paixaorpg | Leave the Lights On [Active]

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Leave the Lights On [Active]

Character(s): Urd, Genie, Yorda.
Content: Urd and Genie check up on their totally not adopted daughter.
Setting: Mao's lab in St. Destino Hospital
Time: Week 34, afternoon
Warnings: None.

Urd rode sidesaddle on a broom as she flew across the sky, low under the ever present domed ceiling. Weary and lacking her usual luster, she had opted for the broom rather than her usual solo flying as she made the trip to St. Destino. Her heart was hurting and a part of her wanted nothing more than to retreat somewhere quiet and remote so she could be left alone. But Yorda had sounded so frightened...and in the wake of a new arrival named Geoffrey, almost desperate. Urd told herself she was going simply to check up on the girl. If she happened to get comfort from her, that was all the better.

She rode in silence, feeling Genie's presence as he flew behind. When the reached the tall structure of St. Destino, she lead the way to the hospital wing, gliding into an open window.

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Genie had not been nearly as graceful as Urd when he had entered through one of the hospitals windows. His shoulders had been too wide, forcing him to turn sideways at the very last moment to squeeze inside. In the process he had nearly dropped the cake he had made for Yorda, the girls name written neatly across the top in pink icing. He dove down and caught it just before it hit the floor before breathing a sigh of relief.

“That was close.” He said, his voice echoing down the vacant hallways. It had been the first thing he had said since they had left the house, the two having travelled uncharacteristically in silence to their destination. “Kind of creepy in here, huh?” Genie continued, deciding to break the ice. “Echo!” he called out, hand cupped around his mouth to help amplify the sound of his voice.

When Urd had entered the room, she slid off the broom and landed silently in one smooth motion, her hand reaching out to grab the broom before it continued without her. She now placed it against the wall and turned to watch Genie nearly drop the cake.

"It's been abandoned for awhile," she said quietly, the empty atmosphere somehow lending itself to a softer voice. "I'm not surprised Mao picked this as a place to stay." She stepped up close to Genie, dusting off the dust that had stirred onto his shoulder during his entry.

She paused for a moment as she withdrew her hand, as if she wanted to say something. But she suddenly moved away, heading down the hallway to search for Yorda.

Edited 2011-08-16 18:12 (UTC)

His eyes widened and lips pressed together as he waited for Urd finally speak. He had waited the entire flight to the hospital for her to say what had been on her mind. But, after all that waiting, it seemed as though there would only be more. He drew a silent sigh when the goddess turned away. It was true; he knew exactly what was on her mind without her having spoken it. However, that didn’t mean she should have kept it all inside. She needed release. Maybe not there and maybe not right then but when they got home…

“Me neither.” Genie replied, determined to keep up conversation. It wasn’t what they needed to talk about but it was better than walking in silence. “This place screams that kids name all over it. He may not have painted it like the rest of the town but you just know. It must be like living in a toy store for him.”

Yorda had been on her tiptoes in the kitchen, checking on the chili one last time. She'd started making it awhile before Genie and Urd came, but it couldn't hurt to double-check on it one last time, though she knew the recipe well. And even though Mao always complained it was too hot, he'd eat it anyway, and wasn't the point of chili to be hot? She didn't want to disappoint Genie and Urd with dull food.

Upon hearing voices that sounded wonderfully familiar, Yorda grinned brightly and called out from what passed as a kitchen, "I am in here."

Genie's comment did get a slight, quiet chuckle from Urd, but before she could reply, Yorda's voice trailed through. She exchanged a glance with the djinn before moving quickly ahead, following the voice.

"Yorda...? There you are." Urd hesitated by the doorway, smiling a small, almost nervous smile as she caught sight of the girl. Yorda seemed the same as she always was, bright and innocent and sweet. None of the heart-wrenching fear she had displayed in the past was present, yet still the goddess hung back.

"Uh...hi."

He nodded in return to Urd’s glance before following after her. That had unmistakably been Yorda’s voice up ahead.

Genie made no effort in hiding his eagerness to see the girl. Where Urd had hesitated at the door, he flew straight through and to the girl. “Yorda!” The cake he had been holding was slid onto a near counter as he passed, both his hands having been required to pick the Yorda up when he moved to embrace her. Without warning, he lifted the girl up and twirled around in a small circle as he held her close for a moment. He then placed her safely back on the ground again where she had last stood and shared a broad smile. “You look great!”

Hovering lower down to her height, he gently touched her hair. “Did you do something different with your hair? Switch shampoos? Darling, the shine is fantastic.”

Yorda's smile only grew as she noticed Urd, with no sign of the fear she had felt when she'd last seen her. In fact, she had been about to run to the other when she found herself being caught up by Genie. The girl laughed and retuned the embrace as she was spun about, happy to see him. "Thank you," she replied. "You look well."

Yorda merely shrugged, not really being one to pay attention to those things. "I use the same shampoo Mao does," she offered. Turning her attention to Urd, the princess smiled again, albeit more shyly than before. "How are you?"

Urd's long hair flew into her line of sight as Genie zoomed past. Brushing it out of her face, she watched him effortlessly embrace Yorda, the cheerful and bright scene before her stunning her into silence for a moment. Lips curved into a wider smile, she ducked her head and chuckled quietly to herself. Leave it to Genie to sweep away any awkwardness. And she was being silly, wasn't she? Losing Belldandy didn't mean she was losing anyone else.

"Better now that I can see you're alright," she replied, moving into the kitchen to join them. Jewelry tinkling softly as she moved, Urd reached out to place her hand gently on the top of Yorda's head, petting her hair fondly. Gazing down at her, she smiled gently.

"We missed you."

Genie hovered over the chili Yorda had been cooking, curiously examining it while Urd entered the kitchen. He spotted a wooden spoon resting beside the pot which he immediately picked up to give its content a good stir. Chili, huh? Genie wondered if the recipe was anywhere near as hot as his aunt’s famous and three time award winning Hot and Spicy chili. He could easily handle the heat but still couldn’t help but wonder. If this really was Yorda’s cooking, how would she make her chili, mild? Bringing a spoonful to his mouth, he gently blew on it to cool it down and turned to face the two girls again.

“Yorda, did you make this yourself?” he asked, about to take a premature bite.

As Urd drew near, Yorda immediately threw her arms around the goddess, happily cuddling her. She'd missed Urd most of all, wishing they lived more nearby. Perhaps she would go and visit Urd's house, now that the fearful effects of the fog had worn off. "I missed you, too." Had it been anyone but Yorda saying that, the statement might have been taken for blurting, what with how quickly it came out.

The girl nodded at Genie, a little distracted, but not nearly enough to let go of Urd just yet. "Yes," she replied. "I hope you like it."

The hug took her off guard for a moment but Urd closed her eyes and gave herself over to the relief and affection for the girl who had her arms around her waist. There was a sharp pain in her heart as the feeling reminded her of the sister she'd lost again but there was a sweetness in the moment as well. She returned the hug, forgetting Genie's presence for a moment.

The display of affection between the two was enough to bring a person to tears. That, however, was not why Genie had tears streaming down his face. Turned with his back to the pair, the genie choked back the wail in his throat and stuck his tongue out. The chili, it was lethal. He completely regretted having taken a taste. Just what had she put in there? She didn’t intend to eat that, did she? No, she didn’t intend to serve them that did she?

“It’s great.” He told her, his voice strained. Dark smoke escaped the corners of his mouth as he spoke. Daintily, he patted his eyes dry with a handkerchief.

Yorda laughed, happy to simply be nearby again. She could listen to the things Urd and Genie stated on the message board or in their own journals, but it hadn't been the same as living with them and being able to laugh with them on a daily basis. She didn't regret staying with Mao, but she did miss them.

She finally let go of Urd after a few more moments, still smiling happily as she looked over at Genie. "I am glad."

The moment passed, she gave Genie a wry look over the top of Yorda's head. "Mao must really appreciate you cooking for him, Yorda," Urd said, moving away to pat Genie on the back. She turned and stirred the pot, sniffing at it experimentally. "He better, anyway," she added under her breath. If she found even a scrap of evidence that the demon was mistreating Yorda, she'd definitely have to have a little chat with him.

Genie coughed out the last of the smoke, Urd’s touch having helped relieved him a little. If all Yorda’s dishes were this hot it was no wonder Mao was always so grouchy. Not that he would ever say that. Yorda likely worked very hard on dinner. Urd was right, Mao must have been secretly grateful.

“I’m sure he knows his way around a potato.” he replied, considering the number of potatoes used to power science projects. “Mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, chips peel, potato salad, gnocchi, boiled potatoes, roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, hash browns,” Genie paused for a breath, “potato wedges, potato dauphinoise, potato pancakes, potato croquettes, potatoes crone, barbecue potatoes, potato bread… But potatoes can get boring after awhile.” He guessed. Personally, he thought otherwise with their endless uses but he did not want Yorda to feel unappreciated. That reminded him…

“Oh, I almost forgot, I made an angel food cake!”

"He has not complained," replied Yorda - and wasn't that as close to thanking someone as Mao usually got? It was odd, but for all of Mao's brusqueness and general insensitivity, Yorda believed he cared more than he let on. She was glad she'd decided to stay with him, especially with Geoffrey hovering nearby at all times; the old butler frightened her and made Mao uneasy.

A moment, and the princess admitted softly, "he reacts strangely when I make him chili. I was worried, so I wished to make some for you and ask. I am glad you like it."

She stared at Genie blankly as he rattled off potato dishes. Frankly, she'd never been more grateful for her divine biology than after a 7 course meal made by the Genie of the Lamp. Even when she asked him to tone it down or reminded him that she didn't need to eat, he was always so eager to use his talents for everyone. How could she turn him down when he was so happy to share joy? If she had been a human, she'd likely had been too fat to get out of the house by now.

Sliding up onto the bare space of the counter to sit with her legs crossed, Urd smirked slightly at Yorda. "He probably reacts that way because he's embarrassed you go out of your way to cook for him. He's a demon -- in his world, people don't often do nice things for each other just because they feel like it." She flipped her hair of her shoulder. "Or at least they aren't as upfront about it as you are, kid."

While Urd was certainly right about Mao and the customs of his world, Genie felt tempted to tell the goddess to wait until she tried the chili for herself. Maybe it hadn’t been entirely the act of Yorda cooking but also her cooking itself. She had said it was whenever she made him chili his behaviour seemed to change. Could it have only been the chili that ‘bothered’ him?

“Urd’s right, Mao’s world is different than most. It’s known for being a dark place where evil deeds are considered daily activities. They strive to be bad. But, just out of curiosity, have you cooked anything else for Mao lately?” Carefully, Genie turned to avoid Urd’s glance. “Something other than chili that’s lead to the same reaction?”

Being as literal-minded as she was and thus still being unused to what others would consider everyday nuances in conversation, Yorda blinked, confused. "I know the way to the kitchen, so it is not out of my way," she replied. She nodded at Urd's explanation; ever since Geoffrey had shown up, he had constantly lectured Mao on his behavior, encouraging him to become crueler. It frightened Yorda, and she had taken to avoiding Geoffrey when she could.

"Mao likes my cookies," came the reply. "He wants me to make for spiderweb cookies, but I have not been able to find the recipe yet." Yorda lowered her eyes, mildly upset she hadn't managed to help Mao with something he clearly wanted very much. "But he only acts strangely with chili. I do not know why, and he does not complain."

She raised her eyebrow at Genie's words, noting his avoidance of her gaze. He was acting pretty weird...was the chili that hot? As Yorda spoke with Genie, Urd leaned to the side to spoon up a bit of the chili and try some for herself -- and choked immediately, pounding her chest. Of course, if Yorda would turn and look at her, Urd would immediately straighten up and smile as if nothing was wrong...flushed face and teary eyes notwithstanding.

Briefly passing a glance at Genie, Urd coughed and slid off the counter to steer Yorda out of the kitchen. "Maybe it's just not to his taste. Not everyone likes chili. But you know, maybe instead of doing so much for him all the time, you should make some more friends. Friends who aren't so demanding." She grinned.

"You could even have a sleepover! Which is way more fun than making chili for creepy demons and their annoying evil butlers."

It appeared as though Urd and Genie had come to the same conclusion: Yorda’s chili was unbearably hot. Genie patted the goddess sympathetically on the back to return the favour, as she had done the same thing to him. Not, not everyone liked their chili excruciatingly hot, Urd and himself included. Still, he smiled and nodded at the idea of a sleepover.

“Oh, a sleepover!” Genie swooned over the idea, his eyes having light up with excitement. “Sleepovers are the ultimate way to bond between girls. You can paint each other's nails, give each other makeovers, talk about boys! Don’t forget about ‘Would You Rather’ and ‘Truth or Dare’. They’re mandatory for any slumber party.” He clapped his hands excitedly. “Let’s do it, let’s totally have a slumber party! I know just the decorations to use!”

Yorda peered from Genie to Urd, confused at the unspoken exchange between them. Was there something wrong with her chili? But Genie had said it was fine... Still, Yorda turned away, busying herself with tidying up the last of the slight mess in the kitchen. Luckily for all, this meant she missed the looks on her visitors' faces regarding her chili - not that she would have understood right away, anyhow.

At last, she allowed herself to be led away from the kitchen, glancing at Urd and not realizing that this was probably a cover to distract Yorda so Urd and Genie wouldn't actually have to eat more of the lethal stuff. Unfortunately, this also meant she missed what Genie said about sleepovers.

She shot Genie a look he was sure to either miss or ignore. "Maybe invite some new friends. Go out there and meet someone who isn't a creepy Time Lord or a panting scientist with questionable ethics." As Urd led them down the hallway, she glanced down at Yorda with a serious, pensive look. "What matters is that you don't let this Geoffrey demon get you down. Mao won't give in to him, okay? He's stronger now that he has you."

“Geoffrey doesn’t seem to have much of a fan club to begin with.” He added in, having noted how many had disagreed with him concerning Yorda’s influence. Could Mao really agree with the demon when so many others saw otherwise? “You, on the other hand, are suspiciously becoming little Miss Popularity. You definitely have a way of making an impact on people; demons, genies and goddesses alike. And, if you go ahead with this sleepover, you’ll make even more friends.”

Yorda frankly didn't see the Master as creepy, though she became frightened when he seemed close to losing his temper. And, well, she was more than used to Mao by now, to be honest. She'd learned to read his moods and generally look past his inherent grouchiness, although sometimes she wondered if he was fond of anyone at all. Her only response to Urd and Genie was a look of complete confusion, as she still didn't understand metaphors or slang, for the most part (and Mao and the Master had learned to speak plainly around Yorda, anyway).

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Leave the Lights On [Active]

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ff, didn't get the notif. ;;

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