vatheon | 09 - Knight Catcher - 10th of the Human Category

[The fact that he looks like he's just going to sit there confirms that yes, she does indeed need to return and take care of him. She'll be bringing food, too. Duke doesn't look as if he's been taking care of himself!]

[ Hey! Hey! He washed! He just... didn't bother with eating unless he was hungry. Really hungry.

Yes he needs watching. ]

[Even across the city, he'd be able to feel that golden power within her casting a ward over her house. It will allow Lloyd and Dhaos inside, but not anyone else. She won't let someone experiment on Zelos while he has no say in the matter. When she returns, it's with a rather large basket and a few blankets slung over her shoulder.]

Have you eaten recently?

[Don't lie!]

[ He's aware of it, just... not able to dredge up more than a "oh. That's new. okay." reaction.

He blinks blankly at her from his resumed seat. ]

..... Depends on definition of "recently". ... and how much counts as "eaten".

[That just confirms for her that he's been troubled by all of this. She lets out a small sigh, moving to sit next to him and unpack the basket a bit.]

I don't suppose you like sweets? I don't have much practice at making anything else. It's a bit silly, really...

[Inside the basket sits some mild-looking cakes and two thermoses of tea.]

.... Have not eaten those for sometime; fruits or berries, most sweet have eaten... [ He's... just going to sit here for now. He doesn't know what to do. ]

[Picking up one of the cakes in a napkin (a pumpkin spice cake), she places it in his hands firmly. One of the thermoses of tea is set next to him as well.]

It's no sweeter than some fruits, so you should be just fine. Go ahead and try it, I won't be upset if you don't like it.

[Besides, if he hasn't been eating properly something absorbent won't make him sick. Zelda takes out one to nibble at herself, looking up at the canopy of trees quietly.]

..... [ Duke... sort of absently inspects it with every sense but taste - well, hearing too, its a little odd to try to listen to a cake - before taking a piece off and tasting.

... interesting. Was that just because he hasn't eaten in a while? Maybe.

He pretty much eats the little cake this way, little bits and moments figuring out texture and taste, followed by little bigger bits.

And then staring at the napkin like it was magic for hiding the cake he pretty sure he didn't eat all of. Or had he. ]

[She has to cover a laugh at his expression, then she nudges over the basket.]

There's plenty more. Please, go right ahead.

[Her own is about halfway done. Zelda opens up the thermos to take a long drink, sighing. It was easy to forget that the glow of the Lamufao was fading slightly out here. It was easy to forget almost everything. Maybe that's why Duke liked it.]

[ It also doesn't have large amounts of people everywhere. That is mostly Duke's reasoning, but he nods and takes another of the cakes.

This one is also eaten by bits - and he may have snuck a small one to a squirrel - and vanishes far less rapidly and with less confusion once it was gone. Some of the squirrels are clearing out properly now, instead of hovering around the edges.

Inspecting the tea now. ]

[The tea is just a simple chamomile. She's been drinking quite a bit of it since Zelos died for the calming effect. It has a mild flavor for the most part - maybe slightly bitter, but the cake balances it nicely. The smell alone is quite relaxing. Zelda smiles at the squirrels a bit before looking to Duke.]

It's fairly mild. I hope it's alright.

[ Zelda Duke usually drinks water or just boils mint leaves for tea.

Okay, so he had actual tea now that he was in Vatheon but.. still. ]

... unsure why wouldn't. [ You're feeding him, Zelda, why would he not be okay with food. ]

You don't have any preferences as far as flavor goes? I won't be offended terribly if you don't like it.

[You have to have things that you like and dislike, Duke! Honestly, you're so strange sometimes.]

... far more accustomed to mint, however... [ A short shrug. He.. doesn't really have much of a preference this way or that. ]

Mint, is it? I will remember.

[The tea is making her a little sleepy, so she finishes it off and sets it down, moving to braid her hair like she tends to do before bed. She considers offering it to Duke as well, though she's not sure the squirrels would appreciate their nesting material suddenly being neatly bound.

Still, his hair is pretty. Zelda looks at it quietly.]

...? [ Why, Zelda? He's not against trying new flavors.

He's making his way more slowly through the tea, although that might just be because he's being really ... dull, right now.

A blank blink at the study. ]

[Because she wants to make something he likes! She notices him looking somewhat curious at her (well, curious as far as Duke is concerned) and smiles a little sheepishly, lifting her braid.]

Would you like me to do yours as well? You have lovely hair.

[ Another moment of blinking. Braid his hair? Why -

Prevented tangling while sleeping. Probably more of use to those who move about a lot while sleeping. Duke doesn't tend to, so he.. never bothered learning how to braid his own hair.

Also why are you saying he has lovely hair. He doesn't know how to react to that. ]

... thank... you? [ He should just go to sleep at this point. ]

[Duke is just... silly. Taking that as a "do as you please", Zelda moves behind him and starts to finger comb his hair from the bottom up to avoid snarling it. She would usually be a bit more reserved, but does it even matter at this point? It's just his hair, and she's always wanted to touch it, and the past couple days have been awful and why not?

As she expected, it's soft.

Yes, Duke, all the Hylians love your hair.]

[ He knew Sola liked his hair, but Link barely blinked at it and...

This is nice.

Zelda may find that, before she's halfway done with actually braiding his hair, he's got a bit of a low purr like noise going. and may be half asleep already. ]

[The purring noise doesn't register with her at first other than making her feel sleepy as well. She'd tried to sleep before, but she had failed for the most part, assaulted with nightmares of Zelos becoming a monster or just failing to revive at all, of someone coming to seek vengeance on Duke and kill him too...

But Zelos's key crest is repaired, and she's here with Duke. She won't let anyone fight him. Not because he can't protect himself, but because he could go too far. Just as she had protected him from himself when he was a sphinx by answering all his questions, she would continue to do so now by keeping people who were angry with him away.

Oh! The sphinx... that's where she heard this noise! She'd thought it was because he was mostly a cat, but here he is, doing it as a human! She wishes that he was a cat again, she'd dearly love to curl up and lay her head on the source of that noise and just fall asleep. Zelda finishes braiding his hair and ties it securely.]

It's a little early, but shall we go to bed?

[ Zelda, he nearly was asleep when you spoke.

It takes him a moment, blinking sleepily at the tea he's still holding onto, before a short rumble-y noise of agreement happens.

He's a little wobbly, getting up, but it's because he's sleepy. Going to just.. not quite shuffle, but its a sleepy walk into his tent thingy and ... he doesn't curl himself in his blankets so much this time, but yeah. Sleep.

The squirrels study his lack of free hair, and find their way into some of the points of crossed hair. Another uses his bangs. ]

[Zelda moves the baskets inside and closes them firmly, taking out her own blankets and setting up something fairly comfortable near Duke. After a few moments she reaches out close enough to pet his bangs again, just wanting to hear that sound.

She should really get a cat, but she likes Duke better.]

[ Wrong, cats are better because you can keep them in your lap. And they don't accidentally kill your friends.

But that purring starts up a little - maybe in the way that snoring could happen. Just.. quiet purring exhales. The squirrels study Zelda for a bit, then go back to finding spots. ]

[It's easier to fall asleep like this than it was the night before with Zelos's body in the next room - easier by far. Within a few minutes her fingers have stilled and she's drifted off into a deep sleep.]

09 - Knight Catcher - 10th of the Human Category

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