heart2nd

[heart2nd]

"Here, you should try it. The sandwich is homemade bread, avocado slices, ham, and cheese, so it's simple."

She offers it to the stranger -- the man seems exhausted, like he's worn out from stress or work or some other thing, so she's willing to share for just this once. (Maybe she misses her dad, even if he was an absentee parent for most of his time, despite the love for her.)

Carefully pressing the food into the paper a little more tightly, Nino folds it into the man's hands, nodding contentedly as she does so.

"I baked the bread myself."

@yannation

[heart2nd]

Horror is more Ichika's speed, but Nino's not opposed -- she had wanted to see the props to potentially report back later. The girl she'd met up with in the haunted house seemed close to her age, so she didn't mind being by her side.

"Y'know what, sure. Let's race."

The other's gray hair shines orange under the flickering lights, reminding her of Yotsuba: the same, vibrant, chaotic energy -- that, and the way her first thought was to have a race (a home away from home, in that gesture).

Nino does a few stretches before she readies herself into a running stance, thinking back on her companion's words. Sports, maybe? She can't help but want to ask.

"Are you an athlete? My sister knows a lot about broken bones, too."

" That's totally a fake, no limb can bend like that." how did she know that? well, that's a question better of left being unanswered. while she would have liked to go through this haunted house with Dan Heng and March, there is some benefit to doing so with someone she doesn't know. maybe it's the unpredictability or the fact that Stelle excelled at going along with the flow. either way, it's just her and this stranger.

the trailblazer reaches out to open the decrepit and bloodstained door, noting the long and drawn out creak of the hinges as it swung upon, the sound amplified as it opened to a halway. flickering lights? check. spiderwebs and broken wall paneling? double check. creaky floorboards? triple check. Stelle goes first, taking one step as she peeks her head around the corner, only seeing darkness before them, the flickering light only illuminating the entrance.

" Soooooo...." she begins, whispering as she turns to look over her shoulder. " Wanna race to the end of the hall?"

@heart2nd - THE HAUNTING OF SPIRALE HOUSE

[heart2nd]

"I'm alright with doing most of the cooking and baking."

The words are almost sharp enough to sound threatening: like she's claiming the kitchen as her territory, marking it as something she has prime rights to (as if this man doesn't live here as much as she does). A hand smacks against the counter to punctuate her statement, lightly shaking things as she does -- nothing slips from the countertop, however, as Nino's careful with how much force she'd placed.

Ah, she'd gone from no roommate to...someone objectively a decade and change her senior; she's little idea just how much older the guy is, but "a genuine adult" would certainly apply.

"It's what I did at home. If I can feed six people, I can feed two. You gotta tell me what you can't or won't eat, though."

Even if she was usually feeding five, not six, the phrasing's still relevant. (Her father wasn't usually there for dinner, after all, but it's not her problem now.)

@adagaium

[heart2nd]

"I mostly read cookbooks, so I'm not the best at recommendations."

In fact, most of what she's borrowed from the university's library has been just such -- cookbooks. Nino has never been a strong reader, regrettably, not has it been something she'd enjoyed (it would have helped her quite a lot in the past if it had, though).

She shrugs her shoulders and gestures vaguely, trying to think of anything else she'd really been fond of -- maybe fantasy romances, but this guy didn't look like he'd like those.

"If you're down for that, though, there's a couple of beginner-friendly ingredient-themed ones...like, one that's all potato dishes."

@trauerfeier

[heart2nd]

Spits blood. Alright it's time for a neeeeew starter call.

[heart2nd]

"Sometimes bolder, sometimes meaner. Depends on the day, depends on the person, y'know."

She finally does laugh -- she can't help it at that point. That's just how she is, after all; a cat with a ball of yarn set loose for everyone's problems, damaging property and clawing people in her wake.

"If it makes you feel better, my sisters have done dumber things before. I think I've got the braincell...which is unfortunate, because I'm here and they're home."

She shrugs and gestures vaguely, her hands making round movements like someone spinning a ball in circles. Noncommittal like a shrug but more entertaining for her to do. Poor guy must not have been expecting someone to go for it.

❝ Something on my—where? ❞ Immediately, Vanth starts swiping around for the offending stain, from cheeks to mouth to chin. As his fingers turn up free of food or condiment, she's already fished out a tissue from her pocket. It passes from her hand into his, and with one broad sweep from one side of his jaw to the other, the culprit shows itself. A bright yellow smudge of mustard from the convenience store hot dog he wolfed down approximately two hours ago. He can't help but sigh. ❝ Well, fuck. Was that just hanging out there this whole time? ❞

Her question has his eyes jabbing toward her like harmless but accusing daggers—or perhaps in a more accurate comparison, shitty plastic knives. ❝ I... guess you could say that. Hey, are you always this bold? ❞

[heart2nd]

"My mother...was very beautiful, yes."

The words are placed so carefully that one might not process the impact of the enunciation: she dodges it and recovers herself, clearing her throat (and her thoughts) in a swift and clumsy way. (When was the last time she'd seen the sun bounce off Rena's hair? It must have been nearly a decade.)

"Ah...I was looking for new clothes for the season. My wardrobe's still kind of small here, so it's for the best if I grab something simple to patch it with."

She wonders what this boy's family is like -- a single sibling's something she can hardly grasp. Aren't dinners at a table so small lonely?

"I wouldn't pass up grabbing crepes though."

"Ah, I follow you completely. I've also tried to be both like and unlike my older brother. It's nice to see part of yourself in one another, isn't it?" The topic of family was dear to Hiyori, and he didn't get to bring them up that much on this island. It was both quite sad and a bit... freeing.

He didn't like to dwell on that much.

"Your mother's hair must be beautiful if you're the proof of it!" he added encouragingly, thoroughly unaware of her situation. At least he didn't dwell there.

"What are you out looking for today? You look like you know how to accessorize yourself, so it must be something cute♪ Or is it something sweet?"

He might have been projecting his own priorities there.

[heart2nd]

"My siblings and I...tend to try and stay within a realm of pink tones. It's a little silly, but we all have the same natural hair color, so we try to vary things a bit."

Green would be more Yotsuba's color, wouldn't it? Her hairband, many of her casual clothes...Nino can't imagine herself anything but the magenta she'd settled on. Pearl pink for Ichika, magenta for herself, desaturated rose brown for Miku, salmon for Yotsuba, and soft red for Itsuki; all so alike, yet so different. Unique to them -- as best as they could do, really.

And in her way, Nino chooses to resemble her mother: she thinks fondly of her mother's hair, saturated rose-petal pink, shining in the sunlight allowed by a hospital window (something most people may not remember with love or warmth, but is beloved to her).

"Green is more my little sister's speed. Um, thanks, though...I tried to mimic my mom, but it came out a little too light, I think."

It's as much as she'll say; if he wants more, well, he can dig around and work through the friendship ranks for it.

"Fufu, isn't it? Thank you; I take very good care of it!" Her clear attempt at waving the compliment off couldn't dial down his delight. Hiyori ran a hand through his hair in a practiced, photo-worthy gesture, encouraged even more than usual to be a show-off to the core.

Following that up with an attentive look-over of her, he said brightly, "The color of your hair is stunning! I've thought about trying something like that before, but I was sternly advised that it would be 'too much of an image change.' What terrible Hiyori." He shrugged one shoulder and briefly shook his head. More importantly, it would make his hair color uncomfortably close to Ibara's anyway.

"Have you considered trying green yourself?"

[heart2nd]

"Ohhh. Your hair's neat."

It's blurted out unthinkingly -- a moment of genuine, casual kindness: face flushed the color of her hair in an instant, as Nino flails her hand about dismissively (what a thing to just pop out with, man, she really didn't mean for that to happen).

She can't exactly backtrack, only stand there awkwardly and stare; social skills have never been her strong suit, really -- in her defense, that's what you get living mostly...alone.

@sunliteve nino being Nice On Accident

[heart2nd]

Survived the workweek so let's knock out some starters. Uncapped starter call!

[heart2nd]

bad ebay nino

[heart2nd]

Reapp submission round 2 electric ungoofaloo, throwing Nino Nakano of The Quintessential Quintuplets back into the zombie infested springtime hours 🫡

Welcome back to spooky Isola Radiale, Nino!

You will be housed in TOWNHOUSE 209.

You will retain everything from your previous stay.

Enjoy your captivity! :)

– andromeda ☆

[heart2nd]

"There's something on your face."

She's doing her best not to laugh, but it makes her face scrunch up weird: an expression like a wrung out washcloth, her hand fishing around in her pocket for some tissues -- she's got them, she knows it, she knows she can hand something to this guy.

"Are you a messy eater? Sure looks that way."

She smacks the papers into the other's hand, sighing tiredly; even when her siblings aren't there, she's out here, acting like they are. What a useless bit, but at least she gets some entertainment from it all.

@divinedevourer nino...bullying...

[heart2nd]

mwah mwah catch these air kissies and this presently uncapped starter call!

[heart2nd]

"Oh...I worked at a bakery before coming here. I keep poking around the stores here for ideas, I guess."

She gazes at her companion (like a glittering figure made of snow...somewhere between unsettling and beautiful, actually). A finger points at the case of baked goods: an almond cake shaped like a cat is on the other end of the gesture -- it's cute. She probably won't buy it, but Nino's fellow shopper seemed to be staring at it too.

"Cakes that use a lot of fondant like that one might put some palates off because of the flavor. It's really cute, though, since it's fully decorated and the decorations can be eaten."

@ivoryslumber

[heart2nd]

Ah, crap. Now she's gotta think of a reason...well, the obvious reason would be to settle for teeth and cruelty, right? That's usually what she's good at, too -- sinking in and snarling, puffing herself up like she isn't some pursedog. (Spoiled, pampered pursedog Nino, going at someone's ankles again!)

"You're too fancy for it."

Not cruelty, exactly, but some kind of a dig nonetheless, with a shovel and a hole dug beneath her own damn feet, actually. It's not exactly a lie...this girl seems above department store charm bracelets in a way Nino can't put to words (for as much money as she came from herself, department stores had become her dearest friend).

"You don't seem the charm bracelet type, either, y'know. More like a... multi-hundred thousand yen bangle buyer kind of girl."

Her arms cross as she tilts her head. Maybe the girl's a model or an actress or something, it'd explain how she carries herself...for starters... But if she is, she's someone Nino doesn't recognize.

⠀⠀⠀WINDOW ⠀shopping was a guilty pleasure of hers. Of course, with the winter season upon them, her mind occasionally mulled over what would make good gifts for whom — but for the most part, it's a fairly mind-numbing activity to keep up with the trends. A fairly common component of shopping is that other people are also shopping ( something online shopping will never be able to compete with ), so Rin didn't think twice about the young woman to her right.

⠀⠀⠀Until she said that, at least.

 ⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀— And why shouldn't I ?⠀ ❜ ⠀Came her immediate retort, haughty with furrowed brows. All she hears is an incongruent bite, and the mage has no problem snapping in return. She wasn't even that interested in any one object before, but now the situation has changed.⠀⠀❛ ⠀I'm good for it, you know.⠀ ❜ ⠀

[heart2nd]

"You've got a leaf on your head, you know."

She's got secondhand embarrassment from the sight of it, but bites the urge to yank it from the other's hair. Not her monkey, not her circus, not her sister.

Not her problem, but here she is, sticking her nose in the middle of it all anyways! What a girl she is, a contradictory little pink thing adorned in a comfortable winter dress. Her fingers gesture to the spot, mirroring the other's little mishap without much afterthought.

She can't help it. What else is she supposed to do? This is a child. Maybe a little younger than Raiha. God, this sucks.

"I'll get it. Hold still, kid."

@propheticdelphi