deercountry | December Catch-All

Entry tags:

December Catch-All

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[These days, Vyng's preference for video and voice has gradually been put aside in favor of text-based communication. He's had to learn how to multitask better now that his empty-nester days are over. And texting is just more conducive to asynchronous chatter.

One afternoon, Vyng manages to fire off a message to Mako.]

hey, you busy right now?

[ Mako has been keeping himself very, very busy making sure the Raccoon Room's running and Lysithea has enough ingredients to work with, so he appreciates that more people have been texting him.

As a matter of fact, though, he is not busy right now: he has just managed to get away from yet another show rehearsal and there's nothing at the docks right now, and so he's just kind of cleaning the kitchen with Zuko trilling happily at his side, poking her nose into their food stores.

Technically that makes him busy, but cleaning can be abandoned and anyway the last time Vyng reached out he ended up giving Mako something extremely cool, so.... ]

Not exactly. Just cleaning. If I don't do it this place turns into a war zone. You okay?

yeah, I'm good. lots going on over here.
we found billie in our bread box awhile back, if you can believe that 🦝

it's one reason i haven't been to the rac room much lately
sounds like you've been keeping everyone in shape, though

[ Listen there is one very imporant thing here and it is: ]

Your kid Billie? Your kid is here?

yeah! he washed up on the beach and crawled into our tent like it was nothing.
he thought we'd only been separated for a few hours.
crazy, right?

You and Tuck must be pretty happy. That's great, Vyng. He's okay? Not hurt? Do you guys need anything? Kid... stuff?

does the rac room have a ballpit?

Why would we have installed a ballpit? What is a ballpit? Just a pit?

Full of balls?

Why?

what?
you've never wanted to swim in balls before?

No

Have you?

That isn't the point here; you asked if I was busy? What do you need? If it's a ballpit I really can't help you.

oh yeah, good point

don't really need anything but
i was wondering...how've you been? mind if i drop by for a visit?

[ Is Vyng just... checking on him?

Mako has to sit with that for a second, with the unfamiliar warmth blooming in his belly at the idea. That's...

Huh. ]

Yeah, go ahead. Raccoon Room's empty. You gonna bring a giant bird this time?

why? is fritter lonely? 🦝

[But he doesn't wait for an answer. Instead, he grabs his things and hops through the nearest Lamp Friend. Within moments, he's arrived at the Raccoom Room's spacious entrance. Mako wasn't kidding when he said it was empty — the place is almost unrecognizable without the throngs of people dancing, singing and drinking the night away.]

Hello!

[He ventures further in and raps a knuckle against the bar counter.]

[ Mako is backstage, which is a place he really never thought he'd get so acquainted with. This is Bolin's thing, not his, but here he is, struggling with one of the lights, zapping it with small bursts of electricity from his fingers to try and get it working again.

Vyng's voice startles him just enough that he loses control of his latest spark and it goes flicking away toward Zuko instead, who hisses and flings herself from Mako's shoulder. Mako whirls toward her. ]

Sorry!

[ The dragon turns, puffed-up in anger, and huffs at him. ]

Zuko...

[ But she is ignoring him to scurry across the stage and down toward Vyng, trilling quietly. ]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

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.

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.

[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?

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.

[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?

[ 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. ]

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.

[ 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.

["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.

December Catch-All

Flower Power [Closed to Mako - Backdated to end of November]

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