aterat | Wandering Around in November

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Wandering Around in November

Who; Llewellyn and whoever!
What; November logs! (Open ones below the cut, closed ones in the comments!)
Where; The market, park, and all around
When; Mid to late November
Warnings; None but I will warn accordingly if something comes up!

There’s something to be said for the bustle of a market - Open to All

Between one job and the next, Llewellyn had found himself wandering the market with a pretzel in hand as he browsed the wares on various tables and through windows of smaller shops that had opened up over time.

It was quiet moments like this that reminded him of his world, in a way. If you tuned out the chocobos and other oddities, squinting just a little…

In many ways, it was better than his world, of course. Society was a little more relaxed here, for one. There were fewer things for him to hide. But he still felt out of place sometimes in other ways he couldn’t quite explain to people.

But there was something relaxing about moving from one table to the next, admiring the craftsmanship of one person’s work or chatting with another about what news or gossip there was to be heard while he bought a snack.

Llewellyn seemed to be on the lookout for something, though it was hard to say what at a glance. One might even wonder if Llewellyn knew what he was trying to find... But he was a bit caught up in some musings, brought on by the time of year. It was a complicated one for the detective, and he seemed intent upon keeping himself busy.

Sometimes Llewellyn would get so distracted with a thought or a conversation that, unsurprisingly, he’d almost bump into another person. “Oh- er… Pardon!” He uttered at one point, nearly walking into someone, only to awkwardly spin a little and lean around them instead. How he did so without falling over was something between extensive experience of almost walking into people and a small miracle.

Progress with a pupper at the park - Open to All

It was a brisk autumn afternoon at the park, leaves caught in breezes to fly through the air and eventually land to only be crunched underfoot. It had quickly become a favourite haunt of Llewellyn’s and his pup Pretzel alike. The open air, the space, the sounds of ducks or excited squirrels were pleasantly familiar. The man always felt far better outside than he ever did inside, often taking his casework on walks with him, even in his own world.

Today was not about work, though. Instead, he’d gathered up a few things from the apartment and hooked a leash to Pretzel’s collar. His intentions were to continue training his wrinkly companion, hiding toys and setting up trails for the dog to follow. He wanted to work the canine up to the point they could practice with people, hoping the dog would help with finding missing persons should such cases arise.

Of course, it had eventually devolved into tug-of-war games and Pretzel taking off at a run to burn off some energy or if another animal or person had caught his attention.

He was a sociable pup, good-natured and often confused over the idea that not everyone would want to be friends… So someone might be surprised by a dog tripping over their own ears to get to them to say hello.

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"If it's what you want, then I want it too," Rhy promised. Because these were not things that he had thought to ever want. It was always understood that as the heir of Arnes his bride would move to the castle.

This was a metric he didn't know existed.

"Oh yes, very old ones. There were many forgotten I expect. My brother would use them to sneak out sometimes. As would I. Well, I used them more because his magic could win him free. But yes, rooms with purpose."

The promise gets a smile; it was a relief to know that. Something for them to work towards, to want together… Made him feel a little less anxious and silly for wanting it. So he leaned over and pressed a quick, small kiss to the other’s cheek in delight. “Together then, we’ll find something together.”

Llewellyn supposed it was impossible that he’d ever see them himself, but it was nice to hear more about such things. “Yes, I expect that would come in handy if you needed to go out without being seen.” He mused quietly. He could almost imagine Rhy getting it in his head to go out and using them to sneak out… And Kell certainly hadn’t seemed to need help to get around with that spell that allowed him to make doorways.

But at Rhy’s agreement to ‘rooms with purpose,’ he tilted his head thoughtfully. “Is there something you’d like to see in a home for us? I do have thoughts… But I’d like to hear yours, my love.”

"Going out without being seen was often our goal," Rhy admitted with a laugh. "We wanted to see so much more of the city than Princes were allowed. It was a delight to learn. But he knew that learning wasn't something he could always achieve by just being out."

But he supposed he didn't need them now. Wouldn't need them anymore. No, he was only an apprentice tailor. No one important.

"I think I'd like a room for books."

“I can well imagine the secret passageways came in handy, then… There is a lot to be seen in any city, and much to learn about the people who live there.” He commented absentmindedly… “For me and my brothers, we were often sneaking in to places, rather than out of.” Well, more often he was… Though his brothers were just as curious as him at times. He rather wondered what it would have been like to meet Rhy back then. They were both from rather different backgrounds when he thought about it…

If Rhy were to ever voice the thought about his importance… Well, Llewellyn would point out that ‘No one important’ wasn’t quite accurate. He was, after all, very important to him… Which in the grand scheme, perhaps, didn’t mean much, but to Llewellyn, it meant a lot.

The comment gets an enthusiastic grin. “A room for books? I think that is absolutely a must! A small personal library… Always thought that might be nice.” The detective tilted his head thoughtfully, “We can fill the shelves as we find things, hm?” Shouldn’t take long between the two of them… Maybe, Llewellyn thought, he might even be able to find some of those books he’d spoken to Rhy about in the past. “With a comfortable sofa to read on, and maybe a nice chair.” He rubbed the side of his cheek lightly, amusing considering his tendency to not use chairs as often.

"Well, when you sneak out, you often end up in places you're not 'supposed' to be, which I think counts as a form of sneaking in," Rhy offered with a smile. Surely they could accept that much. It's similar enough.

"I miss the palace library. I did not go into it much, but hte chairs were always so comfortable. And yes, we'd fill the shelves as we go. There would need to be a good lamp, or something to hold candles. Oh, and warm blankets for when winters come."

The idea gets a small smile. “There was a public library in Toronto. I used to spend a lot of time there myself. It was a nice quiet place to read and try to learn.” He liked the idea of something… More tailored to their tastes. Comfortable furniture would definitely be an improvement on the stiff chairs and tables, he remembered.

“So books, comfortable chairs, lighting-” He tapped the list off on his fingers lightly, “And blankets are an excellent idea. Mm… on the subject of the colder months… I think some nice working fireplaces are also a must. Something we can enjoy that will also keep us warm, hm?”

Yes, he liked the idea of curling up with Rhy and some blankets in front of a toasty fire. Especially on those cold, snowy nights.

A public library? Rhy’s eyes went huge at that very suggestion. The idea of a place made like that, for everyone to have access to, was inspiring. And his heart swelled. If he ever went home, he might see about making one.

“I warn you, I’m not capable of doing the ward work to prevent fire from spreading. We will have to be very careful with fireplaces.”

In his world, no one just had a fireplace without paying for warding or doing it themselves. It was just foolish.

Public libraries were a wonder, especially for those who were denied opportunities for further formal education for one reason or another. It was one of the biggest reasons Llewellyn had such a wide range of knowledge of varied (sometimes odd) subjects. Llewellyn would be pleased to think that he might have inspired something like that.

The comment gets a curious tilt of his head, really he should have expected such a suggestion… Really, every time Llewellyn thought he was adjusting to the idea of magic being ‘normal’ in a world… He realized he wasn’t quite as far along as to not be surprised by the practical uses for it.

“Mm… We’ll make sure to take the necessary precautions… And perhaps I’ll have a word around town to see if there is something similar to that here? I… Hadn’t really thought of it, if I’m being honest.” Rubbing his cheek lightly, he continued. “In my world, one just learns to be careful. We don’t really have anything like that. So I assure you, we’ll be mindful of it, so we can still stay warm and enjoy it without it becoming a hazard.”

They most definitely could be a wonder if he knew that there were such things. The way that they could help the education of those who didn’t have access to high end tutors was impressive. And Rhy just never thought of such things.

“I don’t even know what the necessary precautions are I suppose,” Rhy admitted with a sigh. This was more than he had thought about before. Perhaps he was a horrid royal to not think of these things. “There must be ways it is taken care of, but these are things my world does not have in the ways yours does.”

No, Llewellyn would be quick to point out that Rhy couldn’t expect himself to know what precautions one took with fire without magic being involved. Not when he came from a world where most things were handled with magic. “It’s fine, my love. I’ll make sure to inspect the fireplaces before we move in to whichever home we decide on, and then I’ll teach you what I know about preventing house fires.” He squeezed Rhy’s arm in his reassuringly, “There are a lot of things we can learn together, I think. Neither of us have had a home like this before… So we’ll figure it all out.”

It was odd, but trying to keep Rhy from worrying had taken his mind off his own anxieties over the idea. Instead, trying to present other thoughts and reassurances. “I think a place for you to work on your sewing would be nice, another box like the one I got you at the sphere… Maybe a tailor mannequin for you to work on your personal projects at home more easily?” He wanted Rhy to have space to do what he enjoyed, after all. Llewellyn would have a garden, but a room for creative endeavors sounded lovely.

“What was your home like, back where you come from? In your Gray World?” Rhy asked, watching him thoughtfully. Because this was something he wasn’t really used to. To think of something that wasn’t their current place, the Sphere, or the palace was out of his normal experience. Sure, he’d found his way into lovers’ beds, but never long enough to pay attention to them.

“A mannequin might cost a bit, dear.”

Llewellyn glanced at Rhy as he asked about his own home. “Well… I’ve always lived in a boarding house? The owner would rent out each room to a different person. Not entirely unlike the building we’re in now, but… smaller? The rooms usually had a small fireplace or a woodstove depending on the house. But it was never mm… a full apartment, like we have now. I had space for a bed, wardrobe... A couple small tables and chairs for myself to work at.” So Llewellyn really would be learning just as much about home ownership as Rhy would. It was going to be an interesting transition for them both.

“I couldn’t tell you if I ever lived in a home before that with my parents. I don’t mm… Remember much from that far back. Just small fragments.” He shrugged, not really wanting to think too hard on that. It really bothered him that he couldn’t recall much from that time in his life, aside from small moments with his mother. His sister Clarissa had never really talked about them either during the few years she’d stuck around.

So he moved on with his explanation, glancing down at Pretzel while the dog trotted along ahead of them. “When I was small, and the landlady took me in, she allowed me to share a room with Hubert and Daniel.” It had been a bit cramped with three growing boys, but they had become inseparable in a very short time, so it had worked well enough. "So my experience is um... also lacking when it comes to having a whole home to consider."

He grinned a little, knowing perhaps Rhy was right. “Yes, I suppose that might be getting a little ahead of myself for ideas… But it’s something to consider later on down the line, to save towards. We can… make a list of priorities for furnishings.”

A boarding house sounded distinctly unpleasant when he spoke of it. Imagine not having space for their kitchen, or a couch, or just being together. That seemed silly. And unpleasant.

“Very different from palace life indeed then. Though I am hardly surprised. I know that my life is very different back home, even from the nobles. My idea of what a home has includes very many rooms that don’t serve much purpose most of the time. So I would likely be a poor judge o what is and isn’t reasonable.”

Priorities. He had to wonder what should go on such a list

It wasn’t particularly pleasant sometimes, but it had served its purpose. His life had been quite different back then, after all… He hadn’t needed space, just a place to sleep and keep up with his cases. He certainly hadn’t had company either…

“It is… But it’s also not a bad thing? With the two of us, we can find something that’s… In between, right? You might consider things that I might not for possibilities.” Rhy had in the past, after all, and it had turned out rather well for them both. “Things I couldn’t, um… imagine, right? I might not have allowed myself to think of a personal library. And if something seems a little beyond what we could use or handle, I can point it out.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. This was why trying to figure it out entirely before presenting the idea to Rhy had made it seem so much more daunting than it was. “We’re a team, after all, my love.”

They could work this out together, after all. “We’ll look at what’s available, and if something stands out to us… Well, we should look at it together to see what we think.”

Seeing his husband’s expression at the idea of a list of priorities for furniture, he tilted his head with a small smile, coming up with some random examples. “Like comfy chairs for the personal library, or mm… a bed, of course. Maybe other comfortable furnishings in general.” An amusing thought of ‘well made furniture’ came to mind after a recent evening with the dresser.

“Oh very not a bad thing. I, for instance, wouldn’t begin to know how to hire a quality housekeeper,” Rhy mused. Which would be needed in a larger residence, and a whole fleet of them were needed for something like managing a palace. That was just how life worked out for a lot of people: some people had large places, and some people worked in those large places.

“We are indeed a team. You’re the one with the practical experience though. Usually. But I would be happy to look with you.”

Llewellyn had to raise a brow at that idea. “… I confess I wouldn’t know the first thing about that myself.” Humming a little, he couldn’t recall knowing many people who did either. Well, Doctor Ogden had grown up in a wealthy household… He smiled a little wryly, “The nearest I knew was when Detective Murdoch started mm… working on automatons and automated cupboards for household chores to varying degrees of success.”

But keeping how much space they could easily manage themselves was definitely a point to keep in mind… Not that he wasn’t at least used to basic chores. Mrs. Young had expected the boys to put in around the boarding house on occasion. Even if he’d never been any good in the kitchen or with some things, he did have some basic skills.

He smiled a little though. This seemed both a large task and a less worrying one now that he’d at least spoken with his husband. “I have some of the experience, and you have excellent ideas and thoughts to present that I might not consider.” He wasn’t sure that a move would happen anytime soon, not with winter moving in… But perhaps by spring, they would have a place ready for them. “So I’ll gladly take you to some of the locations I’ve been told about being open for people to move in to. We can see if any stand out to us…?” He looked down at Pretzel thoughtfully, “A place with a small, an uh- gated yard perhaps as well. For a garden and a nice space for our little fluff-butt to run around.”

"I suppose I should have asked my mother to teach me some things when I was younger, but I didn't expect to lose her."

So yes, that's a downer, and he tries to shake it off.

"Do you think we can get some of the kitchen comforts again? In this house. Like in the dorms? The rest of this place does not seem up to that level."

But the idea of being taken... He smiles.

"Yes, that sounds lovely."

A downer, yes, but Llewellyn can’t blame Rhy for thinking of it. There were a lot of things Llewellyn wished he had a chance to learn and know from his own parents. But he knew he was lucky to have had what guidance he had from others in his life after that, he supposed. “No one expects it, though I am sorry, love.” He responded quietly, a gentle squeeze of the arm in his.

He was happy to try to present something a little happier, at least. Kitchens were important. “A kitchen is a must, something with a little more counter space, a little less crowded… Perhaps with a small dining room separate. While this place is rather behind for technology, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, I’d think? Some of the things in the kitchens of the apartment are rather modern looking for all. I’m not sure how they run. A coffee maker and a toaster would definitely be nice to start.” He tilted his head thoughtfully, “And failing to find anything at the shops… Perhaps we’ll have a word with that Raimon fellow. He seems quite resourceful at finding things.”

The smile was something Llewellyn had hoped to see, of course, and got a pleased expression in return. “Then! We’ll go to some of the places I’ve got addresses for… And ask around for others if they aren’t suitable.”

More counter space? Rhy looked confused at that. "Why would we need more space for the counter? It does what we need for pasta already."

YEs, he really wasn't very skilled with cooking. Though he supposed he liked coffee so he could accept that. But Raimon's name coming up had Rhy nodded. Quite wise.

"That would be a delight, my dear. We shall do so."

“Mm… True! I simply think space for the other small, easy-to-use kitchen implements might be useful. Also… I really do want to try to help a little more and work on learning as well… So more space to work side by side?” Or for him to just sit on the counter and be a general nuisance to distract his husband. Which was just as likely, considering Llewellyn’s penchant for sitting on surfaces. He shouldn’t when he was in the mood to chat and be close without being too in the way.

“I’ll show you some of the um- addresses I’ve been given to look at then, just to get a better sense of what you like… And we can keep an eye out for things, perhaps to be more ready come spring? I… Don’t know that moving in the dead of winter would be easy, or desirable. Especially if the place isn’t… properly checked for heating issues yet.” He added absentmindedly, not wanting to get too ahead of himself as he was sometimes prone to… It was an exciting idea, but rushing into something might cause more problems at this time of year. Llewellyn wouldn’t want that for them… But at least during the spring, they’d have more of a chance to get things in place and enjoy it a little sooner if they started looking now.

Well he can absolutely accept that if that's what Llewellyn wants. It will make them smile for the chance of having it. Though if Llewellyn did sit on surfaces he would distract his husband in good ways.

"Alright, let's do this then. We've got a pup to help us look too," Rhy noted. And since Pretzel needs to like it too, that's important. Rhy, though, he was happy to rush.

The odds of Llewellyn sitting on counters and other places one should not were always quite high… Him not sitting on counters and the like was to be expected, it was inevitable.

Llewellyn felt a soft laugh bubble up as Pretzel tilted his head up, long ears flapping lightly as he let out a little bark as though he agreed. The dog had heard his name, after all, and he liked being included in the conversation. “You are quite right. This is something we can do together... And I’m sure our little companion will have some opinions, hm?” He smiled a little, liking the idea of taking Rhy by a few of them now.

“Mm… This way, then!” He added a moment later, taking hesitant step one way before altering their course for a small neighbourhood that Ignis had given him directions to. It had a few houses available, so much of this place still sat empty… At least, it seemed important that it was closer to the market to make Rhy’s trip to work every day a little more convenient.

It was a lovely form of inevitable, given what Rhy was happy to get up to with his husband. After all, he was a very adventurous man.

"And it works well with walksies," Rhy agreed with a smile as they started off in the direction his beloved suggested. This was going to be fun. "It's sad, I think, that it is so easy to find new homes. This place is too empty."

It was definitely something Llewellyn loved about him; it made him feel adventurous as well… And it usually went well.

“That it does, for both him and myself.” Llewellyn added, with a small smile, as he recalled the original reason for Rhy agreeing to a walk. The air was nice, though, and he felt far lighter than he did earlier. Even if the conversation was a little sad for the moment, “You’re right… It feels like a place that should be so much more full of life. I suppose that’s why everyone has been brought here, and continues to be.” Llewellyn mused, frowning lightly. He felt lucky to be here, with Rhy… Instead of in his own world without. But he knew that not everyone thought they should be here, what with those other locals living in the forests and their warnings.

But he wanted to try to focus on the positives, wanted to strive to not let himself sink into old ways of thinking that he’d been improving on since meeting Rhy. Looking around, he noted they were leaving the less populated part of the market towards one of the neighborhoods. Houses were not scarce, as Rhy had said. They varied in size, of course. Some rather large, of course, and others more… manageable.

"Do you think it's like the Sphere? Where the people are not true?"

Where they're all a lie. Rhy hated how that revelation had hurt. It had cut him to the quick because he hadn't known how to get back the people. He'd asked, but it wasn't useful.

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