[Tohsaka stands halted over the stewpot. Its aroma hits her like a violent wave crashing upon cliffs. Not that she hates it, though. No, instead it brings a rush of melancholic nostalgia. Brief days of sharing cooking responsibilities with the rest of the Emiya household. Once or twice sharing the kitchen with her sister. Waking up to a lively household rather than an empty mansion.
It makes her ache. Her eyes water and her throat closes shut. Even sharing breakfast with Lucien was a step up from her decade long routine of loneliness. Eventually Rin moves, though. After all, Gray is giving her comfort. Food, ability to wash her clothes, a shower... To burden her anymore would be a failing on Rin's part. So she gently ladles in a decent serving for her bowl. More than she'd usually eat, but that's fine. She has been skipping meals.]
[ Gray drops loose leaves of the stuff into a pot and follows it with hot water. She's personally fine with bagged tea, but as Rin is a guest, she gets the good stuff.
As she turns to wait for the leaves to steep, she catches Rin stopped over the stew. At first Gray worries that it means Rin finds the stew unappetizing, but upon further inspection, it looks more like Rin's mind is elsewhere.
Gray would like to ask why Rin needed a place to get tidied up at, but given what happened with Dark recently, maybe Gray doesn't need to. Rin has surely been through a lot lately. Tactfully, Gray decides to keep the conversation on its tracks as she comes up to get in line for her own stew. ]
Earl Grey. There are countless varieties of tea here, but I always end up choosing the ones I'm already familiar with. [ Oh. Something else occurs to her. ] I've also made a tart, so if you want some for dessert...
[ Gray has actually just been on a baking kick and happened to make a fruit tart this morning, but she also can't deny that she'd be pleased if Rin was impressed by her evolving baking skill. Most of all, she's just relieved that crisis has been averted. She quickly scoops up some stew, cheese, and bread for herself and sits with Rin at the table. ]
I don't know many hot dishes, but I think my baking has improved lately. If you have any tips for me, I'll be glad to hear them.
[ But that will be later. She hurries the conversation along. ]
By the way... did you need somewhere to stay tonight?
[It's a tempting offer, but in the end she has to decline. Spending too much time in Springstar means, even if miniscule, Discord accumulation. She'll have to be careful. Especially after what happened to Dark.]
[ So she has somewhere to sleep, but there's no shower or means of washing laundry. The plot thickens. ]
Okay...
[ Mages and their secrets. Knowing better than to pry, Gray spoons some stew up.
The stew is simple and straightforward in terms of spice, but it's been cooked with care and hearty for it. The bread is fresh and crisp at the crust, and the cheese is strong and buttery. That said, it's a decidedly rustic, unadorned format for a meal; at the end of the day, Gray is British to the bone. ]
[No follow up? Has she gotten so used to the pushy people of Kenos that somehow she is struggling with Gray? Ridiculous. Tohsaka will make up her own, more palatable conversation.]
[ Gray may be overly conscious about not being pushy, especially in the company of a mage. A mage with a history of retreating if Gray prodded about the wrong things, in fact...
She blinks, a look of dumb surprise crossing her face at the question. ]
Um. Yes, very well, actually.
[ She'll explain more in a moment. But first, she has to make sure this isn't a Mordred situation (as unlikely as that is). ]
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.]
[She'll leave it at that as she tears another piece of bread to soak in the stew broth. It's warm, rich, and salty. The potatoes and carrots are soft. The meat is tender. It's good enough that even miss "I have to watch my figure" Tohsaka gets up for a bowl of seconds.]
[ Weird?? Eustace?? Perish the thought. If they were talking about someone else (Mordred)(Gen) Gray would be content to let Rin's comment sit as subjective truth, but she feels an obligation to speak up for Eustace's honor. ]
He did a lot to look after me when we first met. And actually, he lives in this house too.
[ She is so comfortable spending a lot of time with old gay dudes who are absolutely no threat to her, she has a hard time processing Rin's insinuation. ]
It's a bit hard to say. Mr. Eustace isn't quite my guardian, but he's always supported me. Mr. Dokja... I haven't known as long, but I suppose he's similar. I guess you could say we're like a family.
[ Though it seems a bit presumptuous to put things that way. ]
[ Spending time in a male space (Waver's) after a lifetime of female fastidiousness (her mother's) was certainly jarring to Gray at first, but she finds Rin's disbelief a bit curious. ]
An "all guy universe"? Should that be an issue?
[ Maybe if the guys in question were her age, Gray would understand more quickly. Though she never had to deal with other people her age in her village, she was certainly taught about the follies of the opposite sex through things like books and television. But Eustace and Dokja are, well. Complete non-threats. ]
Why wouldn't it be? They're both older than you, too. What if you accidentally walk in on something?
[Maybe things like not shutting the bathroom door all the way, or getting a little too flirty with your significant other where others can perceive it is only a straight guy thing?]
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Date: 2023-10-01 05:23 pm (UTC)It makes her ache. Her eyes water and her throat closes shut. Even sharing breakfast with Lucien was a step up from her decade long routine of loneliness. Eventually Rin moves, though. After all, Gray is giving her comfort. Food, ability to wash her clothes, a shower... To burden her anymore would be a failing on Rin's part. So she gently ladles in a decent serving for her bowl. More than she'd usually eat, but that's fine. She has been skipping meals.]
What type of tea?
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Date: 2023-10-05 05:32 am (UTC)As she turns to wait for the leaves to steep, she catches Rin stopped over the stew. At first Gray worries that it means Rin finds the stew unappetizing, but upon further inspection, it looks more like Rin's mind is elsewhere.
Gray would like to ask why Rin needed a place to get tidied up at, but given what happened with Dark recently, maybe Gray doesn't need to. Rin has surely been through a lot lately. Tactfully, Gray decides to keep the conversation on its tracks as she comes up to get in line for her own stew. ]
Earl Grey. There are countless varieties of tea here, but I always end up choosing the ones I'm already familiar with. [ Oh. Something else occurs to her. ] I've also made a tart, so if you want some for dessert...
no subject
Date: 2023-10-06 12:25 pm (UTC)[Her offer may be genuine but in the light of her brining a gift and it getting rejected a seat at the table is... is...!]
Do you not like egg tarts?
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Date: 2023-10-09 04:00 am (UTC)No! Or, um, I'm not sure because I've never tried one, but I've liked all of your cooking... The tart was something I'd already made.
[ And there's always room for more dessert... ]
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Date: 2023-10-10 06:35 pm (UTC)[She sighs and settles herself at the table.]
If you're looking to show off for me, I suppose I cannot deny you.
[If the intent is that Gray wants to impress her, that's... cute. She'll have to squash the bloom of warmth and excitement that unfurls in her chest.]
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Date: 2023-10-11 03:35 am (UTC)I don't know many hot dishes, but I think my baking has improved lately. If you have any tips for me, I'll be glad to hear them.
[ But that will be later. She hurries the conversation along. ]
By the way... did you need somewhere to stay tonight?
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Date: 2023-10-12 04:49 pm (UTC)[It's a tempting offer, but in the end she has to decline. Spending too much time in Springstar means, even if miniscule, Discord accumulation. She'll have to be careful. Especially after what happened to Dark.]
I have somewhere to sleep.
[Her shop. And no one will ever know!]
no subject
Date: 2023-10-14 04:41 am (UTC)Okay...
[ Mages and their secrets. Knowing better than to pry, Gray spoons some stew up.
The stew is simple and straightforward in terms of spice, but it's been cooked with care and hearty for it. The bread is fresh and crisp at the crust, and the cheese is strong and buttery. That said, it's a decidedly rustic, unadorned format for a meal; at the end of the day, Gray is British to the bone. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-10-17 01:17 pm (UTC)Hm... also, do you know a man named "Eustace"?
[She has to confirm something.]
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Date: 2023-10-18 05:18 am (UTC)She blinks, a look of dumb surprise crossing her face at the question. ]
Um. Yes, very well, actually.
[ She'll explain more in a moment. But first, she has to make sure this isn't a Mordred situation (as unlikely as that is). ]
Why do you ask?
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Date: 2023-10-19 02:59 pm (UTC)[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.]
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Date: 2023-10-20 03:57 am (UTC)[ 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.
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Date: 2023-10-21 07:42 pm (UTC)[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.]
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Date: 2023-10-22 04:57 am (UTC)[ 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.
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Date: 2023-10-24 08:49 pm (UTC)[She'll leave it at that as she tears another piece of bread to soak in the stew broth. It's warm, rich, and salty. The potatoes and carrots are soft. The meat is tender. It's good enough that even miss "I have to watch my figure" Tohsaka gets up for a bowl of seconds.]
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Date: 2023-10-25 05:07 am (UTC)He did a lot to look after me when we first met. And actually, he lives in this house too.
[ Just. For Rin's information. ]
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Date: 2023-10-28 03:09 pm (UTC)[Rin puts her bowl down and closes the distance between them. She leans over to look directly into Gray's face as she asks the question:]
You live in a house with two old men?
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Date: 2023-10-29 06:41 am (UTC)Um. Yes. Though I don't think they're that old.
[ she is so (half) wrong about that ]
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Date: 2023-10-29 04:42 pm (UTC)[Does Gray have two dads or does Gray have two Daddies?]
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Date: 2023-10-30 05:59 am (UTC)[ She is so comfortable spending a lot of time with old gay dudes who are absolutely no threat to her, she has a hard time processing Rin's insinuation. ]
It's a bit hard to say. Mr. Eustace isn't quite my guardian, but he's always supported me. Mr. Dokja... I haven't known as long, but I suppose he's similar. I guess you could say we're like a family.
[ Though it seems a bit presumptuous to put things that way. ]
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Date: 2023-11-03 03:50 pm (UTC)[Tohsaka returns to getting her second helping. After that is situated she returns to the table.]
Are you really comfortable living in an all guy-universe?
[As in... why doesn't she live with other women?]
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Date: 2023-11-05 03:58 am (UTC)An "all guy universe"? Should that be an issue?
[ Maybe if the guys in question were her age, Gray would understand more quickly. Though she never had to deal with other people her age in her village, she was certainly taught about the follies of the opposite sex through things like books and television. But Eustace and Dokja are, well. Complete non-threats. ]
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Date: 2023-11-05 04:07 pm (UTC)[Maybe things like not shutting the bathroom door all the way, or getting a little too flirty with your significant other where others can perceive it is only a straight guy thing?]
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Date: 2023-11-06 05:57 am (UTC)It hasn't been a problem yet, but... wouldn't that have been a bigger problem with you and Dark?
[ Dark and his literal harem and sexual obsessions?? ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-07 01:40 pm (UTC)[Haha but there is no house at the moment so it's not like that matters. In fact she's not even sure if she'll go back.]
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