December 24th. Christmas Eve. Approaching 6PM. The Syranis Foundation's weather predictions proved accurate. As the afternoon passed the clouds that cover the sky grew darker, and the snowfall started. It's still going on as evening approaches and the sky grows dark in Litae's absence - the moon is gracing the other side of the planet with her presence tonight. The air is thick with snowflakes dancing in the mild winds, as if the world has
#Leah'sHouse – August 31, 2020
been filled with static. The already thick snowcover on the ground has only been growing. In the town, plows are running to keep the streets clear, but out here it's more of an obstruction. The exterior of the wooden house looks quite picturesque with its roof covered in snow and the warm glow of the windows contrasting the darkness outside.
Christmas Eve at the Mercier house has been a hectic, festive ordeal thus far. The colorful lights strung up by Leah and Tara blink rhythmically as Christmas music- songs old and new, French and English- cycles through the speakers of the living room's sound system. A healthy number of gifts wrapped in all manners of colored paper and adorned with bright bows are piled beneath the tree, with more having been shoved into the pile by Francois
since the previous day. Candles have been set out throughout the house. On the living room coffee table. The cabinet that's currently decorated with angel figurines. And a small assortment of candles in the center of the dining room table. None have been lit yet. Food has been the theme of the day. While breakfast consisted of a simple omelette, lunch was skipped entirely to ensure plenty of room for the big dinner that most of the day has
been spent in preparation of. Aite doesn't exactly offer all that's needed to have a traditional Christmas dinner, but a few of the more common options are still present. Mashed potatoes. An extravagant salad that even contains a few of the more available vegetables found on Earth. A few loafs of crisp bread purchased from the market. And while the meat within the brothy soup might not be traditional, it still serves its purpose. In the
absense of turkey, the local delicacy of 'tunga' has filled a similar role. At Leah's insistence, sausage had been a late addition to the Christmas menu, spurred on by her frantic but well-meaning research into German Christmas traditions. Dessert on offer is a couple of fruit pies from the market as well as home made chocolate cake adorned with local berries. It might not be a yule log, but it's close enough. Francois has served as kitchen
Leah has made sure this is far from a formal event. Dressed in her floppy Christmas hat, ugly oversized green sweater with a Christmas tree on it, and a pair of candy-cane striped tights with large, matching wool socks pulled up overtop of the bottom of them. With her tendency to taste test everything, it was around the time when they found themselves one slice short of a full cake that Francois kicker her out of the kitchen,
sending her scowling to the living room couch while he and Tara finish up. Despite her kitchen ban, she seems to be in high spirits. High energy, too, anxiously waiting their guest's arrival.
Tara has been laser-focused on assisting Francois in the kitchen for most of the day. Although much of the food is unfamiliar to her she has been putting in a valiant effort, drawing on years of experience, and with Francois' guidance things have gone very well indeed. It's only as the hectic preparations start to wind down that her own nerves become apparent, maybe influenced by Leah's restlessness. She finds herself checking on the soup
Zoe has been another occasional disruptive element in the kitchen, sometimes seeking attention and sometimes looking to steal some food, forcing Tara or Leah to intercept the mischievous creature. For the last while it has been curled up among the small hill of presents at the base of the plastic tree - one or two have been displaced, creating a little hole for the gzzk to hide.
Tara is wearing a pair of simple blue jeans, fluffy red socks and a suitably atrocious Christmas sweater gotten during her and Leah's trip to the market. With alternating red, white, green, gray and blue in various small patterns that are probably supposed to be trees and snowflakes it's quite the assault on the senses. On her head is, of course, the Christmas hat that Leah bestowed her, the fluffy pom falling in her face and causing
Nathan had decided to sensibly hire a taxi to drop him and his sister off at the Mercier household rather than try and balance the small collection of presents and Sofia atop his motorcycle. The vehicle comes to a steady stop outside the quite picturesque house, wheels crushing the snow to sludge. Nathan and Sofia pile out, with Sofia paying for the trip whilst Nate attempts to gather everything in his arms. Hidden
beneath his jacket, he wears the festive jumper that his sister picked out for him, complete with aggressively red and white stripes and the image of a red nosed reindeer woven upon it. Thankfully (for himself) the rest of his attire is much less in your face. Blue jeans, his formal boots and a charcoal grey scarf wrapped around his neck. Sofia, in comparison, looks as if she's dressed more for a formal
dinner with a christmasy touch added. A white woolen top matched with a festive red skirt, candy cane coloured leggings and knee high boots to ward off the chill and a thick green scarf wrapped tightly around her. And, unlike her brother, she has donned a chirstmas hat complete with pom and a small bell. She carries in her arms a large plate wrapped in tinfoil to hide its contents from the elements. The pair
walk up to the front door, Nathan cursing in his mother tongue as he juggles the gifts whilst trying to wade through the snow. Sofia skips straight up to the door and announces their arrival with a series of rapid fire taps against the door. Maybe with a press of a doorbell or two if one is present.
Leah perks up at the sound at the door, large green eyes shooting towards it as a jolt of nerves shoots through her. "They're heeeeeeeeeeeeeere~!" she announces in a singsong tone, as if Tara and her father couldn't discern that for themselves. She hops off the couch, managing a few steps towards the door before her gaze shoots to the ball of fluff beneath the tree, causing her to pause her advance. "Tara, can you grab Zoe so I
can let them in?" she calls out with another frantic glance towards the door, not wanting a repeat of the other day on their hands.
Francois is in the midst of checking on their tungaturkey in the oven when the sound of their guests' arrival reaches his ears, causing him to cast a glance over towards the archway to the living room. At Leah's request he looks to Tara, offering a few nods of his head. "I'll finish this up." he assures her through a small smile. With his simple jeans, he's not quite as festive as Leah, but he is sporting his own ugly Christmas
sweater. It's red and green with the words 'Joyeux Noël' in white lettering, the threading frayed from age. There's been an ongoing war over a Christmas hat throughout the day. Leah keeps putting it on his head, but everytime she's not looking it seems to find its way right back onto the kitchen counter, which is where it currently sits.
Tara blinks as she hears the knocking, the words that follow from Leah drawing her attention. She looks to Francois and smiles a little as he confirms that he's got things covered in the kitchen, tilting her head respectfully before rushing off to secure Zoe. It takes her a moment to locate the little furball in the hiding spot under the tree, but once she does she kneels down to coax their newest resident out. "Hey Zoe... you need to
come out, okay?" she says softly, smiling a little to herself as the gzzk emerges from the pile of presents. It seems to have taken to her quickly, hesitating only briefly before coming out despite its skittish nature. Tara is quick to gently scoop her new pet up, petting its back to keep it calm as she stands up and looks towards the door. "I have her." she assures Leah.
Leah offers Tara a sharp nod before straightening up her posture in nervous energy. She hesitates for a moment, drawing in a deep breath before propping that big, bright smile of hers up and opening the front door. "Joyeux Noël!" she greets cheerfully as she spots the pair, gaze turning from Sofia to Nathan. She opens her mouth to say something else, but pauses, seeming to have second thoughts. Scrunching up her nose, she stands a
little straighter, her posture turning more rigid. "Frohe Weihnachten." she says, ponytail bouncing behind her as she nods to each syllable while attempting to properly- and slooowly- annunciate the words. Her pronunciation is far from perfect, and it's said with much less confidence than her native greeting, but it's not terrible. She's had plenty of practice interfacing with different languages during her time with the
Sofia greets Leah with her most dazzling smile and returns the greeting in kind. "Fröhliche Weihnachten!" She laughs, like bells in the air, and gives Leah a small clap, which is mostly just her tapping her fingers on the underside of the plate. "Wunderbar! It's like being back at home, right Nate?" She glances over her shoulder at Nathan.
Nathan almost misses a step as he arrives just in time for the exchanging of greetings, leaning his head around the armful of presents that is piled in his embrace. "Fröhliche Weihnachten!" He says a few whole seconds after everyone else. Despite his predicament, Sofia's jovial nature seems almost infectious and the man emits an aura of festive joy. "Yeah, it's- woah, like we never left." He grins and steps
forward, using the edge of his boot to urge Sofia forwards. "Seriously though, that's not bad at all, Leah. I'd try and do the same but I might just cause an international incident with how badly I'll butcher it."
Tara is looking on curiously from her place near the tree, adjusting her grip on Zoe as the gzzk squirms nervously upon hearing the unfamiliar voices at the door and feeling the gust of cold air that comes with its opening. "It's okay... they're friends." she whispers quietly, scratching its neck.
Leah gives a little snicker to Sofia's reaction, shoulders relaxing slightly as her nerves start to calm. It's only then that she really notices the stack of gifts in Nathan's arms, causing a pinch in her brow. "Oh! Come in! Come in!" she ushers, realizing she's keeping them blocked out. A small bit frigid wind reminds her of just how cold it is outside and she bounces a bit on the balls of her feet as she steps to the side of the
door, one arm reaching across herself to protect her from the cold. "Nice leggings." she comments to Sofia, that bright smile re-emerging as she lifts one of her legs a little bit off the ground and uses her free hand to pinch at the material of her pants to show that they're matching.
Sofia steps in, her smile widening at the realization that Leah and her have matched. She straightens out her leg and giggles. "Great minds think alike," she says with a sing song tone before her gaze falls to Tara. The smile persists and she gives her a wave, balancing the plate on one hand. "Hey Tara! And that must be Zoe~!" The countdown to animal fawning has begun.
Nathan is very grateful for being let inside and he wastes no time in doing so. "Thanks!" He steps in as far as he can before he lowers to the ground and distributes the presents in the hallway to give himself a few moments to catch a break. He straightens up and presses his hands to his lower back, giving an over exaggerated displaying of stretching out, as if he's just carried some great burden the whole 20 feet
from the road to the front door. With that out the way, he spins around and looks over Leah's attire, then down to his own. Then back again. "Dunno whether I'm under-dressed or over-dressed for this," he says, giving the nose of the reindeer of his jumper a small squeeze. It is upon further investigation that one could see that the nose is, indeed, a miniature pom.
Tara gains a small, slightly apprehensive smile when Sofia notices her, tilting her head and lifting one hand slightly in a small wave, not daring to do more while the door is still open. Her gaze falls to Zoe and she nods slightly.
Leah closes the door behind the pair, locking the cold outside where it belongs, and gives another snicker as Nathan sets the gifts down with some overly dramatic flair. But she's only able to meet his gaze for a brief second when he addresses her before thoughts of their date turn her cheeks a shade redder, causing her to suck in her lips and pointedly turn her big green eyes down to the reindeer on his chest. She makes a show of
scrutinizing it, tilting her head slightly to one side, then the other, before ultimately scrunching up her nose in indecision. "I think this will do..." she finally decides, the smile returning to her face as she reaches out to squeeze the nose herself. A big smile returns to her face as she hazards to meet his eyes again. "...Thanks for coming, Nate."
Since Nathan's last visit, it should be clear that a bit of redecorating has happened. The desk that used to be in front of the window in the living room has been nudged closer to the front door to leave room for the Christmas tree which is decorated with an abundance of colorful lights that all blink in turn and far too many ornaments. Some are clearly store bought, consisting of your standard colored balls or popular Christmas figures and
symbols. But others are home made. Old, beaten up, some half-broken, but they're hung just the same. The tree is topped with an angel, dressed in a white gown with a halo suspended over its head. And the tree isn't the only thing that has been imbibed with the Christmas spirit. Similarly colorful lights have been strung up all across the livingroom, flooding the room with little blinks of color. The vase and picture that used to be on the
small cabinet beside the entry into the kitchen have been moved over to the desk to make space for for an old, festive mat upon which a plethora of old angel knick knacks reside. Many are chipped or cracked in places, some missing hands or parts of their wings from their many tumbles and falls throughout the years.
Sofia seems, somehow, more cheery now that Tara returned the smile and wave. She half turns her head over her shoulder to speak to Leah, but seeing her and her brother there, she merely smirks and decides to instead ask Tara. She walks forward a step or two, not daring to walk further and drag snow throughout the house. "I've made a little something for after dinner. Is there anywhere you would like me to put it?" She asks
Nathan can't help but let out the smallest of chuckles as Leah's cheeks flush and her gaze drops to his jumper. He'll pass of the slight reddening of his cheeks as the change in climate from the cold bite of winter to the comforting warmth of the house. As she manages to lift her gaze to his, he replies with a soft nod of his head and a gentle reach to give her hand a squeeze. "Thanks for inviting us. I'll be
honest, didn't expect to be spending Christmas with anybody this year. So, yeah, thanks again." He breathes another small chuckle, this time more directed at his somewhat bashful thanks before his eyes wonder around the house, drinking in the festive energy of the household. Lights, decorations, an actual tree. No wonder it was so hard for him to hide his smile. "The place looks great."
Tara 's eyes widen a little when she realizes that Sofia has brought what seems to be something edible. She seems unsure how to reply, eyebrows furrowing and gaze darting towards Leah for guidance, but upon observing her interaction with Nathan her gaze quickly returns to Sofia, seemingly deciding that she can handle this herself rather than interrupting. "I... can put it in the kitchen." she determines with a firm nod, crouching down to
let Zoe out of her grasp. "Be nice, ok...?" she instructs quietly to the gzzk as it walks up to sniff curiously at Sofia. Tara, meanwhile, stands back up, reaching out to accept the foil-covered plate.
Leah gives a few small nods to his thanks, her hand wrapping around his and giving it a squeeze in turn. It helps to fortify the smile on her face. His assessment of the house causes her to glance around the room, rising up onto the balls of her feet before dropping back down, clapping her free hand against the side of her thigh. "Thanks. Tara actually handled a lot of it." she explains with a glance her way, not wanting to steal
all of the credit. As Tara takes it upon herself to handle the food, her smile grows a bit. "We had a good time." she nods. It was something she was careful to avoid talking about, lest it dampen the mood around the house, but the past few Christmases since her mother passed always had a bit of meloncholy baked in. They were smaller affairs. Quieter. Not like before. But this year, as difficult as it has been- and god has it
been difficult- almost feels like a return to form. The smell of home cooking. The obnoxious-yet-endearing Christmas music that has played nearly around the clock. The lights. The thought causes her to squeeze Nathan's hand a little tighter and it takes her a moment to realize that she's just meandering. "Oh!" she exclaims as she releases his hand, gaze turning towards the presents, "Umm-... I'll handle these!" she assures.
Nathan nods, his own gaze falling to Tara as Leah hands the credit off to her. And seeing how Tara is reacting to Sofia, taking charge of a decision... well, it makes him turn back to Leah with a more prominent grin. One that reads 'well would you look at that'. Honestly, seeing Tara in such a normal situation, wearing an atrocious sweater and cuddling up to a new pet, makes his heart ache with joy. Joy that, after
the whole ordeal against the slavers, she now has taken the chance to live a normal life. Well, as normal as it can be out in the Terminus. He feels Leah's hand tighten around his and he glances down to her with a perked eyebrow as she reminds him of the dozen or so presents on the floor. "Sure. Let me get my boots off and I'll give you a hand."
Sofia nods and presents the plate to Tara. It's much more on the larger side of dinner plates and even with the foil wrapped around it, it's hard not to notice the smell of ginger and... is that fruits? Whatever is hidden beneath there, it certainly has a fragrance to it. "Thanks." But now, her attention falls to the gzzk at her feet. -
Sofia - Her eyes widen to saucers and a soft cooing sound emits from her as she very carefully crouches down. "Hi there," she says softly, offering a finger to Zoe for her to sniff at. She is unable to hide the stupidly wide smile on her face at seeing Zoe and the hint of curiosity that comes with meeting a new creature.
Tara takes the plate, tilting her head as she steps back and turns, heading off towards the kitchen, eyeing the crowded counters. Her eyebrows furrow and she looks to Francois. "Sofia brought this." she explains, lifting the fragrant plate a little.
Zoe is a small creature, foxlike, with vibrant, ocean blue fur that's freshly washed and brushed. The gzzk's most notable features are it's fluffy tail, large ears and, of course, the four, dark eyes that regard Sofia a little uncertainly. After she crouches down it cautiously makes its way closer, each step slow and hesitant, but it seems put at ease by her smaller profile and the sound of her voice. It sniffs her hand curiously, only to
quickly recoil, head tilting to the side and nose twitching a couple of times as it lets out a series of 'kh, kh, kh' noises, perhaps reacting to the lingering aroma of the dessert Sofia brought.
Francois is in the midst of shuffling things about. Most of the food is ready, it's just the tungaturkey that he's still waiting on. When Tara rejoins him in the kitchen, he casts a glance her way, curiously studying the plate in her hand. "Oh!" he exclaims, gaze wandering across the countertop with furrowed brows. "Let me just-..." he mutters to himself as he collects a few of the bowls and utensils that are no longer needed and,
once gathered up, takes them over to the sink. He gives a nod to the freshly cleared spot. "You can set it there for now, sweetheart." he says as he drops the items into the sink with a heavy clank. He reaches for a small towel that's draped over the edge of the sink to wipe his hands off, shooting a look in the general direction of the living room. Probably about time he greeted the guests...
Leah takes a step towards the presents. "No, it's fine." she assures with a shake of her head, "...I've got it." She doesn't stop at the presents, though. Instead she walks right past them with a small upwards flip of her hand, that familiar flash of blue enveloping her. And like Mickey Mouse breathing life into a castle full of furniture, the Christmas gifts all rise. They swirl into the air, light as feathers as they follow
behind her towards the tree. Once she reaches their destination, she spins on her heels and gives a couple of small gestures with her hand, head lulling to one side in a bragadocious show of boredom as the presents all neatly stack and set down at the foot of the tree. Precise as a scalpel. With a smug little smile she gives Nathan a dismissive shrug of her shoulders.
Nathan has already begun taking his boots off as Leah begins to move towards the presents, his focus directed on that arduous task. "No no, I'll give you a hand. I mean, you saw how I-". He pulls off one boot and looks up to her, her actions causing his mouth to clamp shut and his nose to wrinkle. As the last present is set down and she directs a smug smile his way, he yanks off his other boot and sets it down next
to the doorway. He opens his mouth to try and make a point, before it clamps shut once more. He thinks for a moment, setting a finger against his lips in concentration before he simply ends up with the conclusion of, "Showoff."
Sofia bites down on her lower lip, suppressing the urge to release a small squeal of excitement as the little creature sniffs her finger. As it recoils, however, she lets out a small "Oh" and carefully draws her hand back. "Sorry kleiner, you probably haven't smelt ginger before, have you?" She giggles softly and sits down on the ground, merely watching it for a few moments.
Tara nods and carefully places Sofia's dish on the counter. She has made no effort to peek under the foil, perhaps worried about doing so out of turn. She hesitates a little, as if considering whether she should ask if Francois needs any help, but ultimately her drive to keep an eye on Zoe wins out and she disappears back to the others. Her eyebrows furrow as she spots Sofia and Zoe, getting on her knees next to Sofia. "Are you okay...?"
Zoe 's head turns from one side to the other as the nose twitches a few more times, the gzzk reaching up to paw at its own nose a couple of times, but soon enough whatever sensation the ginger must have triggered seems to have abated, and the small animal starts to settle down. It moves up to Tara, who offers some headscratches, relaxing when it becomes clear that Zoe is fine.
Leah gives a mock look of shock. "I don't know what you're talking about." she offers innocently through a restrained smile.
Francois gives his hands a couple more wipes before draping the towel back over the edge of the sink. With an apprehensive sigh, he starts towards the arch, not particularly eager for the discomfort that is sure to accompany this meeting. The older, heavyset man catches Leah's response as he enters the living room. "Is my daughter being a pain in the ass again?" he asks, far too familiar with the tone she's addressing Nathan with.
He's far less disheveled than the last time Nathan saw him. And he's not immediately retreating this time. The resemblance between them isn't immediately apparent. His hair is thick and dark with streaks of grey. It's only in those bright green eyes of his- dulled slightly by the years- that his daughter is seen. At least at first. Their blood ties become far more apparent when the friendly smile spreads across his face,
Nathan tisks softly as is about to offer her a response before Francois makes an appearance. For the briefest of moments, Nate had completely forgotten that he had already met Francois once before. But that doesn't last too long as the memory crashes headfirst into his mind. Nate freezes on the spot and offers a smile that holds just the slightest tinge of embarrassment behind it. Think, Nate, think. Distract
yourself from the memory, do something to switch the focus. Think of something! However, Francois did present the perfect scapegoat to his mental bombardment. He looks towards Leah and adopts a pondering look, as if deeply considering the question. "Hmm, no more than usual I'd say." Nailed it. Pile in on the ribbing of the man's daughter. This totally can't backfire.
Sofia turns her head to Tara and offers a disarming smile. "Sorry, Tara. She got a strong whiff of the ginger on my fingers and I don't think she knew quite how to deal with it." She begins to unzip her boots and pull them off. Her mismatched eyes fall once more to Zoe and she is still unable to suppress the smile that the curious little creature brings.
Tara looks to Sofia as she explains what happened, the last of her worries replaced with a faint smile and quiet, almost imperceptible snort. "That is... the spice?" she guesses, her familiarity with human foods limited to what she's learned from working in the Respite and living with Leah and Francois. She lifts Zoe into her lap as she waits for a response, watching the gzzk as if to assure herself that its fine. A residual nose-twitch
causes her to scrunch up her own nose in sympathy and give the creature a gentle hug, patting its back to reassure it. "It's okay, Zoe..." she whispers, attention diverted down to the lump of blue fur in her arms momentarily before returning to Sofia.
Leah narrows her eyes on Nathan. "In the same room with him for all of five seconds and you're taking his side. I'm already regretting my decision to invite you over." she says, her cheerful delivery dripping with sarcasm.
Francois snorts loudly to himself. "Just ignore her. It's what we do." he says, extending a hand towards Nathan. He, like Leah, speaks English. But he has a much thicker accent than she does. "Francois." he introduces himself. "Uhh-... Frank." he corrects, not wanting to sound too formal. It's what everyone calls him anyway. If he's harboring any resentment for the situation surrounding their last short-lived meeting, he's doing a
Nathan grins at Leah, before his focus is brought back to Francois. As the hands is extended towards him, he breathes an internal sigh of relief. "Nate," he decides on as he clasps Francois' hand, giving it a firm shake. "Thanks for letting Sofia and I spend Chirstmas with you all," he says as he releases Francois' hand, gesturing with a flick of his head to where his sister was sat with Tara. "We really do
appreciate it. Sofia spent the better part of her free time cooking as large a batch of Lebkuchen as she physically could." He pauses, before adding in a low, but humorous tone, "and how much my wallet could afford." He gives a mirthful smile and a casual shrug of his shoulders.
Sofia nods and places her boots off to the side before returning to kneel next to Sofia and Zoe. "Yes. The key ingredient to my cookies." She gives a firm nod. "It can be quite overpowering though, especially to those with sensitive noses." She directs that last part to Zoe, the corner of her mouth tugging upward. "May I... may I pet her?"
Tara hesitates a little, looking down at Zoe and then back to Sofia. Her eyebrows furrow a little, uncertainty filling her face, but her protectiveness of the creature in her arms spurs her to speak. "Yes." she says, a nod accompanying the words, but she adds: "But... I... think you should wash your hands first." she says, the words firm, but they don't keep her from looking worried as they leave her mouth. Concerned that Sofia will take
Francois gives Nathan's hand a firm shake before releasing it and following Nathan's nod over to Sofia. He offers her a greeting in the form of a small dip of his head and a friendly smile. "It's our pleasure to have you here. Just... nice to have a full house for Christmas again." he offers, propping his smile up a little firmer. "Besides, I've been looking forward to meeting you." he continues before offering an almost
apologetic tilt of his head. "To-... umm-... Formally meeting you, I mean..." he corrects, pointing out that it's not the first time they've laid eyes on one another. He politely leaves out the bit about walking in while Nate making out with his daughter was being discussed. Probably as much for his own sake as for Nathan's. "Leah has said so much about you I almost feel like I already know you." he adds.
Leah is quick to chime in before embarrassment gets the better of her. "He's just being polite." she says, shooting another smug smile Nathan's way, "I don't mention you." she shrugs, "At all." The playful ribbing causes her smile to widen before a thought seems to hit her, causing her to scrunch up her nose in thought. "And what in the hell are Leb-... whatever you said...?" she asks, unafraid to voice the question her father
Sofia tilts her head to Tara, eyebrow perking slightly before she nods. "You're right. I thought I managed to scrub it all off earlier, but perhaps I wasn't as thorough as I first thought. Could you point me towards the bathroom?" If there was any offense, Sofia certainly wasn't showing it.
Nathan maintains the smile he had right until Francois points out that this is now their official meeting. So, naturally, as one is wanton to do in this scenario, Nate awkwardly chuckles and just gives a somewhat broken smile at the man. Thankfully, he deviates towards Leah's apparent tendency to talk about Nathan. A lot. He switches to her and perks an eyebrow up at her, his broken smile turning to a much more
comfortable and bemused one. "Oh really?" Then Leah speaks. And she begins her ribbing. "Oh really..." he says much more flatly, but the grin never leaves. However, the latter comment causes his head to tilt. "Lebkuchen? Oh, uh, gingerbread cookies. These ones are glazed with either chocolate or sugar. Some dried fruits on them. They're very popular back home." He then thumbs towards Sofia, a hint of
familial pride on his face. "Sofia spent hours making them. We had to scour Falls to find most of the ingredients."
Tara seems pleased with the response, relaxing a little and nodding. "I-... I can show you." she decides, letting Zoe slip from her grasp before standing up. She seems less on edge than during the visit to Nathan's apartment. Maybe the fact that she's in a place that she knows well and feels comfortable in helps. Maybe part of it is the Christmas atmosphere, or her talk with Leah. She waits for Sofia to get up and follow before exiting
Zoe prowls around the trio near the tree at first, but doesn't approach, instead disappearing back under the tree, despite obvious curiosity.
Francois continues to give Leah an unamused stare before finally relenting with a small sigh, focusing back on Nathan. "You didn't have to go and do that, but thank you." he says, extending the thanks to Sofia as well by way of a glance her way as Tara begins to lead her out of the room. It causes his smile to grow a hair and shoots a small glance Leah's way before looking back to Nathan once again. "Unfortunately, the bird still
needs a little bit longer before it's ready." Drawing in a breath, he shifts in place, gaze flicking towards the door briefly, "Not that Thiago is on time anyway..." he mutters aloud but, judging by the smile firmly etched into his features, Mendez' lateness doesn't seem to bother him too much.
Leah's brow perks up at the mention of gingerbread cookies. That she understands. "They won't go to waste." she assures. And the truth behind that statement is enough to get a tired snort out of her father who is no stranger to the fact that his daughter can put down food with the best of them. She makes sure to shift aside so Zoe can get back into her little makeshift Christmas gift den, brow furrowing in amusement as she
Sofia pulls herself up and brushes out the wrinkles in her skirt, just catching Francois' look as she follows Tara. She gives a bright smile and a little wave of her hand in way of acknowledgement. "Thank you, Tara," she says. "So, what is Zoe? I only managed to get her name from Leah's... message."
Nathan smiles at the pair of them, giving a casual shrug and an idle wave of his hand. "Tennhausen tradition. You never go to a Christmas dinner without bringing cookies." The small chuckle that accompanies might indicate he's being a little dramatic there, but hey, cookies are cookies. He follows the trajectory of the little creature as it scurries towards its den, a very amused look crossing his features as he
glances at Leah, then back to Francois. "Speaking of the bird, anything I can do to help out? Or should I just watch Leah destroy the plate of cookies?"
Tara seems briefly caught off-guard by the question - it's easy to forget that gzzk are not universally known. "She's... a gzzk." she explains without elaborating. The word's apparent lack of vowels make it a bit hard to say for those not accustomed to batarian dialects, but it flows naturally from Tara, going untranslated unlike the rest of her sentence. She leads the way down the T-shaped corridor, turning right and stopping by one of
the furthest door. "This is the bathroom." she says, indicating the door and then folding her hands in front of herself, looking like she means to wait for Sofia. She seems to be taking her perceived duties as part of the hosting household quite seriously.
Leah casts a casual glance off towards the pair as the depart down the hallway. "That's a tradition I can get behind." she snickers, though the note Nathan decides to end on garners an unamused tilt of her head followed by the lift of a very specific finger. It seems her nails are candy cane themed, too, alternating red and white.
Francois gives a hearty chuckle to Nathan seeming to know all too well what his daughter's intentions are. "I appreciate the offer, but I have it under control." he assures. "I'll let you all know when it's ready. You just make yourself comfortable." he continues with a small smile and a gesture towards the couch. He takes a step back to retreat back towards the kitchen before looking between the pair with a wince. "Just not...
Leah's face turns about as red as the nose of the reindeer on Nathan's sweater. "Dad~" she growls in embarrassment through a clenched jaw. Her big green eyes are about the size of saucers and peering right through him. A big, silent, 'Goooo'.
Francois draws in his lips to try and hide the impish smile threatening to escape and he gains a little speed to his step on his way out, knowing better than to linger. He tries without much luck to muffle the amused snickering that slips out as he disappears back into the kitchen.
Sofia scrunches up her nose at the word. "Gizzk? G-gzzzzzk?" Her brow furrows as she tries and fails to pronounce the word correctly, even as she is led straight to the bathroom door. She blinks and gives a somewhat sheepish look. "Oh, thank you. I'll just be a moment." She palms the door and steps inside, the sound of running water quickly following as the door slides closed. -
Sofia - Even through the door, however, Tara could likely hear Sofia trying against to pronounce the word but ending up like shes trying to do a very poor imitation of a bee. "G-g-gzzzzkuh? Gzzkz?"
Nathan rolls his eyes as the familiar finger is presented to Nathan's face. At least she decided to make it a Christmas themed swear this time around. "No worries," he says to Francois, the initial implication slipping by his radar. At least, until Leah begins to turn crimson. Then it hits him. His eyes squeeze shut and he sucks in a sharp inhale of air through his nose, turning his head slightly to try and hide
the look on his face. "Yep. Fair." The snickering does little to abate the heat in his cheeks and he instead focuses on sliding over towards the sofa with minimal eye contact with Leah. "At least he's relaxed about it," he mutters softly, admitting to himself that it could've been far, far worse.
Tara remains frozen in place, standing silent in the corridor as she waits, as if Sofia might need her help to find her way back to the living room. Overhearing her repeated (failed) attempts to pronounce Zoe's species causes a smile to tug subtly at the corner of her mouth, but she's quick to push it down, schooling her face into a neutral expression and straightening her back a little as she continues to wait.
Leah practically glares a hole into Francois' back as he makes his escape, culminating in a long, high pitched whine as Nathan acknowledges her father's antics. "He's the worst." she sighs, shoulders drooping as she follows Nathan over towards the couch. On the television is an old Christmas movie, muted for the sake of the music that fills the house. It's a movie that's probably aired every Christmas for the last hundred years or
more. Something about an animated duck that takes over the duties of Santa Clause. The movie looks as old as it is, but it's a classic.