the silk seats with the tea and calming soundscape.
It was a few minutes before he returned, carrying two bundles in his arms, then lowering himself to their level, low voice soft and perhaps doubtful despite the lingering smile, “I’ve been meaning to give you these…”
Mar 13, 2021
Milae took his gingerly and held it in his lap, catching Juro’s wrist before his hands moved away. “Not payment for housing you, I assume,” he said with joking severity, a twinkle in his eye. “We don’t expect anything in return for that.”
Mar 13, 2021
“Speak for yourself.” The stag’s joking tone was heavily exaggerated; an abundance of caution to ensure it wasn’t misconstrued. “I could be taking such a nice nap right now.”
He directed a quick wink to his friend. The change in him from his unfortunate encounter with Frigga was night and day; seeing the progression firsthand was nothing less than gratifying.
“You didn’t have to. Thank you, Juro.”
Mar 14, 2021
“It is not for that,” he was quick to jab in return, slipping into the charming front so smoothly and naturally that nobody batted an eye, “It’s…” he grinned back at first, but hesitated. He didn’t know what it was for. He just knew he wanted to.
“It won’t be for long, you can nap soon,” he promised with a teasing laugh as he opened Dario’s package first, revealing its contents and helping him into it.
It wasn’t anything remarkable initially–a dark high collared shirt with long tapered pants to match, cuffed with gold embroideries. Over that went an ivory, long sleeved tunic that he tucked in, with a high, loose asymmetrical collar, buttoned together at the chest and embroidered with intricate, swirling designs with the same gold thread. Belts and straps were held carelessly low at the waist, with a hip pouch attached to the side, undeniably part of the same armour set that Yun had used.
But what was most eye catching was the coat, fashioned almost in the same way as the seidkonur’s kimono with its wide collar and length just below his knees, except with slightly more fitted sleeves. The seams where the torso normally met sleeve were left open purposefully and barely stitched together at the armpits, exposing the light coloured shirt beneath, and instead strapped together by belts that followed the line from his shoulder and down. It shimmered in the soft morning light, the exact dark forest green weaved with teal thread that they all knew and loved.
Juro carefully buckled glove-like bracers around the deer half breed’s forearms, reaching all the way over his elbows, tucking the green fabric underneath. It was different from regular Aidorinian armour that Dario was used to–it was oddly flexible, embossed with thin, curious lines that decorated the whole length, sitting so lightly on him that it might as well not have been there.
“This was made using me, way back when I was still in, uh… Chuugo,” they could see barely a crease in the Bookkeeper’s forehead knitting together as he zipped the fingers around Dario’s healing hands to cover the limb completely, “It redirects and wields your magic to your will while keeping your hands entirely unharmed. Helps with control, and strengthens your power by a few levels…” It was evident that Juro’s thoughts were concentrated on the past incident on Haligan, when all he could do was watch from the sidelines. His voice was slightly strained as he traced one of the lines to an emblem on the back of the hand, completely faded and undecipherable, “It’s just been sitting around here, unused. I’d… want it to protect the people I care about. If you’d accept it…” he flicked his eyes up with a wry grin.
Mar 14, 2021
He turned to help unpack Milae’s gift with him in the same way. The articles of clothing were not foreign, resembling the long sleeved top and pants set that Yun wore, except the half breed’s kimono came in two layers, a light, white one underneath, and the thicker one over, but in a familiar grey-blue instead of green that faded into a lighter hue as it went higher on the torso. The loose, tan pants were also similar, albeit wider and lacking the characteristic openings on the hips, replaced with deep pockets, and fit snuggly around the cuffs, held together at the waist with strong belts with gold buckles instead of fabric, much like Aidorinian pants.
Over this went a sleeveless, open vest in a dark muted blue that hung all the way down to his hocks, split open at the sides until the hips, held together only at the torso with golden braids to allow for movement, hemmed with the same gold, swirling embroidery as Dario's. It had an extremely high collar that would have dwarfed a human’s neck, but on the half breed it fit perfectly to keep him warm, while the vest was loosely pulled close with another gold braid beneath the collar so it wouldn’t slip off him, leaving enough room for whatever armour Milae already owned.
There was also the navy blue cloak-like jacket, colour and shape heartachingly reminiscent of the one he had lost weeks ago. It reached down to his knees and carried a hood that went perfectly over his horns and ears, but the way it was styled was interesting, as the extra wide sleeves and extra wide torso almost made it seem like a capelet, affixing arms straight onto the main body with X shaped teal threads, placed almost exactly where his seal would be on his forearms if he hung them on his sides. The same stitching could be found near the collar, where buttons would normally be to close the jacket together, teal embroidery following the seams downwards. Straps for his staves crossed over his torso, slipping it through openings under each arm where the teal stitching didn’t reach, still detachable should he wanted to wear it under the jacket.
“You get this instead,” Juro laughed cheekily, pulling out the last item, a book, and placing it into Milae’s hooves. Leather bound and compact, it was similar to what Juro used, clearly connected to the Library, engraved with the half breed's initials. His gaze turned soft, “If there was anyone who would love the Library as much as a Bookkeeper does, it would be you...”
He flipped to a certain page, a gentle smile on his face, and both goat and deer half breeds could clearly see two lines that were written inside.U-131504051814 Yun’s home.