abraxaslogs | maybe i'm a mess

[ Claude just shoots her a grin right back, one that's only encouraged to grow somehow even wider at Sylvain's complaint following it. That's half the fun of doing such things, even if none of them believe any proclamations about never going outside. ]

Now that you say it, the courtyard's a good comparison. Maybe a little less sprawling since we only have so much space here, but I bet we can make sure there's a good spot for you to sit while you watch the two of us toil away around you.

[ Not that he minds, really; Hilda has enough going on with her jewelry ventures and they've already done their fair share of weeding the monastery grounds at Teach's insistence. Why not get to relax with something they'll all enjoy now? Or, well - the gardening part will be relaxing for him, anyway.

Claude's still looking around picturing what all they can put into this empty space just waiting for them until Sylvain speaks up again - not about sunburns - and he glances back over with a smile. ]

I think this is far more promising than basically every other place you've taken us today, if that helps narrow it down. What's the timeline like on when we can move in, or will that depend on what we ask for?

Edited (wrong claude whoops) 2023-05-22 18:46 (UTC)

Funny you say that, because that's exactly the image I had in mind. [ She shoots Claude an easy grin, a rare one these days. ] But can we maybe throw in some fans? And some grapes?

[ She's teasing. Mostly. Clasping her hands behind her back she turns to face them both. ]

It definitely had more promise than what it looked like on the outside. It's nice that it isn't as noisy as I thought it would be too. [ She may as well cut to the chase about her opinion; Claude after all has asked the important questions. ] I'd be happy to stay here as long as you two are.

Yes!

[ Sylvain gives a playful little pump of his fist in victory, because the possibilities of this place had made it by far his favorite option on the list, even before they'd gotten to see it in person. He hadn't been sure they'd think the same, however. ]

And I guess the timeline'll depend on how much they need to build and if we want to live here while parts of it will still be under construction. I think he said at least two weeks before it would be livable, what with the walls and plumbing needed and all that, but he estimated about four to six weeks otherwise.

[ Sylvain's immediate cheer is too endearing, and the direct result of all those careful checks for their opinions throughout everything. Something that'd happened at the others too but less so than here which told Claude all he needed to know about the other man's ranking of this on their list of potential homes. Hilda's own embracing of it is the last puzzle piece needed for it all to fall into place. Of the important things outside of construction, anyway. ]

I guess it can't be any worse than living in the monastery while it was being rebuilt. [ That's an optimistic take on being in the midst of construction - and construction that'd be far closer than a tower being repaired somewhere across expansive grounds - but this will definitely be worth it. ] But we could always delay it a week or so past those two weeks just to make sure more's settled when we move in.

[ And also, just as importantly in his mind, he slings an arm around Hilda's shoulders with a smile and adds purely because there is no other option in his mind despite teasing, ] That means you're stuck with us both at the inn and here for even longer, if you can handle that.

[ Even if the fist pump and his little victory is for show, Hilda thinks it's adorable. Endearing even. It's not often she gets to see that sort of excitement on Sylvain's face and she can't help but think that it suits him far better than the mask of niceness that he had put on for her during their Academy days. To think that they'd come this far is incredible to her. ]

I'd almost rather be at the monastery if there was construction going on than trying to sleep in when the construction workers start their work here.

[ An attempt to say it wryly is dashed with the smile creeping across her face. She gets swept up in it all, the romanticization of a life that could be theirs after some work, time, and a little money. She doesn't even flinch when Claude throws his arm over her shoulder, so enamored with it all. But then he says something that makes that romanticized life come to a grinding halt. She can't help but groan in an attempt to cover up the anxiety beginning to creep across from the place where Claude's hand rests against her shoulder. ]

Oh, great. Maybe I can just go and stay in Aquila while you two stay at the Sarstina? I've got some business there anyway. I'd love to just get one good night's sleep without being woken up by someone snoring.

[ Who the 'someone' is is kept ambiguous however. ]

Edited 2023-05-23 05:26 (UTC)

[ Sylvain's gaze shoots to Hilda a moment later, brow furrowing slightly in focus as he gets slapped with an emotion that doesn't at all match her expression. It pops up so suddenly and strong that it catches him off-guard and he has no idea what caused it.

But he doesn't exactly want to draw attention to it just now - if she's hiding it there's got to be a reason, right? - so he just gives a protesting huff and crosses his arms over his chest. ]

I do not snore.

Hey, we've been over this! I don't snore either, so you must be hearing someone else next door.

[ With a squeeze of Hilda's shoulder in mock reproach as he puts on a frown that's less effective thanks to a laugh threatening to break through it. It's the world's least convincing attempt at looking offended, and Claude doesn't bother trying to hide any of it. ]

That or Sylvain's not aware he snores with that denial since, you know, he's asleep.

[ The act passes as quickly as it began when Claude surveys the area again, still thinking of all the plans for it and the inside just waiting for what they end up asking for to make it just what they want. It's difficult to not smile so he doesn't try to avoid it - and as a result, the smile on his face is more genuine than it's been in days. ]

All the more reason this place will work out even better than the inn since we can't have your sleep disturbed like that.

[ The sound she gives them is one that is completely unconvinced. One of them snored and it certainly wasn't her (her unfortunate sleeping habit was drooling, which she would vehemently deny until the end of time).

She gives Claude a quick poke in the side that is meant more chidingly than anything else. ]

You can't just throw poor Sylvain under the bus like that. [ Don't say she never defends you, Sylvain. ] You're both next door, so one of you is lying.

[ And she's spent more time in Claude's bed over the years than she has in Sylvain's to know that the brunette isn't immune to snoring after a particularly long day. Some level of tension dissolves from her shoulders when her joke that has some partial truth to it goes unnoticed. ]

But I'm glad that someone is being so considerate of my sleep schedule. [ Seemingly satisfied she gives both of them a glance. ] So, what are the next steps then? Do we have to sign some kind of contract?

Edited 2023-05-24 04:44 (UTC)

[ Sylvain lets his gaze wander about the space again before shooting them both a grin. He can't help but feel excited for the possibility of this. As much as he's enjoyed their time at the Inn, having a place that's theirs in this new world...

It feels more real, in a way. More permanent. ]

I'll talk to the owner this afternoon and see what he needs from us. In the meantime, we should probably sit down and figure out what we want. And how we want it to look, I guess? [ He scratches the back of his neck, because that had never been his strong point. ] How bout I let you guys decide that part, actually.

[ A very dramatic exhale happens when Hilda prods him as if she's wounded him, an old habit that never gets old (to him), and in 'retaliation' he reaches to lightly tug a lock of her hair he winds around his fingers for that purpose before letting it go. ]

So you're saying we get full control over picking out what else is going to go in the kitchen? That's a bold choice.

[ He's certain that's not at all what Sylvain meant especially with so much actual construction to go on. There's the matter of their rooms, the outside space - cost, probably, depending on what goes into that contract he's found he's already eager to have a chance to look over.

It'll be easy enough to write up their specifications for what they need or want, and it'll be something more than the standard inn rooms. The community there is one he's grateful for - and it's been long enough to branch out further into something they can make their own and he lets go of Hilda to turn now to look back through the doors into the loft. ]

I think I heard something about a clawfoot tub needing to go in here somewhere. Maybe multiple of them, while we're at it?

[ Claude's retaliation is met with a swat of her hand. ]

Bold, but probably the right choice.

[ Not that she would steamroll ahead on any sort of shared living space. Would she have opinions? Absolutely. But this wouldn't just be hers to have.

Her mind drifts to the Aquila markets, recalling that there had been a tile maker in the pottery district she could go back and look at to ask about some options to accent various parts of the loft. She knew there was a limit to what they could spend because they only had a finite amount of money, but a girl could dream. And bargain.

If she wanted to stay busy, this new project had practically been a gift wrapped up with a bow and dropped right into her lap. ]

Well since Sylvain doesn't care about the kitchen, we could just build one right in here right? I was thinking maybe right beside the kitchen island or something. Or maybe across from it.

No putting tubs in my kitchen!

[ He calls it after them with a shake of his head, laughing to himself as he turns to follow. Even then, he's far too excited to even be exasperated about it.

But clearly letting the two of them loose without supervision is a terrible idea so he follows them in to halt anything too outlandish before Hilda decides she wants a sauna placed next to the stove. ]

[ No tubs end up in the kitchen - for now - even if there's still plenty of construction to be done on the loft by the time moving day arrives. The threat's certainly still there since it could happen even if his (joking) suggestion to think of it as an oversized sink to wash in has been (correctly) shot down several times over.

It's somewhat bittersweet to be saying goodbye to the inn which served as all of their first homes here, but that just leaves room for another adventure. Claude's become more aware that the rift between him and Hilda, somewhat one-sided until he stepped back to give her the space she seemed to be requesting, isn't something he'd imagined on a late night. But pretending Everything Is Fine in a strange situation is something he's rather familiar with and more than that, he's determined to not cast any shadows over an exciting day for all three of them if he can avoid it. The box of belongings in his arms he's bringing in is one of hers. He's pretty sure.

The heft of it is rather substantial and he's ready to be rid of it by the time he makes it into the main room where they're organizing things to go into other rooms a bit later. ]

Gods. [ That could be muttered if it wasn't for the fact that he's doing it intentionally dramatically and at a volume meant to be heard for entertainment's sake as he sets the box down. ] What'd you pack in this one, Hilda? Bricks?

[ Claude's just conveniently ignoring that wherever his books are? They're just as weighty. ]

[ Hilda continues to play off the distance between them as her preparing for their move. For someone who had been there six months with substantially less money than she was used to having, Hilda had accumulated a fair amount of stuff. It only made sense that she (Perry) was taking the time to pack things up and sort through her possessions that she no longer wanted or used.

Much in the same way that she hadn't done the majority of her packing, there is little box carrying and moving of things happening right now. She had managed to actually acquire a little trolley from their landlord and Perry was using that to push some of their boxes along. The trolley breezes into the main room with some very obvious boxes marked "BOOKS - CLAUDE" on them and she gives them a pointed look before looking at Claude as the trolly comes to a halt beside him.

As the boxes begin to float (albeit a little lower to the ground because of the heft) one by one to the ground and she begins to unpack them she replies breezily. ]

What good would bricks do, Claude? That one just has a small anvil I got in the flea market. [ She's being serious. ] Sylvain, do you think we need another bookshelf? I feel like we're already hitting our cap.

[ Sylvain just shoots Claude a knowing look with a faint smirk on his lips from where he's unpacking things in the kitchen, boxes stacked up on the counters around him. ]

You know, the anvil was your idea in the first place, so I don't think even you can rightfully complain about that. [ He's totally helping. ] And no, Hilda, I think we're good on bookshelves, considering we have a wall in here, another room full of them, and whatever mountain of books Claude ends up hoarding in his own room.

I still say whatever's in my room doesn't count! It's like they're not even here then, and besides that? It just leaves more space for both of you to use the shelves.

[ This is his One Comeback to the amount of books for which he is not at all apologetic, and especially not when they've enabled him into having all kinds of bookshelves. That Sylvain lists them off is all the more reason it's a triumph in his mind, really.

Except - ]

Wait, are you serious about the anvil?

[ It might've been his suggestion, and it might've just clicked. He looks to the box again and then to the trolley (but not actually at the boxes of books which would prove he doesn't have any room to talk, definitely not) and then finally to Hilda and Sylvain in mock accusation. ]

Hold on. How did I get stuck moving this inside while you guys just move things around in here?

I just don't want to see any books stored on anything that isn't a bookshelf. That means no books on the floor.

[ Since when has she really cared all that much about where things go though? (The answer is truthfully, a fair amount despite how messy she is.) This is mostly about continuing to relentlessly give Claude a hard time and has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she's probably just as bad of an offender as he is. ]

You could just open it up and see for yourself.

[ If he does, it is in fact a small anvil. She gives him a bright grin as she pulls out several books about herbology and desert plants. They're stacked neatly on the small coffee table they're acquired for the purposes of sorting their belongings. ]

I still had things to pack up in my room and Sylvain was already here so by process of elimination that left you. Thanks so much again for volunteering.

Not to mention you both were busy all week so guess who got volunteered to help haul in Hilda’s clawfoot tub up a set of stairs. [ He pauses to give her a playful scowl. ] I think I pulled something, actually. Maybe you two should move the rest of the boxes.

[ He groans and dramatically flops over the countertop, but the display is completely ruined by the grin still lingering on his lips. ]

And we all know we’re never going to see Claude’s floor. Ever. Which is why we’re keeping the door closed and I’m going to pretend that room doesn’t actually exist.

[ There's one scoff first at the idea of volunteering, and then another louder one at the insult to his poor not even unpacked yet room. ]

Is this the thanks I get for hauling all your things around? [ To no one's surprise, he's going to immediately spiral that out into something more Dramatic than before for potential laughs. That's complete with ignoring Sylvain having to drag around a giant tub that's probably (definitely) worse than this supposed anvil he's still partially convinced Hilda is kidding about (he shouldn't be). ] I'll have you know that the floor in my room has always been visible even if both of you have conveniently short memories about it. Especially when both of you have borrowed those books a time or two or five, and that just means they're benefitting everyone.

[ He's going to finally open the box during this last proclamation, and sure enough: an anvil is gleaming back at him. Huh. ]

I think we should just make this thing the centerpiece of our dining table. Better yet, it might look nice on the kitchen counter for a place of honor.

[ Happy to play along, Hilda sweeps over to Sylvain's side - pointedly leaving Claude behind with the trolley full of boxes. Sliding up beside Sylvain, her eyelashes flutter as she puts on the sweetest smile in the world for him. ]

I told you I'd let you use the tub from time to time, didn't I? Think about how nice it'll feel soaking in it with some salts after carrying it all the way up here for me. [ Seemingly remembering the Deer she's left behind Hilda looks back towards him. ] And I guess you can too, Claude even though you're being a little rude and implying that we have short memories.

[ Perching her elbows on the counter, she lazily watches Claude finally unpack the box in question. His statement is met with a roll of her eyes. ]

If you do that, it's going to wind up on top of a stack of your books. Just you wait.

No books in the kitchen unless it's a cookbook. One I'm currently using.

[ He quickly adds that caveat with a sideways glance at Claude, just so his kitchen doesn't suddenly get inundated with every cookbook they own all at once. But he's grinning, amused by the easy banter, relieved that whatever's had them both a little off over the past several days seems to have eased up a little in the midst of the chaos of moving.

Setting aside a stack of plates he'd traded for in the marketplace, he shifts to drape himself over Hilda where she's propped on the edge of the counter, playfully flopping there. ]

Was that you offering to unpack everything else while I go soak for the afternoon? How generous of you, Hilda. Especially because even thinking about the state Claude's room will be in by tomorrow is so stressful, I think I might need a nap.

[ You're not the only one who can be overly Dramatic, Claude. ]

All I'm hearing is that you're not ruling out there being a lot of cookbooks as already established that Hilda and I are going to be buying. Besides, you can't really limit yourself to one at a time, can you? What if you need to reference something in another one?

[ It's equally a possibility just as much as it could be Claude looking for a loophole there. A pointed glance at a shelf in the kitchen that's currently not occupied as of yet that'd be perfect for storing all those cookbooks goes with it since Sylvain's not getting out of the plan to find things for him quite so easily.

Anyway, with complaining temporarily on pause he lifts the anvil out of the box to set near some other miscellaneous crafting tools of Hilda's to make sure it doesn't get lost in the shuffle of everything else going on. After that he looks at the boxes of books yet to be unpacked and decides those can wait in favor of sauntering his way to the kitchen to lean on a different part of the counter. ]

By the end of this I think we're all going to need some kind of spa experience, whether it's the bathtub or an actual spa since there's no replacement for the ones in Nocwich. That'd really be the ideal reward for hauling all of this stuff around, wouldn't it?

[ More importantly: he (probably) also can't get himself banned from there, unlike Hilda's bathroom. ]

[ She's quick to lean into Sylvain's, doe eyes and eyelash batting in full force. At this point she's just playing both sides - not that she thinks either of them really mind if their past banter has been any indication. She didn't mind it either. Well, usually she didn't. ]

Or what if you wanted to combine some of the recipes because one has something you like over the other? The last thing we'd want is for you to feel lost while in the kitchen.

[ At Sylvain's next remark about her taking over the unpacking, her eyes widen for a second before narrowing and she immediately puts some space between them. Betrayal. ]

Claude's idea is a much better one. The clawfoot tub is big but it's definitely not big enough to fit all of us. [ But now that she's spoken it into existence, someone is probably going to try and test that particular statement. Her expression brightens suddenly, eager to move away from this idea that she'll be do any kind of unpacking. ]

Oh, I know! Why don't we go for Sylvain's birthday? That way we have something to look forward to once we're more settled.

[ That's enough to interrupt any comment he'd been about to make, because he just stops and blinks at her in surprise instead. ]

...You know when my birthday is?

[ At least he's assuming so, since she brought it up at all, especially in relation to the timing of their move. But it still catches him completely off-guard. ]

[ He's got plenty of thoughts on agreeing with Hilda about the wonders of mashing two (or more) recipes together to specialize in creating all kinds of brand new ones. That's how cooking's supposed to work, right? Right. Those plans are put on hold temporarily since when Hilda mentions going to the spa for Sylvain's birthday, that replaces his train of thought. That's perfect timing. It's basically around the corner and basically lines up with the weekend the portal's open. They couldn't ask for things aligning better than that right there.

As he's opening his mouth to second that motion and appreciate Hilda for mentioning it, Sylvain speaks up. The confused glance Claude shoots Hilda's way is real before it's turned onto Sylvain next even if it's not lost on him the man in question looks equally baffled, albeit for another reason. Kind of. ]

Uh. Is there a reason we shouldn't know your birthday? If you were hoping to keep it secret, might I remind you of who you live with?

[ Kidding, but also - not really. ]

maybe i'm a mess

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