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[heartofthestar]

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[heartofthestar]

[She gathers the cup in both hands as well, not consciously mirroring him -- but how often does she need to think about it, when so often they share even small things in common, unexpectedly? She leans in over it, savoring its warmth and its scent, then takes a careful sip.]

[Luckily for her dignity, it does not burn her tongue.]

This tastes just as it smells, if perhaps richer.

[enteloki]

[Maruki was supposed to take out the trash, not sleep with it and pour it coffee.

Akechi hears a discussion in his groggy state. Little morning tasks completed, casual sleepwear despite her being here. It's not like he needs to keep up a shitty appearance with her anymore, and, bonus - she's in his house. He's gonna vibe in his pj pants and sweater. He's cold.

The coffee beckons him out of his irritated state at the base of the stairway and he grabs his cup without word, sitting a few spaces down from Venat at his normal little seat. Unreal. Anyway, he's vibing as a hunched over shrimp on his side of the bar.]

I hope you enjoyed your night. [Not a hint of feigned anything in his voice - he's annoyed. It's clear.] I'm sure the rats missed your presence though. Don't you have a tent to protect somewhere?

hehe akechi > maruki > venat tag order ? :3c

[placation]

[ Ah. There he is, in all his miserable glory.

Maruki doesn't move away, still leaning across the bar close to Venat, only turns his head to smile down the bar at Akechi. ]

Good morning. If you're going to be rude, the least you can do is sit up straight while you do it.

[ These are the hard bargains one must drive living with A Pleasant Boy. ]

[heartofthestar]

Maruki, your standards are so terribly high. That was downright pleasant.

[Venat is happy, warm, and playful, all of these things shining brightly in her eyes and in the undertones of her voice. Though she may not entirely understand just what keeps these two in each others' orbit, she is hardly perturbed by it -- particularly not now.]

[enteloki]

[No, actually. He doesn't change his posture at all - he isn't in the mood and his true form is a shrimpesque entity hunched over a warm cup of coffee.

Venat brushes off his comment. Of course.]

You both are insufferable. Is your appearance at breakfast going to be a common occurrance now? I would rather know ahead of time.

[placation]

[ Maruki glances over at Venat, smile growing a little wider, then back to Akechi. ]

I hope so. If for no other reason than because it clearly irritates you.

[ You know what's really insufferable? Him leaning farther across the bar to press a kiss to her forehead before he stands up straight and claps his hands together. ]

A captive audience while I make breakfast! What a treat.

[ Time to tie that apron on, get those eggs out, and start COOKIN. ]

[heartofthestar]

I hope so as well, though I do so more because I find it pleasant and less because I find it sadistic. [But she certainly isn't going to stop Maruki, not from finding joy in Akechi's suffering nor in smooching.] Breakfast in good company is something I rarely have enjoyed of late, and the habit would meet with welcome resumption.

[enteloki]

[He hates both times he hears hope so, even if their reasoning is different.

And what?? Do they think they SIGHT of affection bothers him? Like he's four and thinks there's cooties involved? He's literally so mature and his hatred isn't from childish disgust, it's from spite, so it's different.]

Then by all means.

[To who? Doesn't matter. He starts to drown his tilted tone in boiling hot coffee. At least the drink is here for him.]

I would ask if you wanted to make yourself useful and try your hand at this puzzle, but someone needs attention. If you don't watch him make a meal, Maruki-san might cry on the spot.

[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?