spiritingaway | (no subject)

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[It's been about a week since they've gotten home, and Kyna thought there wouldn't be much of an adjustment period for her, at least. It turns out things still feel off, whether it's being back in a huge city again after being trapped in Hadriel for so long, or the lack of time that's passed here. Little things keep getting her, and she's finding herself more and more grateful that Lance is staying with her. Weirdly, it makes her feel a little more sane.

Being able to go down to the corner store and buy whatever she wants without relying on whatever weird crap the gods bring in is definitely something she doesn't need any time readjusting to, though. She's slipped out for a few minutes to buy some snacks, and when she returns, bumping the front door open with her hip, it's clear she's gone overboard. She's juggling two oversized bags in her arms, and she dumps them unceremoniously on the counter.]

I got ramen, but if you eat the noodles raw I'm kicking you out.

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[The last week has been... Weird, to say the least. Weird because it's both a huge change from being in Hadriel and away from the people--other than Kyna--that he'd really gotten to know, and because it's not as weird as he expected. Shifting back to living somewhere with normal amenities and no god-like creatures using you as batteries has been welcome.

But it is still weird. Sometimes he expects to wake up in Hadriel, sometimes he expects to be in his world, and only a few times did he expect to be here. But he's glad he is.

Reading is one of those pastimes that had kind of fallen away while in Hadriel due to the lack of resources, so it's been a lot of what he's been doing here. A little has been fiction, but mostly it's nonfiction as he figures out the differences between this world and his own.

So he's looking through a history book when Kyna returns, immediately putting the book down to go try to help her with the groceries, but she's too fast. At least he can help put them away, though.]

Hey, you keep knocking the raw noodles thing, but it was totally the most practical way to eat them in Hadriel.

[He says it with mock-offense but he's smiling a bit and that ruins it.]

But I can get fancy here, with hot water and maybe even an egg. What else did you pick up, anything particularly interesting?

[She got a lot, after all.]

[Kyna makes a face at him, mock disgusted.]

Aren't you supposed to be, like... the together one here?

[She lifts one of the bags and, instead of putting everything away like a normal person, dumps the contents all over the counter. It's full of all sorts of sweets and chips and random snacks, but she grabs one bag in particular and holds it up like a trophy. It says "potato snack" in all caps with a happy little potato mascot on the front.]

Snacks.

I am the together one, but I can't cook.

[He says it jokingly, at least about the first part, but he's so serious about the second part. He absolutely can't cook.

...Therefore the snacks are kind of a mixed blessing, because on one hand, instant food. On the other--]

Okay, don't take this the wrong way because I'm all about snacks, but you didn't just get snacks right?

[She opens her mouth to respond, then slowly puts the bag of mystery potato snacks down and shrugs sheepishly.]

Uh, well... I wasn't going to, but then I realized I don't know what you actually like to eat when we're not... You know. In Hadriel.

[...Ohno that's so nice but also he definitely did not intend to make her feel bad.]

I'll eat basically anything, so don't worry about that, next time just... Get whatever you want.

[Especially since she's paying for everything. He means it though; he really will eat just about anything, so it's absolutely not worth stressing over.]

[She rolls her eyes, shoving a bag of cookies at him playfully.]

If we're gonna live together, I'm not just going to pick out all the food I like by myself, you weirdo. You're not, like, a dog.

[He accepts the cookies without protest, then promptly reaches up to set the bag on top of the nearest cabinet just because he can. They won't stay there for long but what's the point of living with someone if you don't torment them a bit?]

Okay, fine, I'll just make you a really long list that starts with blueberry muffins, diner food, and Chinese.

[And a brief pause for just a moment, before he remembers to add--]

If you buy stuff to bake with I can make desserts.

[This is his contribution to this whole situation.]

[She gives the bag, and then Lance, a dirty look as he places it securely out of her reach. Apparently that's forgotten by the revelation he can bake, though.]

Like... What kind of desserts?

[Mission accomplished, and he'll bring the cookie back back down in about two minutes. But first--]

I usually make muffins, but I can make cookies and cake and the basic stuff.

[He's never actually tried making a pie or something, but it might be possible. His utter inability to cook was traded out for being really good at baking.]

What?

[Now she's latching onto his arm, which probably wasn't his plan.]

You've totally been holding out on me!

[It wasn't, but he isn't bothered. The accusation, though, that's serious business.]

I was not! I just sort of... Forgot it was an option.

[After Hadriel and all.]

[She scoffs, tugging on his arm.]

Bullshit. People don't just forget baking's an option, jerk.

[Rude!!!]

Hey, it's been like two years since I used an oven.

[She bursts out laughing, giving him another tug, this time towards the couch.]

God, are you gonna burn the whole building down?

I can't see the future.

[In other words, he totally might. Probably not, but still.

He lets her lead him toward the couch, though he snatches the cookies from the counter again as they go by; might as well have those, right? But his own stupid comment makes him wonder--]

Is seeing the future actually a thing here? Is there a spell for it?

[She plops down, waiting for him to settle beside her as she tries to figure out how to answer that.]

Um... Kind of? I mean, there are spells, but usually you're like... communicating with a spirit or demon or something and asking them questions. Sometimes they don't know the answer or they'll be vague or just straight up lie. And sometimes things just turn out differently anyway.

[He sinks down on the couch next to her, opening the bag of cookies and holding it out to her first.]

Can demons or spirits even actually really see the future themselves? Like if they decided not to be jerks, could they tell you something useful?

[Or is it always nebulous at best?]

Um... Some of them can. But the future's always in flux, I guess, so it depends on what you think is useful, you know?

[She takes a cookie, shooting him a smile.]

Why? Do you wanna know the future?

Not really.

[Both seriously and jokingly, he's not super interested in knowing the future, at least in the sense they're talking about. The future's weird and scary but also exciting, and might as well just take it as it comes.]

I just want to know how this world works, if I'm going to be here. It's the same in a lot of ways, but others are still just really different.

[And the more he knows the more he can deal with it.]

Yeah, I get it.

[Mostly, anyway. She knows this must be tough for him, it's just that she's not always sure how to smooth the transition.]

Has it been... You know. Hard? Being here?

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