citylogs | the past haunts the present [closed]

WHO: Wanderer (

featheradrift), Altria Caster (

excaliburden) & Tsuruno Yui (

fanstheflames)
WHAT: It's a competition between who can fuss over Altria more--
WHERE: Altria & Tsuruno's apartment
WHEN: Jan 6, some time later in the day
WARNINGS: Descriptions of injuries

Altria was hurt. They'd left the memory space and contrary to his expectations, she was still hurt. It's at this point that he falters and panic starts rising within him. The last time he had to deal with an ailing human was centuries ago—a nameless, ailing boy who didn't even have a year left in him—but illness and injury are two different things and he has never dealt with a mortal's injuries.

First, he needs to find her a place to rest. That's an easy choice—her apartment would be ideal. So with some directions from Altria, he makes his way there as quickly as possible, careful not to jostle Altria's injuries any further. The trip is unbearably long. He is hyperaware of Altria's shallow breathing, and the hitches betraying the pain she feels. Her injured hand is cradled against her body, but it is still covered by a glove. He doesn't know how extensive the damage is.

He barges into Tsuruno and Altria's shared apartment without announcing himself, and then pauses. Where should he set her? On the couch? In her room? He stands in the doorway, conflicted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Tsuruno is efficient when she has to be, at least, taking what knowledge she's learned from Daan to bandage her friend up. Nice and steady, bandages snug against her poor ribs but not to the point where they're too restrictive.

It won't be the most comfortable until she starts healing in earnest, but most methods of care for injuries really are. At least they've got pain-killers.

"Yuu, huh..." Sounds like his name might share its origin with hers. But she knows so little about the guy still, so it's hard to state that as fact. Still...

"I'll have to ask him if that's okay to use or if he wants me to go with a nickname... I don't know, it sounds sort of like a big deal to him."

A few careful tugs to ensure the bandages are secure.

"Aaaand we're good!"

As soon as Tsuruno gives the go-ahead, Altria tugs back down her dress, leaving her once again presentable. Phew. No Otome hijinks here today.

She smiles at Tsuruno in response, though, knocking shoulders with her affectionately and very, very carefully.

"Thanks. That sounds good to me." The thanks, of course, is partially for her help with her ribs--but even more so for Tsuruno's consideration towards Yuu, something that's incredibly important to her.

It's only a short moment before there's a light knock at the door, sounding not from a hand, but something else. A mug, because both of the drifter's hands are occupied by them.

"You good?" the Wanderer inquires from the other side, asking for permission to enter. "I have hot chocolate."

"We're good!"

There's a chipper call of affirmation from behind the door, but also Tsuruno will move to open it again, because that definitely was not the sound of a hand against the door. Probably the mug, then?

"She's all bandaged and good to go until we get the doctor here to look at her!"

Hot chocolate! Hot chocolate!

Altria has realized by now that she needs to remain as still as possible so as to not jostle... well, anything, but she still has it in her to smile brightly at the thought.

"Yay, yay...! That sounds so good! Thank you for making some, Yuu!"

With Tsuruno's reassurance, he enters the room carrying two mugs of hot chocolate. Both are topped with marshmallows and matcha powder and have spoons, but the one with the higher stack is handed off to Tsuruno while he takes the other one to Altria.

He doesn't quite give it to her yet though—knowing that she's limited to only using one hand, he uses the spoon to shift and mix the marshmallows so it'll be easy for her to drink the concoction without spilling. He also sets the spoon aside once he's done fiddling with the drink, since it'd only get in Altria's way.

It's only after all that that he hands it off to Altria, making sure to shift his grip on the mug so the handle is facing her and holding it out closer to her good hand—every motion he makes is done in consideration for all of her injuries.

"It should be cool enough to drink immediately," he says as Altria takes the drink, and turns to Tsuruno after. "Yours is hotter. Careful."

Altria will find her hot chocolate quite sweet, but with a hint of bitterness from the matcha powder that topped the drink, and the dark chocolate the drink was made from. Tsuruno's is less sweet, as he opted to allow the flavours of the dark chocolate and matcha powder express themselves instead of be overwhelmed by sugar.

The mugs are big enough to be satisfying, but small enough not to be so filling that they won't be able to eat dinner later. It's clear he's put a lot of thought into making this tiny little delight for them.

It's honestly kind of impossible not to notice the effort he's put into this. Not that she knows the slight difference in flavor profiles here because she's not about to snag her roommate's drink, but she notes the difference in marshmallow height and also observes the way he stirs Altria's drink and moves the handle so she can easily grasp it. And of course Tsuruno's is hotter; she doesn't require the same kind of care right now.

So she hums her appreciation with a tinge of thoughtfulness in the sound, bringing the rim up to her lips to take a sip.

"Thanks! Um, I know you said it was fine for Altria to tell me, but if you want me to stick with calling you Hat Guy, I can."

Altria also notices the effort that he puts into it, but she's kind of used to it, also. It's Yuu, after all. Of course he's going above and beyond. That's what he does!

So she takes the drink with a grateful little smile, admiring the toppings and the sweet smell.

"Wowwwww... this looks so pretty and delicious." In deference to her injuries, she's very careful, voice much softer than it usually is, when she continues, "Yay, yay, thank you!"

She takes a sip, finds it to be perfectly sweet and at the perfect temperature, and melts into a little puddle of contentedness right then and there, despite her injuries. She's a simple girl, after all.

The expression on the Wanderer's face softens in fondness for Altria's excited response, but it's only for a moment before he glances at Tsuruno and then turns his head away with a quiet noise of displeasure.

"Do as you please," he says, an answer Altria knows all too well that means he doesn't mind if Tsuruno uses his actual name. That he's already allowed Tsuruno to know his name is more than explicit permission for her to use it.

He takes a moment to fully look over Altria, to make sure she's fine, before he looks around the room, and then back to Tsuruno.

"Anything else that we need? I'm going to pick up ingredients for dinner and more medical supplies for Altria's injuries."

But he clearly doesn't look thrilled about it, as opposed to the way he's all but gently emanating affection in Altria's direction.

Ah.

Tsuruno opts not to point that out, capable of something like subtlety, and offers Wanderer (Yuu?) a shrug.

"We should be okay! Daan-san's on his way but I've still got a bunch of medical supplies on hand from past... uh. Adventures."

It's probably fine.

"And I always keep things stocked in terms of food!"

Altria is just happily enjoying her cocoa, so she's very much missing Tsuruno's realization, as well as just how differently Wanderer treats her. It's sweet and delicious, a nice distraction from the throbbing in her ribs and her hand. She knows she's going to have to drink it carefully, but...

Having a treat after something so brutal is unusual. She wants to bask in it.

So she's just humming quietly to herself as she takes a careful sip, not at all focused on the conversation. Tsuruno and Wanderer are talking about logistics anyway. She doesn't have it in her at the moment.

Then he would only have to pick up ingredients for dinner. Still, couldn't hurt to pick up medical supplies anyway right? But he's not entirely sure what might be helpful in this situation... He'll pick it up later then, once he has a better idea.

"Then I'll be gone for only a moment," he says, and turns to exit the apartment for his grocery dash.

the past haunts the present [closed]

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