handelaar | (no subject)

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[The tent was old and way too big for just two people, but he'd gotten it years ago for cheap and like hell was he gonna go buy a new one when this one did the job. Well, as long as it didn't rain - from his crouch at the entrance he looked up between the trees - still clear skies, mild weather, and a light evening breeze.

Maybe he should try to find a tarp anyway. The house might be 15 meters away but goddamnit they were camping, and if it rained they were gonna be prepared. He took a moment to stick his head back into the tent, going over all the supplies for the eleventh time... Finally pulled back and stood to light a cigarette, satisfied.]

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.....

[Nope, just looking at her

looking

looking

oh hey idea.]

What if I look at the sky. Instead.

[ And she's looking back at him.

Looking.

Looking.

What? ]

The sky?

Yeah...

[He does not see anything strange at all about this conversation, someone get this boy back down to planet Earth.]

[ Mm, maybe she should kept the argument up. But whatever, man. So long as it keeps him busy. ]

Well, what do you see up there?

[He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels, a little.]

Dunno. Haven't looked yet.

[lol too busy fuzzily looking at her.]

Well look and tell me what you see.

[ It isn't a request, it's a command. And the longer she can keep him distracted the sooner the food will be done. ]

[And he doesn't even try to argue it, just wrenches his head back to peer up between the trees. Huh. The stars are coming out, but it's still a little too light to be able to see much yet.]

Shitton of poplar leaves. ...an' not Mars. [He sounds disappointed, spinning around toward the west only to figure that it's still too low to see.]

[ Smiles a little, checking the skillet and just trying to keep him preoccupied. ]

Any constellations?

Mm. Prob'ly...

[Trees are in the way, and while he knows what should be there he has no idea if they're actually visible. So he trails off and starts wordlessly wandering off into the middle of the lawn.]

[ She watches him wander with a smile on his face. ]

Tell me if you see anything.

Lyra's s'posed to be there...

[Oh, and it is, if the hum he makes is anything to go on. He plops himself onto the grass and leans back on his hands.]

Too bright t'see Hercules.

[ She grins when he starts talking about the stars. ]

I miss the days when you used to talk to me about the stars. How you could navigate your ships by them, show me which were which, the way you'd blush when the caretakers got on you for keeping me out so late at night.

[Fuck but it's a good thing it's way too dark and it's way too far a distance for her to see his blush right now.]

Caretakers... [And if that isn't full of disdain. He fiddles with the grass between his fingers before continuing.] I can still do that, y'know.

[ She can hear the lectures now. "You're her older brother. You should be more responsible with her." ]

Still do what?

[And him just grunting at them, torn between what she needs, what he wants, and what they expect. So it's a moment before he answers.]

Talk about stars.

[ She glances over at him with a smile. ANYTHING to get him talking. ]

Then do it.

Works better when you're here.

[Half griping and half the truth.]

Well, I'll be over there in a minute. I need to serve up this food first.

[ Because what do you know, IT'S DONE. ]

[Bel what did you just do.]

Food.

[FOOD.]

[ Made him a very happy boy. She nods and smiles, pulling out the two bowls she brought out before spooning some food into them and handing him one. ]

Careful. It's still hot.

[He's scrambling up from the ground as soon as she confirms it, basically jogging over to snatch that bowl up and - getting his hands burned for it. All that happens is both the bowl and his silly ass landing with an oof onto the ground near her, though, as he pokes at it.]

Smells great.

[Just sayin'. Hghghhhh he wants this right now.]

Told you it'd be done sooner if you just busied yourself.

[ She hands him a fork as she sets her own bowl down to cool, making sure to turn off the cooktop and she doesn't care what he says, she will be putting leftovers inside. She will NOT waste good food. ]

If -

[Nope too busy poking at things, like that will make him be able to eat them more quickly. And then he's trying to get all of the leftover into his bowl, to... mixed success.]

Ah, you're spilling it.

[ Crawls over to help him and pick up the rest so it doesn't attract bugs or ruin his grass. ]

It's...

[It's in his bowl now and he is trying his motherfucking hardest to keep it to himself. Maybe he can. Pick out the grass when she isn't looking, or something.]

Fine.

[Just staring off into the distance and trying not to grit his teeth over it.]