✿ mallynap [Action/Accidental Voice]

[seiriald]

[All she had expected when she decided to come inside after yet another long day of gardening was to clean up and go straight to bed, especially after the wind had done much to hamper her progress with the small seedlings that were shooting up from the ground. While it had been bordering on nuisance, she had been otherwise cheered up to notice that the several more of the hardier plants had already started blooming.

But all happiness that had come with it was washed away while in the process of walking toward the door she finds herself picking up on a series of familiar noises behind her, ones she had never wanted to hear again and that she knew for a fact did not belong to anyone inside the safe household just beyond her reach. There's an unintentional, startled cry as she drops her coat and her journal to falls open in order for her reflexes to kick into gear to resist the droids, desperate to avoid capture while she silently hoped that someone inside would notice but not at the same time.

But her erratic behavior and moves made it that much easier to knock her out and take her away, so anyone who happened to hear her cry for help will find no trace of her anywhere outside the house other than her dropped possessions, tossed amidst several plants that had been trampled in the process.]

Comments

[imatreenow]

[...He should have known it wouldn't be so easy to get rid of him. As far as Mithos is concerned, he has every right to be here - he told Kaori he would help her with her garden, and her absence doesn't undo his promise. His eyes are sharp as he observes Frey.]

I can do that.

[falenandawn]

I can, too. [Really.

He sticks the skewer in the dirt, reaching for the sprout next to it up until he realizes he has no way of making it stand.

....Erk. What did they use again? Twine....?]

[imatreenow]

[He's watering the plants around him but regularly returning his piercing gaze to Frey to keep a watchful eye on him. He has a sneaking suspicion you don't really know what you're doing, Frey. Here, he'll offer some helpful advice.]

If you can't even figure out such a simple task, you're of no use.

[falenandawn]

Be quiet. [Sending a glare towards Mithos that clearly shows his annoyance, he pauses, then reaches down to his boots, tugging out the laces.

He can handle it just fine.]

[imatreenow]

Don't tell me what to do, human. [His tolerance level usually sits at zero, but today it's in the negatives. He'll need even less reason than usual to snap at him. Carefully, he uncovers a poor little seedling that had dirt kicked over it and tries not to think too hard about the sequence of events that led to the disarray the garden is in.]

[falenandawn]

[Frey gets to work gently tying up a seedling, not entirely sure of what he was doing, but it couldn't be too hard, right?]

As it stands, you are the one who is trespassing uninvited, are you not?

[imatreenow]

I told Kaori I would help her with her garden, and I intend to keep my word. [She would be happy that her plants were taken care of, and...maybe she would be happy to know that he'd thought of her, too.]

[falenandawn]

Nonetheless, you should use manners when in someone else's home.[She would probably be happier if Mithos tried to get along with people.]

[imatreenow]

[He's finished with this small area and he pulls himself up to his feet to carefully move over a few feet. Unfortunately, this also brings him a few feet closer to Freyjadour. He kneels down again and sets his crutch aside where it won't crush anything.]

...If you left me alone, it wouldn't be a problem. [also, we're outside]

[falenandawn]

I plan to take care of the plants here, too. I have helped Kaori for a while now.... so please do not think you will oust me from this.

[He doesn't mind the movement, knowing Mithos isn't stupid enough to try to physically remove him. Just let him be on his way, and he won't have to ask you to leave.]

[imatreenow]

[There's a sharp stab of jealousy in his chest as he tries not to linger too long on the image of Freyjadour helping Kaori and spending time with her and making her happy. His frown deepens as he begins straightening up the seedlings around him.]

Then don't think you can get rid of me either.

[falenandawn]

Fine. As long as you treat those who live here with respect, I will have no problem with you helping.

[But he will not be stopping Frey from helping, either. He works quietly, snapping the leather lacings as he works into smaller portions fit to tie up the seedlings. Though, after a moment, his eyes widen a tad, and he glances around, seeking out... something, before smiling as his eyes land on a few slowly budding plants.] Ah, they are still safe.

[imatreenow]

...Again, there won't be a problem if they leave me alone. [Except the humans in this house are exceptionally terrible at that, as he learned from his brief stay here a few weeks ago.

He's content to work in silence - it makes it a little easier to pretend Frey isn't there, even though he remains overly aware of every little sound the human makes as he works. He had also come here hoping that working in the garden would calm him down a little, but it's hard to relax when he can't be alone. When Frey speaks again, he'll shoot him a not-so-surreptitious glare.]

[falenandawn]

[He works in silence as well, not really concerned by Mithos' actions as long as he doesn't try to take any work from him. Picking up a watering can, he waters the tiny seedlings, falling into something of a rhythm with the work.]

[imatreenow]

[He tries to lose himself in watering and straightening up the seedlings, but he remains tense in Frey's presence. He just reminds himself again and again that this would make Kaori happy.]

[falenandawn]

[Frey, on the other hand, pretty much makes an art of losing himself in his work if he has the chance. It was almost a talent, or perhaps a bad habit was to be more precise. A long while passes before there are any words exchanged.

Well, not so much words.

If Mithos listens carefully, he might hear the other humming, utterly distracted by the work of seeing to each seedling.]

[imatreenow]

[...He can hear it in the quietness of the morning, and his heart curls in jealousy again. Because he's watched Kaori hum to the plants like that, and if Frey gets to share those moments with her too--

Oops, he's...clawing his fingers into the soil. A little bit. Sorry about that, innocent seedling. He quickly throws himself into fixing that, trying his best to ignore Frey.]

[falenandawn]

[Frey just keeps humming quietly, not even noticing the effect it has on Mithos as he continues to lose himself in the work. The tune isn't really anything in specific- bits and pieces of melodies he's heard at one time or another.]

[imatreenow]

[Still over here trying hard to shut out everything about Freyjadour right now. Stare down at the dirt memorize every particle as he fixes things up look at the way the water begins to pool on the surface only to be absorbed down below--]

...Shut up. [very, very quietly]

[falenandawn]

[Huh?

Sorry, Mithos, he didn't hear that between concentrating on his work and the humming he's doing.]

[imatreenow]

[In his frazzled brain, rubbed raw with worry and a deficit of sleep, he's convinced that Frey is ignoring him on purpose. So soon enough, he's grabbing his crutch and his supplies and shooting up to his feet.

Without a word, he flounces on over to the other side of the garden, where he'll settle in again. Every movement is terse with anger.]

/drives mithos batty with his lack of realization

[falenandawn]

[The movement, finally, catches his attention, and the humming stops as he looks up from his work, glancing around.

Oh, Mithos just moved.]

FUUUUUUUUU

[imatreenow]

[He's not looking anywhere in Frey's direction, back turned as he hunches over the seedlings and tries again to lose himself. Thoughts of Kaori keep him from quitting altogether. Now, if Frey would just him pretend the other isn't there...]

[falenandawn]

[He almost did! But as he bends back down to go back to work he notices Mithos looks... kind of tense.]

...Are you alright?

[imatreenow]

[His spine prickles. He doesn't lift his head or turn to look at Frey.] How stupid are you?

[Of course he's not alright. His only friend has been swiped away in the night to join his abducted sister, and he can't block out dark thoughts of all the terrors both could be facing as time slips past and he sits helpless. He can't even try to relax a little, with Freyjadour insisting on taking up space and thrusting blunt reminders of his closeness with Kaori into Mithos's face.]