[He can't believe Dextera sometimes. How can one guy be so pure?? He moves with the bump, swaying in exaggeration and ending up right back where he was before.]
Mmm, nah. I think I'd rather stay right here. You can't get rid of me that easily.
[ well, good. dextera didn’t really want guren to go home anyway, but then, he never wants guren to go home—if they could stay here together forever, he would be happier than is possible to even describe.
he smiles, privately to himself, warmed by guren’s easy response. ]
[Help... No matter how he tries to hide his smile with a glance down, it's still showing. And maybe that's fine, but it's just so warm, it's spreading from his chest and he hopes he doesn't look ridiculous.]
Yeah, it's okay.
[Gently, he says that. It's obvious, he thinks, but if Dextera has to ask... He can answer like that.] But I'm going to be mad if I doze off and your chicken starts pecking at me.
[His way of saying he is spending the whole night, he guesses!! They already watched the sunset, the stars... Why not stay and see if the sunrise has anything, too? He gets more sleep here than at his own house.]
[ it’s all so fine that dextera doesn’t know what to do with himself, and he smiles when guren brings up leliel like all of this is perfectly natural, the way their lives should be.
he hopes it is. ]
I’ll give you some snacks to feed her. She’s very picky.
[ his spoiled chicken... he gets the things she won’t eat. ]
[ Another laugh... a spoiled chicken!! In a town full of gray shit!! That’s adorable. Dextera’s love for his chicken is adorable. He smiles fondly, running his fingers through his hair. Hmm, he dropped all his work and came here... but it still feels fine. ]
[ she won't eat the grey shit, which is really the most difficult part about feeding her. dextera doesn't pay any attention to the flavorless things he puts in his mouth, but his chicken... wherever she came from, she clearly expects the same quality of feed she got before. ]
[ dextera had actually gotten so caught up in the excitement of guren coming over and watching the sky that he hasn't eaten, and it's like he only remembers that this is true when guren points it out. his eyes widen slightly, and he shakes his head.
joshua and noctis (and their respective plus-ones) always make sure that there's a good stock of food in the house, but dextera somehow exclusively manages to eat the worst of it. if he can eat gross food, why shouldn't he?
[ Geez!! Dextera, he’s more and more worried about you. Still, Guren looks like he’s more amused than angry right now, shifting to stand. He offers his hand to Dextera. ] You dont even have a fireplace, so cooking is a pain... But let me see what you have. I can make us something.
[ if estelle were here, she could start a fire no problem, but dextera thinks she and joshua might be out having a romantic night under the stars. actually, he could probably guess the same about noctis and... iggy... as dextera has observed him being called.
either way, that leaves just the two of them with the house to themselves, for now, and cooking will indeed be a pain. ]
...
[ he nods, closing his laptop and gently setting it aside to take guren's hand. ]
[Guren helps him up and takes a few steps towards the door to Dextera's room before he lets his hand slip away, running ideas through his head before he's even seen what ingredients they might have.]
I guess they're all out looking at the sky too. [He has the same thoughts... Meanwhile, here he is with Dextera. A very platonic night indoors, two bros loving each other's company.
[ dextera supposes they didn't strictly need to continue holding hands, without need for it, but he finds himself watching guren's fingers for a moment longer anyway. guren's comment about what the others are doing isn't particularly distracting, and dextera nods along with it.
he taps down the stairs, and guren will find that their kitchen is relatively well-stocked, for this town, but there's a definite corner of grey nonsense that is probably what dextera has elected to consume for himself. ]
[There's a gesture at that grey corner, and then Guren sighs and moves to grab some other things out. Vegetables... fruit... He will find something to make even if I have no idea what the fuck!!]
I wish we had rice. [Damn it, he's annoyed, even he isn't sure what he's going to make yet. Still, "we" just slips out, even if this isn't his supply of food by any means...]
[ it's easy and abundant, and it sates his hunger! it probably has absolutely no nutritional value, but it gets something in his stomach, and that's all he can ask for from food, really.
dextera seems oddly amused at what guren's just said, but he doesn't actually mention it aloud or anything. "we," like this is guren's house. he taps the countertop, writing his answer out there while he has guren's attention. ]
dextera was not paying attention, but when guren kind of demands it of him, he jolts—and nods, because yes, he is certainly paying attention now. is guren going to show him how to cook? ]
...
[ he really is focused, curious about what guren is going to do with this assortment of vegetables. ]
[He was so not paying attention. But that's okay. Guren is making him pay attention now, and he's sort of going to teach him! They're going to cook together. He eyes where he's planning on starting the fire a little longer, and then passes the pot over to Dextera, pointing at a spot on the inside.]
Joshua should have some of the good water around here somewhere. I saw him working with it before. Can you fill it up to there with it?
[Water that is not... grey... That's all he cares about. Though he guesses he can work with gross grey water if he has to.] Then bring it back here. I'm going to start the fire and start getting everything else ready.
[ thank goodness that joshua is so diligent and concerned with the health of the town, because he has been stockpiling plenty of filtered water for everyone's safety. the water is a novelty for dextera, in a way—there's none in the outer world, and of course, he's only gotten hydrated from blood and flesh.
access to pure, clean water is exciting, even now. ]
...
[ he fills the pot with water, taking a little longer than is strictly necessary because he's just looking at it, and then he wanders back to guren with his task completed.
[Guren has managed to start a fire, so he reaches to take that pot and place it over it. He stands, after that, gesturing for Dextera to follow him back to a counter where he's laid out his variety of vegetables. There's a knife for cutting, and he takes it with one hand and holds his other out for Dextera's.]
[ what does he want? dextera has nothing to say, but of course he's not going to turn down a chance to touch guren's hand if he's invited to it. glancing between the knife and guren's face, he tentatively places his hand in guren's, uncertain of where this is going. ]
If you haven't cooked, I doubt you've ever sliced up vegetables before.
[It's different than using a sword! Carefully, he takes Dextera's hand closer and transfers the knife to his hold, all while placing his own palm over it in a controlling grip.]
It's not the same as fighting, so it should be fine. [Right? Hm, it's a little awkward like this, now, so he steps behind Dextera a little more, placing his free hand on his opposite shoulder.]
Hold it with your other hand, but keep your fingers close.
[ dextera turns his head when guren moves, like he's afraid guren is just going to walk away and leave him with this knife... but it's fine. he relaxes somewhat, under guren's firm, comforting grip, and nods as he examines the setting before him. ]
...
[ he adjusts until the knife feels comfortable in his hand, and it is very different from holding a sword, or even one of the knives that they got from the quest. they're just trying to cut some vegetables, now, and veggies don't yield quite the same as flesh.
when he thinks he's got it, he hesitates again, signalling that he's ready for the next step. ]
[Annnd... chop chop chop! Guren takes it very slow, because the last thing he wants is to end up cutting Dextera's hand on accident because he fumbles. There's no rush, the water's going to take a while to boil anyway, and they can add these slowly.
He ends up peering over his shoulder at it all, close and not thinking about it outside of it being relaxing.]
It's not too hard, right? You just can't lose focus, or you might hurt yourself.
[ dextera glances to guren out of his periphery. the last time someone was this close, guiding him... it was a very different situation. it's much nicer to have guren at his back, showing him how to use a knife, than the unfortunate, distant alternative.
he nods. it isn't too hard, and he's a quick learner. inevitably, his one-track mind drifts from guren in order to get these vegetables chopped, and his brow is furrowed in his intense concentration.
[He's so focused it's incredible, and Guren doesn't want to break his concentration. He's quiet, instead, guiding his hand even when he doesn't have to, relaxing a little and just following once Dextera's got the hang of it.
But he doesn't let go or pull back until they're done. Then, it's a light squeeze of his hand and his other running across Dextera's back before both of his hands are reaching to grab some vegetables.]
Now we just have to drop them in. Come on, you can grab the rest.
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[He can't believe Dextera sometimes. How can one guy be so pure?? He moves with the bump, swaying in exaggeration and ending up right back where he was before.]
Mmm, nah. I think I'd rather stay right here. You can't get rid of me that easily.
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[ well, good. dextera didn’t really want guren to go home anyway, but then, he never wants guren to go home—if they could stay here together forever, he would be happier than is possible to even describe.
he smiles, privately to himself, warmed by guren’s easy response. ]
I wanted you to stay anyway.
[ like he’s revealing a secret. ]
Is that okay?
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Yeah, it's okay.
[Gently, he says that. It's obvious, he thinks, but if Dextera has to ask... He can answer like that.] But I'm going to be mad if I doze off and your chicken starts pecking at me.
[His way of saying he is spending the whole night, he guesses!! They already watched the sunset, the stars... Why not stay and see if the sunrise has anything, too? He gets more sleep here than at his own house.]
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he hopes it is. ]
I’ll give you some snacks to feed her. She’s very picky.
[ his spoiled chicken... he gets the things she won’t eat. ]
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[ Another laugh... a spoiled chicken!! In a town full of gray shit!! That’s adorable. Dextera’s love for his chicken is adorable. He smiles fondly, running his fingers through his hair. Hmm, he dropped all his work and came here... but it still feels fine. ]
Somehow I’m not surprised.
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It's not my fault.
[ it is his fault. ]
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[ Spoiled chicken comes from a spoiling dad!! He looks next to him at Dextera, curious. ]
Speaking of food, have you even eaten yourself tonight?
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joshua and noctis (and their respective plus-ones) always make sure that there's a good stock of food in the house, but dextera somehow exclusively manages to eat the worst of it. if he can eat gross food, why shouldn't he?
but guren probably deserves better than gross. ]
I have some berries.
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[ Geez!! Dextera, he’s more and more worried about you. Still, Guren looks like he’s more amused than angry right now, shifting to stand. He offers his hand to Dextera. ] You dont even have a fireplace, so cooking is a pain... But let me see what you have. I can make us something.
[ Something very easy but like, still. ]
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either way, that leaves just the two of them with the house to themselves, for now, and cooking will indeed be a pain. ]
...
[ he nods, closing his laptop and gently setting it aside to take guren's hand. ]
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I guess they're all out looking at the sky too. [He has the same thoughts... Meanwhile, here he is with Dextera. A very platonic night indoors, two bros loving each other's company.
Maybe he'll catch a couple fish.]
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he taps down the stairs, and guren will find that their kitchen is relatively well-stocked, for this town, but there's a definite corner of grey nonsense that is probably what dextera has elected to consume for himself. ]
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[There's a gesture at that grey corner, and then Guren sighs and moves to grab some other things out. Vegetables... fruit... He will find something to make even if I have no idea what the fuck!!]
I wish we had rice. [Damn it, he's annoyed, even he isn't sure what he's going to make yet. Still, "we" just slips out, even if this isn't his supply of food by any means...]
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dextera seems oddly amused at what guren's just said, but he doesn't actually mention it aloud or anything. "we," like this is guren's house. he taps the countertop, writing his answer out there while he has guren's attention. ]
Grey is easy.
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Just because it's easy doesn't mean you should do it.
[Says the man who like, forgets to eat in general, but shhh. He's leading him over to wherever there might be a stove?? That he can light a fire in??]
Are you paying attention?
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dextera was not paying attention, but when guren kind of demands it of him, he jolts—and nods, because yes, he is certainly paying attention now. is guren going to show him how to cook? ]
...
[ he really is focused, curious about what guren is going to do with this assortment of vegetables. ]
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Joshua should have some of the good water around here somewhere. I saw him working with it before. Can you fill it up to there with it?
[Water that is not... grey... That's all he cares about. Though he guesses he can work with gross grey water if he has to.] Then bring it back here. I'm going to start the fire and start getting everything else ready.
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access to pure, clean water is exciting, even now. ]
...
[ he fills the pot with water, taking a little longer than is strictly necessary because he's just looking at it, and then he wanders back to guren with his task completed.
he's being helpful! ]
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[Guren has managed to start a fire, so he reaches to take that pot and place it over it. He stands, after that, gesturing for Dextera to follow him back to a counter where he's laid out his variety of vegetables. There's a knife for cutting, and he takes it with one hand and holds his other out for Dextera's.]
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[ what does he want? dextera has nothing to say, but of course he's not going to turn down a chance to touch guren's hand if he's invited to it. glancing between the knife and guren's face, he tentatively places his hand in guren's, uncertain of where this is going. ]
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[It's different than using a sword! Carefully, he takes Dextera's hand closer and transfers the knife to his hold, all while placing his own palm over it in a controlling grip.]
It's not the same as fighting, so it should be fine. [Right? Hm, it's a little awkward like this, now, so he steps behind Dextera a little more, placing his free hand on his opposite shoulder.]
Hold it with your other hand, but keep your fingers close.
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...
[ he adjusts until the knife feels comfortable in his hand, and it is very different from holding a sword, or even one of the knives that they got from the quest. they're just trying to cut some vegetables, now, and veggies don't yield quite the same as flesh.
when he thinks he's got it, he hesitates again, signalling that he's ready for the next step. ]
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He ends up peering over his shoulder at it all, close and not thinking about it outside of it being relaxing.]
It's not too hard, right? You just can't lose focus, or you might hurt yourself.
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he nods. it isn't too hard, and he's a quick learner. inevitably, his one-track mind drifts from guren in order to get these vegetables chopped, and his brow is furrowed in his intense concentration.
he's taking it seriously. ]
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But he doesn't let go or pull back until they're done. Then, it's a light squeeze of his hand and his other running across Dextera's back before both of his hands are reaching to grab some vegetables.]
Now we just have to drop them in. Come on, you can grab the rest.
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