fandomhigh | Relationship Skills, Friday Period 3

"Today's class shall be about..." Yennefer sighed. "Conflict resolution. Because apparently you want to resolve your conflicts, not win a fight."

"She thinks winning a resolving a conflict means going scorched earth," Jaskier whispered in a way that wasn't at all a whisper.

"I think 'trying to see the other person's point of view' is pointless, is what I think."

Jaskier definitely rolled his eyes at that, but this was just how they got along. By being the very best frenemies. "Now, the book we found on this suggests using 'I feel' statements," he said. "Which are meant to help you understand the other person's point of view."

"Which makes even less sense than the last time we discussed 'I' statements," Yennefer said crossly, "because how is telling someone how you feel supposed to make you understand them?" It was called listening, Yennefer. You could try it.

"Well, maybe if you listened to them," Jaskier suggested as though he was reading that narrative!

Yennefer waved that off. "Whatever. I feel like this is a waste of time, but...practice your 'I feel' statements."

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"I'm sure Steven would love to help with that," Marc said. Hey, if Steven could constantly volunteer him for moving heavy things for people, this was the least Marc could do in return.

"I prefer to make sure that anything I share tastes good," Nell said. "But you're right. He's probably kind enough to try terrible things if he thought he was helping."

Marc rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Actually yeah, that does sound like him. In your case he might even be too polite to tell you."

"He is very English," Nell agreed, then looked at him intently. "Are you okay?"

Marc looked at her with confusion. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You look a bit tired," she said.

"Oh," Marc said, getting it. "I'm fine. Hoping we don't have another weird a - pain in the neck weekend."

Really hard to save that one when there wasn't an easy go to for an a-word besides the originally intended one of "ass."

"They don't usually happen one right after the other," Nell said, "so you're probably safe."

She looked at him curiously. "You can swear in front of me, you know."

Marc looked at her. Then pointedly looked at how she was dressed. "You are good with swearing?"

"Well, I don't usually swear," she said, "But other people can. I have been in Fandom for four years."

"Maybe, but it doesn't mean I have to be a jerk about it," Marc pointed out. Which was a rare occasion of him actually caring about not taking that option. Not the only occasion, but still rare.

"That's very sweet of you," Nell said. "I thank you kindly."

"Well you're fucking welcome," Marc replied, with a look not unlike the fake innocent ones Nell tried using on him.

Nell laughed loudly enough that she probably got a look from one or both of the teachers.

"My apologies," she said politely, then turned and grinned at Marc. "I do like you."

"Yeah, that's a bad idea," Marc told her. He took a sip of his coffee. "Don't recommend it."

"I'm full of bad ideas," Nell said. "And if that doesn't get me my curiosity will, if my Meemaw has the right of it."

"So are you a cat now?" Marc asked. Which was possibly a dangerous question in Fandom, actually.

"Not today anyway," Nell said with a smile. "But you can't rule out things like that here. People are always changing into all sorts of things."

Considering the cupcake, Marc asked, "So did Stark teach class when he was a koala?"

"Nope. Didn't even show up," Nell said. "Not that Koala Stark probably knew it was Friday."

"Better in time for the reunion," Marc said. At least Stark hadn't seemed to mind dealing with the weirdness of people being older.

On that topic, "You doing okay?"

Nell shrugged a little uncomfortably. "I'm okay. Just... thinking about maybes and talking to Liz... it brings up stuff, you know?"

"Yeah, Liz checked in with Steven yesterday," Marc said. Which was a nicely neutral statement which didn't give away any information about how Marc knew that. "You missing out on your future too?"

Nell didn't mind. She hadn't said anything to Liz that she'd mind Marc or Steven hearing. She shook her head. "Can't really remember much. And I don't believe it's a real future anyway. If'n I stay stuck here I'm not joining some government group and if I go home John and the church surely won't let me even work outside the house much less work for the government. And if I turn into a tree, they'd likely just burn me where I lay."

Marc gave her a look. "The burning thing's an option?"

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