April Catch-All

[wolfish]

WHO: Yuri Leclerc wolfish & others
WHAT: Catch-all for April
WHEN: Late Pelu
WHERE: Various locations
WARNINGS: None, will update if needed.


I. Resupply Run (Old Springstar)
[ Yuri isn't yet acclimated to Skysong. In truth, he's not entirely certain how long that adjustment is going to take. Adaptable as he is, he hails from a world in which mass literacy is nonexistent and flight entails mounted travels. For most men, that's wyverns.

Seeing how it's been over a century, the house needs some creature comforts. Given the improvements to local technology, this day that means Yuri's drifting from one store to another examining their new wares.

A. Background Character
[ Occasionally, this leads to him being stopped by strangers who begin regaling him with their backstory. The prevailing trend here is that it's always something about their parents or grandparents — people Yuri either saved or helped. Orphans who moved on to have happy lives and families.

The thing is, Yuri doesn't know what to do with effusive gratitude. So, without fail, he'll be standing there like a deer in the headlights, clutching some kitchen gadget or other like a lifeline, in the face of strangers' enthusiasm. ]
B. Gadgets and Gizmos
[ On the occasions when Yuri manages to evade what's proving to be a small army of orphans' descandants, he spends his time examining the new innovations Old Springstar has to offer. Each time he encounters a new appliance that is neither enormous nor impossible to lift, he picks it up for manual examination, turning it about between gloved hands with rapt interest.

It may or may not be clear to passers-by that this is something beyond curiosity in the sight of something novel. Rather, he appears to be trying to discern what makes it tick. ]

II. Old Routines (Alenroux)
[ While the world has changed a great deal, developing in ways Fódlan certainly hasn't, some things are near enough to the same. At least, Yuri tells himself as much, holding to whatever scraps of familiarity if he can. For him, that means resuming the activities he'd used to pass his time previously.

In this case, Yuri spends the "early" daylight hours in Alenroux training. When he doesn't have a partner to spar with, he instead rigs up targets using whatever he can find — old buckets, broom handles, fallen branches — and slings spells their way. It's a flashy bit of a show that comes in two flavors.

Sometimes, visually identical magic strikes the target much more feebly.

Others, Yuri tosses one spell at his training dummy, then another, different spell, observing how they combine. In these cases, the answer is usually that his constructed target gets blown apart, its shredded components sent sailing in all directions, leaving him to sigh and trot off to retrieve them. ]


III. Free to Good Home (Communion)
So... Turns out before Fluffy joined Byleth for that incredibly long nap we all took, he found himself a sweetheart or two first. Now, we're swimming in cats. Much as I'd like to think looking after tham all is doable here, I'm not thinking it's ideal for them.

[ The cats, that is. Fellow Harbingers may be treated to fleeting mental images of cats and dogs milling about the grounds of Garreg Mach Monastery, uniformed students and recognizable clergy pausing to pet, feed or play with them. Then, too, are images of people who are evidently thugs and brigans...still fawning over cats in the underground halls of what some might guess is Abyss.

Yuri can't help the strength of his nostalgia in this. He spent a fair amount of time pining after feline affection due to just how bad his allergies are, not having the means to overcome them until he admitted his troubles to Marianne. By then, they were in the midst of war, far from Garreg Mach.

At least he's not sneezing to death now. ]

So if anyone's interested in giving a good home to a cat or two, let's make some arrangements.

[ Apologies in advance that they may answer to odd names already. ]

IV. Wildcard
[ ooc: If you have a different idea, feel free to drop a starter here! No need to plot ahead unless it needs some prior coordination. If it does, DM Yuri's journal or hit me up on discord (matchadrop)! ]

Comments

[hauntedking]

Perfect. Although I'm not nearly as experienced as some people... most of my cooking has come after my arrival here...

[ He admits sheepishly, giving the carrots a quick stir. He glances at the water on the other burner. Not boiling just yet. ]

And most of that after my taste returned.

[wolfish]

[ It makes a certain sense. Cooking would be difficult without being able to taste what one is preparing, and yet Dimitri doesn't seem to need instruction, really. ]

Have you been cooking regularly since then?

[ He can't help his curiosity. It's something he'd sooner focus on than the way the onion assaults his eyes as he dices away. ]

Seems to me you know your way around.

[hauntedking]

I've been trying to. It's a skill I should know how to use, isn't it? If only because proper nutrition is good for the body and mind.

[ He shrugs. ]

I... do enjoy food. But a part of me still thinks it's best to simply maintain myself. It's a strange habit, I think, that I haven't yet shaken.

[wolfish]

[ Dimitri saves him the trouble of pointing out that isn't the best relationship to have with food. He clearly knows, so Yuri doesn't think it bears saying.

He dices the onion in tidy rhythm, quick with a blade as he is...even as he squints against the way his eyes are watering. It can't be helped. ]

A good meal's something to indulge in. Ever the better if you've got good company.

[ As Faerghans, they know a filling meal is often a luxury. In time of war, those who didn't know what their countrymen did quickly learned. ]

If you're struggling with that habit, I'll just have to help you shake it, won't I?

[ The words would sound bolder, if only they weren't punctuated with a sniffle. But look, he's doing his best. ]

[hauntedking]

[ Oh, dear. He can't do much to help Yuri with the onion, but at least they're almost ready to go. ]

I'm sure you will.

[ Dimitri shoots him a smile in return as he gives the carrots another stir and then gestures for the onion. ]

I think these can go in next, surely.

[wolfish]

Right on the money.

[ Yuri sweeps the onions into a bowl with the knife, offering it to Dimitri right after. He's doing just fine at the helm, and Yuri can't help being curious about Dimitri's cooking style.

This is his first opportunity to observe, after all. ]

The little dastards get me every time.

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri takes the bowl and dumps the onions in - and then the noodles into the water. They're on their way! ]

They do tend to sting the eyes.

[ He smiles ruefully as he starts to give the onions and carrots a quick stir. ]

Fortunately, the taste makes up for it.

[wolfish]

A few of my favorite dishes use onion, so I'm well accustomed, but I wonder...

[ Curious, he lifts a hand and casts the cleansing spell Marianne had taught him. Pale, shimmering light washes over him, and relief comes promptly with it.

Since it worked for his allergies, it stood to reason that it would be useful. A pleased smile tugs at his lips. ]

Heh, another use for that spell.

[hauntedking]

Oh-!

[ Dimitri blinks as he watches the light wash over Yuri and the irritation clears up. ]

That is useful. The magic I have is mostly for major injuries. It'd be a little overkill to deal with onion irritation...

[wolfish]

It's the same one I used back when we ran afoul of that scaly bit of business.

[ Once he'd managed to concentrate his energy well enough to do it, anyhow. It was reckless, trying to shield a man who was in full armor, but he knows why he'd been seized by that impulse now.

He sidles over to station himself beside Dimitri, watching him work. ]

That's the one I'm hoping to teach you.

[hauntedking]

Well, it was useful then and useful now. So I will need to learn it, if I can...

[ His attention is on his impromptu stir-fry for now, sweeping and stirring and letting the heat cook. There's a pleasant smell by now and a pleasing sizzle sound. Everything seems to be going as it should! ]

In a few minutes could I have you drain the noodles?

[wolfish]

I'm sure you can. I heard a comment or two about Dimitri being a model student, short as his tenure at the academy was.

[ And, he thinks, the two of them were much the same then. It's the war where things really went in different directions, leading to these two distinct outcomes.

He busies himself with locating a strainer, crouching to check a cabinet. ]

The "aca-Dimi" days, heh.

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri laughs aloud - it's a long laugh, one of genuine amusement. ]

Aca-dimi days. I'll have to remember that one.

[ He sounds fond as he keeps working on his stir fry. ]

I'm sure someone else would love to hear that one.

[wolfish]

[ Yuri rifles around until he procures the strainer, a smile on his lips. That laugh is such a pleasant sound. Who knew Dimitri'd enjoy it that much? ]

It's all yours. Got your name all over it, after all.

[ One more for good measure as he rocks back on his heels and stands in one fluid motion. ]

[hauntedking]

Practically made of me, really.

[ He glances at the boiling noodles and then turns the stove off, watching the steam rise. ]

Alright - drain those and they'll go in here with everything else.

[wolfish]

I'm on it.

[ Yuri situates the strainer over the sink, then brings the pot of noodles over to pour out. ]

You know, this'd be fun to do again.

[ He comments as the water drains. When enough is gone, he takes hold of the handles and shakes a bit more excess moisture out for good measure. ]

[hauntedking]

We could make it a regular occurrence.

[ He repleis with a little smile. He steps away for a moment to start whisking together the impromptu sauce he's made. ]

It might help with adjusting to everything.

[wolfish]

[ Yuri hums in assent. Satisfied that the noodles are dry, he brings them over to Dimitri. ]

I'm inclined to agree. Let's do it then; we can even pick out dishes we'd like to try preparing.

[ He'd welcome the chance to see what Dimitri finds appetizing. ]

[hauntedking]

We could even trade off.

[ He adds the noodles, then the sauce and stirs it together with a grin. There's a few more seconds and then the heat goes off. Done! ]

Well - I think we can call this successful. [ With a pleased smile, he starts to dole it out onto a pair of plates. ]

[wolfish]

In that case, I'll look into some interesting options.

[ He suggests this as he watches Dimitri's expression, taking in the sight of him so pleased with his work. Something like this, quiet and domestic as it is, truly suits him.

Amidst everything they have to contend with, Yuri will look forward to moments like this. ]

It smells lovely... You're a natural in the kitchen.

[hauntedking]

I wouldn't say I'm a natural. I've just... been trying my best.

[ He hands Yuri his plate and then carefully picks his own up and heads for the dining table. ]

Repeated effort. Trial and error. That's all.

[wolfish]

Hard work, then. [ Yuri trails after him, mindful of his plate. ] But I do think you've got an aptitude, too.

[ Someone with no knack for it, hard work or no, would take longer to be capable of making an appetizing dish without a recipe. It's worth acknowledging, at least to him. ]

Nothing wrong with a bit of both, is there?

[hauntedking]

[ Without much fanfare Dimitri starts to dig in. ]

Well, I suppose there isn't. But I still don't know about altitude...

[wolfish]

[ Yuri sets his fork down delicately.

Tents his fingers.

And asks the real question— ]

Have you tried Byleth's cooking since regaining your sense of taste?

[ He has the culinary sensibilities of a wild bear. ]

[hauntedking]

...I can't recall that I have.

[ He hums. ]

Why?