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.
[ it's not until guren touches his back that dextera seems to come out of his intense chopping fugue—if the touch had lasted a second longer, it might have felt intimate, but it was just long enough to get dextera's attention instead. ]
...?
[ it takes him a moment to actually hear guren's instruction, even though he's watching guren's face and the way he grabs the vegetables, and dextera hurries to catch up.
the water is boiling, they're making something, and dextera's chest feels incredibly warm, from doing something even this small. or, perhaps it's because it's so small that he appreciates it all the more. ]
[One second Dextera is looking so focused, and the next he's almost a little spacey? But Guren can't tell if he's imagining it, or if Dextera is just surprised, or what.
He's a little distracted himself, though he won't admit it. Doing something like this with someone else is warming. Watching him get so into it is satisfying in a way he can't describe, too. It's a simple soup. Lots of potatoes, onions, and a mix of other vegetables they restored color to here. Man, Guren needs to look at that garden and everything Ignis had put into it from home, because this is ending up better than what he could have made at his own place.]
[ they are lucky indeed to share a kitchen—sort of—with someone who cares a lot about the things he puts into his body. ignis’ attention to detail means that the soup will turn out quite nice no matter how talented the people making it actually are.
luckily, though, guren is a good teacher in this way, too. dextera nods, peering over the boiling water—his face gets hot from the steam, but he doesn’t really seem to mind. he’s happy, enough to let himself get burned a bit from a bubbling vegetable medley.
when he’s flushed from the heat, he turns back to guren, tapping his wrist in a universal gesture for a watch. how long? ]
[ Dex... Dextera!! Guren lets out a little laugh at his face, taking his arm gently and moving him back towards some chairs. ]
Probably like half an hour. [ But he doesn’t know how different that’ll be with heat he can’t control or how to work these old stoves, so he’ll just be here in case he has to rush to fix it. ] But it’ll be worth it.
[ He falls back to sit in one of the chairs, sighing— but it’s more like he’s satisfied than anything else. ] I know you’re probably still going to eat whatever the hell you want after this, but maybe I can at least get you to eat real food sometimes.
[ dextera does agree that it'll probably be worth it. although he's been eating better, he hasn't wanted to inconvenience anyone by having them cook for him—so he eats even the colored food raw, and that's got to be enough for the days that he isn't sitting down with the rest of his house to a meal someone put together.
if he could make even something like this... he could repay the others, for taking care of him. ]
...hah.
[ rather than sitting, he leans over the back of a chair, looking at guren... incredibly fondly, really, with how content he's feeling. there's something apologetic too, however, since he knows it's certainly true that he's going to eat whatever. ]
[It would be impossible to ignore a look like Dextera is giving him now. He holds his gaze for a few solid seconds before it's too much, and then he's closing his eyes and looking down to hide his own smile, also embarrassingly fond.
Well, tonight turned out better than expected. Even one day like that is unexpected, but it seems like there are more and more. If it's not any of the others caring for him, wanting to make sure he's eaten, nagging him, calling him sensei, then it's Dextera, helping him relax. Playing chess with him. Being his friend.
He crosses one leg over the other and leans back. Really, he can't think of anything to say. It'd all be fillers for the silence, anyway, and he thinks this silence is a little comfortable, even if he is embarrassed. It's fine, as long as attention isn't being drawn to it. They can enjoy each other's company and wait for the soup.]
dextera isn't all that surprised that it turns out better than most things he puts in his mouth—the vegetables are homegrown and lovingly tended to, and making it together made sure that the broth was seasoned with love the bias of hard work. it's a warm meal that relaxes dextera's whole body, and when all is said and done, he looks like he could gladly just curl up and go to sleep.
if a few bowls of soup could do this to him, it's probably painfully obvious that his diet does not normally consist of hot, filling food. ]
[Guren has just taken care of both of their bowls, since he refuses to leave dirty dishes for Ignis to take care of even if washing is a pain with no running water. With those set aside and everything cleaned up, he's really feeling relaxed, himself. That wasn't too bad! Which is good, since he wants to encourage Dextera to eat.
He moves over to where he is, now, like he needs to be close to speak to him. The house is still so quiet, so maybe that's it. His hand hovers near Dextera's back... he's hoverhanding, stop him.]
[ the hoverhanding is a part of their friendship rituals and it should never stop. dextera can feel guren's hand close to his back, though, and that gets him to look up from where he'd been sleepily drooping over the table, back at guren.
he wishes guren would just touch him! but a question is fine too. ]
...
[ he nods. all of it is good—the food, the quiet, guren's company. things are great. ]
[At that nod, his hand moves closer to touch. It's light, a gentle nudge for Dextera to move with him.]
Come on. Do you have an extra blanket or something? [This may be the first time he's Planning on staying the night, instead of just accidentally falling asleep leaning next to Dextera.]
I don't mind sleeping directly on the floor, but it'd help to have something to cover up with.
[ dextera nods again. even though all of his supplies seem to go to leliel, there are a few extra blankets in the house—maybe because it was intended to house people who spend a lot of time on the water, so blankets are more useful to have than mattresses.
he stands, taking some of the vegetable scraps from their meal with him before drifting upstairs with a motion for guren to follow him.
tonight, guren will get his wish of seeing leliel sleeping on dextera, because that’s just the life dex lives with his chicken!! and if he wants, he can feed the precious girl some potato peels or something. ]
[Guren absolutely wants to feed Leliel? And see her sleep on Dextera? He's going to be so fond it's going to explode out of him, but he'll hide his face in the blanket(s) they're grabbing now.
So, a quick grab of some blankets, setting them out on the floor, and then even Guren is crouching when he finds Leliel, bringing his fingers curiously to the side of her neck to stroke her. She soft. Like a child, he can't admit that he wants to feed her, but he still does...]
I can't believe you have a chicken for a roommate.
[ dextera loves his chicken roommate. she’s relatively quiet, except for the clucking, and she always seems to be able to pick up on his moods—she’s a good distraction, when he would otherwise be left terribly alone with his thoughts.
watching guren pet her, he taps guren’s arm with his free hand, to get his attention. ]
...
[ he holds out a few of the scraps, and leliel’s interest is immediately diverted from guren’s petting to the vegetables in dextera’s hand. she’s gonna just... get those...
[Wait... If he takes the veggies will the chicken love him?? Well, she will love the food in his hand and he knows this, but still. With Dextera, silence is completely fine sometimes, so he doesn't even need to say anything when he holds his hand out expectantly. Give him some to feed the chicken.]
[ leliel does not understand what’s happening when dextera pulls his hand away to exchange vegetables, and it quite literally ruffles her feathers, as she pecks at the fleshy part of his palm to try to get them back. ]
Heh.
[ dextera laughs softly, thoroughly unbothered by her pecking. as soon as she realizes that the scraps have simply changed hands, however, she calms—and as expected, she shoves her feathery face against guren’s stash now. ]
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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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...?
[ it takes him a moment to actually hear guren's instruction, even though he's watching guren's face and the way he grabs the vegetables, and dextera hurries to catch up.
the water is boiling, they're making something, and dextera's chest feels incredibly warm, from doing something even this small. or, perhaps it's because it's so small that he appreciates it all the more. ]
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[One second Dextera is looking so focused, and the next he's almost a little spacey? But Guren can't tell if he's imagining it, or if Dextera is just surprised, or what.
He's a little distracted himself, though he won't admit it. Doing something like this with someone else is warming. Watching him get so into it is satisfying in a way he can't describe, too. It's a simple soup. Lots of potatoes, onions, and a mix of other vegetables they restored color to here. Man, Guren needs to look at that garden and everything Ignis had put into it from home, because this is ending up better than what he could have made at his own place.]
We just have to wait, now.
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luckily, though, guren is a good teacher in this way, too. dextera nods, peering over the boiling water—his face gets hot from the steam, but he doesn’t really seem to mind. he’s happy, enough to let himself get burned a bit from a bubbling vegetable medley.
when he’s flushed from the heat, he turns back to guren, tapping his wrist in a universal gesture for a watch. how long? ]
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Probably like half an hour. [ But he doesn’t know how different that’ll be with heat he can’t control or how to work these old stoves, so he’ll just be here in case he has to rush to fix it. ] But it’ll be worth it.
[ He falls back to sit in one of the chairs, sighing— but it’s more like he’s satisfied than anything else. ] I know you’re probably still going to eat whatever the hell you want after this, but maybe I can at least get you to eat real food sometimes.
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if he could make even something like this... he could repay the others, for taking care of him. ]
...hah.
[ rather than sitting, he leans over the back of a chair, looking at guren... incredibly fondly, really, with how content he's feeling. there's something apologetic too, however, since he knows it's certainly true that he's going to eat whatever. ]
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Well, tonight turned out better than expected. Even one day like that is unexpected, but it seems like there are more and more. If it's not any of the others caring for him, wanting to make sure he's eaten, nagging him, calling him sensei, then it's Dextera, helping him relax. Playing chess with him. Being his friend.
He crosses one leg over the other and leans back. Really, he can't think of anything to say. It'd all be fillers for the silence, anyway, and he thinks this silence is a little comfortable, even if he is embarrassed. It's fine, as long as attention isn't being drawn to it. They can enjoy each other's company and wait for the soup.]
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dextera isn't all that surprised that it turns out better than most things he puts in his mouth—the vegetables are homegrown and lovingly tended to, and making it together made sure that the broth was seasoned with
lovethe bias of hard work. it's a warm meal that relaxes dextera's whole body, and when all is said and done, he looks like he could gladly just curl up and go to sleep.if a few bowls of soup could do this to him, it's probably painfully obvious that his diet does not normally consist of hot, filling food. ]
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He moves over to where he is, now, like he needs to be close to speak to him. The house is still so quiet, so maybe that's it. His hand hovers near Dextera's back... he's hoverhanding, stop him.]
Good?
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he wishes guren would just touch him! but a question is fine too. ]
...
[ he nods. all of it is good—the food, the quiet, guren's company. things are great. ]
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Come on. Do you have an extra blanket or something? [This may be the first time he's Planning on staying the night, instead of just accidentally falling asleep leaning next to Dextera.]
I don't mind sleeping directly on the floor, but it'd help to have something to cover up with.
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he stands, taking some of the vegetable scraps from their meal with him before drifting upstairs with a motion for guren to follow him.
tonight, guren will get his wish of seeing leliel sleeping on dextera, because that’s just the life dex lives with his chicken!! and if he wants, he can feed the precious girl some potato peels or something. ]
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So, a quick grab of some blankets, setting them out on the floor, and then even Guren is crouching when he finds Leliel, bringing his fingers curiously to the side of her neck to stroke her. She soft. Like a child, he can't admit that he wants to feed her, but he still does...]
I can't believe you have a chicken for a roommate.
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watching guren pet her, he taps guren’s arm with his free hand, to get his attention. ]
...
[ he holds out a few of the scraps, and leliel’s interest is immediately diverted from guren’s petting to the vegetables in dextera’s hand. she’s gonna just... get those...
the hungriest chicken. ]
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Heh.
[ dextera laughs softly, thoroughly unbothered by her pecking. as soon as she realizes that the scraps have simply changed hands, however, she calms—and as expected, she shoves her feathery face against guren’s stash now. ]
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