undergrounds | oh dear; oh dear (open post)

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oh dear; oh dear (open post)

JUNE 4; PLAYGROUND

There's a playground. Well, there a lot of playgrounds across the city. What makes this one right next to Coffers' Shop a bit more special than the other out there is this: Accidents.

It's not unheard of playgrounds to have the occasional accidents. It's who is the heart of the possible problem for this one.

Parents love it for the fact it's so safe for their kids there. They can drop their rowdiest youngsters at that spot and never worry about a scratch or bruise by the time they come back to pick them up.

Other adults though? The ones who shouldn't be lingering around or have too much interest in watching the kids? If you're not a babysitter for any of the children, there's a strong chance something may happen to you. Especially if you have an unfortunate reputation among the regulars there. At least the occasional sharp trip or tumble to the ground won't harm you that badly. A scuff or bruise but nothing too serious.

JUNE 5; GRAVEYARD (MORNING)

This part of the cemetery doesn't get a lot of attention. Compared to the ornate statues of angels weeping or grand mausoleums, the humble headstones and markers pale in comparison to them and often get little attention.

The row of tombstones here all belong to a small family, the (supposed) only surviving member studying not having quite enough time to pay her respects to the family she barely remembers. As a result it gets no notice, not attention besides the groundskeeper who keeps weeds off all the grounds.

Yet, in the early hours, some passerby may notice a trail of petals from a patch of wildflowers, outside of the cemetery, leading to the tombstones. This happens now and then. Not enough times to be reported on but enough times that the groundskeeper, if asked, will mention he's no longer surprised by the presence of tidy bushels of flowers on the graves. Someone is only paying their respects for them. There's no harm in that.

Plus he has no interest in going near it during these times. Not when it's so eerily cold that it makes his teeth chatter and his body shake if he's only a few feet from it. The coldness, in his opinion if ever asked, is the worst when near the one that happens to be marked FRANCISCO SEVILLE.

JUNE 5; COFFERS' SHOP (AFTERNOON)

... Is the shop chillier than usual? It seems to be with how when someone enters and they immediately shiver, rubbing their arms to ward off the chills.

The air-conditioning is strong but never this strong.

Those who go here regularly, from customers who come by everyday to and employees themselves, are having a hard time focusing on their works as they shiver and struggle to get the usually reliable free wi-fi to work on them or to get the coffee machine to cooperate for this one cup.

If asked if this happens a lot, some will say yes and some will be unsure but there's a general agreement in the air that this is not normal. The source of the coldness is hard to explain. The coldest spot changes from near the counter to the furthest corner or right outside the door.

Almost like it was... moving on its own.

[ OOC: Or make your own scenario in your comment! Prose and brackets welcomed! ]</td></tr></tbody></table>

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"You will?"

It's impossible for her to hide her surprise at such an offer being made, her eyes widening and a subtle gasp escaping her lips before she covers her mouth. Clara doesn't want to overreact but. She didn't expect that. Not at all. A comment? Yes. An observation? Of course. A suggestion? Unlikely but.

Not this. Not at all. "Oh. Oh my. Thank you so much I... I really don't know what to say. Is there anything I can do in return? I don't want to just... I mean... I'm so sorry if I seem flustered but I would love to do a trade or return of some sorts for this."

It seems only fair to repay the kindness with something, anything.

And there's a reaction he hadn't expected, hardly used to such a positive response to anything that comes out of his surly and permanently-frowning mouth. Give him a moment.

"... It's just weeding and it's not out of my way. I come here at least every other day on my own as it is so I don't mind doing what I can. You don't have to pay me back.

"I'd want the same thing for my family if I were in your position."

His family...?

Oh.

Clara gets what he means but does her best to not show it, not wanting to intrude or ask questions since it was. A personal matter after all.

So she opts to continue smiling at him in thanks, relieved there was going to be help with this. "And I would do the same for you if I could too. This means a lot to me! It's rather difficult to keep steady maintenance here. Especially when children have a habit of visiting this part of the cemetery a lot sporadically."

As if on cue to prove her point there were suddenly sounds of children coming near. She looks at the direction of their voices, loud and boisterous, cutting through the mostly somber atmosphere, and she sighs. "Oh no. Not again."

For his own part Sasuke has never been particularly attached to children, and had she said something or not he would've reacted in a less than friendly way. He actually turns on his heel, barking a sharp 'oy' to get their attention and remaining in front of the graves to shield them.

"This isn't a playground. It's a hallowed place. While you're here you'll show respect, and if you can't do that then..." Ah, he didn't prepare an adequate threat. "... the ghosts will follow you home." There's an inquisitive little voice that pipes up then, simply repeating the word 'ghosts', and he again has to improvise.

"Ghosts. People who were once very loved or still are. This place is for remembering them, so playing around like it's a joke will make them angry. Do you want that?" Three small heads shake. "Then get the hell out of here and play somewhere else." It's enough to make them scamper off, at least, leaving them again in peace.

"... they need more rigid discipline."

Clara watches the children run off, hearing them whisper fearful 'ghosts!' under their breath and look back as if to double check that no sinister spectres or ghastly ghoulies were going to go after them.

She can't help but give a bemused but relieved smile to see them hurry off to somewhere safer and more conventional for their taste of adventure. Better at the usual playground or empty parking lot than a cemetery of all places. There were more people around at least to see them. "I'm sure if you had added a 'please' somewhere, it wouldn't have dampened how scary you were! That certainly showed them.

"Thank you though," she also adds, "because I think they were here to pull off that game that's been recently popular with the children around this area. Steal the flowers I leave here as a sign of bravery. Thank you again. You're just full of surprises today!"

Clara smiles at Sasuke, bright and happy, and can't help but laugh a bit. She feels awful about it and tries to cover her mouth to be at least polite. "Those poor things however! The look on their faces when you said that to them! You could almost hear the dun dun dun sound in their heads."

"Perhaps this'll make them more likely to challenge one another to do it but it's a momentary deterrent for now. If they come back you can let me know; I'll fix it." One way or another.

As kind as her laughter is his sigh's still heavy, sweeping back dark hair. "It's better that they hear something harsh. This shouldn't be a game for them and certainly isn't an appropriate place for them to play. If I scared them then I don't regret it. That kind of disrespect... it pisses me off." His focus lowers to the bundle of damaged plants in his hands, a sign of her efforts that were unappreciated by any casual visitors.

"It won't keep happening. Don't worry about it."

"They'll learn one day." Always trying to find something positive to say no matter what, Clara tones down her cheer a bit to show she can be serious but just a bit. They meant no harm and she's willing to let them be. The gaggle of children unaware of the world and what was outside of it thanks to the shelter of homework and parents and promises of weekends. The cost of being a child in her opinion.

"Being their age means they're still learning things. A lot of people have been through that." She doesn't use 'we' in that sentence, knowing better than to presume and speculate. "I'm sure they've learned their lesson all thanks to you."

For now at least. Maybe in the future they'll come back or maybe they'll pay heed to his words and stay clear. She likes to think it's the latter. "You know: Remind me to have you meet Henrique one of these days when he's feeling more chatty and if you're ever interested in it. I'm sure he'll appreciate a visitor like you coming by here. Taking pains to be respectful of your surroundings and noticing things that others don't. It's quite admirable, Sasuke."

Because, really, who else would notice something strange from a cool spot of air next to a row of graves that had new flowers set upon it? Not a lot of people passing by for sure.

"... You're overly complimentary; I haven't really done all that much. It's easy to keep your eyes open when your mouth is shut and respect given to the dead is respect owed. Don't you think so?" And yet dismissing her words isn't his intention, rather he's just an extremely straightforward young man with no penchant for social graces.

At all.

"Henrique is a relative of yours, then?"

She is a bit baffled by his bluntness but manages to bounce back, smiling and nodding along because, at the end of it all, he is right. It shouldn't be hard to pass by a place like this, quiet and solemn, but it's hard for others to remember so it takes a lot more bite to get them to learn that lesson. "I do and I hope those boys do in the future. It'll help everyone in the long run, I bet."

"Ah... Henrique?" Clara blinks a bit and then laughs, shaking her head good-naturedly. "Oh no. He isn't my relative. I only have my granddaughter, Magra, and she couldn't come today thanks to her studies. Henrique is the groundskeeper. Tall man with very bushy beard. Growls a lot when answering."

Magra. The name sounds distantly familiar but not enough for him to try to claim a connection without being certain.

"The groundskeeper, huh... If that's how he is then he sounds like the kind of guy that would be easy for me to understand." No kidding. They could be kindred spirits in Sasuke's old age, probably. "I'll speak to him and let him know the things he needs to be looking out for in this area."

"Now that's something I don't hear everyday." She doesn't mean it in a rude way. Most people try to avoid the man when he's doing his rounds so knowing someone wants to talk to Henrique is a pleasant surprise. "He's having his break at the moment, I believe, but I'm sure he'll appreciate it when you have the time to tell him about the children."

He will be genuinely grateful for that. The man has been on a lifelong mission in scaring away the whippersnappers since he took up the job almost a few decades ago. "Can't miss him if you ever look for him. Besides that beard of his, he's quite tall!"

Er. Everyone is taller than her, to be fair. 5'2 is considered a good height back home.

"I doubt too many people linger in this area either way so I'll know to keep an eye out." It's good to know that he'll at least be relatively accepting of Sasuke's criticisms instead of perceiving them solely as judgement.

"Do you mean taller than you alone or actually tall?" There it is. As someone who's 5'6" at most he doesn't get the chance to pull this card very often so he's going to milk it.

"Hey!" She puts her hands on her hips and tries to look serious but the smile is difficult to hide.

"Hernique is actually tall tall and excuse you!" Despite her shocked tone, there's amusement in her eye as she puffs herself up and tries to stand tall. It's the attempt that counts. "Where I'm from, I'm considered a good deal taller than most people."

... does that place happen to be Hobbiton.

"Where you're from? I guess the next logical step is to ask where that actually is. I don't know many places where you'd be considered even average."

"Excuse you! I'm from the Philippines originally. Born and raised there. The average height just happens to be around 4 or so for the average woman." Thanks to a lot of unhappy factors but she rather not get into that. What is important is that she's tall. Ish. If she thinks positively enough. "You would be considered quite tall yourself where I'm from."

No, really. It's not a lie

"That'd be a change." No kidding. Even if his height isn't that unimpressive he's still been led to believe it is while living in Europe.

"If you're from the Philippines then how is it that you came to live here?" And die here, though he doesn't feel the need to really say that.

Its unsaid and she doesn't mind. If he doesn't ask, she won't tell because goodness. That'll be kind of depressing to speak about.

"Hmm? I moved here when I was quite young. Around eighteen? Just me and my husband back then." She gestures to the headstone that had the phrase FRANCISCO SEVILLE, GOOD HUSBAND engraved across the somewhat dirty stone. "We left it because we needed a new start. I think that's where I used up my second chance and lost my shot at a second growth spurt."

"You were already married at the age of eighteen or you simply traveled with him when you were that age? Either way it still seems young. To resettle your entire life in a place like this one..."

Even just the weather would be hard to get used to, let alone everything else.

She looks surprised at his assumption that she married that young. "Oh no! I wasn't eighteen when I got married to Francisco. I just traveled with him. We were twenty when we officially tied the knot. Wanted to settle down here, you know?"

Falling a bit quiet, her smile turns a bit more melancholic and she doesn't continue right away. She. She needs a moment before she goes on. "It was hard at first but all I wanted was a second chance, a fresh start. Francisco and I basically needed a do over, no matter how extreme the changes had to be. Everyone deserves a chance to be happy and if the chance presents itself... Shouldn't they go for it?"

"... I don't know." His reply is just as genuine, just as labored, and just as delayed, clearly having given the subject serious thought before.

"Is it better to make a life out of what you have or to reach for something better? If people become accustomed to a higher or different standard of living then that's what they'll be struggling to meet from then on. It incurs a greater risk, a greater chance of failing and becoming disappointed.

I suppose it's all about how strong someone is and how prepared they are for potential disappointment." What a depressing way to view it.

It certainly is depressing. Evident by how she tilts her head and she seems to be at a lost of words. Because depressing as it maybe... it's also true, valid. She can't exactly say 'no, that's wrong' can she?

"Strong... A lot of people are strong, I believe," she finally says, her words a touch hesitant but only a bit, a sliver. "In their own ways.

Like... Francisco, my husband. I like think Francisco was strong enough for us both when it was just the two of us. Then for everyone when we had our sons." She doesn't mention him and Magra since even by then she could tell he was tired. "He had been too strong at times but it inspired people like my sons and my little granddaughter. Who knows? There are people out there who are strong enough and there are people who can look up to them."

Want to follow their footsteps or emulate their path.

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oh dear; oh dear (open post)

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