Saturday multipup -- rainy day

[ostro_goth]

In this pocket of Millitime, there is a spot of insistent rain around this Saturday afternoon.

• Teja is watching from the eaves of the forge as Egil is out playing in the rain, wearing wellie boots and a little sou'wester, chasing fallen petals in the puddles, and carrying insects to safety. All three cats are lined up by the forge-fire, secretly of the opinion that their little human has completely lost his mind.
• Father Harman is walking through the woods towards the little church, wearing sensible shoes and carrying an umbrella.
• Dr. Hannibal Lecter is in the herb garden, moving potted plants in and out of the rainfall according to some system only known to himself.
• Ragnar Lothbrok is fishing. Rain is a good weather for that. Fish bite better then.
• Dorian Gray is walking through the woods, barefoot and in shirtsleeves, enjoying the rain just because.
• Alex Vause is sitting by an open window, reading a book and listening to the rainfall.

Comments

taking advantage of some millitime~

[electro_kinetic]

Noriko is enjoying the rain as well, and though she's not actively moving plants herself she is watching Hannibal move them, hands in the pockets of her baby-pink dress; her shorn hair (now chin-length, still blue) is braided back to imitate a deep sidecut.

"Don't all the plants need water?"

[cook_the_rude]

"Some more, some less," Hannibal says. "Mint will dry up from an amount of water where thyme would drown."

[electro_kinetic]

"I'll...keep that in mind if I ever grow herbs. I just have trees in my room," she says. "Bonsai ones, even if they're big."

She has five of them; cherry, chinese elm, and japanese pine. "I don't know how to feel talking to you now, you know."

[cook_the_rude]

"What changed for you?" Hannibal asks.

[electro_kinetic]

"I saw you kill someone, and then cook me dinner as if nothing had happened." At least she's honest.

"I don't know how to feel about that."

[cook_the_rude]

"Don't bother with what you should feel," Hannibal says, "simply stick with how you do feel. It makes no difference? Fine. You find me scarier now? Fine, too."

[electro_kinetic]

"I don't find you scarier," she says, shaking her head thoughtfully. "I know how to kill people myself--I've done it before. I've just never been able to do anything else right after."

She shrugs.

[cook_the_rude]

"That ability helps with the process," Hannibal says.

[electro_kinetic]

She shifts her feet, brows mildly drawn together.

"This changes something between us," Noriko says. "Not because I'm going to stop associating with you or anything, or stopping being friends with you. But because something feels different. I don't know what it is. Alana said something about you having bound me to you by cooking me dinner," she sighs.

"I don't like the idea that she might be right."

[cook_the_rude]

"You talked to Alana about this?" Hannibal asks.

[electro_kinetic]

"Not that it got me much of anywhere, but yes," she says with a sigh. "It was a short talk."

[cook_the_rude]

"Oh dear," he says. "What did she say?"

[electro_kinetic]

"That in good conscience she couldn't really give me advice, as she was biased in her opinions," Noriko says in reply, lifting her shoulders and letting the rain patter on her bare skin.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi is finally let of out the infirmary. He walks slowly down to the forge in search of Teja. The rain reminds him of Eadu and Galen. Fortunately the rain is heavy enough his tears are hidden by it.

[ostro_goth]

Egill comes running towards him through the puddles, and courteously hands him the delicate skeleton of a Chinese lantern flower left over from last autumn.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi lowers himself to one knee, ignoring the water to accept the gift. "Thank you." He says very softly to the sweet little boy.

Myrrh, hiding inside Bodhi's jacket, sticks her head out and mews at Egil.

[ostro_goth]

"Myrrh!" Egil declares, reaching out to pet her ears. "Your new human is better!"

He beams at Bodhi.

"Pyrrha says that flower is bright and beautiful in autumn, and then in winter, it dies and in spring, it shows you its lovely bones and you can discover its real treasure -- in there!"

He points at the shiny seed in the middle of the intricate lattice structure.

"Teja calls them the Death-And-Rebirth flowers."

[imthepilot]

He ducks his head, giving Egil room to pet Myrrh. "She's been kind to me."

He examines the flower, concerned by the connection. "Myrrh told you. That I was-" He nearly said sick but that wasn't strictly true.

[ostro_goth]

Egill keeps petting her. "I said hello to her," he says, "when you were poorly, and we came to the infirmary with the silly dog who had climbed a tree chasing Count. You were asleep, and she was with you, and then the man with the pink nose-beard came and Guppy got angry and Teja said if we catch that dog again we are taking him to Gotland with us because he needs to learn how to dog."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi hasn't had much experience with child logic. Not since his sisters were little. But he doesn't follow at all. "What is a dog?"

He hugs himself and Myrrh. "I think Teja is taking me to Gotland to learn how to man."

[ostro_goth]

"A dog is like a cat, only it barks -- woof, woof -- and can't climb trees and hunts foxes which is why I must always be careful about them, my mama says," Egill cheerfully tells him. "And Teja is taking you to Gotland to eat real food and drink good ale and laugh at kids, so if that is being a man then yes that's it."

He beams at Bodhi -- brilliant, isn't it?

[imthepilot]

"I think I've forgotten how." He admits softly, letting Myrrh settle back down to get out of the rain.

[ostro_goth]

"You need a hat!" Egill declares, taking off his own little sou'wester and putting it on Bodhi's head, where it perches forlornly. "Come to the forge and get warm. Cats don't like water, and they think I am silly anyway."

[imthepilot]

He shakes his head and returns the hat. "I like the rain. It reminds me, of someone I loved."

But he follows Egil back towards the forge. For Myrrh's sake.

[ostro_goth]

Egil pushes down the hat and turns his head to look up at Bodhi while they walk. "Why don't you love them any more?"