Sowing Seeds

[buon_giorno]

"Come here...isn't your paw hurt?"

Giorno had full intentions of stealing a mid-day nap, but Croccante was high on one of the broken pillars beside the door to his room. The white cat eyed him but didn't come down. Giorno sighed and rubbed his head. Just looking up for too long was hard when he had been on his feet for longer than an hour or two.

It had been just two days since he cured Joseph. He had slept almost the rest of the day through and that was all he was allowing himself after making himself so scarce for a whole week. At some point doubt would creep into the community gossip and that was the last thing he needed to manage.

Giorno leaned against the pillar and put some of his energy into the ivy vines that crept up it. The flowers burst open, surprising the small cat, and urging her to leap down--right onto his head. He quickly pried her out of his now-mussed curls and inspected her paw. A little splinter poked out of the pink pad, and he squinted to pluck it out--and missed. And tried again--and missed. His hands were shaking. Croccante's tail was swishing in irritation. He summoned all his focus and managed to fix his fingers around it to pull it out, and the fluffy cat bolted out of his arms not a moment later.

"Yes, yes...you're welcome." Giorno watched her take off down the hall.

Comments

[takeba]

"Oh, hey!" Yukari ran over to join the other two. "I met him. He loved the drink, by the way!"

[alteredfates_npc]

“Oh?” Iris gestured at her aggressively to pull up a seat. “Tell. Everything. Starting with what you’ve got in your hands there.”

[takeba]

"A thank-you gift," Yukari said, presenting it to the others as if it were a prize to be won on a game show. "For the drink." That was part of the answer, but Yukari really didn't want to go into the other reasons he was thanking her. "Really, I should be thanking you for it."

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris made an ‘o’ with her lips, glancing at Criff and back to Yukari. “A gift of flowers.”

[takeba]

"It's seriously nothing like that," Yukari said quickly, before anyone could get the wrong impression. "He's good-looking, but he's definitely not my type."

[alteredfates_npc]

“You’re not into the cool mysterious type, huh?” Iris circled a finger at her.

[takeba]

"I prefer more direct guys."

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris thought about it and nodded. "I guess that makes sense. You're a little mysterious yourself, after all. Finding a complement to yourself is what dating is all about." Iris leaned towards Criff and lowered her voice...but not by much. "I guess that means Juli's territory is safe for now."

[criff]

Criff let out a little chuckle. "Right?"

[takeba]

"Wait, so those two are together?"

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris leaned in and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I mean...you'd think. They're, like, always together. But I bet at least one of them is totally holding back because they're on the council together, you know? They've got that weight of the world burden thing going on." Iris sat back up straight and looked to Criff. "...Actually, what was Juli like back where you two are from? She was, like, in charge there too right? Was she still this uptight?"

[criff]

"Yeah, basically. She was part of the ship's upper crust. Even after Blue took over."

[takeba]

"Is she really that bad?" Yukari looked from Iris to Criff.

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris waved a hand. “I’m not trying to be mean or anything. She’s super sweet and we all rely on her a lot. But…she can’t level with the rest of us too much, you know? Her and Giorno. That’s what makes them all…mysterious.” And that much more fun to speculate about. “And like…Juli’s got plenty of admirers of her own, you know? I don’t think she even notices.”

[takeba]

"Well, I hope the two of them leave some for the rest of us. No one has even asked me out for the festival yet."

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris hummed loudly. “…Well if Giorno isn’t your speed, what about Joseph? He’s super direct. And hunky. If you don’t mind him being his grandpa or whatever.”

[takeba]

Yukari blinked. "What?"

[criff]

"Word is that he and Giorno are related," Criff said in her usual sultry tones. "And since he was born a half-century before Giorno was..."

[alteredfates_npc]

“Such a gorgeous family.” Iris sighed. “I didn’t believe at first, but…they really have the same eyes, you know? All blue and sharp and dreamy.”

[takeba]

"Yeah, if that's your type. I kinda like my guys a little less muscular."

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris groaned. “C’mon, Yukari. You could be passing up the love of your life here. Besides, you could have any guy you wanted in two seconds.” Her face dropped with a sudden realization. “But if it were to happen…if by some trick of the multiverse…it turned out you were Giorno’s grandmother along?”

[takeba]

"What?" Yukari's face went hot-red. "No -- no way!"

[criff]

"I guess that leaves more for me and Iris, then." Criff turned to look at Iris, her head tiled to one side. "Right?" she added with a smile.

[alteredfates_npc]

Iris sighed again, but it was a fluttery sigh of agreement. “I’d be happy with someone as handsome as Joseph, but…Caesar’s so romantic. He always has a compliment for me whenever he sees me and he’s so good with the kids.”

All of Iris’s stress from the day seemed to melt away and she eyed the flowers that Giorno gifted Yukari before looking to her. “Mmm…you know, I bet those are a sign. Why don’t you and I design some matching iris-themed dresses to wear to the festival? …Well, Criff will mostly, but you know!” Iris leaned over and hugged Criff tightly as a thank you in advance.

[criff]

Criff didn't even protest when she was volunteered for dress duty. "Sure," she said, warmly. She wasn't used to anyone other than her sister being this affectionate with her. But it wasn't unwelcome. Not at all.