aterat | Little Adventures

Entry tags:

Little Adventures

Who; Mono and all of you!
What; Open Logs!
Where; Market shops, Park, Harbour district
When; Mid-August to now
Warnings; None aside from parts of a weird kids song in the last one atm, but I will update if anything comes up since Mono does come from a canon that can have sensitive topics.

Melancholic Melody - Something charming about the sound of a music box.

Mono had learned to budget what money he managed to get, and he was looking forward to having an actual job soon to make that easier… But he should be saving what he had for now to buy bread at a discount later from the baker’s stall. Or saving it away to buy clothes, or to get the ones he had repaired.

What the child was currently doing was staring in the window of an old-fashioned shop that had music boxes in the window. Specifically, one that worked with a little crank on the side… It wasn’t the same, of course, as the one he remembered seeing… But it was close enough that it had caught Mono’s attention enough for him to press his face against the glass and stare at it pensively. He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted to buy it… Just in case Six showed up.

It wasn’t like he owed her one. The more he thought about music boxes, the more that nagging, prickling sensation from the back of his mind bothered him. Almost like he did owe her one. Like he had a reason to feel kind of bad, like he’d done something.

But he remembered her having a music box in the Hunter’s cabin… And it had seemed important to her then… So maybe that was why? Maybe it was simply because he hadn’t stopped to grab it and take it with them when they fled that horrible place.

So anyone walking by would see the kid staring intently, as though debating something of great importance. Humming under his breath as he tried to remember the melody, and wondering what the one in the shop sounded like.

Learning that nature can be fun - Climbing trees or getting on eye level with the creatures!

Mono tended to stick to the city since arriving, but slowly he’d eventually gotten curious enough to venture into the park. He’d never seen so much green, or so many interesting creatures before. The forest that the… Hunter’s cabin… had been in had been ominous and full of fog and a number of very unpleasant things and sights.

The park was bright and green, and the sound of wildlife was far more inviting than the squawking of the crows (although he had happened upon a few in his time here) feasting on who knew what. Mono had to admit… Nature like this? It was kinda nice. He still didn’t think he’d be wandering into the actual forest anytime soon, but he was happy to run around in the grass or climb the trees there to get a better view of the park and what people were doing in it.

Mono could be found doing just that, or if you happened to spot the child later in the day? He was lying on his stomach next to the pond, feet kicking in the air lightly as he poked at the water and considered some frogs that were swimming around or sitting on the rocks nearby.

Sent on a ferry upon our sea - Why are kids songs … so weird?

Mono, like any child, got little ideas in his head when he was bored that may or may not make sense to everyone else. He liked to wander, and today had found him wandering around the harbour district. Specifically, near the docks. The child was wandering down the weathered wooden planks, bare footfalls drowned out by the sound of him humming a song stuck in his head, and sometimes the odd pieces of the song being sung quietly. “Having a nightmare in a boat. Come with me, oh no, no, no…” Humming a little more, he never could figure out all the actual lyrics. The bullies always sounded so garbled and… honestly, he was pretty sure they changed them sometimes. “He’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone… Don’t leave me. No more bellman among the sea.”

Mono sat on the edge of the docks, his little feet dangling over the edge as he considered a little rowboat. He’d been on the river before. It was kind of nice and peaceful. Just floating across it on the door… It still had taken him back to the Pale City, but it had been nice after the horrors of the forest. And the child couldn’t deny that, as daunting as it had been, he felt like he’d been meant to return there. “Run, run, here comes Veronica… Sent on a ferry upon our sea.”

Tugging his yellow sou’wester hat a little more snug on his head and down over his eyes, he finally slipped off the edge to hop into the little rowboat. Exploring the inside of it for anything interesting. Wondering absently how hard it might be to go out in it.

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Rhy reached out and opened the box, listening to the music. How intriguing.

"It's beautiful. Very beautiful actually. Would you enjoy on e like this?"

Mono was silent as the music started to play. It really was a nice melody. Kind of cheery compared to some of the slower tunes that were played. “It’s really pretty! I think it’s kinda the nicest of the others.” He responded, tracing the little designs thoughtfully. Mono wondered how much the box cost, and if he had enough to purchase something so nice.

"Then we'll consider it as a potential one to buy," Rhy noted.

He would help the boy pay it after all. And let the boy pay him back, if he needed to.

Mono nodded seriously at that. It was good to have options… And even if he didn’t know that Rhy was willing to help; it seemed smart to be sure of the purchase first.

Looking up at the man curiously, he tilted his head a bit. “Which one do you like best?”

"The red one," Rhy said as if it were the most obvious thing ever. "It is the color of my family, remember? It will remind me well of my brother. He had hair as red as fire."

Has. Rhy knew the man HAS hair that color. His hand came briefly up to his chest to lay over the marks carved into his skin which were hidden by his shirt. He could still feel it, their connection. Even if it was distant, they were still united.

Mono had to pause and think for a moment. Had Rhy told him it was his family colour? That would explain why the man wore so much red… Then he remembered Rhy had told him that the symbol of his family was red and gold, so yes, he guessed he remembered. He wished red wasn’t such an unpleasant shade to him, but he could still appreciate why it was important to his friend. “Oh, so it reminds you of your brother, that makes it really special.”

"It really does," he admitted, smiling as his hands ran over the box again. He didn't care what it sounded like so long as it was a music box that LOOKED right.

“Maybe you should get it?” Mono suggested, noticing how fond the man seemed of it, even without opening it to hear what it sounded like. Surely if he liked it that much, and it meant something to him, he should have it if he could afford it. Mono thought the apartments were kind of empty sometimes, and something pretty that made music might be nice.

"I think I will," Rhy answered with such longing in his voice. But then the looked at Mono. "What about you?"

Mono was glad to hear it, the man seemed quite taken with the box and he could understand what it was like to miss someone important to you… But the question gets a small shrug, “Um… I dunno, I kinda want the yellow one with the sun on it… I gotta ask how much it is, first.”

"Alright then," Rhy answered, nodding and moving to pick up the yellow one as well.

"What we'll do is this. I will buy these both. And then you will pay me back for yours. You said you had gotten a job, yes?"

Mono nearly panicked a little when Rhy picked up the yellow one for him, not wanting to waste the man’s money on him like that. He knew how important it was in a place like this where people actually had to earn money to support themselves… But then he listened to the explanation and had to admit… It sounded fair, and he really did want to take a box home with him today… Too nostalgic, perhaps, to leave the yellow one behind. “I did just get a job… If you’re really sure, then I guess that sounds okay? I promise to pay you as soon as I earn money for working!”

He's glad the boy doesn't argue. He wanted the child to have something good.

"I'm really certain," Rhy agreed, smiling. "It would make me happy to get this into your hands sooner, and we will definitely let you pay me back. If you didn't intend to do it, then this would be a gift to you, and it would then be rude for you to give it to someone else. No, you will buy it, I will just have you buy it from me and let you hold onto it."

Mono thought that sounded like a fair deal, and it really would be nice to have something so bright and cheery in his apartment. Especially when things got a little too quiet. “Thank you, Mr. Rhy.” He responded with one of his more genuine attempts at a smile, fussing with his trench coat. “I’ll take really good care of it and pay you back soon.”

"I'm glad," Rhy smiled, lifting the box and bringing it to the counter. "We'll ask them to wrap it carefully so you can carry it home safely."

Mono was quick to follow; even if it was a smaller shop, he didn’t want to stray too far from his friend and miss something or end up being left behind. An odd anxiety, perhaps, but he couldn’t explain it. “That would be really helpful. I’ll be very careful on the way home.” No running around, not about to risk tripping and falling on it or dropping the precious box.

"I know you will," Rhy smiled at the little one, and then his full attention moved to the counter.

There was talking for a while, the man discussing prices with the seller of the goods. Once everything was all written up and coins exchanged, Rhy asked for the pen and paper to make a second copy of the receipt, with the information only for the yellow box while the seller wrapped both items.

Once he had done this, he handed the paper to Mono.

"Here, the total. I'll keep a copy of it too, so we can both track."

Mono was actually surprisingly patient while he waited for Rhy to take care of payment and sorting the receipts. He simply watched quietly, trying to get an idea of how much the box he picked out had cost himself from the brief exchange.

But when Rhy handed him the paper, he took it and looked it over. Money was still kind of a weird thing for the kid… But he at least knew how to count it and had started to get a feel for working out values when he was trying to make what he had go a little further at the market for necessities. “That’s smart. It’ll be easier to figure out how much is left if we both know! Especially if I make a mistake or something.” Again, he knew money was weird and something he needed to learn properly once he started to have it.

“I’ll keep this safe too…” He ended seriously, folding the paper up and tucking it in one of the many pockets in his trench coat. “

Rhy smiled. What a good child. He didn't even wince over the cost. With a smile he was happy to hand over the finally prepared music box package to the child. HIs own he tucked inside his shirt for safety.

"Alright then, you should get home to put that somewhere safe."

“Thanks a lot, Mr. Rhy.” He responded, taking the offered package in both hands and carrying it very carefully. “I’ll take this home and find a really safe place to put it.” Mono responded with a smile. He was actually eager to have something so bright in the space. It was so quiet and dreary alone sometimes. This would be a nice reminder of someone he cared about, and the colour and music would cheer him.

“Be careful going home too. I’ll see you later!” He added, not wanting to be rude before he left. Goodbyes were still kind of weird.

They were weird. Rhy hated them. But he smiled at the boy and nodded.

"I will se you as well. Good luck young man, and have a lot of caution."

Then he moved to take his own box. He would have to explain to his husband he supposed.

“I will, you be careful too!” Don’t let anyone steal from you on the way home, basically. Mono still kept an eye out for that after their first meeting… But he waved again, before carefully gripping the package securely and hurrying off down the road towards the grey building.

And as if Rhy would need to explain the purchase. If he’d been present during this little outing, he probably would have insisted, anyway.

FTB...

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Little Adventures

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Wrap this like a package?

Sure thing!