[ Weiss is... pretty simple, even if most times, she likes the extravagant. Right now, the comfort she needs is that the people she cares about care about her, too. Right now, she wants to be comforted by the fact that there's something else beyond fighting all the time and being on the run. Right now, she just... wants to know that she's not alone. That's what's important to her at this moment.
She brightens up when Midorima opens the door. Nothing energetic, but the smile is genuine and happy. One thing that's changed since they last met is how she is, physically. While she didn't grow taller, she ties her hair differently now, a braid on one side of her head. The usual hairpin she wears has changed. Midorima won't see her new battle outfit though, since she's in a casual dress. Parts of her body has changed too, with her dress looking a little more snug than it should in the chest area. Oops?
With Midorima telling her to come in, she follows, taking off her sandals immediately and making them face the door. ]
Oh, these are cute. [ She slips them on and nods his way. ] Thank you.
[ He still doesn't really know how to do comfort. He still doesn't really know if something is wrong. SHe's obviously.. She looks different than only a few days ago, and that's jarring. He looks her over a couple of times before offering any sort of proper response, the dress thankfully being loose enough that he can write certain aspects of her changes off as his imagination and not deal with that yet.
He does like the braid. And Merlin likes the slippers-- he can't really reach the rest of Weiss right now, but the large slippers are large enough that he can park his bum right on them and ride her foot if she walks very slowly so he doesn't topple off because he's definitely not securely on. The slippers also serve to eliminate the information that he needed Weiss's size and to renew his surprise for later with the ice skates, once they're at the cabin. Success. ]
Japanese curry, omurice, zosui-- it's a rice and vegetable porridge, rice, and flatbread.
[ He wasn't sure what she would want, so there's a variety of food options... There's no shame in having leftovers if they don't eat everything. ]
I have the ingredients for frozen yogurt parfaits in the freezer for dessert.
[ Parfaits don't require cooking, just stacking. So that's something even Midorima can make later. But in the meantime, he does reach out to put his hand on top of Weiss's head. He doesn't pat her or anything, but this is one of the first gestures that they made chroma together with, so he thinks she'll understand. He wants to be there but isn't sure how. ]
[ First thing's first. She reaches down to give Merlin a pat on the head. She also whispers a "sorry" to him because she does move her feet away from the dog. Midorima's offered a hand on her head, and that alone is something she already appreciates, but she reaches up for his hand to make him let go so that she can close the distance and give him a hug. Twice now, Midorima's been there when she really needed someone. When she thinks about it now, she's not sure if she's even done anything for him. She wants to now, though...
Weiss lets go before it becomes uncomfortable, taking Midorima's hand in hers. She's the one who starts walking to the kitchen first, but her stride is much shorter than his. ]
Let's eat. I'm a little hungry.
[ Just a little! But she wants to try a portion of everything. She assumes all are Japanese dishes, and she wants to taste them all. ]
[ Most of them are, but he really didn't know, so the flatbread is Mediterranean ingredients. It should be tasty either way.
He holds her there for a moment until Weiss moves away, then lets him lead her into the kitchen. Even if her stride is shorter, Midorima's long since become an expert about hanging around in the back of groups or walking side-by-side with his companions, even if they're shorter than he is. It's one of the subtle ways that he really does pay attention to people.
He walks her to her seat, then pulls his hand away so he can go to the fridge. ]
What do you want to drink? I have water, Pocari sweat [ It's not called that here but it's the same thing so that's what Midorima calls it ], grapefruit juice, and tea.
[ The juice is tempting (Midorima, that's old people juice??), but she opts for something basic for now. She can probably ask him later for juice, anyway.
Midorima won't have to think about how to comfort Weiss for long. If anything, she's quick to get over things and overcome challenges and hurdles that come her way. It's part of who she is. It's probably mature of her to be that way, but she doesn't really have a choice! While she has people who are there for her, change doesn't happen if you don't want or will it to. She's back to her usual tune. ]
[ He notices her quick recovery, surely, but he's still going to be watching her for the rest of the night. It's better to make sure. ]
We'll wake up at 7am, get ready for the day, find our lucky items, and have breakfast. I'll make tamago kake gohan and cut fruit. I'm predicting we'll be able to leave by 9am as long as there are no problems with the lucky items, then we can drop Merlin off at Kise's and be on our way.
[ While he lists off this plan, he pours two glasses of water and brings them to the table. ]
[ It's as if Merlin understands, because he lets out a whine of protest at being left with Kise. Oops? That gets Weiss to laugh a little, and she covers her mouth with her palm so she's not boisterous or indecent.
To Merlin, she says: ]
Sorry you can't come.
[ :)!!! She's fine with it, although she does feel a little bad for the dog. ]
They get along fine. Kise's picked him up from the groomer for me before. They're both dogs, anyway, and Kise picks up skills just by watching them so I'm sure he can simply look up a how-to video for anything he doesn't know how to do.
[ He has no problem calling Kise a dog. He's a puppy who's overly enthusiastic personality-wise and during Sanguis, overly aggressive and possessive and actually eared.
Midorima serves Weiss and himself a bit of everything once he's seated, in separate bowls and plates since at least two of those are somewhat liquid-y. ]
[ She only knows Kise because she met him once, so she won't pretend they're well acquainted. She can at least imply she knows him by name. It sounds like he and Midorima are friends though; he wouldn't trust anyone he wasn't comfortable with with his pet. ]
Okay, so long as Merlin gets along with him.
[ With the food served, she takes her fork and spoon to prepare to eat. Before that though, she waits for Midorima to say "itadakimasu" so she knows they can both eat. With that done, she starts with the porridge, taking a bite of that first to try. ]
I thought it would be better than leaving him at a dog boarding house, and Tenshouin is allergic to everything.
[ He doesn't want to impose on Akashi, Aomine already has a dog and is lazy af, and no one else he really knows well enough to trust with his dog. Maybe Keito, but Kise's particularly eager to earn his keep, so it's fine. He knows a lot of people, but he's not close to a lot of people.
Though, to prove it, he pulls out his phone and shows Weiss a picture that Kise took of them together. Kise has his wolf ears and the faint glow of Sanguis in his eyes, Merlin is inside his partially zipped jacket with his tongue hanging out. It's very adorable. ]
[ He doesn't quite know how to address that. he should.. tell Weiss why it actually made him upset more than worried. He should've been more worried than angry, and yet. ]
We can send them a video call while we're gone so he knows.
[ He finally does the itadakimasu and sets his phone down and takes a bite or two of his portion of omurice first, staying quiet. He hasn't accepted her apology yet. He has- internally, but he hasn't really acknowledged it. So after he finishes that bite he sets his chopsticks down. ]
You didn't do it on purpose. I was mad because I don't want you to leave me behind, but you didn't so it's nothing to apologize for.
[ He pushes his glasses up, then returns to eating. ]
[ Yeah, that sounds food. They can video call! And then Kise will find out Weiss is a nerd because she is going to babytalk the dog over the phone.
At what Midorima says, she gives him her full attention. ]
I didn't. [ She smiles, a pretty big one despite how emotionally exhausted she feels right now. ] I don't want to.
[ That's probably embarrassing to say, but... Weiss doesn't feel at all embarrassed by admitting that. She starts eating now that she thinks that's settled. ]
[ They can heat it! For now, she's happy with the porridge and the omurice and the curry. It's actually a lot, and she doesn't intend on eating a lot. ]
They have, indeed. [Although his life is probably less disrupted considering that the world was safe again when he was sent back to this planet, and that he's, well, a dead man from history living on borrowed time.
But his borrowed time was really looking up lately.] It would've been easier if they brought only those who wanted to come to a place like this.
I'm sure there would've been plenty of volunteers.
[ Though, to be honest, there are people he would've missed out on if he hadn't had this chance. But there are people he's missing out on now because he's here, too. It's difficult and he's not going to admit to either. So he'll focus on career excuses.
He tries two more forks before deciding which one he likes best. ]
[ Her food is mostly done. She actually didn't eat much of the rice, focusing on the porridge and the curry and the egg in the omurice. Too much carbs? Yeah... but she's also a little full. ]
Page 41 of 62