likethelight | IC Contact @ Deer Country

[ !! ]

Yes! [ He sounds utterly delighted to be sharing more with him, perking up in an animated manner while he sets his tea down and reaches for two like he would for steamed dumplings-- one of which he hands to Shouto, smiling wide. Eyes bright. Tim's rejoined them after giving chase to and playing with the dragonflies, settling in next to one of the plates while radiating a sunny joy of his own.

And don't worry, while Allen knows better than to try and chaperone Shouto's shopping excursions because he's maddeningly hard to corral or convince of a bad deal, he has tried to make a bit of an end run on him by frequently bringing home new teas for him to try until the cabinet is full. Ones he got for a good deal. (And don't you think that means they're cheap!) ]

[ Allen's delight is etched clearly on his face from his vantage point. It warms him to see him like this, open and carefree, grabbing the lemon cakes with such delight it makes every single hour he spent learning how to make the batter and bake it at the right temperature worth it. ]

The one without chocolate.

[ He requests. Despite having spent weeks learning to temper chocolate, white chocolate is a bit too sweet for him. On the other hand, dark chocolate would've been a terrible combination with lemon!

He's grateful for the teas, and doesn't consider them low quality at all, and even if they were, he would've enjoyed trying all the interesting flavors he normally doesn't gravitate towards.

He waits for Allen to take a bite of the little lemon-shaped cake, gauging his reaction before following suit, taking a drink of the Earl Grey to compliment the citrus flavor. ]

[ Really? Dark chocolate with lemon sounds delightful to him. He remembers seeing gourmet chocolates he wasn't allowed to eat as a child that were dark chocolate and had bits of candied lemon peel in them (and probably limoncello). But he absolutely loves white chocolate too; far be it from Allen to discriminate against any food. Unless it has alcohol in it, but that's more a Pavlovian gag reflex.

He hands Shouto the plain one and takes a chocolate one for himself, giving him a final bright-eyed look before taking an absolutely giant bite of his own, the chocolate snapping and giving way to a burst of lemon even Allen wasn't quite expecting. He blinks, staring down at it before looking back up at Shouto in astonished delight. ]

Ah, you've really gotten so good! [ Not even including how abysmally low that bar had started back at the bake-off a year ago!! He takes another big bite, clearing almost the entire cake in two goes. ]

It's delicious. [ "Itsh d'lefshus."

No side effects in three... two... one? Oh, no. It'll take longer than that for his metabolism to get to it on an already full (for colloquial purposes) stomach. Tim, though...

Tim gleefully takes a giant toothy bite of his own, but then... stops? His mouth disappearing from his face as he regards the cake rather blankly and curiously for a moment. _{Et tu?} ]

Edited 2023-06-02 01:47 (UTC)

[ Utterly pleased by his reaction, Shouto smiles, a hint of heat coming from his left shoulder. Whether from the cake or a genuine reaction is hard to gauge, but Tim's restraint keeps him from taking another bite.

What's wrong? He sets his cup down, too anxious to notice the way the surface of the water ripples faintly from subtle vibrations originating from the ground. ]

Did you get a bad one?

[ He asks Tim, unable to help himself. ]

The lemon peels can taste bitter sometimes.

Edited 2023-06-02 02:02 (UTC)

[ Allen cocks his head slightly at Tim as well, attention snagging on the little golem as well. It's not alarming that he isn't eating, but it is a bit curious. ]

Did you have enough already, Tim? [ Just to check out Shouto's concerns, he breaks off a small piece of Tim's cake to try as well but finds it just as good as his. He hums lightly behind another "itsh gud."

Timcanpy glances between the two of them, wings wagging slightly and aware of all eyes on him, and for a moment is just very quiet. Deeply contemplative, perhaps. Not exactly conflicted. More like his small brain is processing a very big thing and it takes a moment for the thought to come around.

"..."

He pushes the cake towards Shouto then, smiling so very wide and toothily. His whole body gives a wiggle as he shimmies in place, much like a cat wiggling its behind or a dog looking to play. Allen gives a laugh. ]

Maybe he's just trying to say you should help yourself too.

Edited 2023-06-02 02:11 (UTC)

Shouto grew closer to him while brooding the eggs that lay buried with a small headstone behind the house. In those two months, he learned to gauge his moods a little better, still can't read him the way Allen can, but he knows when he's acting odd, like now. Allen's deduction at the expense of one of Tim's cakes eases some of his concern, but it's Tim's toothy smile that settles it.

Did you want to share, too?

[ Share? No. Timcanpy's smarter than both of you think. But after looking thoughtful at the offer, he rolls onto his back—wings and all—and wiggles as he kicks his little limbs around. All cheeky smiles full of teeth. The sheer audacity of invitation to rub his belly.

Allen, watching the display, smiles faintly as he finishes his first cake and reaches for a second. Looking thoughtful and warmed, his gaze resting appreciatively on Shouto's profile and how serious he is for Tim's welfare. He leans into him imperceptivity, into the faint warmth coming off him. ]

He's gotten more playful with you.

Edited 2023-06-02 02:34 (UTC)

[ He's been around enough stray cats to know what that means, and while he was amenable to the stray cats, they weren't a part of someone's soul. Allen's soul! A flush creeps up his neck, well aware of the invitation on the table, and trying not to catch on fire, somehow that's a little harder to do, feeling oddly out of tune with himself.

Tim! What are you doing?!

He's so caught up in all of THIS, blatantly not acquiescing! Tim?!!! He doesn't notice the way his tea starts to shake or the ripples in the water growing in frequency. The ground vibrates faintly every few seconds, and Shouto woefully unaware. ]

I-- [ He stumbles over his words. ] I don't think he knows what he's doing.

Edited 2023-06-02 03:02 (UTC)

[ Oh, he knows exactly what he's doing, and it's why Allen gives Tim a wry and lightly scolding look. Don't tease Shouto, Tim. He might literally combust.

However, before he can reply or scold he blinks. Not noticing the vibration of ground until he feels the ripples around his legs in the water, but his attention heightens immediately then—though it is odd how his head seems a little fuzzy. ]

Do you feel something? [ Can they hear it? Beast? Except no, his eye should have alerted them to the presence of anything that corrupted well in advance. ]

Edited 2023-06-02 03:09 (UTC)

Yes.

[ Said in a strained voice, eyes on Tim, and trying not to combust. The urge to reach out and touch the little omen is strong, stronger than he's ever felt it. So much so, he snaps his hands to his chest to keep them to himself. Stop tempting him!

Beyond the forest, a pack of wolf howl in warning, and birds take to the air, followed by the snapping of trees, their large boughs bending against something massive. There's no hint of corruption.

Beneath them, the ground starts to shake and ripples run across the surface of the river scaring the koi who quickly swim out of sight, under the engawa. Shouto feels it then, the tea cups rattling on the table. The tin can of Earl Grey shakes visibly and tips over hitting the ground, while Shouto tries to save the tea cups from the same fate. ]

What's that?!

[ In the distance, the trees start parting revealing a massive snow leopard three stories tall carrying a Japanese apricot tree, in full bloom, in its mouth. Shouto stares, utterly dumbfounded. ]

Kizu?!

[ That's not what he meant at all!!!! ]

Edited 2023-06-02 03:34 (UTC)

[ Shouto, you are so lucky for this interruption. Because without it Tim would have shamelessly wiggled in glee at him and shuffled closer to keep baiting him, mild scoldings from Allen or not. As it is, he rights himself quickly just as Allen jumps to his feet the moment he hears the first tree crack in the distance.

No reaction from his eye or not, the forest's alarm is more than enough reason to be prepared for something dangerous. They're far from safe, being this far outside of the city proper. Tense, his left arm goes out in a protective sweep, a flicker of light running along his shoulders that dissipates into the air like feathers melting into a breeze-- ]

[ --and then just gawks when Kizu the size of a house comes bounding through the treeline.

what ]

Why does she have a tree?!?

Edited 2023-06-02 03:45 (UTC)

[ He's not the only one gawking, mouth slightly parted, in perfect imitiation of one of the koi hiding under the house. ]

That's... your flowers.

[ Not what he thought she was doing when she said she'd bring them back!!! When did she get that big?!! It's been nearly a year since he last saw her bigger than a dod let alone the forest! ]

I think... she misunderstood.

[ She did not. This is Kizu being a tease. Have fun with that Allen because she's heading straight for you, carrying what is essentially a stick, except she's no dog. ]

Edited 2023-06-02 04:00 (UTC)

[ "Misunderstood." YEAH MAYBE?

Allen's frozen now more because he doesn't know what to do? What a nice gesture gone terribly wrong? Tim, of course, has righted himself and grits his best friend with a jaunty grin and a wag of his wings. He approves of her shenanigans. Clearly he has been a good influence. ]

U-um. [ Oh no, she's coming right for him. He waves his hands about a little wildly in a slightly panicked please cease and desist. ]

Ah, Kizu-- [ please don't, that tree's big enough to crush him? ]

Could we put it-- over there maybe??

[ Nope. She sets the bouquet right at his feet. Better not move! ]

Kizu!

[ Shouto shouts, clearly not pleased with her behavior, but the tree is precisely placed at his feet with care. He won't get hit unless he decides to move. She paws at the ground, enough to make six foot indentation to set the tree down. It leans right toward the house, its roots, broken from the sheer force of being pulled from the ground, bleeds sap in a poor attempt to stem the damage.

Flowers. At his feet, hand delivered... err, does it still count if it's technically her mouth? She doesn't care, and heads over to Tim, tail swishing once, knocking down a nearby tree. ]

Kizu! You're scaring the koi!

[ Shouto admonishes in a sharp tone he hardly ever uses with her. In turn, she shimmers a glittering gold and emerges from the giant cloud back to kitten size, utterly pleased with herself, tail raised up high and mighty.

Hello, Tim. You may sit next to her, if you wish, she seems to say as she sits prim and proper on the engawa, ignoring the lot of them with her task complete. ]

[ For a brief moment Allen's half afraid it's going to tip right over into the house and throws his arms out as if somehow he could catch it—well he could, if he invoked his Innocence, and it's a panicky thought he's considering if he should before thankfully the tree only lists and doesn't topple dangerously. Much.

Waiting perilously silent for a moment, half afraid to breathe as if that might make it fall over the rest of the way, he glances back over his shoulder with just such a terribly sheepish smile and. tries to process. ]

D... d'you think that counts as re-planting it...? [ L-laughs awkwardly.

Kizu. Even Tim stares for a moment, hard to tell if it's from being in awe or judging her, before he twirls around and parks his butt next to her with a merry little flick of his wings. He shrugs lightly in Allen's directly, and smiles then. ]

[ For a split second, he feels like it's going to tip over and he's ready to slam a wall of ice to prevent it from falling over the house but thankfully, it just sags the trunk taking up all the weight.

The flowers he wanted to show Allen. The ones he came across on one of his patrols that reminded him of home so much. There's a twinge of guilt, for not explaining what he wanted better. ]

It's going to die like that.

[ A wall of ice snaps from his right foot and rises so very slowly, the slowest he's ever formed his ice to gently transfer the weight from the trunk to the ice until the tree stands upright. ]

We need to replant it.

[ Maybe it wouldn't die then, but he knows so little about plants. Tearing something from the ground always made it die from his experience. He looks to Allen, looking a little lost. ]

Do you know how?

[ While Allen actually does know a strange amount about how to take care of domestic plants, or at least certain carnivorous ones (don't ask)... sadly, full grown trees are out of his wheelhouse. ]

Not really, I'm afraid... beyond putting it in the ground and—bracing it? [ It's a little sheepish still, but you know he's actually still in very good spirits despite the debacle now that the shock is wearing off. It's still oddly quite sweet...?

However, seeing Shouto look lost and a little dismayed his expression flickers, and he smiles a little more gently as he reaches out for his hand. ]

It's worth trying. I can see why you liked them.

[ He still knows more than him. He's never taken care of a plant in his life. First aid for animals at least was straight forward, they were like people after all, but plants? He's not sure where to even start. ]

Bracing it?

[ Thankfully, he's not alone in this. Allen's suggestion does the needed task of pulling him from his thoughts. ]

In the ground. Okay.

[ He can do that. They just needed to bury the roots in soil, good soil, if Allen knew what that was. He steps closer to him, taking his hand in his, needing the contact. ]

I can get a shovel.

[ is

is this really what has become of their night? celebrating by....... digging what's probably a grave for his "flowers"?

For a moment part of Allen's soul withers, then he just laughs gently and gives a nod, gripping Shouto's hand comfortingly. Somehow... it's entirely unsurprising and is very much par for the course. And he's okay with that. Defeated, but amenable. ]

I'll see if there's a better spot where it isn't going to just fall into the house... [ He's only half a green thumb, but while Shouto locates a shovel he can at least tell this is too wet and swampy vs this is really rocky and find something that just looks like adequate dirt.

this is. going to be a back-breaking hour or so, isn't it. at least he had the foresight of drawing a secret bath earlier.

also he's going to be relying on those lemon cakes to keep his strength up, snacking on them while they try to rescue a tree. ]

Edited 2023-06-02 05:39 (UTC)

[ He meant it to be a special night! But not like this! What's a little grave digging to bury a not so dead tree? Allen has a greener thumb than him! He'd likely ended up committing murder if it was left to him. Uh... considering who did the ripping up out of the ground, he would be the culprit! Please don't let him become a plant murderer!

He follows Allen's lead in choosing the ground, and gets to work, feeling responsible for the whole debacle. He tells Allen he doesn't have to help more than once, determined to make this right on his own. Still, if Allen insists, he can do nothing about it but work harder and faster, leaving his perfectly comfortable sleeping yukata a complete and utter mess. By the time the tree is buried and watered, every inch of him is covered in dirt and sweat. His yukata is tied at his waist like a long kilt, the sleeves long abandoned to let him work faster. ]

Sorry for ruining the celebration.

[ He apologizes, seated with his uncovered arms splayed over his knees under the newly planted tree, looking no better than a man dragged through the mud a time or two. He wears no shoes, having worn none to sit by the engawa on what was supposed to be a perfectly peaceful night, and his back is bare, streaked with mud and sweat. The lemon cakes, at least, were helpful, with Shouto having eaten more than his allotted two. ]

Edited 2023-06-02 06:05 (UTC)

[ There's some adage about lemonade and sweaty work, right? Lemon cakes seem to certainly hit the spot pretty similarly, at least for Allen who takes half of Tim's share too, who also drains his now-cooled Earl Grey faster than he would have before. Yes he insists on helping as well, and if there isn't a second shovel and Shouto doesn't want to relinquish his he'll try to at least fan him as best he can in commiseration until they move the tree over and he can help by by holding it steady as he fills the hole in. Moving it is certainly a feat itself, even with their combined strength... It's just big, you know. ]

It's not ruined. [ Said between heavy breathes as he sprawls back against the trunk that's been tied to two opposing neighboring trees with some rope, panting for breath as he's not in much better shape than Shouto. There's leaves and mud in even his hair that's come partially undone, and while he's kept his yukata fully on it's loosened and hangs somewhat open down to the tie at his waist. His bare heels dig a furrow along the freshly dug dirt.

Letting out a bit of a puff, he looks over at Shouto then. Tired, yes, but with a softer kind of stare as he's contemplative. His response lags for a moment, distracted, before he continues. ]

It's just-- extra memorable.

[ But Allen turns his head then and just watches him for a moment, not even realizing he's staring and lost in thought for not the first or second time in the last fifteen minutes as he takes in the outline of his form, how heavy he's breathing from working so obviously hard to keep from being responsible for inadvertently destroying a tree.

He smiles then, like he's found a secret to share. ]

I like my flowers.

[ Tim, you don't need to help! But he appreciates the fan, even though he doesn't need it. But he's sort of warm... somehow. Like he can't quite control his quirk enough to keep him cool after all those lemon cakes. The urge to kiss Allen is far more taxing than the work. He holds his urges back out of sheer will. It was one thing letting his marinade burn because he got distracted with Allen, it was another thing entirely to let a tree die because he couldn't control his urges.

He works hard, ending up just as sweaty as Allen with a lot more thoughts running through his head the longer they work and the more lemon cakes he has. He's so worked up, he doesn't even think to admonish Kizu for not helping them, but stays by the engawa, coaxing the koi from under the house. She, at least, apologizes to them, which goes a long way in curbing his ire.

Allen... Allen is distracting. Sweaty and messy, with stray hair loose from its ponytail. Shouto vehemently keeps his eyes on the ground than on the loose yukata, loose and halfway open at the chest. Allen was wrong. He was a cad.

Feeling slightly warm and awkward, his eyes flick to Allen when he speaks, taken aback by the gentle smile. His response does wonders for relieving some of the guilt, and he looks genuinely puzzled. ]

You do?

[ You know this might be the first time he's ever seen you actually... snapping at someone like that? And at Kizu of all people? It's actually kind of a marvel and he's not quite sure what to make of it yet.

But Allen tips his chin up, and smiles so very brightly at that look. ]

Yep. [ Putting his palms on the ground to scoot forward, he shimmies closer to Shouto until their hips almost touch and the yukata hikes up a bit. The way his gaze flickers away from him momentarily, then back is a little fidgety, a little shy, and he has to drag his eyes up from where they fixated on his mouth to focus on his eyes.

He is. spacing out way too easily since they started and Shouto decided it'd be easier to work without sleeves. It'd distress Allen, it'd normally distress him a lot, except for the warm and tender feeling that also still blossoms in his chest. Finding Shouto's agitation and seriousness over the situation, how badly he had wanted everything to do well, so very endearing. And it's a tiny bit thrilling, as much as it's a little anxiety-inducing. Because this is the new normal to explore.

Although that doesn't mean he didn't still judge himself harshly and mutter at himself under his breath every time he got distracted by how the sweat ran down his chest as he worked, and was probably caught having to look away with a pink flush a few times. It's embarrassing when it happens when you need to be doing something else. And when did he become this easily distracted?

But he smiles now, almost dizzingly warmed and content in his orbit like a little moon, and leans forward a little as he clasps his hands in his lap. ]

And like this, they'll keep blooming too.

Edited 2023-06-02 07:35 (UTC)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

2/2

1/2

2/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject