Something, Something... Little Yorkmaid

[buildingitsir]

WHO: Reeve, Richie, York / OTA
WHERE: Atlantis Underwater Temba
WHAT: Various Posts
WHEN: Mermay
WARNINGS: York



[Integer = 3] - for Reeve & Richie

The nice thing about having tentacles is that he can grab onto things with more than just his hands. It's great, finding different ways to hang around the hotel, both literally and figuratively. York's found a fun spot to hang out from by way of the curtain rod in the hotel room he shares with Richie, catching little worms and other tiny creatures to feast on.

"I'm just keeping the room fucking clean," he'll point out as he slurps it down before jet propelling himself across the room, aiming for the door. "I'm gonna go see if I can poke some lobsters off of the hotel or something."

Search Function Active - OTA

With the tentacles as a bobtail squid, getting around was interesting. Water was interesting with his circuits, but it kept him cool and York likes that. He's left his hoodie and shirt back in the room he shares with Richie, leaving his body on full display. The LED on his chest is bordered by lines of specks that almost seem to glow as light catches them. His pale skin looks scarred at his abdomen, like when someone rips fabric apart, and it's simply white.

York doesn't remember what happened.

He's out in the square, exploring around while he can. Mostly trying to keep away from Reeve and his damn nesting habits and also to see if there's anything worthwhile to find on the ground. Everyone else was so worried about swimming that they didn't check out anything down here. He has to dodge a snippy lobster before finding a stick to smack it away with a shout. The audacity of that bullshit, he'd kill those fuckers!

Comments

Interger

[plate_builder]

See, here's the problem. Richie and York aren't the only one sharing the room now. Not with the fact that Reeve and Richie had made new steps in their relationship. And the bigger problem than that is... Well...

Reeve's definitely protective. He's spent a lot of time trying to make the 'nest' of their room perfect since waking up as he was. It just wasn't pleasing to him. Even Cait Sith seemed annoyed by this, using its sea-horse tail to cling to a table leg to stay out of the way of Reeve's fussing.

But York? Oh no, he just suggested leaving. Reeve darts over from the corner where he was arranging cushions, to move to intercept York.

"Do you need to go out? What if there are sharks? It's not safe out there. Stay here. We can get Richie to find lobsters."

[buildingitsir]

York thought the nest was perfect, even if it was weird being in it sometimes. Reeve just didn't want to give up having the family unit in it, apparently.

He startles back as Reeve appears between himself and the door. "What?" Now he's annoyed and glares at the bigger mer. "I'm fine, no one sees me. I was only going out to harass the lobsters, not bring them back for food. And I've never seen any sharks out there, Reeve. Lemme through."

[plate_builder]

Of course it's not perfect. It needs to be better. They need a better space. Perfect nest for them. But Reeve is still floating between York and the door.

"Stay here. It's safe here. please?"

[buildingitsir]

York's letting himself float slowly back down to the floor, hoping to be able to dart beneath his dad to get out when he's ready. "It's fine out there! If I wasn't paying attention or anything, I'd get why you'd be worried, but I'll be fine, Reeve. I can even bring you back more stuff for your nest."

Yeah, try the compromise route!

[plate_builder]

There is definitely some temptation there, but Reeve's still frowning at him. Because there is danger in the world and his boy here is still so young small.

"I think that would be a bad idea, York. You could get stuck in some collapsing rubble, and then how would we get you out?"

[buildingitsir]

"You are such a worrying barnacle, I. will. be. fine." York fixes Reeve with a glare before another idea crosses his mind. If Reeve was so scared of the small cephalomer getting stuck somewhere...

"And if you're so worried about me being alone out there, then come with. Get out of this room for a change." York ducks down and attempts to swim under.

[plate_builder]

Of course he worries. York's been hurt before. Twice. Reeve wants to reach out, to touch him, to remind him. But instead he just has a fretting energy, the spines along his back shuddering with his tension.

"I suppose that's an option. I could always deal with any threats with shocks."

He was, after all, a very magical mer.

[buildingitsir]

Twice, of course. That's actually pretty good luck for York. He doesn't want a repeat of that, of course, but that's just how life worked or some philosophical bullshit. He leans to the side to glance at Reeve's back, then up at his face.

"Why are you so stressed out about this? I won't even leave the square. You'll be able to watch me from the windows." He nods with his head towards them as if the guy hadn't noticed them. "But if you want to come with, I won't say no either."

Because Reeve probably won't give him a choice in that at least.

[plate_builder]

If only he could put into words why he's so stressed. But the truth of the matter is that Reeve can't. He doesn't know what to say, and even if he did, that doesn't mean he would have the proper words to describe why it was so important to him.

"I just wish you to be kept safe," Reeve decides at last. He holds a hand out and of course Mini comes from where he's been hovering under the table. The feline wraps its tail around Reeve to hold onto the arm.

"We shall go out together then. So I can be certain you do not get into trouble.

Search Function Active

[sunglassesincluded]

The smacked lobster's course gets intercepted shortly after the animal got hit by York's stick. The creature that catches the green lobster is... Odd. To say the least.

If York has encountered any of the democreatures the year prior, then at least the lobster-catcher's head may look vaguely familiar. The same flowerbud-like shape of the head, the same lack of eyes. But unlike those beings that attacked Temba last year, this one is sporting a pair of keen ears that seem too large for its head. It isn't hairless but covered in a coat of short, shiny fur that changs into scales further down its short, almost canine-like body that ends in an equally shiny fishtail. A tail that gets overly excited once the creature realizes it has caught its target, resulting in it swimming in irratic circles and patterns while its petal-like jaws attempt to chew excitedly on the big, green lobster and clawed front paws try their best to assist with its catch.

"Don't eat that." A voice calls out and the creature stops, ears perking up to detect the voice's owner as he swims closer, a mild scowl on his face. Wesker's tail is long, strong and on the extravagant end, reflecting any light it catches in every discernable color. He casts a look over to York to at least acknowledge his presence before pointing out: "She isn't trained to harm you."

[buildingitsir]

York's tempted to go and hit the lobster again with his stick, tendrils gripping it tight and aiming to do just that, only to have it intercepted instead.

He looks at the creature with wide eyes, and shifts backwards to get space between them. The democreatures weren't something he had encountered, instead staying holed up with Richie for safety during that time. The LED in his chest and the specks closest glow gold as he regards the creature, and the mer approaching him.

York is at least smart enough to swim to get more distance between them. "Yeah, and how the fuck am I supposed to know that? Seeing chomp that lobster lets me know she could do that to me. Trained doesn't mean perfect."

Was this what Reeve was so worried about?

[sunglassesincluded]

"Not yet, indeed." Wesker conceedes, but not without a confident note in his voice. He knows he can train this creature to perfection. "She is still young after all." He offers and snaps his finger without looking at his companion who immediately stops toying with her catch to pay attention to any further command. The lobster, finding itself released, is quick to swim away.

"Why were you hitting that lobster?" Wesker directs his attention to York himself now, studying as he poses his question. That LED is a curious addition. One that Wesker doesn't know the purpose of.

[buildingitsir]

York watches the lobster make haste to safety, and he stays where he's put himself. He likes the space and let his eyes wander like he's bored. Really, he's just scoping out spots he can escape to if need be.

"Because I was bored and debating if I wanted to take it to the diner for a meal. But now it's got your pet's chewmarks all over it, so I'll have to find another one." Idly, imitating a gesture he's seen Richie do, York scratches at his collarbone area, with little streaks of light hidden behind his arm as he does so.

"You out here letting your pet get some exercise?"

[sunglassesincluded]

"She isn't a pet." Wesker corrects. He motions over to the creature that hovers nearby attentively. "She will be more useful than most other beings currently dwelling in this city." He has been in Temba for some time now and has only met very few people he considers useful and worth his time. Sure there is talent present, but some of that talent is stuck being idiocy unfortunately.

Wesker's attention returns to York. "So who are you?" Not that he doesn't already know. He spends enough time studying the network and whatever info is accessible to them. But this isn't someone he has encountered in person before.

[buildingitsir]

"Looks like a pet," he fires back with a challenging look. "And it doesn't take much to be more useful than some people here in the city, so low bar." The LED glows yellow for a moment as York realizes he's really feeling suspicion right now, but then it's back to teal and he's okay again.

"A resident currently dwelling in this city." He side-eyes the creature the guy brought with him. "My name's York, and I've been here for a couple years now. And you?"

[sunglassesincluded]

Wesker nods in response to having his information confirmed. At least York doesn't try to lie despite his rather obvious attitude. And he gets the hint that Wesker is by now defaulting to considering everyone around him useless. Which at least puts this one a step above some others.

"Albert Wesker." He answers. "And I have been here longer than I agree with." Over a year now himself. A year of collecting data and dealing with idiots. No wonder he had to engineer a being he can actually rely on.

"How have you been spending your time in this city?"

[buildingitsir]

Albert Wesker. York's seen him on the network, but didn't pay him much attention. An idiot who wears sunglasses that much had to be some kind of edgelord, and the slight haughty tone of his voice just adds to that thought.

He scoffs at the question. "Whatever the fuck I want to do. Scanning buildings, bothering local fauna and others here in the city, debating and not actually fixing said buildings I've scanned. What about you? Piece of superior work like you hasn't figured out how the fuck to get home yet?"

Search

[ziedrich_bearer]

Really, got to be careful of the angles with lobster baseball, kid. Because there's Gladio, just minding his own damn business, trying to swim by with a collection of other lobsters caught in traps. Someone was clearly intending to hit up the dinner to get some food delivery in. Though really, probably wasn't York's fault. Gladio's long tail was a shade of blue gray with hints of black that blended very well into the water, a predator's sort of body. Which probably went well with the shark-like fin structure.

His hand raised in the water, catching the lobster before it could smack into his head, and he looked half amused by the whole thing.

"Guessing you're not going to be enjoying some thermal roasted lobster later. Intending to be a food critic?"

[buildingitsir]

Look, it's a good hit. A really good hit for someone that's never really done sports. He watches the lobster sail through the water before landing not on the ground but in someone's hand. He barks out his own laugh before swimming over.

"Just because you catch it doesn't mean it's yours," he scoffs, crossing his arms over his LED. "I'm not big on eating a lot so I'm not going to be a critic of food." He leans to the side to look at the lobster pots before straightening back up.

"Eating contest where you're the only contestant?"

[ziedrich_bearer]

Actually, he does think that him catching it makes it his. Possession, nine-tenths, all that stuff.

"Making dinner for my fiance actually. Or asking someone to. Paying in lobster."

[buildingitsir]

Faster than one would expect of his size, York closes the distance between himself and Gladio. "Well I think that one is mine, but there's more around for you to find yourself."

He eyes the guy for a moment, then the lobster in hand. "Making the bargain that since you did the hard work in gathering them up, someone could make it into a dinner? That's a lot of lobster for just two people." Or perhaps it only seemed that way to someone that didn't eat nearly as much as other mer.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Well, if he's got that much of an argument to have over the status of a lobster, Gladio will of course hand it over. So he does. Careful with the claws.

"Three people at least. One for me, with a large appetite, one for Noctis, and then one for the person cooking for us."

[buildingitsir]

York snatches it, holding it tight by the tail but keeping it away from all parts of his body. "Yeah, you seem like you gotta eat a lot with how big you are," which he isn't meaning like an insult, even if it accidentally comes across as one.

"That is a lot of people to feed. If you're that bad at hunting though, I might be able to let you have mine if you can convince me well enough." He flails the lobster just a little as if to solidify that point.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Gladio chuckles. Yeah, he's not even remotely offended by the comment from York. He is a big guy, and he does need plenty of food to keep up his muscle mass.

"I'm good at hunting," he says, because he's definitely more offended by that. "A good bit of the meat served around here comes from me."

It feels like it's an accurate statement, but... What meat is there other than fish? Weird.

"But I could get yours cooked too if you want. For you."

[buildingitsir]

"Good at hunting, or just egotistical?" York's experience with beefy guys was that they were compensating for something. The lobster in hand flails, but isn't able to get a hold on York - thankfully. "Meh. Crustaceans are pretty easy to catch, fish are the harder ones. I guess I should give you credit where it's due."

So sassy.

He holds it out in offering, then pulls it back with a skeptical look. "What's the catch?"