aterat | A quiet afternoon and surprise packages

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A quiet afternoon and surprise packages

Who; Llewellyn & Rhy
What; Closed Log
Where; Their house
When; Sometime in September, I’m late
Warnings; None but will update if necessary

It was a quiet, almost cozy afternoon for one household in the neighborhood just off the main streets of the market district. The warm, bright afternoon sun filtered in through the windows that had been left open in favor of the light breeze for fresh air now that the dreadful foggy weather had cleared away. The summer slowly giving way to the approaching fall season that seemed to signal the change around the market as much as the weather was. The fall drinks, and food, and seasonal items seemed to be everywhere. Llewellyn didn’t find that he minded.

He’d always enjoyed pumpkin pie, so the assorted pumpkin spiced items were definitely intriguing. Which was why he’d brought both him and his husband something home from the café on his way back from work early. Something to sip on and see what they thought as they relaxed and enjoyed one another’s company on one of the afternoons they found themselves free on the same day. Something the detective had come to appreciate and cherish, especially as he knew that the busy season was incoming for his husband. Fall and winter clothing lines would be, he expected, in high demand.

So, the afternoon found them comfortably curled up on the sofa in the library, enjoying the peace and whatever book or project they had on the go in one another’s company. Drinks set on the end tables on either side, and a companionable silence occasionally interrupted by relaxed musings.

Stifling a little yawn, Llewellyn stretched slightly, avoiding the mug on the side table before marking the page of the book in his hand. Eyes drifting to see how Rhy was, he chuckled softly. “Mm… I can’t think of a more comfortable way to spend an afternoon. Though I fear if I find myself much more comfortable, I’ll be napping on you.”

Not that he thought his husband would complain. A little nap here wasn’t a bad thing. Though, unbeknownst to Llewellyn, the quiet would probably be broken soon, as a delivery was incoming as someone walked up the sidewalk towards their home. Undoubtedly, the barking doorbell (Pretzel) would alert them to it soon.

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"I would adore it if you should feel so comfortable as to curl up against me, beloved," Rhy says with a smile. In fact, he reaches his arms out to beckon his partner over, though he has to set aside the scarf he's embroidering for Yuki to do so. That said...

The barking starts and Rhy sighs.

"I didn't think my delivery would be here so soon. I thought the fabric would not be here for another day or so."

“Oh? Then perhaps I should do just that.” He responded with a small grin as he leaned back against Rhy’s side comfortably, being mindful of the other’s project as it’s moved. “That looks nice, dear.” He added, admiring the embroidery. Llewellyn always did love seeing the more intricate work his husband did, the embroidered handkerchiefs he carried around still among his favourite things.

The barking gets a slight rise of his brows. “Mm… It would seem that they surpass expectations of delivery times.” He pressed a little kiss to his husband’s temple before pushing himself up off the sofa. “I’ll go get it and let our little door-dog know he did a good job letting us know someone was there.” The detective chuckled, the barking still going.

"Wonderful," Rhy says, moving to rise for himself. "I'll head into my work room to make space for the bolts then. Are you willing to carry it that far?" he asks as he rises.

That was a good idea. It would save them time if there was already a space for them. Meant they could get back to relaxing together in the library sooner. Stretching lightly, he offered a grin. “Of course, love. I would be mm… quite happy to assist in furthering your beautiful future projects. Even if it’s only transporting supplies.” He offered with a pleased tone, before disappearing downstairs to the door where the delivery person waited.

Offering Pretzel a little praise and a request for silence with the trained signal, he opened the door and was surprised to find it was not, in fact, bolts of fabric waiting to be sorted. “Hm… Uh- well, thank you.” He took the two carefully wrapped boxes with a curious rise of his brow. One addressed to Rhy, and one to him… Curious.

Once he finished with the delivery person, he hurried back upstairs with more ease than earlier anticipated. “Rhy, I don’t think this is your fabric. I’m actually not sure what this is.” He offered as he neared the work room and leaned in the doorway, holding up the boxes.

"You don't-"

Rhy turns to look at his husband as he enters and... yes. There's definitely boxes. In his hands. And boxes too small for bolts. How interesting. That's a thing isn't it?

"Well then, bring them over anyway. I have my knife, we can open them now and see what this is."

“Nope, I don’t.” Llewellyn offered a small smile to his husband; it was indeed a thing.

The detective nodded, though, to the request. “Mm, excellent! I find myself a bit curious about what this could be… I know I didn’t order anything myself, and it looks like there’s one addressed to each of us.” He mused, setting the boxes down in front of Rhy to open. “No return address either to indicate where they came from.”

"How intriguing."

HE doesn't have the caution to wonder about that, or worry about it. Instead he uses his knife to cut the string on his and work the paper open.

"Maybe it's from a friend?"

“Perhaps? None of them have mentioned sending anything, though...” And Llewellyn hadn’t considered it might be something to worry about, it didn’t seem to fit the norm for the oddities that happened around here… The detective didn’t think either of them had made enemies to worry about either.

Leaning against the worktable lightly, he watched as his husband worked one of the packages opened. “Could also be like those gifts the Aspects gave during the ball last winter, though I can’t imagine what the occasion would be this time.”

"Surely they should be here if it was that," he suggests as he works his own open and...

A stone. And dirt?

"I think I'm lost here, beloved."

Llewellyn raised a brow, eyeing the contents of the package Rhy had opened with a curious hum. “I confess I’m uh- not entirely sure I can say that I’m not also lost, dear. Definitely not what I would have expected.” Looking at the other package that was similarly sized, he carefully opened his own to reveal the very same sight.

“Mm… It would seem someone decided we both needed a confusing gift.” Picking up one of the stones, he rolled it lightly between his fingers and held it up to get a better look at. “Kind of reminds me of a seed in shape and size. Pretty though.” And the fact that the box was full of what seemed like rather rich soil was interesting… It made sense to send him that, given his hobby… But it seemed like there might be better choices for Rhy. Even if the stone, or seed, or whatever it was, did have a pretty shine to it. “Maybe someone thought we could use a gardening project for two?”

"They really have," he says with a sigh. It was something he was used to from his time as a prince, but now he was definitely trying to follow his husband's logic.

"A seed? You think? If it is that, then we should definitely consider planting them. I wonder what it will be."

He lifts his box and checks all around the packaging for possible notes to explain it.

“I think it’s possible, not sure why the box would be full of soil otherwise either.” He deposited the stone or seed back in one box. “It looks like good soil too, like I used in the garden.” Maybe nicer, actually.

Smiling at the idea, he offered his husband a small nod. “I think trying might be the only way to get a better answer. If it’s not a seed, then it probably won’t grow, but if it is… Well, then uh- we’ll know we were, right?”

"Alright then," he says with a nod. If they were going to do this then they were going to do this. "How do we plant these then? Is there something special we're supposed to do?"

“I think we should start by finding a safe place for them. Perhaps you could clear an end table off that they could rest on, and I’ll go grab a few things from my gardening supplies we can use.” He offered with a smile, knowing he had a spare pair of gardening gloves Rhy could wear.

And a safe place to set up their little joint project was important, though, to avoid it being bumped into and knocked over by either of them or an excited dog running around.

Alright then, he can do that. He moves over to one of his work tables to clear for now for the boxes.

"Please do. I'd love to see this done."

“Then I’ll be right back, love.” He responded with a smile, disappearing out the door while Rhy began sorting.

It didn’t take him long to find a small spade, a few other things, and the gloves. He did stop to check on Pretzel, making sure he was settled with a full water dish and a treat to keep him occupied. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have any more surprise visitors, he mused. At least not until they were done.

Surprise visitors indeed. By the time Llewellyn returns Rhy has long since cleaned up his work space and gotten into studying the box itself, intrigued by the construction of it quite clearly.

"My dear, I think these boxes are also meant to be the pots. They are lovely enough things I suppose."

“So it’s something of an ‘all in one’ kit? That’s convenient… And saves us from looking for something else to plant them in.” He mused and lifted one to get a better look himself. They could have tried planting them in the garden, but given they didn’t know what they were… Best to follow the probable method provided with the seed.

Setting it down, he offered Rhy one of the pairs of gardening gloves. “Here you are, put these on and we’ll mm… see how this goes.”

Edited 2023-10-19 18:50 (UTC)

"It really is convenient."

And it would make someone feel uncomfortable if they put more thought into it. Rhy didn't bother thining too hard about it.

"Thank you," he says, taking the gloves and pulling them on.

Anyone who was unfamiliar with gardening would probably be a bit lost, so Llewellyn had to agree. Plus, indoor plants could be as nice as outdoor ones. Especially at this time of year, the detective rather liked the idea of having something to tend to indoors as the fall chill settled.

“You’re welcome, dear. Now… It’s a bit unfortunate that we don’t know what kind of plant these are for, but we can see what happens. If nothing happens over time, I suppose we can assume that we need to make a change.” He mused, pulling on his own gloves and digging a small hole into the earth of one of the boxes.

"Would it not be ruined already?" he asks as he pushes a hole into his own. This he looks at. "Do you think it deep enough?"

“Potentially, or it might need a little more nurturing in the right way.” He responded with a hum, before leaning over lightly to check on the hole Rhy had dug in the box. “That looks perfect, my love.” He added with a smile, moving back to pick up his own seed to plant.

"And what is the right way?" he asks with a tilt of his head. But with the reassurance he does put the seed into the hole he pushed and tries to cover the seed.

“That depends on what we’re planting. Given we aren’t sure what, I can’t say for sure. If we don’t see a change over time, I’ll mm… review them.” He confirmed with a soft smile. There wasn’t much they could do without knowing more about it beyond trial and error. Hopefully, though, they wouldn’t have to worry about that.

"Do we water them now?" Rhy asks, intrigued. He had never managed the plants in their garden as much as his husband had, though he had appreciated it.

"And do they need a place to live other than the table?"

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