Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci [open]

[granularity]

Who: Sandy Hawkins (granularity) & you! )
What: a bit of research in Wyver, and a return to Olympia
When: early to mid december
Where: wilderness around Wyver, the road to Olympia, Olympia
Warning(s): none so far
Notes: hit up yarnzipan if you'd like a specific starter set up or just tag in


[ jungle around wyver| plant harvesting | open ]
[ He's done a bit of exploring around both Olympia and Wyver for interesting chemicals and plants that he might be able to use, and today he's on the search for some blissroot. After all, while he'd gotten a couple of canisters of his sleep gas loaded into his mask and his gloves, that wasn't going to last him forever. It was a good excuse to start working on a new formula. Blissroot sounded like a good start to-

What was that? ]


[ the road to olympia | open ]
[ The fact of the matter is that he could be in Olympia in a few minutes time if he wanted to. He could. Traveling through the earth was a lot faster than traveling on it. But the fact of the matter is that he's not the only one traveling. And with more than a few people making the trek, he feels the need to make it with them, look out for them, just in case. He's not sure what he's expecting, what kind of trouble: maybe reading all those books and watching all those movies and playing all those board games have just convinced him that if there's a road and travelers on it like this, bandits or beasts or something are sure to pop up. But that's silly right?

Right?

Yeah, he'll keep his gloves on just in case. ]


[ neatening up | olympia | open ]
[ When he sees the state of things in the refugee housing areas, some of his intentions go out the window. This needs working on, after all, and he's not the sort of person who sees a job without doing something about it. Of course, he wants to do it as efficiently as possible, which is why he summons up a decent mound of sand and starts using it to sweep up the debris and the garbage and the nonsense and get it into piles.

...he has to admit, he probably looks a little weird, orchestrating a small, localized sandstorm to pick up junk, but if it works? Eh.

He goes through afterwards with a set of tools and some salvaged lumber to start working on fixing doors and windows (which is where some of the sand ends up going, even if he has a bit of trial and error when it comes to fitting the panes in). If you're coming back to check on your apartment, hopefully you're smart enough to realize that the guy fixing the door is probably not the one who decided to vandalize your home. ]


[ night patrol | olympia | open ]
[ He's less of a person and more of a shadow, slipping between the buildings and the alleys, making his rounds around the worst parts of the city as he takes in the damage. It still feels weird, not having a purpose, a place he's going, a person burned into his mind by benefit of the horrific nightmares that usually haunted him, but in a way, it feels comfortable. Normal. The sort of thing he'd end up getting asked to do on a Saturday night by whoever was feeling protective of New York City that week. He's wearing his mask, so it's unlikely anyone will recognize him. Or, honestly, want to tangle with him. But they'd have to see him first. And in this case, the walls literally have eyes, so hopefully, you're behaving. ]


[ helping out | olympia | close to Linneaus]
[ As he'd promised, he makes his way to the right house with a box of tools in one hand and a couple of pieces of lumber in the other. He's hoping he won't have to do any woodworking, since he's really not the best at it, but he's confident that he'll be able to at least leave him with a functional window.

Knock knock? ]

Comments

[inaurare]

[a check of the cupboards quickly proves he has nothing - no tea, no coffee, no honey, even. Not that Linneus had had time to get much more than the bare essentials, but it looks like someone simply just swiped the shelves into a waiting receptacle to sort out later.

A slightly shy smile as he turns and closes the cupboard]

...we may need it.

[...this is poor hosting, but perhaps it can be forgiven, under the circumstances]

[granularity]

[ He takes a look at the window and then at Linneus, before glancing towards the door. ]

All right, give me a minute and I'll be right back with a few things. It'll be good for you to have something on hand anyway.

[inaurare]

[he's all set to protest - so much so that it's visible, the way he has to catch himself.]

A-- all right. That would be very kind.

[He struggles with asking for help - accepting help - when he needs it. It was already enough that he went through with putting up the video post, and more kindness than he'd anticipated to have Sand come and fix his window.

The very least he can do while the man is away is to build a fire and bring some chairs in closer. The window is still stuck (he tried in vain again to close it and barely moved it a half-inch), but at least there's some heat in the house now? He can keep himself warm righting furniture and cleaning up broken things for a little bit.]

[granularity]

[ He takes about a half an hour before he returns with bag of groceries, including a rather nice tin of tea that he'd gotten to host with that'd never actually gotten opened. Some of these things were canned goods that he'd left in his house, which no one had thought to pillage since he'd walled it up. The rest he'd brought with him from Wyver.

He knocks on the door, wincing as he realized he hadn't actually closed the window. He takes a moment to try and do that where he is as he waits for the door. ]

[inaurare]

[There's no one at the door when Linneus goes to open it - it isn't until he hears the rattle at the window that he thinks to pop his head out and crane down the side of the house.]

Oh--!

[he'd distracted the man from that particular objective, what with all of his questions. But the glass was fixed, at least, the window intact. Just... not quite functioning as it should.

He steps out, careful of the snow and ice-]

Can I help...?

[granularity]

[ Sand takes a look at the... he's honestly not sure if Linneus has specified their pronouns to him and he won't assume. Either way, they seem very nice and they clearly aren't used to cold weather, so he lets go of what he was working on and walks over with the groceries. ]

How about you put these away and I'll finish working on this while you make some tea?

[inaurare]

[It wouldn't be the first time he's been mistaken for a women...]

Oh--

[startled, but he takes the bag with care in both arms with a thankful little dip of his head]

Thank you... I'll have something ready for when you are finished. Please tell me if you need me.

[granularity]

[ Nothing assumed. He'll wait till he's told or Linneus makes it clear. He'd lived in New York his whole life, after all. But the offer makes him smile. ]

That'll be nice. Should take me too long. I'm an old hand at old mechanisms.

[ Once Linneus has the bag, he'll let himself sink partially into the wall to get into a good spot to fiddle with the mechanism. ]

[inaurare]

All right.

[another of those little dips of his head and he backs up into the house before Sand slides into the wall - just as well; despite the man's explanation, it would probably have alarmed him.

There's more in the bag than he expected, but he goes for the tea first - the tea is what he knows, and it's ready by the time Sand gets back. He has some sugar and... no milk, unfortunately, but they'll be able to make do. There's a tray being carried over to the table; mismatched cups and a teapot with a chipped lid.

It isn't the prettiest, but it all still works]

[granularity]

[ He could slip through the wall, but that strikes him as rude, as well as unhelpful to someone who's had their home invaded in one sense or another. That's why he knocks on the front door again once the job is done. ]

Hey, should be all fixed up. Mind if I come in for some of that tea?

[inaurare]

[it's a good gesture that he knocks rather than waltzes in - Linneus is quite thankful for it, but quick to open the door and show the man back inside]

Certainly, certainly, it will be almost done steeping...

[the house... might be starting to get almost cosy, now, especially with the table and chairs he's pulled up for them by the fire. Though it is still a little basic, a little spartan in terms of decor and furniture.

He doesn't sit until Sand does, reaching for the pot to pour]

Thank you for all of this...

[granularity]

You're welcome.

[ He bows his head in acceptance before leaning in to get a whiff of the tea. ]

I always oversteep. I get distracted or I forget about it. Too used to coffee.

[inaurare]

[a little smile at that, holding off briefly to let Sand smell the tea]

I think it's something one develops a sense for. Different teas need different times but three or four minutes is safe.

[he is a decent enough judge of time, but generally he has other things to occupy himself with - arranging cakes or snacks or plates on the tray. But he's brewed more than enough cups to be able to manage it in his head.]

[granularity]

So I've heard, though I always just drink the black stuff, I'll be honest.

[ This is nice, though, and he gives him a smile and a nod as he reaches over to take a sip. ]

[inaurare]

I shall have to make sure I have coffee, next time.

[he doesn't favour it himself - if he does take it, he has it quite milky and sweet. But he likes to have it by; to be prepared. It's so strange not to be prepared, and he will have to get used to his kitchen again, having been so used to the kitchen in the Teahouse as to be able to put his hands to things automatically.]

It is a poor host who cannot offer his guests a decent selection, after all...! But of course I'm not in my ideal circumstances, at the moment.

[granularity]

I actually meant black tea, but I'll never turn down coffee, to be honest.

[ No longer a necessity, thank goodness. So he can try different tastes instead of needing to keep a constant caffeine drip going. ]

And I totally understand, but a good guest understands extenuating circumstances.

[inaurare]

A misunderstanding; I apologise.

[but the smile over the rim of his cup will tell Sand that he hasn't taken it too much to heart - his instinct was right; that is reassuring]

I will remember.

[these things are always good to know, and he considers himself to have a decent enough mind for these details.]

I had a master who was very adamant that 'real men drink coffee', but I tend not to find that the case...

[granularity]

And you're absolutely right. 'Real men' drink whatever the heck they want.

[ And for the moment, he wants to drink tea. But he did catch the other part, and it makes him smile a little. Maybe he wasn't as bad at this whole 'make friends' thing as he thought. ]

'Remember'? Well, I'm glad to know you won't be sighing with relief when I head out.

[inaurare]

He was very concerned with appearances. Too much so, I think...

[but he doesn't want to sit here and talk about his old master. A shake of his head at the comment, a sip of his tea]

I have... had dealings with many individuals in my time. You are far, far from the worst of them.

[granularity]

I gave up on appearances during the years when I was a giant rock monster, pretty much.

[ He sips tea a little more. ]

I hope I can do a little better than 'far from the worst' of them. So let's get to know one another.

[inaurare]

[he will let that "giant rock monster" comment slide unquestioned. Perhaps later]

Get to know each other...?

[a little smile over his cup]

What would you like to know?

[granularity]

[ He's just going to duck his head a little. ]

I'm... I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to.

I've just been trying not to, you know, get to know people. Considering.

[ He glances over again at the question, though. ]

Um, whatever you want to talk about.

[inaurare]

I only mean that my life has been... remarkably uneventful.

[mostly.]

I was sold into service when I was five years old. I worked in the house for my master - both my masters - ever since.

[He's more than happy not-mentioning the prostitution - at best, it will raise questions he's less comfortable with answering. At worst, it could make people wish to no longer associate with him; and he does fear to put at risk these fledgling friendships with too much talk of his past.]

[granularity]

[ His eyes go a bit wide at the mention of 'sold' before he settles down, nods, and considers... well, he considers that Linneus has lived his life like that. And he's not about to go charging into his life and start bad mouthing people. Even if he has definite feelings about people being bought and sold.]

Are your... do you have anyone awake or?

[inaurare]

My...? [gently-] Family?

[it's a bit better than any other word he can think of to fill that gap, but a little shake of his head]

There is no one else waking from my world, no. I haven't dared to check who still sleeps, either.

[what good will it do? His former guests, sleeping, could take up an entire row - he shies from the idea of it. The others in the Teahouse, servants, masters, other courtesans... it would do little for him to see them there. To be waiting for them to wake.]

And if I had any family there... I don't know that I would know them, even.