video;

[sallyfaced]

[There are probably a lot more important things going on...but the amount of stress and tension that said important things seem to be evoking is the exact reason Sal decides to make a post sharing his self inflicted predicament instead of sitting around trying to come up with something himself. He mostly just wants to talk — it doesn't matter if he doesn't find any information or help, it's just...for lack of a better word, a "mask".

Speaking of masks, there's now one masked and pig-tailed teenager peering into the phone as he makes sure it's working, sitting back when he thinks he has it. He's not used to using phones or devices this fancy. He doesn't even have a cell phone of his own back home.]

Has anyone ever like...built a birdhouse before out of something that wasn't blocks of wood? A two story birdhouse. With a couple of rooms, decent space. Uh, nothing too crazy and extravagant, obviously. But something still totally cool. Because I kind of want to do that.

You know, even if you've never done it before — because I sure as hell haven't, ideas would be neat.

Comments

[Text]

[sallyfaced]

[Boy did that warm his heart just now.]

I'll keep speaking to him, then. Maybe I'll sit down and talk directly to him instead of doing it casually to see if he catches on easier.

He flapped his wings kinda fast when I told him good job! He kind of reminded me of my cat when I give him praise...except my cat is really lazy, but I do it anyway. [Gizmo is lazy as hell but Sal will praise him forever regardless.] I'll make sure to keep letting him know when he does a good job at something!

[Text]

[such_a_teez]

[Tyki doesn't know, but if he did he'd be thrilled. Sal is honestly one of the only people he trusts here, and he wants to be a good friend to him. It's a little harder to bond with a teen than it was with Eeze, who was a tiny child and more than willing to be doted on. But that doesn't mean he won't try just as hard with Sal, just in a different way.

And the benefit is that Sal isn't too young to be teased gently or to gossip with a bit. He doesn't have to walk on eggshells around him. Not that he did that too much with the child back home, but he did work to keep him as innocent as possible.]

That's right, see how it helps him. And if you feel up to it, let me know how he improves. Before you I never thought of doing anything like that with them, you really did give me new ideas to help them grow.

It sounds like you do your best with animals. Cats and lazy go hand in hand, so any response from them surely means something. [He has a family member that's often a cat, she's the best person to have by the fireside.] Sounds like a plan! Good work, and good luck with that house.