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

[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?

[wolfish]

He gives Flayn a run for her money.

[ Yuri states it matter-of-factly.

There truly is something to be said for natural ability. ]

Everyone has different strengths, but I'm inclined to think this is one of yours. So is working hard, obviously.

[hauntedking]

Oh, dear. That sounds... well.

[ He shakes his head silently as he takes another bite. ]

I'm not sure it's a strength, but I'll accept the compliment. If I can please my guests, what have I to complain about?

[wolfish]

[ Humble as ever. If Dimitri accepts the praise, Yuri will have to accept that as a win. Convincing him that he's got the makings of a good cook is assuredly something he can't achieve in words, but perhaps more cooking together will give Dimitri confidence.

For now, he takes a bite of his food, curiously prim for a man who was born dirt poor. A thing Ashe had been surprises by not so long ago. ]

You, complain? [ He'll focus on that, unable to resist an opportunity to tease. ] Now that, I'd love to see.

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri, too, has proper table manners - although his were tutored into him from a young age, in all honesty. ]

I do, on occasion.

[ He retorts with a bit of a laugh. ]

Just... not often.

[wolfish]

I'm relieved to hear you're not too polite for it.

[ He may say it lightly, but it does come from a place of care. Dimitri takes so much on himself and seems so reluctant to risk troubling others on his own account.

So when he speaks again, he's shed the airiness of casual banter. ]

...If you want to sometime, I don't mind lending an ear.

[ Just so he knows. Yuri isn't too sure whether Dimitri would want to or not, but it's worth offering. Only once he does, he wonders if it may have been a misstep, and busies himself with his dinner. ]

[hauntedking]

Don't worry. I won't try to carry everything alone.

[ He offers a little smile. ]

I've learned that much, at least.

[wolfish]

That and more.

[ He mirrors that smile, reassured to hear it.

Dimitri shoulders a great deal. No reason others can't lessen the weight. And since they're involved, it's only natural he want to do so, right?

Though on that note... ]

Bit of a pivot here, but I've been meaning to ask. What are your thoughts on people knowing about us?

[ He'd been reflexively cautious out of practice, but he realizes he doesn't know what Dimitri wants. ]

[hauntedking]

Oh, well...[ He purses his lips thoughtfully. ]

I don't see why we shouldn't tell people. I don't see a need to hide what we are.

[ He's not ashamed or anything. ]

[wolfish]

The others are bound to wonder, so it seemed prudent to ask.

[ Besides, Yuri has kept out of the limelight for the most part, Dimitri has a more prominent position in this place. Imaging matters for a leader, and while few know Yuri's reputation, he's long accustomed to bearing it in mind.

Strangers wouldn't concern him so much as his housemates, on his side of things. ]

Byleth'll have a field day with it, I'm sure.

[ After he'd told the guy he wasn't looking for romance here, even... ]