[Post Canon Update Open Log] Wasteland, Baby!

[lofi_charm]

Wasteland, Baby!

The Day That We Watched The Death of the Sun [ Blackwood Brews ]

It's a rainy morning when Blackwood Brews reopens, brass keys jangling loudly as Martin pulls them from his pocket. It's strange to be back here. There's this constant feeling that there's another shoe waiting to drop. A phantom Sword of Damocles. Pumpkin Hollow is far from perfect, certainly, but it's that familiar imperfect, predictable and comparatively easy. But after everything that he and Jon endured for... however long, Martin's already forgotten what Jon said it was aside from it feeling far too short... Some of those worlds within the world, they felt so... real. Dreamlike and permanent, like they'd been there forever. The sick village comes to mind. Not to mention that dreadful house.

The scent of tea leaves snaps Martin from his introspection. There's a bit of dust. He should get that cleaned up before Jon gets here with the pastry order from Max.

Water boils as rain falls outside. Dishes are washed, tea sets prepared. The dark wood and bookshelf-lined walls of the shop feel cozy under the rainy sky.

Martin almost doesn't notice as someone finally enters once the shop is open.

He startles lightly, snapped out of his stupor as the bell on the door rings. "Oh--- Hello there! Welcome in! Have a seat wherever you like. Can I get anything started for you?"

The Cloud & The Cold & Those Jeans You Have On [ Morning Fog ]

Sometimes, in the very, very early morning, the fog will be much thicker than usual as it rolls in off the shoreline.

A figure stands on the beach, in the very thick of it, silhouette almost obscured despite its size. A Thermos-like flask in hand, Martin gazes out at the sea.

He came here to be alone. Mornings on the shore are quiet if you stand far away enough from the marina. Between the distance and the effects of his Lonely fog, the far-off shouting of the crew of the Mipha's Grace as they load up their ship for the day sounds almost unreachably distant, like the echo of another world. A world of people and gatherings, so otherworldly to Martin's solitude.

During their apocalyptic hike and their stay at the safehouse, Jon and Martin were separated meaningfully... maybe twice? In all that time that felt like years, just a few brief moments apart. And Martin loves Jon more than anything or anyone, but a thing like him... Well, he's always needed a healthy dose of solitude to think straight, and he won't find that at the cottage or at the tea shop.

But maybe occasionally it won't hurt to be interrupted, to be kept from sinking too deep. Either by a friend or a fellow seeker of a moment's peace in a loud and busy world.

You Gaze Unafraid as They Sob from the City Ruins
[Closed to Jon]

As things slowly start easing back to normal, Martin and Jon spend fewer and fewer days laid up in bed, dead to the world. But every so often, they take a day to themselves to just be.

Martin has been almost ghost-like, his own struggles to reconnect with this world drawing the Lonely to him in noticeable but largely innocuous ways. (Aside from a bit of fog in the house, but what can you do.) Jon is woken on a lazy morning not by hands and a lover's voice, but the phantom of a kiss to the forehead, the cloying smell of bacon being cooked, and the sound of the ocean through a window that was not open the night before. Traces of Martin's presence.

Jon will find the other man out on the patio, breakfast laid out on their garden table overlooking the bluffs. "Morning," Martin murmurs, smiling with a warmth reserved only for Jon these days. "Hope I didn't wake you too early."

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Comments

blackwood brews

[hadnoright]

Daisy doesn't so much walk in as she does burst in like a wet dog from the rain, all drowned with floppy hair on account of her general stubborn refusal to use umbrellas. Or hoods.

She sags with a tangible relief when she sees him. "Thank christ, you are back."

The odds of someone having broken into the shop were slim but not zero.

[lofi_charm]

Martin smiles awkwardly as he registers the identity of his customer.

"Oh! M-morning, Daisy, you're looking." Wet. "Busy. Were you--- checking in on the shop?"

Feels incredibly weird to talk to her like this. Having watched her die, having seen the thing she became. But Martin still puts Earl Grey leaves and lavender buds into a strainer, like muscle memory. He doesn't even think about it.

[hadnoright]

"Been walking by to check since it went quiet." She wipes her face and at least shakes her hair out in the doorway, rather than after stepping fully inside. Really not unlike a wet dog shaking itself out, but a little less messy. "Been a few people leaving and not coming back."

Being her, she doesn't say that she was worried that would happen to him and Jon, but it's the implication.

[lofi_charm]

"Ah. Yeah, I remember. It was usually people who hadn't been here long, but sometimes..."

Martin had certainly heard plenty of town gossip from the shop. The chief constable, the owner of Baker Ranch, Gerry's ex-boyfriend... Apparently Dahlia's ex-boyfriend too, but that happened before Martin was here. And maybe also Crichton's?? What is it about ex-boyfriends? Too bad it can't happen to Jon's.

"We actually were specifically asked by Mortanne to go home and come back. Apparently we're going to be... needed. The way we are now. So." He shrugs. "Doesn't seem like we were gone long. It's still spring. Maybe a week, yeah?"

Blackwood Brews

[xiaoxiuya]

It's not long before his first customer shows up, Shen Qingqiu glowing ever so slightly as he dismisses the rain from his umbrella and the rest of his person with a little spell. "Martin!" The tone of his voice, the look on his face, they all betray how relieved, how pleased he is to see his friend back again, in this place he's meant to be.

...And then he notices what else Martin brought back with him and his demeanor immediately changes to concern, hastily approaching the counter to take his hand and check his pulse. "Oh, Martin," he sighs. "Xiongdi. Are you well? Did Sims come back with you?"

[lofi_charm]

"Shen Qingqiu! God, I feel like I haven't seen you in--- like a year!" As soon as his friend is satisfied with the fact that he indeed has a pulse, Martin pulls him into a bear hug. "Christ, it's good to be back. Yeah, Jon's here! He'll be out in a bit, he's dusting his office aggressively."

[xiaoxiuya]

He was checking for much more than the presence of Martin's pulse, but he gives it up with a mental shrug as he's pulled into a deep hug. Oof! Well, Lonely or not, he can't be in too bad shape if he's willing to express affection like that!

"It's been a week or so for me, but with no idea when or if you'd ever come back..." He hugs Martin back, patting one broad shoulder. "You scared me, xiongdi. Don't do that again, okay?"

[lofi_charm]

The Lonely has eaten a lot of Martin these days, but there are some people who he couldn't help but miss.

"We didn't know how long it'd be when Mortanne offered. Didn't really get a chance to say goodbye. But--- we're here for good now," Martin assures him. "There's nothing left back home. So. It's here or bust."

blackwood brews

[yournewsidekick]

"Don't open the lemon green canister," says a voice from around ankle height. "I put my mice in there."

At his feet sits a bright pink cat, idly grooming one paw without a care in the world.

(Luckily, if Martin does open the canister labeled LEMON GREEN, he'll only find a bunch of toy mice Nimona's been slowly nicking from the pet store.)

[lofi_charm]

"Wh--- Oh god." Immediately Martin worries that the mice in question are going to be live mice, hurriedly opening the canister and sighing with relief when he sees brightly-colored fabric. "Goodness, you nearly gave me a heart attack! What happened to the tea?"

[yournewsidekick]

Nimona laughs. "Dunno. It was like that when I broke in."

Or she might have eaten all of it. Either one!

Nimona springs onto the counter, transforming into a fluid river of pink light and reforming as a teenager. She perches there and idly kicks her heels against the base. "You really oughta get better locks if you're gonna vanish on us for so long. Where've you been?"

On the surface, it sounds flippant enough, but the way she's watching Martin betrays a little bit of worry. She likes the guy. There's always been something about him that's -- weirdly familiar, even though their personalities couldn't be more different.

[lofi_charm]

"I went home for a bit," Martin admits. "Came back with some spooky new powers. Jon's are even more intense than mine. But don't worry, we're, ah. Properly dead back home! So we won't be going back again. We're Pumpkin Hollowites for good."

Martin promptly places an extra sweet strawberry tea and a chocolate croissant in front of her. She's regular enough that he knows what she likes.

"Now, I believe I owe you a treat for getting us out of that whole Efrain mess, hmm?"

Morning Fog

[substitutiarylocomotion]

[Wizard was about as academic a magician as it came. While other practitioners of the art might draw their powers from patrons or natural talent his came from long hours of study and grueling practice. To that end, he derived concentration and focus from the feeling of a study or a well-stocked library as opposed to those more wild mages who seemed to draw energy from being out in nature, but he could not deny that there was a kind of serenity to certain places that defied explanation. It felt like words in a dream, where what they communicate is clear in the moment, but to repeat it or to try putting it into words was as elusive as trying to hold water in your hands. Certain kinds of weather or certain kinds of places had the ability to rejuvinate him more than the most restful of sleeps though, and loathe to admit it as he might be he could see why wildmages clung to places that elicited such a feeling.

The shores of Marrow Isle were such a place for him, and the peaceful calm that could be found there in early mornings or late nights was completely unlike what he'd experienced on the seas of Hydeland. Crashing waves, whirlpools, and Kraken-infested caverns were what awaited those who sought out liesurely beachwalks where he had come from but, while storms and angry waves could still lap at the coast here, he'd found a sort of serenity he'd rarely encountered before as well. The distant sounds of the docks, with the faint ringing of ships bells and the clang of caliper against flagstaff, added that subtle touch of civilization needed for him not to feel cut off from the rest of the world and the fog present on mornings like these added a pleasing combination of mystery and moisture to the air. Constitutionals like these are normally a solitary affair for Wizard, as there's little but the occasional crab for company on the majority of such outings, but the appearance of a figure in the fog both catches him by surprise and informs him that he's not the only one taking in the sea air this morning.]

"Hello?"

[He calls to the figure, not able to make out much beyond an outline.]

"Who's that out in the fog?"

[lofi_charm]

There's a strange quality to the fog. Thick, low-hanging, and oddly cold, but also starkly isolating. As if standing in it makes every single other point seem vastly further away.

When the Wizard speaks, the fog itself almost seems to recoil at the sound, like a hand reeling away from a hot stove. It's hard to say why it feels that way, as the soupy cloud-cover doesn't rescind or retreat at all. But somehow... there is the overwhelming sense that the weather itself responded to the words with disgust.

The figure looks over. Raises his flask. "Name's Martin," he calls back. A man's voice, light in tone, with an English accent. The fog doesn't react to him. "Don't mind me, though. I'll be no bother."

[substitutiarylocomotion]

[Inclement weather ordinarily has a peculiarly welcoming feeling for Wizard, giving much the same sensation as being the first to rediscover some long-neglected trinket or find a well-worn tome in its feeling of embracing something rejected. That feeling had been as present as ever thanks to the gloomy weather that hung across the island, but the feeling of the fog had felt keenly different in the moments after he'd called out.

The unknown brings with it a feeling of foreboding fore many people, certainly, but Sylus was drawn to that rather than turned away so the idea that a mysterious silhouette would make him feel off like that was a strange one. Fleeting as it was, though, he dismissed the passing impression and focused on man speaking with him.]

"On the contrary!"

[Wizard calls back.]

"It's a pleasant surprise to find another person out here. Many of my little expeditions end up with nothing but sand for company."

[Drawing closer, he raises his hand in greeting and returns the introduction.]

"A pleasure Martin. I'm Sylus, though most everyone simply calls me Wizard. You out here taking in the sea air as well, or are you heading someplace particular?"

You Gaze Unafraid as They Sob from the City Ruins

[apocryphalarchivist]

It's a slow stir, but not an unpleasant one; thankfully, Jon's started to get past the stage of their return, where he's woken up to anxious dread, wondering when the other shoe would drop, when the dream would end. Normalcy in the mundane and in the "cursed" aspect of the island have been enough to shake those worries - and what a pleasant surprise that it's the former, this time around.

Peeling himself out of bed, Jon pulls on his robe hanging from the back of the bedroom door, padding slowly out into the world. First, to the kitchen, then, outside, where he finds Martin. His own smile is just as warm, even with the tinges of sleep-haze that cling to his face.

"Not too early at all. I've got to stop being dead to the world eventually, I suppose," he half-jokes, moving to take his own seat. "The entire house smells fantastic, by the way. What all did you make?"

[lofi_charm]

"Oh, hah, just--- Bacon and eggs, some toast," Martin murmurs. "And tea. Obviously. Your favorite."

English Breakfast, with a Pumpkin Hollow flare. Just a bit of milk and not too much sugar. Just how Jon likes it.

"We never got to do this, in the cabin. Not--- I mean--- There were the first few days, but... Not like this. You know?"

[apocryphalarchivist]

"Closest we got since that was Salesa's, and it wasn't quite right there, either," Jon half-jokes, taking a moment to pick up his teacup, just holding it for the moment. Sometimes, he's got to take a few seconds to just sit and... be. Breathe deeply. Smell the seabreeze, the aroma of a good cup of tea, to feel the weight of porcelain in his hands, to feel real. Anchored. So much of their time before, he'd been so keenly aware, yet so very lost in the throes of everything. Of Knowing.

The Eye is more distant, here, even if his tether to it still holds strong. Here, he can simply exist. Even if there are some complications to that.

"Thank you. ...How've you been doing, with settling back in, by the way?" Jon asks, finally taking a sip, before setting the cup aside. "I know the change has been... a lot. Like it's been no time at all since we were here before, and a lifetime away, all at once."

[lofi_charm]

"Nnnnnot great. If I'm honest. I feel... far away from everything. Like I'm not real," Martin admits. "But maybe that's just the Lonely talking. The tea house feels safe, though. Simple. Routine. But beyond that... it's hard."

[xiaoxiuya]

Although Shen Qingqiu would have been happy to sit and chat with Martin for the rest of the day, eventually he does have to let him go to see to his other customers. Shen Qingqiu himself retires to a cozy seat in the corner with a pot of licorice root tea and a library book. The teashop is the perfect place for some quiet reading...but he also hopes he might see his other friend while he's here.

[apocryphalarchivist]

"You know, I'd been wondering when I'd run into you again."

It doesn't take entirely too long for Jon to make an appearance. Even though he wasn't straining his attention to know who was out in the lobby away from his work, it was only a matter of time before he stepped out, to slowly re-acclimate to the normalcy and routine of it all.

The second he'd spotted his friend among the crowd, however, he quickly decided any people-watching and counter-based work could wait a bit longer.

"How have things been?" he asks, borrowing the chair opposite of Shen Qingqiu. "I'd hope we hadn't missed anything too terribly exciting, have we?"

[xiaoxiuya]

"I'm not the one who disappeared," Shen Qingqiu replies, smiling broadly as Sims finally makes his appearance. An instant later, it's turned wry and a little curious, as he looks Sims up and down and says, "For us, it's been suspiciously peaceful. Meanwhile I can tell you were up to much more than your usual level of nonsense. What in the world did you do to your ribs?"

job interview

[theonewhosuffers]

It's been nearly two months since Martin and Jon returned to Pumpkin Hollow, plenty of time for them to settle back into a routine. The tea shop is quite popular with both old friends and new, as well as Pumpkin Hollow's own native tea-drinkers. Before too much younger, Martin might start thinking about hiring a few assistants...

Well, even if he hasn't yet thought of it himself, someone is about to bring it to his attention. Ralsei's been observing the town carefully since he reunited with his friends, and he's decided that he would benefit from having a job. Kris has one, and they seem to like it! And more importantly, a job can be used to earn money, and money can be exchanged for goods and services. Like extra snacks for his friends, or presents for Susie! Her birthday's coming up soon, isn't it? He'd never brought it up before, but now that they're all in the same world day and night he thinks he'd really like to throw her a party, actually. He should talk to Kris about it, see if they're thinking the same thing.

So after taking a look at all the town's businesses, Ralsei has made a little list of jobs he thinks he'd be good at, checked out a book on letter-writing, and even asked Mr. Pennyburrow to check his resume for mistakes! He's ready! All he has to do now is...go introduce himself to some business owners.

[quietgoatscreaming.wav]

It's okay! He can do this! He just needs to take some deep, calming breathes, count to ten, and...go!

The bell over Martin's front door tinkles brightly as one of Pennyburrow's children walks in, this one with delicate white paws and the face (and ears. And horns!) of a goat. He smiles nervously, walking straight up to the counter with a fabric documents binder in hand. Seems like he has something in mind other than ordering tea...?

[lofi_charm]

To be honest, Martin hasn't given much consideration to adding more of a team. His days are busy, certainly, but it's work he enjoys, done alongside Jon. Not to mention that his affiliations make the idea of more people somewhat unappealing. But that doesn't mean he'd be wholly against it if the opportunity presented itself.

It's sort of a lull in business when Ralsei comes in, where most patrons are already seated with their tea and pastries and just relaxing on their own, usually to read or chat with one another. Martin's wiping down the counter as the youngster enters.

"Hello, welcome in!" He smiles. "Can I get you anything?"

[theonewhosuffers]

"Um! Maybe?" Ralsei squeaks, his voice tight from tension and embarrassment. He came into being as a prince, the first time he'd ever had to justify himself to anyone had been that first awkward conversation with Kris and Susie -- and that was very nearly a complete disaster. The stakes are much lower here, but! It turns out his anxiety doesn't really care about things like that.

He clears his throat. "I mean! I was hoping to ask you a question. Um, have you perhaps thought about hiring an assistant?" And he places the fabric binder on the counter, smiling up at Martin hopefully.