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[ Jon waits for her to leave and then return with the glass of water in hand. He stares in surprise at the seed falling into it. He didn't know what to expect when he asked Josie what her favorite thing she can do with her magic is, but it wasn't this.

He's ordinarily so stoic, but there's no hiding the wonder in his expression as he watches. Jon always believed in the Old Gods more than the Faith of the Seven, because he believed in nature, believed in the power that can come from nature, and so this may have been the best magic she could have shown him too.

Growth of plants, of vegetables is such a sacred thing in the North where they don't grow well at all. It's why his wonder shifts to an actual smile. ]

Josie, that's amazing.

Thanks.

[She can't help but smile, because it really is something she enjoys. Seeing other people enjoy it too is a gift she doesn't always get to share.]

It's one of the first things they teach us - how to make things grow. Most of us can only take it one plant at a time, depending on how powerful we are, but it reminds us of where our magic comes from. We're supposed to take it from the earth and try to do good with it.

[ Jon reaches out to gently cup the flower, as he feels how real it is despite the fact magic grew it. His smile lingers before he draws his hand back, dropping that hand down. ]

It's a beautiful sentiment.

I didn't know magic could do this. Should have. I always believed in the Old Gods, their old magic, but- [ The magic he's seen and experienced has always been so destructive. ]

Magic can do anything, really. Good and bad.

[A lot of it depends on the person.]

It's not so much what it is, but how people use it.

Like a weapon.

It's about who wields it, how they do. [ Magic just has the capability to do far more than Longclaw can. ] The Old Gods in my world are part of nature like the wind and trees, like the plant you've grown here.

[ Even if that power comes from within her and not some Old God. ]

[She nods with a smile.]

That sounds like the spirits, for us. They try to keep the balance.

An important task, but it... can't be easy to keep the balance.

[ Especially in worlds like theirs with such tragedy, such darkness in it too. Westeros rarely feels balanced. ]

No, it's not. The witches that are still living are supposed to help. We're ... not always good at it.

[Case in point.]

It's much for the world to ask of someone.

[ Especially while they're dealing with their own imbalanced cruelty of the world. Well, he wanted to check in on her, and he is grateful he did and learned more about her magic in the process. ]

I am glad you are well, Josie, and glad you told them both.

Yeah, I'm glad I did too.

[Even if things are rough for a little while. Then she pauses as she gets up to walk him to the door.]

Also ... I know you aren't always super big on words, but Elena can be pretty forgiving if you use the right ones. Just ... a little advice.

[And by right ones she means "tell her the truth" not "come up with a really convincing lie."]

[ Jon stops abruptly on the way to the door at Josie's words. He pauses, sliding a hand behind the back of his neck as he realizes abruptly- Were they more obvious than he realizes? Is he even more obvious now?

He seems to shift awkwardly like he's not sure how to respond. ]

Thank you, Josie. I'll do my best.

[ And he will, genuinely. ]

Come to me if you should have need of anything. [ and with that, he'll take his leave, stepping out the door as he thinks about the best words to use- ones that are honest even when they're hard. ]

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