rottencactus

[Mayoi, the dramatic goth that he is, does sleep in the attic and has a particular aversion to the early morning. It’s simply a part of his routine to wake up when Hiiro begins his usual rounds of “I LOVE YOU NIISAN”, have some tea, wrangle Hiiro (and now Tatsumi) for idol practice, and then to immediately go back to bed until noon.]

[Tatsumi shares the upstairs with him, but unlike Mayoi, he is a morning person and has since vacated it, leaving him alone and vulnerable to Ala’s whims.]

[He’s a light sleeper, so it does not take much to make him stir. Someone was calling his name…?]

…?

[It’s coming from the window…]

H-Hello…?

Edited 2022-12-26 00:07 (UTC)

Hi! Please open the window before I fall!

[ The attic is... way up there! higher than Ala expected, but she thinks maybe it makes sense for the winter since heat rises or something. She's got her feet on the windowsill and hands on the gutter, but she would quickly get bored if Mayoi just turned around and went back to sleep so please get up ]

[Oh. Ala-san is on the windowsill.]

A-ALA-SAN!!?

Edited 2022-12-26 04:25 (UTC)

ALA-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

[Mayoi fucking rushes to the window so fast, holy shit. Here, please be careful while he shimmies the window open. He will hold out his arms so he can pull her inside once that's done.]

Ala-saaan! Ala-saaaaan! Is it really you...???

[ Ooh, this is starting to feel like deja vu, Mayoi helping her climb inside from the window. She enters easily enough with his help, as if she'd snuck into many houses in this same way in the past, and touches down on the ground with a triumphat \o/ ]

Yep! It's really really me! See, look—- [ She reaches out and pokes Mayoi on the cheek ] Not a ghost!

[She pokes him and with that confirmation that she is definitely, 100% solid, Mayoi just. His eyes well up with tears and he practically wails as he scoops her up.]

Ala-saaaaan is alive! Ala-san is aliiive and she's here and I am so glaaaaaaad!

[He will set her down after he spins around once or twice, but he is just! So glad! To see her!]

I thought something horrible had befallen youuuu, is Ala-san hungry? W-Would you like tea...?

[ She gives a little squeal and a laugh when she's picked up and spun around— heavier than she looks, but maybe because she'd just scared him right out of bed— hugging him tight before he lets go.

Note to self: do not say anything about all the horrible things that had befallen her ]

Hehe~ Still alive! [ She claps her hands together, eager to move on from whatever the heck had happened that made her disappear ] I want tea! Something that smells like flowers!

[Please, his heart wouldn't be able to take it. Let him know gently...]

[Anyways, he will put her down oh, so gently motion over to the ladder. They are in the attic after all, so it's a bit of a climb to get down.]

Flowers, flowers, yes, I have something for youuuu~ I tried to collect as much as I could before the frost really set in. It is not as varied as what I like to grow back home but it suffices...

[Tea is all they have ...there is no coffee in this wretched place, probably.]

A-And! Hiiro-san has brought us a small stock of honey, as well...

Ooh, do you grow flowers? I only know how to pick them.

[ And keep them for a day or two before they wilt and are tossed outside to become mulch. Destroying things is easy; she's never been great at growing.

Anyways she's going to wait until Mayoi gets to the bottom of the stairs and is out of the way so that she can just jump straight down and try not to break any ankles sticking the landing ]

Ah, I grow my own tea back home. My ...M-My palette is delicate, and so it suits me better to cater what I can drink and eat myself. It has been challenging here but--

[He was prepared to ramble about his plans of a tea garden, and how he was thinking of setting up a small indoor greenroom in the crawl space for his plants. Things in the works since it seems like they are all here for the long haul.]

HIIIIEEE!!

[Did you just jUMP DOWN FROM THE ATTIC!?]

A-Ala-san!?

[ It's a good thing she's already jumped by the time he yells out, or she might've faltered. Instead, she looks to the ground and takes care to let her knees bend, so that when she lands it with a puff of smoke that might've been typical of a dusty old house, except this house is lived in and the smoke is pitch black.

She waves it away from her, dusting off her skirt. ]

What sorta stuff do you like to eat and drink? I'm not real picky— I like trying new things! Have you ever had a tomato before? Those things are wild.

[Oh. How ...how interesting. Also he hovers anxiously for a moment to make sure she is fine before he settles somewhat.]

Ah-

[...tomato...]

...I like grapes. I have not ...seen grapes at all here, actually so it's really very sad. Ah, I have had tomatoes before, though they can be in very rich dishes. I believe that Hiiro-san is a fan of them because of the ketchup that goes in omurice...

Ooh... I've tasted ketchup before!

[ It's a very strong flavor and she enjoyed the experience, but you can't drink a cup of ketchup the same way you can tomato juice, it's just not the same. ]

I wonder if Dimos found any grapes for his garden... [ Dimos. She hasn't seen him, for as much as she searched for him as she did all the other people she wanted to assure to herself that they were alright. Maybe the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach is the same as what other people felt when they couldn't find her. Maybe it's selfish to think so. ]

...I'm real glad you're here, though! My arms would've been real sore if you weren't!

It's very sharp, isn't it...? N-Not ...not something I've had much until- ah. More recently...

[When he started coming out into the light more. He will lead them both to the kitchen where he will pull out a chair for Ala and then get to work setting up the tea pot.]

I have been meaning to speak with Dimos-san, too, for that reason ...ah. I've been terribly occupied of late. A friend came down with a terrible cold, and I've been tending to him.

[He smiles very warmly at her.]

Yes ...I am glad, too, so that I could pull you inside once more.

[ Yessss, okay, she's going to take the chair and lean back and try to balance on the back two legs; sitting still is not her strongest suit ]

Oh... Do you have a fireplace in here? Fires are great for colds! And for burning stuff in, and for dancing around.

[ Fires are nice and cozy, she likes them. ]

Is your friend okay now?

[It's a good thing he is not looking as she does that and is instead very focused on their tea! He would fuss. He is going to fuss. What if you fell and bonked your head, Ala-san???]

Ah, we do! We try to keep it lit at night... would you like to have your tea in the room with the fire place?

[So they might burn and dance, if she likes.]

Yes! Fufufu, Tatsumi-san has made a full recovery, I thiiink~ I am very relieved, Ala-saaaan.

[ Have some faith in her skull, she'll be fine ]

Yeah! With the fire place!

[ She leans forward, letting the chair fall on all fours with a thunk so she can hop off it and meet Mayoi at the counter, chinhanding so she can watch him prepare the—-

oh. ]

Did I wake you up?

[ Like. It's something she probably should have asked a while back, but. ]

[That is easy to do! They even probably have the little special metal kettle hook made to heat the kettle in the fire place directly. Mayoi gathers up all the tea wares so they can head into the living room.]

Ah, yes, b-but it is of no concern. I am the sort of person who relishes the night, and so I am not very good at being a morning person.

[He gives an exasperated smile.]

Unfortunately ...most everyone in this house is the opposite, so I take my naps often throughout the day.

Edited 2023-01-18 09:30 (UTC)

Mm, you're just like Shuuya.

[ Not by choice, but... still. ]

I'm usually up at nighttime too! If you ever get lonely and want somebody to hang out with when everybody is asleep, you can come play with me!

Inbox

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2 ala no

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject