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 Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:12 am
“That’s still really cool!” Aina said, still star-struck despite Lorin’s explanation of it. She hummed, smiling ear to ear as she nodded in agreement. “Yeah! Miss Minerva is real nice! She’s Anita’s mama… have you met Anita before?” Aina gasped; it hadn’t crossed her mind that Lorin might not have, yet. “Or – or Cruz?” she asked further, holding Lorin’s hand in both of hers with an overwhelming burst of excitement. If Lorin hadn’t met either of them, Aina knew that had to be remedied as quickly as possible.
“I didn’t know you have a puppy, Miss Ivy! When’d you go to a beach party? Grandpaaa,” She turned to her grandfather with a small frown as she smoothed out her blanket as much as she could on top of the grass. Once the baskets were in place, Duncan sat next to her, chuckling.
“The beach party was a while ago, before you were born, Aina. I’m sure there’ll be many beach parties to come in the summer,” Duncan explained. Aina seemed content enough with his explanation, and she rolled as closely to Lorin’s blanket as she could, reveling in the shade and flowers that Lorin mentioned. She smiled up at Claire from her spot, her hands folded over her chest.
“Thank you, Miss Claire!” she said, sitting up and wiggling closer to the woman to give her a small hug to her side. “I can help you an’ Lorin with your garden if you want. ‘M sure it’ll be real pretty, though.” The Frei likewise hummed and nodded in agreement to all of Lorin’s suggestions – it was a little difficult to wrestle both listening and gathering picnic items for the Frei, but she managed to catch herself before dropping a Tupperware onto the blankets.
“Oh – oh! Mhm! Miss Cadi is your Sissy? Lorin, your family’s so cool!” Aina turned to Lorin, full of awe – she nodded more enthusiastically than ever at the question posed, digging through one of her grandfather’s picnic baskets to find her pink 3DS. “Mhm! I know ‘bout Star Wars an’ video games! D’you have one’a these?” she asked hopefully, opening the device to the sights of Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Duncan chuckled while opening containers of berry cobbler and fruit.
“I hope these are alright,” Duncan said to the women, “Oh – and a treat from the farm store for Lorin,” he whispered, revealing an ample bundle of flavored honey sticks wrapped inside of a cloth for Claire and Ivy to see. He handed the bundle to Claire, laughing, “I’m not sure how much sugar the little one can handle, but Mordekai insisted on giving him every flavor.”
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Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 10:16 pm
Lorin shook his head slowly at the slew of new names while he patted his blanket flat. "Nu-uh, I don't know them. Are they Raevans too?" Based on the small bit of information he had just gotten, Minerva must have been the guardian, much as his mama was his guardian and his mama. Aina's excitement was apparent in how she gripped his hand, and he beamed in anticipation of more friends down the pipeline. "Are they real nice?"
The leshy Frei, too, was surprised at the news of a beach party he had not known about, and he whipped his head around to look at his mama and grandma with a look of betrayal. Ivy and Claire laughed in tandem at Aina's banter and Lorin's matching pout, both kneeling to the blanket and passing Tupperware to one another like a small conveyer belt. The tub with Lorin's arugula salad met his awaiting hands while he watched the goings-on between Aina and her grandfather. "Don't worry, sweetpea, there'll be plenty," Ivy assured her, chorusing agreement to Duncan's promise. She smiled fondly as she set a short stack of paper plates before her with a satisfied pat. "You'll get to meet Misha real soon, promise. He loves kids. Maybe next time you both come up or we come down." The open-ended statement followed with a loud bark of a laugh, and Claire hummed happily at Aina's exuberance.
"You're welcome any time, and we would love the help, wouldn't we Lorin?" She turned the conversation over to him as she set the drink tote at the corner of their blanket, and Lorin nodded enthusiastically, jolting forward when Aina's burden tumbled but she was faster on the uptake and he waited with his hand in the air. He, likewise, recovered quickly with a beaming smile.
"Yeah! We got lotsa flower seeds planted but they're still sleeping right now," he explained. "But the ones we got are real pretty. And we're gonna get a tree soon!" Claire and Aaron had been planning the garden with a fruit tree as the centerpiece, but the type of tree had been the subject of debate lately. As Aina dug out her 3DS, he scooted closer to get a better look at the game, brightening as he recognized the intro screen from his time with Cadi. "Mmhm! She's my sissy and she showed me lots of Star Wars stuff and some things on here. I don't got one yet but I play on Sissy's! Maybe sometime I can get one." His wings fluttered as he settled onto the blanket, his ribbon coiling beneath him neatly. "We play this game a lot - what animals d'you got in your village? What didja name it?" Claire's hand nestled on her cheek watching the children getting along so well, taking note of Lorin's enthusiasm about the game system - Cadi had mentioned as much, and if he could play together with his friends, then it seemed like a sound investment. She settled a tub of cookies down next to Duncan's cobbler, her hands pausing as they pried it open when their companion revealed the bundle, and both women leaned forward to get a better look.
"Oh, he'll love these." Claire sighed and took the bundle gently in one hand, the fingers of her free hand strolling through the variety of flavors while Ivy peeked over her shoulder with an appreciative whistle. "Tell Mordekai we really appreciate it, thank you both so much!" She wrapped the bundle back up and passed it to Ivy, who leaned over to tuck it in one of their large totes, safely away from young, prying fingers.
"Just as long as he only gets one at a time," she chuckled with a knowing glance towards the children. Her eyebrows drew up as she grinned at Duncan. "Boy gets hyper as all get out on too much honey, but maybe one today after lunch'll give him a little energy for playtime."
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:16 pm
“Mm-mm!” Aina giggled, shaking her head in tandem with her answer. “Cruz is a Raevan, an' he's my big brother! But Miss Minerva an' Anita aren't. Anita's my papa's girlfriend,” she explained, smiling fondly in remembering them. She nodded, bobbing a bit as she swung her and Lorin's hands. “They're really really nice! You gotta meet 'em real soon, okay?” she said, brightening a bit. “An' they gotta puppy, too! His name's Tango. Him and Misha can be friends!”
Aina seemed somewhat placated by Ivy and Duncan's reassurances at more beach parties, and she hummed, reaching for the Tupperware of fruit salad and holding it against her cheek – any and all cold she could get her hands on was a blessing, the Tupperware was still slightly cool from its time in the fridge. “Both! Both,” Aina replied, nodding firmly, and Duncan chuckled. It seemed as though a year of not seeing the Holmes-Wainwrights was simply too much to bear for the rain Frei, and it would be hard make her let go once this picnic would eventually draw to a close.
“If you would like any tools, seeds, or pots, we are happy to bring anything over. Though – I'm sure your grandmother is already an expert on those matters,” Duncan chuckled, glancing at Ivy. At the mention of a new tree installation, Duncan's smile widened, and he glanced down at Aina. “That's wonderful news, Lorin! A part of Aina was from a tree in our garden,” he explained, and Aina nodded proudly.
“Mhm! We gotta pomegranate tree! Or – or you can get a lemon tree, or an apricot tree! Or apples, or persimmons,” Aina's tone of voice reduced down to an excitable whisper the more fruits she named, her rune pulsing a slight pink the hungrier she became. More than aware of the cue, Duncan opened the lid to the fruit salad for Aina to munch on, but the Frei seemed a bit too distracted with her DS to notice. The rain Frei hummed, grinning brightly as she began her and her papa's main file on New Leaf as Lorin spoke of Cadi. Her villager had pink hair with pigtails, donning an array of accessories she'd collected overtime, and her village seemed near-overrun with flowers.
“I named my town Hartline, 'cause that's my papa's farm,” she replied, cheerfully hopping around her town. “Um... umum, I got Cheri! She's my favorite,” Aina announced happily, “an' Bones, an' he's my papa's favorite! An'... I forget... d'you wanna play?” she asked, handing the 3DS to Lorin with a curious smile. “I wanna see your Sissy's village, too!”
Duncan smiled at the two women, inclining his head some at Claire's thanks, laughing some at Ivy's whistle. “Of course. I'll be sure to tell him,” he replied, his smile widening as Ivy carefully stowed the honey sticks somewhere safe. He grinned, charmed by the idea of a hyper Lorin after too much honey – it seemed ideal to have the little leshy meet Aina during her more active months, given the idea.
“I'm sure they'll need plenty of time to explore.” He glanced at the two Freis as they played on the 3DS, and he leaned forward slightly, speaking gently to the young ones. “Aina, Lorin, how's about we enjoy the game after a meal and some sun? Isn't the garden beautiful?” he asked, glancing up and around to call attention to the flora around them. Aina looked where her grandfather did, wings bristling slightly as she noticed some folks walking along the garden path not far away from them.
“I'm just showin' him my village, an' then can we go explore?” she asked, and Duncan glanced to Claire and Ivy.
“After lunch, I don't see why not.”
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 10:25 pm
Lorin marveled at Aina's reply as she described the three and their puppy, drawn in by her fondness. He did not know that Raevans could have siblings, but he wondered if it was something akin to how he viewed Cadi - he and Cadi were not blood related, but she was his Sissy all the same. His mama had told him that he and the other Raevans all came from the same place, and if that were true, did that make many of them siblings, or was it in a more roundabout sense? There was so much to consider that his brow knit in thought but Aina's brightness brought him back, and he swung his hands with hers, nodding. "I will! They must be real nice, too, especially 'cause they have a dog. People who have dogs're always nice." A short distance away, Ivy hunched over the picnic basket she was unloading with a fond laugh, and he beamed. Grandma laughed a lot, particularly when he said something she agreed with.
As they helped to unload and talked of future plans, Lorin, too, buzzed with excitement. His antennae stood at attention as he shuffled around the Tupperware from his family's bags, giving them a solid pat on the lid once he had placed them. He was excited about another visit, but even more excited to have them come to his house, and he directed his smile to Duncan. "Mmhm, Grandma's got lotsa stuff, but if you got stuff she doesn't got, that's good, too."
"Well, y'all do have a bigger yard than we do." Ivy tilted her head towards Duncan and grinned as she lowered herself to the blanket with a grunt. "I'll have to come over sometime, see your wares. We can do business." She pointed between the two of them and followed with another brief, joyful laugh. As the subject continued towards their future tree, Lorin sat upright and gazed at Aina intently once Duncan let slip that she came from part of their garden.
"Really?" he asked, awed. "Wow, that's so neat!" Whereas Mama had told him that his soul was far-flung from another corner of the world, Aina had been connected to where she lived from the start, which was a fact he found most interesting. He nodded at Aina's suggestions, dropping his chin into his palms and leaving the Tupperware of sandwiches at his side forgotten for the moment. "I like lemons," he said once she had finished, "but I dunno what persimmons're like. Are they good?" His own rune was dimmed slightly, telling of the boy's hunger as the conversation rolled on, but he, too, was also peering at the 3DS in Aina's hands with ill-disguised curiosity. Claire smiled and pulled out one of the last containers with Lorin's grapefruit, and slid it towards the two Freis.
"Make sure you take a break to eat, you two," she reminded, and Lorin's head bobbed in return while he reached behind him for the Tupperware. He plopped it atop his ribbon while Aina showed him her town, the fruit forgotten for the moment while the pomegranate Frei spoke. The flowers everywhere were stunning, and Aina's character looked so bright and cheerful; the contrast between hers and Cadi's two towns was apparent in set-up and organization, but Lorin was awestruck all the same.
"You got so many flowers!" he managed to say at last. "Does your papa play with you too since you named your town after his farm? That's so cool that he's on a farm. I've never seen one before except on TV." As she offered the 3DS, his smile bloomed and he grasped it carefully so as not to drop it, and he made the character run forward towards a few villagers gathered in the square. "Your town is so neat! I dunno the names of Sissy's villagers but her town is also real cool. She named it The Void," he said knowledgably. Duncan's reminder came at a good juncture, however, and he followed Aina's gaze towards the path. He saw the other visitors of the park but his eye was also drawn up to the hydrangeas flanking the path. Her plea to explore brought his wide smile back and he held the 3DS to his chest in excitement. "Can we, please?" Claire and Ivy met Duncan's gaze, both with lopsided smiles.
"Duncan's right," Claire agreed as she plated a sandwich, passing it to Ivy. "You need your energy before you go exploring after all, don't you?"
"Ohh, mm," Lorin hummed in agreement, then glanced down at the 3DS before he passed it back to Aina. "I dunno how to save. D'you wanna share some of my grapefruit?" He patted the tub on his lap once his hands were free and pulled the lid off. The fresh scent of the citrus made his rune pulse, and he reached for a couple spoons and napkins - grapefruit was always messy business.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:13 pm
“It’s true,” Aina agreed, and the Frei’s agreements brought a laugh on Duncan’s part, though his chuckling as much quieter than Ivy’s. With the fruit and other Tupperware now out on the display on top of their picnic blankets, Aina was feeling a little less inclined to focus on her 3DS now that everything was in full view. There was one planned thing left on the agenda, though, and Aina quickly leaned over next to where Duncan was sitting to grab the small present box for Lorin, tucking it under her arm as she continued to quietly fiddle around with New Leaf. Duncan gave Aina a knowing smile, but he turned to Ivy and Lorin, head bowing modestly at Ivy’s observation.
“If you’re ever free on a weekend, we’re more than happy to do business,” Duncan replied, smiling at Ivy – promises of a future garden date made Aina nod approvingly. He chuckled fondly at Lorin’s sense of awe, and he nodded, an idea springing to mind at the mention of persimmons. “Persimmons are just slightly sweet, and maybe a little tart, if that’s to your liking. We bake them with vanilla and honey after we pick them in the winter,” he said, wondering if that would catch Lorin’s attention any. He was careful to heed Claire and Ivy’s warnings about the boy’s honey intake from now on, but it was always difficult for Duncan to resist offering food.
Fortunately, all the food talk had inspired Aina to begin eating her fruit salad, and she idly nibbled away at it as she continued to explore her town, going through building after buildings to complete her usual round of errands for the next few hours. She beamed proudly at Lorin’s compliment, her wings bristling all the more as she handed her 3DS to Lorin. As he held the device, she leaned to the side to watch him explore Hartline Town, her arms hugging the gift box and Tupperware still.
“You haven’t seen a farm for real? You gotta visit! Papa helps grow a lotta veggies ‘n fruit ‘n keeps the animals healthy,” Aina nodded, bobbing her head to the sound of Animal Crossing music playing quietly from the 3DS. She giggled at the name of Cadi’s village, though the humor was still a bit lost on her. She quickly stuffed a few more bites of fruit down when the incentive of exploring the gardens came to light, and the pomegranate Frei clutched her fists, giving Claire a muffled ‘mm-hm!’ in reply. Duncan placed a gentle hand on her head to remind her to chew, which she did, taking the 3DS from Lorin when it was offered.
“I can just close it,” she assured, snapping the 3DS shut and stuffing it back into her small purse. She glanced back at Lorin and his Tupperware, her eyes brightening at the sight and smell of grapefruit. “Can I have a bite? It looks really tasty… oh! You can have some of my fruit, too,” Aina offered, gesturing to the Tupperware of fruit salad in her hands, which was full of pomegranate arils, apple, and pear. Duncan bowed his head to address the pomegranate Frei, who seemed to be biding her time with her present.
“Before we get our hands too messy, is there something you’d like to give Lorin?” Duncan asked, tapping the top of the gift box. Aina blushed, still feeling somewhat unsure, but she nodded and quickly held out the giftbox for Lorin. It was green and covered in leaves and trees, a memoir of the explanation Claire had given to her of the leshiye last autumn.
“Here you go,” Aina smiled, head dipping a bit. “You don’t gotta open it right now if you don’t wanna, though!”
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