Under the Upholstery

Log Info

• Title: Under the Upholstery
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Vaera, Venom
• Place: Lower Markets, A Private Abode
• Time: December 20th, 2021
• Summary: Vaera and Aryia are hauling furniture back to the nearly vacant abode that Aryia and Violet inhabit. Basic necessities, plus a few other odds and ends, so they no longer needed to use crates and the like for sitting and eating. Vaera herself having made some of the furniture for them. She also gifts them a basket of foods. Violet has some tea and soup brewing for them, and they break in the table by having a meal. Conversation starts light, but Vaera knows the truth and inquires if they can speak plainly. Words become gestures, for appeasement of anxeities, and 'Violet' answers some lingering questions as to why this complicated weave of personas. Finding the conversation too thick, Aryia cuts through it and gets them to speak as friends. Successful, they move onto other topics, such as nest mothers, best soup practices, and so on and so on...

Lower Markets, Lynxstride Lane, Late Afternoon

142A Lynxstride Lane. A small street a couple of blocks away from the heart of the markets. Traffic is light to non existent, as errant small shops litter the road, supplied by humble abodes and condominiums for the more meagerly lived.

One such residency was of the latter, a condo who's door was adjacent to an alleyway. A single window would give way to anything within, were there not heavy, heavy curtains blocking any light from entering, as well as any prying eyes. Though, a singular potted plant rests in the window sill. Black petaled, and closed, despite the time of day.

Aryia is dragging a cart behind her, her clad in a cloak and her jacket to ward off the chill and light snow. The cart was laden with furniture, and it slows to a stop in front of the condo. She knocks on the door. Repeated motions that have a pattern.

"I'm home. Vaera is here." <Handspeech>

Vaera had a good handle on the markets at this point, and helping Aryia to pick up a delivery was not that difficult. She had helped look at much of it, her own experience lending assistance to deciding on what was worth purchasing. Though she did claim that her own work was just as good, if not better, there was only so much she could do in any reasonable amount of time.

"Nice spot, close to the markets." Vaera notes. And, quiet area. Seems like a place you would like. I am surprised it was open for sale, especially given how close it is to winter."

The silence from inside goes for some while after the cycled knocking, but there does come a brief flutter at the curtain before the door lock is drawn.

The door swings open, and a pale woman of human birth in blue robes with an impracticaly long braid of violet streaked raven hair stands exposed beyond it's threshold. Her smile is warm and demure under freckled cheeks that take a subtle rosey hue with the gentle zephyr of the outside air washing over her.

"Welcome home!" she croons warmly, then with a quick curtsey to, "Miss Vaera, I presume? Welcome, please, come in." she draws the door back out of the way so they can start bringing things in.

Aryia bobs her head at Vaera, her waiting for the door to be opened. "Yes, I like it. It's quiet. We got it a bit ago when all the fiend shit was going on, so... people didn't want to stay here. Easy buy."

The mute smiles warmly at seeing Violet, "Hey" she flashes a hand. The mute steps forward to give a brisk hug before pulling away to pull the tarp off the cart and grab a couple of chairs.

She slides inside.

Indoors was... sparse. A few empty boxes are used for seating, though that's all that really littered the main room. A kitchen was off to the side, and two doors in the back. Presumably leading to bedrooms with a fireplace beside that. The pugilist sets the chairs down in the dining area, her dusting off her jacket. "We got the chairs, table, bed, and a few other odds and ends." <Handspeech>

Vaera bows to the human at the door in return, and holds out a hand for a moment before she is quickly inside. A towel is pulled out of her coat, and used to wipe off her feet before she is inside. "I suppose that would do it, it would be the market. And given what recounts I heard, you are not concerned about any fiends which could show up. It would be easy enough for you to smash them into the ground again." The makari chuckles.

She does look into the building, and then she sighs. "So it was completely unfurnished? That will not do for any long period of time. Should be furnished to feel like a home, however that might be. I can help Aryia carry things in after."

Violet returns the hug with a brief squeeze before she leans a little around the door to get another quick look at the cart and it's load of furniture.

There is the smell of steeping tea from the kitchen, mingling with a fowl soup of some kind.

Once Aryia's inside with her burden, she steps out and gently clasps Vaera's hand for moment or two, "Thank you so much for all of this, miss Vaera. It will be nice to have things be a little more homey." she says with a smile.

The brunette glances between the women, then explains, "I set some tea on a little while ago, let me help bring this all in and we can warm up with it." Ahem, "The soup isn't quite ready yet, I'm afraid, but you're more than welcome to it as well."

That all said, the human shivers slightly as she steps out to the cart to snag some of the crafted wares to bring in, expecting Aryia's chosen a spot

Aryia weakly chuckles, rubbing her neck. "Yes, if they showed up again, I'd just crush them once more. But, having this is to ensure they aren't around. And some peace of mind."

She looks over to the kitchen, her lightly smiling some. "Thanks, that's nice of you to do, Violet. We can break the table in with tea."

The mute had roughly chosen some spots for things, but there's so much vacant room that it could go anywhere.

With the cart right there, and three pairs of hands, it doesn't take overlong to get everything in. Table, chairs (with one sith-makari friendly one), a bed frame with a mattress, a workbench, a couple end tables, and a couple of chests. Everything was strewn about in the living room for the time being, to be put up later.

And Aryia shuts the front door with a heavy, cold sigh. She dusts her hands off, kicks her boots free, and pads over to the fireplace to stoke it with a poker. "Yes, it's kind of lame it didn't come with anything. But, couldn't be picky," she signs, picking up the conversation from before. The candles on the the floor were now on end tables, and a lantern hangs off the wall for proper lighting. <Handspeech>

GAME: Vaera rolls 1d20: (19): 19

Vaera was not the strongest, but she was still large, and able to carry a lot in with her any given time. She works quickly, especially after seeing how the cold seemed to bother Violet. And with guidance, the rooms look much more like a home.

"You could not wait for me to finish making a bed frame, could you?" Vaera teases as she goes about setting that up with ease, making sure all the joints and supports were secure. And some of the tables too, so everything was in order.

"Well, you paid for an unfurnished place at the end of it. So not a bit deal, you are saving money there."

Seyardu looks to Violet at the offer, and smiles. "That is good, thank you, Violet. I heard that it is customary for humans when having a new home, to be offered gifts of woven baskets filled with fruit and baked goods. I brought some fruit with me, and a basket as well. You can have that with your soup, if you would like."

For her part, Violet does what she can to unload and place the housewares, managing doors for the others when the need arises and such. She colors some at the notation about the bed, but aside from clearing her throat, seems content not to make a so much as a peep about the proprieties, such as they are.

As the last of things are brought in, and Aryia moves to see to the fireplace, Violet ventures into the kitchen to retrieve cups, borne on an improvised tray of a flat sheet of steel, bent slightly and shorn along one edge, that ay have been part of a sign of some kind.

Her other hand bears a steaming teapot toward the newly placed table for their due allocation.

As she's about that, she looks to Vaera, seeming slightly surprised, "Oh, that's very sweet, Vaera, thank you, but you didn't have to do that. You've already done so much for us."

Freshly encumbered, a hand rises to gently curl about the rubyscales forearm as the woman smiles into her eyes, "Thank you." she repeats.

Aryia flushes faintly in embarrassment. "...I was getting a little tired sleeping in a bedroll," she signs while rubbing her neck. A weak excuse, her glancing to Violet as she does so.

The pugilist sits down at the new table, one that her friend made, and she blinks in surprise. "Oh, Vaera, thank you so much, that's nice of you. But like she said, you already helped with furniture."

She pulls her cloak off and folds it, setting it down on a crate nearby before gesturing to Violet, "Thanks again for the tea," while reaching out for a cup to warm her hands after its poured.

Torch-bright eyes glance to Vaera, to Violet, to the locked and bolted door, to the secondary bedroom, then back to the tea.

It's just the three of them in here. <Handspeech>

"Well, that should work well. Like I said, I prefer pelts, but I know that the beds are quite nice." Vaera chuckles, patting the mul'niessa on a shoulder before she takes a chair for herself at the table. It was much larger than the others, but still mostly a stool, save for a soft indent into the back where a tail could rest comfortably. She takes her mug, and smiles back to Violet, the drink set down so she could place a hand on the human's shoulder a moment.

"Think nothing of it, Aryia, Violet." She continues. "We all have our rituals for new homes and the like. Back in Am'shere, with new buildings, there are various herbs burnt in new homes, the smoke driving away insects and the like, and even if it is not necessary, it does not feel right not to do so. Perhaps the fruit has similar sentiments to some."

She does catch the look to the door, and the tea. "So, Violet, would you still wish for me to refer to you as such, in here?"

The human alights a hand upon Aryia's shoulder as she takes up a cup with a soft, "Of course, dear." before moving on to see to distributing the rest of the tea while Vaera explains how things are done in their homeland.

The question, well, that brings her frame to a pause, save the eyes that flick up from her task to the Sith, to Aryia, then, "It serves." she replies softly.

She flicks a quick string of gestures, "I'd hoped this conversation would happen later." <handspeech>

Settling into her seat, she continues, glancing at the window, the doors, then, "In handspeech please?" <handspeech>

Aryia brings a scarred hand up to rest over the hand on her shoulder. "Still, it is nice of you to do so. We could have it as a snack after the soup. And that's interesting that's what you do in Am'shere."

The name of the place makes her eye twitch. That land was... always something. The two times she went.

The question makes Aryia's hands still, but her eyes join in the looking around slowly. The window was completely covered by that double blackout curtain that Aryia had. The door bolted shut. There was no other way in this abode. And no other way out.

"... it's only so long until it would happen," she signs, keeping it neutral so Violet could set the pace. <Handspeech>

And no one could teleport in city anymore. So no way in metaphyiscally either.

Vaera pauses, then sighs, and finally she nods to Aryia, and to Violet. She takes a sip of her tea, and sets it down. "Thank you, it is quite nice." She signs, pausing to look at the door. "I do not mean any ill by saying that, and I respect your privacy and feelings on the matter, especially with how important it is to you. I merely wished to pose the question, so we may speak as freely and openly as you wish. It can be discussed at a later time, so be it." <handspeech>

Violet's face settles into a sort of calm, bordering on blank, expression. She watches the signs of the others, parsing and processing their responses and formulating her own.

When her hands finally begin to move, her gestures come in a smooth, steady flow, "In this mode, Violet is much preferred. In any context regarding Aryia's relationships, there can only be Violet." <handspeech>

Something dark and disquieted subtly troubles the cast of her expression, but the pace of her hands is unabated as she puts forth, "The door has opened, already, I assume you have questions." there is a veiled look to Aryia, then back to Vaera. <handspeech>

Aryia calmly sips on her tea, letting it warm her from the chilly outdoors. The cup is set down carefully. "I know that Vaera, I trust you," she motions slowly.

The veiled glance is met with a faint nod, the mute scooting her chair in some so she could rest a hand on 'Violet's' leg. <Handspeech>

"And I trust you all enough not to press such matters." Vaera replies quickly, and she chuckles. "Whatever questions I may have, they are not more important than yours and Aryia's comfort Violet." She adds to the human. "You have your reasons for doing this, as much as you have your reasons for shrouding completely at other times. If that is important to you, so be it."

The red makari stretches, and reaches for her tea to take another sip. "My only concern is why you feel so unsafe in your own home, and if there is anything that can be done to assist with that."

<Handspeech>

The hand on her leg seems to slightly settle Violet, insofar as her expression fades back to something like that first calm. Her hands move in their steady pace once more as she meets Vaera's eyes, "I may be hunted. Tying her so..." hands pause as dark eyes swivel toward Aryia, then back to the Sith, "intimately to Venom puts her at risk." <handspeech>

Aryia nods slowly, her already knowing the full details. Details she doesn't share, and only at Violet's pace. The leg is given a gentle squeeze as dark eyes swing over to the mute, as well a light smile. "It's why I try to be vague around her, and never mention the other when we're out and about," she elaborates. <Handspeech>

Vaera nods slowly as Violet answers. Though, she does snort once. "I fear for the necks or skulls, or really any part of anyone stupid enough to attempt to use Aryia as a threat or warning." The redscale signs. "But I understand. You are being careful, especially since you care about her. Is it dangerous for you to go out looking like Violet, then? If you are recognizeable as such."

Venom shakes her head, her foot shifting slightly. She regards her companion for a moment, then signs again, "This seeming isn't how I originally looked."

Sighing audibly in a slow breath, she smiles wanly to Aryia, then looks to vaera to continue in silence, "The last time they saw me, I was badly damaged. Travelling shrouded seemed prudent while I affected repairs." <handspeech>

As she promised long ago, Aryia would respect Venom's wishes. So she affords no insight as to what lay under the seeming. She rises to her feet, giving the human a brief side hug as she motions, "I'll get us soup." She had to be host, after all.

The mute silently pads over to one of the chests, popping it open to recover some wooden bowls. More things to stock the kitchen cabinets with. She moves over to the kitchen, cleans out the bowls, and gets to arranging them all something to eat. <Handspeech>

Vaera thinks about the words spoken, and sighs. "You speak as if you are not a softskin. That is strange." She states, then shrugs. "No matter. You are Violet, or whoever you want to be, but still yourself. Smart to have multiple layers to disguising yourself though."

She looks to Aryia, and nods. "Soup would be good. I am looking forward to trying your cooking."

Venom looks up to Aryia, well, partly, before she is hugged, hands coming up to awkwardly alight on the limbs enfolding her, but completes putting eyes on as Aryia releases her and she nods with a little smile, "Thank you, dear." she intones in the gentle way Violet is meant to speak.

She considers the feedback she gets from Vaera for some moments, then her hands once again begin to frame her answer, "I was raised by constructs." A darkness flickers there, then she goes on, "It struck Aryia odd, too." <handspeech>

Aloud, though, she offers wanly as she settles back in her seat, "I hope it's worth the visit, I'm.... still learning."

Aryia softly hisses back in that brief hug. It was so quiet in the household that even Vaera could hear the subwhispered noises. "You're welcome..."

The mute gives a thumbs up from the kitchen, her ladling out enough for each of them. Well, Vaera got a little more. She's larger than them.

She returns just to catch the signs, leaves to get the last bowl, then slides each in front of the other. "I'm sure it tastes good," she scarcely whispers. It's so odd, hearing the mute attempt to speak. It's almost like it wasn't even there. And the abode was kept near silent for exactly that reason.

She nods some. "It certainly is something I have to keep in mind sometimes," she notes with her hands about being raised by constructs. <Handspeech>

"That makes sense. Normally, one would say that they were badly scarred or injured in such a situation. And well, healing, or recovering." Vaera signs before Aryia returns with the food. She smiles, and accepts the bowl. "It smells and looks good, I am sure I will enjoy it."

"At the end of the day though, it is no different from forcing to refer to oneself as I rather than this one. But that lends more reason to remaining quiet, for yourself."

Vaera stares at the bowl, and sighs. "Perhaps I am just lucky that I left none alive to go looking for me." <Handspeech>

Venom nods, rolling her shoulders a little bit before sitting forward and reaching at last for her own cup of tea to bring it to her lips.

The teapcup is rested upon the table once more as Aryia returns with the bowls, "You're very kind to say so." she answers to the assurances.

She signs further then, "It has parallels, I imagine."

She goes momentarily still in the wake of Vaera's last notation, then, "It would certainly help." <handspeech>

Aryia sits between the two, her hands on her own bowl, head swiveling back and forth between the signs. She nods at the parallels bit. A lot of people had these, triply so at this table.

But then the table sort of settles into pensive silence as the two sigh and still with their small addendums through flicks of fingers and talons.

Like wading through molasses, the mute lifts a spoon of soup up slowly, eyeing the both in the silence. Then:

Sluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurp.

She gives a cheeky smile. "Lighten up you two," she gestures playfully. "It's not an interrogation. We're friends here." <Handspeech>

Vaera chuffs, and chuckles. "It does. But I would not push such solutions without good reason to do so."

Then, Aryia noisily tries the soup. Vaera can not help but chuckle again. "It certainly seems that Aryia enjoys it, at least. I know, you are right. Difficult subjects just promote difficult thoughts." <handspeech>

she takes her own bowl to try, and sips on it slowly with one hand. "I am glad I had time to do some furniture with keeping an eye on those nest mothers to be. Once they found out what I could do, the requests kept coming in. And do you know how much extra work it is to put defensive spikes on nearly everything?"

"The situation didn't let itself to that sort of resolution." Violet signs, her expression somewhat wry as Aryia tries to lighten the mood. <handspeech>

The human reaches out to lightly touch Aryia's wrist for a moment before turning that hand toward her own meal and she gives a little smile.

She samples the soup in more reserved silence than Aryia, though the flavor doesn't seem to trouble her.

That's a plus.

"I was trying something new with the seasoning, do you like it?" she asks aloud.

She arches an eyebrow and seems... somewhat out of her depth as she broaches this next topic, "I don't understand the connection...?"

Aryia smiles as the light touch taps at her scarred wrist. She bobs her head, giving a crisp thumbs up.

Though, the new question makes her sigh, then slowly sign. ".. it's so things won't try to climb into the nest to steal the eggs. Which since they aren't in Am'shere anymore, it's Mictlan, nothing *really* is going to snatch their babies. But hoooooly fucking shit, the insane shit the mothers request makes me want to be a midwife instead. It's like jamming an entire pregnancy's insanity into three months of concentrated hell."

Aryia's experience helping with it all has been... less than par, so far. <Handspeech>

Vaera takes another experimental sip, and nods. "The seasoning you used is quite good, whatever it may have been. Did you roast the bones before making the soup? I find that helps a lot for the flavor. I try to make things as flavorful as possible for Skielstregar. It is a long story." She signs after. She looks to Aryia, and chuckles. "No, she is just, stressed, and that is her way of coping with it. She is a guard normally, and not being able to guard as she normally does, she tries to find ways to protect things. It is absurd, yes. She wanted spikes on her writing desk, that thought seemed to cross their mind."

"But Aryia, you also need to understand that children are important in Mictlan. With how many that do not make it there, it is engrained deeply, a need for protection. It is probably something innate, really." <Handspeech>

Violet smiles with the little thumbs up, though the reaction to her question seems to sober that a touch. She watches Aryia's sign intently, flicking her dark eyes up toward her face between gestures for the full message.

Her own expression screams 'hmmm', though she doesn't make a sound to that effect, and then, Vaera's cooking advice forces her to change gears.

"I didn't know that was a step. I'll try that next time." she ventures softly.

Switching back to sign, she begins to form a query, but Vaera's elaborations continue and she lets it do so without interruption.

Once it does end, the human gives a little, considered nod and signs, "I think I understand now, thank you."

She ventures another spoonful, then, in Violet's gentle voice, wonders, "How long should the bones be roasted...?" as that seems a topic light enough to let the trio enjoy their housewarming meal in more cheer...

-End Scene-