Labyrinthium Inbox

[heartofthestar]

Hear.
Feel.
Think.
Call.
Message.

Comments

[placation]

[ Oh, if it were possible for Maruki to brighten further, that'll do it. He's practically beaming at them as the pots and pans and cutting board and knives (NOT FOR YOU AKECHI) come out for some mise en place. ]

I'm perfectly content as I am! Venat, you've never done a crossword, have you? Or did you have magical crosswords in your reality...

[heartofthestar]

You do know not everything on Etheirys was magical, whether in my time or later, do you not? [Maruki's commentary gets more of a bemused reaction than Akechi has yet to manage, to the point where she tips her head back and looks up. Not quite rolling her eyes, but close.]

[enteloki]

[Yeah, MARUKI. Where's that supposed sensitivity training??

He ignores them both for More Important Matters. ]

The clue is 'wood for an archer's bow' - there are three letters. What is it?

[placation]

Of course I know that...

[ Honestly, no, he assumes everything was magical.

He also has a good idea for that clue, but he'll let Venat and Akechi play as he gets to tamagoyaki making. There's no denying how pleased he looks by it. Even if the civility is only possible on Akechi's part due to the calming presence of a crossword puzzle, it's still civility. He'll take what he can get. ]

[heartofthestar]

Yew, I believe. [A popular wood in certain corners of Eorzea, if not beyond.] Elm would also be a possibility, but I would consider it second unless some other reason called for you to rethink it.

carry on lexy i just had to get this in

[placation]

Who, me?

[ He thinks he's funny. ]

[enteloki]

[Oh.

He's stupid stupid.

Akechi doesn't acknowledge his SHIT outside of a Look™. It's too early. This is why crossword time is quiet.

Y - E - W fits.

Another word easy to solve because of it. He scratches some new solutions in, and, well actually can't help himself from making a comment.]

The students at Shujin likely hated you. Did your tenure actually end naturally or were you let go?

[placation]

[ Maruki is nothing but pleasantly mild neutrality while he cubes up tofu and slices scallions. ]

It ended naturally. I was very well-liked by the students. Many of them cried when I left. [ A beat, and then he sighs down at the cutting board. ] Actually, that was pretty overwhelming...

[ So many sobbing girls........

Tofu in the pot. It's miso time, baby. ]

Anyhow, carry on!

[heartofthestar]

[Quite likely to Akechi's great annoyance, Venat buries her mouth behind her hands to laugh, hard enough that she bends over slightly. Mostly at Maruki's terrible joke.]

[She's got it bad, apparently.]

[enteloki]

[It is to his great annoyance. They're both stupid. Incredible. Love finds a way, or whatever. He wants to puke.]

You can't be serious, Venat. He's not funny. Don't encourage this shit.

[placation]

[ He's hilarious, actually, and impossibly proud of himself as he tops off both of their coffees in between a flurry of breakfast assembly. ]

Jealousy is unbecoming, Akechi. Give us another clue.

[heartofthestar]

I found it funny. Shall all the clues consider trees and wood, or is there no theme to this?

[Not at all familiar with crosswords, after all, and not at all certain what she might be getting into.]

[enteloki]

[Wow, he hates this.]

This crossword doesn't have a theme. The clues will be unrelated to one another.

[God, whatever - where's another one he's struggling with.

The food smells good though. Coffee tastes fine. Despite the unwanted company, it's not a miserable morning.]

Trouble terribly - five letters. The first one is E, the last one is T.

[placation]

[ Maruki pauses in his tamagoyaki rolling, frowns a little over his shoulder at them. ]

Trouble terribly...

[ None of the words that come to mind fit the definition at all. He's fairly good at crosswords, normally, but this one stumps him. A beat longer, and then he returns to the eggs. ]

It would trouble me terribly to evict you. Does that count?

[heartofthestar]

[Oh, Maruki. Again, your earnestness and endearing warmth cannot help but make her smile. Venat, for a change of pace, has followed a trail of thoughts down a less charitable path.]

Perhaps we are troubling you terribly by continuing to exist in your presence?

[enteloki]

[Evict.

Scratched in the blank white space adjacent to the boxes - Akechi can't tell if it works yet. He opts to be the bigger person here and-

Exist.

Scratched under the first word. He is literally the biggest person in the room right now with the smoothest chillest calmest brain of anyone that has ever existed EVER. He takes both comments with a quiet huff, a sip of coffee, and concentrates on the surrounding words to if anything makes sense with their additions.]

I elect to not comment on either of your statements. I'll confirm if your guesses work in a moment. [The pen taps against the counter and-] Perhaps it's two words. I wonder...

[IMPORTANT BUSINESS, THIS CROSSWORD.]

[placation]

[ Both of their faux-guesses make Maruki laugh, quiet but entirely genuine. Something deep in his chest warms and mourns at the same time; in its own strange way, this is likely as close as he'll ever get to some distant, ancient dream of home and family. He decided long ago that it wouldn't ever be for him, but– maybe, in some false reality, some facsimile of it can briefly exist.

Doesn't matter. He's busy putting the finishing touches on a simple cucumber and radish salad, hunting around for his rice vinegar as he speaks. ]

Two words? I can't begin to guess...

[ What a poor showing on his part. This is like scow all over again.

Then, to Venat, in between opening and closing cabinet after cabinet: ]

Is it a real clue, or has he invented an impossible one to make us look bad?

[heartofthestar]

Had he done so, we'd not need to ask. Clues such as this may vex me, owing to the differences in speech between you two and myself, so I've no intent of promising answers to all.

[Possibly putting it mildly; the differences truly stand out at times, and she has on occasion wondered what lies beneath the divergence in pattern and words.]

For all we're aware, the writer is thinking of a word unbeknownst to any of us.

[enteloki]

[FIRST OF ALL:]

Why would I make up a clue for a crossword puzzle? That's idiotic. Don't imply I'm a liar because you can't figure out a simple word.

[SECONDLY - Venat's not wrong. Loathe as he is to admit it. The crossword isn't from Japan judging by most of the clues. Who's to say it's not from a completely different world entirely, with a whole other structure behind its language? It's impossible to know for certain.]

Perhaps the library has more dictionaries - I'll have to look. With enough effort, I could likely narrow it down and figure it out. Though I'll start with the one in my room.

[Yeah SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN FOR TODAY. BUSY BUSY DAY of reading the dictionary]

When I find the solution, I'll let you both know.

[placation]

[ Rice vinegar: Achieved!! And with that, through all of their chatter, he plates up and sets before them their breakfast spread: Rice, miso soup, cucumber radish salad, tamagoyaki, little octopus weenie sausages, an assortment of cut up fruit, yet more coffee...

Yes, he does this every morning. Real housewife shit over here.

But even with breakfast set out, he doesn't come around to join them in his own empty seat. He's too proud, for the moment, standing there with his hands on his hips, beaming at them both. ]

Oh, I'm sure if you wanted help, we could join you at the library. Don't you want to make a whole day of this?

[ He knows Akechi doesn't. ]

Please enjoy the food!

[ So proud!!! ]

[heartofthestar]

[Venat claps her hands together in delight.]

I cannot fail to do so.

[Yep, this is the kind of stuff she loves. How could it not be? Not just the results and the presentation, but his simple pride and delight in the accomplishment.]

In fact, I daresay I could grow accustomed to this.

1/2 no one SAW THAT

[enteloki]

[Yeah, good job or whatever. It's food. Maruki makes it every single day. Venat please.

Whatever. He offers a quiet `itadakimasu` under his breath. Leans over the counter to grab his chopsticks - fruit and cucumber radish salad taking up most of his plate. Maruki is a good cook, and the food is tolerable. He won't deny that. ]

[enteloki]

[Well, whatever. He shuts the fuck up and eats. A blessing to all, truly. He munches away and checks his phone while they do whatever they're gonna do!!!]

softlaunches You're Getting A Stepmother, Akechi

[placation]

[ Truly the best thing about mealtime: Akechi's mouth closes.

Maruki does come around then, seats himself between them to tuck into his own meal. It's a simple pleasure, really, enjoying food with the people he cares about, but he never tires of it.

Then, after a few thoughtful bites: ]

You could, you know. Grow accustomed to it.

[ This is an A & B conversation. Akechi can C his way out of it. ]

I like having you here. If you like being here... well, there's no reason not to be more often, right?

[heartofthestar]

How eminently bold. Are you trying to get me to settle down?

[Venat regards him with a smile that is mostly mischief, though notably she is neither rejecting nor even displaying antipathy towards the idea. Spending the night here had indeed been pleasant, more so than she had imagined.]