[The first week, Wilhelm invents some excuse about not feeling very well. It's not a lie, exactly, but what keeps him in bed all day isn't any sickness.
Then for a while, he utilizes the chaos that's ripped open to continue to avoid his lessons. He's off in Nott, putting out the fires that he technically started. Stephen, he hopes, has bigger things to worry about than teaching some kid how not to accidentally commit arson.
[Things have been busy. Things are always busy for Stephen Strange; he finds himself spinning many plates at the castle and beyond. Big bulllet points on his schedule that often overshadow the lessons he doles out to those interested — though he manages always to make time for that, too, somehow.
He’s noticed that Wlhelm’s not been attending his, despite the whorl of chaos that’s overshadowed everything. And that’s fine, really; there’s a lot going on, and a lot that can be excused. But he’s a mentor, too. In that way, he knows when such excuses have begun to stretch thin. It’s only a matter of time, he thinks, before he receives a message that might act to absolve the young man of the responsibilities outright.
He can’t say he’s entirely surprised when he finally receives it.]
Why not? It’s not like you haven’t been making progress.
[Though words sanitized of tone and disconnected from facial expression don't reveal much, he imagines Stephen disappointed.]
I just feel like it's not for me.
I mean, I'm not starting fires by accident anymore. Isn't that enough? I never had any plans to become some powerful mage.
[It does occur to him that Stephen would be the best person to help him with...whatever is happening. But explaining that trying to summon fire sends his stomach spinning and his dinner rushing back up would lead to questions he doesn't feel like answering. When did it start? Oh, you know, after his botched tarot card made a man explode and the queen decided to dump fire on a city.
Anyway, he doesn't want to work through the problem; he just wants to ignore it.]
[Stephen’s intuition gives him the sense that something’s… happened. Wilhelm had been making progress—that much was true—and the disconnect had come sometime once the world decided to go up in flames. Unfortunately, literally.]
Magic’s a lot more about just power, Wilhelm. Especially in a place like this. It’s about balance.
[Balance in all things. In the universe as much as the individual.
But maybe that’s too esoteric for whatever’s making the young man step away from his lessons right now.]
[Yeah, Stephen might as well be lecturing him on the impact Avogadro's number or the quadratic formula will have on his everyday life. Balance isn't solid enough for him to grasp.]
[So, basically: he doesn't want to talk about it.]
All right. I won't push you.
[It's hard enough to learn magic when one's heart is in it. It's almost impossible if Stephen's going to have to twist a student's arm to show enthusiasm, or an earnestness to learn.
And really? That feels secondary to whatever's going on here.]
But I'll be here if you change your mind. We can pick up right where we left off.
And if you do have something you want to talk about, you can. With me, I mean. It doesn't have to be magic-related.
[No answer comes for a while. Guilt presses on his chest, not only for what had happened in Nocwich, but for Stephen's kindness in trying to help him. It's this guilt that prevents Wilhelm from blowing him off completely.]
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embarrassingly backdated to sometime post-nocwich
Then for a while, he utilizes the chaos that's ripped open to continue to avoid his lessons. He's off in Nott, putting out the fires that he technically started. Stephen, he hopes, has bigger things to worry about than teaching some kid how not to accidentally commit arson.
Finally, he runs out of excuses.]
Hi, sorry to bother you.
Um.
I was thinking
I don't know if I want to keep studying magic.
♥
He’s noticed that Wlhelm’s not been attending his, despite the whorl of chaos that’s overshadowed everything. And that’s fine, really; there’s a lot going on, and a lot that can be excused. But he’s a mentor, too. In that way, he knows when such excuses have begun to stretch thin. It’s only a matter of time, he thinks, before he receives a message that might act to absolve the young man of the responsibilities outright.
He can’t say he’s entirely surprised when he finally receives it.]
[But of course he’s going to ask.]
<3
I just feel like it's not for me.
I mean, I'm not starting fires by accident anymore. Isn't that enough? I never had any plans to become some powerful mage.
[It does occur to him that Stephen would be the best person to help him with...whatever is happening. But explaining that trying to summon fire sends his stomach spinning and his dinner rushing back up would lead to questions he doesn't feel like answering. When did it start? Oh, you know, after his botched tarot card made a man explode and the queen decided to dump fire on a city.
Anyway, he doesn't want to work through the problem; he just wants to ignore it.]
no subject
[Balance in all things. In the universe as much as the individual.
But maybe that’s too esoteric for whatever’s making the young man step away from his lessons right now.]
no subject
No. Nothing happened.
[Which is a fucking lie.]
I just don't want to do it anymore.
no subject
[It's hard enough to learn magic when one's heart is in it. It's almost impossible if Stephen's going to have to twist a student's arm to show enthusiasm, or an earnestness to learn.
And really? That feels secondary to whatever's going on here.]
no subject
Okay.
I'm sorry for wasting your time.
no subject