middaeg | [closed] fall and turn the white snow red

Who: Henry

morbide & Tataru Taru

seemstressed
When: 3/1
Where: Tataru's residence
What: A gift from the outpost, a check-in, and a burden from Henry.
Warnings: N/A

[Fortunately, Henry has a reason to be visiting her that isn't as selfish of him. He'd feel odd if he were to arrange a visit purely for himself, on his own accord, for something like... this. Which still fills him with — something, he can't place it, but it's uncomfortable. Beyond any desire to catalogue it, as someone who'd much rather ignore potent emotions than process them. He's uneasy enough to make him wonder if he should fake ill to get out of the engagement, because he's sure that this discomfort is akin to illness.

(But he walked past a man trimming hedges earlier and ended up stuck for minutes, trying to be good and unseen, in case the trimmers were for him. What part of him, he could never guess: his skin, numb to sensation, prickled in dreadful anticipation... until a crow pecked at his toe. How silly! he realized in retrospect. That kind of thing hasn't happened in some time, but this is the kind of thing he's been dealing with.)

But he has a pack of the things he collected for the Lalafell out in the distant Wilde, bound not by boxes or bags, but individual spells created with Abjuration to keep them sealed and away from each other. He compares the address to what she sent him about five times, doubting his own comprehension, before he knocks on the door.

The moment she opens it, he waves with one hand first, then both.]

Heya, Tataru! Lookie here, as promised: the goods, AND I've still got all ten fingers, no more and no less!

[Be proud! All fingers are there, and he didn't try to... grow any new ones??]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[It was pretty cheesy, but she doesn't mind a bit of cheddar now and then. She can sympathize with him more than he probably realizes when he begins to tell her of how long he's been living in a state of war for. It's something she's familiar with, due to Eorzea and the Empire's conflicts, along with Ishgard's drawn out Dragonsong War. All that strife, blood and sorrow she wouldn't wish upon anyone.

If she can give Henry a home, a safe place to live, maybe he'll blossom and heal from whatever traumas he's certainly harbouring as a soldier.]}

There'll be none of that here, in this building, I can promise you that. You're to make yourself at home here.

Yay to not sharing rooms with groaning soldiers?

[It's still more than just the war... But he doesn't have the mental backbone to tell her right now. He's pretty tired. He'll save it for the walk to the Coven, he decides. Tell her about his perceived unsoundness of mind, tell her about his upbringing, his average dreams, the normalcy of being crushed under gloom and despair but smiling through it.

He doesn't think he'd have ever been able to put it into wars had it not been for the Shepherds, anyway. Perhaps being with them prepared him for this. ...Any moment of reflection Henry had passes quickly, and he slides his elbows on the table and leans his cheek onto his arm.]

Whew. We have quite a morning tomorrow, huh? ...Is there anything else you wanted to prepare for, or will saying some vows be as easy as pie? [A beat.] Lucky for us, even if we vowed not to trim our nails or something stupid, we could always try again after the time's up! If... you still wanted to be with me, that is.

[He doesn't want to be presumptuous.]

_{[He's really not confident in himself, is he? Tataru gets that, she's been there. Maybe not to the same extent that Henry's experiencing, but she knows what it's like to lack the confidence to think you're not worth something to someone else. That's not true though - everyone had merit and value, in some way. This morbid mage was no different.

Out comes a hand of hers to pat his gently as she reaches over the table. He may be smiling but it seems as good a moment as any to give him a little extra reassurance.]}

Maybe in three months you'll get my ring size.

_{[It's teasing, of course, a callback to their first meeting.]}

I'll be prepared, I think, as long as I can find something nice to wear.

[Her comment about her ring size gets a wicked sort of giggle out of him, like nothing could elate him more. Then, she mentions ornamentation, and...

Henry hums.]

Oh. I'd better stop by my place and get better clothes than this, if we're supposed to dress up... What was I thinking? Of COURSE a seamstress would wanna look nice! And springing it on you like this... Yeesh. The least I could do is also be ready to dress my best.

[She doesn't have time to make an outfit for herself, much less two... He raises a finger.]

But we could save our best-best for three months, right? Riiight?

[Please be okay with his not-super-snazzy gothic charm...]

As long as we're presentable.

_{[She's got a few things half finished that she'd been working on - she'll just have to put it together tonight in time for the ceremony in the morning.]}

But you're right - I'll make sure we match for the real deal.

[DON'T WORK TOO HARD... GET REST! If Henry were already Bonded to her and caught even the slightest hint of such a machination, he'd be teasing her.

He laughs, a little flattered at the idea.]

Aw. That's sweet of you, Tataru.

[And sweet of her yet to put such faith in the longevity of their Bond. He wonders if she understands him yet, or if she's simply optimistic...

Henry folds his hands together.]

Soo, I think... I'll hurry on home. Gotta make sure I'm dressed the part in the morning. [He doesn't even want to begin discussing the prospect of... moving in, even as it excites him. She might change her mind, after all. To try to mitigate any bad feelings she might develop for him, he thinks of a way to prove his worth... Though it's primarily motivated by his gratefulness.] But you probably have some cleaning to do after all that cooking, right? Can I help, before I head on my merry way?

_{[There's a quick shake of her head as she hops off her chair, swiping her now empty pie plate from the table to set it in the sink.]}

No, no, you needn't do a thing. All I've to wash are these plates of ours, so you best prepare yourself for the morrow, like you said yes?

_{[Not to mention she needs a moment when she realizes, once he's gone, just what in the hells she's agreed to.]}

You'll have plenty of opportunities to help later.

[Ooooh, Miss Taru, laying down the terms... Henry giggles airily at the suggestion that he'll have a future of washing dishes, and he's... excited for it.]

Dishes for months? What did I sign up for? You're really twisting my arm.

[Not at all. But he accepts that pretty easily: he would've felt bad if she hadn't threatened him with months of housework. But he does wobble in place, reluctant to leave but knowing full well that tomorrow is a new... start, he supposes.

Something like a start. At least, being pulled out of a river.]

I'll be all ready to go in the morning for sure. You can count on it. But don't stress so much over it that your ears bleed, okay? [He gives her a bright smile.] I'll show tomorrow and if you're not ready, no problem! The last thing I wanna do is make you burst into stress tears. Let's make it nice and sweet.

They won't be bloody, I promise.

_{[She's quick to work at tidying things up, taking his dish and setting it in the sink as she continues to speak.]}

And I'll be ready. No backing out on me, you hear?

Me? Heck no. I won't back out!

[But it sure is nice to hear her demand that he doesn't. Because he's been thinking about it all evening, not because he wants to.

Henry shuffles his boots on, his cloak leveraged over one shoulder as he wiggles his foot until they pop on one at a time.]

But I won't hold it against ya if I show up and you get cold feet, okay? I'm a pretty intense guy, and I know it better than anyone.

So... Thanks for dinner, and... everything. ...Yeah. I'm not good at this, ahaha.

[closed] fall and turn the white snow red

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