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| − | It's immediately after the first Moon Court of 2020, and people have been leaving for maybe five minutes.
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| − | And...yet ''again'' there are footsteps behind Amity, jogging pace and then slowing down, and then the voice of that too-pretty starry prince who'd immediately gone to November's table on arrival at court: "Miss Amity?" he calls. "I am sorry to bother you-- if now is not a good time, I shall leave you in peace--"
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| − | Amity has been taking a moment for herself outside of the Broken Hearth. The whole Court had been a whole /thing/. She had had her space invaded by multiple people, she'd had to be sitting there. Surrounded by all of that... Wyrd. So she's been pacing back and forth and at some point, she pulled a pre-rolled joint from a pocket and lit it to take a puff or two in an attempt to calm her nerves.
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| − | "...Yes, I'm Amity. Can I help you?" Her expression is flat, unexpressive. Reserved. Or restrained. One of the two.
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| − | "Ah--" the youth starts, caught a little flatfooted. He looks considerably less Other than he had in the radius of November's presence and mantle, and also considerably less collected. He pushes his glasses up on his nose in exactly the way exasperated parents tell one not to do-- index finger on the bridge-- and runs a wooden hand nervously through his hair. "I-- I just wished to say that I met Mavis at the Wegman's and she is delightful and I wanted to meet you and perhaps invite you to dinner-- if you do not mind vegetarian-- and my gods, is that Trainwreck that you are smoking? Please can you tell me where you acquired it? Everyone I know has been out since I arrived back from India--"
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| − | When does he ''breathe''? "And do you like lassi? I make very good bhang lassi and was planning on making a batch this week--"
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| − | Yes, he has a high summer mantle, but it's calm; the monsoon is not always a threat in its season. Yes he doesn't look very normal, but he doesn't, in this context, have the same sense of jarringly, off-puttingly high Wyrd; yes that's only sandalwood paste on his forehead; yes he was just hurrying after her barefoot in what looks very much like a skirt (but isn't) (but looks like one); yes he has this absurdly human expression of hope on his earnest face.
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| − | "Ah..." Amity seems a little caught off guard by the sudden rush of conversation washing over her. It takes her a moment to process so many questions and so much information all at once. She lifts the joint to her lips and takes a puff on it. Then, quietly, in a little show of friendliness, she offers the joint across the space between them, holding it gently between two fingers. It's an invitation to get closer and step into her space, clear as day. Finally, she speaks.
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| − | "You must be the man she met at the grocery store, then." Her face softens from it's unhappy impassivity and turns into a slight smile. "First, I love vegetarian. Secondly, I don't know where we got it. Mavis buys the marijuana. Third, I've never had lassi so you'll have to explain what it is. Finally, it's nice to meet you. Adithan, right? Mavis was very proud of herself for being able to say your name."
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| − | And there it is-- first at the offer, and then even brighter at the news of Mavis being proud of being able to say his name and the added whammy of Amity also saying it correctly-- a beautiful slow-blooming wide grin, actual true happiness behind it. He does come over, reaching for the joint a very little bit shyly, and takes a healthy (but not greedy) puff before handing it back. He holds it in for a moment, then slowly lets it out. "I thank you, truly. I had one of the hash brownies on the table over there, but it tends to take slightly too long to hit for it to truly be useful in withstanding something so inescapably social as court," he says sheepishly. He doesn't quite know what to do with his hands-- the impulse is visible to cross his arms, but it's dismissed firmly.
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| − | Adithan finally relaxes, though, because that stuff really does hit like a train. "I am! And it is, yes! And I am also proud of her. I cannot invite you tonight, as my Kelsey is sick, but I shall invite you soon." He's also breathing more normally and speaking less quickly, thank god. "Lassi is a yoghurt drink, often used as a dessert or for cooling the palate during a spicy meal. Bhang is an edible preparation of cannabis that does not have the harsh taste of hash, and we put it in drinks and sweets and things-- I like to put it in lassi. Do you have any favorite ice cream flavor? They translate well to lassi--"
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| − | Amity reaches out to accept the joint back and takes her own puff, taking a long drag and holding it before the Cahtelaine lets out the puff of smoke over her head. Nods in commiseration. "I had one before I came--I make them at home. It didn't kick in fast enough, though. I can't /stand/ these things, but... it's polite to be here." She sighs and shakes her head. "Too many people who are too... too brilliant. They're like little suns and we have to orbit them." That's the best way she can explain the way she feels around November and the like without going too much into her internal headspace. And she doesn't want to dump that on the poor man. He's so friendly though. And charming.
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| − | "And here I was planning on inviting you both around to have dinner with us. Maybe we can trade off." There's a little smile again. "Personally, I'm rather fond of raspberry and strawberry ice cream. The entire idea sounds delightful."
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| − | "I suppose I am somewhat used to it," says Adi with a small smile, then shrugs expansively. "I also have never considered it to be necessary to orbit them, as in a place like this, that would get dizzying quickly-- and I'm afraid it would unbalance my own small system. Usually I come to these with Kelsey, who covers for me when it gets to be too much. Today I had to come alone, but if I do that then-- as you saw-- I usually sit with November, as she understands me well and will do the same." Suddenly he looks sheepish. "I-- also heard that she treated you unkindly and you have a somewhat contentious relationship, and believe me, I do not wish to be in the middle of that in any way, so I shall not attempt to do anything stupid and inconsiderate like putting you in social situations with her. Ah-- just so that is out of the way."
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| − | He moves away from ''that'' topic quickly and smoothly, the trainwreck allowing him a lazy grace that pairs well with the sparkling eyes behind the glasses. "I would love to trade off! I do all the cooking in our household and love to do so, but it is also lovely to be cooked for, is it not?" He rocks back on his heels, grinning again, obviously pleased about the whole idea. "And good, that is settled, I shall make it a batch of raspberry and strawberry lassi. It keeps well, so I shall make for you a pitcher for your household. I understand that you have a number of people living with you, do they all partake?"
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| − | Amity's expression hovers between a soft smile and a sigh. That's really all she can do when it comes to November, it feels like. She drums her fingers against her side, her other hand still holdingthe joint. "She did what she thought was best for me, but it was not pleasant and I have not forgiven her. I made up with her mostly to keep Mavis happy," she says readily enough. "She is enamored with theWaylady, which I can understand. She's mortal. That wonderful, terrible beauty must be compelling. The mystery of her magic... I understand it." She sighs and then nods.
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| − | "I appreciate your thoughtfulness. More than that, though, being around her reminds me of my time in Durance. She... feels so much so much like one of Them." She takes a last puff on her joint and thenpinches it out. Her free hand digs into a coat pocket and withdraws a slim, classical looking cigarette case. She opens it, revealing three other hand rolled joints along with a folded piece of paper,handwriting on it just visible, though not legible. The stub of the joint is tucked away and the case vanishes back into her pocket. "I do all the cooking in /our/ household so I feel very much the same," shereplies with a soft laugh. "I don't know if they all will, but I'm sure they'll try it. Really it's just me, Mavis, and Casper--good kid. Audra sometimes sleeps over there in her room but I don't know that youcan call her a member of the household." She pauses, seems a little hesitant. Then: "If it's not rude, I'd love to cook /with/ you sometime. I've always wanted to learn to make some Indian dishes. Though myexperience is mostly takeout..."
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| − | Adi again looks relieved, though this time it shows as a tip over into a little laugh. Then he's sympathetic, but it's not the cloying kind-- it's just understanding, ''actually'' understanding, and the shared discomfort that comes with it. He nods. "I think that is -- perhaps different for me because I met her before she was..." He gestures vaguely over his shoulder toward his back, then gestures sort of around his face as if to imply radiant blinding glory. "So-- ah-- ''very''. She was already a goddess, most certainly, but not yet an avatar of some sort..." There's another little shrug, and an unhappy face for a moment. "I am-- aware of what it is like to be reminded of one's Durance, though, so I very much--"
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| − | The prince takes a breath, then says emphatically (and maybe a little comedically because he's so serious about it and it's so incongrous, "''Get It.''"
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| − | He notices the paper, but doesn't give it a second glance; it's not his business. Instead he listens to the rundown of Amity's household, taking note of the names he doesn't know, and then at the hesitant question, he grins again, bright like sunshine, and actually bounces on his heels and claps once, twice, quick in succession. "Ah that would be brilliant! I would love to teach you! And I shall make for you a little book of what herbs and spices to use for what flavors, in what combinations-- many of them, one can grow at home, even in this climate. Kelsey is planning a wonderful garden at our new home, and there will be space for me to grow enough to share~!"
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| − | He's clearly already planning this in his head.
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| − | "Thank you. It does mean something to me that you understand, trust me," Amity seems very pleased to leave the subject behind after that as they move back to the subject of food and kitchen gardens. She smiles, unable to help letting his infectious joy spread to her as she watches him beam over the idea of teaching her Indian cookery. She nods her head eagerly, gestures vaguely as if her home is /right there/ even though what direction it's actually in from here is impossible to say. It's the Hedge, after all.
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| − | "We have a lot of space to plant things at happen, so a kitchen garden was on my list, especially herbs. My mother and father would plant basil in the summer and we would make fresh pesto..." She sighs happily at the little memory. Food. Food is such a good thing.
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| − | "Ah that is even better! Then they shall be there fresh at will... and ''you'' shall have to teach me how you make pesto," Adi says, literally sparkling as the constellations wheel across the sky behind his skin, "and anything else that you should like to teach me, I will gladly learn! I constantly fear Kelsey may grow weary of the same region's food all the time." With this last, he laughs; he may be worried, but not ''very'', apparently. And then it's ''his'' turn to hesitate. "Only-- I would also prefer not to handle meat. Eggs and dairy are acceptable, but--" He makes a helplessly apologetic little gesture. She said she loved vegetarian, but not that she ''was'', after all.
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| − | "Don't worry, pesto is vegetarian," Amity says. "I'm not a vegetarian myself, but I do cook more than a few recipes focused on vegetables," she says to reassure him. "No meat is something I can do, easy! So please don't worry." She shoves her hands into her pockets It's cold even with his mantle around them. "I wouldn't serve you that or force you to handle it. THat would be just rude."
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| − | 'I am cold' is definitely something Adithan can read in a person's body language without any effort at all, and though there's relief ''again'' at Amity's easiness with his preferences, he's quick to address the problem. "Thank you so much," he says gratefully, and then gestures toward the exit swiftly. "Mavis has my number-- please, do not let me keep you when you can see your breath! We live in Fort Brunsett in a ridiculous neighborhood filled with houses that look like cakes; it is not very far from the mall. Once either of you texts or calls I shall give you the address and we can settle on a date! Please, be warm, tell Mavis I said hello!"
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| − | "I will, thank you! And we live in Fort Brunsett, up on Robin Hill. You'll have to come by sometime." Amity says with a grateful smile. "Be careful in the Hedge on your way home, alright? I'll see you soon, I hope." With that, she heads off down the path and back towards the mortal realm. Stuff to do, people to see.
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