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+---- Thread: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather (/showthread.php?tid=10603)
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
Unaware just how at home Flora has made herself, by the time the Doubletake returns from answering the door Niki is examining the cushion beneath his head and the blanket covering his body, and has just picked up the discarded book about metalworking as if wondering if he'd done all of this by himself. Blinking up at her - he doesn't remember when anyone has ever called him babe, let alone with such frequency - Niki furrows his brow and considers his response.
[say]"I feel as if I am missing quite an important part of my afternoon,"[/say] he says slowly. [say]"Did... we did not go to get coffee, did we?"[/say] he asks, given that this is the last thing he actually remembers; that and collecting the small box for Flora to set her bracelet into, but that had gone tumbling across the hall when he'd passed out, unbeknownst to him.
At the mention of soup - confirming his suspicions - he glances towards the kitchen, wincing his apology. [say]"Yes, I was intending to get to the village today for supplies when I ran into you,"[/say] he confesses, pulling back the blanket. [say]"Apologies for inconveniencing you, Flora. I will be alright now."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora watches with no small amount of amusement as Niki slowly pieces together the situation, his brow furrowing in that sleepy, post-fever haze that makes her want to ruffle her hands through his hair again. She waits, giving him a moment to catch up, before finally grinning and shaking her head. [say]"Nope. No coffee,"[/say] she confirms, rocking back on her heels. [say]"You made it about five steps before hitting the floor."[/say]
As he glances toward the kitchen, his wince of realization is enough to make her smirk widen. [say]"Ah, so that’s why your cabinets were looking a little bare,"[/say] she muses, arms still folded as she leans comfortably against the wall. But at his next words—his quiet, polite apology—Flora's grin shifts into something more incredulous, one brow arching sharply.
[say]"Are you kicking me out?"[/say] she asks, her voice teasingly incredulous. [say]"Because that would be a hell of a thank-you after I tucked you in and made you soup."[/say] She tsks, shaking her head in mock offence before pushing off of the wall to reach for her jacket, still tossed over the couch where she'd put it earlier. [say]"And read to you."[/say] Flora adds over her shoulder.
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
[say]"Ah,"[/say] says Niki, scrunching his nose down the hall where he'd been walking before his world had quite literally turned upside down, and then very dark. [say]"How embarrassing. Thank you for... uh..."[/say] He gestures pretty much to everything around them; the fact that he'd been able to slip into an actual restful slumber, the way his bad leg hasn't seized up on him too badly, the warmth from the blanket she'd thrown over him. [say]"It was very kind of you to do."[/say]
Nodding absently at her remarks about the state of his kitchen and his lack of ingredients, Niki is about to reach for his cane to lever himself to his feet when Flora's tone, teasing or not, turns incredulous enough for his eyes to widen, a flush of near shame colouring his cheeks. [say]"No-- I mean, of course I am not,"[/say] he tells her, the words thicker in his accent as he stumbles groggily over the words. [say]"I just meant that I had probably taken up enough of your day. You can... you... read to me?"[/say]
Still pink cheeked, and not from the fever any longer, he nevertheless raises an eyebrow down at the book. [say]"About metalwork?"[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora watches the way Niki's sleepy brain scrambles to correct itself, the thickening of his accent as he stumbles over his words impossibly endearing even if he was trying to kick her out. Exhaling dramatically, Flora lifts a shoulder in a lazy shrug. [say]"I can go if you want some alone time,"[/say] she allows, her tone still teasing but tinged with an offer she hoped he could pick up on, something that said she wouldn’t be offended if he actually did need the space.
Raising her brows, the queen nods toward the book near him. [say]"Yeah, I did,"[/say] she confirms, lips quirking into something fond. [say]"When I was little and got sick, my nonna would always read to me,"[/say] she explains, brushing a loose curl from her face. [say]"Even when I was too fevered to actually remember her doing it, I'd swear it still helped."[/say] Her aqua eyes flick to his, watching his reaction as she adds, [say]"Figured it couldn’t hurt to try."[/say]
Pausing before reaching her coat, Flora turns. [say]"And it was actually sort of interesting. Gave me some ideas for ways I could improve the feather daggers I use."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
[say]"I..."[/say] Rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his free hand, Niki takes a slow breath in and sighs it out, as if to give the cogs of his mind a chance to stop locking up with rust and to turn again, albeit slowly. [say]"At least stay to enjoy some of the soup you made for me,"[/say] he says at last, a self-deprecating smile curling at his lips. [say]"Even if you likely only had perhaps three ingredients to use."[/say]
Shifting awkwardly to get his good leg beneath him and using his cane to help push himself to his feet, Niki at least isn't overcome by dizziness this time, even if his nap on the floor makes him look impossibly ruffled and somehow even more gaunt, his clothes wrinkled, his cheeks still a bit pink. [say]"Well, I did not have any strange dreams, and apparently I did not get up and walk around either So it must have worked. I am glad you found it useful as well."[/say]
Itching to ask about those feather daggers but not trusting himself to properly retain any of the information, Niki leans on his crutch and gestures towards the kitchen. [say]"I do have coffee here, if you do not mind the instant sort,"[/say] he offers.
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora’s lips quirk, watching as Niki rubs at his eyes, clearly still trying to get his mind to cooperate with his body. At his offer, she lifts a brow, feigning consideration before grinning. [say]"Fine, but only because I worked so hard with my three ingredients,"[/say] she teases, rolling her eyes.
As he shifts to his feet, she keeps a wary eye on him—not hovering, but definitely watching. He looks worse standing than he did sleeping if that was even possible. [say]"Babe, you wouldn’t know if you did,"[/say] she points out with a smirk, of his having not sleepwalked. [say]"Or if you said anything interesting in your sleep. You might have confessed all your deepest darkest secrets."[/say]
Letting that hang ominously between them, Flora ditches her coat and heads toward the kitchen, giving the soup a lazy stir before turning to face him. [say]"I’ll stick with soup,"[/say] she decides, waving off the offer of coffee. [say]"Oh hey—"[/say] She tilts her head, a slow, mischievous grin creeping onto her lips. [say]"You wanna see a magic trick?"[/say]
And without waiting for a response—because, really, when had she ever—Flora reaches out, fingertips brushing lightly against Niki's wrist, the warmth of her touch a perfect excuse to activate the magic woven into her fae ring
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
[say]"I am sure your three-item soup will be perfect,"[/say] Niki informs her with an air of reassurance that doesn't confirm what sort of perfect it might be. Perfectly passable? Perfectly edible? Perfectly as expected? And whether he notices her watching him (newsflash, he absolutely does) or not, he chooses not to remark on it as he takes a moment to straighten up properly and stretch his back, which lets out a delicious crackle - and momentarily makes him taller than the Doubletake - before he's leaning back against the cane.
Following her back into his own kitchen - which, strange, but Flora has been alone (for all intents and purposes) in his house for some time already, evidently - Niki scoffs out an excuse for a laugh and shakes his head confidently to her. [say]"If I had confessed anything like that, you would not have still been here when I awoke,"[/say] he assures her; his secrets are very dark and deep, apparently.
Nodding as she opts not to have any coffee, Niki does no such thing, and he's pottering about with a kettle full of water when she approaches with her magic trick. [say]"That depends on what sort of a trick--"[/say] It is, he means to say, but by then her fingers are brushing across his wrist and flushing him with magic that leaves his mind feeling clearer and his body free of pain - as free from it as it gets for the necromancer, anyway.
[say]"Oh,"[/say] he says, blinking down at her hand on his wrist. [say]"I... did not realise you were also Abandoned. Thank you."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora just grins, bouncing her brows suggestively in response to Niki’s absolute confidence that he hadn’t confessed anything worth scandalizing her over. [say]"Mmm, if you say so,"[/say] she sings, before turning back to the soup with a satisfied hum.
At his surprised reaction to the healing, the queen lets out a sheepish little chuckle, pulling her hand back and wiggling her fingers in front of him. [say]"I’m not Abandoned,"[/say] she corrects lightly, flashing a lopsided grin. [say]"That’s why I called it a magic trick and not just magic."[/say] Tilting her hand, she holds it up for his inspection, allowing him to take in the many rings stacked along her fingers.
One, though, stands out among the rest—clearly fae-crafted, intricate and delicate in a way that doesn’t quite match the sleek, modern design of her usual jewelry. Maybe it was even Niki who had made it, for all she knows. [say] "One of the fae gave it to me,"[/say] she explains. [say]"While Jack and I were stuck in the Sidhe, healing up after our little brush with death. They, uh… hated having him there. so they gave me this to hasten the process."[/say] Which seemed to be fae for get him the hell out.
Pulling her hand back, the Doubletake smiles apologetically. [say]"I honestly forgot all about it until just now, or I'd have used it on you sooner. My bad."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
Niki does say so, and he also has no intention of saying why, especially given that he has just convinced Flora that he isn't trying to throw her out of his house. Putting the kettle on for the water to boil and turning to inspect her fingers as she wiggles them in his direction, of course his keen eyes are able to pick out the one that obviously screams The Greatwood, his head cocking to the side. [say]"Oh, a healing item,"[/say] he says, understanding blooming in his voice.
[say]"That is very clever. And useful, I imagine. Jack is the person you wanted the bracelet for...?"[/say] He assumes it based on their conversations, but it's the first time he can recall her using his name. [say]"No need to apologise though - I would never have expected you to use any item on my behalf. But I do mean it - thank you. I feel much better."[/say] The words are as mild and polite as ever, but the proof is in the ease with which the necromancer moves, the healthier colour in his cheeks and the steadiness of his hands as he gets a mug down from an overhead cupboard.
While the water boils, he also gets two bowls and a couple of spoons out for her - for the soup, of course. [say]"I may have attacked it with a spoon one night while I was up and about,"[/say] he says with the air of someone who honestly doesn't remember, [say]"...but if I didn't, there should also be some bread."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora grins as she nods, fluttering her lashes in an exaggeratedly girlish manner. [say]"Mmhmm,"[/say] she confirms. [say]"Jack is the boyfriend in question. I didn't want to say his name just in case it summoned him,"[/say] she teases, though Jack absolutely had a knack for appearing where and when he wanted to.
Scoffing at his unnecessary modesty, Flora waves a hand dismissively. [say]"Of course I’d use it on you,"[/say] she huffs, tilting her head with an exaggerated look of duh, babes. [say]"What kind of people do you hang out with who wouldn't try and make you feel better, if they could?"[/say] Flora certainly hadn't inherited the hero gene from her family, but even she found Niki's surprise a touch strange.
As the necromancer mentions the bread, though, Flora blinks, watching him for a moment, trying to decide if he’s messing with her or not. [say] "You what?[/say]" she finally asks, staring like she’s waiting for him to either take it back or double down. When no clarification immediately comes, she shakes her head before looking through the cupboards. Sure enough, she finds a loaf; it's maybe a little stale, but nothing a bit of warm soup wouldn’t fix.
[say]"So, you spooned a loaf of bread,"[/say] she muses aloud as she tears off a piece and sets it onto a plate for him. [say]"Okay, but why? Sleepwalking again? Or just, like... unhinged midnight snack habits?"[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
Frowning gently at that, Niki can't help but tilt his head. [say]"Another ghost rule?"[/say] he inquires. [say]"Or is your boyfriend capable of teleportation?"[/say] Because listen; Flora is a queen with demigod parentage who is capable of instantaneous travel and who has already come back from the dead herself once. There is nothing that feels like a strange question when it comes to the Doubletake and the people close to her in his opinion.
As for the sorts of people he hangs around with, Niki can only pull a face similar to a grimace and gesture vaguely around at his empty kitchen: code for I don't really hang out with people, Flora, if you hadn't noticed. And, as she has likely already noticed, he isn't really great at looking after himself on the average day.
[say]"You heard me correctly,"[/say] he informs her as she sets off on her bread hunt, Niki turning to take his kettle off the heat as it begins to whistle, pouring himself a cup of black and unsweetened coffee. [say]"Though it is more accurate to say I threatened to spoon a loaf of bread, given that you managed to find it unscathed,"[/say] he points out, taking a seat with his coffee and plate and setting the bowls between them.
[say]"Sleepwalking again,"[/say] he confirms. [say]"I believe I must have awoken holding both items in my hands, and thought better of it."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora grins, leaning an elbow against the table as she nods sagely. [say]"Oh, absolutely a ghost rule,"[/say] she confirms without missing a beat. [say]"Say a smuggler’s name too many times and they’ll appear to steal your heart—metaphorically or literally, depending on their mood."[/say] She winks, clearly enjoying the ridiculousness of it all, while wondering if somewhere in Torchline, Jack's ears were burning.
[say]"Uh-huh,"[/say] she drawls, tilting her head as she inspects the loaf. [say]"Or maybe,"[/say] she counters, her grin widening, [say]"—you just cut out the damning evidence of your violent midnight outbursts when you woke up."[/say]
Joining him at the table, Flora stirred her soup with her spoon before exhaling dramatically and taking a sip, bracing herself for whatever disaster her limited culinary skills had concocted. It’s... fine. Not bad, but definitely basic. Wrinkling her nose, she sets her spoon down. [say]"Okay, I might owe you another apology,"[/say] she concedes, flashing him a sheepish look. [say]"I’m not a great cook. Like, ninety-nine percent of my meals are made for me, so... maybe just think of my healing you earlier as having been preemptive for any potential stomach aches."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Nikandr - 01-31-2025
[say]"I feel like that may be more of a thieves' rule than a ghost rule, but I concede the point, if for no other reason than because you have more experience in this arena than I do."[/say] Ghosts and dead things he feels he can hold his own about; smugglers, though? It's naturally more of an issue in Torchline than the Greatwood, he imagines, given the coastal nature of the region.
Drawn from his (nerdy) thoughts about ghosts and thieves by Flora's theories about his violent nature towards baked goods, Niki blinks and considers her point, before nodding slowly. [say]"Perhaps I did. Which, if that is the case, the rest of the bread must have been scared into hiding. Hopefully it does not spoil the taste."[/say]
As for her average soup, clearly Niki is used to basic fare if not worse, and he does not have ninety-nine percent of his meals made for him, because he can't see any problem with the taste of it. [say]"...Is there something wrong with yours?"[/say] he asks, tearing a small piece of bread from the hunk of it on his place to dip it into the bowl. [say]"This is good. Thank you for cooking for me."[/say]
RE: i want my life to look like sunflowers and leather - Flora - 01-31-2025
Flora hums in agreement, offering Niki a little finger-gun of acknowledgment. [say]"Yeah, you’re probably right."[/say] She agrees with a grin, though her concession was certainly not meant to imply that she'd completely given up the idea that the necromancer might still be a ghost.
Snickering at his solemn theory on the fate of the other half of the bread, Flora drums her fingers against the table. [say]"Well, now I’m just picturing you waking up in the middle of the night, finding the other half of the loaf cowering behind a curtain, and sleepily eating it on instinct."[/say] Tilting her head, she lets her smirk turn sly. [say]"Or, even better, you wake up in the morning and find it tucked next to you on your pillow like it’s been watching over you all night."[/say] A guardian bread.
As for the soup, Flora just shrugs, already making mental plans to send Niki an absolute boatload of spices from Torchline, because clearly, the man deserved better (even if she could already hear his protests).[say] "Nah, nothing wrong with it,"[/say] The queen takes another small sip just to prove her point. [say]"It’s just kinda... bland."[/say] She waves a spoon vaguely. [say]"But so long as it tastes okay, that's all that matters."[/say]