#none shall stop my little bubble maker.

[hikarinokusari]

@xyanmajor If the nephew goes pffffblrrblblrt tomorrow, I will be a proud aunt. If he doesn't, well i'll be disappointed but still proud of my little droolmaster for dealing with this communication nonsense.

Please let me know what kind of pride I'll be wearing by the end of the day.

[blankdblank]

Next Caller Pt 10

A deep sigh was heaved by you in folding your hand on your wrapped arm around the strap of your satchel tapping against your thigh. Slowly you were strolling down the street only to turn at the engine slowing on the car pulling up beside you. Through the Lowering window you spotted your bosses Dis and her husband Vili, both grinning at you while the later said, “Need a lift?”

“Um, well I doubt you’re headed my way, I’m off to Bubbles and Barrels.”

Dis smirked, “What a coincidence. So were we.”

“Why do I feel like if I turn you down ten more cars are gonna pull up from your clans?”

Dis hit the unlock button and replied, “Only ten? Surely we could manage fifteen.”

Vili in your move to the back seat shifted in the driver’s seat pointing to the lunch box on the seat adorably buckled in said, “We brought you a sandwich.”

Once you were settled you shifted to pull the seatbelt down once the door was shut asking, “It’s not shaped like a duck is it?”

Vili gave you a smirk, “Ah, I see Balin’s girl helped to make your mid session snack.”

Curiously you turned your head and reached across your chest to unhook the lid on the metal box. A cloth napkin was brought out to lay across your lap and inside a mint green paper bag you lifted the offered sandwich and carefully used your left hand to help your right fold back a bit of the paper to lift in your right for a bite.

Glancing between the two Dwarves up front stealing silent glances at one another through the first few streets you asked, “Hotels, huh?”

The question had the pair stealing glances back at you after you had swallowed, “So far I’ve met racers, shop owners, realtors, and apparently aspiring house painters, what drew you to hotels past the dimples.”

Vili all but snorted at the comment catching him off guard luring a laugh bursting free even against his late try to stop it making Dis chuckle more at his reaction to your words than anything else as he rarely snorted. “I answered an add as a teen for the Findis clan to work in their filing room. Got my business degree and worked my way to the front desk. Dimples were not my intention, in fact I continuously told a certain gangly Dwarf I had better things to do than share shakes.”

Findis chuckled and then said, “Yes, and then she hit me with her scooter and drug me across the parking lot.”

“You threw yourself in front of my scooter!” She retorted and you smirked through chewing your next bite. He promptly added, “You still drug me.”

“You wouldn’t let go of my fender, which you tore off with your body weight.”

“Still got a shake out of you.” He stole a glance back at you smirking through his proud statement of, “We were courting by that fall.”

“You tricked me into that formal.”

“I did no such thing.” He said then chuckled out, “Tili did. I was merely a pawn in her schemes same as you.”

For the rest of the drive they flowed through all the mishaps and blunders leading up to their wedding after which Dis was promoted again to help in the advertising team to help promote the hotel chain better to the younger generation to help their plans of growth while also honoring their past. Pulling into the parking lot of Bubbles and Barrels where Fili asked the question burning between them, “Any whirlwind romances for you?”

“Um, outside of novels no.”

“None at all?” Dis questioned.

“Well I was nearly engaged once,” that had them stealing a glance at each other. Vili bit his lip at your stating aloofly while you folded the paper and napkin carefully you placed back into the box ensuring you hadn’t made a mess. “But that lasted all of five minutes and it really wasn’t his fault anyone five bottles in laughs till they snort part of the sixth out their nose from a joke on muffins is bound to propose. Turned him down though once I got the poor guy back to his town car before anyone else could try for a title.”

Dis, “I highly doubt that is your only tryst.”

“Well there was Bressd. Though that ended when I found out it wasn’t the two of us.”

Vili parked and turned to face you with brows raised, “He cheated on you?!”

With a finger raised after unbuckling your belt you replied, “Technically I was the other woman, well, only woman really. But two teas later and I helped him introduce Ronald to his family and a good surrogate service.”

Vili, “That, was very,”

Dis, “Big of you.” She completed and you let out a giggle.

“Well you go on two dates with someone then meet their family on the third, who all share he’s been talking about babies and bought a house, there’s a brush fire somewhere in that grey room of nonsense.”

Chuckling to himself Vili started the group climb out of the car and walked to the trunk stating, “That’s all then?”

“There are few fools willing to cross genes with me. Just consider me a little green rotten apple.”

Dis, “Oh there is a limit when affections are strong enough.”

Her eyes lingered on you in your nod and step to walk with the duo now holding hands on your right. Again your left hand held onto the strap of your bag to keep it from swinging and she said, “You have people now to back your high standing here in Erebor.”

“It seems so.” Looking them over you asked, “What were you here to buy?”

Vili smirked, “Just browsing. It’s huge, we love to browse, see what’s new from time to time. And now we have ample time to help you. What all are you after?”

You shrugged, “Towels mostly, I think. Depending on what they have.”

He nodded and said, “We shall start on towels.”

Dis asked while Vili grabbed a cart by the front door, “Any ideas what you might like?”

“Um, well I was thinking of, well Mal got me these sunflower towels, so yellow for that bath, maybe blue for another, and orange for the other spare...maybe whales or something aquatic for blue and orange, foxes maybe, unless they have something else to go with orange.”

Dis, “For yours?”

“I have two towels for mine.”

She replied, “You need more.”

“Well I used to have a set but I found this baby kitten once and I took it in for the vet and it just decided to keep my towel. Then after that I had this really rude hawk burst into my window once and took off with two of my hand towels from the wash.” The pair smirked as you muttered, “Took me weeks to stitch those fish into them. Expensive thread too.”

Eyeing a stack of blenders on your right Vili asked, “Need a blender? These come with one of those hand choppers.”

“I can’t have a blender,” you said pulling out your notebook making the pair look you over, “My birds painted my old kitchen with my last one ruined nearly half of our fruit for the season.” When you glanced down at your book Vili’s lip quivered in his try not to grin stupidly at the image while Dis inhaled to keep her own giggles at bay.

On her feet she shifted and extended her hands to claim the book eyeing your sketches asking, “These are your plans?”

“Rough ideas more like. Mostly just the paint, the firm needed solid plans to go off of. But I have mini lists for each bath to start with.”

Halfway down the first aisle of towels Dis asked at a peculiar room sketch with nothing but a table in it. “What of this room? What will it’s use be?”

“I don’t know,” you replied feeling a stack of towels you moved past at its rough texture. “There’s a table in it though.”

That had her looking you over, “Nothing else you might like to add? That is not much to furnish a room’s function at all. Any clue on what kind of table at least?”

“I don’t know the room that well, we haven’t really met yet.”

Across her lips a grin eased at the common Dwarf feeling, though rarely spoken, by those designing or building things who find things in a sort of dated way or by a cozy feeling they get with the object, design or place. And it really clicked in the more she had skimmed through the book you had sketched, noted and scribbled various options for each area that you had dreamed of having a home.

That was the extent of it, a home, four walls a roof and floor able to be yours and secured to be safe inside from anyone or thing. A precious goal, though in the centuries in her imagination running while it was a vague place to you, always furnished to comfort, but with what? That was the riddle you were trying to solve, what would fit in purpose and comfort to match the full theme.

They had hoped to make this a quick in and out with plans to have you set for a date, it was obvious how deeply you affected her brother and how hard you had worked and greatly deserved this home they hoped could spell a sort of future with Thorin, however it did have to be yours first. And outside of that tiny apartment you had formed an impossibly quaint lifestyle in the impossible town, you had to now find yourself in this spacious abode and plant your roots to make it your own. They had flooded in but in a blink of clarity the Dam back stepped on trying to play match maker today and hoped to help build a friendship past the ranks of employment with your stunning self.

Again your lips moved and in a tick of her chin to keep from shaking her head she focused on your words. “I ordered these magazines, and like this store you look at all the things and you just have to say, it looks nice, but can I live with it?”

Vili nodded, “Took us twelve tries to find our couch.” That had Dis’ brows sinking in clear irritation, “Course the boys moved out while we were on a work trip and we came home to a bare spot in the den.”

Dis grumbled out, “Threw off the alignment to everything!”

Vili smirked saying as his hand smoothed across the small of her back, “We tried to find a duplicate but by then the company folded and the designs had been purchased and altered. Then you have the variations of fabrics and cushioning, then it’s new again so it never feels right for months after. It’s hard. Even tried to break into the boys’ place but they’d reupholstered it.”

Dis grit out, “In beige.”

Again in a try not to laugh you turned to the shelves and their eyes sank to your wrapped shoulder catching glimpses of the invisible additions to your skin they couldn’t wait to see once healed already loving the slightly pinker feather visible across your chest. Tilting your head back you touched a few more towels asking, “Is all they sell here sand paper? Naneth would scold me something awful if I put these out for guests. Might work for scrubbing cages...”

Vili chuckled saying, “We should try the Hobbit fabrics, these are from Gondor.”

“Maybe stamped from Gondor, but I know a woman with a loom company for their woven textiles who would be screaming at this quality. Even the dye flakes off.”

Dis smirked, “You worked in Gondor?”

In a glance up at her you said, “No, my five minute fiancé was from a textile dynasty. His Gran built it from nothing. Nearly lost it to her first husband.”

Vili, “Nasty divorce?”

“No. She asked him not to talk to a certain woman he had been flirting with and he tried to burn down her first store front.” Dis’ brow inched up, “She shot him in the neck with her crossbow.”

Dis nodded, “Well earned.”

You giggled turning the corner to head to the main aisle following the signs to the Hobbit section, “Then she had to restock her dyes and she met her second husband, another from a long dynasty. Sixty three years and he still stares at her like she’s the brightest thing in the sky.” The dreamy tone made the couple inch closer and both chuckle as you added, “And cheats in crosswords just to drive her up the wall.”

A lingering pause by the kitchen section had the pair smirking and following your dazed path through all the odds and ends until you paused at the colored set of knives on the end. A rather unremarkable brand and the cheapest and notably the easiest to dull and break making Vili turn to look at the displays and pint another out he pulled from the wall, “This is a better set. Lasts longer too, hardly ever dulls. Unless you’re our boys that is, manage to dull anything with a sharp edge somehow.”

“Hmm,” You said turning to face the box and he could instantly tell the interest was not there making him smirk and put the silver set back and step back saying, “They have a tangerine set as well.”

“Ooh,” You said moving closer and after an inspection of the box he chuckled and added it to the cart and continued on behind you on the path again to towels.

Sudden pause was enough to cause anyone with family or friends to spark into worry, and rounding a shelf corner that pause from you had Vili’s hair on end. Instantly his arm shifted halting Dis in her distracted path and her eyes fell to follow his gaze seeing your blind fumble with your waist band where a weapon would be on Elven armored uniforms. Clenching your hand to stop that thought retracting from those trained habits your body eased back at the approach of a female’s voice, and almost fluidly you eased between the shelves and cart shadowing yourself behind Vili. The motion not missed by the Dwarf instinctually puffing himself up causing his beard and mustache to bristle even in their chest tapping braids, and most especially not by the distant Dwarf manager stopping on his way to break.

All at once the murky blonde haired Elleth with an instant forced grin towering over the two stopped to say, “Two for one sales in the Hobbit section today for coral members. Are you a coral member?”

Behind Vili’s back Dis claimed the card you had mentioned upon entering the store Mal had loaned you for extra points for her and discounts for you that Dis passed to the Elleth, “I’m not exactly sure. Found it in my bag this morning, haven’t used it in forever.”

The Elleth looked it over and while the Dwarf manager slunk closer from the distance watching your now lowered gaze and hand partially curled over your face behind your shield of a companion worrying him all the more at it clearly not being a case of shyness. “You don’t look like a Baggins.”

Dis’ brow inched up and she said, “I’m a quarter Hobbit.”

Passing back the card she said, “You’re a pearl member, you’ll get the discount and half off on the bath fixtures as well.” Once Dis had claimed the card again the Elleth huffed and stalked away, “Can’t see why anyone would brag about being a Hobbit. Spindly little varmints.”

That had Dis puffing up and her eyes twitching wider in her palm folding around the card to keep from dragging the Elleth back here by her hair and pummeling her into the ground. Once she was out of sight Vili pivoted on his feet lowly asking, “Has she bothered you before?”

Breaking from your frozen stance your eyes and lingering panicked expression drew his hands to nearly clench into fists fighting the same urge Dis was feeling. “Not, not here. Back before I moved to Beryl.”

Dis asked in what she hoped to be a supportive tone rather than the growl she wanted to give, “What happened?”

“Her cousin, found me out in Duugpl, it’s our past Lindon, not really important, but, he told his family, including her.”

Vili trying not to be impatient asked trying to gently urge why you were scared of her, “They set off a cocktail in my building. If my neighbor hadn’t broken through my wall and burst the pipes in our ceiling-,”

The tears and chilling crack in your whisper of a voice had them stroking your back and Dis moving around to have them around you as the notices the manager’s approach. A problem solving grin hoping to ease some trust in your group spread across his face through his gentle question, “Pardon me, but I couldn’t help but notice your daughter’s reaction to one of my employees. Did she say or do something that bothered you?”

His eyes especially focusing on you as you wet your lips and said, “Your employee has been charged with domestic terrorism in Duugpl.”

Sharply he inhaled and asked, “Charged? Surely there was a trial if the charges are so severe.”

“Your employee and her relatives fled the country before the trial.” Glancing down you pulled out your phone pulling up an old note in an old contact you copied down on a slip of paper you tore from a blank page and passed to the manager, “The case number and contact info for the lead prosecutor on the case.”

With a nod he asked, “And you recognized her from the press on this case?”

“I lived in the building they set the explosions in. Killed four of my neighbors, wounded dozens of others.”

Hastily he nodded and said, “I assure you this will be dealt with. I will call the authorities myself.”

“None of her relatives work here, do they?”

He shook his head, “No. I assure you we will isolate her until she can be taken in.”

Dis stated, “I think it best she remain anonymous. If you understand.”

The manager nodded, “Of course, we will remain mum as to who alerted us to the matter. Thank you, and I assure you we will dig further into future applicants to assure this does not happen again. Please enjoy your day.”

You nodded and folded your fingers around your book and in his path away inhaled deeply and forced a grin to the pair looking you over, “I’m fine.”

Vili lowly asked, “Are you?”

You nodded and said, “Sales are waiting, sorry to dampen the mood.”

Dis’ hand settled on your arm under your wrap, “You did nothing wrong. However, I am curious-,”

Lowly you replied barely above a whisper, “My father funded a genocide, her line, was dissolved by.” Dis nodded as you added, “It was before I was even born, still, I’m blood.”

Vili tapped your other shoulder, “No one is hurting you again. You have people now. Our support.”

Dis, “Did you know your neighbors well, the ones who died?”

“I sat for them most nights while their parents worked. Whole family, I still have some drawings and pictures they gave me. They lived above me, too much heat, I used to have the most gorgeous Pyrrhuloxia Cardinal and Indigo Bunting, most stubborn little things ever. Didn’t think I’d have birds again after. But I stumbled across my flock of hummingbirds.”

Dis, “Well we hear they are all thriving in your care. Even our own Ravens wished to meet your rare zebra striped, mine has freckles on her wings.”

“She sounds adorable. I’ll try not to rain down too much gloom on the rest of our browsing. It seems even my neighbors are stunned about Belly, keep staring.”

Silently the pair slightly on edge kept watch around you in your first turn back into the Hobbit section until Dis asked unable to let go, “Why would she say that about Hobbits?”

Behind your hand you giggled and then stole a glance back up at her with a toothbrush tumbler in hand you were testing the weight of, “She’s of Eol’s blood, when they were displaced they were sent to a camp outside a Hobbiton. Long story short they pissed off the Thain, who then sent them their green potatoes,” Dis gave a throaty giggle she tried to hold in through Vili’s hand stroking over his face in the few moments of his shoulders shaking. “Among other things, they were not friendly or courteous to the people who granted them safety and were treated accordingly. All other races even Uruks and Trolls like Hobbits. With the obvious exception of Goblins, who hate everyone, but even they hate Hobbits the least.”

Vili switched the conversation back, “Why wouldn’t your neighbors stare? One of the rarest forms of Ravens.”

“I mean, I know that, just, it’s a bit odd. I mean how do I change that? Parade him through town, knock on each door, ‘here, pet him, feed him some grapes!’ I-,”

Vili started chuckling and glancing around trying to keep quiet in your turn to look at more bathroom decorations after adding a fox tumbler and soap dispenser to the cart in search of a blue and yellow set to finish off the other spare baths counter tops. Dis giggled out, “I am certain they have taken pictures. I doubt they would have to go to such extremes. Might throw a town event you could bring him to. Does your owl enjoy exploring?”

“Only at night. He doesn’t like crowds.”

Vili, “Well that’s to be expected. Great Owls rarely come by people in the wild.”

“I think he did like being around the guys when we moved though, even inside his basket. Just doesn’t like being stared at, knowing the rarity he is.”

Dis, “Has he met any other Great Owls?”

“Took him to the aviary few months back, he met Hector, their old rescue Owl lost in that storm.”

Vili, “Yes, we took Balin’s girl for one of the mini tours he allows. Saw his foot and his tail feathers.” Making you giggle, “Even the glimpse was worth it, then she dropped her toy and we went to grab it as she whined and we saw one of his eyes. Nearly the size of my head in that stunning silver and green, cocked his head looking her over until she smiled then he turned around again, back to hiding.”

“They are fascinated with babies, all our neighbors I sat for let him peek in at them when they were infants before they could start to try and grab feathers or his feet.”

Dis, “He might like Frodo, rarely grabs at birds, understands they are to be respected.”

“I think he’s warming up to people. Belly keeps telling him about our neighbors.” Turning your head you asked, “Walrus?” Showing a Walrus tooth brush holder to the now smirking pair.

Vili, “I think it’s cute.”

You nodded and added it to the cart, “It’ll go with blue.” A set of bumblebee themed items were for the flower themed room and you found the towels.

Large towels in dark solid tones were matched with striped lighter hand drying ones and decorated wash cloths and plain solid ones to match the large towels. Purple and grey were chosen for yours to add a few more to your own supply. Then you moved past the shower curtains to find trash cans for each and mats to sit outside the tile and glass wrapped showers in each. The final touch was some bubble slip guard stickers for the floor of yours just in case you got in or out a bit groggy with shaggy mats as well.

A decent section of rugs and mats came next, a few every feet you reached out to touch only to leave it there or make a mental note of them. However Dis pointed out a thick shag one for your already carpeted study, “What about this one for your study?” You glanced at her with a brow raised, “For under your desk. I can’t tell you how much dust gathers there, and the boys used to eat at mine so it would have crumbs galore, then you can just pull out the mat to clean.” With a subtle nod you eyed the selection and she asked, “Have you chosen a desk yet?”

“Not yet. I found this davenport I like, but also this sort of tree shaped one, and a darker one that’s more of a coffee table, but the last one has no drawers, so I’d have to put it somewhere I wouldn’t need things. Like maybe for a vase or, my phone, pictures, or, something. I don’t really need much from my desk, probably just a place to set my typewriter between drafts, I’ll be doing most from my lounges most likely.”

Vili, “Typewriter? You write stories?”

“Part of the best way to get through Ruun, story telling. I have a laptop, but it’s mostly for my movies, or was, friends went and bought me projectors and the whole nine yards with it. Nothing like a good hard copy of a draft.”

Dis smirked, “You and Gorgo would get along famously.”

Weakly you chuckled and turned the corner to spot a full wall of roombas making you heave a deep sigh. The sound making the Dam glance between you and the displays curiously before asking, “Do, do you want a roomba?”

“I don’t have-,” instantly your brows popped up and your hand jut out to grab her arm splitting a grin across her lips at your excited squeak of, “I have room for a roomba!”

Lowly Vili chuckled and moved closer grabbing one of the best saying, “We’re getting this for you.”

“But-,” You said in your turn only making him shake his head to hide his idiotic grin.

“No, our treat, our house warming gift to you.”

“Thorin already got me the kettle, and the tea.”

Dis retorted, “From him and those at the shop, not from us. You clean for us for hours let us help clean yours. I heard your home has central vacuuming system should work nicely with this one.”

You looked to the box, exactly the one you had wanted, a tiny bot floating in the center of the roomba that would pop off for a higher grade of scrubbing or cleaning when the roomba would alert it needed help, complete with grout cleaning feature for tile floors. “It’s so expensive though.”

Vili chuckled, “It’s quality. It lasts, we have two of these, one for home and the other for the office. The scrubbers are just downright adorable too.”

Bed sheets seemed to just appear endlessly as you walked around the next shelf and watching you carefully the initial pause at the mint sheets. One large set paired with a thick plushy white comforter, white and mint pillows to finish off the bedroom you were planning for your mother and her husband for a possible visit with a sketch of it Dis adored at each detail you had planned in their tastes.

Next was for your sisters and possible future siblings. Adult sized beds settled into bunk beds with staircases between the sets of four across from a play and reading area for them. Peach and white was chosen with cute accenting fuzzy woven throws.

The next spare bed was twin beds set in fours with grey, white and orange also with cushioned headboards. Orange dust ruffles with white sheets and a pleated grey comforter folded down under the white and orange pillows complete with orange throw to match.

Blue and white striped comforters over navy sheets and with orange, white and navy striped pillows, across the room was a similar set with the stripes going horizontally over vertically. Possibly one of the most colorful of the spare rooms the couple could tell that their relatives would enjoy staying in should Thorin be able to secure a relationship with you to begin entertaining in your cozy home that could one day have pebbles of its own to help claim all of these hopeful beds to join your own.

More and more aids came up and on their own brought up spare carts to be held for you at the front, each with adoring chuckles between comments to the couple on their child off to university who seemed to be planning their dorm for seasonal themes. The thought was amusing to the workers and slightly amusing for the couple ready to meet their own twin girls soon enough. Each thing chosen was confirmed not too much by the pair insisting they were fine to take the day bonding with you and trying not to chuckle that you were decorating beds you hadn’t bought yet to work your way backwards in a way.

The last stop was candles, and an adoring take on your smoke room would be used for your tries at a meditation room. Candles, possibly a Thai Chi section, or at least that was the plan until you found something else to do with it. For now at least it housed your painting supplies and easel and just in case you would gather up some spare candles if the lanterns ever wouldn’t work in a storm or for whatever other reason.

From there to the registers you put on your blinders to keep from going any more overboard and behind the counter that same manager was there with a grin confirming the authorities had already taken the Elleth into custody confirming she was in fact wanted leading to a search for her relatives involved before she could warn them. Gladly he watched your bags being carried out to the car Vili had gone to pull up to the door filling up the trunk and half the back seat while you signed for the great deal you got on everything. For the drive back your fingers rose to smooth around the tape holding the wrap on your arm, lost in thought on what step to take next at home.

Pt 11

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