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[shesgotguts]

house #1490
husband ❧ daughter ❧ son
sister ☆ daughter ☆ nope ☆ no way

owner of Good Golly, Miss Holly!
principal's assistant at Altaciere High School
member of the Holly Heights Welcoming Committee

"Your queen, Milly Ashford, isn't here right now, so feel free to leave a message!! She'll have a servant get back to you ASAP!"

video || voice || text || inventory

Comments

[leadingspirit]

[He sags, visibly, sighing and shrugging a shoulder.]

Either works, really. Probably wine. Maybe both. Can you do that? Are you allowed to drink wine and tea at the same time?

[Taki you are talking too much.]

[shesgotguts]

I wouldn't suggest it. It tastes awful.

[the hand on his waist leaves to reach up for his face, knuckles brushing against his cheek gently. calm, taki.]

Tell you what, if the tea doesn't work, then you can have all the wine you'd like. Okay?

[leadingspirit]

What about wine-flavored tea...?

[He quiets halfway through the question and trails off, looking sheepish about her knuckles.]

...yeah. Am I that transparent?

[shesgotguts]

Or tea-flavoured wine? You could be on to something.

[she still smiles at him, her hand flipping around to cup his cheek, fingertips light against his skin.]

Not really. But I'm getting better at knowing you. [a pause, and a sigh, and then--] If you don't want to tell me what's wrong, you don't have to. But I'm here to help, no matter what.

[leadingspirit]

Tea-flavored wine. I like that. Be good for Brits. They're too high-strung.

[A beat.]

...you aren't British in amongst all that wildly hard to pronounce heritage of yours, are you?

[A thin laugh, and he tips his cheek into her hand.]

I'll be okay. I'm just... A little out of sorts over something I didn't think would get to me like it has.

[shesgotguts]

[she laughs lightly, and shakes her head, a bit of mischief in her eyes.] Oh, those English are a bit too tense, you're right. Britannians are much different. You don't think I, a Brit, am too high strung, do you?

[it's all in jest, and she laughs lightly, rubbing her thumb over his cheek, and bringing their interlocked fingers up to her lips to press a sweet kiss to his hand.] I know you'll be okay. You're strong. But you aren't okay now... Is there anything I can do to make it better?

[leadingspirit]

Britannian. I will never keep up.

[In the end he just looks tired.]

I might actually take you up on that tea, honestly.

[shesgotguts]

[she smiles softly, then pulls away from him slightly to bring him inside. her hand is still in his, though, and she doesn't dare let go.]

Anything for you. Do you like Darjeeling? I've got cookies too~ They're sugar! [his favourite ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

[leadingspirit]

I can't pronounce it, how am I supposed to know if I like it?

[He drinks Lipton, don't judge him.]

[shesgotguts]

Shame, shame, Kazuya... [she shakes her head and closes the door with her foot, pulling him to the kitchen and motioning to a chair with a tilt of her head.]

You'll probably like it if you haven't had it before. But I'm sure you have. It's pretty standard. [a pause] Maybe I should just stick to green tea, huh? You can't go wrong with that!

[leadingspirit]

I mean I like Kombucha, so there's probably nothing worse than fermented black tea.

[He sits, looking marginally chastised.]

[shesgotguts]

Now that's something I've never had. Or heard of. [once he sits, she ruffles his hair lightly, and kisses him on the cheek before moving over to the cabinets to find the tea and kettle.] I should try it sometime.

[leadingspirit]

I dunno where you might find it here, and I haven't the foggiest about how it's made. Given it's fermented I sort of didn't want to know.

[He loops an arm around her waist when she gets close enough and doesn't quite hug her so much as he squeezes her middle gently before she meanders off to tea. This sort of idle contact is really, really nice.]

[shesgotguts]

I'm sure we could find it here. This town has everything, even things you wouldn't expect to find.

[quick work is made of getting the tea in order-- turning on the stove, filling up the kettle with water, pulling down a box of tea, then sugar, grabbing two cups, their saucers, and teaspoons. after all that is done, she approaches taki once more, wrapping her arm loosely around his neck, holding him from behind. a gentle kiss is pressed to his neck, and she hums softly.]

[leadingspirit]

[His eyes close almost immediately upon the contact, and he huffs a sigh.]

...'m glad you're here.

[shesgotguts]

And I'm so glad you're here too.

[another kiss to his neck.] But what makes you say that, huh?

[leadingspirit]

Friend of mine that was here left. Didn't actually expect it to bug me.

[Dully.]

[shesgotguts]

Hmm. [her fingers tap lightly against his chest, and she sighs. her daughter disappeared as well, but she won't bring that up. not when he's lost someone here for the first time (?)] I'm so sorry to hear that. But I know the feeling...

[she presses a kiss to his ear, and keeps her voice low.] Tell me what I can do to help. I know not much will, but I want to try for you.

[leadingspirit]

[He just sort of shrugs, leaning back into her.]

I shouldn't be upset, it's uncontrollable. Inevitable, even.

[shesgotguts]

I know. But just because we knew it could happen doesn't mean you can't be upset about it.

[she gives him a little squeeze, and puts her nose in his hair.] Kazuya, be upset. You have to do it for yourself now, so that you don't hurt forever. [her voice is so small when she speaks, like she's telling a secret right to his brain. perhaps what keeps her quiet is her own shame and sorrow.]

[leadingspirit]

[He tenses up subtly in a way she might recognize as the beginnings of him closing himself right the hell off the way he sometimes does, hunching his shoulders.]

It's not that simple.

[shesgotguts]

[she can feel the beginnings of a problem; the way his muscles tense up is a surer sign than any. so she loosens her hold on him, her hands squeezing his shoulders lightly as she pulls away.]

You're right. It isn't. But you should try somehow. [a pause, then--] But if you won't let yourself be upset, then get the stress out some other way. Would you like a glass of wine? [she doesn't want to laugh, or sound so playful. she's earnest in her question. still, she can't help herself. it's in her nature to entertain.]

[leadingspirit]

[This is one of those times that he really, really hates being human. Emotions that stew in his gut and poison him slowly, that he ignores until he can't, half of which stem from his own inability to do what he isn't physically capable of. Logic should state that this doesn't bother him-- if he can't do something, really honestly can't, then there's no reason to be bothered by it. And yet, here he is.]

[He inhales, closes his eyes, and leans backward in the chair, bringing his hands up and threading his fingers through his hair and then lacing them together above his head as he drags his hands backward across his forehead-- the result is a vice grip on his own skull. He holds his breath for a while and then droops as he exhales, bringing his hands down over his face and finally opening his eyes to give Milly a tired, almost blank expression.]

...wine might not be a bad idea right now. 'm sorry to make you put up with me right now.

[shesgotguts]

[she watches him carefully, watches him strain to keep himself together, and perhaps try to let it all out at the same time. he can't do that. he can't keep it in and be free of those feelings simultaneously. she's seen people try. she's tried. she knows what happens.

she doesn't want him to shatter under the pressure of bottling everything up, and implode in trying to forget the feelings. it only hurts more.

when he looks at her, she smiles softly, and bites at her lip in thought before kneeling next to him, placing her hand on his knee for a moment.] Kazuya, it's not "putting up with you". I want to help. I like having you around. If having you here was a chore, I would let you know. [her smile is gentle and sweet, and she stays there with him for a few seconds before standing up and moving towards her cabinets.]

You know, there's a wine for every occasion. Moscato for a girl's night out, Merlot for an engagement announcement, Pinot Grigio for when you want to look classy at a teenager's house party... and Cabernet Sauvignon for a night like tonight. [she plucks the bottle from the wine rack and two glasses from the top shelf. uncorking the bottle with ease, she pours them both a glass, and brings both of them to the table. once she takes her seat, she locks eyes with him, and raises her glass slightly.]

You know, if you break eye contact during a toast, you'll have awful sex for seven years.

[leadingspirit]

[His expression doesn't really change despite the way her words take hold of his heart and squeeze, making it that much harder to draw in a breath. He lowers his eyes to her hand on his knee and keeps them there after she's moved away, listening to her explain wines.]

...dunno why it surprises me that you have your wines categorized by various circumstances, but there we are.

[His expression is still mostly flat after her joke, but he closes his eyes and smiles faintly as he takes the glass, keeping eye contact.]

I dunno how much awful sex a guy who hadn't been having any for almost that long before meeting you can have, but while I may be a daredevil those odds don't really suit my fancy.

[He holds his glass out toward her.]

...to you. For being everything I never knew I needed.