undergrounds | November days...

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November days...

[A - Early November]

He'd meant to come here on Halloween.

But upon hearing about vampire raves happening, even if it wasn't until later, Sirius had decided to wait a bit. After all, they were still pretty bold and who's to say there wasn't one or two that was reckless enough for an attack in the daylight as a Halloween prank. So he'd decided to wait.

He'd gotten up early that day, puttering around before finally forcing himself to go to the cemetery. He even stopped and bought a simple bouquet, reflecting that this would be the first time he'd be able to do this. To actually lay flowers on his friend's grave. The most he had been able to do last year was visit while in dog form. It was funny how things had turned around.

There weren't a lot of people in the cemetery when he got there, and for that he was thankful. Even though he wasn't necessarily in danger of being recognized anymore, it didn't stop people from talking. He found the grave, laying the flowers at the base with a smile.

"Sorry this took so long. Had a bit of a time getting here, but I'll save that story for another time." He paused, taking a breath, "Just so you know, I'm gonna set this right. Somehow. But count on it."

The first step, he supposed, would be finding the guy who said he had information. Hopefully enough time had passed that he'd made his way back to London. He took another breath, before nodding to the grave and turning to leave. Time to get to work.

[B - Mid-November]

Sirius has found he's been spending more time at Hillingdon House. Something he'd thought he'd never really be doing again. But at the same time, he finds he doesn't mind. He's grown to like the house. It's comfortable, and warm most of the time. There's a character to it that he can appreciate. Seems to fit the clan these days.

For now, he's in the kitchen, rummaging for...something. He's not sure what. Food of some kind, maybe? All they really seem to have is tea, coffee, and maybe some granola bars. It's not exactly well stocked and he's having trouble remembering the last time he saw groceries. Well, it's not his favourite task, but if he's going to be spending more time here, he might as well pull his weight.

"If I was to go get groceries, what would you want on the list?" He asks idly to anyone else in the kitchen.

[C - Mid-End of November]

Having successfully created a list, Sirius has gone forth to complete his self-imposed task. It's actually nice to be out and about again. Not having to worry about being noticed or vampires running amok, Sirius felt relatively safe walking the street. Aside from the weather starting to make a distinct move towards winter of course.

He checked the list again, and then the time, before turning to the grocery store. Hopefully, this wouldn't take too long.

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Kyle's a bit startled when the other man in the kitchen speaks up, having grown used to the unofficial rule of silence in the House unless someone was drinking or suggesting some bounty or mission. He shrugs and offers a grin, leaning back against the edge of the counter as he eats the leftovers he just microwaved.

"Macaroni and cheese. The cheaper the better." Only half joking. "Maybe some cereal, crackers, popcorn?" He'd had plenty of experience with only keeping foods that were nonperishable.

"Noted," Sirius replied, looking around so he could find a sheet of paper to write things down. Might as well get a list started, and maybe others could add to it over the next while. It would make things easier than trying to get.

"Not a fan of the expensive stuff?" he asked, glancing up. "Dare I ask what kind of cereal?"

"What kind of expensive stuff?" Kyle asked with genuine surprise. It hadn't occurred to him to ask for anything nicer than the most basic of basics. He thought of the man bringing back cans of caviar and chuckled at the idea. "How about a decent liquor cabinet and, uh, some steaks?"

He was half joking, trying to test what he could actually ask for. To the latter, he shrugged. "I'm not picky. Reese's Puffs, Cheerios, Frosted Mini Wheats, Rice Chex. Basically anything that's not seeds, nuts, or granola."

"And here I was just thinking of those gourmet macaroni and cheeses you always see," Sirius replied, "However, I make no promises."

He should probably find out if he has a budget for this. While he doesn't mind doing the favour, he's also on limited funds himself.

"So, the less healthy the better?"

"I eat healthy at home." Kyle shrugged with his defense. The soldier cooked most of his own meals and maintained the same routine he had while in base during his deployment. Sugary cereal and crap mac and cheese were a couple of his few vices. Although, come to think of it, "some vegetables might be good too. Carrots, snap peas. The kind you can snack on. People eat those, right?"

"I would assume so, if they're edible," Sirius replied, writing it on the list. He couldn't say that it was something he went for all that often, but they would probably be a good thing to have.

Anyone looking at Liadan's cart would be able to tell that she's feeding a small hoard of children. Her daycare had been quite successful so far and she needs to keep stocking up on healthy treats.

She is standing in front of the shelves which hold a variety of juice boxes, checking to make sure she picks something that contain real juice, without being full of added sugar and artificial flavour.

Anyone looking at Sirius's cart could probably guess something similar. Once word had gotten out about his grocery list, there had been a flurry of items added to it, resulting in an eclectic mix of food and the realization that maybe someone should be doing grocery shopping more often. At least for those members of the Hillingdon clan that stuck around the house more.

Doing his best to be polite, Sirius decides to wait until Liaden's moved on, glancing at his list, and around her to see if he can spot the best brand.

Liadan didn't really notice the man at first, until she realizes he's standing still nearby, clearly waiting for her to finish. "Sorry," she says, looking over at him with an apologetic smile. "It's so hard to pick the right one. Everything is so full of sugar these days."

"Not a problem. I'm not in any rush," he replied with a smile. Mostly he was just enjoying being out and not having to worry too much about that fact, so she could take as long as she liked.

"Hard to find something healthy, right?"

"So hard," she said, with a laugh. "It would be bad enough if it was just my kid but I've got four more to feed during the day."

She looked over at the man's cart, which was at least as full as hers. "And how about you?"

Edited 2016-11-22 04:18 (UTC)

"That's quite a few mouths," He replies, also laughing. Sirius glanced at his cart, figuring that in many ways, things rarely changed.

"Same sort of deal, mouths to feed. Though it's mostly stocking up."

She has a faint, but familiar scent around her, and it takes Sirius a minute to identify it as Hillingdon House. Was she a member of the clan? He'd have to ask, but how? Subtlety wasn't exactly a strength of his.

"Well, don't let me stop you from checking out the juice. I'm told it is a very important food group." Liadan re-positioned her cart so that there was room for the man to reach the juice, before picking up a different brand and turning it around to read the nutritional information and ingredients list.

"I imagine you have several authoritative sources on the matter. Maybe I should be asking them what goes on a shopping list."

And a part of Sirius is wondering how they would compare. He imagines some overlap, at least.

"So you work with kids?"

"Some of them would certainly let you know their on the matter. Though were you to follow it, you may end up with a basket full of cookies and ice cream." Liadan laughed again, wondering how that grocery trip would be received by whoever the man was shopping for.

"I run a home daycare." No need to mention it was children who may have special abilities, though most were too young to have developed them.

"I'm sure there's worse diets out there," Sirius nodded sagely. That might have been what he lived off of the first week he was on his own.

"Wow! That's quite a responsibility."

"I suppose, though probably not too many."

She nodded in agreement. "It has been an interesting adjustment, going from watching one child to caring for five. But it has been very rewarding already."

"That's good to hear. Were you just doing regular babysitting before then?"

Sirius leaned on his cart, before shifting as it started to move away from him. Why didn't these things have breaks?

"No, I just moved to London and thought it would be a good way to support myself, while also getting to spend time with my son." It had worked quite so far and she already adored all the children she was caring for.

"That makes sense. Is your son one of the five kids?"

He really should be getting on with his shopping, but it was nice to be able to talk to people again .

Liadan was also enjoying getting some quality adult conversation in. "Yes, he's actually the oldest of the five, which means he is turning out to be the leader of the group. So far, his rule has been benevolent." It was good to see him interacting with other children - there hadn't been a lot of that back home, other than his cousins who were a few years younger.

"That is always a good sign. Not a troublemaker I hope?"

That was more of his domain. He and his friends really couldn't be left alone, otherwise it would be some sort of a disaster.

She shook her head. "Not yet, at any rate. He's still adjusting to the move and all the changes that came along with it. As am I, for that matter." It was getting better though, especially for Johnny. It was unfortunate that Bran hadn't been able to visit London yet, since his son missed him.

But at least he had been able to come out to Manchester last month, when she was there investigating Sarah Silverton. That had been a nice surprise.

"Where are you coming from? If you don't mind my asking."

It seemed a fair question to ask, though Sirius wouldn't be offended if she declined to answer. After all, it's something he doesn't often bring up.

Liadan is proud of where she comes from and has no problems sharing it. "County Armagh, in Northern Ireland. It's a beautiful place. My family's home is right beside a large forest that seems to go on forever when you're in it."

She could almost smell the trees as she said this. She missed the smell of so many trees.

"However, there were much fewer grocery stores and the one that there was only had one brand of juice. Life was a bit simpler," she added, with a wry smile.

"I would imagine so,' Sirius replies, looking over at the wall beside them. One could say there were almost too many to choose from. Both juice and grocery stores really.

"So what brought you to London?'

That was a more complicated question. But she had an answer that was the truth, if only part of it. "My husband travels a lot for work and thought he might be able to see us more here than back home."

"Fair enough. Guess your home town's a little more difficult to get to? How long have you been here?"

"Almost two months now."

It seemed like longer than that - or shorter too. But she'd found that to be true of most large life changes.

"Well it seems like you're doing rather well for yourself. That's good."

Certainly better that he had been once he'd arrived.

"Thank you. Things have gone quite well and I am very grateful for it." She knew she was lucky that everything had gone so smoothly, though at the same time she recognized that she'd worked hard to make sure it happened.

"Of course, and I hope it continues for you," Sirius says with a smile, before leaning in to grab a few of the juice box packages. As if he just remembered to do that.

Liadan finally made a decision and put some juice in her cart. "I should get going but it's been lovely chatting with you. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day."

"The same to you, on both counts. it's certainly made the chore a lot more pleasant," Sirius replied, moving so that she could get by.

"Uh...maybe more cheese." Then, to sound like he wasn't being a complete stereotype, he added, "And ramen. I know how to cook ramen."

And that was about the extend of his cooking abilities. Eating blocks of cheese and cooking ramen. Everything needed for a balanced diet.

"Cheese and ramen," he says slowly, writing it on the list.

"You don't eat those together do you? And just the cup ramen?"

He didn't know a whole lot about ramen, but he had a good feeling that you didn't normally put cheese on it. That was usually reserved for pasta.

"Yeah, the cup ramen works, and no. I eat each of those on their own."

Which...wasn't that much better, when you thought of it.

"Well, good. I imagine together they might make you sick."

He glances down his list, thoughtfully, and possibly with a look of concern.

"Anything else?'

"I could probably eat anything and not get sick."

Did he want anything else? Roddy shrugged. "I'll eat whatever as long as I don't have too cook it. I don't really know how to cook. But I can live fine off of ramen and cheese."

The healthiest diet of the year.

"Fair enough, I can't say I'm great it either. Friend of mine used to say I could burn water if I tried hard enough."

But for what it was worth, he could boil water just fine thank you very much. And cook a decent box of macaroni and cheese.

"Any type of cheese you're partial to?"

He's tempted to play the stereotype and suggest cheddar.

Roddy could likely manage that much himself, though don't ask for anything more complicated. Of course, the main issue Roddy had was he'd never particularly tried to cook before, and he wasn't a picky eater, so even if things went terribly, he'd still likely to okay with whatever food item resulted.

Roddy shrugged. "Just...whatever. I'm not really too picky."

"Alright then. But you don't get to come crying to me if I get something you don't like."

Not that Sirius would intentionally do that. Which is to say the thought would cross his mind several times before he eventually gave in to the little voice in the back of his head that told him that it would be a bad idea.

"Honestly? I'll be impressed if you manage to find something I don't like. I've eaten random bugs I've run across before. I was in rat form, but still."

If he managed to find something worse than random bugs at the grocery store, that was one terrible grocery store. Though, truth be told, with a little research into what smells rats don't like, he might be able to figure out some food that Roddy wouldn't eat.

"Is that a challenge? Because I'm game to accept it if it is."

After all, there had to be a budget for the clan for this. Sirius certainly didn't have the money, and he wasn't that generous with it.

Roddy considered it for a moment. There was one food he'd managed to find that he didn't like, but part of him wondered if Sirius would manage to guess it (or find a second food he didn't like).

Finally deciding, he said, "You know what? As long as you also buy food people are actually going to want to eat, yeah. It is a challenge."

He wanted to see what Sirius came up with.

"Well that goes without saying really. I imagine people wouldn't be pleased if I came back with bags full of things no one wants to eat. But there'll be a special one for you."

He grins. Suddenly, going grocery shopping didn't seem like such a chore now.

Roddy grinned. "Okay, deal. Can't wait to see what you come back with."

This was going to be interesting.

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