voidtreckernet | Poi 01: Afternoon

[The video in the kitchen car turns on, showing Ryo holding up a tray of freshly baked muffins - half poppyseed and half chocolate chip, from the looks of it - and wearing a smile a bit more mischievous than usual.]

I don't know how many people have looked at the shop today, but we can now vote on improvements to the train. I had six votes, and I'd imagine most people have about that many.

I also have freshly baked muffins, and I'd like to offer a trade: if you vote to add scaffolding in the garden car, I'll give you a muffin, as long as I still have them available. If we get enough votes for scaffolding and you still want a muffin, voting for protein and dairy or for meat will also count. I'll be in the kitchen for a little while if you want to come talk to me.

[Yes, he is happily bribing the train to get what he wants. No, he has no shame - at least, not over this.]

Also, Thanatos, can you come see me when you get a minute? No rush.

[There's a poppyseed muffin set aside for Thanatos. Ryo takes care of his friends.]

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[Just a few minutes later, Esteban arrives with a big grin onto his face, eager and excited to find Ryo again. He's carrying a few paper napkins in the palm of his hands.]

Found ya, Ryo~ Is that yer fav'rite desert? [He snickers lightly. Seems he really got stuck up on that question.] Guess what! Purple team got some snacks too~ An' it's my fav'rite!~

[The paper napkins held some round gingerbread cookies, with white frosting and a single candy at the center of each. Esteban had nabbed four from the structure, unrepentant, and had just snatched two from the pile before pushing the remaining two at the healer.]

Here! They're for you~

[It's good to see Esteban again, and Ryo greets Esteban's smile with one of his own.]

No, but they are easy to make.

[He accepts the napkins with that same smile and looks at the cookies. He'd seen the gingerbread train but hadn't had any - he's on the wrong team, after all, and it's not his prize.]

Thank you! Are you sure you don't want it all, since it's your favorite?

[He doesn't know how many points Esteban has, but he knows it's not always easy to get exactly what you want here.]

Everythin' tastes better when 't's shared! [He doesn't even pause to think about it, cheery and bright regardless.]

B'sides. Feels like I owe you an apology. [He does feel bad about their last meeting after all, and it's not Ryo's fault that he couldn't feel safe. Not in that form, not without the choice of the change. He doesn't quite know how to form the words he wants to say, but that's never stopped him before, so Esteban takes a deep breath, and forges ahead.]

I'm sorry for bein' an ass. An' thank you fer keepin' my secret. [He hasn't seen anyone jump out of his path so far, nor had whispy secrets murmured behind his back. Nor even anything worse. It... helps him believe in the young healer. He still wants... more; wants to trust him more than just this, but it's a start, and Esteban hopes it can only get better from here on out.]

[So he's out here to make him a friend. What else is new?]

Fair enough. [That's a universal truth, and Ryo smiles at Esteban before taking a bit of the proffered cookie, and- oh, that's good. That's really good.]

[It also means Ryo's mouth is full when Esteban continues, so he can't head the undeserved apology off at the pass - instead he chews and swallows and waits for an opening.]

You don't owe me an apology. You didn't do anything that'd need one. [He'd gotten cagey when his secret had been revealed, but honestly, who wouldn't? Ryo has certainly kept a tight hold on who gets to know about the more traumatic parts of his past, and he wouldn't be happy if someone had leaked that without his permission.]

And it's not my story to tell. Nobody else will hear it from me unless you specifically give me permission to tell them.

[It's calm and easy, because it's a truth of his world. Healers don't gossip. He's not about to break that just because he's not on his world anymore.]

[There's a brief silence as Esteban tries to find words to that, thank-yous and sorrys and... he doesn't know.]

Weren't you scared? [Full sentence. No skipped syllables. He can't remember if he's asked it before-- it's too much of a jumble in his mind-- but it feels like he has, or that he'd at least assumed? His hand comes to ruffle the back of his head as he tries to think back on the entire affair, but it only makes him more tense.]

[At least this time he's calmer. Less of a tangle. At least this time he's listening, and staring straight at Ryo, determined to... He can't say anything is really broken, to be fair, but it feels fragile, and he knows it's his own fault.]

No.

[Simple, straightforward, and true. There's plenty that scares Ryo, but someone his Sense tells him isn't human winding up being visibly not human certainly isn't one of them, especially since Esteban had been good-natured to begin with.]

You never gave me any reason to be, and that hasn't changed.

Plus, you're- [He stops himself from saying not the only dragon - the train is always busy on platform days, the kitchen especially so, and promising not to give away Esteban's secret meant being careful of potential accidents as well.] I mean, there's someone else like you on board. It's not really a secret with him, and nobody's been afraid, if that makes you feel any better. Have you met Jingyi?

[This time, the relief is visible. It settles on his companion's shoulders, laying down the burden that he had fretted over, even unconsciously. Ryo meant it; and this time, Esteban could believe him.]

People-- do dumb shit when they're scared.

[Esteban included. It's why he wants so much to work with the young healer-- because he's been dumb and scared.]

[The mention of the other dragon has him shake his head, leaning his back against the counter so he can keep the conversation going easily.]

I've seen 'im, [Hard not to when the dragon had half-squeezed himself into the storage unit like an overgrown snake. Still, he could recognize another of his kind. He wondered if Jingyi was water-based as opposed to his own fire.] But I haven't gotten a chat in.

[It isn't the same thing. Esteban is just a half-- his form does not reflect who he was born from, and that had caused... misunderstandings before. He'd met people that were scared, and people that were not. He isn't ashamed of his form per say, but he'd since learned that trust went a long way from making him into a walking nightmare to just... Esteban.]

[Too many had assumed he was going to curse them after all. And a dead demon was less dangerous than a live one.]

But I'll get to know him one day, just y' wait!~ [His grin returns with the lightness to his speech, feeling more refreshed all of the sudden, just to have spoken, even a bit with his companion.]

But yer not gettin' rid of me that easy. D'you mind 'f I stick 'round? [A declaration followed by a question. He's trying to be polite at least?]

Edited 2022-01-05 21:25 (UTC)

That's true. [Universal truths part two, evidently.]

[He smiles as Esteban picks up the thread on the Jingyi conversation. At least Esteban knows he's not alone in being a dragon on the train.]

I'm sure you will. You're both pretty friendly.

And I don't mind - you're welcome to stay.

[It's an open car, sure, but he still likes the company.]

[So the half-elf is more than happy to grin, and settle against the counter, quite comfortable now.]

So y' like bakin'? Sweet-tooth or just for fun? Or d'you just do it for bribin' purposes?

[His smile is cheeky as he asks, full and bright once more. Back to playing how-many-questions-can-Esteban-ask-before-someone-gets-tired-of-answering.]

Poi 01: Afternoon

[Action] - Is prose okay, or would you rather keep the dialogue format?

Prose is good! Whichever you prefer.

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