ic inbox (kenos)

[gravings]

I will definitely put something here this time

Comments

[salvageable]

[ Their Asian household with their one single Asian person... ]

I hope you don't mind, but I was thinking about inviting someone over for dinner sometime this week.

[ Every now and then, after living on his own for so long and doing his own thing, he has to remember to give the people in this house a heads up. And by people, it's really just Gray, because Dokja will happily do as he pleases when it comes to Eustace. ]

And if it's not too much trouble, I'd like you to be there.

[gravings]

[ Dokja has a friend he likes enough to invite over... how nice. Just as Gray is about to comment happily on that, he goes on to mention her specifically?? ]

Me? Um... as a server?

[ literally the only role she can imagine fulfilling, please let her make some tea and then melt into the background and have no strangers look at her ]

[salvageable]

[ HELLO? Now Dokja turns so that he's fully facing her because what? ]

As a server...? [ he repeats dumbly. ] No, that's not—Wait a second, is that what you think I think of you?

[ Forget the dinner. He's going to have a crisis about this instead. ]

[gravings]

[ Now they are both varying flavors of dumb as they stare at each other. ]

I... I'm confident in my service ability!

[ She used to do all that crap for a fancy Lord... and she does work here and there for Dokja at his cafe. It's not beneath her?? ]

[salvageable]

[ Here's a lengthy pause as Dokja recovers from his shock. ]

... Gray, I'm not going to have you serve my guest in your own home.

[ He's fucked up but he's not THAT fucked up. ]

[gravings]

Oh.

[ Sad. She was prepared to do a good job. ]

Then...?

[ Why on earth would Dokja want her to around to entertain a guest? She isn't a great conversationalist... but, to be fair, neither is Eustace. Dokja's pickings are so slim around here. ]

[salvageable]

[ Ah, and here they have landed at the difficult part of this plan. A sheepish look crosses Dokja's expression as he glances to the side, trying to figure out the best way to explain this. For now, he'll start off nice and easy. ]

Well, D... His name is D.

[ Cringe, he knows. ]

He's sort of new to Kenos and I was thinking it would be good for him to meet people...

[gravings]

[ Gray easily assumes the name is spelled "Dee" and is sadly wrong about it. Either way, that sounds like a normal enough reason to have someone over, so she begins to relax. ]

That's very nice of you, Mr. Dokja.

[ Soft, even. Helping out a newcomer by opening his home to them is pretty generous and hospitable. ]

What is he like?

[salvageable]

[ Is that nice of him...? He supposes he has grown fond of D which is weird to think about, so he won't think about it at all! ]

I guess you could say he's the stoic type? Someone like Eustace, but imagine a more polite version.

[ Eustace the Gruff stoic and D the Polite stoic. ]

[gravings]

[ "Eustace but with better manners" is surprisingly illustrative. And stoic and polite is just your average Brit, really. ]

Okay. I think I can handle that. When did you want to have him over?

[erbe]

He said that you so kindly informed him of my kidnapping.

[There is a bit of displeasure there. Frustration. She keeps herself from going further into it by stuffing her mouth with a bit of bread soaked in stew broth.]

[salvageable]

[ Breaks into a grin at hearing her agree to the playdate!!

Not that she knows that's what this is. ]

When's a good time for you? Any day this week works for me.

1/2

[gravings]

Whenever D would like to come, I can be here.

[ She still thinks it's kind of weird that this is happening and that her attendance is for some reason essential. She'd understand more if D happened to be another teenage girl, but she feels there are better friends to be had elsewhere.

Oh well. Maybe Dokja likes D just that much.

As she's pondering these things, obnoxious laughter rises from within Gray's cloak. ]

2/2

[gravings]

[ Gray pulls out the weird little box himself, Add, from her cloak and holds him in her palm so he can say his piece even though she'll probably regret it. ]

Ihihihi! You're a funny one if you think idiot Gray here will be any good for dinner conversation! Do you actually hate this D guy?!

[gravings]

Eh?

[ The obvious displeasure in Rin's demeanor makes Gray sit up like a poke in the back. ]

W-Was it supposed to be a secret? I'm sorry... We were both worried about Mr. Dokja, so I thought I should share as much as I could.

[salvageable]

[ Ah... Dokja's expression immediately becomes displeased when the little box appears. They had peace in this house once. ]

And maybe we can keep Add in your room when D's here.

[ IGNORES ADD. ]

[epiprocta]

[ He's never had much fondness for the concept of homemade food, to be honest.

Gen's attachment to his home had steadily waned after his mother had left, as he'd come to realize just how little his stepmother cared for him; the quick, easy appeal of convenience store foods and nearby family restaurants had easily overpowered whatever lingering attachment he might have had to the concept of 'homemade food.' Food is food, and Gen eats mostly just to sate his appetite, or maybe enjoy something tasty. Who it's made by, or where it's made, doesn't really matter in his opinion.

But Gray's little offer sends a prickle of something soft and longing through his chest, and he's oddly reminded of the time Eustace had cooked a meal for him on his birthday. Vaguely, he wonders if this is what it's like when people say they 'miss home.'

Though Gen says nothing at first as he feels that slender arm wrap around him in a clumsy, lopsided hug, he does sigh after a moment. And instead of pushing Gray away, he gives her an awkward pat to the back. ]

Sure. [ The way his hand lingers on her back afterwards might even count for a reciprocation of the hug, if given some leeway for his usual aversion towards shows of affection. ] Just so long as you don't go getting yourself killed again, alright?

[ And this much, he says without any pretension, his hand squeezing at Gray's shoulder for just a moment before withdrawing\; his tone of voice is serious and firm. It's not even that he wants to avoid the trouble of having to retrieve Add again. -- Gray just deserves better. He'd stake his life on it. ]

[gravings]

[ Gray places her other hand flat on Add's "head," turning him into a sandwich. The movement is gentle, but Add's eyes immediately go round, almost comically so. ]

He'll behave.

[ She'll make sure of it... especially because she doesn't like the idea of leaving him out of her sight, even if he's only a room away. ]

If you ever think he's out of line, you have my permission to discipline him.

[salvageable]

[ This feels backwards... ]

I think I should be the one telling you that.

[ Don't let Add call you an idiot, Gray!!!! ]

But alright, he can be there if he behaves. How does tomorrow evening sound?

[gravings]

[ The more people around to bully Add, the better!! ]

Tomorrow... alright. What should we cook?

[erbe]

Is that right? Well, he came to me asking for more.

[It didn't get very far. Tohsaka was difficult, as usual, and perhaps Eustace determined it was too much of a hassle to try and deal with her.]

[gravings]

[ Gray is aware that Gen isn't a hugging type of person, so in a way this is more for her than him; she isn't adept enough at expressing herself verbally to convey all of her feelings without something extra.

The awkward pats to her back are enough for her to accept that he understands, so she mercifully lets him go. It goes without saying that she isn't looking to die again any time soon, but she still responds with all due solemnity. ]

I won't. I've learned my lesson. And now that I have Add again, I won't lose in a fight.

[ A fair one, anyway. And magic can be pretty cheap, so she can't make promises there. But what's important is the sentiment.

She holds the basket out toward Gen again. She isn't letting him go home without a cute woven basket in hand. ]

[gravings]

He did? ... I see. He must have been really worried.

[ About Dokja, she means. She's a bit surprised Eustace cut her out the middle and went straight to Rin, but he is a direct person. ]

I hope it wasn't too much of a bother.

[salvageable]

[ The easy answer would be nothing at all because D is a vampire, but who knows that? ]

... Soup?

[ Dokja who has zero cooking experience or skills thinks soup is easy enough. It is just water and some ingredients? ]

[gravings]

[ ...

Gray waits for Dokja to go on, only to realize that soup is the end of the line. ]

What kind of soup?