milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Time in Milliways is weird.

It is perhaps because of this that the Momiji poking his head into the bar door, tonight, is significantly younger than the one that's up in his room in the Bar, at the moment. This one looks perhaps early elementary school age, though, apparently, the rabbit-boy's tendency to act younger than he ought to cuts across age limits, as he has one thumb jammed firmly in his mouth and a bunny doll dangling in the crook of one arm.

He looks utterly confused. He knew the Sohma house was big, but no one had ever mentioned this part of it to him! None of these people looked like family members, anyway. Weird.

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Look at that. Momiji got shorter.

Mia walks over to him, kind as always.

"Momiji?"

Curiouser and curiouser.

But, if they're not family members, how do they know his name?

"...Yes?"

The boy backs up a step, eyes going wider.

Fortunately, Mia has dealt with this Milliways weirdness before.

"I'm sorry," she says, crouching lower but not getting any closer. "I'm Mia, a friend of the Sohma family. I've heard about you from your relatives."

Which is a half-truth. Kyo doesn't tend to talk about his cousins, except to rant about Yuki.

"You've never been here before, have you? Did you get lost?"

Good thing she radiates such kindness.

"Oh."

This draws a weak smile from the blonde boy, though he still clings to his rabbit protectively.

"Uh-huh. I was going to the kitchen."

He swivels his head around, as is assuring himself that this is, in fact, not the kitchen.

"Well, there's a kitchen here, and you can get pretty much anything you want."

She knows what it's like to be very young and shy, so she's trying to act the most like she wanted people to act around her when she was like that.

"Okay..."

Momiji nods, casting a curious searching gaze around the place. None of this looks like a kitchen. Maybe a bunch of dining rooms slammed together, but not a kitchen.

"Where is it?"

"I can show you," she says, standing up straight and holding out a hand for him.

An older Momiji would've grabbed her hand immediately and bounced off with her to find this all encompassing kitchen.

This one just stares at it for a moment and takes a step forward, in order to indicate that he plans to follow, his free hand immediately popping its thumb back into his mouth, after a moment, almost as if trying to avoid looking rude by not taking Mia's.

Mia's fine with that. Strangers are scary sometimes, even if they do know the family.

She leads him to the kitchen and asks, "What would you like?"

"Milk?"

He manages what looks like a smile around his thumb, as he looks up at Mia.

"...And a cookie?"

Some things are just constant.

Mia gets a smile on her face.

"Maybe we should make the cookies," she suggests, getting him his milk now.

That suggestion actually draws his thumb out of his mouth for a second, Momiji looking a little confused but otherwise hopeful.

That sounds fun.

"...Can we? We won't get in trouble?"

He's only ever seen the servants cook things, at the Sohma house.

She learned how to cook from watching the servants, but mostly from lessons from her mother.

It's probably a good thing that she hasn't mentioned it yet.

"Of course we won't. That's what kitchens are for."

She's already getting a mixing bowl and big wooden spoon out.

"What kind of cookies do you want?"

"Okay."

He nods, almost brightly, before putting a finger to his lips and pondering for a moment.

"Chocolate chip?"

He's already starting to look like his older self.

"That does sound good," Mia says, getting out some flour and sugar.

"So, how old are you?"

She's fallen in this trap before. She wants to make sure this time.

This time, though, the gap between appearance and reality aren't quite as dramatic, since he holds up five fingers.

"Five!"

She smiles bright.

"Getting ready for school, then?"

"...Maybe."

He doesn't really know. He knows that a few of the other Zodiac kids go to a private school, but...he doesn't know what sort of process they go through to get there.

"I don't know, kinda."

"Well, that's all right," Mia says, warm and smiling.

She figures his parents know, which will work out.

"What do you do for fun, then?" she asks, measuring the dry ingredients.

She has to remind herself not to bring up that he suggested they play in the rain. That Momiji was older than this Momiji.

"...Stuff. Sometimes other kids come over, and we play outside, but...I dunno what there is to do, yet. I just moved in."

And the main Sohma house is very different from his parents'. There's so much more space and so many more people. And he barely knows anyone, except the other Zodiac members.

"Oh, you just moved? That must be exciting."

Not necessarily good, as she knows herself, but undeniably exciting.

"Kinda."

This is an...unenthusiastic response, to say the least, especially for Momiji, and the boy seems to know it, as he stands there, staring at his feet and scuffing the floor with them.

"...Don't like it there."

"You don't? Well, how long have you been there? And could you hold this for me?"

The last question comes with a measuring cup, which she plans to pour the chocolate chips in.

"Uhm...since before last month."

It isn't a very exact date, but he's distracted by the measuring cup, which he's eager to hold, at the least. He's baking, and that's neat.

"Okay!"

"Well, it could take some time for it to grow on you. But now you have this place to get used to as well."

She pours the chocolate chips in the cup and asks, "Do you think that's enough?"

He's so cute when he's helping. And with him so young with blonde hair, it's almost like.....

Well, she probably shouldn't think of that now since it will be a few years away...