#platonic smooch noises or high five as preferred

[kagedbird]

Taliesin: Hm… Allora?

Allora: *calling out from the other room* Yes?

Taliesin: I could have sworn I had a bundle of apples stashed away in your kitchen for safe keeping, but I don’t see it anywhere. Have you gone and stolen them all?

Allora: Oh! *rustling noises before the sound of hurried footsteps come closer; Allora’s head popping into the open doorway to the kitchen* They’re all chopped and peeled for you, I put them away in separate containers so you can munch on them whenever you wanted. Sorry! I forgot to tell you.

Taliesin: *watches her rummage around near where his feet were at a new storage cubby he’d glanced over, blinking in confusion* I? You… peeled them for me?

Allora: Well, I mean, I remembered some fun cutting techniques for apples from home and figured you might not mind so much so long as you still got to eat them. Here! *pulls out a hand made container, opening it to reveal fresh apples on top of a little paper charm attached to the base of the container, with all the apples shaped like bunnies*

Taliesin: *stares at them before slowly taking the container in hand, mouth popping open ever so slightly as his eyes grew wide* …

Allora: *smiles up at him but it quickly drops as he continues to just stare seemingly incredulously at the apples, wringing her hands together in front of her chest* Um… uh, but I absolutely should have asked for— for permission first, I’m… I’m sorry. I’ll get you more apples—

Taliesin: *tilts the container slightly towards her, gesturing to the paper charm on the base* What is this? It looks like there’s a ward on it of some kind.

Allora: *closes her mouth shut from being interrupted before slowly beginning to speak once more* …That’s… it’s a ward, yes. I, um… I still don’t really understand how people just keep food fresh as it sits out on its own for days, so, I just… w–well, back home we have things like mini coolers and fridges, freezers— th–things that keep food cold and fresh, so I… experimented. *scratches the back of her scalp, eyes flickering between him and the container*

Taliesin: *glances down to where the other containers were, all hand made, all likely having the same paper charms, knowing that it likely took at least a good day for the apples alone, shaking his head* …I don’t understand.

Allora: Sorry?

Taliesin: Why do this? Any of this?

Allora: *squeezes her hands together before shrugging* I dunno? You said you liked apples a lot. I do too. And I know that… we don’t really get a chance to just be people, with what I’m forced to do here in this world. And neither of us have had a great upbringing… I figured you might not have had the opportunity to get a present like this, so… I wanted to.

Taliesin: And the bunnies?

Allora: You like those too, right? I–I maybe… shouldn’t have made it into that— it’s not to mock you for being vegetarian! Shit, I didn’t even think about that until now…. Sorry…

Taliesin: *takes a bunny apple and looks at it, trying to will himself to get past its cuteness to eat it; tearing up instead at the levels of thoughtfulness from someone who hated his guts when they first met* …

Allora: *sees his tears and feels alarm bells going off in her head* O–oh! Taliesin! Please, you don’t— you don’t have to—!

Taliesin: [voice wracked with tears just barely kept at bay] If you attempt to take these from me, I will be forced to bite you in a way that is not my usual standards of foreplay.

Allora: *blinks, snorting, feeling too many conflicting emotions at once with this interaction* Uh… okay?...

Taliesin: *takes a deep breath and eats the bunny apple, relishing the sweet juices that flooded in his mouth and over his tongue, sending him straight back to his youth when he ate too many apples and got a stomach ache for it* …

Allora: *holding onto her wrist as she waits, unsure if she can just dismiss herself at this point or if he needs some weird emotional support* …

Taliesin: *closes the container with a thick swallow of the apple, clearing his throat, and nodding* …Acceptable.

Allora: You’re crying.

Taliesin: [choked up] That’s besides the point. *clears his throat again, not looking at her* Thank you… for your gift— gifts. I… *clutches onto the container tightly, unsure how to make a joke out of this to levy the air, too emotionally overwhelmed*

Allora: *smiles softly, knowing that chest straining sensation trying to hold everything back felt like and gently touched his arm* Hey. Wanna learn how to cut the apples into bunnies? It’s pretty relaxing.

Taliesin: *sees the out for what it is and shakes his head, “casually” sniffling* Oh, absolutely not. I wouldn’t dare to think to take this skill away from you so I would be made to do this for myself instead. But… I wouldn’t mind watching you do it, in the future.

Allora: *huffs at his attempt at covering up, stepping back as she just let him have it with an eye roll* Sure bud, it’s a date. We’ll go have a picnic and do it. *turns and waves her hand over her shoulder in departure, leaving him be*

Taliesin: *watches her go, blinking, before looking back down at the container— surprised to see small burnished etchings around the edges of the top reading: “Property of Taliesin, only allowed to be opened by Allora for refills. No touch!”* …Hah. That girl…