expiationlogs | ethereal moon logs (closed)

[ They'd arranged for afternoon tea. There's been much to catch up on, but when Marianne first sets her sights on Zafeera soaring down from above with Claude on her back, she grows terribly distracted, cooing over the wyvern and lighting up with delight to see an old friend. After a generous amount of pets and treats have been gifted and the wyvern's curled up contently for a nap in the yard, Marianne brings out a tray of snacks and pot of tea. She pours cups for both of them as they settle down at a table in the farmhouse. ]

I'm glad the two of you could reunite. I've lost count of the moons since we've been home.

[ Home... it's what they met to talk about. The maze had disappeared as inexplicably as it appeared but left threads they're still untangling. ]

Um, it's just me looking after the farm at this hour. Let me know if I can get you anything else.

[ As a host, she means to make him comfortable, but there is also the subtle reassurance that what they talk about will remain private. ]

[ Marianne had been happy to offer her assistance when she'd learned that Tsuna had taken up the large chore of painting his house. As a friend and also because she feels a sense of responsibility to look after those younger than her. She knows he's strong in the face of adversity, but home ownership is an ordeal no one should have to tackle alone.

She greets him with a small smile when he answers the door. She's clad in a plain winter dress with an apron tied around her waist, holding a bundle in her arms. ]

Hello, Tsuna. How have you been?

Ah! Marianne....hi.

[It's a bit of a surprise to see her on his doorstep, especially since his house isn't quite up for receiving visitors yet. But eventually he gets over his shock and moves aside]

Please, come in. I'm sorry it's kind of a mess.

[There's a few piles of supplies that he's been collecting, but otherwise it looks like the kind of mess that would come with the house of a teenage boy.]

I guess I've been alright, with everything.

She was a sight for sore eyes. Maybe you and Dorte can be reunited soon too.

[ Marianne is perhaps one of the only people here to understand just how glad he was to be reunited with his steed. He may not be as ardent an animal lover as Marianne is, but he comes close; gone are the days of lazing about the courtyard with the stray cats, but he still looks back at them as fondly as he looks upon anything else. He can't help but smile as he watches Marianne fawn over Zaffy, giving her all of the love and affection and adoration that Claude personally feels that she deserves. He can't blame others for finding her a fearsome sight - she has personally sent many men to their deaths, so it's not altogether unsubstantiated - but she's a sweetheart. She clearly couldn't tell the difference between Mariannes either, greeting her with a roar of delight and wriggling around so that Marianne could pat her in just the right spot.

It's almost enough to make Claude forget the anxiety brewing deep in his gut. He knows what they came here to talk about: the truth, kept hidden for so long. A part of him wants to turn to cowardice, deflect and deny, just enjoy a lovely cup of tea with a dear friend like the good old days. But that wouldn't be fair to her, not now that she knows there's more to it. ]

This is plenty. Thanks, Marianne. This feels just like old times, doesn't it? [ He breathes in the sweet scent of the tea. It's not the same as back home, but it's close. ] How've you been?

[ Okay, okay, he will talk about it eventually, but... you can't blame a guy for delaying, can you? ]

[ Marianne steps inside quietly and hesitantly, like someone who doesn't want to take up much space. ]

That's okay. I know you've been redecorating. Actually, I came to see if you needed any help.

[ That, and also to see how he was doing. Between the maze, the kidnappings, and now a giant monster demanding human sacrifices, it's been one harrowing trial after another. She's glad for the reprieve, peaceful moments like these now seem all the more precious. ]

Oh! Here...[ Marianne unwraps the bundle in her arms to reveal a gift basket with scented candles, cheeses, gingerbread cookies and other baked goods. ] This is for you.

I very much hope to see her again.

[ She misses Dorte terribly, and seeing Zafeera gives her hope for the first time that, goddess willing, Dorte could also make the miraculous journey here. Until then, she trusts the Golden Deers to look after her friend.

Marianne isn't in a rush to dive into the subject, reaching for a sugar cube and stirring it into her cup of tea. ]

I've been okay. It's been busier at the clinic, but we're hoping to get as many people home before the new year.

[ Between seasonal colds and tending to the injuries of the rescued citizens, it had been a hand-wringing few weeks. She's glad things seem to be calming down, though it wouldn't be quite accurate to say Aldrip was peaceful again. Trust between the two towns had broken down and emotions were still running high. So 'okay' is the best she can put it, but she tries to inject a little bit of positivity. Something she's attempting to do more of these days. ]

How have you been? We've been through one ordeal after another it seems.

Oh, well, uh....

[He looks around the house, trying to determine an answer. Which should be yes but somehow accepting help is always hard. Even if he's learned the lesson multiple times before. It's why he has Guardians, even if they aren't here.

Of course he gets sidetracked.]

Thank you! This is...really nice of you. I...you didn't have to.

Oh, it's nothing. I just hope you like it.

[ She had wanted to gift him a little something as a token of her appreciation. That, and the bakery had smelled of delicious goods when she passed by it this morning. Marianne follows his gaze around the haphazard state of the room. ]

Um, I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I should have sent word earlier.

[ It occurs to her as an afterthought that she could have messaged him through the tablet. Though she's learned how to use the device, the habit just isn't quite there. ]

Oh, no, you're not. I wasn't really...doing anything.

[He probably should have been cleaning, or getting prepared, but that hasn't really happened yet.]

Sorry, things are kind of a mess.

[He steps back to put the basket on the table, and create some space for her to enter.]

No, it's okay. Really.

[ She steps forward gingerly, taking care not to bump into anything. It's perfectly understandable to have things lying around when he's in the middle of decorating. Besides, her own room is a mess the best of days. ]

Do you need help with any of it?

An ordeal is right. I can hardly believe everything that's happened in the past few months -- or the arguments people are genuinely having over this. I really wasn't expecting this much squabbling, though that's my mistake. I should have expected it.

[ He takes a sip of his tea, pondering. Even a place as contentious and prone to arguing as the Alliance would be presenting a more unified front in the wake of such obvious misdeeds. They certainly wouldn't be arguing between the two extremes like people seem to here, as though there is no middle ground between complete annihilation and absolute forgiveness. ]

But it's a miracle that we got as many people as we did back home alive, so I count that as a celebration. And maybe amidst all of the fighting, people will cool down enough to allow cooler heads to prevail. [ He offers Marianne a small smile. ] It'll work out. You haven't gotten involved in any of that, have you?

Well, uh...I don't know. I've sort of been getting it.

[He's quiet for a moment, thinking.]

But, actually, if you know anything about painting walls? I'm kinda stuck on how to start.

It's intimidating, in a weird way.

[The autumn has been the worst of the seasons in this new land. The only good thing Ethlyn can say about it is that there isn't an actual wa going on--and she's loath to even make that suggestion aloud, knowing how people feel about Rumpitur and what they did to Aldrip and the Chosen.

What makes it worse is that the Arztenritter's ranks have thinned out to just four--herself, Marianne, Emet-selch, and Me'dan. It's distinctly uncomfortable, like trying to stretch her arms around a too-wide tree. The next crisis--because Ethyn is sure there will be one--they need to have more than just the meagerest handful of healers who can get to people.

So Ethlyn has a purpose in mind when she knocks on Marianne's door. She respects the opinion of her fellow healer, noble, and rider.]

[ Hmm, she can't say she has much experience with painting beyond watching Ignatz work on his art, and the one time at the monastery she had been recruited by Hilda to help paint her handicrafts. Marianne remembers brushing on the colors carefully and laying the charms out to dry, content to work quietly while Hilda chattered away filling the air with conversation enough for the both of them. ]

I've only painted accessories before, but...

[ She hums thoughtfully, looking at the walls. ]

Have you decided on a color and which rooms?

People seem very, um, passionate about their views. [ Which is one way of putting it. ] I didn't really know how to chime in, and I'm not sure how much of it is our place to judge.

[ Seeing the Chosen argue amongst themselves had been handwringing for her as the conflict-averse person that she is. Marianne had never known how to speak up during the Alliance's debates and she kept her thoughts to herself now. She can only imagine her adoptive father's disappointment. He'd coached her in elocution only for her to make herself invisible when it mattered. The thought deflates her a little and she sighs into her tea. ]

I've been helping Ethlyn and the Artzenritter tend to the rescued.

[ Keeping her head down and focusing on her healer work was her answer to the disagreements. At the end of the day the injured still needed tending to, no qualms about it. The rift between the towns will be much harder to mend. ]

[ The days have grown colder and Marianne has a shawl wrapped around her shoulders when she answers the door. Her door itself appears to have a bold new look to it as well, though the garish colors and punk aesthetics surely tell that Marianne didn't put the design there herself. It's fine. ]

Ethlyn, good afternoon. Would you like to come in, or did you need me for something...?

[ She isn't sure if this is a social call or a work call. Between the kidnappings and tending to the rescued citizens, the Artzenritter has been called on often lately. It's a testament to the importance of their work but perhaps also a sign of troubling times. ]

Well, I know I want to paint like, this area.

[He indicates the living room/kitchen room that they are in.]

And I guess some of the others. But I figured I would start here. I did find an orange that I liked.

[ Her gaze follows as he gestures around the room. Orange, hm. A bright color that suited the flame burning inside of him.

Now how to go about it... ]

Um, to start with, what if we covered up the floor by the wall so the paint doesn't spill over?

That's what people were saying to do. I found some sheets!

[There's a small pile of them by the paint cans. Folded fairly roughly.]

[ Ah, hearing that makes her feel more confident about how to begin. ]

Then let's start there. Maybe we should also push some of the furniture to the side.

[ She steps over to the paint cans to take a look at the sheets, thinking through things one step at a time. ]

Right. Guess I should have done that as well.

[Not that there is much in the way of furniture. There's a chair and a couch and a coffee table and that's about it. Tsuna moves to shove them into the middle of the room, creating space to get to the walls.]

There's so much more to this than I realized.

[Ethlyn is busy inspecting that artwork and frowning at it in severe disapproval when Marianne opens the door, so she hurriedly has to get a smile back on her face.]

I'll come in, if that's all right! There's something I want to talk to you about--I see Miss Jinx visited here while everyone was busy with Rumpitur.

I was in quite a bit of shock. It's alright, though.

[ Marianne says with a weak laugh. She will probably have to get the door replaced or painted over in time. Stepping aside, she invites Ethlyn through. The timing is fortunate because there has been something on her mind that she would like to consult Ethyln about as well. ]

Have a seat, I'll make some tea. I'm sorry about the mess.

[ Marianne shuffles around awkwardly gathering misplaced items in her arms to clear up space at the table. Her quarters hasn't seen many tidy days. She's managing better than when she first arrived, but it's still embarrassing how hapless she is at cleaning. ]

Edited 2023-12-27 06:51 (UTC)

They say there's a first time for everything. If it doesn't turn out well, we can always paint over it agan.

[ She tries to sound positive, something she isn't very practiced at with the negative self-talk that goes through her head regularly, but it's easier when she's encouraging other people. Marianne unfolds the sheets and begins to drape them over the floor. ]

Something like this?

Huh...yeah, I guess we can.

[He hasn't really thought of it that way.]

But yeah, I think this is how it's supposed to work. They just have to go right up against the wall.

[Not that he would mind paint on the floor.]

ethereal moon logs (closed)

@claude

@tsuna

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