agentlelog | may stuff collection center

[Frankly, Emil still doesn't want to go anywhere. Leaving the relative, supposed safety of his room (and the corridors between his room and the kitchens) in the Queen's Residence iiis... not something he's been jumping at the chance to do lately, but he figures - eventually, right? Once Lalli goes back to his regular work schedule and Emil gets bored sitting around by himself all the time, that more or less makes the decision for him. So, he gets up. He considers going to his own actual job, but serving food to landens who give him dirty looks sounds like a horrible day, so—

And no, he does not make the obvious connection, he hasn't thought of how these are the same thing at all— so, he decides he will take food to poor children in the slums, instead. Children are nice! He likes children! Surely, nothing could go wrong in the slums, compared to... in food service.

Either way, this is his plan: gather up whatever provisions he can scrounge in a lovely basket and be on his way. It's when he's already leaving that he passes by Guts, shooting him a look. He doesn't have any problems with the man, but also: busy! Going to feed children!

...Okay, okay—] Hey. You.

[......okay!!!]

You brought Lalli back, so... thanks. [...] Well, see you.

[GOOD TALK, he's going now with his bundle of fun.]

[Guts has his usual scowl on him when he turns to get a glimpse out of the corner of his eye. But wait - Emil isn't pointing at him indignantly? Is something wrong with him?

Ah. That’s what it is. He doesn’t seem to be too offended with the briskness of the thank you. Lalli had helped him through… Well, Lalli had helped him. He wasn’t the warmest person, but he gave his gratitude where it is merited. It’s the least he could do.]

Sure.

[ So that’s that.

What’s more concerning is the basket full of food in Emil’s arm, and his walk pointed towards what appears to be the gates of the palace. In the short amount of time he’s spent with this gremlin, Guts is absolutely certain that wandering Draega is the last thing he should be doing by himself.

He turns fully around (decidedly cloak-less), and gives Emil a slight wrinkle of what seems to be concern. More irritation, really, but there’s a little crumb of concern there.]

What’s that basket for?

[To think, his day was almost peaceful and uninterrupted by Big Men... Emil stiffens when Guts speaks to him again, after he's clearly left(!!), and stops walking only so that he can give Guts his best Look.]

My business, obviously. Why, do you want to take it from me and wave it over my head?

[Just wondering!!!! Guts!!]

If someone's hungry enough, they'll rip that out of your hands.

[There's a part of him that thinks Emil could learn a lot from being jumped. A little hardship never hurt anyone. But the more sensible part of him guesses he shouldn't let pouty von pointy finger over here wander off into a starving city by himself.]

Edited 2019-05-08 04:22 (UTC)

Well— [er!! well!!!] That's the point! It's for hungry people!

[Like, he doesn't want to get mugged, but maybe he could just put it down and back away slowly? Like feeding a tiger! Emil doesn't know what a tiger is.]

[oh my god, emil.

With a long, audible sigh, a whole lot of reservations, and an ominous sense that he'll be doing this way more often than he wants, Guts keeps walking up until he's right next to Emil. There you go, tiny troll boy. He's volunteered himself to be your bodyguard. Don't ask any questions about it.]

Where at?

[He knows what he's doing!! Or at least he has the basic concept down, which is that charity is a good thing, and his heart is actually the size of a house in secret, and he cannot abide by more helpless, suffering children after— well, after.

But that's far too much for him to articulate here, still on the grounds of the Queen's Residence, while Guts sighs at him, so he looks petulantly up at him instead before he, too, sighs. Hmph.]

If you truly have to know, I was going to go see... [...mmh] the slums.

[As an ex-Rich Boy, Emil has no idea how to be tactful about extreme poverty, but at least he's putting in the effort to pay attention to his words instead of calling the slums, like, "the poor people zone" or something.]

[Coming from a place with a brutal feudal system, Guts has seen his fare share of humans living in terrible conditions, and he has his own name for that: the dumpy part of town.

But whatever, he's not here to think about the injustice of societal strata. He's here to make sure this boy doesn't get himself into trouble, and if that's where he's headed, he'll definitely need to tag along.]

What are you waiting for? Get going.

[Emil stiffens indignantly, on principle, but even he can see that he's already lost this one. After the eternal humiliation of the Crate Incident, he's learned...

Still, he sighs, very put-upon. So unnecessary for Guts to come with!]

Really? Fine, but I don't want any commentary.

[Let him feed children undisturbed! Now, they march.

...For a good minute or two, before Emil glances sideways- and up- at his giant companion.]

Why are you coming with me? Be honest.

[GRUMBLE]

Quit askin' me before I change my mind.

[It's a bit of a mystery even to him on why he wants to help Eggchucker Supreme. Guts is putting it under the fulfilling his promise to the Queen umbrella, maybe with some lingering gratitude for Lalli's help, and a pinch of genuine concern after seeing how Emil fared on his own with sailors.

He would not even be a little bit surprised to hear about how his partner got overrun by small children if he wandered out on his own.]

I think I have a right to know!

[He's serious... but mostly he's serious about his complaints being heard, so he won't keep harping on it. Just feel free to let him know at any time.

In any case, children love Emil, thanks much. It's hungry adults who look at him and see a wounded gazelle ripe for the mugging that are the real concern, most likely. Even walking through the wealthier parts of the city, though, Guts being there means they're being given a wide berth.

Emil barely notices this, because he's busy fussing with his basket as he walks. Inconspicuously, see.]

...

[Guts is no where near comfortable enough to admit he was concerned for Emil. Instead, Guts lingers behind him in cold, dead silence, with all the friendly airs of a stone castle wall bristling with armaments in the parapets. His lack of cloak meant all of his sharp objects were on full display, and even having spent some time helping the city, he has very rarely gotten approached by denizens in Draega.

The fussing with the basket gains no comment. He doesn't expect trouble while paired together, not really, but he will still keep a sharp an eye on any suspicious gazes that may linger on them too long. Never know when someone's trap may be lurking around the corner.]

[Yes, this is the friendly bonding outing of Emil's dreams... or: he's fine letting Guts follow behind him and not talk, ultimately, especially once their surroundings get poorer and poorer. Emil isn't planning on going deep into the slums— he doesn't want to get, like, murdered— but nor does he plan on standing at the edge of the neighborhood shaking his basket like a beacon.

...That said. Guts, terrifying and huge, does not radiate an air of safety to the children here in said slums. Emil looks over his shoulder.]

Maybe you should turn around.

[Guts is a shining beacon of fun, Emil. Just a bucket of laughs. Though, he does seem to pick up on the wide berth around them when asked to turn around. He swiftly decides he's not going to do this, simply because he didn't go through the trouble of making the trip out here just to leave this boy in the most dangerous part of Draega. What kind of guarding would that be?

But, well, the people they were supposed to be helping aren't coming. He can feel the press of nervous eyes glancing at them and peeking through the crowd and decrepit buildings. Psh. This is why he never does charity.]

Go on ahead. I'll watch you from here.

[He leans against a crumbling stone wall, arms crossed.]

[wow]

Nnnh— alright, suit yourself! I'll be back!

[He's not going very far in the first place, lest he get kidnapped and robbed of his food and nice clothes. Stay there and watch as he marches boldly into this, ah... square? Can it be called a square when it's more like the cramped space in the middle of the street? Regardless, he's there, and after a few minutes it becomes evident that he's surprisingly not doing a terrible job— with the children. Children he has a way with completely unlike the way he acts towards basically everyone else; gentler, more patient...

Essentially, he's so harmless and has so much food in this basket, the children of the slums take to him remarkably quickly. Watch in awe as he passes out pieces of fruit and bread that he may have (definitely) swiped from breakfast.]

[Guts watches quietly as Emil is swarmed by a group of eager children. Once he isn't stomping around, it is easy enough to fade into the background and let the alleyway resume its usual activity. Guts didn't quite expect an act of patient selflessness to come from a well-dressed brat. Good for him, he guesses. The kids did look pretty happy with whatever it is he was giving them. It's been a rough few years for them.

One particularly daring boy gets close enough to him to check around his greaves and see if he happened to be hiding anything extra. He is obviously a Stranger like Emil, and Guts has passed through the poorer parts of town a few times before. All those leather pouches must be hiding, something, right?]

You're lookin' the wrong way, kid.

[He brushes the boy's wandering hand off him.]

[Emil likes kids; Emil is good with kids, even, and kids like Emil, but uh, all the affection for children in the world can't make him a very attentive caretaker, when he's surrounded by hungry children, several of whom want to touch his nice clothes. This is is more than he bargained for - so he doesn't notice one has wandered away to stare at Guts until he hears Guts' voice. He glances up, ah-

You know, Guts made a child cry the last time he was around children... Emil has to pitch his voice a tad louder to call over:]

Why don't you bring him back over here? [but NICELY] Without growling at anybody.

[The boy lets out a startled yelp as Guts grabs him by the shirt and hoists him in the air. This is nice enough by Guts standards, obviously, because he isn't hanging the child off his sword. Improvement!

Fortunately, although a little squirmy, the boy looks more startled than afraid as he's unceremoniously carried over to the rest of the curious children and dropped in the crowd. The whole gesture isn't exactly the most gentle, but the children at least seem to take it as more of a game than something to be upset or fearful about.]

He's the one you want to stick around.

[He gestures to Emil, getting swarmed by small hands, and does nothing to help him. Is this going well? He supposes its going well.]

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street rattes with guts

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thank u for ur patience