2023-01-08 Decking The Halls

• Log: 2023-01-08_Decking_The_Halls
• Cast: Kaworu Nagisa, Orpheus Zevon, Lelouch Lamperouge
• Where:Tsutsujidai School Auditorium
• OOC - IC Date:0097-01-08
• Summary: After the holidays come to pass, Orpheus goes to thank Kaworu as he cleans around the school's auditorium. At the same time an unexpected appearance comes to be as he finds himself volunteered for some physical labor.

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<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Though the incessant rain over the half-broken (but slowly, continually under repair) city might gray people's hearts--might be the gray of Akane's hearts--rations must still be distributed each day at 9 AM. Kaworu has been assisting with various things throughout the city, opting to act as support rather than taking point on anything in particular; the one exception was the Christmas Eve recital that took place right here in the school's auditorium, which he organized with his compatriot Mari. (Nunnally had attended it, and probably had glowing things to say about it to her beloved brother.)
        
        But this is about his support role, and one of the ways he's been supporting others is by helping to hand out the daily rations. As such, he's probably a familiar face to most people around, and perhaps a soothing one: he always has a calm, friendly smile for everyone, with a demeanor like everything is going to work out fine. He's a good face to have on something like this.
        
        But there's a darker side to that. Kaworu isn't faking anything. But he doesn't ever accept any of those rations for himself--except for one time, and that was to give it to someone else. He's been seen drinking water or tea on rare occasion, but no one has ever seen him eat anything.
        
        When questioned on this, Kaworu always smiles and says he's fine, that he's able to take care of himself. And indeed, he hasn't grown any more haggard or starved over the past few weeks. Many people might assume that he's just foraging for himself and leaving the easy-to-obtain rations for other people.
        
        But there are some who are no doubt uninclined to take things for granted.
        
        After the day's rations are fully handed out, Kaworu rises from the table at which he was seated. "Good work as always, everyone," he says to the other volunteers. "Shall we start cleaning up?"
        
        The others assent. In a minute, they're all working on putting things away, sorting empty boxes, and mopping the muddy floors. Kaworu in particular is on mop duty. It's a menial task, but somehow, he makes it look beautiful: the way he holds the mop handle, the way he dips it in a bucket of rainwater and pulls the handle to squeeze out the excess, the way he sweeps it across the floor, all have an almost unearthly grace to them.
        
        And, of course, he's still smiling. He's even humming Pachelbel's Canon in D to himself.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

As Kaworu begins to mop the floors, humming away to Canon in D, he might find a small light illuminating for a moment from the corner of his eye. A grooved, onion-shaped bulb, with a familiar black and white shading, and golden lyre upon it. The person who holds it is none other than the person to whom that ornament had been intended for. "I think it's been a while since the last time I received a present for Christmas or New Years."

Orpheus' voice reaches into the room as he steps in, a level of delicacy taken so as to not impede Kaworu's work as he starts mopping. At the time, The golden-haired Britannian looks about the room and does something that one wouldn't consider the common gesture that a Britannian would be known for doing. Helping to clean...

If anyone else was still in the room at the time, perhaps it was the equivalent of seeing a unicorn, or perhaps after all this time with the students of Ashford Academy such misconceptions haven't been as stereotyped. One way or the other though, Orpheus finds himself gently putting the ornament away as he begins to aid with the cleaning of the area. Reaching for boxes too high up for others to reach, even taking instructions from others if there was a specific area they needed them. Though in between the work the young man finds time to muse to Kaworu just a bit so as to not interrupt his humming.

"Still...Thanks. A belated Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to you."

It's rather blunt, and a bit late, but the fact the words are said at all well...Kaworu's truly one of the few people who could get him to say the words without hiding behind a mask. "That said...I would have hoped that you and Alouette would have been able to enjoy a more...Traditional holidays."

<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.

Rations were a painful thing to, well, ration. As one of the people more suited for management, he had that bird's eye view of the siotuation, and wisely decided not to comment on it in any capacity outside of meetings. Thinking about it served little purpose, and doing anything about it was short of near-impossible. Best to focus on creating the sustainable side, in case...

...Besides the point. There was a consistent disrepancy to the rationing, and after so long, it either amounted to two things: One, he was being curteous, and had the survival capabilities to scrounge up food from the more undesirable parts. Two, he was intentionally depriving himself. One outcome was vastly, vastly more desireable.

Which was why he was splitting open the minute din of the gym with the clack of an opening door, the uniform of Ashford Academy still clothing his body. (He's been trying to keep it clean. It's a bit wrinkled, but he can't exactly sit around.) Lamperouge, Lamperouge. Best to be his usual self, as much as this entire situation weighed on him.

"Ah, Orpheus! And Kaworu, just the man I was looking for." Not that it was hard to switch into his semi-jovial mood shortened by the stresses of this...this environment. "Do you have some time? I wanted to see how you're faring here." He held up a few papers: The title of RATION HANDOUTS should say it all.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        That light does reflect and refract, shining in the corner of Kaworu's red eyes, but he doesn't look up from his task until Orpheus speaks. Even then, he keeps up his mopping, sweeping in elegant curved lines and doubling back without wasted movement, stepping back out of his own way with rhythmic care. It does interrupt his humming, but that's unavoidable if he's going to respond. It's nothing to worry about.
        
        "I'm glad you like it, Orpheus," he replies, smile warming. "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well. I hope you were warm and safe." He flicks his eyes towards the ornament as Orpheus carefully puts it away. "I got the idea for that from you, when we went shopping together."
        
        The comment on a more traditional holiday turns his smile rueful. "That can't be helped for any of us. But Alouette and I had a merry Christmas indeed, I can promise you that." He lifts the mop; swishes it in the bucket; wrings it out; sweeps the floors anew. He's about to say something else when someone else approaches them with a friendly demeanor of their own. Kaworu recognizes him. They, along with several other GUTS volunteers, had both gone on that trip to Kyushu to aid the temporal refugees there. It's a pleasant surprise that Lelouch is looking for him, considering he's wanted to speak to him in return for a while.
        
        "Lelouch Lamperouge. It's a pleasure to be able to speak with you at last," he replies. His eyes flick to the document titled RATIONS HANDOUT, and he breathes a faint, almost soundless little laugh. "As you can see, I'm helping clean up. If you don't mind that, then I'd be happy to give you the time you need."

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"That so?" He gently begins setting down one of the boxes nearby, a slight smile on his face as he hears the words. "I heard you ended up picking up quite a few, that in and of itself is enough to make me feel warm." With the history these two share, telling one or the other about feelings of warmth or safety, surely neither can take it for granted.

"That said, I hope handing out your presents turned out better than what I had intended. That Rik--" As he's about to go into the magical story of his adventures as Santa Claus, another voice that's ever so familiar reaches his ears and well...With it, that small smile turns into a more serious expression again. The mask quickly returned to what it was when presented with one of the Ashford students.

"Lamperouge?"

That semi-jovial greeting isn't much returned with one in kind sadly. If anything his eyes do go from one to the other for a moment as if trying to key in on if the two were well-acquainted. Though as his gaze goes from those handouts back to Kaworu, he too can imagine what might be coming to pass. And thus...

"Oi, I hope you're not planning to discuss matters with this one when you still have other affairs to attend to, right?" As Lelouch makes his way in at this point, he finds Orpheus is making his way to him and well...'Kindly' frees up his hands of the handouts. "We could use the extra set of hands over here. Quicker you help, the quicker he can answer your questions."

Thus, Orpheus would move those handouts to the side for a moment, and then without warning start handing Lelouch a few boxes.

"You can stack those in the corner over there for now..." On another note...The boxes he had been handed...Were not the empty kind.

Of course, Orpheus pulls his own weight, carrying the same amount of boxes as he had given Lelouch as he'd walk along with him.

"Speaking of discussing matters, I had already talked it over with President Ashford, but one of our Knightmare Frames has been requested for some help performing maintenance in the city. She said she'll confirm it with you later, but said something about why it'd be better to have you do the paperwork over her..."

<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.

"I didn't know I was so popular around Tsutsujidai." A relaxing quip upon Kaworu's own admission, keeping his warm smile as a proper member of the Lamperouge family. Indeed, Kaworu looked well enough for himself; The unearthly beauty of it was strange, but considering the many, many oddities of the world, a man doing their best to clean up a place and looking good during it was low on the list of "Strange things he knew about".

"Have you been eating well?" The sole question that could escape out of his mouth before Orpheus came along, "relieving" him of his handouts. No matter; A person searching for something commits to memory the oddities...But being handed boxes? Him? "Oi, oi...!" Regardless, he's a good member of the Student Council! Appreciative! It takes a few for him to regain his bearings, to (barely) hold them up and start walking towards the corner.

"Milly's the type of person who'll overwork herself if you let her." Ask him how he knows. The alck of energy drinks was a detriment for everyone except the others on the Student Council. "If you let her work on everything, she'll probably be the type to- Humph-" Boxes, set! "Make a new GUTS with a non-combatant peace treaty or something." Or something else outlandish.

"So since we're dealing with a period like this, I thought it'd be best to do it myself and keep her appriased of it." Ulterior motives aside. "Are you acqauinted with Kaworu?" He says, while already walking back towards the self-same silverette.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        It does please Kaworu to hear Orpheus speak of being warm, and his smile deepens. "I did. I of course customized them--" There's no way an ornament just came the way Orpheus's did, just as an example, "--but I was able to find a store that had a plethora of intact Christmas ornaments they said they weren't going to use. I thought it would be the perfect complement to the recital."
        
        A pity that Orpheus doesn't get the chance to tell his story, but there will surely be time later. Kaworu's pleasant smile remains as it always is, but he does note Orpheus's mask coming back up as he too addresses Lelouch. ...and then pushes boxes upon boxes on him. Kaworu doesn't stop mopping, but he does watch this interaction with curiosity. There's a strange undercurrent of hostility from Orpheus... does helping out with the clean-up matter that much to him? Lelouch seems to be having trouble carrying them as well...
        
        Lelouch himself, however, gets a renewed smile. "This place has become an intimate community," he replies. "As for your question, I don't think any of us are eating well. Don't worry; I'm getting by."
        
        Which, as Lelouch would well know, is an absolute evasion. Especially since he lets Orpheus interrupt with all those boxes. He maintains his own cleaning; foot by foot, the floor is cleansed of the mud and rain tracked in earlier.
        
        He listens to the conversation about Knightmare Frames as well. It could be innocent enough, but he knows well that Orpheus isn't just an Ashford student... He refrains from commenting, though--either on that, or on Milly, or on his and Orpheus's acquaintance.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

Yes. Him. There's definitely been rumor around school about a certain Vice President and their lack of physical prowess. Was Orpheus the kind of person who would possibly inquire about such curiosity in such a way? Who was to say? At the very least though there was no intervention needed on the other's part to keep the boxes from falling. "Overwork? That girl looks like she's on twenty-four seven caffeine half the time..."

At least that's how he's come to know of the Student Council President of Ashford Academy from surface appearance alone. Though if it was a facade, it was quite the convincing one. "Well, that aside, even I have to give credit that she's done well enough keeping the peace thus far. Almost making it look easy." It was a bit of a shame. If that girl was born in any other country, she could have made a huge stir in politics. At least, again, that's what it seemed from impressions alone. "Though I guess she has received help..." His eyes peer both towards Kaworu and Lelouch both in acknowledgement of their endeavors to keep order through all this mess.

The next question to which Lelouch brings up is the one that makes the most sense to ask of two who should have surely had no connection. Though as if with no issue at all, Orpheus speaks on behalf of the two of them. "Several months prior I had met him while visiting First Municipal Junior High. " he doesn't make mention of that being the time when Kaworu had been shot, or that the reason a GUTs representative had been sent at the time. Even now there is a slight...Exhale that escapes through his nostrils.

"Anyway, you shouldn't worry about this one. Despite his demeanor he's surprisingly durable." He leans his head back towards Kaworu, as he tries to reassure Lelouch. "I ran into the same problem when trying to offer him stuff a while back. I ended up hearing from a few of his classmates that he's just a shy eater." He can hope that'd suffice for getting Lelouch to not press too much on the matter regarding Kaworu's hunger. Although, even since they were young, he could never recall him eating much. It was almost like...

He cuts the thought short as he focuses on Lelouch again, "On top of the Knightmare Frame, I've been told to make sure that an additional energy filler is provided as well. Do you believe that will be an issue?"

More important matters needed to be addressed. Matters that Kaworu was keen enough to pick up on all the same. It was more an issue if Lelouch had more questions. Not that he wasn't prepared to handle this should the issue arise. Though just like the rumors of the Vice-President not being the most physically active...There had been other rumors that went about the school that if they were somewhat true could make the acquiring of this Knightmare more tedious than he had wanted it to be.

<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.

What a pain these boxes were. He understood the need for them; Multiple aspects. Play, work, something to keep people occupied and doing something, anything, beneficial or not. Granted, the supplies were only really delegated on extremely good reasoning (personal biases notwithstanding). "Exactly, so the last thing we need is for her to suddenly collapse. Understand?" A smile is offered to Orpheus; Surely, anyone could see the reasoning of a Vice President supporting the highest person on the student council right about now.

"No one can do anything alone." An answer offered right back. "The Ashford Student Council only works because we all are doing our part, and we can't exactly allow this power structure to fall." Not without consequence.

A friendship inspired by GUTS? Milly's work was paying off as she wanted it to. "Oh? Good. Milly did want that to be the case." People meeting each other across boundaries. ...Was that her goal in all this? It did seem decisively...Milly, if he had to put a word to it.

"A shy eater?" ...Curiosity compels, but he has the good manners to be polite about it. "So he's accepting them for other people and just taking one for himself?" The simplest conclusion to make...While walking up to him. Forgive this boy with the crude manners of a teenager.

"An energy filler shouldn't be a problem; So long as the entire compound doesn't suddenly have a power draw exceeding all the plants in the area, we should be fine." The reassurance of someone who was...not completely certain about the situation. But the energy filler was important, and he had this position.

...Not that either of them knew about the specifics of energy consumption. He was just a teenager, after all.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Kaworu chuckles at Orpheus's comment on Milly. He likewise has an impression that she's always working, even when not in a disaster situation like this. Indeed, the crisis seems to have only brought out the best in her. He has only a passing familiarity with her, but they've spoken at length at least once, and she's an insightful woman.
        
        Likewise, Lelouch is an insightful man. Kaworu's smile turns approving as he speaks of everyone doing their part. "I quite agree. Our cooperation is why this community is holding together as well as it is." It's not as though there isn't tension. But no one's rioting, and there's only been a little looting. Considering how much destruction there was, surely the looting can be forgiven, even.
        
        The matter of food remains something he'd rather not touch directly. Fortunately, Orpheus is quick to answer on his behalf. Kaworu's grateful; deceiving others is not something he enjoys doing, and it's much easier to let someone else do it for him. He thus doesn't pay Lelouch's approach any mind. He can gawk as much as he likes.
        
        In the same way, he doesn't say anything about his suspicions about why Orpheus is asking after Knightmare Frames. Though Kaworu doesn't want there to be further fighting in the world that is Akane's heart, he can only control his own actions... and there is a Britannian encampment in Tsutsujidai. He'll trust that Orpheus has good reason for whatever it is he's doing.
        
        Instead, Kaworu asks Lelouch, "If you're satisfied, there's something I'd like to ask you, Mr. Vice President. The day we were all in Kyushu aiding the refugees, you were having a rather lively-looking conversation with a green-haired girl." He finally pauses in his mopping to give Lelouch a polite yet nonetheless piercing look. If this were an anime, this is when the cheerful music would abruptly stop. "What's your relationship with her?"

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"No one can do anything alone. I feel like those words are better to say to another" A thought to another high-schooler comes to mind that surely would have needed to hear those words. Though again, such thoughts are pushed off to the side as he continues contributing to the work, reaching for higher reaching places that others might have had issue with as he continues boxes and items to and fro, even helping to address what was in possession in the refugee area. In the meanwhile he'll simply nod along as he's asked about Kaworu's eating habits. It was simply easier for him to take the lead on these kinds of things. "That's what I've heard, and it tracks with what I've seen. I've popped in a few times over the last few months and it's the same case every time." That part technically wasn't a lie, he's definitely visited that school many times, and sure enough that's been mostly the situation. Sometimes the best lies were those that had the sprinkle of the truth in them.

There's another nod that Orpheus gives Lelouch as he reassures that there'd be no issues with obtaining both the KMF and energy filler. If that was the case...

Now I'll just need a second pilot. Would Kozuki make the best choice? Or...

His attention turns to Kaworu for a moment. A moment of contemplation that's quickly shaken off. No need to run such a risk. Especially if it'd get Kaworu involved in his problems. The boy surely already had plenty enough as is.

"Anyway, in the meanwhile, you should just assume his portions are what they should be, and let him handle them how he sees fit."

He figures at that point, the topic could be dropped. The three could get back to work without overthinking things, and mayhaps even listen more to Kaworu's humming.

Though, it's only when Kaworu brings up a topic of conversation this time does it raise a brow for him. It wasn't hard to pick up on who Kaworu was bringing up. Not that it wasn't unusual for him to bring up other people...The...Asking about their relation in regards to others was...Unusual?

"..." Orpheus has some opinions on the possibilities of her relationship. That she's a handful. A trouble that can only be quelled by the mention of Stuffed-Crust Pizza Hut Large Pizza with extra cheese... Though, he'll simply keep his mouth shut. Of what he knew of that girl, he can't imagine their relationship being more of her messing with him, and him ultimately giving in to her whims. That did feel like the sort of dynamic the two would give off.

<Pose Tracker> Lelouch Lamperouge has posed.

"It's only because everyone is working together that we've been this lucky so far." Britannian encampment notwithstanding. They've been secluded, but...They're cooperating. Mostly. Considering the plans in motion, he's been putting forth the idea of reaching out to the encampment for trust.

Totally not filled with the ulterior motive of securing an aboveground network to be able to walk in.

Glancing over at Orpheus, the Vice President idly gestured over. Come on. The papers. It won't do anyone any good to have them out and about, would they?

That being said, the question... "Her?" Of course, others were watching. "A complicated one that involves heritage and problems at home." ...Just what sort of private life did he have? "Do I have to explain my private life further? She's someone I'm very familiar with." He's going to leave it at that, allowing the question to hang in the air with the half-truth. Whole truth? Some kind of truth.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        As Orpheus tracks his thoughts and attention to Kaworu, Kaworu meets his gaze. There's something simultaneously open and closed about the look in his eyes, about his whole demeanor--like a veil that seems like you could see through it, but you really can't. For now, he only smiles and lets Orpheus continue to make his excuses for him.
        
        More important for the moment is Lelouch's answer. Kaworu considers him with that same open-and-closed air to him. "No, there's no need," he replies, and there's something about his smile that might seem uncomfortably informed. If he knows C.C., what else does he know? "Thank you, Lelouch Lamperouge. I'm sure we'll have many more interesting conversations in the future."
        
        Dip. Squeeze. Swish. "...but for now, I really must finish up my work," he states as he resumes mopping. "If you'll excuse me..." He glances at Orpheus, and smile turning apologetic, he adds, "We'll have to continue our own conversation later, Orpheus."

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"Kaworu...."

A hand comes upon the silverette's shoulder, and for the first time, Lelouch gets what appears to be a look of sympathy. Orpheus didn't know what the details were about Lelouch Lamperouge's family, though even surely he must have heard the situation of his sister. Surely any considerate person who has stepped in at this point to stop any further pestering, and for the most part that does appear what Orpheus of all people finds himself doing.

It's apparent enough that Kaworu's relented. Offering to let private matters remain private matters. "Oi, Kaworu, before you leave..."

He finds himself making his way over to the papers from before, pulling out a pen as he starts writing something on the sheet before handing it to the young man as he prepares to leave. "There's been talk about potential mugging increases in certain areas of the city. I wrote down a few spots to avoid given your track record..."

It's only at this time as his back turned to Lelouch passing the note to Kaworu does he catch that glance. A simple nod offered to him as he speaks up one last time, "I'll be rather busy doing some patrols the next few days. But...I'll make sure we chat again soon."

He's not sure what piqued Kaworu's interest...Or perhaps, he wanted to believe that the two were on the same page.

In the meantime though, Orpheus excuses himself, taking the time to go off with Lelouch to discuss more in depth regarding what needed to be done in order to prepare the Knightmare Frame. For Kaworu, as he'd open up that note written upon the back of the hand-out. Orpheus had said there were several places to avoid to keep away from muggings, though there's simply one location identified by coordinates alone, a single place he's being warned about...The Britannian Encampment.