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svartish · 1 year

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sweet afternoon tea

surely i can beat writing block by just writing more. this one is directly inspired by the sweet afternoon tea and garden home day events combined into one fic. i know there was a lounge event before the garden one, but i decided to not address that project here. the dialogue from the very end is directly from the sweet afternoon tea event!

vyn centric. vyn grappling with the impending nxx found family. long; 3.2k words.

The NXX Headquarters garden has been, to put it simply, forgotten about. Vyn, at least, never cared much for it, never sparing it even a half of the consideration and devotion he put into his own garden back home. This indifference of sorts was how he always regarded the lackluster manor, and it had never been shaken until a more recent incident involving the pesky and infuriating yet reluctantly endearing team members he shared the building with.

The headache began about a week ago with the arrival of young Marius von Hagen barreling into the meeting room, papers nearly spilling out from his arms and a ferocious twinkle in his violet eyes. His palms made an obnoxious smack noise as he slapped everything down against the table, grinning widely from ear to ear. Vyn could feel a headache blooming already, and he hadn’t even begun talking yet. Rosa came trailing in behind the purple menace, an eager smile on her face as she joined Marius where he stood.

“Guys, listen up,” he began, waiting for the other three members to give him their attention. “I just had the best idea. The garden out back has a lot of free space, and we could turn it into a lounge or something. I’ve got some ideas here already.”

He slid the papers to spread out around the table enough where each member could peer down at one of them and see what he was planning. Vyn would never admit it, but even his curiosity was piqued, and he looked over the rims of his glasses and the mug in his hand at the sketch covered paper.

Most of the drawings were simple, though not lacking in artistic flair. The main inspiration was obviously creating enough space for each of them to have room to unwind alongside something enjoyable without forsaking the beauty a plant-filled garden can offer. Most of the differences between each design consisted of the layout of where objects like a table with five little seats or a small pond with fish would go.

“Well…” Luke started.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Artem interjected quietly, holding one of the designs while comparing it to the others.

“Marius and I thought of it the other day,” Rosa piped up with a room-warming beam on her face. “We thought it would be a good team bonding activity, and could make this place feel a little more like home.”

“Does it need to feel like home?” Vyn and Artem asked together before glancing at the other.

Rosa seemed to falter for a second, but it didn’t last long as her shoulders straightened and her conviction grew. “It doesn’t need to feel like home, but it doesn’t need to feel like just another office either! It’s not good for you to spend your time in places like that! You of all people should know that, Dr. Richter!” She wagged her finger at him admonishingly, and he felt himself wither ever so slightly under her gaze.

“You’re… right. My apologies,” he acquiesced, backing down from his stance ever so sheepishly. She was right, technically speaking, though he was still a bit wary of creating a more personal communal space with others to begin with.

Marius grinned proudly as he reached out to tap the paper in the middle of the table. “This one’s my most recent design. It’s got enough space for everybody while still leaving plenty of room for all kinds of plants. It even makes use of that big tree already out there too.”

“It’s certainly doable…” Artem mumbled, his finger rubbing absentmindedly along his bottom lip as he thought. The slight twitch in his brow was enough to alert the others that he was already attempting to envision the most productive way to capitalize on what Marius created.

Luke looked over the more recent design again before looking back toward Rosa, a soft smile lighting up his cheeks. “Yeah, I’ve really got no objections either. It actually kinda sounds like a good idea to me.”

Rosa clapped her hands in glee as she surveyed over the room again and shared an excited look with Marius. Her eyes only stopped when they landed on Vyn, who was still thinking quietly to himself where he sat.

“What about you, Dr. Richter? What do you think about the idea?”

Vyn was silent for a moment, golden eyes glancing one last time at each of the sketches critically. He paused before sighing slightly, silver lashes fluttering over his eyes for a moment.

“I have no objections either.”

He felt a slight joyful lurch in his heart at the way Rosa’s grin got somehow even wider as she and Marius rejoiced, turning to give the other a double high-five. Even the other members who had no real stake in the matter seemed to smile a bit, looking relieved as if they had been holding their breath while awaiting his answer.

“Great! Okay, okay,” Marius spoke, turning back to look around at each of the members. “Miss and I will finalize the layout plans. Artem can start picking out furniture. We could even try to put something up on that upper deck above the garden if you find something good. Luke, you look for the tools we need to plant things or build the furniture. And Vyn can shop for the plants. Sound like a good idea?”

Everyone seemingly content in their roles, the team burst into enthusiastic chatter, attempting to flesh out some of the design ideas they’d need. Vyn alone stayed out of this discussion, merely observing from his seat and sipping quietly on his tea. The most notable thing was the excitement each and every member seemed to have, obviously entranced by the idea of working together to create something for them all to enjoy. The notion was a little foreign to him, as he hadn’t felt the desire to build something with another for a long, long time. He closed his eyes ever so softly with the most imperceptible shake of his head, a defeated action contradicting the unfamiliar warmth pooling behind his ribs. Only the mug of tea rising toward his lips was able to hear the affectionate scoff he let out.

A part of him he didn’t care to examine found himself more eager than he ever would have expected. While he left that previous meeting unenthusiastic about the idea (or at least, as he described it to himself), barely two days had passed before he found himself standing idly in one of the many rows of his usual gardening goods store. In one hand he carefully balanced a petunia starter while the other lifted to examine the tag on an impressive bonsai. He flipped the tag around a few times between his slender fingers as if considering buying it, but the decision was already made up in his mind. He sighed in resignation as he carefully let go of the little tag and turned to eye some of the spades and watering cans on a little shelf nearby. He knew Luke was in charge of the tools… but he couldn’t help the innocently eager feeling creeping up inside him to do more to help out.

He shook his head at himself as he took note of each of the plants he wanted to purchase. All of them together would never fit in his car, so he decided instead to have them delivered to the NXX manor on the day they agreed to begin working. He checked out only armed with small bags containing transferable starters he’d take home with him now and tend to until it was time to move them to proper soil. He resisted the urge to purchase new tools to dedicate solely to the NXX manor garden, but made up for this by buying more flowers than he had initially meant to get.

Vyn, still trying to forcibly reenter the headspace in which he totally didn’t care about the project, had exited the store and started to slowly make his way toward his car, bags in hand, when he lifted his head and fatefully came eye to eye with the store across the street. The store, charmingly quaint compared to the urban scape Stellis boasted, caught his attention with the sight of high-quality looking appliances visible through the large glass window. He looked down at the bags in his arms and looked back across the street before slumping his shoulders in defeat and turning trail to peruse what this new store had to offer as well.

Getting lost in a moment of shockingly, uncharacteristically lacking willpower, he wandered around the store aimlessly, merely taking in everything around him. Nothing was in poor quality, though the high prices were an obvious drawback. Not like that was an issue for him anyway. Before Vyn knew what he was thinking, he found himself picturing how each appliance would look lined up in the manor’s kitchen. His traitorous thoughts delved even deeper to resurface the memory of them all crowded around the kitchen attempting to form rice balls together.

That silly endeavor had to be about, what, two months ago now? For whatever reason, Vyn found himself struggling to recall the more minute details he would have usually been able to picture in perfect crystal quality. He couldn’t remember who formed the best rice ball or the idiosyncratic manner of each member’s hands as they lovingly shaped each ball like he normally would have. Instead, the memories he was able to brush off instead were wracked with a scarily unfamiliar sense of… warmth. He could remember the way they had all smiled and laughed together. The way Luke’s lopsided smile bore only one dimple or how Artem’s cheeks bunched up joyfully like an old grandma’s when he laughed, truly laughed, for what felt like the first time around them. He could remember how Marius loudly boasted about his being the best but suddenly grew almost endearingly sheepish when everyone agreed and complimented his work. He could remember Rosa’s cheerful laugh filling the room, not left out in the slightest despite having to stand at a different table from the rest of them. And most of all, he could remember the sinking feeling in his chest when it finally grew time for everyone to leave that night.

Silver eyebrows rested in a deep slant as he thought. His vision slowly grew unclouded from the memory as it faded back into his mind, his eyes slowly focusing on the stand mixer resting on the shelf in front of him. His lips were pinched unreadably into something more complex than a frown. The store was filled with loud chatter, yet he never felt so alone. Was this store always so cold?

A soft click of the tongue, unheard by another, marked the making up of his mind. Vyn turned away from the shelf, a new shopping list in mind, marked by oddly domestic tools like ovens and mixing bowls. He merely needed to stop by a qualified attendant to order the items for delivery. Pale fist clenched around the handles of his bags, he grew determined to chase that warmth he felt for even a moment more.

Even if he had been ever so slightly eager in ordering new appliances last week, there was no going back now. All of the NXX investigation team had arrived, each clad in clothes suited to set up a cozy garden furnished to their desires. In a strange way he wasn’t at all used to, he felt something he unfortunately had to describe as embarrassment when he thought of sharing the news of the now more optimized kitchen, and bit back the confession like it was bile. He couldn’t understand why he would possibly feel embarrassed, as he thought he had nothing much to lose if the project failed anyway.

To the young doctor’s chagrin, it wasn’t like he had much time to ponder anyway. He was quickly grabbed away by the others, Luke piling tools into his arm and asking for help holding the legs of the new table steady while he screwed them together. If he lifted his head a little, he could see Artem already clearing space on the upstairs patio, and Marius could be seen moving boxes (and something Vyn suspected was an easel) onto the wooden deck. He could hear Rosa humming behind him as she arranged the plants, all still comfortably in their starters, into whatever order she found most aesthetically pleasing. The courtyard was, for the first time, rife with the energy and camaraderie of others.

Whether or not he was a fan of manual labor didn’t seem to matter today. Vyn didn’t find himself dredging through the project, nor did he find himself feeling embarrassed at any apparent lack of skill. He moved about helping arrange the garden table for a while before practically instructing all the others on the safest way to transfer plants into the soil. The garden was growing into something beautiful and personal all at once, something Vyn had to admit he never pictured happening. The worst part, which he would never speak aloud, was that he seemed to actually enjoy every minute of it. If he even noticed the dirt smeared on his khakis, he didn’t care.

Before he knew it, he was sitting on the stone steps, chin in hand, as his eyes absentmindedly followed Rosa around. His thoughts were consumed by grappling with his devotion to never grow close to others and the enjoyment he reaped from partnering up on such a sweet passion project. Perhaps the change in this garden reflected a more personal change in him.

“What’s got you so lost in thought?” Luke asked, peering down at him, squinting from the sunlight in his eyes.

“I did not realize that the manor's garden could be so well decorated,” he simplified.

“Huh?” Marius half yelled from across the courtyard, marching forward with his hands extended in mock annoyance. “Did you forget who designed the layout?”

Vyn didn’t respond, merely looking over his glasses at the younger man. He didn’t feel the need to extrapolate on his deeper thoughts and personal revelations, and his silence was filled instead by the approaching Rosa’s exasperation.

“Not this again…”

“I think everyone played a part,” Artem soothed as he approached, his hair surprisingly messy for once but his expression light. His blue eyes darted over to Rosa as if expecting her to build upon what he stated.

“Right, right! We finally finished decorating the garden, so let's celebrate!”

Luke grinned widely, an eagerness radiating off of him in waves brighter than the sun that afternoon. “Awesome! We’ve been at it for a long time, so we should take a break.”

“Miss,” Marius tilted his head toward Rosa, a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, “got any good ideas?”

“Hmm… it’s still pretty early in the day. Let’s prep afternoon tea together!”

Artem nodded, also shading his eyes. “That’s a good idea.”

Sucking an unnoticeable puff of air in between his teeth, Vyn lightly pushed up the corner of his glasses. He supposed it was now or never.

“It just so happens that after our previous rice ball experience...I ordered a set of kitchen equipment that may be of use. Everything is already in the lounge.”

“Like?” Marius drew out his vowels obnoxiously.

“Such as an oven, a mixer, a digital scale, and a blender, among others…” Vyn could feel that creeping feeling of embarrassment beginning to prickle the back of his neck, though he was determined to play it off cool. The childish grin spreading across Marius’ face was making that task no easier.

“Since when were you such a housewife?” Marius teased, lips curled up in something not made entirely of childish malice, but something deeper Vyn couldn’t decipher. Surprisingly, Vyn didn’t feel the regret and humiliation he expected to, though he wasn’t sure what he was feeling instead.

Rosa’s hands clapping together cut through the air sharply to draw their attention back to her. “Well then, let’s split up the tasks!” Luke smiled and crossed his arms, nodding his head in a confident manner.

“Since the appliances are all ready to go, I’ll blend all our cold and frozen drinks. I've worked as a bartender while doing detective work, so I'm good at that stuff.”

“I’ll make coffee and hot drinks. I learned how to make latte art during my spare time on the weekends.” For some reason, the entire group found themselves picturing Artem working dutifully over his kitchen counter as he practiced his secret latte art.

“I will bake the cakes,” Vyn offered kindly, his eyes filled with warmth mirrored in his smile. “Their flavor will not disappoint.”

“Then I’ll get someone to send over the ingredients we need, and I’ll take care of plating and decorating. Let me know which fruits you like,” Marius punctuated his sentence with a little wink aimed toward Rosa. “I guarantee you a happy tea time, Miss.”

Smiling from cheek to cheek, Rosa nearly pumped her fist in the air. “Looking forward to it! I’ll bake some cookies and help you all out. There’s no time to lose. We better get started!”

If Vyn had been told about two weeks ago that he would enjoy working side by side with his work partners on something personal, he would have scoffed. He wouldn’t have believed it for a moment. Yet, he now found himself standing in the kitchen he chose to properly furnish, working hard on a cake he actually planned to share with others. The kitchen was again alight with a familial enthusiasm, conversations and laughter overlapping from all over. Even when he wasn’t the one speaking or prodding at another, he could feel a light smile dance upon his lips like a whisper.

Tea time was something generally sacred and private for Vyn, the time where he could unwind while enjoying his dearest sweets. There are very few people in the world he would ever conceive sharing that time with, but he still found himself setting the cake he labored over onto the center of the table to share. He found himself cutting the slices carefully, evenly, and oddly holding his breath as he waited for the others to take their first bites. He knew he was a skilled baker, yet he felt the remote pang of fear that somehow, for whatever reason, they wouldn’t like it.

All he was greeted with were smiles and praise from the others, soothing his untoward anxieties in a single fell swoop. While he responded with a simple “As I expected. I am pleased that it suits your liking,” there was a giddiness bursting inside of him. He felt strangely excited to be sitting with these people, people he wouldn’t consider his friends at all, sharing something so uniquely important to him.

He breathed in the clear afternoon air, the sunlight warming his face as he tilted his head back ever so slightly. He could hear the chirping of the birds in the trees nearby and hear the water stirring in the pond across the courtyard. He could hear his coworkers chattering, just as they had in the kitchen, mouths filled with food this time.

He took a sip of the sweetest tea he’d had in a while.

#tears of themis #tears of themis fic #tears of themis fanfic #vyn richter #artem wing #marius von hagen #luke pearce #tot fic #tot vyn #tot artem #tot luke #tot marius #nxx investigation team #nxx team

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