[open] What's another night on Mars?

[hoboagogo]

Who: Shinjiro and whoever feels like dropping by. Likely the remainder of SEES and also his gang Fie and Louis. Strangers are welcome also!
When: The beginning of Septeril
Where: SEES House- an awkwardly huge house in the haven.
What: Just everything. Tending to the garden, hanging out inside and outside. Hit me up at soozaphone if you want to plan/plot something!
Warnings: Shenanigans, to be sure.

-----

Hangin' in the Garden.
He liked to tell himself he was just doing this to help out Fuuka. She'd gotten a job at a floral shop, so maybe she'd want to use the badly overgrown patch of land fenced in beside the house- something that clearly used to be some sort of garden for potion ingredients or flowers or vegetables or whatever else by the original inhabitants, before the building was abandoned and the whole area was turned into the Haven. He tells himself it's just because he's got nothing else to do, and definitely not because it grates on him to see the dying, tangled, mass of plants vying for light and soil space, strangling one another, weeds popping up in every space possible.

He's going to deny those burgeoning faun instincts even as he gives in to them.

And so it's not a rare sight for him to be crouched down in the giant mess that could maybe become a garden in due time, completely confused as to what should be kept and what should be gotten rid of, and occasionally just grabbing entire stalks and ripping them out when the plant looks like it's beyond saving. Really, it's tempting to tear it all out and start from scratch-- but for all he knows, some of these are useful or rare or valuable or something?

Maybe he should take pictures and get the network to identify them. Or at least tell him which ones are poisonous.


Lunch time
Keeping a mental inventory of what everyone eats has made things kind of hard. He's sure Fie will eat anything. Fuuka, if she's picky, is too polite to actually say a lot of the time, so he just has to guess or try and watch for reactions. Louis is an herbivore. Makoto is basically a carnivore. And so even though he's grouchily resigned himself to the expectation that he makes food for everyone, it essentially means that he has to make multiple dishes, all depending on who's in the area and who's hungry.

At least Makoto is easy enough- lightly season and sear some meat, try his best to add in some other kind of nutrition, even if it's just rice cooked in broth or stock, and hope for the best. Akihiko would be the same, if he wasn't-- who knows where, right now. (Maybe snapped back home to their own reality? He has no fucking idea, and thinking on it just makes him angry and worried, so he just distracts himself with aggressively cooking.) Fuuka won't complain even if it's completely wrong, so whatever-- and anyone else isn't really around that often, even if he's taken to stocking a few more vegetarian options in case his bondmate drops by.

So come on by and whine for food or be disappointed in the choices today if you want to catch an earful. Or even learn how to cook your damn self, because sheesh he won't always be here to feed you guys.


Literally anything else
Break in to steal shit, start a fight, raid the fridge, knock on the door to try and spread the Good News, do whatever, it's all good!! As stated about, just let me know if you want to plot anything with Shinjiro and I'll start a thread for us! IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE IN THE HOUSE it can be elsewhere also, lmao. I'm not your boss, literally do whatever you want. Use this post for your own threads, tag each other, start your own open stuff. I'M NOT YOUR BOSS, GO WILD.

Comments

Cap'n Fie and the Fiesty Fellows (Louis and Fie)

[hoboagogo]

"See, all these just look the same to me."

He's griping as he tugs at one of the tall plants sprouting up in the sea of them, eyeing the stalk and the tiny, bright white flowers growing in clusters. Despite the bright red blisters on one forearm from getting the wrong kind of sap on himself earlier, he still hasn't bothered to find any gloves, just going ahead and grabbing at whatever the next plant to sort through is, deciding on the fly if it should be kept or torn out.

So far, a lot has been torn out, a veritable pile of rooted-out shrubs and tall flowering pieces, and that one damned vine that had left the huge welts on his arm the previous day.

Tilting his head back, he looks to Louis, gesturing with the hemlock in his grip. "What d'you think? Would you eat this, or no? We ain't got any witches, so if it was for potions I don't think we got a use for it..." At least having some company had helped him stay on task, instead of just miserably giving up and going back inside, only to continue being aggravated and distracted by what bad shape the garden outside was in. At least he's starting to realize that it has to do with his monster nature-- the dream the prior month had given him a pretty good idea of what he's eventually to become- if it was to be trusted, of course-- and so like Lex had told him, there was very little use in fighting it.

[rightfoot]

Louis immediately makes the mental note to bring gloves next time. A couple of sets. He didn't think to bring anything himself, and he hopes that he doesn't actually end up with any sort of reaction to things in here. He hadn't really applied himself in Alchemy quite yet, so he doesn't know. He shakes his head.

"I probably wouldn't eat something if I don't know what it is." It sounds smart enough, at least. He didn't want to die or get sick from getting poisoned by eating something he shouldn't have. "I'll know more once I go to Alchemy classes more frequently." Did he sound like he was slacking? A little, though he wasn't. It was a lot to take in and he was trying to pace himself so he'd be good at things he was doing.

"I'd probably get rid of anything you won't eat, too." He says this, pulling out a few things that looked like weeds. "Just in case they're poisonous." He eyes the plant in his hand, shrugs, and goes for another one.

"Which, for the record, we're trying to avoid."

[hoboagogo]

Really, if Shinjiro had thought further ahead or cared more about his own well-being, he could have work longer sleeves or, as Louis noted, wear gloves this time. But he didn't and he doesn't and therefore here we are, getting up close and personal with mystery plants and trying to decide which ones should stay.

"Yeah, good point. I didn't know if like... people could use it. But I guess we can't do anything with it anyway--" and so, even as he speaks, he's grabbing at the base of the stalk and tugging, ripping the bulk of it up and breaking off the roots. And maybe (again, if he thought about it more,) he would have thought to remove ALL the roots, but whatever, maybe the worms can keep eating off them or something.

He's gonna have to learn more about plants.

"Hey, I ain't about to start stickin' everything here in my mouth, don't worry so much." Having uprooted most of the first part, he tosses it to the side, before grabbing at the next part.

"So d'you do a lot with plants in alchemy?" He has to admit, hearing about the coven's magic and lessons is interesting enough. He's sure he'd change that opinion if he was actually a witch and attended the classes, but as a passive bystander, he doesn't mind it. "I think the school nurse back home liked to pretend he was some kinda alchemist or something. apparently he'd give students some real weird bullshit to drink. Dunno if any of it actually worked, though."

[rightfoot]

He watched Shinjiro pull at another weed, plant, something? He wasn't sure what it was. Still, if he didn't know what it was, he wasn't about to eat it. It seemed like a fast way to ensure that you'd make yourself sick. He noted the plant in his hands, and realized that they were probably going to find bits and pieces in the dirt here left over, but they'd just have to be sure to rid it of anything before planting new.

"They'd probably have us put stuff in a separate garden, so don't worry about keeping anything you won't eat." He hadn't quite figured out what he was meant to do with the plants, but he had seen them in some applications.

"Sometimes, for things. I'm pretty sure for making some potions. It's kind of like...if you break down some things, the parts separately sound dangerous, but together it's good for you."

He glances over, pausing mid-pulling a weed (or plant, he supposed) out of a ground. "I hate to ask this but did it taste awful?" He'd have to assume that it did. It sounded awful.

[sylphid]

[And them from above, a few sets of durable cloth gloves, the kind that go up to one's mid forearm, are basically thrown at their persons. Followed by a couple small trowels, rakes, and shovels that imbed themselves directly in front of each of the boys. Once they look up, they'll see a familiar girl just chilling on the roof.]

You guys are doing that all wrong. Shinji, you should probably go wash your hands now if you don't wanna get poisoned. Maybe. Not sure how it'd affect whatever you are, but it's probably not going to be good. [Fie pauses for consideration.] Actually, both of you should.

[And that's her cue to casually slide to the edge of the roof and off, landing in a comfortable crouch position.]

So how long have you been at this? [She spares a glance to the piles of plant detritus.] Really, wash your hands before continuing.

Makoto

[hoboagogo]

Even after their conversation over the watches, things had been.... strained between himself and the Leader. On the full moon, both Makoto and himself had been swept up in the swirling agitation and agression and energy that he'd since learned unbonded monsters had to cope with each lunar cycle. And while they'd been careless and aggressive with their arguments, neither of them had lied. And maybe that fact was what made it even harder.

They still weren't on the same page. Neither of them were about to change their opinion on sharing truths amongst each other. And now, a few days into the new month, with Akihiko nowhere to be found, it looked like it didn't even fucking matter in the end anyway. (Bitterly, Shinjiro will take this to mean he was right. They didn't cause any extra pain for himself and for his friend, and it didnt end up being relevant at all.)

At least he's started expecting Makoto to be a late riser. The longer they stay here, the more and more their monster traits are bleeding through, so Makoto shifting into even more of a night person than he was to begin with isn't too much of a surprise. It also gives Shinjiro an excuse to pull the curtains to keep errant sunlight out. (Really, he's been doing it because of the pressure headaches that are becoming more and more common for him, as well as the eyestrain. Based on the full moon and dream they'd had last month, he's going to assume it's where he'll be sprouting horns and his eyes are going to get fucked up. What a pain.)

When Makoto does finally rouse and wander into the living areas, Shinjiro's got his head tipped onto the back of the couch, one arm flopped near-dramatically over his eyes. He does shift at the footfalls, though, shoving himself up from the couch and rubbing at his eyes.

"...Hey." It's a neutral greeting, and he nods. "You hungry?" It's the only peace offering he really knows: offering food.

[halfmoon]

To say things have been awkward is an understatement. In the four days Makoto was gone, the dynamic of the house had changed dramatically. Without Akihiko here, the point of their previous argument is moot, and he regrets what he said to Shinjiro on the day of the full moon more than ever.

Of all of SEES, Shinjiro probably needs to be handled the most delicately. Makoto knows what it's like to have several dozen layers of armor pulled around yourself mentally - he used to be one of those people, having since graduated to only a few layers at best. A person doesn't start peeling away those layers for nothing.

When he descends the stairs and finds senpai loitering on the couch, he's grateful, despite stopping at the bottom of the stairs and gazing at him from across the room. His eyes are still red, and his teeth are still growing sharp, and somehow his overall health worse since the full moon, not better.

"Good morning," he says softly with a nod. "Sure. Thanks." Remembering his unkind words last time they were in a situation like this, he doesn't bother voicing his picky preference for meat. He'll eat whatever Shinjiro feels like making him.

"Is Fuuka gone already?"

[hoboagogo]

As lazy as he can be at times, never wanting to put more effort into things than he feels they deserve, he's thankful for the excuse to be busy. To let him feel at least slightly in control of something as he works in the kitchen, and to keep his hands and eyes busy, better able to take a few moments and think about his responses. And so at Makoto's words, he nods, shifting into an upright position with a faint grunt, rubbing his eyes once more for good measure, and then standing.

At least Makoto's changing appearance isn't too much of a surprise anymore. The shift in eye colour is, at times, jarring, and sometimes when he catches a glimpse of those teeth, a weird instinctual part of him wants to tuck tail and back off. (It's a weak instinct, though, so he just ignores it.) Hopefully, his own differences are just as routine to Makoto now. The near-constant line of thick hair at his jawline (or stubble if he's bothered to shave-) the way he walks more on the balls of his feet, heels up off the ground. It's more subtle than Makoto's failing health, but it's certainly present.

"I think so. She's got that flower shop job, right?" Really, Fuuka is quiet and innocuous enough that lots of times he completely misses her coming and going.

Either way, he moves to the kitchen, pulling down a pan and flipping on the burner-- this time the ignition only clicks four times before the flame catches-- and moves to the fridge to find some cuts of meat he'd stuck in there to thaw. Hopefully that's a nice, subtle peace offering.

"How you feelin'?" The 'because you look like shit' can go unspoken. He knows that Makoto is wearing away as he transitions into something undead. And it's uncomfortable to see. But at least he can pretend like it's fine and normal.

[halfmoon]

"Flower shop job," Makoto echoes emotionlessly. No, he hadn't known that. He feels guilty not knowing what she'd been up to, but after a deep breath, he reminds himself that things have been awkward between him and Fuuka and they are both doing their best.

He walks across the living room to the kitchen table, his bare feet padding softly against the wooden floor. The drapes are drawn, thankfully. Otherwise, this spot would be submerged in sunlight.

"Sunlight is starting to make my skin itch," he explains for lack of much else to talk about. He knows he looks terrible, he can see it in the mirror. As Shinjiro pulls out the meat from the fridge, Makoto rests his chin in his hand and watches him.

"How about you?" he asks. "Looks like your beard's gonna keep growing fast like that."

Rich

[hoboagogo]

He can't be too surprised when he comes down one morning to find the guy on his couch.

Maybe he should be, but with all the other weird bullshit going on, finding that someone has broken in during the night (or early morning) and curled up to sleep on their couch isn't the weirdest. And so, after a moment of staring and having his brain catch up with what's happening, Shinjiro just.... walks right on past, deciding to let him sleep a little bit longer.

The past week or so had been hard on the guy. He doesn't know the extent of it, but he knows that the weird shared-dream (which it turns out was real? Who knows how all that shit works-) had hit him in all the wrong ways, seeing as he'd had to deal with his body being controlled against his minds wishes himself. He's seen the guy's rage and passion at wanting to free the dreamscape denizens, and he's sure their limited time there and the ultimate failure hit him hard.

After about fifteen minutes later he's returning with hands full- two empty, mismatched mugs hed by the handles in one, a steaming press full of coffee in the other. They're set down none-too-gently on the coffee table with the thunk of ceramic on wood, hopefully a precursor to help Rich wake up.

"Hey. You break in here last night, or did we leave the door unlocked?" He's not mad when he asks it, mostly curious. Because for all he knows, Makoto went to do some late-night wandering and didn't lock it behind him, or one of them just plain forgot. Either way, he's here now and he's not causing any problems. Might as well give him some coffee.

As the other man rouses, he goes ahead and pours the coffee into the mugs, before sitting on the table itself. Because Rich is... kind of lying on the couch, and also he wants to give the guy some space. Weirdly enough the growing patches of scales make him unconsciously apprehensive- though he does his best to ignore that. "You need milk or something in your coffee, or is this good?"

[firewalled]

Rich has been like a zombie this last week. He knows that. It's been hard to sleep, and his nightmares have been coming back full force. He keeps looking over his shoulder, imagining things brushing against his neck with the tingle of static electricity. He can't relax. He's tense and angry and he just wants to go home.

But if he can't go there, somewhere different is the next best thing. The barracks are cramped and lonely all at the same time. He needs more people. And from what Shinjiro mentioned, his house had people. So that's where he stayed.

It hasn't been as bad a sleep as the last few nights, but definitely not long enough. He groans as he hears the thunk of the mugs, reaching for a pillow to throw over his head.

"Ngh. Five more minutes..." He blinks blearily and raises his head, though, and he does manage a wry little grin.

"I don't know man. Brought my pickpocket tools, but the back door was open." He hoists himself up onto his elbows, staring at the coffee. "Uh... milk and sugar, if you don't mind." He knows that's kind of childish, but he thinks he needs as much energy as he can get.

[hoboagogo]

He simply lifts his brows as Rich grumbles for more time, tempted to toss one of the battered, lumpy throw pillows at his head, but just barely managing to hold in the childish impulse. maybe next time, if it happens again. Instead he just takes a long drink of his own coffee, watching the scarred teen shove himself upright.

"Ahuh. Pickpocketing ain't any good for locks, you know." Still, he nods and stands up again, setting his coffee down and returning to the kitchen with a warm, though half-muttered 'wuss' to grab some sugar and some milk for the other guy.

But then again, he's pretty sure most people don't drink coffee straight up black. Hell, he doesn't think he did when he first started with it. It was really something he grew more into. He returns shortly with an old-fashioned bottle of milk (and man he still can't get over how old-timey this town is--) and some sugar, setting it out and resuming his seat on the table.

"So you just get bored and decide to hop over?" He's sure the real answer is a bit more vulnerable than that-- but he'll at least give Rich an out, a lighthearted comment to latch onto if he wants to avoid whatever the truth is.

[firewalled]

Rich mumbles some more, rubbing his eyes and blinking blearily at Shinjiro. It takes him several seconds to comprehend what the other man is saying, but when he does, he flushes.

"I meant lock picking! I'm just... jesus, man, I just woke up, give me a break." He sticks his tongue out when Shinjiro walks past, apparently having no qualms about being childish.

The process of getting his tea ready to drink is... soothing. Rich watches the milk poured into the coffee in little cloudy swirls, before adding a spoonful of sugar and stirring slowly, listening to the clink of the cutlery against the ceramic. He looks up to Shinjiro with a wry smile. The offer is nice, but Rich isn't going to take it completely. He can at least be honest, if not completely forthcoming.

"Nah. More... paranoid, I guess. Kept feeling like I was being watched. Couldn't sleep."

did someone say PLONTS

[faithlikeaseed]

Could Myr but see the state of that garden, he'd be equally offended by it--and not all due to whatever Monstrous instincts had decided to germinate in him when his antlers started to sprout. He had kept up the Circle's gardens back home--even in the face of considerable adversity--and took a measure of warranted pride in that.

He can't see what Shinjiro's up to in there, but the sound of someone wrenching a persistent weed up by its roots is attention-grabbing even across the street. As is the bright, citrusy scent emanating from one of the uprooted shrubs lying sadly to the side; that's enough to detour Myr from his walk home to investigate.

"Tell me that's not the sumac you just ripped up," he calls brightly as he makes his careful way over to the fence. Stopping a foot or so shy on the intuition it's there, he reaches out to make sure of it and finds himself shaking hands with an aggressive morning glory. Neat. "Or if it is, that you don't mind me making off with it."

ALL THE PLONTS plz help with the plonts

[hoboagogo]

He sits up quickly at the voice, casting a glance over his shoulder and straight up stopping for a moment as he stares at the stranger. Antlers, alright, but smaller than Louis's and attached to someone looking mostly-human instead of an actual deer. But that's not as distracting as the covering over his eyes, which has Shinjiro raise a brow, but decline on commenting.

Clearly the guy is doing well enough, despite being... blind or blindfolded or whatever was going on there.

He looks down to the mess he's been working on- a slowly-growing patch of fresh earth in a short radius around him where he's already cleaned up, and then the rest of the towering mess still to tackle. "I dunno what Sumac looks like, so it might be. But sure, if you wanna take it--"

He cuts off as he realizes: this guy might be useful. He stands up and knocks some of the dirt off his pants as he approaches the fence, flipping the latch of the gate and letting it swing open with a whine. "You know a lot about plants?

swan dives into the plonts

[faithlikeaseed]

"Leaves in threes--like a rounded diamond with scalloped edges to 'em. They might already be red by now; they smell like lemon when they're crushed. Might have berries, too, if they've not all been picked off by birds." Which would be Myr's real interest in requisitioning the tree, even if they were lovely (in a way he mostly can't appreciate any longer) as a hedge. "And I surely do want to take it; we've a spot in our garden it would be perfect for."

If there is a sumac there, he doesn't expect his off-the-cuff description to be acted on immediately--the sound of the gate's a little bit of a surprise. Even so, he gamely works his way along the fence toward it, careful not to get too grabby with anything that's tendriled down it. "I'm no herbalist but I know enough to keep a Circle fed off its own garden," he answers, cheerily. "And happily most of what grows at home seems to grow here," less some important smokeable staples. Alas, elfroot.

just watch out for the poisonous ones.......

[hoboagogo]

The man is quick with his description, and even as he's describing it, Shinjiro is looking over at the pile of plants that will either be compost or..... actually, who even knows.

He's gotta pick up a book or something to figure out what he's doing.

"Three leaves, kinda diamond shaped, got it." And with that, he'll start rooting around in the torn-off stalks and branches, looking for anything red. It all smells like a heady mess to him- way too many smells in one place for him to be able to pinpoint. But when he does come across a almost cone-shaped cluster of berries, he brings it up to sniff it.

Hopefully he didn't brush that stupid poison vine again. he's already gonna be itching for days.

"This what you're lookin-- uh." --You know what, it's been done now, gotta keep going. "Looking for?" He shakes the bulk of the branch out from the pile of the rest, holding it out in the guy's general direction. "I think I had to take this one out in pieces. There's probably still some rooted, if you want that one instead."

He does pause, though, glancing back out at the garden. "...I never really worked with plants before now, to be honest. I dunno which ones I should keep and which ones'll kill me. So far, I'm thinkin' whoever owned this place before us made a hell've a lotta potions or something."

literally something else

[sylphid]

[After being here before, Fie easily discovers that Shinji's room is on the second floor, and figuring out which room specifically is child's play after that. She makes a note of the angle of the room and what's nearby for her return trip.

Which actually happens about an hour later. This time she's got a bag with her, attached to her waist and thigh-- these people design smart, she approves. This leaves her hands free for much easier climbing. Climbing up to his window that's conveniently open almost like an invitation. (Fie makes a mental note to thank him later.)

Once inside, she finds his desk, painfully barren of anything remotely interesting. Somehow, it's kinda fitting. Here she sets up shop. Out of the bag and on to the desk are placed a couple healing potions, some bandages spelled to speed healing, and some ointment for god knows what. It looked useful, so she grabbed it. Leave her alone. All that laid out, the bracer takes a moment to look around. Wow, how dull. She makes a mental note to drop by with decorations at some point.

Turning to the dresser, she pulls out a knit hat from her bag in dark green (sans goggles). That's dropped right on top before she moves to leave the way she came-- the window. Fie crouches on the sill, ready to hop on out.]

[hoboagogo]

[Late in the morning, and clearly Shinjiro has already rolled up out of bed, since he isn't present in the room. But apparently he hasn't been up for very long because right as Fie starts to make her getaway, he blearily walks back into the room, clad in dark boxershorts and with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

He even makes it a step or two in, one hand coming up to scratch the itchy growths of beard he hasn't tried to tackle yet this morning, the other working the toothbrush-- but the instant he sees Fie crouched in the window, he springs back and just fucking drops it.]

Fuck, Fie-- [It's cursed out as a startle, the brief flare of surprise transitioning quickly to irritation.]

What the hell're you doing?

[sylphid]

[Whoops. She doesn't intend to get caught this time. She figures she must've spent too long look around at absolutely nothing. Busted now, anyway.

Fie turns on her toes to face him, still crouched on the sill, ready to make a break if there's need. Or if she simply wants to. Now she'll take her time, since there's a half naked guy in front of her, who isn't half bad. Sorry, bro, she'd be this shameless around most. Still, she does answer normally as she points to the stuff on his desk. Her own forearm is still wrapped in bandages.]

I brought some things that might help in the future, since there's no witch living here. Elliot's good at what he does, but he can't be everywhere.

[In Fie speak, it translates to her caring and being kinda sorry he got caught up in her group's mess. Now she moves from a crouch to a sit with her feet dangling above the floor of his room.]

Guess I wanted to see how you were doing, too, even though you'll insist you're fine.

[hoboagogo]

[He's half distracted, based on the fact that he had just dropped his toothbrush, and is trying to decide if he should buy a new one. This one is probably fine. Probably? So he scrubs at his mouth with the back of his hand and goes to pick it up, seemingly completely oblivious to Fie deciding to get herself an eyeful.

Because that would just push things from bizarre to completely awkward, and really-- best to just avoid that. So even as she explains himself, he's making a move to the dresser, pulling it open to reveal that his lack of things translated to basically everything-- there's maybe three shirts in there, and he grabs the first one right on top and pulls it on.]

So... this some 'just in case' in case I end up fighting one of your buddies again?

[A pause, and he finally approaches the desk, picking up the hat.]

And what's this ugly thing for?

[He knows it's likely a replacement for his own, which happened to get a few solid cuts through it-- but it's weird and green and has ear flaps so what the hell, Fie.]

Hangin' in the Garden

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot doesn't normally make a habit of approaching people on their property. But after the incident with Rean, he wanted to check in to see how Shinji was doing. Luckily, Fie had told him where he lived. So sometime in the afternoon (after Fie's break in), Elliot will be coming by the house. He spots Shinji in the garden weeding, which hey, that makes things convenient.

He walks over to him, being careful to stand to the side of the garden and maintain a distance]

Oh, you're keeping a garden?

[Must be another reason he and Fie get along so well!

[hoboagogo]

[Really, he was doing decent after the fight. It sure wasn't what he'd been expecting that morning, and he'd not exactly performed up to his own standards, but that's just what this place is, it seems. Suddenly, just being a Persona User isn't enough to put you ahead of the game.

....Also, it's not like he even has his Persona here.

Regardless, he hadn't started taking time off or resting, instead just shoving himself into whatever needed doing and whatever would satisfy those gnawing impulses in his head to get outside and start working with the plants-- which, thankfully, makes it easier for Elliot to find him.

He lifts his head as he's spoken to, brows lifting.]

Ah... I dunno about keeping, just yet. Mostly just clearing out bullshit. Trying to figure out what I got to work with. [Still he stands, shaking clumps of earth off his fingers, and walking to rest his forearms on the fence.]

Need something?

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot hadn't seen most of the fight, being away when most of it was going down and only coming in to help with healing. He felt guilty about it. Maybe if he had been there sooner, he could prevented a lot of this somehow.

But, there was no changing the past. He knew that much. It was best to try to focus on what he could do now]

Ah, I see. [So he's keeping a garden but is tsundere about it. Got it] Well, looks like you have a nice bit of land to work with.

[Anyway...]

Well, I just wanted to check on you. See how you were doing after... [Well. last night]

[hoboagogo]

[Sorry, Elliot, he's gotta be tsundere about everything. He shrugs at the comment on the land- it was big enough, really. And he's basically accepted by now that he's going to be doing something with it, simply by nature of whatever it was he was becoming. But the topic change helps explain just what Elliot is doing here, and Shinjiro sighs, bringing a hand up to scratch at the hair tickling the base of his neck.]

Oh, that. Yeah, I'm alright.

[Which is what he'd say even if he wasn't.]

Thanks for being there to heal, though. It'd be a bigger pain if you weren't. [He shifts where he's leaning against the fence as they talk, before gesturing to the gate.] And you don't gotta stay out there.

Anyway, Fie dropped in this morning to drop some more stuff in. [A beat, and then:] Well, broke in, kinda, but whatever.

[hashtag fie]