[Open] Shifting Your Perceptions

[skyward_eyes]

Who; Nida, Ignis, Mono, Open
What; Family is something Nida wishes he had, and maybe it's in reach. Also a chocobo chase
Where; Markets, Library Rooftop
When; Early April
Warnings;

I. Chocobo on the Loose | OTA
It's actually impressive, just how much a chocobo could grow in a year. Back when he'd first acquired her Hibiscus had been small enough to tuck under one of Nida's arms. These days the crimson feathered bird walked at Nida's side, her head up to his shoulder, happy on her training lead and with a small, weighted saddle on her back and full backs at her sides to help train her to the feel of weight on her. Soon enough she'd be more than large enough to start their riding training together, and Nida wasn't excited about that.

But with her increased age was coming to be a reasonable young bird.

Or so Nida thought. Being a guard, on duty, in uniform, sometimes wasn't the best thing. It meant that some children liked to play their little pranks. Which int his case meant running past Nida and cutting his lead line. Hibiscus, bothered by the sudden motion, jerked aside. And then realized that she was further away from Nida than she should be. Which meant freedom. For a moment her little bird brain considered. And then, seeing nearby melon, she strode confidently away.

"Hibiscus?" Nida said, shocked to see her walking away. He lunged for her cut lead without thinking, and she, seeing this as play, darted away with a warble.

"No, wait, come back!"


II. Afternoon Shopping | Closed to Ignis
Their schedules were such complicated things that often Nida and Ignis left their free time that would be shared together for, well, things far more interesting than basic errands. But things had been busy lately and there was a lot of things that needed buying, and Nida had just come off shift, so... Well, when he saw his husband moving among the vegetable stalls, he of course made his way over.

"Hello my gorgeous love. How are-"

Nida pauses in his way to kissing his husband's cheek when he saw what was in Ignis's hand. Spinach. That earned a cringe.

"You doing spinach stuffed in something for dinner? Promise the 'something' is potent. I prefer not to taste my cooked spinach."

Yeah, sometimes Nida was a picky eater too.


III. Heights Give Perspective | Closed to Mono
The talk with Ignis had taken a while, but in the end they had come to the same conclusion. Of the two of them, Nida would be the one to extend the initial offer. And what better time than tonight, while the two of them were celebrating the success of the young man. For tonight Mono had climbed all the way to the roof of the Library, at good speed, with no rope. Then he'd gone back down. And come back up again. While he was approaching the top the second time Nida had laid out the snacks he'd asked Ignis to prepare for the night. He'd had confidence that all of this result to the evening.

IT was something needing celebrating. So Nida pulled the small 'bento boxes' as Ignis had called them, from the bag at his side. A light evening meal, as a gift from his husband, to broach the subject.

"I'm quite proud of you, Mono. And this? Our celebration meal."

Comments

[skyward_eyes]

Nida turned them down a side street, and there was the house, finally in sight, if a bit further down the road.

"SOmetimes people do that because they're angry and hurt. Sometimes it's just because they aren't the sort to share. I am what I am because others have, at times, given me a chance."

Even if he didn't deserve it.

[monochromatically]

Mono peered down the road curiously, taking in the area carefully. The boy looked rather confused, though.

“Really? So people gave you a chance because of stuff?” It at least made sense as to why Nida was so nice about stuff, and his belief in helping people who might not be considered worth helping by others.

He did get a little distracted as he saw they were approaching a house, eyes tracing the outline and lingering on the windows or doors. “Is this the house you and Mr. Ignis live in?” He finally asked, wondering what it was like inside and if he really could belong in a home. It was far nicer, in his opinion, than the apartment buildings. Those buildings had always reminded him of the ones in the Pale City… Even if they were nicer, there were days when the shadows and grey skies on a stormy day made it hard to not see it the places from his world. Especially since he’d been in the gray building.

[skyward_eyes]

"Yep, that's it," Nida agreed. Normally this is when he'd climb the side to slip in through the bedroom window, but... Yeah, seems better to use the front door.

"Come in, let's see it," he says, just about jumping up the stairs of the porch to produce his keys and unlock it.

[monochromatically]

Using the door was a smart move for now. Mono was already used to creeping into houses and apartments in the Pale City to get around. If he thought it was normal here, he probably would just start doing it, too.

“It’s nice? Like from the outdoors part, it looks nice.” Mono responded, looking over the place with interest. What would it look like inside, though? So, as Nida opened the door, he followed the guy inside with a hesitant looking curiosity. The boy falling silent as he began taking in the various details out of habit.

[skyward_eyes]

Nida's only a few feet into the house when a body darts out from under a chair and then there is a blur of blue and green as Julia ascends quickly and easily to his shoulder. The Peacock Cat Queen purrs as she rubs her face against his cheek and Nida hums contentedly over the weak sense of euphoria that comes with that contact.

"I suppose I should warn you that we're cat people. Ignis is the proper owner of Ebony, a very lovely black cat. And this here is Julia, she's a peacock cat. If you touch her feathers with your bare hands, you feel sorta super happy. Good thing is that she's picky about people."

So she likely won't harass Mono for a good long while.

[monochromatically]

Mono didn’t really mind animals, especially the ones he’d run into in this world. There were a lot more of them here, and most of them seemed pretty nice and friendly as long as you were careful. The kid still wasn’t fond of crows or ravens, even if they were smaller here… But at least he didn’t look scared as Julia darted forward to climb up on Nida’s shoulder.

If anything, he looked quite awed by the sight. He’d seen strange animals before, ones that weren’t either the wrong size or a weird hybrid… But this was the first one he’d seen that was so beautiful! “Wow…” He mumbled at first, tilting his head up as he looked the creature over from his vantage point. He wouldn’t reach out and touch her though, warning about her special ability or not. Just because animals here were nicer, didn’t mean you could just reach out and touch them. They didn’t always like that, in his experience.

“I’ve never seen a cat like her before.” He didn’t really know what a peacock was either, so that meant she was extra special. “She’s really pretty though, I’ll be careful not to bug or scare her.” He added with a more serious nod.

[skyward_eyes]

"There is no other like her on this world to my knowledge," Nida answered. "I met her in the first world I was brought to. She followed us in a way to the second, and then, on suspicion, I checked with Raimon. And she was indeed with him."

And so he'd acquired his girl.

"Want to come upstairs?"

[monochromatically]

“Wow, so she kinda just follows you wherever you end up then? That’s kinda nice.” He responded with a small nod, wondering how lucky it was for that to be possible. It was nice to think that Nida hadn’t been separated from her with all the places he’d been so far.

Mono nodded quickly, though, eager to see more of the house. “Yeah, okay!” It was nice enough so far, but the boy wanted to see a little more to get a better idea of what to expect if he lived here. It wasn’t like he was entirely sure how to go on a tour of someone’s house when he’d been invited in, before. So he just defaulted to following Nida around.

[skyward_eyes]

"I don't think she was following me last time," Nida said, a clouded look on his face. He remembered things, but he didn't know what. "My sister, sort of sister, acquired her. And we kept finding her."

But that is memories beyond him, and he has to accept it for what he got.

"The room at the end of this hall is mine and Ignis's. But the other two rooms we've been considering using as offices. We just haven't worked on the conversion yet. And if you like one of them, we can talk to Ignis, have a meal together some time, and figure out how we all want this to work."

[monochromatically]

“Yeah? I wanna see what they look like, if that’s okay.” He asked curiously, peering down the hall curiously. Wondering what the two open rooms were like inside, Mono moved from Nida’s side to wander up to the nearest one and look inside. He wasn’t really sure what he would like in a room, after all. What did normal people want in a bedroom? Did it matter? Instincts were to decide on whichever had easier escape routes if trouble found him, but… That might be silly, right?

[skyward_eyes]

Honestly, the room wasn't much yet. Pale painted walls, exposed wooden supports and beams, some windows, but otherwise there wasn't much going on. A room in transition. Though up on one of the beams is a blanket and pillow, and Nida chuckles.

"I would take those down if you chose here. I wouldn't set up a nap spot in your space, of course."

[monochromatically]

Mono wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting. It was pretty much what Nida had said, after all. It was an unused space, so there wasn’t much to see… But it gave him a good idea of what he’d be working with if he moved in. Though the boy’s eyes cast up to look at the exposed wooden beams with more interest than the rest of the room, especially when he saw Nida’s nap spot. “That’s a good spot for a nap, though. It’s safer and if you’re trying to not be noticed, they can’t see ya unless they look up!” He’d found that was the best way around the school, honestly. The teacher could reach that high, but usually she didn’t look up since the students were all tiny and ran around below her feet.

So sneaking rests up in the rafters when he could climb up to them had been pretty useful, especially after Six got nabbed by the students for a while.

He wondered if he could make it up there himself? “I don’t wanna take your nap spot, but it is kinda great.” Mono added thoughtfully, tilting his head back at Nida with more curiosity than before.

[skyward_eyes]

Nida grins, because the kid gets him very well.

"I have another space I hang out, in the bedroom. There are lots of exposed wood features. I think Ignis chose this place specifically to feed my need for height. Of course it's also the only way I can ever be taller than him, so I take what I can get.

[monochromatically]

“Oh! That’s good then… I really like that, all the neat wood. It makes the place nicer.” And easier to find places to hide away if he felt like it. Especially now that he was better at climbing up and down, thanks to Nida’s lessons.

So… “I guess if I take this room that could be my nap spot now?” He added with one of his clumsy attempts at a smile. Something curious and hopeful at the idea… He’d seen some people string up a blanket between trees here before. Maybe he could make something like that up there?? Now the kid was wondering what was normal and good to do with a bedroom. Someone was going to have to probably keep an eye on him to make sure it was done safely.

[skyward_eyes]

"It could," Nida agreed. In fact, he'd help Mono come up with ways to get up there more easily for a kid. But that's for later. However you want this room to be, we could help you find a way to make it right. Make it comfortable for you."

He stands in the doorway, smiling.

"I've found I like working on things like improving the house anyway. So that's fun."

[monochromatically]

That was actually quite exciting to hear that it could be a good spot for naps if he got tired. A safe, comfy spot… The kid slept better when he felt like he was secure and out of the way, really. The first couple of days in the apartments had him sleeping under the bed instead of on it. “I never really thought about having a room before, or how I’d wanna make it look… So I like that? That you guys could kinda help me figure out what to do?”

[skyward_eyes]

"Of course. Ignis might be a better choice, he's more used to creature comforts than I am. But we'd help you with it, because that's what we do."

Why would they do anything else? They were bringing him in to support him.

[monochromatically]

Mono nodded, “Yeah? I’d like to hear what you both got for ideas.” Because both of them still knew more than he did, at least by default. The boy expected Nida would be the most help with getting sleeping stuff up and cozy in the rafters, and Ignis could probably tell him more about what people did with the rest of their rooms once they knew where they were gonna sleep… Right?

He hoped so, anyway. The only thing he knew about bedrooms for sure was the fact that people slept in them.

Having proper support, people who literally were always there? That would be a good, new experience for him… Something get used to, of course, but it would be good for him once he did.

[skyward_eyes]

"Well, I'm thinking a rope ladder up to the beam, one you can pull up with you."

And he'd want some way for the kid to be secure up there when he napped, so he wouldn't fall. Or maybe a nice mattress to catch him below.

"Or a hammock."

[monochromatically]

“Oh, that would make getting up really easy!” A rope ladder would be pretty neat, plus being able to pull it up after him would be a nice added security. Even if he didn’t need to worry about that here, probably… It would be good to have. His expression perked up a bit at the mention of a hammock. “A hammock? Oh! Is that what those funny material things I saw people hanging between things are called?” They seemed pretty fun, in a way, plus comfy with how they swung lightly.

[skyward_eyes]

"Yes," Nida says, smiling. That could be a very good way to rest. "Probably wouldn't be too hard to put one up."

And he had a lot of confidence that they could set something up to handle the lightness of the kid.

[monochromatically]

“Yeah? That’d be great!” He responded with a little more excitement than before… Really, this all was going to be a bit overwhelming and an adjustment, but… Well, Nida had done a good job of encouraging Mono and giving him ideas and making him feel a little less nervous about the whole thing.

[skyward_eyes]

"Awesome. Well, let me show you the rest of the place, okay?"

Because that was important too.

[monochromatically]

“Yeah, okay!” Mono responded with a surprised turn towards Nida. He had gotten so caught up in everything that he forgot about the rest of the house.

He took one last look at the room before turning away and hurrying out the door after Nida. “Do you got like a… favourite room?” He asked, seeming to not be sure what one might talk about on house tours.

[skyward_eyes]

"My room," Nida admits with a smile. He gestures up to the supports.

"This one? This is smaller than the ones in the room Ignis and I share. And there are big windows too, so I feel really out there."