childrenofbahamutlogs | 01 - Bake a Pretty Cake (ota)

WHO: Angeal and whoever wants to bother a man throughout a week
WHAT: Roosters and bread oh my
WHERE: Town
WHEN: The vague existence of October
WARNINGS: none planned

SUMMARY: As a practical man with goals, Angeal has a lot of things he wants to do to make sure his household is doing okay. This means things like re-establishing his bakery, and carrying a rooster. The rooster is important. Don't worry about it.

A - Agriculture

While the autumn air makes things somewhat cool, that doesn't seem to be a matter that's bothering Angeal as he pushes a wheelbarrow along the more residential streets, filled with dirt. He does take a break occasionally as he goes about his business constantly, sometimes carrying little bags on top of the dirt. "You would think dragons could have better timing, rather than right at fall," he says during such a break to anyon who joins him. There's the faint glimmer of gold up along his hairline, horns that are just starting to appear. He doesn't seem happy about it.

B - Bakery Remade

For those making their way through Town today, they may come across one of the empty not-residential buildings with its doors wide open. There are a variety of encounters to be had with this simple fact...

For example, early morning may find anyone passing directly in front of the doors having a face full of dust. Angeal's voice comes from inside. "Ah, shit, sorry. You alright? I was just cleaning this place out. Need something to get the dust out of your mouth?

By noon, a pleasant smell is wafting out of the newly cleaned out bakery. Anyone is welcome to step right inside, as the doors have been left open for the time being. It's not a big fancy place or anything, but there are a couple of tables for anyone who'd like to sit, and a good amount of space behind the counter. Angeal is hard at work kneading more dough as bread bakes in an oven, fairly content with how things are going for the time being.

When evening finally rolls around, Angeal can be found relaxing right outside the bakery with a decently sized piece of wood in his hands that he is making a commendable go of carving words into. "I should have asked for a smithy," he says casually to anyone who slows down enough to linger. "I don't know anything about woodcarving."

C - Cock

Angeal has a rooster tucked underneath his arms at the market.

None of the locals are batting their eyes about this.

Other people at the market, however, may have different reactions. They may especially have different reactions when the roster (otherwise being a pissy little football hisses at them.

"Sorry about that," Angeal says casually. "He's not happy about the situation."

D - Do Whatever

[The wildcard catch all option, for interacting with Angeal however you want]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Vain," Angeal confirms, without batting an eye at that judgmental look. "Like a damn peacock. He's the handsomest bird in the tree, or else it's all going to shit." Or he makes out with Sephiroth, which, you know.

"But as long as he tosses some effort into all of this himself, which he outta, then the vanity's fine. And that goes for you too - get in effort and you'll have all the nice scenery in the world." You know, instead of living in a dilapidated shed falling apart in a way similar to his own life.

Can Ardyn do that? It's debatable.

A lot of problems, he supposes, could be solved by diverting aggression to lust. He's never tried himself but it was just as an effective strategy as any. Lust was a lot more socially acceptable to act upon if nothing else from what he could tell.

"I'm not sure nice scenery is enough to motivate me entirely," he does admit. It'd be a perk, certainly, but he's fine living in squalor. Obviously. But that's unspoken his question, then: What else is in this for Ardyn if he cooperates instead of making Angeal's life more difficult? Honestly, the latter sounds just as - if not more so - fun than a prettier place to live.

"Well all I have is a big dick that I put to good use, but I'm not sure that's what you're into," Angeal says bluntly. Being in a sex-based simulation really has just changed the whole brain on what things you can say to a relative stranger.

But also, it's Ardyn, and he has just the slightest suspicion based on Totally Nothing Whatsoever that the man will not care about that aspect of it too much.

"Although why not be interested in having a nice place to live in while you're around?"

It's not the quip he was expecting, which- It's rare that anything really catches Ardyn off-guard these days. The man gives a small snort of amusement at the comment. That place really did re-wire a lot of brains, didn't it? Not like he's one to speak any on that particular topic. "Well, now I'm just terribly curious what you do think I'm into if not that."

As for the question, well... It's complicated. That's too vague of an answer to truly give even as true as it is. "I suppose because I'm not used to being around," he admits, a surprising touch of genuine truth. "I traveled a lot when younger, you see, and never stayed too long to any one place. Then, when I did... It wasn't mine to have a say in how it looked." The Empire had a strict aesthetic it adhered to which was: gray, drab, and depressing with the occasional flare of imperialism to remind people of their places.

"And who knows how long this little stint will last? We could all get whisked through the summoning-circle back home tomorrow for all we know."

"I don't think you want me to talk about what you're into," Angeal says dryly. He knows just a little bit too much about Ardyn's fetishes - for any decent person, but also probably for an Ardyn who hasn't gone through the Amani experience and, like. Maybe started dating almost like a normal person. Almost. Vaguely in that vicinity.

Angeal will sabotage any relationship between Rosie and him before it can begin for sure.

But for now... He listens sincerely to the question, taking it in for the truth it may actually be. It doesn't quite have the drama that comes with all the fake bullshit. Still...

"Nothing is permanent," Angeal agrees. "But that doesn't mean your actions, what mark you leave on places and people, isn't important. Maybe we will all disappear through a weird summoning circle tomorrow... But you also have to contend with the fact that you might not. In which case... Wouldn't it be nice to actually have a say in how things looked? In planting a flower just because you want even just the hope of seeing the flower tomorrow?"

"Now you've just got me intrigued," he admits, "but I won't pry." There must be some reason Angeal isn't telling him, which is fine. Ardyn knows he existed in that other reality, apparently, but figures there's also a reason for his seeming lapse in memory. It's probably for the best. Besides, he does like getting to hear anecdotes about 'his' time there.

The counterpoint Angeal raises is a fair one. If he really wanted to depress, Ardyn would say he also knows leaving his mark on the word was futile. Not just because Bahamut said so, but because he's lived through doing everything he could only to be purposefully expunged from people's minds for centuries. He couldn't make a difference or be remembered as a good man; now, his only legacy would instead be the monster he was twisted into. That's all he'll ever be to most anymore in terms of any lasting impressions.

So, he doesn't have that hope of seeing tomorrow. He doesn't want it. The sooner he ends and people forget him again, the better. He knows this.

He knows.

"Flowers wilt," he says, instead, "and people pass on. Forget. Eventually, our changes won't mean anything so why change anything at all?" Good ol' nihilism.

"But the flowers still bloomed at some point," Angeal says, matter of fact. "And I'm always glad to see them."

So it means something to him.

What else can a flower ask for? Besides bees, anyway.

Coming up to the orchard, Angeal hauls the wheelbarrow over to the side of the large house him and Genesis have commandeered for themselves and dusts off his hands. "Anyway, the people who say that sort of thing to you usually just benefit off you being miserable and stressed. Learned that one from experience. Most know in their chest it isn't true - or else why would you keep roaming around being a pain in the ass?"

He will admit to being someone who benefits off others being miserable and stressed. If not him, then definitely the disease that runs like toxic sludge through his veins. It's hard to tell where it ends anymore and he begins though; honestly, he's pretty sure they are one-in-the-same these days. He can't imagine being any other way anymore.

"Because it's funny, of course," he says, to that. "What's more entertaining than continuing to annoy others simply by existing?" It's a riot. He would know! "To that end, I suppose I'll stick around for a good, long while despite myself."

"Well, I guess that's one way to be optimistic." And also like a way of coping just a little bit, although he doesn't doubt there's truth in there. After all, he's married to a man that also thrives on being a nuisance to other people so long as he's being himself.

But that's a talk for another day. For now... Angeal picks up a shovel and hands it over to Ardyn.

"Anyway, ready to get to work?"

Optimistic is a stretch. Spiteful, bitter- Those are probably better ways to describe him continuing on even in the face of everything.

"I never am, but I suppose it's better to make myself useful where I can." For all his bitching and avoidance, he will help out. Will he like it? No. Will he probably complain the entire time? Yeah.

Oh, Ardyn can complain about it. And he for sure does, the pain in the ass.

But if a little complaining was all it took for Angeal to give up on something, he probably would have stopped a whole lot of shit while very young. So Ardyn instead gets to do some nice hard labor for a while, alongside someone who stubbornly makes his bitching slide off his back.

Probably this is reason along for Ardyn to not visit Angeal too much in the future, but that's up to his capricious ass to decide.

01 - Bake a Pretty Cake (ota)

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