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 Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:28 am
“Hmm, your father sounds like quite the inventive thinker…” Cellars were another one of those places Leukos was lacking exposure to, and if he was being honest with himself, he’d been hoping the whole brunch there’d be an excuse to go down those stairs too. And now there was one.
It almost made up for the fact that Niamh’s plans were much more lackluster than he had hoped, but he supposed helping clean up was a start. Though, he would have offered even if it hadn’t been suggested anyways: Leukos rather liked cleaning. He finished off his omelet and rose as the other boy did, rolling his eyes with a grin at the theatrical request: it sounded like some ridiculous line he used to pull to get out of working when he was younger. Which may or may not have been successful 80% of the time~
He stepped in close to Niamh and took his hand, dipping into a mock bow as he kissed his knuckles, “How could I possibly refuse the request of such an enchanting damsel in distress when it is worded ever so eloquently? I shall fetch the water you need with haste~” He released his hand to instead reach around Niamh’s hip, pulling the young man flush with his chest, “Though I am a little disappointed in your creativity: I am sure you can do better than that. Considering I’ve learned just how vivid your imagination can be…”
Fiddling with the scarf atop Niamh’s head to straighten it out, he continued, “Your mother really is such a sentimental woman. Did you know she’s saved every single one of the paintings you’ve ever created? I had no idea you were such a prolific little artist~” He arched a wry eyebrow down at him, tipping the boy’s chin up as he slid a few fingers under his jaw, “Though I must say…I think I might be a fan of your earliest work. It really carries that spontaneous spark that only comes from the mind of a child…”
And with that he stole a quick kiss before releasing the young Matoran, making a swift exit to the mouth of the stairs heading down into the cellar. But not before he stopped for a moment, tossing him a sly little smile over his broad shoulder, “I’ll let that soak in along with the dishes~” Then he disappeared downstairs into the gloom, before a response could be uttered.
[8/10]
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Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:06 pm
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A soft blush colored Niamh's cheeks as Leukos took his hand and played along with his damsel-like request... and then darkened as he brought up his mother's hoarding problems, "She wouldn't- I swear..." He pressed his lips together and placed a few more items into the pot to soak. Nayeli had no doubt went over the meaning of each one, or what she interpreted the meaning to be through the colors and the brush strokes... That poor b*****d~ He would have to make up for that at a later date.
It wasn't until moments after Leukos's form drifted toward the pantry that a sheet of cold panic washed over Niamh, "Leu! Those stairs- there's 9 of them and they're quite narrow!" Frantically grabbing for a towel, he dried his hands and rushed after him, "It's also very dark until," 'one, two, three' Suddenly plagued with doubt, he found himself counting to be sure, "You get to the bottom and light the lantern-" 'four, fiv-' He felt his heel catch the edge of the fourth step as he fumbled his way through the remaining steps. Using the railing to keep from face-planting he staggered and fell directly against Leukos; grasping his shoulders to catch his balance.
There he stood- barely; His body tense, chest froze mid-breath. Niamh's face was so red it could possibly brighten the darkest room, his mouth hung open with mixed emotions of embarrassment, terror, and disbelief, "I-I... Ummh-" Urging himself to come down off of his adrenaline rush, he loosened his grip and gently brushed his fingers against the nape of Leu's neck. Draping his other arm over his shoulder Niamh purred, "My... hero~"
MissMisnomer =w= I'm slowly coming around to figuring out how this guy works his awkward love/romance thing...
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Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:37 am
He’d figured that retrieving the water would be a simple task. Go down the stairs, peak around a bit, leave with bucket. 1, 2, 3, easy peasy. Drop an embarrassing little bomb on Niamh and relish in his awkward squirming as he tried to recover. The last thing Leukos had expected was for that same boy to come hurtling into the cellar like a Perzi whose tail had been stepped on, dithering on about something to do with the stairs as he came careening down them. He had to take a steadying step back to balance out the sudden weight thrust upon him, hand out to press against the solid stone wall as he caught the boy. Well, rather broke his fall really, as he mostly served as a barrier to keep him from falling flat on his face.
Blinking down at the boy, the gloom was not enough to hide the wide spectrum of emotions that came over his scarlet face, a positive cornucopia of things to appreciate. And then came his slinky little recovery, going from stuttering mess to coy minx in an instant as he draped himself over Leukos.
By the Gods he was adorable.
There was no way he could stop the hearty laugh that suddenly bubbled out of him, wrapping an arm around Niamh’s waist as he easily hoisted him up, making a little one-eighty to place the boy’s feet firmly on the dirt ground. His outburst simmered down into amused chuckles, grabbing another quick kiss before releasing the lad with a devilish grin, “If you wanted so badly to be alone down here with me, you simply could have asked~”
Reaching out, he found the lantern in the dim light cast from the open door upstairs, starting up a flame to illuminate the space. He turned his attention back to Niamh, casting him another smirk as he remarked, “You didn’t need to go through all that: I’ve found my way down a flight of stairs in the dark before.” He propped a hand at his hip, moving the lantern in an ark around him, “But I guess since you’re here, want to make my life easier and tell me where I can find this bucket we need?”
[9/10]
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 6:04 pm
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"Heynow~ I believe my demonstration was a great example of why I was concerned for you~" Niamh sheepishly defended his actions, "A strange basement with barely any light~ It can get kind of sketchy." he bit his lower lip and snickered, "Especially when you're unsuspectingly ambushed." Returning the kiss affectionally, he reluctantly prying himself from the comfort of Leukos's arms. Wiggling his foot back into his slipper, Niamh adjusted the heel, shuffled his foot - to ensure the slipper was snug, then started down the length of the cellar, "The water pump is at the back, right corner; bucket is on the spout." There was still water left in the bucket from earlier, so no need to pump.
Niamh pivoted and walked up to the wine rack, running his index finger down the rows of bottles leaving a line in the dust, "We could pick out a bottle of wine if you'd like~" There was at least three bottles of each kind of fruit in Matori - or at least the ones my father was able to track down; 3 bottles is the smallest batch of wine they were capable of making and storing. "Go have a glass on the patio while brunch settles~"
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:35 pm
Leukos headed down in the direction Niamh indicated, glancing around the gloom at all the things that caught the light: burlap bags containing unknown things, sealed wooden crates, some kind of large box, and the glint of numerous bottles all stacked together in neat rows on a rack. It was about as much as he might have expected to find down here. But he was still glad he had had the chance to see it.
However, the thing that needed his direct attention at the moment was the water pump, retrieving the half-full bucket to hold in one hand as he kept the lantern held high in the other. Upon hearing Niamh‘s words however, the bucket became the last thing on his mind that seemed important. Leukos came over to join the other boy, setting the bale back down as he drew the light of the lantern across the lengths of the bottles, curiosity instantly peaked. “Wow, I hadn't expected to find so many different varieties down here. Your mother really went on a culinary adventure, didn't she?”
He pulled one carefully from its resting place, wiping off dust that obscured the true colors that sloshed around inside the bottle. It looked to be a deep amber, one that caught the light of the candle quite nicely. But something else caught his eye, setting that one back as he slid out another. Even in the dull light, he could tell it was a warm rosy color, soft oranges mixed together with blush pink. Something about it spoke out to him, turning the bottle to face the label out towards Niamh, “This one is quite beautiful. Does it taste as good as it looks?”
[10/20]
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Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:39 pm
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Niamh leaned in and rested against Leu's shoulder to get a better look at the bottle, "Hmmm~" Running a finger across the label he peered back at the shelf to see the empty spot it was pulled from, "It appears to be the last of its kind." Which was more likely a good thing - if it were bad there would be another bottle somewhere in the area of the vacated space, right?
"Unfortunately, I don't often get the pleasure of partaking in my mother's culinary treasures." Being as he was so young; his father generally frowned on it, but he had a guest and it would be rude not to offer~ "The wax sealing the bottle is gray, so I assume this is part of the final batch she made." Niamh trailed off while running his finger up the neck of the bottle and across the wax seal while letting his mind playfully wander, "She ran out of pre-made dyes to color the wax with." Grasping the neck gently he purred, "Guess we'll just have to open it up and find out."
Lifting the bottle from his guest, Niamh traced shapes in the dust coating the bottle while eyeing Leukos, "Is... There anything else you wish to explore down here before returning to the kitchen?" It would seem as though being alone with Leu in this dimly lit space may have inspired a sudden... flirtatious behavior. Niamh was painfully aware of the chores they were shirking, and though returning may be the responsible thing to do- Well, you know what they say; All work and no play~
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Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 11:24 pm
Listening as the boy regaled him with the vague history of the bottle, Leukos let his eyes trail along the path Niamh’s finger left in the thin layer of dust, exposing little glimpses of the rosy liquid inside. He didn’t very often get the chance to taste home-made liquors; from his experience, each bottle was very hit or miss. Either you wound up with a glass of one of the most wonderful flavors to ever grace your tongue, or a cup full of unsavory combinations so rough it made you question the very sanity of its brewer. Judging from what he’d learned of Niamh’s mother, this felt like it had an equal chance of going either way. Hopefully they wouldn’t be pouring it into the gutter any time soon~
He set the lantern down atop the rack of wine as Niamh fiddled with the bottle, feigning interest in a flask containing a scarlet wine inside, “I can think of a few things I am quite interested in seeing…” Pivoting in place, he slid his hand along the divot of Niamh’s lower back, stepping in close as he tipped him back into a gentle dip, “But I wouldn’t want to intrude on your hospitality.” Skimming his hand along the other Matoran’s arm, he slipped fingers around his wrist, drawing Niamh’s hand along with the bottle out of the space between their chests as he smiled down at him, “Unless of course...you are offering to give me a guided tour~?”
[11/20]
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 8:09 pm
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Niamh felt a tingle up his spine as Leu slipped his hand around his waist, lowering him into a dip. Giggling softly he placed his free hand up on Leukos's shoulder, and stepped in close as he rose back to his feet, "But of course it would be guided~ If we're lucky we may even get a little lost..." he gave a nod to the wine, "being as we'll be under the influence of spirits~" he bit back a laugh at the corny play on words; it had been ages since he had this much fun. Running his hand down Leu's chest, Niamh looked up into his eyes, "Guess we should get to these dishes..." He murmured, planting a gentle kiss on Leukos's lips, Niamh stepped back and started for the stairs. "We'll be needing that lantern by the time we get around to the tour~"
As he stepped up through the attic door, he found Nayeli finishing up the last of the dishes that were stacked off on a white cloth."Oh~" She gasped, clearly caught off guard by the moving door, "I thought you boys stepped out..." Drying her hands she stepped away from the counter, "Just came in for a cup of tea and I found these here..." Setting the towel down she grabbed her cup and raised it slightly, "back to the garden~ sorry again!" Nayeli sipped a bit from her cup as she scurried out the back door to the gardens.
Niamh shook his head at his mother's nosiness. She may have honestly been doing the dishes, but she was a curious creature, and likely wanted to see how things were going, "Well, If you would just place the bucket there, we can rinse these, then dry and put them away quick." Setting the bottle aside, Niamh whirled around the Kitchen opening the various cupboard doors and drawers they would need to return items to. Grabbing the towel set aside by his mother, Niamh asked, "Would you like to rinse/spot check, or dry and put away?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 1:52 pm
Humming quietly against the soft kiss, he let Niamh out of his arms to head back up into the kitchen, blowing out the lantern as they ascended the stairs. With the way his question had been worded, Leukos had supposed that Niamh wanted to get into some trouble right then and there. And while he was always open to that, the part of his mind that was not disappointed by carnal wants going unmet was a bit relieved that they hadn’t started anything just yet. He would have hated to leave a mess upstairs while they were having fun, which would have been terribly rude.
Almost as if to confirm these fears, they emerged from the basement just as Nimah’s mother was finishing up with washing the dishes. Before they could say anything though, the woman had swept away again, leaving them alone. With a huff Leukos set the bucket on the counter, eying the pile of clean dishes. See, now she would think he was trying to shirk helping out, like some kinda’ privileged oaf. But it was too late for that now: he’d just have to do a good job cleaning up the rest of the kitchen so she didn’t get the wrong idea.
Leukos took one of the dishes from the pile, dipping it into the bucket as he shrugged, “I think it best that I handle the rinsing, seeing as I don’t know my way around the kitchen as well as you do.” He pulled the dripping plate out of the water, gave it a quick once-over, and handed it to Niamh. “This way the task can get done faster, and we can move on to more leisurely activities~”
[12/20]
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 5:30 pm
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"Fair enough," Niamh chimed while taking the plate and wiping it with a dry rag, "but I warn you~ Sarkis is a hardass," he paused a moment holding back a laugh as his mind took turns he wasn't exactly prepared for, " and my mother, bless her heart, she tries... but she's terrible at cleaning." Or rather she doesn't have the temperament to be bothered with it. Setting the plate off to the side he was reminded of a time when he and Miri had put on a fashion show for their mother.
They had clothes and makeup and jewelry strung out all across the entryway; after all, it was their dressing room~ The quick solution to cleaning up before their father returned from work was to shove everything in the entry way closet. When Sarkis went to put his coat away, well, let's just say that while mom made supper, Niamh and Miri were taught a valuable lesson on doing things right the first time. There were several other memories of Niamh being woken up in the middle of the night to rewash dishes because if he wanted to run a business someday he can't be lazy with something as petty as dishes... or something like that. Honestly, half the time he was just too tired to care, some times it's just easier to agree and go along with the madness.
Once he had both plates dried he stashed them away in the cupboard and waited for the glasses before closing the door, "So~ I figure we can explore the upstairs first, just to get it out of the way... You've seen most of the main floor, but I'll point out the few pieces you've missed before going upstairs." Which would make it the second thing they go do, but he didn't bother to correct himself, "Then after that we can essentially just walk the perimeter of the yard on the walkways between my room and Miri's."
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 7:04 pm
He chuckled at Niamh’s comments, believing one-hundred percent that his mother could be the messy type. She seemed too laid back to be worried about those kinds of things. It was a wonder then that their house still remained so tidy, all things considered. But he supposed all clues pointed towards them being a family with money, so it was unlikely they lacked a servant to do the chores for them.
But then again...here they were doing the dishes and the cooking. Which made Leukos pause as he mulled over that, swishing the two cups about in the water before handing those over as well to Niamh.
Were things that different in Matori? Didn’t the wealthy have servants as well? There was no way; with everything he’d learned of the nobility, he couldn’t believe for a second that rich people here were any different than rich people in Oba. They were too good to do their own work, no matter where they might come from. Perhaps the bar was just set a little differently, maybe Niamh’s family wasn’t as well off as he had thought?
It was an interesting socio-economic question that he’d have to chew on later, as now was not the time or place to be asking so personal a question that could be taken as offensive. Next came the utensils, which he dropped into the water as he nodded at Niamh, “However you’d like to lead the tour, I’ll be happy to follow. I’m sure there are many more interesting tidbits and stories you can share that your mother might not have already~” He pulled a knife out, tilting his head a bit curiously, “Miri is your sister, correct? Where might she be at the moment? I haven’t seen her all morning, is she an early riser?”
[13/20]
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 8:11 pm
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Niamh gave a hearty laugh while announcing sarcastically, "I have a sister?!" drying out the inside of the cups he placed them alongside the plates and shut the cupboard door, "As soon as she was able to stand she was on a ship. Miri had always loved the sea; her room is the closest to it. She would always take late night strolls to the beach, she spent most of her childhood sneaking onto trade vessels."
Throwing the towel over his shoulder Niamh leaned against the counter and let out a heavy sigh, "As kids we were inseparable, or at least I was from her... but shortly after coming of age she took to work on the open waters." He smirked a moment while staring at a smudge on the cabinet door, "Of course Father hated the idea of her working outside the family, but if he hadn't been so stubborn she'd have started with us." As he finished scrubbing the smudge he turned back to begin scooping up the utensils as they were rinsed, "She runs one of our longest hauls, popping in from port city to port city all the way down the continental coast of Tendaji."
It was a job she chose, a job she loved, but it didn't make it any easier on Niamh. She only has to stop home once or twice a year with her current route, most of the requests she fills are brought by other smaller vessels and once they are completed they are sent back to Matori the same way. "I envy the places she must see... We write, but it's not the same." Feeling a bit defeated by the current conversation he gave Leu a half hearted smile, "What about you, have any siblings? Anyone back in the Troupe waiting on pins and needles for your next letter."
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 12:29 am
Leukos continued to rinse and inspect each dish from their meal, alternating between focusing on that and giving Niamh the attention he deserved as he spoke. She almost sounded like the polar opposite of Nimah, going out on grand adventures and going against their father’s wishes. Though he supposed that might not be true: Niamh seemed to have quite the rebellious streak himself. He certainly did not seem opposed to getting into some mischief anyways.
Perhaps it was more apt to say that his sister seemed to go one step further, pulling on her tether a bit harder than Niamh had ever tried, until it eventually snapped loose. Maybe he’d be as bold some day, maybe not. It wasn’t really Leukos’ business, or his concern. He doubted he’d be around long enough to see it.
As the conversation turned towards him instead, Leukos pulled the washcloth from the bucket, moving to start wiping down the counter as he spoke, “Ah. Unfortunately, no, I grew up without any brothers or sisters. I would have loved to though; I’ve always envied that special bond siblings seem to share. Like no matter where you go or what happens in your life, you’re never truly alone…”
He looked up from his task to smile at the other Matoran, moving on to tackle the stove next, “And whether or not anyone is losing sleep over me, I can’t say. I like to think I’m missed, if for nothing else than at least the variety I bring to our act. We all certainly make our jabs at each other, and I can be a bit of a hassle sometimes, but it’s all in good fun. From what I’ve observed, I believe we interact more like a large family than a business practice, though I do not have much experience with either.”
Returning to the bucket, he rinsed out the dirtied cloth, squeezing all the water out, “They’ve all done so much for me, when giving up might have been the easiest course of action…” His eyes were distant for a moment, walking through memories of the past, “…and for that, I can never truly repay them.” And then he was back, giving Niamh a smile that was laced with genuine warmth as he set that towel aside to dry, “So, well, how about that bottle of wine~?”
[14/20]
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:02 am
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Placing the last of their utensils where they belong, Niamh plucked a spiral like device for plucking the cork from the bottle, and two glasses, "I dare say you read my mind~" he purred while setting the delicate glasses down on the counter, "If you would do the honors." He asked while handing the opener over. It would definitely be interesting to see what kind of sweet hell they were about to unleash by springing the cork from the bottle's neck. There was a reason he hadn't had too many glasses of his mother's concoctions; they packed a punch~ There were a few times he could recall, early in the process, where his mother and father had tried to tackle a bottle to themselves, alone, on the deck overlooking the garden. And it was usually there, alone, on the deck overlooking the garden where he found them the next morning- their glasses balancing delicately on their fingertips. Considering this was one of the later batches, hopefully, Nayeli learned her lesson... But Niamh had his doubts~
While waiting for the cork to be sprung Niamh leaned on the counter and revisited their early conversation, "No doubt you'd be missed, lest they be fools..." he snorted while crossing his arms. "I can say in all my time traveling with my father I had never seen an act quite as tantalizing as yours... Never seen another earthling who could move that way~" His eyes soften as he briefly revisited their first encounter. Turning his gaze up to meet Leu's eyes he kept his tone soft and honest, "You are truly something special, Leukos, and anyone who couldn't recognize that is lesser for it."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:08 pm
Leukos took the bottle opener and began screwing it into the cork, making quick work of the task until the handle was flush with the wax sealing the top. He began the process of prying it out, but felt he simply had to stall, honestly a bit overwhelmed by Niamh’s sincere flattery. It was just so kind and unexpected and well…you’d have thought he was used to receiving compliments by now, people always buttering him up for some reason or another. But in truth even though he talked a big talk and walked a big walk, he’d always had a problem with trying to figure out how he could get better. So nothing ever really felt like it was enough, like there must certainly be someone out there doing a better job at it than him. And he was still so young, he still had so much to learn, about―really―everything.
So he found himself unexpectedly bashful, cheeks growing dark as he tried to find words to respond with. “Oh―no―really, I’m not…” he stammered, covering his eye, then his mouth, tipping his flush face away to mumble between fingers, “Oh Gods―wow―thanks...” He ran a hand though his hair, laughing through his awkward bout of self-consciousness, setting the bottle down on the counter. His eyes flickered over to Niamh’s face, then darted back, laughing again as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m really not that special; there are so many things I have wrong with me, which I need to fix…and can get better at, and just―oh lord, look at me, blushing like a girl receiving her first kiss!”
The best course of action to avoid any more embarrassing rambling from his out of control tongue was to simply shut his mouth, prying the cork out with a loud POP. The rosy wine that he poured into the two glasses hardly matched the hue of his own cheeks, sliding one over for Niamh to take. In that moment he wished he could climb into the bottle itself and just drown himself in the alcohol. What kind of bumbling fool was he, to be brought to this kind of state just from a simple compliment!
Without a thought to propriety at the moment, Leukos took hold of his own cup and downed the whole glass, pouring himself another to replace the one he’d scarfed down. Had it been good? It had been hard to taste it; the burn didn’t cause him to pause―so that was probably a good thing, right? But how was he supposed to form an opinion when he’d chugged it down like some lush, the first glass of a homemade wine, no less! He covered his face with his palms, even more embarrassed now, “Oohhhh no, I’m so sorry, we didn’t even toast or anything…”
[15/20]
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