December Catch-All

[spiritwalks]

Who: Vyng spiritwalks and YOU
What: Catch-All for December. See comments for prompts.
When: Various
Where: Various

Content Warnings: Listed in subject lines when applicable

Notes:

- Style veers wildly between prose and brackets. Just choose whatever style feels good when responding, and I'll match it ♥

- Vyng is a warmblood.

- Feel free to hit me up at jackets for plotting and general chatter.

Comments

[spiritwalks]

[His face splits into a smile.]

Well hey, honey!

Ohhh-ho-ho, look at you. Gorgeous as always, I see.

[Vyng is crouching down to greet Zuko, pale palm extended out for her if she so chooses.]

[arclightning]

[ She doesn't even hesitate. With an excitement Mako would never dare show on his own, she presses her whole tiny head into his palm, radiating warmth like a live coal. It's her version of purring, and she's very happy to see Vyng. Mako's been throwing himself into work, not doing so great, and Vyng is one of the people she thinks might be able to get him to chill for like, a second. ]

Zuko!

[ Mako's hurried footsteps are very shortly joined by Mako, looking a little singed and smoking lightly from various parts of his body, frowning. ]

Leave him alone.

[ Zuko does not. ]

[spiritwalks]

Awww...

[A delighted laugh, and Vyng gently strokes a thumb across the top of her head.]

She's not doing anything wrong. She's wonderful. [And just darling, to boot.] You have such a beautiful Omen. Also, if I was a dragon? I'd wanna show off too.

[arclightning]

She's the biggest show-off, alright.

[ Zuko just huffs and pushes past Vyng's thumb to climb onto his arm proper, twining around him like a vine with a pleased little sound. Mako himself sort of hovers awkwardly, his hands by his sides until he croses them over his chest like a shield. His skin is pale, and his eyes are a little too bright. ]

...anyway. Was trying to get a light to work. We overpaid for that thing. Overpaid for half the stuff in here, and Wu still won't charge enough.

[spiritwalks]

[Mako's physical state isn't lost on Vyng. Worried about the lights, worried about keeping the lights on apparently, and probably a million other things...all to avoid thinking about the stuff that he can't control, most likely.

Idly scratching Zuku under her warm chin, he says:]

Sounds rough. When was the last time you took a break from war-zone prevention?

[arclightning]

It's not prevention. It's preparation.

[ That's the important distinction here, obviously. Zuko huffs her disapproval, a little puff-snort of smoke that curls away up into the rafters. Mako ignores it, and the question, all at once. He's fantastic at dodging things he doesn't want to answer. ]

The upstairs looks better. You seen the loft? I can make us some tea. Got a new brick of it off the ships last week when I was looking for Lysithea's cinnamon.

[spiritwalks]

[That smooth sidestep, as if this were some verbal sparring match, doesn't go unnoticed. A pro-dodger move...and an answer unto itself. Sweet little Zuko's annoyance only confirms it. Still, Vyng knows better than to directly challenge him on it. Instead, he raises his eyebrows in a "tell me more" gesture.]

No kidding? Why don't we sit down and share a pot?

[arclightning]

[ Mako has a vague inkling about what, precisely, Vyng is doing, but he can't exactly deny Vyng that. He also knows he can't deny Vyng the truth, after everything they've worked through together.

After a moment, he drops his shoulder and waves a hand for Vyng to follow him while Zuko coils herself right up onto Vyng's shoulders with a conspiritorial little huff. ]

Made some buns too, if you want 'em.

[ It turns out that beside the stage, painted a dark green to blend in with the rest of the green-washed wall, is a little door. Mako tugs that door open to reveal a narrow spiralling staircase, swept clean and lit by small windows. The wood creaks a bit underfoot, but it's sound enough, and at the top is another door that opens into a much, much brighter space. It really is a loft, with a sprawling living room lit by high windows and a skylight above, currently half-snowed over. A dark green (velvet) (thanks, Wu) couch lounges in the center of the room, flanked by worn overstuffed armchairs. ]

[spiritwalks]

I love buns.

[With Mako's back turned toward them, Vyng's mouth curls into a smile...and he offers the tiny dragon an equally tiny high-five. Mission accomplished! Phase one, at least.

When they reach the loft, his eyes light up. Unlike the darkly-lit lounge, this place looks like a home. He's glad to see Mako and Wu have been carving out a space of their own too.]

Wow. Everything's really coming together, huh. The skylight really adds an inviting atmosphere.

[arclightning]

[ Mako snorts quietly to himself as he heads into their kitchen, which is really just separated from the rest of the space by an island. ]

You sound like Wu. He spent about an hour telling me all the things he loved about this place when we found it. It didn't look this good then. Half the windows were broken, but that's Wu. He sees potential in broken stuff.

[spiritwalks]

["He sees the potential in broken stuff." See, that's something Vyng appreciates about Wu. His expression turns warmer as he follows Mako to the kitchen.]

The man's resilient. That's a powerful thing, especially here.

[arclightning]

...yeah.

[ Mako agrees quietly, with a matching warmth in his tone. He waves a hand at the little barstools at their island. ]

He's the reason this whole place looks the way it does. He's... really settling in.

[spiritwalks]

[Vyng slides onto one of the stools, gangly legs bending as his small feet perch against the foot rest. Propping his chin in one hand, he quietly asks:]

What about you? How're you settling?

[arclightning]

[ As if in answer, some of the bright fire lilies—long-stemmed orange things, drooping sadly in the window behind the sink—drop petals, and Mako winces. ]

It's nice. I mean, we have a roof over our heads, Wu's got the Raccoon Room actually functioning.

[ Sure his shoulders are tense. Sure, the teakettle bangs a little too loudly as he pulls it down to fill it up. ]