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Author Topic: House of Heart and Cholesterol [Lion, Nephero]  (Read 2516 times)

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Offline GoblinFae

House of Heart and Cholesterol [Lion, Nephero]
« on: November 29, 2017, 07:47:01 pm »
It had been over a decade at least since she last lived in Solarta, but her body still had yet to get the memo regarding adjusting to the cooler climates of the rest of Aedolis. Of all the places she had lived in and been stationed at, Solarta with its oppressive and miserable cloying heat had been home. Blu had hated those long summer days where every breath felt like it was stifling and yet put her in this colder climate of Amristah and she was suddenly bundled up more thickly than a snazzy cat in a fur coat.

Shivering and cursing herself for forgetting her gloves on her desk, she bustled her way into the local corner market as quickly as her long legs would allow her. With a quick wave and a friendly smile, she breezed her way passed the owner, praying that as she opened the scarf away from her mouth and opened her jacket that the other shoppers would leave her be with her purposeful strides. Since going from oddly-coloured Pilot to commander of Amristah's brand new squad had brought with it the sudden and enthusiastic attention of the city's many residents. Normally it might not have bothered her, she was used to the stares and attention by now. But, then again usually Blu was able to spend every waking and sleeping hour hiding in the hospital, doing whatever work she could get her hands on.

Gaining the responsibility of command and with it a team to follow her had brought the unexpected challenge of dealing with individuals as bull-headed as herself. Pilot Amoril would have none of her old habits and had effectively managed to write her out of the rotation schedule not only for the rest of the evening but for the next two days as well. Apparently working two weeks straight with only the minimal required breaks and extensive office camping was cause to force her into a few days off.

Blu snorted to herself and shook her head as she scooped up a hand basket and made for the alcohol aisle. If she was going to be forced into taking a small stay-cation then she damn well was going to enjoy it in style. Four bottles of red and one impulsive bottle of bourbon later and she concluded it was a start at least. At least she would be able to get through the next twenty-four hours blessedly buzzed if nothing else. Blu nodded at a couple who were beaming at her even as she clutched the basket closer and continued on her way.

Her thoughts though were far from the flickering lights and glossy floors of the market. It always started this way. A began at the bridge of her nose and the back of her eyes like the beginnings of a sinus headache before the world would start to turn and go fuzzy on her. She often likened it to swimming through itchy, uncarded wool. Everything just became duller and muted when she wasn't busy running, running, running. But, that's what the alcohol was hopefully for. If she just drowned herself in drink then when that aching numbness finally hit then at least she could pretend she was only drunk and nothing more.

Determined to make it out of there and home before her eyes started feeling like they were being squeezed out of her skull, she distractedly snatched up the nearest thing next to her. A glance at the packaging and- salad. 'Heavens to Betsy! What is with these blasted people and their obsession with greens. Worse than Margad I swear!'

With a growl the bag was tossed into her basket. Although if Blu was perfectly honest with herself it would likely end up at the back of the refrigerator with the previous three wilted and slimy bags she had already attempted to buy since her arrival in Amristah. It was the thought that counts, right? Eh, close enough.

She meandered her way back across the store again to the frozen food section in search of something mildly edible. What she desperately craved was a spranger steak, cooked rare and slathered in onion garlic butter with a side of red beans and rice. What the freezer cabinets though would not even come close. The woman sighed heavily, her hand poised on the door handle as she slumped in defeat and exhaustion. Her forehead practically rested against the glass as she stood staring in at the flashy boxes promising mediocre at best, hangover and fresh out of ATC meals. Was it an indigestion burrito night or a heartburn haven mac and cheese one? Hell maybe she should just run back and grab a bag of cheese curds from the dairy counter and call it a night. Wine and cheese went together right?

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2017, 10:32:53 pm »
   The problem with Amristah was that Yavul never had a fully stocked kitchen.

   He'd gotten the place figuring it would save on having to find suitable lodging every single weekend, not including any turns for the worst that might require even longer stays. Worse came to worst, he didn't need the added stress of finding a nearby hotel, and he didn't have it in him to spend three to six hours travel time each way. All in all, it was only ever meant to be a temporary place, and with how few and far between he'd been getting use out of it, keeping stuff in the fridge just to rot seemed... nonsensical.

   Having, of course, absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he rarely kept his own Solartan-based fridge stocked with anything other than beer and leftovers. Amristah was just too far away to go grocery shopping, that was his story and he was absolutely sticking to it.

   Yavul really hadn't expected the use he'd gotten out of the Amristah place. His intentions still stood, and was still the impetus for purchasing a whole secondary home to begin with (which even now seemed so so frivolous), but more and more he found himself looking forward to Friday night when he'd be stepping out into the mountainside fortress city. And a lot of that had to do with why he was in Amristah in the middle of the week, and not back at Valhalla pretending today was a day just like any other.

   It'd been... so many years since Yavul had treated today like it was anything special. It made it easier in a lot of ways, to pretend it wasn't a big deal, and he'd taken such pains to never mention it out loud, even going so far as to dodge direct questioning.

   His squadron meant well, he was sure, but he really wasn't in the mood to play pretend like the whole thing wasn't just another social obligation. Or something to that effect. Half the time he couldn't parse how he felt about it, but he was pretty sure he didn't want the young Valkyries to make a big fuss just because they "had" to. Or rather, he didn't want to sit and fight his brain all night over such terrible trains of thought.

   But Grisham Alberich did not give a single fuck about what the nasty thoughts in his head were up to. He'd gone digging (Yavul should have known he would), and had remembered the date, and Yavul had both been stunned and... elated that the Hellions commander had decided to meddle. Because with Grisham, somehow, even the bad thoughts that liked to creep up in the middle of the night couldn't argue the worst. With Grisham, the gestures felt genuine.

   Which brought Yavul to the problem at hand. His empty Amristah fridge, and the fact that he was absolutely certain if he suggested they just say 'fuck it' and get JJ's for dinner, he might not actually live to see 37.

   "It's not that big of a deal" did not at all seem to be the valid course to take, at least not today. And honestly, while he enjoyed poking the proverbial bear often and with great vigor, Yavul found himself not wanting to goad Grisham into grumpiness. One day of not teasing the ever loving shit out of the green-haired man (aka the sun in his goddamn sky) wouldn't kill him, today Yavul just wanted to relax and enjoy the little fantasy world of what the Amristah place had become to him.

   Their Amristah place.

   Good gods both, sometimes Yavul hated himself for that. But shit, it was his birthday, wasn't it? It didn't hurt anyone, and he'd earned less than 24 hours of playing pretend, hadn't he? Right? Right.

   "Supermarket should still be open. We don't need anythin' too fancy, right, shouldn't take long at all." Yavul said with a shrug, firmly deciding that his birthday gift to himself would be to enjoy today for as long as possible. Before shit went right back to normal the same as always. Well, relatively speaking, considering his arm was still in the goddamn shop. At least he was getting good at putting on his pants one-handed.

   He shot Grisham a wide grin, eyebrow firmly raised as he shut the fridge door with a kind of perky finality. "Bet I can carry more bags'n you, one-handed an' all."

   Okay, so maybe he would tease the sun in his sky just a little bit today.

   The one thing, of course, he always forgot was the cold. Going to the supermarket involved going outside, and by the time they had actually reached the grocery store Yavul was really regretting his decision to not casually suggest delivery or some other similar plan that would've let him sit by the fireplace all evening instead of deal with cold-stung ears and a numb nose. At least the store was much warmer, the Valkyrie all but jogging inside to get under the heaters as soon as possible.

Offline Lion

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2017, 12:16:32 am »
Of course he remembered. Of course he had bothered to look it up and of course he'd tucked away that bit of knowledge before letting Yavul know that he knew. Because if he'd mentioned it beforehand, for all he knew the old coyote would spook and make some excuse to not bother with any kind of celebration. Pfft, after a year like this year, Grisham wasn't going to hear it. And he wasn't going to entertain any counter argument to the notion. Today was something special. It was Yavul's birthday and Grisham  - as if from cosmic dictation that allowed him any power in that regard - was going to make sure he saw many more birthdays to come.

There were too many scares. Too many close calls for his liking. It was one thing for himself, that...he was a Hellion and the day would come when he'd receive the call to fly out into the black, and a day where he might not come back. And if he did, he might be slipped into a small soft velvet box right next to his son. However, that day wasn't today, and if he did his damnedest that day wasn't going to be until a long long ways off as well.

The small scars where they'd cut him open, put him on that ventilator, gave him new lungs, a new liver, were among the many that patterned along his body. They were tucked away and had healed over, the stitches removed, and he didn't have any plans on ending up back at DoSaM. Nope, none whatsoever. What he did plan was making sure Yavul had the best goddamn birthday ever.

He wanted to go all out, cook whatever it was the old coyote man had his heart set on, get him all his favorite beer, and do whatever he wanted to do. It was going to be great. The question of gifts themselves, well he'd been more than a little nervous had handing it over. A brown leather pocket cigar case with silver edges on it's foldable tabs might have seemed mundane to the naked eye, but Grisham's belly was not at all content to stay in place.

"To my Coyote
From your Dynamour"


A simple engraving, and the mere thought of having Yavul see it had his palm's sweaty and his heart hammering wildly in his chest. What if he didn't like it? Maybe it wasn't the kind of gift that he'd want - it'd be the kind of gift Grisham would get for himself - he was a walking chimney. Maybe Yavul would be nice and just humor an old man into thinking he'd liked such an obnoxious gift. It even had a cigar clipper in a small pocket in the front. And two of the flavored stogies he'd sent him forever ago. Had it really been forever?

No, no, only just a few months.

But he hadn't rejected that gift, the look on his face when he gave it to him made it all worth it, and Grisham could have sworn he was in Solarta again for all the heat that took to his face. Paler than Yavul, it was easier to tell. At least the kitchen the evening before had been hot. And all the BLTs were eaten.  A mild regret, because Grisham would have loved to have made one for breakfast.  Minor details, minor, because today, Yavul could have any meal he wanted. Except JJs. For once, none of that.  Unless Yavul wanted to lose freckles.

"I hope so, or all of Amristah would starve to death." Grisham had grinned slyly, following his coyote down to that supermarket, down through the chill that - while everyone else seemed absolutely fine - had the Valkyrie Commander scampering in as if he was in naught more than his skivvies. That had Grisham snickering. Nope. That would never not be funny. That would never not be entertaining and it would never not be adorable as all hell. Besides, it gave Grisham an excuse to stand closer to him, and slip an arm around his shoulders, as he always did. As he'd become so comfortable to do. Never in a million years did he think that it'd just be so easy to be close enough to do that. Everything with Yavul was just easier.

"The food ain't by the vents, amigato! It's your fucking birthday so I'm gonna make you the best goddamn meal you've ever had in your life that you're gonna have no choice but beg me to mouth-attack you, mmmkay? Kay."  The statement was final and he'd entertain no argument to anything less than shopping for proper food ingredients. "You won't even have to do the dishes."  A swooped arm hooked around Yavul's neck. Yup, right through the frozen foods was some semblance of a deli department. It was a start. He was thinking something greasy, something heavy. With any luck Yavul would be too full to go back to Solarta the next day. Wouldn't even be able to stand. Yup, that was the best plan.

Grisham dragged Yavul along, not unlike the night they meandered down to that convenience store for booze and limited edition rinkies. And going through frozen foods would give him an excuse to stay even closer, AEDA sweater notwithstanding. Hup, another belly lurch. Yavul did tend to fill out that sweater nicely, and black went so well with those baby blues.

Offline GoblinFae

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2017, 01:26:22 am »
Blu opened and closed the freezer door twice in indecision before finally cursing on the third time and blindly reaching in to pull out whatever her hand found. Red, flimsy box in hand she tossed it too into the basket without a further inspection. If the gods were so intent on sending her through this aching hellstorm again down memory lane then they could at least choose her dinner first.

She snorted softly to herself at the thought. Oh how her momma would tan her hide raw if she ever heard Blu say such a thing aloud. She could hear the lecture ringing in her ears already. It wasn't like it had ever changed much in the thirty odd years she'd heard it. Pinching the bridge of her nose seemed to do the trick though as her mind slowed some of its chaotic swirl. It was a relief and even if it was only the pressure being released temporarily, she would accept it. Blu did not need to be thinking about her family back home in Solarta right now. That always led down the dark path of 'what if's' and 'shoulda been's.'

As she walked back through the aisle, she shook her head while pulling off her plum beanie and ruffling her hair back up again. Damn freezing Amristah and its need for for itchy headgear! Blu was certain the gods cursed hat would make her bald by the end of winter just from all the on and off tugging she did on it as she bounced from frigid outdoors to blazing indoors all day long.

The chime of the entrance doors signaled new customers, though Blu was still too far down the aisle to see who entered. Their boisterous voices carried over and made her smile and chuckle to herself slightly. At least she wasn't the only one freezing half to death. At the head of the aisle, she was just about to head for checkout when she caught wind of the second voice. A proper Solartan accent sang in her ears and her head instantly shot up to attention with the first taste of home.

What she saw though stole her breath away. Yavul Hyakinthos standing larger than life and looking like he had just become his own personal snowman with the way he was shivering. There was her childhood best friend, a man she had not seen in over a decade though possibly closer to two and in Amristah of all places.

"Agave?" she gasped softly, the childhood nickname falling from her lips before her brain had even caught up with the rest of her. Blu didn't even know if he had seen her or heard her yet as  her arm holding the basket went slack. She caught it just in time to prevent shattering her precious bottles of alcohol. Though it was carefully and quickly abandoned on the floor as she took large strides to step further into view.

"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit!" she called out, her face cracked in a grin that reached ear to ear as the strong twang of her Solartan accent jumped off her tongue at full force. "Gods both, cher wha' th' hell ya doin' here?" Blu could not even wait for Yavul to answer as those strides became a jog and then she was crashing into him unapologetically. In that moment, Blu only cared about one person as she wrapped lanky arms about strong shoulders and crushed her dearest friend close to her. Their heads clunked slightly with the force of her loving attack though she could have cared less.

He was real! He was here! He was alive and well! Her gift flared then, though she refused to let go of him for even a second. For a brief moment as she clung to him, Blu relived his pain and loss. She had seen the empty and pinned sleeve even as she had launched herself at him; she had known what to expect when she touched him and it had not phased her. The most important thing was that she wasn't dreaming and he really, really was right there. The stories could come later. She certainly had enough of her own to tell.

"Gods both, I've missed ya!" Blu pulled back enough to press a big kiss to his brow and hold his face in her hands, pinching his cheeks playfully as her own nose scrunched up in mirth. She was a mess, laughing and crying and not even realizing she was doing either as she beamed up at him in wonder and disbelief. Her emotions may have been all over the place but the fog was lifted in that moment. Her heart thrummed like a military drum against her ribs, crowing to the whole world how overjoyed she was. She wanted to scream and shout, to howl and dance about, to hug him all over again and never ever, ever let go. Blu bounced on the balls of her feet, looking every bit like a young child experiencing Yule morning and seeing her most asked after gift under the tree. She could not have asked for a better one.

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2017, 10:42:34 pm »
   "The food ain't but aw, hell does that feel good on my bones!" Yavul sighed like a man who'd just taken his first drink of water after days of thirst. At least the cold served some purpose, turning even his tanned cheeks red and bitten, such that when Grisham slid his arm around him Yavul didn't have to worry about the flush that rushed up the back of his neck and settled in every inch of his face.

   The most hilarious part of it was that Grisham seemed to think he needed to cook something amazing in order for Yavul to beg for "mouth-attacks". But He was sorely tempted to do a little mouth-attacking of his own when Grisham said those fateful, fabled, wonderful words...

   You won't even have to do the dishes. Yavul pressed his hand to his heart in full swooning effect, leaning heavily onto Grisham-- "his Dynamour", gods both have mercy upon his soul-- and failing to keep from cackling in manic glee. Now that was something special, and the day had been just nonstop something-specials that Yavul's head nearly swam with joy for it all.

   He'd missed having happy birthdays, he realized, and for that moment he had the happiest there'd ever been in the history of birthdays. Standing in the middle of the frozen food aisle, tucked under Grisham's arm like it was nothing at all. And for a long moment, there was nothing else outside of any of it, the entire world condensed into a microcosm of him and Grisham and this moment, and with a fluttering heartbeat Yavul felt himself part his lips, take a breath, words hanging on the edge of his tongue--

   "Dyna--"

   "Agave?"

   The word was almost like it came from out of time. For the barest second, Yavul wasn't standing in an Amristah supermarket, bundled up in a hoodie and the thickest jeans he owned-- instead it was bright, sunny summer, and he was picking at the scabs on his dirt-stained knees while a wild strange girl plucked up sweetgrass and folded it into little braids.

   Yavul turned, eyes wide and mouth slack, before his face split apart in a grin to shake the ages. Because no matter how long the years had been, there was simply no mistaking that deep berry-pie color, or the way Blu Moon matched his grin tooth for tooth.

   "Bluebell! As I live an' fuckin' breathe, cher, what you done fall out of, the sky?" he cackled as the woman bullrushed him, yanking him into a bone-cracking hug like there hadn't been decades of radio silence between them, like it hadn't felt like they'd each been wiped off the map. In a way, they had been-- war didn't give you time to braid grass and listen to the summer bugs screech at each other from the trees.

   What he wanted to do was mush her face right back, but lacking the requisite two hands to do so, Yavul simply raised his remaining hand and ruffled her hat-mussed hair, all but bouncing in place for all his excitement.

   "Ma jolie bluebell, come-an' vatu?" He said, breathless for all the joy in his chest, the sheer emotion pushing out every last bit of air he had. Suddenly remembering himself, he looked to Grisham, beaming wide as he gestured between them. "Dynamour, this here's Blu, she's my best friend growin' up right before gettin' drafted. Blu, Grisham, Grisham, Blu."

Offline Lion

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2017, 01:29:47 pm »
Those little smiles, even one armed Yavul could be a right charming bastard if he wanted to. Well, even if he didn't want to. Even when he wasn't trying - hell especially when he wasn't trying to - that's when Grisham felt those little shivers the most. A little jolt down his spine, the hackles on the back of his neck standing on end and he'd be a liar if he didn't think Yavul wasn't most handsome when he was stumbling over his words. When the blush had taken to that wonderfully tanned skin and brought the light out in those baby blues.

Grisham couldn't help himself and just hugged him all that much closer, relishing every second he could. Soaking it up in the event it might never happen again. Sometimes you had to learn the hard way that the things you wanted most were the hardest ones to hold onto, that the harder you clutched onto it, the quicker the sand slipped right through your fingers. Hup...that was a thought best left a bay today. Today would not be host to anything other than making Yavul keep on glittering those baby blues.

"Dyna..."

"Yeah?"

Grisham had been all grins. Emphasis on had! Because when someone else came fluttering out of left field, he felt his arm slip from Yavul's shoulders and the scowl that followed could have very well cooked all the food in that frozen aisle. Could have, and Grisham had to blink and quickly recover because the woman pelting Yavul with kisses and an embrace that might have choked the life out of him, were he not doing the same to her.

The flush that touched his cheeks was replaced - briefly - with white hot irritation. And in a flash Grisham shoved it all away, like that. Friend. Best friend. Yeah that explained it.  Grisham blinked and licked his lips, grinning a little and tilting his head, trying to place the name. Blu. Blu. Could have sworn he'd heard it before. Maybe just couldn't match a name with a face at this time.

Or maybe he was still pissed that this whole moment was just ruined, knocked over like a game of Yenga.

"Well boy howdy. Pleasure," Grisham pursed his lips and reached a hand out to shake hers. "Any friend of Yavul's is a friend of mine." Right, and that reminder settled down any grumpiness that tempted to rear it's ugly head. "Grisham Alberich.  Yavul has told me absolutely nothing about you." A glance to Yavul and he winked at him. Yup, emphasis on the nothing.

"Fancy seeing you here in Amristah though of all places. Doin' a little shopping?"

Offline GoblinFae

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2017, 10:36:11 pm »
"Jay vécu, et jay mort, et jay done vécu de newveau!" she bragged with all the charm and bravado of a rugged cowboy as she took a half step back from him so they both could breathe. Only then as the tunnel vision abated, was she able to take in the equally tall man standing beside her Yavul. Dynamour, eh? How interesting. One lilac brow raised at the name though not a single comment escaped her lips. Oh sweet, precious Agave definitely had a tale or two to be sharing with her later about how that particular nickname came about.

Blu, still chuckling and coming down from the high of their impromptu reunion, scrubbed at her wet cheeks with her sleeve as the other hand slipped into Grisham's larger one. "Pleasure's all mine, Sweet Cheeks," she drawled thickly. Then, she faltered. Her eyes glazed and a soft gasp escaped her parted lips as it hit her. It was always a more violent experience when she wasn't braced to expect it. Places like the hospital or back in the day, the battlefield, had been rife with moments like this. It was rarer to experience it so vividly especially over something so simple as a handshake. What was a few sparse seconds for everyone else was an agonizing eternity for Blu as she not only witnessed the external loss of Grisham's arm but saw deeper and in fine detail the internal damage that had been done in the moment he lost it. Her stomach churned viciously in response to the sudden visceral carnage she had just witnessed.

Then, it was over and her hand was pulling away. Blu blinked rapidly to clear her vision, embarrassed that she had been so caught off guard. Her cheeks flushed, filling the patches between her markings with more color as she regained her composure. She just barely resisted the urge to wipe her now clammy palm against the thick wool of her charcoal slacks. It would not do to appear so rude when what she really was, was uncomfortably shaken. All and all though it was a beautiful piece of biocybernetics. She never would have guessed if she had not had her own special insight to its existence.

Where were they again though? Grisham Alberich. Names, right. Fucking hell! Of course now she would be caught in a moment of social discomfort. She glanced Yavul's way as her mind spun in place. Growing up she had been a Moon, yet last he had seen of her she had been a Shiner. Gods both how she despised that name. If only one good thing came from the divorce then it was being able to cast off that mantle. Most times she simply went by Altair. It was easier and less humiliating than all the bumpkin jokes at her expense. She already got enough of those because of her mulberry skin, not that she would suffer anyone to tease her about that. She was fucking beautiful, thank you very much! Problem was, Yavul would notice immediately and she just could not hide from him. Not from her oldest and dearest friend, a man she had disappeared off the grid from never to be heard from again until today.

"Blu," she compromised, "Just Blu." Her eyes twinkled as things finally caught back up and those eternity-long seconds fell back into proper order and time like little matchsticks in their box. Did she taste a sense of jealousy from Grisham Alberich? How quaint! Blu supposed she deserved it, she was the old friend who had abandoned Yavul and left him to go on and find new ones without her. Poor man was probably feeling a bit territorial to have a ghost return to haunt his friend. She just really couldn't bring herself to care beyond amusement. Yavul had accepted her back literally with open arms-er arm. Granted she hadn't exactly given him much choice as she plowed into him. The point was, he was not throwing her away and she was determined to make it up to him.

"I live here now. Moved here couple three-four months ago. Still getting all a'settled in, ya know? That being said I wouldn't mind carryin' on this here conversation somewhere where it ain't quite so chilled." She shivered for added affect though Blu really was freezing from the ventilated air coming off the freezers on either side of her.

"How about I treat ya boys to some real homecookin?" Her gaze shifted to rest solely on Yavul as she smirked and waggled her brows knowingly at him. "Grilled spranger just this side of still sprangin', mashed potaytas, greens with more bacon and butta than green. I ain't forgot all your favorites, Agave. Nor has it slipped my mind what day today is."

Praise the gods of Fate and Luck because Blu who had always struggled with her faith could not count enough of her blessings today. That blasted com that she was a slave to day in and day out had finally done something good for her. Once, many years ago she had taken the time to program an older version of it with all the important dates and anniversaries that had mattered to her at the time. She still had yet to clear any of them out despite the pain so many of them caused; her wedding anniversary and his birthday being among them. But, not even Coy's slimy memory would taint her happiness today.

That morning when she was still shaking from the throes of residual nightmares, the glow of her com had beckoned to her with her newest calendar reminder. At the time her heart had squeezed in guilt, though she no longer made the promises to herself to reach out to him again. Too many years had passed and she had always assumed that he was busy enjoying his own life and didn't need a little wild child all growed up crashing back into his life. How ironic then that the moment she laid eyes on him for the first time in forever, that was exactly what she had just done.

"I ain't takin' no for an answer, cher," she smirked, rocking back on her heels and forward again. "I'd eat my hat if ya told me you finally learned ta cook without the alarm ranging the damn dinna bell. If I know you, you're still double-fistin JJ's like they goin outta business and yer the one ta save 'em. Tell me it ain't so, I dare ya."

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2017, 04:00:34 pm »
If Yavul had noticed Grisham’s emotional state, he might have made better decisions. That seemed to be a running theme with the Valkyrie Commander, in that he made absolutely terrible decisions when it came to social gatherings. His entire ideology centered around the more the merrier, after all. Never quite noticed when someone just wanted it to be they and him.

Besides, he was too busy with a face full of Blu to really spot the flash of pure frozen-foods-melting anger on Grisham’s face. Also a little too busy being slightly embarrassed because yeah, no, he hadn’t ever talked about Blu to Grisham, had he? It’d just never quite come up, but what kind of excuse was that? She had been— supposedly— his best friend, and surely that should have warranted mentioning at some point or another. Gods both only knew he never shut up about the Hellion Commander.

Okay, maybe he was a little more than slightly embarrassed. Because he absolutely caught the slight raise of Blu’s eyebrow over the name “Dynamour”, and not for the first time Yavul was very quick to get the hell away from anything to do with analyzing that particular nickname. It was a portmanteau of Dyna and glamour. Nothing more. Nothing to see here. Stop it.

Coughing lightly into his shoulder and trying to keep the flush out of his face, Yavul looked between Grisham and Blu with a slightly less face-splitting grin. But a grin nonetheless because holy shit Blu was here, standing here, right here. Lived here, even!

“I’ll have you know, ma cherie, I cook plenty. Just JJ’s is open twenty four hours a day an’ who wants to put the stove on at three in th’ A.M.? Cookin's for when I got good company.” He shot Grisham a glance and tried to keep the fluttering in his chest at a minimum.

If Yavul had any sense whatsoever when it came to social situations, he might have politely declined Blu’s offer of dinner. Said something about them having plans, talked about catching up later, maybe the next weekend Yavul was in town, something like that. But Yavul did not, in fact, have any sense at all, and so at the mention of home-cooking, real bona fide Solartan comfort food, bacon and butter and dripping steak… He turned to look back at Grisham, reaching  with his right hand to pat his bicep.

“Dinner sounds good, though! We was just gettin’ some fixin’s ourselves for it, ain’t about t’ say no to such a good offer. Give me time t’ tell Dyna all manner a terribly embarrassin’ shit about you that I clearly been neglectin’ my duties towards. What can we help get?” He asked, finally, gesturing at their collective shopping baskets.

Offline Lion

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2017, 09:01:35 pm »
No, Yavul really didn't know when not to put his foot in his mouth. Not at all. He didn't really know when being nice was too nice, and damn the sweet man's giving nature, just saying yes even if the moment might not at be the most optimal to do so. Grisham had been standing back just long enough to feel the moment go from awful interruption to an abrupt change of direction, of their vessel sailing what was supposed to be wonderful calm winds.

Today was Yavul's birthday after all. It was supposed to be them, sharing something that they often didn't get to what with distance being what it was. They were both Commanders - and they were obligated to the cities they served, to the nation they fought for. A day like this being as rare as it was, taking some much needed time off...

Well, he supposed since it was Yavul's birthday, whatever the birthday boy wanted to do, that's what they would do.

Grisham had nodded at their small introductions, made quick by any aversion to last names on Blu's part. But her face was familiar and he supposed when he'd earned that right she'd tell him. In the meantime, he didn't want to reach out, didn't want to focus on the sheer elation she was giving off because it put him on edge, and already he could tell she'd seen something that he probably hadn't wanted her to see. The discomfort he'd caught in the wrinkling of her brow was brief but prevalent.

The banter between the two, frankly, was endearing, and Grisham forced his own emotions into a stand still. This was Yavul's birthday, and if he wanted to have dinner with is friend they were having dinner with Blu.

Grisham smiled when he met the coyote man's gaze. Cookin for good company huh. "Not today, if I got anything to say about it," he cacklesnorted.  "Okay, Blu, I love cooking. And I'm a goddamn liar if I said I didn't love Solartan cuisine. Yavul makes a mean scorpion steak if I do say so myself. Got me drooling just thinking about it!"

He cackled, relieved that the laughter actually felt genuine and he casually slide his arm around Yavul's shoulders again, almost headlocking him and giving him a good ol' shake. "We've gone hunting a few times. Nothing fresher than when you kill it yourself, that's for sure." The arm left Yavul's shoulders reluctantly, and he pat his right arm gently.

"Blu, you tell me what it is you're making, and I'll do whatever I can to assist you. Yavul wants good ol' fashioned Solartan cooking, well boy he's gonna get some."  Grisham laughed and slipped an arm casually into Blu's elbow.

What was that saying? Oh yeah:
If you couldn't beat 'em, join 'em.

Offline GoblinFae

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2017, 09:32:56 pm »
"Mhmm," Blu intoned low and long, not believing Yavul for a second. "I ain't ettin' my hat over that one, shu-gah. Try again," she laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep within her chest and making her feel light and warm inside. In that moment she realized just how long it had been since she had laughed like that. Damn did it feel good. Her eyes crinkled in her mirth, crow's feet having formed in the corners of them.

"Oh, ho! Stories, he say. You mean like th' time wes went a'campin' and this fool," she said, lightly punching Yavul in the shoulder, "went and done dropped all th' hotdogs in th' fire. 'Cept he don't jus' drop 'em. He picks 'em up and puts 'em back on the fire like ain't nobody gonna notice. He say to me," she paused to bark with laughter as she remembered those innocent-seeming blue eyes trying to act all earnest as he patiently explained to her. "He say, 'But Bluebell, that there fine layer o' ash is how you know it been done rights ya see. You ain't evah et a proper hotdog 'tils now. Jus' you waits and see.' I ain't nevah et a crustier hotdog in all my whole entire life, bless my soul.

"Don' even get me started on th' time you done kilt my momma's kitchen with them marshmallows, Agave. It ain't never been th' same since!" She winked at Grisham, clucking her tongue playfully. "Tell all the stories you want, old friend but, I'll match you tale to tale. You know I always come out on top. Now be a good little birthday boy and tell Ole Blu what you hankerin for. I gots a mind to show your friend here how real Solartans cook."

She felt the arm slip into hers, glancing at it in momentary surprise before looking slightly up at the weathered face. "If you can follow my lead, I'd welcome the assistance. I'm sure I can whip up something a whole dust-storm better than what he's been trying to poison you with. Next you'll tell me he gave it a mud glaze," she cackled.

It was unfair how easy it was to fall right back into line teasing the boy-man as if time had simply stopped then restarted without a gap in between. Her chest hurt with the feeling even as her mouth and eyes laughed with joy. Any moment now she half expected to hear her momma's voice on the wind calling over the chimes for her to come wash up. Or to see Koba and Worf up to their old antics just around the corner. Her memories brought with them those lazy summer days when they'd rolled in the mud, playing at mud monsters or caught lightnin' bugs in jars so Yavul could read by them at night. She smelled baked mud and smokey wood, all but feeling a warm fire against her glowing cheeks.

Then, as quickly as the moment flashed in her mind's eye it danced away again. Laughter still hung on her tongue yet it tasted bittersweet now. "Agave," Blu commanded, her tone brooking no argument as she squinted playfully at him. "You take that there basket," she pointed to where she had discarded her wine, salad, and now defrosting whatever-it-had-been-mystery-meal, "and you go get yourself whatever it is you and your friend here drink these days. Not a proper celebration if we ain't got you walkin' on a slant by the end of it. Meanwhile Grisham," she squeezed his arm with her own, "and I can get the rest of th' fixin's and see if wes won't kill each other in the process."

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2017, 10:58:05 pm »
It was a lovely day in Amristah, well into the evening, when suddenly everything everywhere caught fire. Even the ice cream in the freezers was on fire, immolating everyone and everything until all that was left in all of the world in all of the universe was pure, unrepentant heat.

Or at least, that’s what it felt like to Yavul. He swore he could feel his toes blushing for how red he was, burrowed into his hoodie like that would at all help the fact that Blu was absolutely dropping some of his most horrific cooking moments out right where Grisham could see them. It wasn’t like they weren’t true, of course, but then again, that was kind of the problem. At least if it was made up bullshit Yavul could laugh along and make up something equally bizarre about Blu, too. Still, Yavul was nothing if not capable of rolling with the punches, and he grinned wide at the mention of the “marshmallow incident.”

“Hah! Th’ marshmallows. Yeah, I got it in my head to do roastin’ en masse an without the fuss of a fire, and lo an’ behold, turns out marshmallows like t’ expand. An’ lo an’ behold, they get impossible t’ scrub out once set.” He snickered, shaking his head at his younger self and the utter panic that had seized him when he realized all those marshmallows had exploded into a giant sticky blob of horror and sugar. God, that had been embarrassing, and when his own mama had found out what he did in someone else’s home, WOOF.

But even that was nothing compared to the horror of being asked to request his birthday dinner. That was entirely too much, and the Valkyrie very much resembled the reddest of tomatoes as he tried to disappear right into the floor.

“I mean. We were just gonna get somethin’ easy, really Bluebell you ain’t gotta go all out after nothin’.” Partially because he was horrified to ask her to cook him actual steak like some kind of spoiled brat, but also partially because that had been an open challenge to Grisham’s cooking and oh no, oh noooooo. “I was just thinkin’ fry up some spranger an’ a side a’ mac or somethin’.”

It felt almost cosmically right that the sudden reappearance of Blu had none of the awkward ‘so how have you been’ and lukewarm catching up. They just got right back into it, teasing and mortifying one another, though right now she did have the upper hand. It was like they were kids again, back when the worst thing either of them had to worry about was curfew and  sneaking off with Darry’s horror movie collection. Neither of them had been able to sleep right for a week, and both of them had sooner played at being sick rather than admit to having done any such thing. Blu was still Bluebell, and he was still Agave, missing limbs and lost years all aside.

And so it was with no small amount of fondness that Yavul raised his hand in defeat, and scooped up the forgotten basket, letting it swing a little as he looked between the two most important people in his life.

“Okay, okay. Yeees, ma’am. Now don’t let her tell you no more tall tales, Dyna. There’s a fresh box a’ Rinkies in it if you don’t.” He winked, before heading down the aisle and making a beeline for the liquor department. Because honestly, the longer he could chase this happy feeling, the better, and right now he just felt on top of the entire world. Ashy hot dogs and all.

Offline Lion

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2017, 01:00:40 pm »
Ashy hot dogs? And exploding marshmallows. Holy fucking shit! No wonder the poor coyote stayed as far away from anything to do with kitchens in all his life. The poor guy clearly was traumatized from years of horrific food accidents. And it was no wonder that the moment Grisham had cooked a proper meal for the man, he couldn't have been a happier sonuvabitch, a flopping coyote content with the meat he'd been served.

All fantastical conjecture of course. If anyone was a messy messy boy it was Yavul Hyakinthos, the rat bastard. Grisham found himself grinning all the while though and the very heat that spread across Yavul's face made it all that much more worth it. There was some fire that even his lovely sunkissed skin just couldn't hide, and the moment his eyes lit up, oh yes, he knew that he'd found the treasure trove of stories that would make Yavul's face flush deeper than ripened cherry tomatoes.

Grisham tried not to let his expression betray him, but it was too late. The sheer glee at Yavul's embarrassment was ever present within the gray-blues of his own eyes, wrinkled at the corners, the scars on his face scrunching a little with a devilishly pleased grin on his face. Oh yesss, this was indeed the most treasure-ful of troves.  That wasn't a word, but Mr. Dynamo gave no fucks today.

"Yavvy here makes a pretty damn good pot of mac n cheese. I dunno Blu. I think you got your work cut out for you, amigato," he chuckled, trying very hard not to laugh. He failed when a snort erupted out of him. The squeeze on his arm though was rather welcome, dragging him back to reality. Back to Yavul's birthday. Back to the very thought of spranger steaks that they were going to cook up for his favorite Valkyrie and Solartan. Ever. Period. There were no runners up.

She'd feel it, though, the burning slightly vague irritation. She was an interloper, but she was Yavul's best friend. He'd make nice. This was his day.

Grisham glanced back at Yavul, swinging that basket like it was nothing and going on his merry way to find liquor to drown out the blush from his face. "I'll hold you to it Coyote man," he hummed back and tilted his head a little to watch him walk away. Yup, still a pretty picture. Definitely. Even one-armed. And now...now it was just the two of them.

Grisham's brow fell into a low semi-scowl, mainly because a reflection from an opening glass door against the recessed lighting got into his vision and made it so. Yeah that was why. Definitely why. "So, tell me Blu'hana," he quipped. "Exactly how do real Solartans cook? I'm pretty handy in the kitchen myself and spranger steaks sound just like they'd hit the spot."

A chuckle. A charming laugh and he raised a brow to her, meeting her eyeball for eyeball as they walked passed the freezer section out to the meat department where Grisham could get a better look at the choice cuts still on display. Yup, Yavul had better hammies, but those weren't for sale.

"Spranger meat medley with a side of mac and some atomic sauce cheesy chicken bites as an appetizer, huh. How about that?" Grisham was already picking out the meat that he found best and examined it briefly before stacking three steaks and a side of chicken wings. "You like Loony Lon's Atomic Sauce right? Of course you do! Go grab three bottles."

Offline GoblinFae

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2017, 08:26:14 pm »
She smirked softly at Yavul's retreating back. It felt good to have him back, if that's really what this was. The problem was with his departure not only was she stuck alone with the new friend in his life, but she felt the withdrawal of his own strong euphoria that had been fueling some of hers as well. It was a sobering sensation like waking up to the other side of the bed cooling after your lover had departed. That paired with the intruding, hair-raising prickle of indignation she felt crawling across her skin was enough to set her teeth on edge.

Inhale. This feeling she was experiencing was not her. Blu just needed to hold onto that. The joy that had nearly burst her heart in two, that was her. That was real. Everything else would be what it would be. In the morning when she was alone and hoarse from screaming at shadows again, she could wallow in all the darker emotions running into Yavul brought to the surface. Guilt, regret, fear, even Grisham's irritation were not for now. She just needed to cling to the good for what it was and ride it out.

Exhale. Soothing calm washed over her and off in gentle waves. It was not even a conscious thing, just an instinctual need to soothe and to heal. Yes, she could do this. She just needed to focus. Dancing deep blues be damned, if Grisham didn't like her here then he could grow the fuck up and get over it. She was here to stay. Interloper or not, Yavul had made his choice and they were all stuck with it. She decided right then and there, she'd behave, if he would. Mostly.

Blu smirked in challenge, the good old Solartan pride making her heart beat fast at his challenge. "Blu'hana, eh?" she purred back, her accent lightening and fading slowly without Yavul bringing out the worst of it. Her own brow mirrored his as she answered his question confidently. "A lotta heart, a lotta soul, and a helluva lotta cholesterol, Sweet Cheeks. But, you'll see," Blu promised cockily as she shook her arm loose of his. The new Commander was more than happy to be free of this man who made her feel all sorts of things she would rather not feel because she would much rather be selfish right then. Green just was not her color.

Brushing away thoughts of smacking the charming right out of him, the woman took to looking the meats over when she noticed what he was doing out of the corner of her eye. Aw hell no! Pressing up against his side, Blu plucked the package of chicken from his pile and tossed it back where he had gotten it from. "Nu-uh. You want to do this right you do it my way. Forget the sauce and grab the bacon. Let the Solartan work her magic and you just enjoy the show. Who knows," she snorted while crossing her arms over her chest, "maybe you'll actually learn something."

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2017, 10:13:40 pm »
   This day was just a wild rollercoaster ride of feeling. And Yavul wasn’t even an empath! He rolled up and down between elation and excitement to intense embarrassment, back and forth between overwhelming fondness and some mild string of odd thoughts that he desperately tried to shake off. No. No. It was his birthday, dammit, he was not going to spend it thinking of terrible things.

   Like how terribly similar Blu and Grisham were. Certainly neither of them had destroyed ovens with marshmallows. And they both seemed to like teasing him into a puddle of blushing shame. They’d get along great, all biting humor and, and—

   And that’s exactly where Yavul stopped in the middle of the liquor aisle and shook his head so hard it must have looked like a dog shaking off fleas. Nope. Stop it. Just… for one day, just stop it. This was fun. This was fun and fine and everything was fine. Everything was fine.

   Right, he was getting liquor. He should really focus on that, rather than just standing there like a doof until someone got worried enough to send a rescue party. Because wow, that would just be too embarrassing, if they’d managed to get everything and he was still sitting in front of all the glittering bottles.

   What was he even looking at? Vodka? No. Skipping right over the wine aisle, too. He… thought? Grisham had said something about not liking whiskey? Was that whiskey? And he hadn’t seen Blu in so long, what if he picked something she couldn’t drink? Yavul lingered over the bay of brandy, and licked his lips. That was something. Brandy and some sweet tea. Maybe peach? That sounded real good. Yavul set the basket down on the floor, plucked up a decently sized bottle, and set that in the basket before carting the whole thing up again. The only thing left to do was to get the tea, then, and then hunt down his friends again— his best friends. And have dinner!

   Assuming, of course, that they all survived dinner. That was the one part that kept his awful thoughts at bay— the cooking gauntlet was not one to be ignored. And if Yavul knew anything about Grisham, he knew that man never backed down from a challenge.

   …Maybe he should double up on the brandy. Yup. Doubling up sounded good.

Offline Lion

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2017, 11:32:52 pm »
Inhale and exhale. That was what drifted off of Blu whether she realized it or not. He'd been picking out meat, trying to decided what would really one-up her (and he had ever intention of one-upping her) but at his back he couldn't ignore those pungent emotions drifting off of her like steam from dry ice. The dread of what would come after, the anger, the loneliness, and he unconsciously felt his brows knit together uncomfortably.

Just months ago his thoughts had mimicked hers. Just months ago, that small tendril of happiness tended to come when he cracked a bad joke and found himself madly cackling when no one else did. This was just about Yavul. She was his friend. No his best friend, and this was the first time she'd seen him since...well he guessed the war. Grisham didn't have any other friends outside the Hellions that had survived the war.

He recalled the names on the Onishii Memorial Wall, glowing faintly whenever the sun went down, and what light braving through the dome faded. He frowned and didn't seem to hear her coming up behind him until she ripped the chicken out of his hands.  And then everything inside him flared up once more. She woke him up from his petulance, for that he was thankful for.

But the ripping of the chicken from his hands, and the complete dismissal of what he wanted to offer Yavul. No.  Just no.  "Hang on, now," he growled, and shifted to look at her sternly. "There ain't any reason we both can't make something good for the birthday boy, all right? Look, how about we each get our own items, and we'll work out magic when we actually get into the kitchen huh? Your kitchen, I guess. Since you wanted to host a big dinner. You don't see me ripping meat out of your hands, Bluhana."

He grinned at his little nickname and resumed the the plucking of chicken bits that'd she'd so carelessly ripped from his hands. An unconscious projection of what life had ripped from her hands. Well she wasn't going to take it out of his cheesy chicken wings. Fuck that noise. Grisham gathered what it was he was going to buy and once they were set, including an extra pack of bacon, that he graciously pat when he glanced over to Blu.

"For when you burn yours," he nodded, and grinned.  And hooked their arms back together and meandered back to check out. He glanced around for Yavul again, spotting him with the bottles of liquors in tow. He winked and shot his coyote man a grin. They were all packed up and ready to go soon enough and Grisham hoisted his lot of groceries under one arm and when he was close enough he hooked an arm over Yavul's shoulders once again and tugged him close.

Back out into the cold. Back into the fray. Out into the unknown. Grisham couldn't lie, even though he held Yavul warmly against him, the idea set a cold tingle to his skin and made his hair stand on end. He couldn't lie, no. Blu's Kitchen reminded him an awful lot of punching out into the Void for the first time, that no amount of Simulation could fully prepare you. That horrifying unknown that could very well eat him alive. That there would be no going back from.

Offline GoblinFae

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2017, 09:16:23 pm »
While looking into Yavul's eyes had always felt like seeing a piece of long-forgotten sky, gazing into Grisham's was like standing on the shore of a typhoon and weathering the storm. Her own berry blues met the squall though without flinching. His gruff, stern attitude did not frighten her and she was not about to back down to the growling dog.  Blu was Solartan; you stood your ground and stared down the dog before you ever let him bite you.

His words though struck a chord. The lady, if you could call her that, squared her chin, her nostrils flaring slightly as she considered his words. For Yavul. Right. She just had to focus on her old friend, the boy with the smile of a thousand summer suns. Blu could play nice, sometimes. Having her territorial pissing contest in the grocery store was hardly called for. She just needed to let her cooking do the talking. Now that she could do. Just you wait Grisham Alberich. Blu Moon was going to walk all up and down your ass and you're not going to know what hit you.

Her brow ticked up in challenge as she gave him a curt nod. Then, silently Blu spun on her heel to gather the rest of her own ingredients. Blocks of cheese and butter filled her arms as recipes she hadn't made in years blurred in front of her eyes. She was counting for the hundredth time that she had everything when Yavul's fool of a friend dared to insinuate she would burn bacon. Her nose crinkled at the joke while her eyes narrowed dangerously. Grisham was playing fire and Blu was more than happy to withhold the burn cream.

She was coming to find that she hated the way he latched onto her, linking arms as if they were old friends or she was a wayward child in need of controlling. It was a relief to have Girsham occupied with groceries and Yavul under his arm as crisp icy air made her lungs scream in protest. Blu kept a half step ahead of them as she led the way home, all too happy to barrel up the steps to her apartment and get out of the frigid cold.

Her wrist flicked quickly to unlock the door and the lights inside popped on warmly at her entrance. "I'm home!" her voice sing-songed, as her guests were quickly ushered into the warmth. Her boots and coat were shaken off and dumped in a pile on a chair as a thud in the back of the house announced the presence of something else living in her home. Moments kater a rather large, fat blob came trotting in to skid across the living room table and knock over the pill bottles and empty wine bottle sitting there.

"Asshole," she muttered under her breath as she glared at her obnoxious cat who was currently cleaning his rear for both her guests to see. "Sorry about him. Ain't nobody able to teach a cat manners. Kitchen's straight ahead, bathroom's through the bedroom on th' right, don't go gettin' freaky without me and make yourselves at home. Excuse th' mess though, still settlin' in."

Blu quickly shoved the prescription meds in a drawer and tossed the empty red wine in the trash on her way into the kitchen with her pile of groceries. She missed though as Cataract dove off the table after one of the small orange bottles she had missed and had begun to bat it around the floor. Despite her words though, Blu's place was rather tidy. Aside from the knocked over bottles which she had corrected and the denim couch with blankets on it as if someone had been sleeping there, her home was spotless if a bit eclectic in taste.

The walls had various paintings in different of flowers in mismatched, rustic, wooden frames. Bookcases were filled with trinkets and old books, some of which were in old languages she could not even read but she had loved them nevertheless. Tucked behind her overstuffed chair which was piled high with cat toys and wedged between the bartop kitchen counter and another bookshelf was a small and very well-worn piano. Above it were frames upon frames of digital photos some of them still and some moving. There was Blu with her brothers, with Yavul's brothers, with a little red hair girl, with soldiers and friends and people long gone from her life. One had Blu in a wedding dress moments before she turned to the camera and with a cheeky grin and lifted her massive skirts to reveal scuffed and muddy combat boots underneath. Another was of a pair of identical boys swinging a toddler Blu between them, her little legs not even touching the ground as the boys smiled down at her. The favorite though hung front and center above the piano at perfect eye level for her playing to look at it. In it a much, much younger Blu and Yavul sat reading a book so large it covered both their laps. Yavul's finger followed the words on the page, his little lips sounding out silent words moments before Blu turned her head and kissed his cheek. He blushed beet red as she laughed before the photo looped again.

In the kitchen, Blu began to unpack her own bags of goodies, placing things on the counter and in the refrigerator as was necessary. If there was one thing Blu had loved about her home when she had decided to move in, was how big and beautiful her kitchen was. Unfortunately though, this would be her first time cooking in it and for other people at that. She accepted it as a blessing though. Good food was meant to be shared with family and Yavul was as good as, as far as she was concerned. "So what did th' birthday boy get us for drinks? Not kid wine I hope," she joked, glancing up from what she was doing with a wink.

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #16 on: December 23, 2017, 11:06:13 am »
   If Yavul was honest, the thing he missed most about having two arms was being able to do two things at once. Like carry the bag of booze and get his arm around Grisham at the same time. It was an eye-rolling thought, thankfully squashed before it could possibly bubble to the surface, but it certainly didn’t stop him from smiling as the Hellion tugged him close, bracing them both against the coming Amristah cold.

   Served him right for riding mechanical scorpions, he guessed. Any kind of scorpion, apparently. Still, Yavul couldn’t complain; Grisham was more than capable of making up for his arm-deficit, and so they followed Blu in a foreign direction, up some stairs and into what was obviously her own apartment. Yavul made a mental note; this wasn’t too far from their… his… place. He really needed to make an effort to visit more. Maybe double up on another weekday to take Fridays as a half.

   It was a thought.

   A thought interrupted by the appearance of what appeared to be a giant, furry donut waddling its way into view, knocking over everything that had once been previously undisturbed. Yavul snorted, amused, and considered that this could have easily been his own life if he’d kept his drunken-stupor cat. Yeah, good call on handing that one off to Raz, Yavul was not sure he’d appreciate beer cans everywhere. Deciding to go into the kitchen and unload his share of the groceries rather than observe the rotund feline clean himself, Yavul nearly dropped one of the bottles of brandy at Blu’s (he sincerely hoped) joking comment about getting freaky.

   Mmmnope. Nope. Nope. That’d be horrifying, and yet now all he had was Solartan mud on the brain and it was the single most mortifying thing he could have thought of, stop it. Okay. No, he was fine. Everything under control. Compliment the hostess, you dumbass.

   “Ain’t no thing, cher, it’s downright spotless.” he said, finally, looking out from the kitchen and into the main living space, at all the things Blu had collected over her years of absence. A life lived, visual markers that she had continued to exist long after he’d last seen her. How much had happened between then and now? A lot. But still, some things were the same. The flowers and books, the rustic feel to everything collected, it was all just so… very Bluebell. Even if he hadn’t seen her in years, even if times and tastes and interests changed this was all still very her. It was an odd thought, and one he couldn’t articulate even to himself, simply experience right along with an odd sort of feeling in his chest.

   It was the pictures that caught his interest, of course, though he couldn’t get a good look from where he was. Half-distracted, Yavul had already begun the search for three glasses to start mixing in, when Blu’s question caught his train of thought and pulled him back to the waking world.

   “Ah. Brandy’n peach tea. Proper stuff, packed full’a all them vital nutrients like sugar an’ spirits.” He gave Blu a grin, stopping to fill the glasses with a few cubes of ice before doling out parts of both, the mixes slid over the counter towards Grisham and Blu both while Yavul promptly knocked his first glass back.  “Pretty sure brandy is distilled wine, ain’t it, Dyna? So I guess more like granny wine.”

   Yavul quick mixed himself up another glass, taking the moment to wander over to the pictures to get a better look, his brow furrowing with some wordless emotion as he looked over each one. Yeah, Blu had gone on existing, even when plenty of others didn’t. Her brothers, his brothers, the photos moving in a mimicry of the life they’d tried to capture for just a few seconds. There was Jeth, and Eli, Darry and Kanda and Worf and Koba just like they once were. Faces he never saw again and never would.

   To think, he might not have ever seen Bluebell, either.

   Swallowing another good half of his drink, Yavul moved on from those photos to the one with the wedding dress, his eyebrows skyrocketing and a laugh escaping him despite everything else. Because of course she’d wear muddy ass boots on her wedding day. Blu was Blu, there was simply nothing doing about it.

   “You got married! Aw, ain’t you just a walkin’ magnolia in Fleurivale.”
« Last Edit: December 23, 2017, 11:07:09 am by nephero »

Offline Lion

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #17 on: January 16, 2018, 12:43:10 am »
They were in Aedolis. In Amristah, admittedly, a city that Grisham didn't quite venture off to on a moment's notice - except for that one time - and go gallivanting about. Adstreia was home. That was where he'd belonged for so many decades that blurred into one. That stepping here into this apartment was the affirmative culture shock he'd expected the first time he'd gone to Solarta.

Back then that was just to deliver gifts he'd wanted to give because....he had nothing else to do. And less so in the sense that he deigned to do so, but more so in the fact that he was aimless, saw another that was aimless, and wanted to reach out. Grisham didn't want to admit it to himself - but even he couldn't hide from the truth - he'd been lonelier then. Sometimes even he was lonely now. Just...decidedly less so when Yavul was around.

A thought that made his stomach do the mightiest flip and he quietly observed Blu's knick knacks and little objects that immediately caught Yavul's attention. Grisham said nothing, just observed as the drinks were poured and his was set aside. Idly he unpacked the groceries they'd bought and waited in the corner of the kitchen.

Yeah, this was not his home, and the cat that was busying himself with being a blob and batting around bottles earned himself a decisive glare from Grisham, and the Hellion Commander tilted his head as the cat met his gaze back and hissed before resuming the kitten-like batting again.  What a fat floofer, he thought to himself, taking a sip of the brandy.

Distilled wine, huh? Grisham couldn't help but think he'd want this drink doubled down. But he didn't babysit it either and downed the liquid fire until it scorched his belly into making him grin. One he offered to Bluhana. Yeah that name was going to be permanent. "Married huh? Nice to know I wasn't the only one in the trenches," he commented and that smile soon faded.

Because it wasn't that long ago that his part that his apartment looked just like this. Maybe less with prescription bottles and more with the slow emptying of furniture that was his or wasn't his, and the only thing that was left was that sofa he'd graciously donated to Razzle for moving into his new place. He was glad it was gone, but a stray pang caught between the left side of his ribs and his heart, a pin that made his heart beat faster.

And he forced himself to look at Yavul and still himself. To still that heartbeat, and the awful flip that followed once more. Dinner, that's right, they were supposed to be making dinner.

Grisham took his empty glass and refilled it himself. This was going to be a long cook session.

Offline GoblinFae

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2018, 05:06:38 pm »
"Granny wine," she barked back in laughter as she dragged out a pair of cutting boards, setting one out for herself and another for Grisham with a motion of her hand to invite him to have at it. Yavul quickly drew her attention away from opening a package of bacon to her wall of memories and for a moment her gaze lingered on his face, taking in the wear and tear as well as the youth that still danced in those bright and beautiful blues. It warmed her heart to see him happy and mostly whole when so many others had not made it out or been as lucky.

Her answering smile froze though as she realized what he was looking at. For a heartbeat her eyes slid from that cursed wedding gown to a pair of goons in medical gear making faces at the camera. Blu dropped her gaze quickly back to the food, her heart seizing in her chest. Fool that she was had lost both men in her life. The reminder hurt more than she ever would have liked to admit. She downed her drink and poured another to try and quickly collect herself. As if she had not hesitated longer than a moment, Blu took up her knife began to evenly chop the fatty strips of meat into little bits.

Freak!

"Coy Shiner," she replied quietly, careful to keep any resentment out of her voice as a wry smile tugged her lips upwards. "You remember him, Agave, th' boy who could make your Bluebell go from blue t' red wit' only a smile. Ain't nobody never had a bigger crush'n me on him. Damn near smitten." Blu chuckled and ducked her head slightly, taking in Grisham's words but not wanting to share in that smile as if they had something to bond over as far as happy marriages. She didn't know his life but there had been very little joy about her own union.

Frigid bitch!

"After th' war they stationed me at Margad for a time. He and I had ourselves a little domestic. He wanted t' starts a family and I weren't ready. Last I hear he gone done married lil Melody Rhymes or Rivers, whatever her name were? Rhodes! Got themselves a dozen chilluns or somet'in' like that back on his daddy's farm. So here's me, married at sixteen, divorced at twenty-six and still livin' young." Blu laughed dryly, and raised her glass to them both as she continued, "T' th' young an' stupid, yeah?" She knocked her drink back before smacking her lips.

Who else would ever marry a clown like you?

Her fist curled tightly around her knife before she relaxed it and set it down. Coy's words rang over and over in her head, cutting her deeper than any physical blade ever had before. Her soul felt weary with it all as if she wanted nothing more than to slip beneath quiet waters to never surface again. But with her nearest and dearest friend a few hairs away from her kitchen, Blu couldn't bring herself to sink, not with Yavul right there as large as life.

"Now wes gonna cook or we gonna cook? It was Grisham, right? I believes you told me you knew your ways around th' kitchen. Fire her up and lets get going. You do know how to turn a stovetop on, yeah?" She smirked, brow cocked in challenge as she returned to her chopping and organizing with gusto.

"And don't think you're off th' hook either birthday boy. Block of cheese on the counter and box grater's under that cabinet," she motioned with a nod of her head. "Get gratin', Cher. Mac won't make itself you know. While you're at it you can tell me about bachelor life. You ain't ettin' all them JJ's if yous married after all," she teased with a playful wink.

Offline nephero

Re: House of Heart and Cholestrol [Lion, Nephero]
« Reply #19 on: February 19, 2018, 10:52:52 pm »
   A little domestic. It seemed like that was a running theme. Not surprising, given the duties that came with the considerable honor of Pilothood. The stress, the bad dreams, the long hours, the secrecy. But even still, Yavul had… wanted it. Was that so bad of him? Grisham wasn’t slow to point out that marriage was a mistake, and several of their shared social circle seemed to be of a similar opinion. And then, here was Blu, who despite being one of the top doctors in the entire world, despite being so smart and so fun and so charming, couldn’t figure it out either.

   Maybe it was stupid to want something like that. More and more, Yavul was convinced it was so; if Blu couldn’t make it work, if his parents couldn’t make it work, if Grisham couldn’t make it work, what chance did he have? The odds were already dismally against him just on principle, and as Yavul snuck a glance to the side at Grisham’s comment about trenches, he was reminded of just how dismal his odds could get.

   Well, so much for shaking awful thoughts off. Yavul wanted to blame the brandy, but even with his second glass drained and the headiness hitting him, he had enough sense to know the brandy wasn’t what was wrong with this picture here.

   “To th’ young an’ th’ stupid,” he agreed, unable to put much heart to the words so busy he was with just keeping his tone in place. Last thing that needed to happen here was him losing his shit before dinner was even cooked, and not for the first time Yavul swallowed the lump in his throat and came back smiling. He pulled out the box grater at Blu’s direction, and set it down against the unoccupied section of countertop, stopping only to refill his drink for the third time before setting to work on getting the cheese shredded.

   It was slow, ungraceful work, the Solartan man wildly out of his element amongst two talented chefs as it were. Still, it didn’t matter that the cheese wasn’t pretty when it was just going to be mixed and melted in a bit, and Yavul was—if nothing else— good at basic duties. The ATC for him had been exactly what he needed. It was structure, it was purpose, and even when it was the most banal of tasks it made sense. Grating cheese for macaroni made sense, and even better still, allowed no room for overthinking bullshit.

   It didn’t stop him from hearing conversation, though, unfortunately. He paused in his grating, almost too suddenly, and hid it under a casual swig of his drink before taking up the cheese block again.

   “No, ain’t no such Luck for me, I’m afraid t’ say.” Don’t look at Dyna. Don’t look at Dyna. Don’t look at Dyn—goddammit he looked at Dyna. Another quick casual drink, and Yavul glanced Blu’s way, leaning a bit more heavily against the counter with his hips as sudden movement became less and less a viable option.

   “An’ ohhh, the bachelor life. Ettin’ JJ’s breakfast, lunch an’ dinner. Squad takin’ bets when my heart gonna give out. Get t’ get piss drunk an’ make sordid deals for th’ re-purchase a’ my pants from a barman. Or step in animal shit an’ find a cat. It’s a never-endin’ red carpet affair, I tell you what.”

   Yavul barked a laugh, and shook his head, the world making sense a little more with that beautiful alcohol-driven clarity he had been afforded.

   “You tell me someone wants anythin’ t’ do with that there list a’ considerable qualities an’ I’ll try not t’ hold my breath none.” He shot Blu a wink to take the edge off his words, hoping against hope that he could play it off as just more good-natured ribbing. Nothing serious, right? And it was fine, even if it was getting harder to keep grating the smaller the cheese block got, until he was all but sticking his tongue out in concentration to get the block over the grater’s surface without taking his own fingertips with it.

   “Pretty sure I woulda done died a’ malnutrition ain’t for Dyna takin’ pity on my ass an’ feedin’ me proper. Right good soul for a devil.” He shot Grim a crooked grin, appreciating the subtle irony of it all.

 

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