twintig

[gezellig]

[A] - Backdated to just after New Year's - locked to housemates

[When notdad gets home early from work he looks like he's visited the market; he's got a few bags and he immediately goes to the kitchen. Soon after there's a sign on the closed kitchen door that reads 'Please keep out except for emergencies' and the sounds and smells of something cooking are coming from inside.

Towards what could be called dinner time, he's set the dining room table nicely; there's spots for all of them, along with bowls of thick pea soup with sausage, baked rolls with butter and cheese.

At both Canada and Hilda's places there's a small pot with a strawberry plant in it. The berries on it are small but very sweet; there's a card about how to grow them indoors during the winter.

. . . and hopefully, his notfamily can forgive him for considering Mayfield's words about the fakes and contemplating on how he'd kill them. He'll let them know dinner is ready.]

[B] - The park - open to everybody

[After dinner, the occupants of pet-house are taking a walk in the park; there's Canada and her bear and moose, Hilda and her pokemon, and Holland with his bunny. Feel free to awkwardly stare, or even talk to them.]

Comments

[mounties]

Well then, maybe I will. [The teasing is perfect, and she just smiles more at him, although it falters after a moment.]

We're alright, right? I really am sorry.

[gezellig]

[He wishes he could do something charming, like maybe suggest she sit in his lap, but instead he clears his throat and answers the question quietly, calmly.]

Ja; I still talk to most of Europe, don't I?

[mounties]

You sort of have to keep talking to people you share a continent with, though. So that's a little irrelevant. [Not to mention, she can only imagine that there were a lot of cases where he shot first.]

[gezellig]

I mean, you haven't done nearly what they have.

[Starting in on his soup now.]

[mounties]

Still... [She thinks that means she's forgiven, so she settles down in her seat, picking up her spoon but mostly just poking around with it.] I don't think it's all that respectable to promise to protect somebody and then go around shooting their male alternate because he's been brainwashed. I know it's entirely in European style, some eras, but I'd rather not be like that.

[gezellig]

[Brainwashed . . . he supposed that he was. Holland will shrug.]

It's okay to protect yourself.

[mounties]

[Canada nods, slowly, looking at the table.]

So, umm... Can you forgive me? Or should I wait? I mean, I can wait, if you need, but it would mean a lot to me if you could forgive me for the whole shooting thing.

[gezellig]

[He'll set his spoon down, staring. Maybe he should have said it directly.]

If you'll forgive me for thinking about harming you and Hilda, then you're already forgiven.

[It's a bit awkward, so he'll pick his spoon up again and go right back to his soup.]

[mounties]

Well, you're already forgiven for that.

[She nods a little, still only looking at the table, but at least her smile's back now, and without trying to make anything more awkward, she'll simply start on the soup.]

This is good.

[gezellig]

It is.

[He knows she means the soup, but a lot was good, even though a lot was bad.]

[mounties]

Your modesty is charming.

[See, she's deliberately misinterpreting just to tease him: this means they're fine.]

[gezellig]

It's not the only thing that is.

[Almost, almost a grin.]

[mounties]

[Canada chuckles, blushing and glancing at him before dipping her head again.]

You don't say?

[gezellig]

Mmmhm.

[Eating so conspicuously to hide that almost grin now.]

[mounties]

[She just smiles, eating the rest of her soup quietly. No doubt the family will have small talk while they eat, but that's just another sign that things are okay again. Without thinking, when they finish, Canada will stand to clear the table.]