December/spring catch-all

[feralheart]

WHO: M-21 and anyone!
WHAT: Open + catchall
WHEN: All spring
WHERE: All over the island
WARNINGS: none, TBA if needed. Plotting here!


i. what do you mean 'consequences'

[ On one specific, highly cursed day this month, M-21 can be found lurking forlornly outside the island's little clinic. An internal war seems to be going on; he takes a grudging step towards the doors, then stalks away again. As if unaware he's doing it, he reaches down to rub irritably at his lower back. Maybe someone's a little less suited for farm work than everyone else? ]

This is so stupid.

[ He shoots a mutinous look up at the sky like he'd like to direct a complaint right to the management but doesn't quite dare. Then he's back to his pacing, with an occasional sideways glance thrown in towards the vet. Or he can be found draped somewhat pathetically over the nearest fence-shaped thing he can find, apparently no longer willing to move.

Help. ]

ii. like herding cats

[ On days when the weather is sunny and cooperative, despite all complaints, M-21 is hard at work in his fields. Reluctant concessions to farmcore have been made to spare what's left of his suit, and a sturdy pair of farming gloves covering his hands well past the wrist spare what's left of his palms from the sub-par farming tools. Things are coming in pretty nicely, especially the new stand of trees. They're full-grown and leafy and already showing a crop of... one fluffy orange kitten with oversized paws perched on a branch, chirruping furiously. ]

You got yourself up there.

[ Rescue? Or wait another few seconds to catch M-21 sighing and stripping off his gloves as he goes to climb a tree for what appears to be the five hundredth time that day. ]

iii. wildcard

[ Catch me on my planning link or PM if you want a starter! I welcome any and all bingos or just chaos. Or just hit me with anything, he'll be Around. ]

Comments

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar, empty handed, pauses halfway to the couch to check on his guest when he sees him awake already awake. ]

... want soup?

[ He doesn't say what kind, but the smell wafting from the kitchen is vaguely meat like, with the heat of chicken broth and seasonings.

How okay is M-21 with a lunch that is more than edible and tasty but whose ingredients were partly found in the woods... ? ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21 is robust and lives dependent on the kindness of others. He has less than no complaints about the provenance of his food, especially when it smells that nice. ]

Put you to a lot of trouble. ...It smells good.

[ One way or another, he's determined to stand long enough to wash the dishes after this. He has one thing to offer, so he can do it determinedly. ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar shakes his head and leaves again. This time, he has soup. One bowl, one spoons. He forgets to tell him this is for a square just yet.

It's still hot, but not overwhelmingly so, when Kaspar leans (or squats, wherever M-21's head is right now), and holds the spoon up to his mouth. He sort of remembers to explain. ]

If you say "Ah", then we will be even, I think.

[feralheart]

[ M-21 blinks in surprise, but his expression eases at the explanation. That's right... that was definitely a bingo square of his, on top of what he already owes Kaspar. He can make enough of a guess at the implication, even though he doesn't have that one. ]

One of those bingo squares? I can do that much.

[ This would normally be incredibly embarrassing. But never let it be said he's not cognizant of a debt. He leans forward to take a very obedient spoonful of worm soup. ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar nods, glad for the understanding. Though witnessing M-21's willing obedience, his warm smile says 'good boy' without saying it out loud. Feeding someone like this by mutual choice is a new thing, and the novelty of it makes it fun for Kaspar. So he is content to quietly and patiently spoon feed M-21 this whole bowl of worm soup if he lets him. ]

[feralheart]

[ That look is making it incrementally more embarrassing, somehow. But at the same time, M-21 rather likes praise. He'll cooperate for about half the bowl before he finally leans back, rubbing the back of his hand sheepishly over his mouth. ]

That, uh. Was that enough to count? You don't have to...

[ He could take positive attention for a while longer, but being an inconvenience is a little tougher. ]

[bluminescence]

Perhaps.

[ Kaspar's smile evens out, though it is no less pleased. He leaves the spoon to rest in the bowl while using his newly freed hand to retrieve his bingo card. He looks first, and then happily shows M-21 that the square has, indeed, been marked. Of course, it also shows off the rest of his very incomplete card.

(Pretend I marked the handholding and spoon feeding already, and probably one of the date ones who knows). ]

Are you, still hungry?

[feralheart]

[ That smile before was... kind of nice, actually. Not that the current one isn't also nice, in its own way. M-21 burrows a little back into the couch while he tries not to think about this too hard.

Which kind of leaves him thinking of the bingo card instead, which isn't as helpful as he might hope. ]

You need to eat too. [ Which is half a 'yes' but he's trying to be a courteous guest, to the limit of his manners. ] ...You're a good cook.

[bluminescence]

[ Without missing a beat, he sets his bingo card aside only to pick up the same spoon and take a bite with it. He already had some in the kitchen, but he indulges himself with a little hum because he is indeed still hungry.

Lightly flushing, the compliment earns M-21 another happy look whether he sees it or not. Yet it is still in that subdued way of his. Maybe it's the helplessness, or the way he burrows away from him, but something about the whole situation has Kaspar's playfulness quietly rising to the surface. ]

... You're a good patient.

[ He almost calls him a grateful one, though maybe Kaspar's eyes do anyway if M-21 looks over and accidentally summons the next offering of the spoon. ]

[feralheart]

[ If Kaspar isn't going without food for him, then he probably doesn't have to feel sheepish about accepting it. M-21 relaxes marginally, his eyes flicking to Kaspar's face again. He reminds him, unexpectedly, of a more expressive Rai. It's not hard to read approval there, which has M-21 perking up a little in turn. He's not used to being able to make someone else look like that. ]

I've got some practice at it. That's all.

[ But he's also very trainable, because if Kaspar offers another spoonful of soup, M-21 will absolutely take it. He's got a werewolf's appetite and shouldn't be blamed for this.

He should probably be blamed for the way he freezes in surprise a moment later. Was that what the teenagers call an indirect kiss? ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar looks over him casually at that response and keeps his hold on the spoon when M-21 takes the offered bite.

Back to the bowl, it pauses when M-21 freezes. Concern tilts his head this time, eyes on his. It takes a moment long enough that it would be easy to interject before he asks-- ]

... Are you, alright?

[feralheart]

[ Thank goodness for Kaspar's unhurried, deliberate pace. It gives M-21 a moment to rally and think of a good excuse. He's a grown man and he's not going to get flustered over something ridiculous that he probably did dozens of times in a life he can't remember. ]

I'm fine. It's just hot.

[ Okay: time to think of an excuse, anyway. ]

[bluminescence]

[ The soup is most certainly not hot, since they've both just had some. And the temperature in the room isn't either.

So without hesitation, Kaspar rests the spoon again and reaches with one hand to start carefully shifting whatever is still left over M-21's back; towel, blanket, gently tossed over the back of the couch. The nice spring breeze should solve the rest, he figures. ]

[feralheart]

[ ...M-21 completely can't tell from that response if his brilliant deception has been seen through or not. That alone might make him sweat a little. But he shifts to let Kaspar move things and stretches briefly to pop something in his back again. Since he can't tell, nothing left for it but to play it off as casually as possible. ]

...Thanks. That's better.

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar breathes a little laugh as he settles back, with the light and parting slide of a hand checking M-21 on the way by. It seems he bought it? Unclear, but either way he doesn't seem to mind. Casually, Kaspar takes another spoonful for himself.

Then the shrill sound of the kettle whistles into the air. Kaspar doesn't even jump, sudden as it is. Though he does leave the spoon in his mouth when he rises. The bowl is left on the tide table. ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21 does jump a little, glancing after Kaspar as he goes. Did he buy it...? This will haunt M-21's dignity a little. Whether it matters, when Kaspar looked so amused about it and that quiet laugh was kind of soothing, is an infinitely more philosophical question.

In the meantime, M-21 will take the practical approach to the problem, given that he was not raised by wolves or indeed anyone. He reaches over to pick up the bowl and starts wolfing what remains. It's half a waste of a good opportunity. On the other hand, his fraying composure needs the mercy. ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar is not gone long before he returns. He's used to it, carrying a hot tea pot in one hand and two empty cups atop two small plates in the other.

The spoon is still in his mouth when he catches M-21 enjoying the worm soup. It shifts with his smile by the time he sets M-21's chipped plate and cup by him. Kaspar holds his own like there is already tea in it, plate in one hand. His other hand offers M-21 the spoon if there is any soup left by then.

And if the bowl is empty? Then-- ] ... are you still hungry?

[feralheart]

[ There's really basically nothing left, but M-21 accepts the spoon reflexively, fingers brushing Kaspar's gloved ones. He glances down at the bowl he's basically emptied and then up at Kaspar again before he eats the last spoonful almost meekly. He has manners, honest... ]

I'm good now. Tea is plenty.

[ But despite the embarrassment, Kaspar's smile gets a tiny twitch of an answering smile in return. Being gently fussed over has made the pain a very distant secondary concern in his mind. ]