Sunshine and daisies

[purered]

Who: Porrim and Klaus Von Reinherz
What: Porrim needs some plant and housing advice, and Klaus is happy to help.
When: July 23rd
Where: A cafe near the Motel Bonobo
Warnings: None really.






Klaus was seated outside a cafe, enjoying the sun. He really hadn't realized what a novel thing it was until he'd left the perpetual fog of Jerusalem's Lot.

He was being very careful with his funds. The cheap motel, coupled with a few other costs had made a dent, but if he budgeted well, he could last on the stipend for about two and a half weeks. That should be more than enough time to help Miss Branford get her flowershop up and running. And if not, Klaus had been in worse situations before.

For now, he was content. He had a nice, hot cup of tea and a couple of shortbread biscuits to accompany it. There were a number of newspapers he'd picked up, and he meticulously circled any classified ads for apartments and help wanted ads for odd jobs that could could keep his funds from being completely drained in case there were unforeseen problems. For all intents and purposes, Klaus was in a good mood. He hummed a bit of one of Haydn's sonatas to himself as he kept himself busy.

As long as he was busy, he wouldn't miss home too much.

Comments

[gammavirginis]

"Hello+ there," Porrim said. She wore a cute sundress and a similarly cute hat and a matching bag she'd recently purchased from the mall.

Being homeless and dangerously low on funds was no reason not to go on a shopping spree.

[purered]

"Good morning to you, Miss Porrim," Klaus greeted, giving a small wave. He set aside the newspapers and proffered the small plate of short-breads. "May I offer you some biscuits?"

[gammavirginis]

"Biscuit?" Porrim asked amusedly. Such an odd name for a starch puck. Why did humans insist on inventing new nonsense words for things? She picked one up and took a bite as she sat down. It was rather satisfying and sweet.

"It's very go+o+d, thank you. What are you reading there?"

[purered]

"I'm glad to hear it."

He passed her the newspapers, and sat back, taking a sip of his tea.

"Trying to find places in a reasonable price range for the most part. Also looking for any shop type properties in Attleton."

[gammavirginis]

"So+unds fun. O+h, by the way, there's a children's ho+me being rebuilt, and they are lo+o+king fo+r help designing a garden. I put yo+ur name fo+rward. I ho+pe yo+u do+n't mind."

She took the classifieds and scanned them over before handing them back. She noticed one particular entry, and went fishing in her bag for a notepad with some notes written on it.

"O+h this is o+ne o+f the places I went to+ yesterday," she said, pointing out the entry in the paper.

[purered]

Klaus nodded, and though he didn't smile, he was practically buzzing with barely contained joy at the prospect of gardening and getting to help children. The man was a giant mama bear.

"I saw. I've offered my help already to Miss Kusanagi, but thank you for thinking of me."

He looked down at where she was pointing. "Ah- that one does look promising. You've got a good eye, Miss Porrim."

[gammavirginis]

"Perhaps I'll see yo+u do+wn there, then. I vo+lunteered to+ help o+ut best I can."

She looked back at the review. "No+w yo+u mentio+ned reading 'reviews' but I'm no+t quite sure ho+w to+ go+ abo+ut do+ing that. I did ask abo+ut extra services and things, and it seems like they were all included in the asking price?

"I do+n't really kno+w what qualifies as 'expensive' yet, tho+ugh."

[purered]

"Ah? You as well? Then I look forward to it."

Klaus nodded, looking at the advertisement. "Mm, it says utilities included in rent. That usually means water, heat, and possibly electric. For phone, cable, and internet, you'd need to get your own."

He looked over the price ranges. "Flats like these are good if you're working a lower paying job."

[gammavirginis]

"I already have a pho+ne. We all do+," she said, showing off the touch phone.

"Then it so+unds perfect fo+r me. Fro+m what I gather, retail is no+t a prestigio+us jo+b, but I do+n't want to+ bite o+ff mo+re than I can chew, to+ co+in a phrase."

[purered]

"Ah, that's true-" He felt a bit silly for forgetting the videophone they'd been given.

"Is it retail in a field you like, Miss Porrim?"

[gammavirginis]

"I've never do+ne it befo+re, so+ we'll find o+ut!

"I applied at a clo+thing o+utlet and I start to+mo+rro+w, I guess."

[purered]

"I'm sure they give new employees training," Klaus said, albeit uncertainly. He'd never worked retail before. He grew up in the eastern European upper crust. Retail was like fairy tales.

"Your attire is very stylish, so it is probably a good fit for starting off."

[gammavirginis]

"Thank yo+u fo+r no+ticing," she said, doing a modest little squeeze of her shoulders. "That's what I ho+pe. O+n bo+th co+unts."

[purered]

"Oh! You're very welcome, Miss Porrim."

He dipped a biscuit in the last of his tea. "Have you been well since last we spoke?"

[gammavirginis]

"Very well, thank yo+u, altho+ugh it hasn't been very lo+ng and no+t very much has happened," she said.

"I did want to+ get yo+ur o+pinio+n o+n a suitable plant to+ deco+rate an o+ffice fo+r a friend. I was ho+ping to+ get so+mething lo+w maintenance but pretty. Maybe a succulent. What do+ yo+u think?"

[purered]

[Advice on plants? Klaus was in his element! The giant leader of Libra managed to somewhat contain his enthusiasm. Somewhat.]

In general, those are the most difficult to kill with negligence. Though there are some flowering plants that just need occasional attention that may be suitable. The candy daylily, may night salvia, and black-eyed susans are all relatively hardy plants.

[gammavirginis]

"Where wo+uld I find o+ne of tho+se?"

She started to write them down. "Interesting names."

[purered]

"I... actually don't know. Miss Branford is keen to open up a flower shop, though I haven't actually had much time to look into the location of any other garden centers."

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "My apologies."

[gammavirginis]

"I'm sure I'll find something. There's pro+bably a flo+wer place so+mewhere in the mall.

"Unless I co+uld go+ to+ Miss Branfo+rd's? When do+es that o+pen?"

[purered]

"Within the next couple of weeks, I imagine," Klaus said uncertainly. He wasn't particularly sure of anything here, which troubled him. While he wasn't unaccustomed to such things, he usually knew where he stood back home.

Still, just because he felt like someone lost at sea didn't mean he had to act that way.

"I suspect that you'd probably want the plant sooner rather than later, however."

[gammavirginis]

"I'm sure there's no+ rush, but I wo+uldn't want Ted to+ think I fo+rgo+t abo+ut him."

She leans forward. "So+ where did learn learn all o+f these fascinating things abo+ut plants?"

[purered]

Klaus practically beamed.

"When I was quite small, I would help Gilbert tend to the estate gardens. It became a hobby of mine not long after."

He didn't mention his hobby had become a bit of a bit of a fixation a few years back- a means of keeping himself grounded and maintaining his moral compass.

"Do you have any hobbies, Miss Porrim?"

[gammavirginis]

"Ho+bbies are all yo+ have, really, when yo+u spend an undisclo+sed number o+f eo+ns flo+ating beyo+nd the bo+reders o+f relevance," she said.

"As I said befo+re, I am pro+ne to+ dabbling with interio+r deco+ratio+n, fashio+n... altho+ugh what pro+bably made up the bulk o+f the time was chasing do+wn eligible tro+lls fo+r co+ncupesiant ro+mps. O+bvio+sly, I can't do+ that here, so+ I've dro+pped the 'tro+ll' requirement."

She gave Klaus an insinuating smile.

[purered]

A deer in headlights might have described Klaus in this moment. It was clear he got the insinuation, judging by the way his ears now nicely matched his hair.

He had never actually met a troll before. Of course he'd read about them in fairy stories, lurking under bridges and heckling billy goats. It didn't come as a particular shock that yet another story was true. He doubted, however, Porrim had ever lived under a bridge or would even know a billy goat if she saw one.

Klaus cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation to a safer topic.

"Ah- have you considered doing interior decoration professionally?"

porrim's laugh was my laugh

[gammavirginis]

Porrim laughed, then paused and looked at Klaus seriously.

"I'm familiar with playing hard-to+-get, o+r shyness, o+r co+ndescending attempts to+ spare my 'respectability,' Klaus. And if this is that last o+ne, I'll tell yo+u no+w I'll have no+ne o+f it. But I also+ understand no+n-confro+ntatio+nalism. I do+n't mind playing this o+ut lo+nger if that's what yo+u want; I find yo+ur timidity kind o+f endearing, to+ be ho+nest.

"But I do+n't want to+ be making yo+u unco+mfo+rtable either, so+ if yo+u want me to+ sto+p chasing yo+u, just say so+ no+w, and I will."

*Horrble ugly cackling*

[purered]

"It's none of those really."

Well, perhaps shyness had some factor in it. But Klaus didn't play games with people unless a board and numerous pieces were involved. Respectability wasn't a factor either- Porrim seemed quite a respectable lady. Her choice of partners didn't add or subtract from that.

"My apologies. I had no intention of disrespecting you. I'm flattered, truly." And he was. "And you're a lovely woman, Miss Porrim. Under different circumstances-" He hesitated. Six years seemed like a lifetime ago. He was a different man then. "...I just have my own reasons for avoiding such entanglements."

[gammavirginis]

"Alright," she said. She gave him a warm smile, then made an obvious gesture of thinking hard.

"Interior decoration, hmm. No, I can't say I really thought about making a career of it. How would one even do that?"

[purered]

Klaus was visibly relieved that Porrim didn't press things such as the whys and hows of the matter. There were things Klaus didn't like explaining if he could avoid it. Such dark memories had no place in a calm, sunny day.

"I'm not sure, to be honest. I suspect starting small? Perhaps placing advertisements in the paper and building a reputation?"

He thumbed his chin thoughtfully. "Gilbert had one come in a while back to organize my particular brand of chaos. I wish I could ask her."

[gammavirginis]

"Perhaps we co+uld jo+in fo+rces. Yo+u do+ the exterio+r, I do+ the interio+r?

"At least then the o+utside wo+uld be guaranteed to+ lo+o+k go+o+d."

Porrim liked to decorate, but she had no way of knowing if she was any good at it. She just assumed it was novice silliness.

[purered]

This got an almost-smile out of Klaus. He nodded enthusiastically.

"I think that sounds like a marvelous idea, Miss Porrim. I'd be happy to help in any way I can."

He was practically radiating excitement at the prospect of getting to help someone with their garden. Klaus truly loved the prospect of growing things.

[gammavirginis]

"Well then, I think I am off to+ try to+ nab myself ho+using befo+re so+meo+ne snatches it up. I also+ have a flo+wer to+ get.

"Have a lo+vely day, Klaus." She gets up and shines a warm smile at Klaus and starts to collect her bag and papers.

[purered]

"And you as well, Miss Porrim. It was lovely to meet you in person."

He stood, giving her a small bow. He'd start looking for a place of his own in the morning.