[A Compilation Thread of the Terrowin Misadventures pre-Koskaan]

Miscommunications

It had been no easy feat, but he managed it. It was a weird thing to request, but Simone had said it was her favorite. At least, that was what Lewis figured. He had been told that women were crafty in the way they worded things, and that reading in-between the lines was something of a skill. So, her offhand comment about wanting a papaya…

It’s got to be her favorite food. Lewis had the servants decorate her room in the tower with a lavish, near tacky looking papaya display. There were scented candles that had been lit, and the smell of the fruit was already wafting into the air. There were a variety of dishes spread about the table, from toast with papaya flavored preserves to a whole chicken that had been baked, flavored in the papaya juices. And, of course, there was the raw fruit, cut into nice little squares for easy chewing.

“There has to be something I’m missing,” Lewis muttered to himself. This was the first time he had tried to do something for someone else…at least, in this regard. The servants were rather taken aback at the sudden desire, but given Lewis’ usual temperament, they were all but willing (see: forced) to help with his absurd request.

And that included getting Simone out of the room. She had been…redirected to the library for a time. “She’s obsessed with those stupid books…”

But, it was almost time for her to be coming back. There was an odd feeling in his chest. A fluttering. He had felt it a few times before, but this time, it was stronger. Nerves? Anxiety? Was that what it was? That feeling of…

“What if she hates it…”

“But…” Simone tilted her head. “He’s what now?”

“Forbidden you from coming into the room. Please go to the library and come back in a few hours.”

Simone frowned a bit. What the hell could he be doing? Or… with who? She shook her head. Lewis was barely able to form a bond with her, it made no sense there was someone closer to him. Even if she thought he hated her. There was an undeniable bond since their trip to Angela’s.

“Alright…” She made her way to the library where she got lost. She came back a half-hour past when she was told to arrive but she didn’t think he would mind. He never cared about what she was doing before. She had a pile of books in her hand that she was borrowing now.

Once she got to her room she almost dropped the books. A crashing sound came as she tried to saved the pile she had from hitting the floor. After all, they weren’t her books. It caused her to stumble and she fell over a chair that had been set up.

She laid on her back on the floor covered in books. “What’s with the papayas?” It was an exhausted tone she took from her fall. “And the candles?”

Lewis was a little irritated that she was so late, but it was to be expected. After all, it was one of the few times that he had let her off on her own in the library without supervision. Despite this, though, the recent uptick in work caught up with him, and he started to doze. It was the sound of books crashing to the floor that woke him up, and suddenly he was alert, dagger in hand.

When he realized what had happened, he sheathed the weapon, and gave Simone a look when she asked what was with all of the papayas.

“What do you mean ‘what’s with the papaya’s’….” Lewis stared at her in disbelief. He had gone to so much effort for this, and for what. For her to merely question it? Or was this one of those wily mind games again? The assassin frowned, and doubled down. “You know exactly what they’re for…there’s no use playing dumb. I went to a lot of trouble for this. Don’t act like you don’t know…”

Simone stared up at him from the floor with disbelief. “First you FORBID from coming into my bedroom and now you are acting all MYSTERIOUS!” She threw her hands out as she got herself up off the floor.

She quietly picked up the stack of puts and put them on her nightstand. Looking back at the papayas. “Is this a joke?” She tilted her head. The gears were turning in her brain as she furrowed her brow at him.

Then as if it suddenly hit her she covered her mouth for a moment. “Lewis, what made you think I wanted papayas? Is this a gift?” She didn’t know how to handle this. Lewis had to be playing a joke on her. “Is this your goodbye present to kick me out?”

“…” Lewis just gave her a blank stare. What mind game was this? If this was what women were like, Lews was sure that he wanted nothing to do with this. He would rather face Lord Raith after a complete failure than deal with this absurdity. “Yes. It’s a fucking gift. Why the hell would I give you anything else? You SAID you liked them.” At least, that was what he thought she said. Again. Women.

“Last week…you said you had a craving for a papaya. According to Rhen…when a lady asks for something, she means business. I saw the way Osiria got mad over pears. That idiot was crying about it for days…” He crossed his arms. “I’m trying to be nice. For fucks sake…if this is what it takes, it’s almost not worth it.” It was a strange cross of him being mad and hurt. Of course, Lewis barely understood what he was feeling. The anger was easy, but the hurt? That was new.

Simone stared at him blankly. “I said I was craving papaya yes. I was reading a poem about it.” She blinked at him. “Made me reali–” She waited for a moment before shock hit her face. “HOW DID YOU REMEMBER THAT?! I swear I whispered it. I didn’t think you heard me!”

She gave him a blank stare, “You listened to Rhenakos of all people? Os is pregnant… She cries over Rhen’s voice changing a smidgen too much.”

She tilted her head at him, “But now I understand you thought it was my favorite fruit didn’t you?” She started to laugh and held her mouth for a moment as she tried to stifle it. “I haven’t had papaya for a very long time. It made me hungry for it when I read about it. I like papaya but my favorite is called a pawpaw.”

She felt bad as she looked over at the food, “You really did this for me?” She went over and scooped up some of it eating it. Her stomach had rumbled loudly as she chewed on it. “I’m starving…” Her eyes got big and she smiled, “This is really good! Lewis have some!”

Lewis glanced to the side when she mentioned that she whispered it. “I heard you. I hear most of what you say, and of course I’d remember it. Why wouldn’t I? I…” He paused. He wasn’t ready to admit it. “Need to make sure that you’re still happy here.” That wasn’t the real reason, but it would suffice for now. But that was what this was? A misunderstanding? Somehow that made him feel better.

“Look, it’s not like I go to Rhenakos for actual advice but…” The assassin huffed. “It’s just…I don’t know anything about this. I don’t know how to make people happy. I just…kill. I can do that in my sleep.” He sighed. “So I fucked that up, I guess.” Though, her favorite fruit was something he had never heard about. He tucked that into the back of his mind for research later.

Lewis was about to make his exit after the rather mortifying mistake he had made, when Simone called him over, stating the food was actually pretty good. He walked over, and tried a small piece of the chicken. It was an…odd combination for sure, but it wasn’t bad. Very unique in flavor.

“It isn’t that bad…” So, it wasn’t a complete and total wash.

“I’m sorry…I should have known better than to take any advice from Rhenakos…”

She looked confused for a moment when he said he wanted her happy. It was weird that since the trip to Angela’s her happiness mattered to him. This was a new bridge for them and she didn’t quite know how to handle it. She let it go for now. “I’m happy…”

She held out her hands as he started to devalue himself. “No! I don’t think you fucked up at all! I just was confused. It was insensitive of me to think you were playing a joke on me. It’s just… I’m not used to you…” She let the comment go off and didn’t finish the thought. They both knew where it was going. They couldn’t talk about it yet.

She chuckled a bit and ushered him into the seat on the other side of her. “You have to be hungry too. You look like you haven’t eaten in a week.” She paused a bit before she sat down. Her stormy eyes laid on his before she blushed and looked away. “It… It was really sweet and I like it. Even if it isn’t my favorite fruit… I still like and enjoy it.”

A Bit Absent Minded

Lewis knocked on the door and waited for a moment. No response. He knocked again. Nothing. “Fine…I’m coming in.” He opened the door, and looked around. Her room, as usual, was in pristine condition. Not a thing was out of place, and it was almost uncanny how she was able to keep it so spotless.

“Simone?” He looked across to see her in the windowsill, curled up with a book in hand. Her eyes were darting across the page, and there was a smile as she flipped to the next page. Whatever it was, she was entranced. “Simone.” She giggled at something on the page. “Simone.” Another page down, and she turned to the next.

“SIMONE.” He walked up, and grabbed the book out of her hands, and looked it over. “What the hell are you even so engrossed in?” He read the first few lines, and glanced over to Simone, who was blushing. “What the hell even is this?” What he had read, though, was something that put a flush on his own face as he handed the book back to her. “W-whatever. Just…answer when I call you. Dinner with Lord Raith has been cancelled. He’s busy. Again.”

The assassin turned around and made his way for the door, and paused, looking back at Simone. “Is that all you do? Read junk like that?”

“Hey! Lewis!” Simone hopped from the sill as she had done with him many times at this point when he wanted her attention. He kept her at bay as she tried to get it before he could read it. Her face flushed more as he read it and returned the flush. “It’s a romance novel.”

It was a bit raunchy and she was getting to the good part… Lewis must have read it. “I heard all the girls like it so I got it.” Then she heard the dinner was canceled and she got a tad sad. “Oh.” She didn’t want to blackout again and be an embarrassment but no one ever seemed mad at her.

“I guess I can put my dress back.” She put a bookmark in the book and set it down so she could hang the dress back up. Neat and orderly was how she liked it. She paused when she heard his words. “I don’t just read Lewis. You catch me reading all the time because I like doing things on a schedule.”