[The future of Somnius may be in a precarious state, but life goes on. In the house tucked away from the rest of the populace, that's true more than ever.
And that means that through several fortuitous but cataclysmic events, someone new is moving in.
Maruki tells them that Venat is coming to live with them. That's his Partner. That is, as some would say, A Big Deal. So Akira makes preparations as best as he's able to.
Maruki isn't his parent. He's not even his legal guardian here, and Akira doesn't know Venat at all. But none of that changes the fact that her moving to the machiya is still important.
So Akira shops, with any other Dreamers able to do business with him. He gathers any cat-safe flowers he can find, using them to brighten up any rooms that he can. And he dedicates an entire afternoon to dusting and clearing out one of the guest rooms, completely unaware that Venat will have other arrangements.
It's perfect.
The appointed day, Akira is out til the evening working, but he hurries back as soon as he can. The moment he lays eyes on her, all pale hair and brilliantly bright blue eyes, Akira offers a smile that's a few degrees warmer than he offers to most adults. Gauging, as he always is... but with a little more openness. This is somebody that Maruki cares for immensely, that he's let into his own home - and Akira has every intention of curbing his own instincts in order to think of her as someone he should try to trust.]
You must be Venat-san. Are you settling in okay so far?
[Venat's smile, for her part, holds nothing back -- warm and radiant, welcoming and delighted. How should it not be? She has heard much and more about this boy from Maruki, all of it positive and none of it doing the slightest bit to discourage her.]
[If anything, she lacks the context to know which of the boy's names is his given one and which his family one. A quirk of the same translation effect that must be in place to render an honorific that has no inherent meaning in the language she knows, though its context makes the denotation clear.]
In truth, I feel much that my 'settling' here is less of a discrete process and more an acknowledgment of what has already occurred -- but welcome enough, for all that. I might ask the same of you, if for no other reason than I am not entirely certain how much of Maruki's general concern for you is legitimate and how much is him simple being a profound worry-wort by nature.
[It's enough to startle a laugh out of him, another guard that's unexpectedly dropped.]
Maybe it's a little bit of both. That's what the past few weeks lead me to believe. [Does it say more about him, or more about Maruki? Akira isn't sure, but he's enjoying the frankness of it regardless.] But I've been happy here. I'm glad to hear it's going smoothly. Did you need any help moving things into your room?
[He wouldn't be surprised if Maruki himself hasn't already taken care of it, but it still seems right to ask... He will be a helpful housemate...!]
[Oh. That tells her much of what he's heard about her, or rather hasn't. Curling her fingers before her, she fails to hide a smile.]
The offer is appreciated, but I've no things to move. Until now, I have roamed without being tied down. Perhaps now I may start accumulating possessions beyond those within my ability to create.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize... Maruki-sensei didn't mention it.
[Several things flash through Akira's eyes, but the most dominant of all is curiosity. It remains even after the other things have left, leaving his eyes shining with it.]
action; backdated to early dec for move-in :3
Date: 2025-01-07 10:20 am (UTC)And that means that through several fortuitous but cataclysmic events, someone new is moving in.
Maruki tells them that Venat is coming to live with them. That's his Partner. That is, as some would say, A Big Deal. So Akira makes preparations as best as he's able to.
Maruki isn't his parent. He's not even his legal guardian here, and Akira doesn't know Venat at all. But none of that changes the fact that her moving to the machiya is still important.
So Akira shops, with any other Dreamers able to do business with him. He gathers any cat-safe flowers he can find, using them to brighten up any rooms that he can. And he dedicates an entire afternoon to dusting and clearing out one of the guest rooms, completely unaware that Venat will have other arrangements.
It's perfect.
The appointed day, Akira is out til the evening working, but he hurries back as soon as he can. The moment he lays eyes on her, all pale hair and brilliantly bright blue eyes, Akira offers a smile that's a few degrees warmer than he offers to most adults. Gauging, as he always is... but with a little more openness. This is somebody that Maruki cares for immensely, that he's let into his own home - and Akira has every intention of curbing his own instincts in order to think of her as someone he should try to trust.]
You must be Venat-san. Are you settling in okay so far?
no subject
Date: 2025-01-08 06:48 pm (UTC)[If anything, she lacks the context to know which of the boy's names is his given one and which his family one. A quirk of the same translation effect that must be in place to render an honorific that has no inherent meaning in the language she knows, though its context makes the denotation clear.]
In truth, I feel much that my 'settling' here is less of a discrete process and more an acknowledgment of what has already occurred -- but welcome enough, for all that. I might ask the same of you, if for no other reason than I am not entirely certain how much of Maruki's general concern for you is legitimate and how much is him simple being a profound worry-wort by nature.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-12 11:33 am (UTC)Maybe it's a little bit of both. That's what the past few weeks lead me to believe. [Does it say more about him, or more about Maruki? Akira isn't sure, but he's enjoying the frankness of it regardless.] But I've been happy here. I'm glad to hear it's going smoothly. Did you need any help moving things into your room?
[He wouldn't be surprised if Maruki himself hasn't already taken care of it, but it still seems right to ask... He will be a helpful housemate...!]
no subject
Date: 2025-01-12 07:27 pm (UTC)The offer is appreciated, but I've no things to move. Until now, I have roamed without being tied down. Perhaps now I may start accumulating possessions beyond those within my ability to create.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-18 10:03 am (UTC)[Several things flash through Akira's eyes, but the most dominant of all is curiosity. It remains even after the other things have left, leaving his eyes shining with it.]
Can I ask what kinds of things you make?
[Maybe she also crafts things with her hands...?]
no subject
Date: 2025-01-19 12:44 am (UTC)