[People to See/Things to do]

[bloodyashes]

Date: The afternoon of the 8th; the evening of the 9th; throughout the day of the 11th
Location: Apartment 608 x2 combo; various shops and streets throughout Exsilium
Characters: Asch, Kido, and Elliot; two redheads and a colonel; and then, finally, Asch and whoever decides to hassle him.
Summary: An evening of cooking and recipe exchanges, as promised, plus maybe some roommate interference; Jade actually explains something; and then one redhead out on the town, celebrating being alive... sort of. You know, in the most tsunnish way possible.
Warnings: Talk of death possible in the open prompt, and certain in the second one.

Closed to Kido and Elliot -

[The kitchen is as clean as he can make it in an hour or two - really, Asch should have made Elliot learn to mop, but that's a lesson in self-sufficiency for another day. For right now, it's good enough for having a guest over, especially one who knows how inadequate Elliot is when it comes to housekeeping. Maybe the idiot will stick around long enough to learn a thing or two about cooking.

When he goes to open the door, his sleeves are uncharacteristically pushed up past his elbows, revealing a couple of scars across the back of his right hand and forearm. He's also very nearly smiling.]

Come on in.

[No standing on ceremony here; he doesn't wait for a reply before heading back towards the kitchen, although he does stop long enough to glance at the kitten curled up on the couch, fast asleep.]

Closed to Jade and Luke -

[He'd been expecting Jade to come calling after that encounter in the streets, and on some level Asch was waiting for it. He's still not exactly ready to answer the door when it's knocked on, with a bit of flour on his shirt and the kitchen still only half-cleaned up. His hair is pulled back with one of the elastic hairbands he'd picked up in the town, although a few strands of his bangs are falling into his face when he opens the door. His slightly frazzled expression becomes more serious when he sees the man standing in front of his door, and Asch winds up leaving a few streaks of flour across his forehead as he pushes his hair back in an attempt to make himself a little more presentable.]

Jade. It's about time. Mind the cat.

[The aforementioned ball of white fluff peeks around from behind Asch's ankle, looking curiously up at Jade with two differently colored eyes. Asch nudges her away from the door with one heel before stepping back to let Jade inside, gesturing towards the standard set-up of couch and chairs in the living room.]

I'll make some tea, if you can give me a few minutes.

[A pause, as he turns back to the kitchen.]

...If you want to bring Luke over, just bang on the wall. I already told him what I know.

[That the fonons of his body were leaving for his replica's - Asch's words aren't entirely free of resentment, but he manages to hide it by focusing on clearing enough space on the stove for a kettle. The kitten follows him there, winding around his ankles as he slides a few cookies off a cooling rack into a plastic container.]

Open -

[Someone got their obligations done early this morning, and seems to have taken a day on the town - Asch can be found poking through any number of the smaller shops today, but it seems like whatever he's looking for, he's not having much luck finding it. His search seems to be mostly through the more expensive jewelry in the antiques stores; it's the more old-fashioned gold that catches his eye, not the brightly colored plastics, although none of it seems to catch his attention longer than a few moments, anyway.

Later, he can be found inside a small bakery, looking over an assortment of cakes, pies, and other sweet things. For the most part, he seems to be making faces at them, apparently finding them all too sweet for his liking. Eventually, he points out a fruit tart, and once the baker has put it in a nice little box for him, he steps back out into the rain, settling down to one of the smaller cafe tables under a cover nearby to eat. There's a second chair there that he doesn't seem to be paying any attention to...

Finally, later in the evening, he's slipping around the back alleys of the city, a bit farther out from the Hold. For the most part, he ignores the buildings that are obviously occupied; instead, his attention is on the ones that don't have anyone living in them, most of which are in sore need of fixing up. He passes, and then comes back to, what seems to have been a restaurant of some kind in years past - the windows are broken through, however, and even from the outside the damage of a large fire is obvious. Asch doesn't look like he particularly cares, though - when he can't yank the boards from the door easily, he goes in through one of the windows instead, his boots crunching on broken glass.]

Comments

[concealingeyes]

[Likewise, even though Kido wears her usual hoodie, she has an apron tucked under her arm, sleeves already rolled up. In a weird way, this is kind of business, just a relaxing sort. She does, however, pause to look at the cat. She remembers it from Elliot's video.

She glances at Asch, before leaning down to look at it. She really wants to pet it but...that might look dumb.]

...Do you guys look after him together or is it mostly you?

[It's hard to imagine Elliot taking care of something.]

we'll drag Elliot in later

[bloodyashes]

..She's kind of both of ours, I suppose.

[Not that it'll stop him from blaming the cat on Elliot. The blond was the one who brought the creature home, after all.]

In the end, I wind up doing most of the cleaning either way.

[Which includes kitty litter.]

[concealingeyes]

[Kido smiles a little, reaching out to scratch the cat's head. Softly, hoping Asch doesn't hear.] So you're a girl, huh? Sorry... I know how that feels...

[Then she clears her throat and straightens up.] I heard pets can teach irresponsible people how to manage things. Maybe it doesn't work after all.

[bloodyashes]

[He hears - his hearing has always been good, Lorelei is probably to blame - but he lets it pass without comment as he heads into the kitchen.]

I don't think he's irresponsible. He just has no concept of what being responsible for himself actually means.

[Spoiled nobles tend to be like that. All talk about the bigger issues, but barely able to tie their own shoes without someone to show them how.]

It's an unfortunate symptom of his upbringing.

[concealingeyes]

[Kido follows him, tying her hair up as she does.]

Yeah, I noticed there's a bunch of rich people around here. Kind of weird... At least Elliot is with you but I don't know how some of the other ones I've met are doing.

[clinical]

[At those last words, Jade doesn't let him say, "I wish you hadn't." It was already enough to correct the misconceptions of one. It would be tedious to amend the rest.]

[Jade takes a seat and clasps his hands on the table before him. The flour, the cat, the cooking materials are detailes filed quietly away for later processing, acknowledgement. There is none of that neither.]

If you're agreeable to it, I'd like to bring him in now.

[If that is not the correct course, it is still the only one. Jade cannot explain this to that face twice.]

now with bonus mindlink

[bloodyashes]

[...Well, if Jade's being that serious, then it's probably better to get Luke directly, rather than hassling with the building and/or his roommates.

So, fon call it is.]

/Hey, get your ass over here. Jade has something he wants to talk about./

[There's no apparent outward change; Asch slides the cookie pan back where it belongs while bringing the water up to boil, and brings a few cookies over to where Jade is sitting before plopping onto the couch. The cat follows him over and starts sniffing at Jade's boots, before jumping onto the armrest next to the man.]

He should be here soon.

sorry about the delay, had a lot of shit to do today apparently

[chosenfake]

[Luke doesn't usually take fon calls when he's napping, but a sharp pain jerks him right out of a vague, summer-tinted dream about the manor and right back into reality. He bolts upward on the couch and immediately regrets it, overcome with dizziness and everything else.]

Asch? What's...

[Ow. Fuck ow. Okay, something about Jade? He runs his hands through his hair to try and flatten it some, then hurriedly slips on his coat and goes next door. Due to the difficulties of a recent addition to his apartment, Luke has grown accustomed to slipping into Asch's so that he can use the facilities. It's unlocked for that reason. Unless Asch wants to deal with a shark-toothed alien and all.

Luke shuts the door behind him, expression tentative and worried.]

What's going on?

nonsense your tag is PERFECTLY TIMED for just as I got to my Jadetags <3

[clinical]

[Jade stay silent ignoring both Asch and the cat. Not deliberately or consciously; simply because he can neither completely shut down nor fully process the situation. It is one thing to discuss theory with Dist and resolve that a friend will be lost forever. It is an entirely different thing to say this to Asch and Luke, surviving past their deaths.]

Luke. If you have a moment, I'd like to discuss a technical matter relevant to both you and Asch.

[arcanepower]

[Being no stranger to skulking around unsavory places, Belthazar hardly seems bothered by the dilapidated parts of this neighborhood. If there's anything weird slinking around, he's always quick to dispatch it as part of his training. Today, however, he catches a glimpse of scarlet around a corner. Curious, he tiptoes after, and spies some human teenager breaking into an old building.

He circles around until he finds where Asch disappeared into. After a moment of consideration, long ears twitching, he noiselessly slips through the window, and lands lightly against the wall.]

[bloodyashes]

[Asch doesn't seem to care if he's being followed or not; certainly he's not doing anything suspicious, beyond the fact that he's in the building in the first place. By the time company arrives, he's moved deeper into the large room - the blackened, metal outlines of furniture indicate that this was once one of the restaurant's dining rooms.

Seeing the notion out of the corner of his eye, he turns slightly, giving Belthazar an obvious once-over. Skinny kid, funny looking clothes; probably another Transport, but nobody he knows.]

And you are?

[arcanepower]

[Belthazar isn't expecting the guy to be so observant. He considers fleeing through a portal, but decides against it. There's no reason why he should run-- he's not in any danger. Yet. And he can handle himself. And there's really no reason, except for his innate fear of social contact.

He steps away from the wall, crossing his arms.]

I saw you sneaking in here. What are you doing?

[One of those kids who doesn't like to answer questions, apparently.]

[bloodyashes]

[It's pretty much his job to be observant. An unobservant assassin gets caught, and getting caught doesn't end well. Asch gives the kid another good look over before deciding he isn't going to be a threat, turning away to resume his inspection of the building.]

Looking for a new place to live.

[jailbreaks]

[The sweet shop is exactly where Yuri is, getting his daily dose of sugar. Healthy, no not really; delicious, oh hell yes. With a strawberry crepe in hand, he takes a bite of it, his other hand holding the rope that connects to his sheathed sword as it swings back and forth as he moves.

And because it's raining and he doesn't exactly want to get his prized dessert soggy, he goes and sits under the umbrella not really paying attention to the fact that someone's sitting at the table already. If they have company, he figures they can up and tell him to leave.]

[bloodyashes]

[The redhead does look up, at the addition of a second treat-bearing swordsman to his table. Not anyone he knows, but then again, Asch hasn't exactly made an effort to meet new people. His eyes fall on the crepe in the man's hand instead.]

Any good? I've had bad experiences with bakery crepes before, so I didn't want to risk it.

[Soggy crepes are the worst, and rain aside, fresh fruit tends to make the breading fall apart. Hence the fruit tart in front of Asch - the pielike crust might require a fork to break apart, but it's not going to fall apart all over his fingers, either.]

[jailbreaks]

[To Yuri, there are only two categories of food: edible and not edible. And with deserts, the two categories are: the most delicious thing ever and not edible. So when he's questioned, he has to wonder just what kind of sabotage the baker did to crepes to make it a bad experience for the other person.]

I can't complain about it, if that's what you're asking.

[Which in Yuri terms means it's pretty good. And now taking another bite as if to subconsciously prove his point that it's good.]

[bloodyashes]

[Luckily, Asch is pretty fluent in Yuri-speak, despite never having met the man. It's pretty close to Asch-speak, after all.]

I'll give them a try sometime, then.

[Or make his own, probably - this is the first time he's eaten out in the two months he's been here.]

aaand I'm late to the party

[designatedhealer]

[Asch isn't the only one out looking at jewelry that day; one bluenette is also out and about, though she doesn't have any real goal in mind as she looks around. Some of the older pieces of jewelry are eye-catching, though - they remind her very much of the circlets and armlets and bracelets and gauntlets of Weyard. Somehow, it's a very welcome reminder of home.

She sidesteps someone by the counter as she makes her way towards a necklace on display, then looks up as she very nearly walks into a redhead. Recognizing him from the festival not long after her arrival, she shoots him a smile.]

Oh! Excuse me. I wasn't watching where I was going.

[bloodyashes]

[And another person apologizing - good thing he's in a good enough mood that one ill-timed apology can't spoil it, hmm? Asch is looking at a couple of hairpieces, but glances up when he hears the voice addressing him.]

Ah, it's you again.

[Hey, look, he's not really that grumpy about it.]

[designatedhealer]

[Even if he had been very grumpy, Mia's sure she could have handled it. She could handle Garet on an empty stomach, after all. How much worse could Asch possibly be?

...don't answer that.]

Yes! Hello. Have you been doing well since the festival?

[bloodyashes]

Well enough.

[His tone would probably be worse if she asked at any other time. Asch picks up a single fancy comb and turns it over, making a disappointed face.]

Do they have anything in here that isn't floral...

C

[atailoftwoworlds]

[And here a really short kid with a tail who comes out and stares at all the rain after boxing a couple of meringue tarts to take home to Dagger. He hasn't taken notice of Asch yet but he just frowns at the chairs and tables outside.] Geez, why would anyone want to have seating outdoors in a place like this?

[bloodyashes]

[Are you talking to the redhead or yourself, Zidane? Because clearly, someone likes the open air, as damp as it is.]

Not everyone likes being cooped up inside, I suppose.

[atailoftwoworlds]

Huh? [He then notices you. Wow, you look grumpy.

Still, he shrugs.] Oh, well. Whatever works for you, I guess. I wouldn't mind it if it were a little brighter myself. [Not that it'll happen anytime soon]

[bloodyashes]

No point in wishing for the impossible.

[Pardon the pause while he picks a strawberry off the top of his tart and eats it.]

They're making do with the best they have.