aefenglom | Under new management? Dontation seeking? We just don't know

[Hilariously, despite knowing all these craft things. Mikasa did not know how to weave. Even though that was the first very first step in most crafts.

That second pair of arms, the bug ones. Didn't really do much half the time. They just stayed folded against her back, reaching out to grab or show those barbs when something knocked her off guard.]

Oh, okay. [She's just going to fill the bowl on the floor then. But she wasn't too far. The cottage wasn't especially big, and the kitchen and living room were just one big room. It was still big, given that this one room was twice the size of her childhood home.

But the fae was nodding as she got back up from refilling Tater's bowl.]

Yeah. I find it easier here with there being so many different people. [Nearly every monster had to have just a slightly different fit. Most things had to be adjusted for wings and tails. It was just a standard thing here. Still, the fae gives a small snort. Her eyes creasing in smile attempt.]

My sleeves aren't too tight here.

[She hadn't had to let out the seams for her biceps yo.]

[there was something comforting about the wild variations in 'monstrous' appearances here which Styx could definitely relate to. not only was it easier for him to request alterations to things (even if he didn't) but his own unnatural physique passed about without a second thought. he was...kind of normal, in this place. just the thought makes him smile as he leans up against Mikasa's counter.]

Ohh, yeah! They got those buttons on the ends of most of them, right? Makes it real easy to roll them up 'nd shit.

[that's...not what Mikasa had meant at all, but here we are. at least he's just as jazzed about it as she is.]

[That gets a thought, the fae taking a moment. Then a nod, yeah. She'd seen that. She had a preference for longer sleeves so the buttons didn't get much use.

...And she didn't normally have an issue with sleeves unrolling.]

Normally my arms are too thick to roll them up far. I could get them to my elbow... Then it's too tight to move. [Like having a bundle of bandages rolled up around her joint.] Though I don't think you'd manage to get a normal shirt past your forearm.

[His was like two of her's. She'd gotten used to being smaller than the guys in terms of height. But about the same in tone, other than the obvious things that were now apparent, the guys having broader shoulders and such.

Though she did give a small huff of air.]

I'm surprised you've stayed this big. A lot of people seem to get soft here, that's why I've been working so much.

- oh, like that? [he nods understandingly.] Haha, yeah, that sucks super hard! 's why I kinda don't do long sleeves if I can help it...even the t-shirts can get kinda tight if it's a bad cut.

[the sort of fight that was purposefully close to the skin rather than loose...more often than not it made him feel as if he was about to rip the entire thing right off the garment just by raising his arms too high. it was a bit of a nerve-racking experience, being reminded of his own ungainly form even more often than his mind did on its own.]

...you think? 'm not really doing all that much different than what I did at home.

[he's barely ever worked out in any 'real' capacity, truth be told. gyms made him feel too self-conscious.]

Yeah. There's not much you can do to fix that either... [There was a limit to how much the seams could be let out.] Though that's not been an issue here. Even when I grew wings and more arms... [It had been a rough week of scrambling to find and adjust clothes, the money to accommodate the sudden growth.

There hadn't even been any comments on her build. It was a nice change, even if it had been many years since the occasional comment about what clothes didn't see her, what was ladylike and what wasn't. She'd been able to rebuff the words at the time, but still... No, she'd made her choice. Made sure she was strong and capable of defending others.]

That's good, someone I...know didn't work as much here as back home. It's good to keep busy.

[That was what she was assuming anyway. That Styx was a hard worker back home and if that hadn't changed, he was a hard worker here.]

[he bobs his head softly, understanding.]

Yeah, people're pretty cool here.

[it wasn't true for every resident in the city, let alone the entire continent, but overall...this was a kind place. Styx could tell, just from the way that so few people stared at him with poorly masked apprehension.]

'nd you're right, haha! There's so much cool shit to see around here, kinda feels like a shame to just sit around and spin your wheels. Though I guess it's not too bad to take a break now and then.

Mostly... everyone seems so relaxed even with the Cywd. [Other than in the slums were there was no barrier between the people and the Cywd...

Then she tilted her head to look up at him.] Have you been out into the Wilde yet? Not that you need to go that far to find something strange... [She gave a 'come here' wave at one of the open doors the other side of the room. Then there was a the noise of... ceramic? Tapping across the floor. Then- they were here, sqauting and looking at Styx, with void black eyes. Could you see the resemblance between fae and doll-cat(?)] This was in a basement I was working in.

[he bobs his head cheerfully in affirmation.]

Mm, sure, few times! 's real crazy out there, yeah? But everybody who's from here kinda seems like it's just a regular thing...maybe it's the same thing with the Cwyld?

[awful as it was, if you lived alongside it every day of your life then surely it must start to become as mundane as breakfast...right? kind of the same way that Styx himself had learned to cope with the torment his classmates had visited upon him as a child.

it's something that he's processed so much that the thought barely even lingers in his mind despite its weight, almost instantly banished by Mikasa's inviting little wave. what was she -

..................baby.

Styx's face lights up immediately, his entire massive body dropping down into a crouch in the hopes that the void-cat will see fit to come over and maybe let him bestow some pets? this is honestly one of the cutest things the big idiot has ever seen, and his eyes practically sparkle with delight and questionable taste.]

Aww, dude! What's his name?

I've only been out a few times... Fae. They don't like them going out, can catch it too easy. [The same went with dragons, having tighter checks to make sure if they were infected or not. But dragons had a big advantage out in the wilde... Namely that they could deal with anything infected from a distance with their breath. Fae had their magic, but it wasn't great for combat.

Especially not someone who fought close range like her.

As for the 'cat', it remained in the middle of the hall. Sat on it's haunches, showing those porcelain hands and feet. Staring...

Then it was hopping up and running off and diving under the sofa. Cats, bro...Even questionably, vaugly resembled a cat.]

Uh... [At the question though, Mikasa just stared at the black fluffy tail wafting out from under the furniture. The magitech creature's head poking out.] It's not called Fluffy. It doesn't like that name. [Which got a thumbs up as the nameless creature retreated again. ]

[this is exactly what Styx expects from anything cat-shaped, especially after witnessing his own pet's bouts of angry shyness the first few weeks upon being taken home. he laughs in delight, completely unoffended, and drops from a crouch into a sitting position with the soft rumbling one might expect from such a large weight hitting the ground even gently.

you were supposed to ignore cats a little when they got bashful like this, right? that's convenient, because Mikasa has been talking this entire time and he's only caught about maybe one third of her reply. resting his hands atop his knees, he finally looks back up at the fae.]

Oh, he knows that kinda thing? Maybe you should just ask, then, instead of trying to guess.

[because that...was normal. just ask your cat his name. obviously.]

[Honestly... Mikasa wasn't even sure what the creature was supposed to be. It was a mishmash of parts. The fluffy cat's body with a still mask for a face. Then there was the hands that occasionally gave gestures that she could understand.

It was smart, sometimes. Though it attacking Yachi's feet through the blanket was not one of it's brighter moments. But she does snort at the suggestion.]

Tried that. It doesn't react unless I call it something it doesn't like.

[It was normal enough here that she'd tried it.]

[it's a baby, Mikasa. that's all you need to know.]

Oh, yeah? Uh, how long have you guys been living together?

[because now this sweet little porcelain angel has been upgraded from 'pet' to 'roommate' in Styx's mind, and there's basically nothing the fae can tell him that's going to alter that label. if she's not careful he's going to be asking how much rent it pays her next.]

Uh... [Give her a moment to count that Styx. Then to blink as she realises just how long it's been. How long she's been in this place.] Just over five months now.

[Still just kinda staring at the not-cat. Bro, bro, she's been here just under a year now. So much can happen in a year and she's just been here living in relative peace compared to back home.

It'd be nice if she didn't occasionally just wonder if the time-freeze thing was true. There were so many what-ifs. What if the world was done? But then again Eren was here, but Jean had said she'd been there. She didn't voice any of that though, and after thinking for a moment she just gave a huff.]

I've had Tater seven months now. [And just look at him. He was still very baby. Even if he'd gotten a little bit bigger than when she'd been given him. He was small, growing so slowly she didn't notice half the time.]

Hey, that's awesome! Lotta anniversaries coming up, huh?

[not birthdays, because that was different - despite the fact that animals sure as fuck didn't keep track of their own birthdates. but Styx still seems to be enthused by this concept that doesn't involve him at all, plopping down completely on the floor so he can look up at the fae more comfortably. it was nice for Mikasa to have so many things to celebrate.]

Maybe he'll tell you his name when you hit a year.

... Five months is a long time. [Styx. But after a moment, her mouth twitched into a soft, joyless smile. A sigh slipping from her lips.] When I first got here, I didn't even what chickens in case I went home. Now look- [A small shrug, gesturing to the cat as she knelt to pet Tater. There were actual chickens outside.] I wonder what will happen to them if I'm not here a year...

[Though she was getting close. It was winter, she'd arrived during the last cold season so... Was it bad that she wasn't sure about going back sometimes? She knew she had to, to help Armin and the others. The world. Even if time was frozen, it felt wrong to enjoy the extra time she'd been granted, but she couldn't just hide away.

It really was cruel.]

You think so? Guess you're right.

[time really...didn't mean that much to Styx. he took everything one day at a time, for better or for worse, ignorant of the turning of the calendar pages until some milestone forced reflection upon him. five months were just five sets of thirty, weren't they? it's not that much. a year was like...twelve sets of thirty. way more.

but math isn't particularly important, not when he can feel the melancholy radiating off of Mikasa whether she'd intended it or not. it feels wrong - intrusive - to look at her right now, and so the drummer allows his gaze to wander across the house and all the items within it while his friend gives the dog a pew nice pats.]

Well...uh, I'll probably just check on them if somebody else doesn't do it first.

[it's not even a statement conceived out of a desire to ease the fae's worries. Styx's mind reaches that conclusion naturally on its own, as if there really could be no other way for things to unfold should his host ever find herself returned home to that strange, unkind world of hers.]

[Honestly, that was probably for the best. She'd lived day to day for so long, because someone could be killed and that was it. It was the same here in a few ways, people could just vanish. But back home there was...the moment. There was surprise attacks, but normally she had a chance to try and stop anything from happening, to cling to the lives of the people she cared about just a little bit longer.

Here? They could just fade away.

But Tater was happy with his pets, instinctively cuddling up. Why sad? He here!

Though he did settle again as the fae slumped. The words sinking in.]

Thank you. If... If I did go back home I'd forget about them. So I'm glad someone could come and make sure they got fed.

...Have you looked after animals before then? [If he was offering out of the blue.]

[did people who left forget? Styx has heard that those returned to their worlds lose their memories, but...he finds it difficult to believe that such a massive part of anyone's life could be wiped away so easily. even if they don't remember, this place - these people - must surely be embedded deep in their hearts.

...that's probably a stupid thing to say. the drummer doesn't have the sort of self-assurance to just philosophize unprompted, and so he allows the topic to drop entirely with nothing but a warm smile. of course he'd come take care of Mikasa's friends. it's what any friend would do.]

Not really! Got a cat 'nd a fish here, but back home the most I ever did was feed the stray cats around the apartment. Always been kinda afraid of hurting a pet, you know?

[Mikasa couldn't help but expect the worst. If life had taught her anything, it was that there could always be a kick in the teeth. But she was from a very different place to most. One where someone wouldn't normally volunteer to obtain another mouth to feed. Something she remembered from when Carla and Grisha had taken her in, that someone's response to it had been to call them well off.

The mention of a fish for pet gets an eyebrow. But his mention of hurting an animal was enough to distract her from wondering what comfort a fish could give.]

No... Why would you hurt them? Other than the chickens... [Because chickens were a meat animal, even if she'd named them and was using them for eggs at the moment.]

[he holds his hands up for her to see, spreading the fingers out to display the impressive span they could reach at their widest. big, powerful hands...fastened to a body that was just as strong, if not more.]

'm used to how I am now, but accidents still happen sometimes, you know? And when I was still growing...

[he lets the sentence trail off with a shrug, followed by another good-natured laugh. puberty had been difficult for him even without the input of his contemporaries. how easy would it have been to crush something vital in an animal as a teenager, just from squeezing too hard when he went to pick it up? the risk just wasn't worth it.]

[That gets a frown. She got it, given her own strength and even she'd mentioned he was a big guy. And now she thought of it, she did remember a few times where she'd accidentally hurt Eren when they were younger. Shoving food in his face so hard it split his lip.]

You were clumsy...[More of an observation than a question.] Are you less clumsy now? If you have a cat.

[it's easy for people to relate to, Styx thinks. even if it's not always physical strength, didn't everyone have some aspect of themselves they were afraid might hurt the ones they loved without meaning to?]

I was real bad.

[he laughs. at least most of the physical stupidity that befalls him now is due to his idiocy rather than ignorance of his power.]

Uh, dunno if I ever really got better? With animals, I mean...'m still kinda afraid of hurting them. But Yasha can teleport! So if he's not cool with anything he just ducks out for a little while. Makes it easy like that.

[Clumbsyness wasn't much of a thing were she was from. At least not the military part. Connie and Sasha had been considered clumsy to some degree but compared to a civilian they'd been coordinated. Even as trainees. That was just how it was.

So for a moment, Mikasa just tried to mentally picture it. A younger Styx being clumsy. Did he have the piercings then or?? Though the mention of teleporting cats makes the fae stare again. Because she'd heard that before, seen them.]

Is he one of those cats that they wanted help looking after a few months ago? [She remembered them. Partly because one teleported into the fucking food bag. It was adorable but not fun to clean. But then after a moment, she took a tiny step closer, then crouched so she could reach Tater who was waddling around. Circling the human and fae and running back and forth.] ...He must like you. You can't make an animal that can do that stay.

[She trying]

Uh, maybe? I don't really know that much about where he came from...a friend found him but couldn't keep him.

['found' is an awfully underwhelming way to say 'had a kitten unexpectedly teleported onto his head while walking down the street' but Styx has always looked at things through a kinder lens than reality might suggest. he leans back on the palms of his broad hands, a smile playing on his lips as he watches Tater stop his toddling rounds to solicit pets from his mother.]

Mean, I think he likes me? Sure as hell love him, haha! But 's hard, sometimes, just letting it sit like that. Always feel like the other shoe's gonna drop someday.

[this is not entirely about just Yasha now, but the drummer is completely ignorant to the deeper meaning behind his own words. the dog's just too cute to understand the level of insecurity he's confessing to.]

Oh... [Well, that made her face fall. Because a lost animal found- If it had been Mikasa who'd stumbled on it, she'd have been compelled to keep and care for it. It didn't sound like the little thing had been in a good situation. But she looks up again, staring at Styx.] It's good he has someone to look after him.[You were doing a good thing Styx.]

[Absently she stuck her hand out, just low enough to brush Tater's back as he plodded by. His wagging tail bumping her palm. Prompting him to give a little yip, dipping his head to do the butt wiggle. Then running off to...Make a valent attempt to climb over Styx's leg. Can't catch him mom!

Though his words did make her think. Even if she didn't catch on fully. But yeah, this place had way of things seeming too good to be true. To the point that Mikasa was always wary of being caught off guard by the cost. That and she knew the feeling of loving something that could vanish at a moment's notice. Enough for a small sigh to slip out as her hand dropped.] If he wanted to leave, he would. But he's still there...

[Was she talking about the cat or??]

Edited 2021-01-10 00:04 (UTC)

Under new management? Dontation seeking? We just don't know

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