Nadine Cross (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nadine_he_loves) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2021-12-09 12:33 pm
nadine_he_loves) wrote in abraxaslogs2021-12-09 12:33 pm
Open December Catchall
WHO: Nadine and OPEN
WHAT: Horizon and Nott catchall for the month
WHEN: December
WHERE: Nott and The Horizon
WARNINGS: Will add as needed!
Nott
When not working - and with the weather turning, she's working more hours - Nadine can be found in the common room of the inn with a warm drink and a book, or at the lake's edge with a basket and heavy boots and cloak, gathering ingredients for the herbalist she works for, or behind the inn practicing with her fire magic. And of course she can be found at Nan Maeda's Tonics and Tinctures, the herbalist healer's shop where she's found employment. She mostly collects and prepares ingredients for her elderly employer, but she's learning and that's as important as the money.
Horizon
With the coming of the cold months, Nadine's domain reflects the season. Gone are the autumn leaves and the blue skies, snow covering the little slice of New England town that she's created for herself. The sky is overcast and white string lights and garlands have begun appearing. There's a towering Christmas tree in the square in front of the white wooden church, and the shop windows have old fashioned holiday displays in them. It bears a striking resemblance to something Norman Rockwell would have painted.
Nadine herself is often in the square, at the gazebo by the skeletal carousel, or in her own little cottage at the edge of 'town'. Easily identified as hers, as it's the only home with a shoveled walk and puffs of smoke coming out of the chimney. Sometimes the smell of baking or sound of music wafts out...
(Specific starters in comments, hit me up if you'd like one!)
WHAT: Horizon and Nott catchall for the month
WHEN: December
WHERE: Nott and The Horizon
WARNINGS: Will add as needed!
Nott
When not working - and with the weather turning, she's working more hours - Nadine can be found in the common room of the inn with a warm drink and a book, or at the lake's edge with a basket and heavy boots and cloak, gathering ingredients for the herbalist she works for, or behind the inn practicing with her fire magic. And of course she can be found at Nan Maeda's Tonics and Tinctures, the herbalist healer's shop where she's found employment. She mostly collects and prepares ingredients for her elderly employer, but she's learning and that's as important as the money.
Horizon
With the coming of the cold months, Nadine's domain reflects the season. Gone are the autumn leaves and the blue skies, snow covering the little slice of New England town that she's created for herself. The sky is overcast and white string lights and garlands have begun appearing. There's a towering Christmas tree in the square in front of the white wooden church, and the shop windows have old fashioned holiday displays in them. It bears a striking resemblance to something Norman Rockwell would have painted.
Nadine herself is often in the square, at the gazebo by the skeletal carousel, or in her own little cottage at the edge of 'town'. Easily identified as hers, as it's the only home with a shoveled walk and puffs of smoke coming out of the chimney. Sometimes the smell of baking or sound of music wafts out...
(Specific starters in comments, hit me up if you'd like one!)
no subject
It can be a shock, to a system not used to it. Nadine knows she's used to a lot more sugar and rich flavors than people from other, non-US places. And by Geralt's own admission, he doesn't eat much sweets.
"But fudge was always one of my favorites, as a kid. We'd usually have it around Christmas, as a special treat."
no subject
He breaks off another bit of the fudge and pops it into his mouth. Still sticky.
"We didn't celebrate holidays." He knows of them, occasionally spends time in a village where they have their customs, but it simply wasn't part of his upbringing. He sets the rest of the piece of candy down on the counter. "Mostly, we found blackberries in the spring. Chestnuts in winter."
After the keep fell, that was. Before that, he'd been locked underground with the rest of the other boys, so. Not a lot of room to explore the outdoors.
no subject
Nadine turns back to the jars of candy, checking each one before finding the jar she had in mind.
"Holidays, I mean. We...had a lot of them. And about half of them were meaningless and created so someone could make money." Valentine's Day, for one. President's Day. At least there was usually discount candy.
"Here, try this instead. It's black licorice." She opens the jar of licorice whips and offers it out to Geralt. It's hard to get less sweet than licorice, without going to sour.
no subject
He takes the licorice. The smell is pungent enough he can scent it the moment she opens the jar. He takes it, curious, and bites into it.
She's right: it's nowhere near as sweet as anything else. He chews thoughtfully, with the look of a man who's not often, if ever, asked for his opinion on the taste of food and is not quite sure what to really say beyond: "Not bad."
He bends the stick a bit, watching it fold in his hand. It's the texture more than anything he's getting used to.
"One day, I'll need to find something you've yet to experience in return. Other than a monster."
no subject
"And...I'd like that. To experience something that doesn't exist in my world. And isn't a monster." That isn't something Nadine needs to see. She imagines there's probably some running around out in the world, but she sticks to Nott and doesn't go wandering in the wilds.
"I think the scariest animal I've ever seen outside of a zoo is probably a bear. And that's okay with me. But...I'd like to try some food, from your home, sometime."
no subject
No monsters, either, apparently. So at least there's that.
"I can't promise it'll be a novelty," he replies, "but if you like, come by some time."
To his, he means. His domain. It's not an invitation he extends often—folk either stumble onto his mountains or they do not, but he never explicitly asks anyone to come, unless they need to speak to him. The one exception has been Sam. But Nadine has opened her home to him twice now. Once in Nott, and now here, in this little town she's built for herself. Three times, in truth, if he considers their first meeting, too. Feels only right to return the gesture.