a new arrival

[tinico]

i. december

Nicholas was out for errands, a shopping bag slung over his shoulder with things that he'd been sent to buy, and he was almost back to the orphanage, smile already on his face to be returning to the shade. Then there was an odd shake of the ground, making him stumble, and when he looked up, everything was very different. Where buildings had been standing, now there was much damage, his familiarity the only reason he could recognize them anymore. Where people had been wandering around, laughing or yelling or just going about their business, there was... nobody. Only silence. And there was a strange smell in the air, like something wet had been spilled a while ago.

Nicholas's smile faded, eyes going very wide, and he ran towards his home, only to find the worst of the damage to be around it. He was calling out names - Miss Malanie's, everyone's - but there was only silence. Soon, he could see that there were signs that someone had been holed up in the basement, and then upstairs also but those were more recent.

And nobody was answering. Nobody.

ii.desert walking

Everyone had left. So he had to go somewhere else. He had no idea where, but. He'd managed to find a wide brimmed hat, and had added to his shopping bag whatever supplies he had. And he was walking to the next town he had seen on the maps. Which he'd also taken. There would be someone somewhere, right?

iii. octovern

Luckily for him, before walking in the desert could become too much for him, there had been another earthquake - and then he was among people again. After many, many hours mostly alone, other than some random encounters, he kind of needed a moment to lean in the shade and close his eyes in relief. He had not been to this city, but at least it was alive. He would take that.

Then he squared his shoulders, and went exploring. Even if he knew nobody, he should be able to find people who needed help that he could earn a living with, right?

iv. wildcard

ooc: have another idea? he'll pop up there! brackets and prose all good, will match.

Comments

[tinico]

No, he kind of expected that once he reacted, but since he knew he wouldn't be doing anything actually threatening, he figured it wouldn't be too bad.

He is also markedly not mocking her or telling her she shouldn't have done that or berating her. It's what it is. Given everything else about her reaction, yeah, sounds about right.

"Mmm... " Does he have clean underpants....? "yeah, but they're for boys, and can be a little big for you. Wanna try? I'll look away."

[graveresemblance]

He smiles at the boy's retreating back, glad to see his smile, his eagerness. He was always a kind person, Nico was.

"Yeah, no worries."

Beans, something-- oh, that's rice. That's useful.

[tinico]

Sorry, the emptiness of this place creeps him out even now that he's not as terrified that they are all... dead. He is not trying to get away from you faster, Livio. Promise.

Will they be able to cook rice...

Back he is with a couple more bags, not nearly as many as he guesses but it makes sense, and he peers back in around Livio's formidable shape.

Beat.

"Utensils. We'll need those, too, unless you've got some already."

[graveresemblance]

"Oh-- in the kitchen, then, in the drawers...if they put 'em in the same place."

He thinks so, anyway. It's-- Livio is trying not to think too much about the minute differences there might be. Even now.

"C'mon, Nico."

[rejuvenation]

Tessla isn't sure if it's a good idea, but her only other option is to run around with wet underwear or bareassed, and when in a dress on a desert planet that's just asking for sand in private places.

"Um... y-yes please." She says, carefully looking at him. She's not sure what to think, this human boy is helping her and being nice and it feels so much like a trap that it's making her tremble. It isn't how things should be.

Can humans really be kind?

[tinico]

"Sure." Beat. "I'll reach into the bag now, don't stress out too much?"

He will reach and rummage in the bag, before his hand comes up with a pair of boxers. He holds them up and shakes them gently, making a show of running his hands over them and then showing first one palm and then the other.

"No needles, no knives."

Then he sets the pair on the sand close to himself, and shuffles away, turning his back towards her.

"Remember to shake them out real well, all right?"

[rejuvenation]

She watches the boy as he digs through the bag, part of her still expecting him to pull a weapon or something to make her go to sleep. He takes out actual underwear, though, and showing her that there's nothing in his hands or in the fabric.

When he turns around, the little girl waits a moment and then slowly gets up, brushing sand away as much as she can and moving over to take the boxers. She shakes those out as well, and tries to figure out how to put them on. Removing her own underwear, Tessla ends up putting the boxers on backwards, and the hole is perfect to thread her hip wings through, even if it's low enough that she has to bend them at the elbow.

She quickly pulls her dress down again and covers herself with all her wings.

"Um... t-thank you."

[tinico]

"No problem." He considers, then digs up the map he has from his pocket, turns around and lays it out on the sand in front of him, so she can see it, too.

"I think I've got it. You don't have to tell me where they are, but if I point out where we are," more or less, "you can tell me in which direction to go? That'll get us closer. And I mean, left or right, up or down. Does that work?"

... there is not much to do with the wet underwear and he doesn't want to put it in the bag with the (mostly) cleaner stuff AND his eating supplies.

[tinico]

There is again something in Livio's tone that Nicholas doesn't like, but calling him Nico gets a smile out of him.

"Yeah, usually. I just... almost forgot. And we'd have had trouble, like. Eating beans from the can with our fingers."

It's all right. It's all right. He's going.

[rejuvenation]

He's still being very nice and keeping his distance, and Tessla feels a lot better with new underpants on. (She makes a hole in the sand and buries her previous pair there. Nobody needs to carry them around.)

"Um..." Tessla looks at the map nervously. "Okay...? I-I guess I can try." It's a good idea, even if it's still weird that he's helping her. Thankfully she does know where the house is on a map, or it would all be fruitless.

Wiping her teary eyes again, the little girl points all the marked sand oceans and cities. "Where are we?"

[graveresemblance]

"Yeah, I know. I did that with you guys-- and after, too. Nothing wrong with it," he says softly.

There's a lot wrong-- not the action of it, but having to, being that desperate.

[tinico]

Nicholas is getting them two sets of utensils and coming right back to plaster himself against Livio's side, his hand holding the things.

"Right. But we don't gotta. It's alright."

His heart aches. For Livio. For all he's had to endure.

[tinico]

Nicholas isn't a very nice person, at least he doesn't consider himself so. But he is very determined about taking care of kids, and that's what she is. Even if not human.

He nods, and reaches towards the map to put a finger where he thinks he is.

"Unless I'm very mistaken, prob'ly around here." South of December somewhere.

[graveresemblance]

Look at him all-- affectionate. It warms his heart so much, he feels like he might burst.

"Mmmm, we'll see."

[tinico]

He can get grumpy really fast but also he's worried, and also genuinely grateful that Livio is here, so there's no reason to pretend he's not. Only pretending that he's not completely out of his depth but he'll manage.

When they are more or less done with what they can think of for supplies, Nicholas will dash to get some extra things, like a couple of changes of clothes. Except there's no clothes of his, which now makes more sense, given that he must be grown up and not living here, but it's still upsetting. He doesn't spend long there.

"Ready!"

[rejuvenation]

Taking care of kids is a very nice thing to do! Especially if that extends to panicked little angel girls in the sand.

"Um... okay." Carefully, she points two of her many fingers in the direction of her home, trembling but trying her best to not cry.

"It's far..."

[graveresemblance]

Livio, bags settled and properly weighed and whatnot (as if he won't just make sure he's carrying everything), was sort of wondering what else he'd forgotten, but he brightens when he spots Nicholas again.

"Alright. Let's boogie, as they say."

He hauls the heaviest bag over his shoulder.

[tinico]

"Boogie? Really?"

He had to poke fun at that, even as he started shouldering another bag also.

[tinico]

Nicholas gives an exaggerated sigh.

"What ain't far on this planet..." He nods, squints at the sun, then at the map again, then starts putting away the map, and slowly straightens up. Holding out a hand to help her up if she needs it.

"Won't get any closer 'less we get started." Beat. "Though I think you might come to that juice later on, after all. Don't have much else to drink."

[rejuvenation]

She doesn't take his hand when he offers it, instead flinching away from it. It appears touching isn't on the menu quite yet, but she does give the tiniest hint of a smile. "...you're really going to help me?"

This is all so different from what she imagined, and Tessla isn't sure what to think at all.

[graveresemblance]

"Boogie down," he replies, completely deadpanned. Then, "That heavy enough for ya?"

[tinico]

That's all right, he'll take it away carefully, and nod, squinting again at he sun and pointing in what he thinks is the right direction.

"Yeah. There's people who're assholes anywhere and I'm sorry you had to deal with those first instead of anyone else. But there's alright people, too. Humans, I mean, sorry. There's... good ones, too, but those're much rarer."

He'll start walking, but also if she doesn't, will stop to wait for her.

[tinico]

Small giggle, and then firm nod.

"'s alright. Yours?"

[graveresemblance]

He suddenly flops over, arms shaking like it's just too much--

"I ain't as strong as you, clearly!"

[tinico]

"Livio!"

Watch him, at least for a moment, get actually worried as he moves to prop him.

Then blinks. Makes a face at Livio.

"You pullin' my leg?"