[closed] little baby me tryna play with my dollies

[nitropowered]

Who: Sandalphon, Vincent, Katsuki, Asuka
When: throughout the event
Where: The Family House
What: Catch-all for family nonsense! Feel free to use if you live in the house.
Warnings: TBA in subject lines



[OOC: Starters in comments!]

Comments

[prevail]

A. On the Job Training
[ Sandalphon understands the broad strokes nature of his mission. They've been grouped into a "family unit" and are expected to play their roles accordingly. He comprehends that he is what mortals around him have referred to as the bread-winner, though he never has understood the reason for that word choice.

Unfortunately, all that he understands of families comes from observation. Primals have siblings ever so rarely, but the concept of parents is entirely absent. In order for them to succeed at this endeavor, he must play his role well, therefore...

He'll approach any member of his household and simply ask: ]

What are my responsibilities, exactly?

II. Who Needs Sleep?
[ The thing about being locked up at night, as others around him sleep, is that Sandalphon doesn't have much of anything to do. He doesn't need to sleep, and he's confined to a smaller space even than the garden that was once his whole little world.

What does he do? He cleans the house, he leafs through books, and eventually he tries his hand at preparing food. This particular night, he's trying a recipe he came across that captured his interest: a cake that uses coffee.

Only the most practical of foodstuffs to pour his focus into at three in the morning. ]

III. Lousy Weekend
[ Sandalphon's absence may have been noticed over the span of one weekend, Saturday and Sunday passing by before he simply appears at his assigned doorstep as though he'd been dumped there like a parcel. He simply sits there on the front porch for a time, frowning at the lawn across the way, deep in thought. ]

IV. Wildcard
[ ooc: Lob any other housemate whatnots right on at him if you've got other ideas. ]

II

[redheadcarrier]

[ Asuka doesn't always get a full night's sleep. Some nights she's up because she can't sleep. Other times she has nightmares. Tonight it's the latter and after tossing and turning she finally gets up to try and get a glass of water. And then-

She blinks owlishly in the light of the kitchen, staring at Sandalphon like he has two heads. ]

...what are you doing? Do you know what time it is?

[prevail]

[ Sandalphon's busy movements abruptly halt, shoulders peaking despite his efforts to not appear startled. Sometimes, he just gets so absorbed in what he's doing that the world around him ceases to be a consideration.

When the moment passes, he smooths the tension out of his posture and glances at the clock. ]

It's three twenty-seven. [ He reports, as though she was asking him the time in earnest, then slides his garnet gaze back to her. ] And I'm attempting to make a "tira-misu".

[ He doesn't quite nail the name, but he's got the spirit. ]

[redheadcarrier]

...why?

[ Asuka seems a little surprised. ]

Don't you sleep?

[ Maybe he doesn't. He is kind of a weirdo. ]

[prevail]

Typically, I only need sleep if I've been injured badly.

[ The amount of damage he'd have to sustain would be significant. Primals naturally slept in such cases until they recovered. ]

I don't have a need, otherwise. [ After a moment's debate, he thinks to ask— ] Did I make some noise that woke you?

[redheadcarrier]

Right. You're.... not really human.

[ She rubs her face. ]

No, no. I just... couldn't sleep. Don't worry about it.

[ Read: none of his business. ]

[prevail]

Difficulty sleeping was common on the Grandcypher, particularly for those whose lives were difficult.

[ Sandalphon brings a hand to his chin, thinking back on this. Ladiva was far better with soothing troubled minds, or helping the young settle down for proper rest. What would she do...? ]

Would you like me to fix you something?

[redheadcarrier]

Who says there's difficulty?

[ She snorts, trying to deflect. ]

Not coffee. Otherwise I'm not going to get back to sleep.

[prevail]

Merely a guess, given the hour.

[ He shrugs. It's not for him to tell her whether she's having trouble sleeping.

All the same, he's already migrated to the nearest cabinet. She didn't decline, after all. ]

Tea is appropriate at this hour, right?

[redheadcarrier]

...uh, yeah. Sure. Tea... something without caffeine.

[ She slides out a chair and sits, watching him with a bit of intent. ]

Knock yourself out.

1/2

[prevail]

That would be a challenge.

[ Did she mean that to be humorous? Because his soft, amused huff suggests he took it as a joke.

He's not the best at being people. ]

2/2

[prevail]

[ He begins pulling out tins of loose-leaf tea, turning them over to scrutinize their labels.

Eventually, he settles on a duckling-yellow one labeled Chamomile in a frilly font. It's apparently caffeine-free and good for relaxation. They'll soon find out. ]

This one should do...

[redheadcarrier]

[ She cranes her neck to get a look as he works. She's not that invested, honestly. But still... ]

...thanks.

[ For the tea. ]

[prevail]

It's no trouble.

[ He moves around the kitchen briskly, as though it's familiar. It isn't, not really, but he has plenty of time to acclimate at night while others sleep. ]

Part of my role here is to support you, isn't it?

[ To enable his assigned children to succeed at their own roles... That's how he interpreted it. ]

[redheadcarrier]

...it's just playing pretend.

[ She scowls. ]

There's no point to it.

[ Even if she kinda appreciates it, you know. ]

And I don't like being babied.

[prevail]

I've never much liked it, myself. This one man, despite being a fraction of my age, often treats me like a child.

[ He huffs at the memory of Eugen giving him a New Years gift customarily meant for a child. The man means well, but Sandalphon has never even been a child. ]

The way I see it, we're equals in this...team.

[ Team feels more appropriate than calling someone family, he thinks, as he sets a kettle to boil. ]

[redheadcarrier]

...equals. Right.

[ She snorts and folds her arms. ]

If you're actually gonna hold to that... fine.

[prevail]

I'd be abysmal at blending in without your guidance, after all.

[ It's a plan and simple fact, and so he says it easily. ]

All of this [ he flaps a hand at the house itself ] it's not how it is for my kind.

[redheadcarrier]

...you're kidding me.

[ She gives him a long, flat look. ]

How hopeless are you with this stuff?

[prevail]

[ That's his cue to point in the rough direction of their front yard. ]

That mental box outside, for one thing. I've not seen those before.

[redheadcarrier]

...what, the mailbox?

[ She squints at him like he's grown an extra head. ]

*metal box, oops

[prevail]

You mean to tell me it's male?

[ How can she tell? ]

[redheadcarrier]

...are you dumb? Do you have brain damage?

[ Help. ]

[prevail]

If I were injured, I'd regenerate.

[ Judging her right back. That's common sense, missy. ]

My realm is very unlike this one.

[redheadcarrier]

And you don't have mail?

[ She's skeptical. ]