Video - Day 386

[teenyoda]

[Stiles' face shows up on the screen and he's looking maybe just a little worse for wear. There's lines around his eyes and he looks like he hasn't been sleeping well.]

So, the timing on this could be better. I'll be jumping on the wagon to Alfheim tomorrow morning and, um, I need a favor.

[He really should have locked this from his dad, but he hadn't really been on his game when he'd decided to make this.]

Could someone come in and check up on Scott while I'm gone? He went all grey and we can't find his bracelet. I've got him sort of... tied up to his bed, but I need someone to come by and make sure he eats and uh, you know, bathroom stuff.

[Anyone who knew him could see this wasn't an easy thing to ask. Someone was feeling especially guilty at the moment.]

I can't leave him like that, so if no one can do it, I'll just have to, ah, let him go. But with all this going on right now...

I'd just really appreciate a little help. I'll owe someone. Hugely.

[There's a pause, then Stiles looks directly into the screen instead of letting his eyes jump all around it.]

Please.

Comments

[airborn]

[She'd missed it the first time, in her rush to get out of the house, but now she cocks her head at the word "dad" .]

Your dad is here, too?

[teenyoda]

Yeah, he showed up a while ago. That's sort of why I decided to move. Or, you know, like he would have let me not live with him. He's a good guy. Sheriff of our town back home.

[So maybe he was sort of predisposed to love his dad. What of it?]

[airborn]

[She goes still, a strange look crossing her face.]

Sheriff...like the people who keep peace in a town?

[teenyoda]

Yeah, sort of, I guess.

[Someone didn't notice that because someone was busy moving towards the kitchen to see what he had to give a girl to drink.]

[airborn]

[Peace keepers...she hasn't had the best experience with them. But Stiles had called this one something different.

She worries her lip as she follows after Stiles.]

Is he's really, really nice?

[teenyoda]

What? Yeah, of course he is. He puts up with me, after all. And I can be a handful.

[He would never not be thankful for his father's patience.]

You'll see. He'll be home later tonight for dinner. You can stay for that and meet him and stuff.

[airborn]

[At first, her eyes stay on the ground, but she finally smiles when Stiles mentions himself.]

I'll stay if it's really okay.

[Slightly reassured, she resumes petting Hales.]

[teenyoda]

What kind of guy do you think I am? Just going to invite you over so you can get in trouble? Okay, I might if you were Scott, but that's different.

[Hale, for his part, is enjoying the attention, chittering at her like he's got something to say.]

[airborn]

[She's quiet for a second.]

The peace keepers in Panem aren't very nice to the people in the Districts.

[That's all she says, simply, before she looks down at Hale again with a smile.]

[teenyoda]

Yeah? Well, my dad's not some peacekeeper of whatever. He's the Sheriff of Beacon Hills and he's a damn good one. You'll see. He might even decide to kick me out and keep you.

[airborn]

[Well, if Stiles is certain! Rue nods, smile regaining some of its brightness.]

Okay. I trust you! [She eyes the kitchen area curiously.] Does your dad do the cooking?

[teenyoda]

[He could hear his dad and Scott collectively groaning over those three words. But he went and opened the fridge and pulled out a container of juice, going over to the cupboard to pull out some glasses.]

Ah, we both do, actually. I do more. Just sort of how it is at home, too. It's edible, so don't worry about getting sick.

[airborn]

[She leans against the counter, looking all around. It's about then she gets an idea.]

Do you want to cook something together? For your dad, when he gets back!

[teenyoda]

[Two glasses poured, he slides one over to her as he puts the container back into the fridge.]

Sure. What'd you have in mind? Has to be kind of low-fat, low-cholesterol. Man's on a diet.

[airborn]

Thank you!

[Rue gently sets Hale on the counter before she takes the glass and gulps down a mouthful of juice.]

What's a diet?

[Low-fat? Low-cholesterol? She isn't sure what those words mean either, but they seem to be connected to the other one. Diet.]

[teenyoda]

What's a... seriously?

You know, monitoring food intake to make sure he doesn't eat too much that's bad for him? So he doesn't have a heart attack or anything stupid.

[airborn]

Oh...

[Rue looks thoughtful. It would make sense, in a way, though she's never had to deal with trouble like that before. After Asgard, she learned the hard way that gorging yourself meant feeling awful, so she hasn't tried it (much) since.]

In Panem, the people in the districts didn't really have much to eat. [She admits it quietly.] Maybe Effie knows something, she lives in the Capitol and they have a lot of food.

[teenyoda]

...

[Crap. Now he feels guilty, and it's not like he did anything to feel guilty for.]

Well, we're not in the districts. We're here. And here, at least in the McLinski household, people eat when they're hungry. So, what are you good at making? We'll see if we can whip something up for dad when he gets home.

[airborn]

[Surprisingly, she seems to catch onto his mood, and pats his hand to reassure him.]

It's okay. I know you're not like the Capitol. Most people in Asgard are a lot nicer to us.

[Her lip sticks out as she goes over her mental list of things she can cook.] I can make stuffed mushrooms. Those are easy... um... I can make grilled fish, too!

[She would have suggested rabbit stew, but considering how horrified Scott had been when she suggested the bunnies in his store might be edible...probably not a good idea. Maybe the people from his world just have a soft spot for rabbits?]

[teenyoda]

Right. Not like that.

[Whatever the Capitol was, he was picturing a bunch of fat assholes with cigars and a Big Mac in each hand.]

You know, ah, if you're ever short on something... you can come on over.

[Stiles Stilinski; the biggest sap for puppy eyes since the creation of the universe.]

Hey, I bet he'd like the mushrooms. And fish. Sounds like a plan. Fish, by the way, is an excellent low-fat, low-cholesterol meat. Great for the body.

[Stiles, however, was not Scott. Stiles would eat Bugs Bunny and Thumper and belch before asking for Bambi. Scott was a sucker for anything with a heartbeat. Stiles only seemed to fall for puppy eyes in human faces. Or dragon ones.]

[airborn]

[That's it, Stiles. You got President Snow nailed.

She gets what he means about coming over when supplies are running low, and that's what makes her close the distance between them and give Stiles a big hug.]

You're really nice. I like you.

[Rue lets go, smiling.]

How long until your dad gets back?

[teenyoda]

[Oh. Hey. Small person hugging him. Uh...

He was torn between his natural tendency to show physical affection and wondering if that was okay since, you know, strange teenage guy and all. But he gave her a half squeeze before she stepped back, a faint blush on his cheeks at that.]

Ah, just wait. Once you get to know me, that'll change.

[Yes, Stiles. Sarcasm defense at a small girl who'd hugged you. Way to go. Such a man.]

Um [He checked his bracelet (and the time)] I think about two hours? Around there. Why? Need something?

[airborn]

[She just smiles again. She's talked to you a few times and you even stayed in the Panem house for a week! She does know you, silly.]

I just wondered if we should start cooking soon. The cooks at our cafe like to prepare everything before it opens so cooking it is faster.

[She bounces on her feet as she explains, then glances toward the fridge.]

Do we have all the ingredients?

[teenyoda]

Oh, well, yeah. That makes sense.

[He thought about that, then made a motion for her to look.]

I don't know what you want to put in the mushrooms, which we probably don't have, but we're definitely going to need to get the fish.

[The McLinski household didn't just keep fish around.]

[airborn]

We can go to the market. They have everything we need.

[Tugging on Stiles' hand now. Let's go??]