idolpro | Nemesis Heart

[The man's bushy hair is speckled with silver; his face and ears dark and sunburnt darker. He is chattering on in lilting Portuguese, unheeding of the sprig of sweet pea tucked behind his ear, more engrossed in tending a pot of black beans and ham hocks bubbling pleasantly on the stove. His daughter looks perfectly put together, hair glossy and eyebrows shaped and probably a good ten years older than the photos of the young family scattered near the shrine. She has a corsage of hydrangea and red spider lily on her wrist; the petals flutter as she idly scrolls through her phone.

"Japanese, please, Daddy. It can't possibly be that hard for you by now."

His nose crinkles, but he switches languages, his Japanese accented and a little broken. "Your mother like when I speak my good language to her, y'know. To win her over, I only have say," (and here his voice goes deep and smooth, his expression going all corny romance) "o amor da minha vida...você me completa..."

Julia shoves back at him, rolling her eyes. "Please don't. You're embarrassing." His shoulders tense for a beat, then she smiles, catching his hand and leaning in. "How much more time is left 'til this is done?"

"So cold, Amorzinha. If you cooked with me more, by now you would know..." He wipes away a mock tear, demeanor back to carefree.

"Come onnnn, Daddy!" He raises his hands in apology as she huffs, then turns to get himself another beer. That's about when she catches sight of you, eyes narrowing to slits.

Head back out of the fridge, the man only blinks over at you, expression blank. "...Hey lady. You lost?"]

[ waves, casual. ]

Yo, I'm looking for Xia.

You're her dad, right? Nice to meet you.

["Oh," and he seems a little taken off-guard. "Hello."

Julia stares back at you, eyes narrowed. "Since when did you come out here? --She can't play right now, sorry." She does not, in fact, seem very sorry,]

[ BLATANTLY ignoring the other girl. what color were those hydrangeas, anyway? ]

I hung out with her while she made your feijoada once. I couldn't eat it, but it smelled amazing, y'know?

Sucks we can't ever meet for real, but this sort of thing is important too.

[The bad one. She does not seem amused at being ignored]

[For his part, her father grins, genial. "Of course! There's nothing more important than your friends and your family. And good food and drink! If you have those, there's nothing more you can ever need." He nods to himself before looking back, surprised. "My feijoada? My girl knows how to cook?"]

[ white, huh. ]

Yeah-- getting better all the time. We were gonna learn some stuff together, eventually. I have a pretty strict diet, so she's always watchin' out for me, makin' sure I can eat whatever she's got around.

[ also coming closer, holding her hand out. ]

Totally sorry-- my name's Requiem, by the way.

["Rafe," and he takes your hand for a firm handshake. Even though it's cracked and callused, it's impossibly warm and you don't ever want him to let go. He does, of course, too soon, turning to grin at Julia. "Amorzinha, now you see what to learn real food can do. Our little girl has a friend like this!"

"Charmed. Or--" Julia cuts herself off, eyes widening. "You're--the real one, aren't you...?]

[ reluctantly pulls her hand back, rueful for a second. ah, kitty...

then glances at the other girl, brows raised. ]

Obviously I'm real. Who're you?

[She schools her expression, pulling up a smile]

["Well, I'm her sister! Obviously." The resemblance is quite strong, though Julia seems softer and genuinely pretty, less of the rangy rough angles of their father. "Julia... A pleasure to meet you." She does not offer a hand,]

You don't seem all that pleased.

So what was it you were saying before? "Since when do you come out here?"

[Just ignoring that first bit,]

[Julia's eyes flick to her father, before closing, sweetly. "I'm afraid I mistook you for someone else. It's just been so long since we've had a worthwhile visitor! You can forgive me, can't you?"]

["It's been just us for a while. But like I said, we stick together, ah?" Rafe places a hand on Julia's head, though she quickly shakes it off.]

I'm pretty unmistakable! But do tell me about this someone else, why don't you?

[ to rafe, as she comes to the seat next to julia, ]

You don't mind if I join you, do you? Thanks!

[What are you even doing

how are you doing this]

[--Anyway, Julia's expression goes a little pinched. "Of course, the more the merrier!" her father says, cheerful. "You wanna drink, or food... You said you're no gluten?"]

Oh, totally worse. Only reds!

[ leans on the table, closer to julia. ]

So, you were saying?

["Should of have tomatoes, I knew it..." He putters off into the cabinets, looking for...something?]

[Julia looks back evenly. "Oh, was I saying something? I didn't mean to interrupt, do go ahead. Why are you here again?"]

Thanks, dad!

--You were just about to tell me about this friend you mistook me for.

[She sighs, quick and irritated. "...Do you know where we are? Do you know who I am?"]

Nem's heart, yeah?

I don't actually know you specifically, though.

["I did just introduce myself. But it does make sense she'd get together with someone she could keep up with, as it were.

Think of it this way. I'm her logic, better judgement, sense of reality, intelligence, when she bothers to use it, so basically never..." She sighs, ending the digression. "Unfortunately, there's more to her than just me. Getting clearer now?"]

Wow! It's almost like knowing your name doesn't actually mean I KNOW you!

You're SOOOO smart, Julia! Golly! I wish MY logic had a stick up its butt like yours did!

[For an instant, a withering look, before her expression smooths once again. "Well. If you really do want to get to know me, I'm sure we can work something out! It's any sister's duty to keep tabs on her friends, isn't it? After all, who knows how she could get hurt without someone to protect her?"]

Edited 2021-01-30 07:44 (UTC)

[ hums, setting her chin in her hand ]

She doesn't NEED me to protect her. I do it cuz I love her.

[She clasps her hands, as if impressed. "That's so noble! You must be so proud of yourself for such...selfless accomplishments."]

Not really. I junked up lots of times before we got here.

But I do stuff cuz I wanna, cuz I like her, and not cuz she needs it or nothin'.

[That hand goes over her heart as her lashes go low. "I'm certain she appreciates your sacrifice. Why are you in my house?"]

Re: INSIDE this house is instanced

stakesthesame - 2021-02-07 08:33 (UTC) - Expand

Nemesis Heart - R3

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