[OPEN] and it's a bittersweet symphony

[likethelight]

Who: Allen Walker and YOU
What: See above
When: Day 160-162
Where: Various, mostly Sigyn
Rating: Don't foresee it going above PG/PG-13

[CONGRATULATIONS, you have acquired run into one (1) somewhat odd-looking but well-dressed, white-haired polite (mostly sort of) British teen and his somewhat squishy, flying metal(?)... well, who knows what it is (it's a golem), but it's frequently flying after him or perched on his shoulder.

You have perhaps run into him them in:]

Scenario 1 - Sigyn hall [160-162]

[It is morning. It is the Sigyn dining hall. Why, god, why would you be in the same room as him when he's eating. He's a human vac—

Actually, while it's an impressively heaped collection of plates, it's not that unreasonable. Although he does seem to take merry advantage of the fact that it's free. And somewhat atrocious eating manners aside (really, it's like he only has mere minutes to prepare for a season-long famine), he's already ridiculously tidy and dressed for the day. How not quite British odd.

He does seem to get a bit of a thoughtful (melancholic?) pause when he gets up to clean his dishes, though. Like he's looking for someone that isn't there. But it's brief—and then he's softly chiding the yellow sort of blob with wings on his shoulder that's chewing a skewer stick like a toothpick. (Seems the sort to try and mostly keep to himself unless he has reason to otherwise.)

Odd how he even cleans with white gloves on, though. (How does he keep them so white.)]

Scenario 2 - Sigyn hospital [160-162]

[For most of the late morning and afternoon, you can probably expect to find him hurrying to keep up with the directions of at least one rather strict nurse. (No, seriously, she seems a little scary in that familiar sort of way.) For anyone who works or is frequently there, he might be a familiar sight—if an always-busy one. Somehow.

If there's anyone with light injuries that he's able to attend (heal; his hands now, after all...), he's stepping in whenever he can to help that way with gentle reassurances and a sort of quick, nervous but polite smile. Aha, no, he's just a volunteer, but here he'll try—

He's still holding onto those gloves though, scolds from staff notwithstanding. Mostly.]

Scenario 3 - Draupnir/the theatre [162]

[Evening, and it's not a usual place for him, maybe. A theatre and of course that struck him in that way familiar things do when he was first exploring the city, but like a great many things he, well... got distracted from it then until he was reminded of it. There's something playing tonight; indoors, as it's too chill out. (He can see his breath in small puffs if he breaths slow.) Music's floating from in there—a concert, maybe. A piano solo.

(Ah.)

He's outside, though. And easy to miss, if you weren't looking particularly close. Given he's perched up on the lower hanging eaves, by one of the statues and almost easy enough to be mistaken for one, other than the fact they're not of skinny boys in stark black and white. (The golden creature with wings on his shoulder, too, twitches its wings from time to time, and his boots sway over the edge.) Nearer the windows; it's possible to hear the music then.

Faintly.

If anything, it just makes him quieter to hear it, and there's something a little distant and distracted in his expression as he watches the twilight in the distance. At least for a the moment—and there's no pretense of a quick (if frequently somehow... somewhat sad) smile when he thinks he's by himself.]



[Or anywhere in the middle. Really, he could turn up anywhere. That mop of hair could even already look passingly familiar. Easily. In that way of people that are kind of everywhere but always distracted and on their way somewhere, too. Just don't expect him 'home' Sigyn hall if it isn't to eat or sleep.]

Comments

[likethelight]

[ER—

The yelp makes Allen jump a little as well, Timcanpy losing his face immediately (funny how the golem seems immediately subdued the moment he does) and hovering a little just over his head when he turns quickly.] Sorry? [?]

[With a little concern and raising a hand slightly (it's okay, calm down?):] Ah, are you okay? [EVERYTHING LOOKS OKAY AS FAR AS HE KNOWS but she seems scared of something...]

[burntviolet]

[ She... babbles something, a shaky hand pointing to the thing that had a face just now and... doesn't have a face anymore... WHY... ]

[likethelight]

[HE'S TERRIBLY SORRY MISS, HE'S STILL NOT SEEING WHAT THE PROBLEM IS—

—oh.] Ah...

[Realizing what she was pointing at... he thinks? He reaches somewhat gingerly to catch Timcanpy and hold him to his chest. At least he's not flying around and would maybe appear less... scary(?)... then...?

(The golem remains quite docile for it, too, and just wags his wings a little.)

Somewhat tentatively:] ...This is Timcanpy. [he doesn't think he's blind to some ten foot man-eating monster so he guesses she's reacting to... him... (??)

Um.] Is something... wrong? [HE'D LIKE TO HELP, BUT—]

[burntviolet]

[ W-what... for a moment she thinks that thing is one of those Pokemon creatures some people own here. She's tempted to ask, but all she can manage is to move her mouth like a fish, still pointing at that thing shakily. ]

Th-that... s-scared me... It had a-a face...

1/2

[likethelight]

[!] Oh—

[Aha, well—

Suddenly that makes more sense. So he turns Tim around so his 'face' is pointed into his chest instead. (The tail lashes around a little.)]

He, ah— can do that sometimes.

Sorry.

2/2

[likethelight]

[More gently (she still looks scared):] It's alright, he's a golem. He won't hurt anyone.

[burntviolet]

... Won't hurt?

[ She loosens up a bit, but not enough to stop shivering. ]

[likethelight]

[He's really, really sorry—

But he smiles a little more gently. Almost sadly, but not quite.] Mm, no. [Admittedly he sometimes bites Allen and it hurts a lot then, but... that's a bit of a different thing.]

He's very friendly. [Maybe too much so sometimes, but] He likes you if he smiled at you.

[...because he was flirting, probably, but he doesn't need to mention that...]

[burntviolet]

[ She definitely doesn't need to hear that, it'd rather make things worse. ]

... Uh, uhm... [ Trying to stand composed now. The gentle speaking is working, and while she tries to look away from the creature, she stops shivering. ]

I'm sorry for reacting like that.

1/2

[likethelight]

[Ah—

Her face...

He was distracted before with how she was acting, hadn't really noticed—]

2/2

[likethelight]

[Not staring, though. Not at all. If anything it was just a brief pause as he noticed.

It'd be the most hypocritical thing otherwise, after all.] No, that's okay. [It's a bit softer still.]

He can seem a little weird at first. [So can Allen; used to it most of his life.

Hesitating for a second, he lets Timcanpy go just so the golem can perch again on his shoulder; faceless and more in the background.

Still with that gentle smile—the see, it's okay, he promises:] My name's Allen.

[burntviolet]

[ Fortunately, she doesn't realize he was thinking about the scars that marked half of her face and her right hand.

Her eyes focus on the creature that's gone back to the man's shoulder and stopped moving. When she's definitely sure it's not going to show that face again, her shoulders lower considerably, showing less tension. ]

I'm Hanako... Hanako Ikezawa.

[likethelight]

[Gregarious as Timcanpy can be, he's also quite empathetic. He stays quietly on Allen's shoulder more like a shadow, if a still-attentive one.

But when she gives her name, Allen brightens and gives a small nod, smile light and easy.] Nice to meet you, miss Ikezawa.

[Going on with a polite sort of cheer:] Were you getting breakfast? [? Distracting with normalcy, maybe. He presumes she lives here as well since she's, ah, well... here.]

[burntviolet]

[ ... Right, the breakfast. Was checking in the fridge. Still got it open now, and she quietly closes it, turning sheepish. ]

Um... yes, I was.

[likethelight]

[Right then. He smiles again (reassuring, like there's no big deal) before turning around to the stove.]

You won't mind if I make some tea as well, then? [He's British. Dubiously British, perhaps, but.

Yes, he's offering.]

[burntviolet]

[ ... Tea! That's right, she was about to make tea for herself and pick some snacks and... ah, he wants to make tea for her. ]

... I wouldn't mind. I'm sorry for imposing. [ Despite the fact he was the one who offered... ]

[likethelight]

[He's already busying himself setting the kettle to boil.]

It's fine. [Cheery, almost.] I don't mind.

[Meanwhile Timcanpy has stayed quiet and to himself, like a bright sort of shadow still on Allen's shoulder. More artificial than as animated as he had first been.]

[burntviolet]

[ Still stealing glances at the golem thing, Hanako moves from her previous spot, leaving room for him to prepare everything. She'll decide to settle herself at the table. ]

Um... thank you.

[likethelight]

[He doesn't need much and it's more waiting for water to boil. But he smiles a little at that, though. More gently, while he busies himself. Careful clinks of dishes.] Mm. You're welcome.

Truthfully I haven't really had it in a while. [TRUTHFULLY-truthfully he's more a juice person if it's his choice, but.] It reminds me a lot of some people back home.

[Speaking more softly though. Like it's more that he means to fill the silence and try to mend things from earlier.]

It's something that's nice to share with others. [Though funny, he can only think of coffee and how the science department always reeked of it.

But not in a bad way.]

[burntviolet]

... Really? [ If tea didn't remind her of Lilly, she would lie so hard. ] I feel the same, actually.

[ She can only... nod slowly at that. ] I often drink alone, but sometimes I find myself with my friends here.

[likethelight]

[Ah?

He smiles over his shoulder at that.]

It's good for that.

A friend of mine, she used to make coffee for everyone similarly. It was her way of making them feel a little more at home.

[burntviolet]

... That friend of yours must be very nice. [ She joins her hands together, nervous. ]

[likethelight]

Mm. She is.

[Ah, but he's done now, and brings the tea over on a tray. English style; they were the cups he found (gravitated towards) and what he's familiar with.

But he sets it down on the table lightly with a slightly sheepish flash of a smile.]

Sorry, I'm still not the best at making it, maybe.... [But he tried. It's not bad; it might be just a tiny bit bitter.]

[burntviolet]

[ No worries, Hanako doesn't like to put too much sugar on it. For now, she'll wait a little bit since it's hot. ]

How long have you been making tea?

[likethelight]

[He pulls out the other chair for himself. By now, Timcanpy's just settled on top of his head like it's the most natural sort of everyday thing, wings and tail drooped a bit.]

It's more that it's been an on and off sort of thing I didn't have a lot of time for, I guess. I traveled a lot.