![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Hello Rafal. It's Veyle. If it's all right, please can we meet like we agreed?
I can go to wherever is convenient for you.
I can go to wherever is convenient for you.
Okay! Do you know the fountain with the fairy statue? I'll wait for you there.
I will be there shortly.
[ which he is, true to his word. ]
[ which he is, true to his word. ]
[Veyle looks a strange mixture of happy and apprehensive to see him -- happy, because he showed up at all, but apprehensive, because she's still convinced he's going to find this whole encounter, and her, annoying.]
H-hello Rafal... Thank you for coming. Um...
[Maybe she should skip the niceties and keep this as brief as possible before he does get annoyed. She offers him generous-sized bag of brightly coloured candy.]
Here. I got these for you. The shopkeeper said they're called 'konpeito'.
H-hello Rafal... Thank you for coming. Um...
[Maybe she should skip the niceties and keep this as brief as possible before he does get annoyed. She offers him generous-sized bag of brightly coloured candy.]
Here. I got these for you. The shopkeeper said they're called 'konpeito'.
[ well. he'll never say no to sweets. rafal takes it politely. ]
Thank you. What made you get these for me?
[ considering their last convo, he had expected her to avoid him more. ]
Thank you. What made you get these for me?
[ considering their last convo, he had expected her to avoid him more. ]
I know you like sweets, so I thought you might like to try something new.
[That's the more obvious answer. But if she were to give an honest one, too...]
I also... didn't want there to be bad feelings between us. Nel told me how you both saw your other siblings as enemies. But, I don't want to fight or argue with you, not ever.
[That's the more obvious answer. But if she were to give an honest one, too...]
I also... didn't want there to be bad feelings between us. Nel told me how you both saw your other siblings as enemies. But, I don't want to fight or argue with you, not ever.
[ ah. how to approach this delicately. how would nel do this? ]
There are no bad feelings. I was not angry at you, at least not directly.
[ another pause as he struggles. ]
But I do not mind being argued with or told off. I think that is . . . normal.
There are no bad feelings. I was not angry at you, at least not directly.
[ another pause as he struggles. ]
But I do not mind being argued with or told off. I think that is . . . normal.
You're not angry? Really?
[She does relax a bit to hear that. She's still trying to understand him, and it seems like she has a ways to go.]
I don't want to hurt you or make you feel sad, either. So I thought... maybe if we met like this, I could do something nice for you, and you can think of good things when you think of me.
[She does relax a bit to hear that. She's still trying to understand him, and it seems like she has a ways to go.]
I don't want to hurt you or make you feel sad, either. So I thought... maybe if we met like this, I could do something nice for you, and you can think of good things when you think of me.
[ hrff. complicated indeed. ]
Veyle. It is not so simple.
Veyle. It is not so simple.
I know, but... Wouldn't it make you feel better? Just a little bit?
I appreciate the gesture, but there is no need for you to . . . give me things so that I think positively of you.
I do not think badly of you, but our history is complicated. Surely Nel has said as much.
I do not think badly of you, but our history is complicated. Surely Nel has said as much.
[True to her word, some time after meeting Rahal at the bakery, Mercedes shows up knocking at his door.]
Rahal ~ [She starts in a sing-songy tone.] Are you home?
[Hopefully he is because she has her promised treats for him to try.]
Rahal ~ [She starts in a sing-songy tone.] Are you home?
[Hopefully he is because she has her promised treats for him to try.]
[ rafal opens the door with a huff. ]
This is not my home, you realize.
This is not my home, you realize.
[She has half a mind to tease him again, but she won't.]
Oh~ you know what I mean. This is a temporary home, for the both of us.
[Thinking of it that way makes it a bit easier on her, honestly.]
Oh~ you know what I mean. This is a temporary home, for the both of us.
[Thinking of it that way makes it a bit easier on her, honestly.]
I sure did. I think you’ll like them, too. [She presents Rahal with a tray full of cone-shaped cakes. The cakes, baked to perfection, are soaked with a sweet sugar syrup. It’s the sweetest treat Rabbit she could think of.]
Go on ~
Go on ~
[ rafal eyes it for a moment but without any thought or wariness, he takes one and starts eating it. the sugar level is still lower than what he's used to, but the mix of flavors was . . . good. ]
It seems that wasn't an idle boast.
It seems that wasn't an idle boast.
[Mercedes puffs her chest out proudly, much like she did at the bakery.]
I told you so! Baking is one of my favorite hobbies. I used to bake all the time with my mother, and then Annie - My point is: will you accept my proposition now?
I told you so! Baking is one of my favorite hobbies. I used to bake all the time with my mother, and then Annie - My point is: will you accept my proposition now?
[ rafal considers this. ]
I suppose that would seem optimal.
I suppose that would seem optimal.
Rafal. Would you teach me to bake? I'll pay you or whatever you like.
If you want.
Is there anything specific you'd like to learn?
Is there anything specific you'd like to learn?
I don’t really know. I've never baked. I can cook basic things but I thought since I like to eat baked things that making them would be good.
Something simple like cookies to start? Would that work?
Something simple like cookies to start? Would that work?
That is easy enough.
Meet me at the Equinox Bakery. I will show you how.
Meet me at the Equinox Bakery. I will show you how.
Thank you. I'll come by tomorrow.
[ Eren struggles with his sense of time, but he gets the tomorrow part right, coming round the bakery in the afternoon. There aren't too many customers, so hopefully it's not a big deal.
He finds Rafal at the counter. ]
Hey. If you're busy, I can wait awhile.
[ Eren struggles with his sense of time, but he gets the tomorrow part right, coming round the bakery in the afternoon. There aren't too many customers, so hopefully it's not a big deal.
He finds Rafal at the counter. ]
Hey. If you're busy, I can wait awhile.
Page 1 of 8