you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies

[monoceroscaeli]

[It had been a few days since the hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai had come to an end, having to say goodbye to the kids and to Yoimiya too. The ship that was to take him back to Snezhnaya would be arriving a bit later in the day, and Childe sighs as he sits back in his chair in the tent he's occupying in one such hidden Fatui camp. He had a great time in Inazuma. The country was beautiful, rich with a new culture to learn and all sorts of places to explore and fight new and more exciting enemies. All his things were in order- the gifts that he'd bought to bring back to his family, Teucer's Onikabuto in a little bug box with some food to keep it alive during the trip back- all he'd have to do is wait for the ship and he'd be on his way.

He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.

The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.

There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]

Come in.

[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]

Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.

[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]

Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.

[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]

She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.

[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]

Comments

[monoceroscaeli]

[He can tell she's a little nervous about meeting his dad, but he's not too worried. The girl is the sweetest person he's ever met, and his family has always been warm and welcoming, so he's got no doubt that she'll be perfectly fine when the time comes.

He smiles and looks at her with intrigue, wondering what she might of gotten for his mom. He hums thoughtfully, deciding that maybe it's best that he gets a look at it first just to make sure it's something that's alright (it probably is.)]

Sure. Go ahead and let me take a look. I know whatever you bought will be something wonderful indeed.

[He sits tight right on the bed to let Yoimiya get up and go over to take the gifts out of her travel chest, his own imagination filled with wonder at what she could of gotten. He idly wonders too, what other gifts might reside in that chest. Presents for the kids are no-brainers for Yoimiya, he bets- if it weren't for her, he wouldn't of had any idea what to bring for his own siblings.]

[niwabi]

[ Like a kid excited to show off their work, Yoimiya's bright eyes sparkle in childlike glee, she's been looking forward to showering his family with gifts from her homeland. She gets up to practically skip her way over to the chest. With both hands pulling on the handle, she lets out over the top oofs as she shimmies her butt back to the bed. Now with the chest in full display, she opens the lid and presents its contents with silly jazz hands. Kimonos of all colors and sizes are neatly folded alongside a myriad of gifts, such as a fan, a display katana, several toys... a trove of Inazuman treasures fills the box to the brim. ]

Ta-da~! For your parents and older siblings, I got them silk kimono robes that are super cozy to sleep in. [ A peach-colored one for his mom and sister and a blue for his dad and brother! ] Bottles of sake in all sorts of flavors, sakura and sea ganoderma scented bath salts, decorative fans, and katanas for display.

[ And of course, she doesn't forget about the kids! Picking out presents for children is her specialty. ]

I also got kimono robes for the youngsters. [ Blue for the boys and pink for Tonia! ] Inazuman spinning tops and kendama for Anton and Teucer to play with each other. Oh, oh, oh! I just had to get these hair pins and comb for Tonia. [ She's very excited to show them both off! ] And last but certainly not least, I also made each one of them personal fireworks and a candy box just like the one in my hair.

[ She happily points to the round hair ornament dangling at the side of her head. Teucer gets a Mr. Cyclops-shaped box, Anton a Shiba inu box, and finally, a sakura-patterned box for Tonia! Naturally, each boxes are stuffed full of Inazuman candy. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[She sure seems happy with the fact that she has all these gifts from Inazuma, he can see her eyes shining at the idea of being able to give them to everyone. He watches on in amusement as she pulls the chest over towards him, wondering if she's sticking her butt up at him on purpose or not for this little exercise, but his eyes widen in wonder once she opens it.

All sorts of different toys and trinkets, silk that he recognizes from the store he'd bought his own bolts of silk from the last he was there, and katanas! Those were really cool, he has no doubt that his family will be enamored with all of these gifts. He looks back to her after she's done explaining everything, nodding his head in satisfaction.]

You went above and beyond for them. I don't even think I managed to bring so much back for them on any trip I've ever taken.

[Not mentioning the toys in the backyard so big they won't fit into the house, but that's a different, dumb story for later...]

This is wonderful. They're going to love all of this so much, Yoimiya. It's going to make their whole day seeing all of this. Do you want to head down now to give it to them all? Or perhaps we should wait until after dinner to give them all their gifts. If you give them to them now, they probably won't eat their dinner and Father might yell at them.

[Even so, his own eyes are sparkling with joy. He wants Yoimiya to give the gifts to his family just as much as she probably is.]

[niwabi]

[ Somehow, she doubts that he's never brought this much back for his family especially when she sees the gigantic toys in the backyard LOL but for someone as considerate as Ajax is to shower her with such a lovely compliment, it's incredibly flattering. While picking out each one of their presents, all she could think about was seeing their smiling faces as she presents them with a small taste of what her home country is like.

But the most lovely gift of them all is the joy sparkling behind Ajax's eyes. It's a breathtaking, mesmerizing view that has her utterly enchanted. A soft smile encapsulates her features as she lovingly stares at him... until he bestows one of the hardest choices she's ever had to make.

When to give out the presents!!! ]

Oh... what a tough decision! As much as I'd love to just go ahead and give everyone their gifts right now, it's probably best to wait until after dinner. The last thing I want is for them to get scolded by their dad, hehe. And that way! We can have fun after eating.

[ She knows children well enough that they will more than likely spoil their dinner by eating dessert first. Kids gonna be kids. ]

Is that okay with you?

[monoceroscaeli]

[He taps his chin a few times, agreeing with Yoimiya on this one. He doesn't want to see anyone scolded by his father either, and knowing his rambunctious siblings, they definitely will want to play with their new toys rather than sit still and eat something. That and he'd hate to Yoimiya to feel bad about it if that happened.

So Ajax nods his head.]

After dinner it is. We may have to sneak the chest downstairs too. If the kids know it's there, there's no way that they're not going to beg and plead to see what's inside. We can tell them to wait, but dinner will be abuzz with their excitement at the table.

[He laughs in slight embarrassment...they're kids, but still, acting at the dinner table like that isn't very polite.]

That's...the last thing we want. So why don't we sneak it down the back way?

[He winks at her, like he's got a secret he's excited to show her.]

[niwabi]

[ Happy day! Although she has to wait a little longer to see their precious reactions, waiting until after dinner will be all the more worth it since they'll get to play with their new toys until bedtime. They won't get scolded by their papa and they still get to have fun, it's the best possible scenario for everyone involved.

She catches that adorable wink and lights up at him. Leave it to Tartaglia to make sneaking a chest downstairs fun and exciting. ]

Let's do it! It will be our first joint mission in Snezhnaya, hehe. So... the first order of business. We gotta make sure we sneak this chest down without the kids noticing and then we can give them a big surprise after dinner.

[ Not Yoimiya treating this like some top secret mission... ]

I trust you're able to tackle this task, Mr. Harbinger. Since you know this place well [ it's only his HOME after all nbd ] I will follow your lead every step of the way.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He can't help but laugh softly at the way Yoimiya is treating this. It's like it were a top secret mission for a Fatui soldier, except the mission is to make his kid brothers and sister happy. But, if she's going to play along, so will he.]

Good! I expect the utmost discipline and obedience to my orders, [he says as he sets his arms akimbo.] Any dereliction of duty will result in a severe punishment.

[Another wink to go along with that- as if the punishment would be anything less than Tartaglia spoiling Yoimiya rotten in any number of ways.]

Now, follow me. I have something to show you.

[He stands to pick the chest up, hefting it in front of him as he walks to one side of the room. It's just a wall, nothing all that suspicious about it, until Tartaglia sets the chest down and presses against the wood of the wall in a particular spot. The action reveals it was a section of the wall that served as the 'button' to activate what happens next- the wall itself swings open just slightly to reveal there's actually a hidden passage from Tartaglia's room to who knows where.]

We'll use this to get downstairs. Surprised, huh?

[niwabi]

[ Bless him for playing along, Tartaglia always has her back. Yoimiya giggles as the takes to the role of commander perfectly. She excitedly nods her head and gives him her best salute. Sir, yes, sir! There's no way she'd ever possibly think about deserting her beloved's orders but...

The wink he sends her way does make her want to do a little disobeying, hehe. Just a little. Any thoughts she might have had of being naughty instantly vanish when Ajax's action causes the wall to suddenly pop open, revealing a secret passageway that leads to a most mysterious place. She gasps at the unexpected turn of events, quickly making her way over to inspect the wall in amazement. Like an excited child herself, Yoimiya's honey-colored eyes glimmer and sparkle at how awesome this setup is. This is so gosh darned cool...!!! ]

Ooooh...!!!!

[ Oops, in the midst of her excitement, she might have gotten a little loud there. In a flash, Yoimiya is quick to bring her hands to her mouth to quickly hush up. Maybe a punishment is in order and she'll be down bad for it awashg;awhjiago. ]

Hehe, sorry. Couldn't help myself. [ What's an indoor voice??? ] Yeah, you really caught me by surprise. Never would have guessed there's a secret passage in your room. So cool..!

[monoceroscaeli]

[Her reaction gets him to grin- it is pretty cool, though he hadn't had it installed for that purpose. But seeing her oooooh at it was definitely worth it for the reveal, looking inside of it for a moment before looking back to her to appreciate that look of wonder. Though, he can't help but actually laugh at how loud she was. It's very alright, and the look on his face suggests it- he's pretty sure no one heard her.]

I'm glad you think so, haha. I originally had it installed for the purpose of being able to sneak out of the house when official matters came up without alerting my siblings...but I've had plenty of other uses for it.

[Picking up the chest, he steps inside. Unlike the rest of the house, there is no stairway here- it's been put in as a slope instead, surrounded by the wood of the cabin. At the bottom there seems to be a fork in the road, one that goes into the house itself, presumably the living room, and the other leading to the outside. It's dimly lit, as to not reveal any light from underneath the slight crack on the floor. A perfect secret hallway.]

Come, they'll never guess where we came from. We can tell them all it was our little magic trick. Don't forget to close the door behind us, Yoimiya.

[(^.~)☆!]

[niwabi]

[ Oof, he's got a good point! Before she gets swept up in her excitement, Yoimiya makes sure to quickly shut the door behind them. Now with that out of the way, she's practically bouncing on her heels while following him into the depths of this secret passageway, oohing and ahhing at the splitting paths at the bottom. She's so amazed... it's the perfect way to sneak out without his siblings noticing. Tartaglia never fails to amaze her with how far ahead he plans. ]

Woooow... this whole setup is so neat! The kids are going to be so amazed when we surprise them with this chest. I can already picture their adorable eyes shining like bright stars!

[ Someone is getting thrilled on behalf of the kids... calling this their little magic trick will add to the excitement and fuel their precious imaginations. ]

Do your parents know about this hidden passage?

[ Yoimiya is already thinking about the ways they can amaze the children with this secret. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[If he didn't know any better, Yoimiya's got the amazement of his own siblings...and somehow he's not surprised by this. That's a child-like wonder very few people have nowadays, and it's endearing if anyone's asking him. He giggles quietly at her reaction as they walk further down to turn right, leading them to the door that leads back into the house.]

They do. They don't use it, there's no reason to, but they know that their son sneaks out of it from time to time. They see it as an emergency exit as well- just in case something happens.

[A fire, an intruder, doesn't matter. It's another exit out to keep his family safe and he's not regretting putting it in even more now. It's not long before they reach the door, and he presses his ear to it to listen in. He can hear the kids finishing up their little board game that they were playing earlier, and the stomping of feet towards the stairs.]

Do you hear that? They must be looking for us...

[No doubt those little kids wouldn't want to be away from their big brother and his girlfriend for too long. He presses a button on the side of the wall, quiet noises grinding from the inside as it unlatches the door and it opens, disappearing into a cavity into the wall itself as if it were never there at all. What sits in front of them is the living room from the opposite side of the front door, the giant window on their left and the couches and tables in front of them to their right.]

C'mon, now's our chance.

[niwabi]

[ Just in case something happens... she understands the sentiment, Snezhnaya's weather seems just as unpredictable as the roaring thunders of Inazuma. But what worries her more than anything is the possibility of his family being in danger because of his allegiance to the Fatui. For now, she'll try not to worry too much, there's not many who can go toe-to-toe with the Harbinger, he's got plenty of means to protect them. And it wouldn't surprise her if his family had their strengths too. Just from a glance, all of them have the presence of strong-willed individuals, even the kids.

... Especially the kids.

Speaking of those kids, she can hear the tromps of their feet marching up the stairs, no doubt looking for the two of them. She's trying not to laugh too hard but she can't stop the giggles from slipping out as she imagines their confused faces when they realize their brother and girlfriend have up and vanished. ]

Yes! I can hear the sounds of their precious feet pitter-pattering across the floor.

[ Now that they've secured their escape, Yoimiya awes at the door unlatching itself, and opens for them. Once they're out, she's amazed that they're back in the living room, and the door that they used to sneak out vanishes, completely well hidden. Goodness, who would have thought that such an intricate mechanism lurks inside the house of Ajax's family, it's so cool. Whenever they're alone, she makes a note to ask him who designed his house. ]

Looks like the first part of our stealth mission was a success. It's all thanks to you, Lord Tartaglia. [ A cheeky wink is thrown his way. ] Should we hide the spoils in a nearby closet?

[monoceroscaeli]

[Still playing along, Tartaglia sends back a smug smirk to her, as if there was any chance of failure with a mission as simple as this. But her suggestion gets the gears in his head turning. Hiding in a closet isn't a bad idea, but he knows his siblings. Tonia might be well behaved, but the other two...there's no doubt they might be suspicious of what Yoimiya had in that chest.

It's absolutely his own fault. He's gotten them used to being spoiled.]

Good thinking, but you've given me an even better idea. Why don't we hide it in plain sight? Those boys might think to check a closet or two just in case they suspect we're brewing something.

[The other part he's not saying is that he didn't have a plan on where to put the chest to begin with. He starts walking over towards the fireplace, but off to the side where a stack of wood sits, ready to be thrown in at a moment's notice to keep the house nice and cozy.]

Over here, by the fireplace. If we set it next to this stack of wood, I guarantee they'll-

[The loud footfalls of two kids running back towards the stairs from upstairs rings out in the house, and Childe's head snaps in that direction. Oh, they found out they weren't up there and immediately decided to seek them out...]

Yoimiya! Distract them, would you?

[He's gotta hurry and get this thing set down and close the secret door!]

[niwabi]

[ His suggestion is even better than hers, especially since he knows his rascal brothers well. Those two must be quite the handful on holidays, she can picture them sneaking around the house looking for the slightest clue about their presents.

Suddenly, the loud noises of their feet dashing down the stairs can be heard throughout the house. Those three are proving themselves to be Tartaglia's siblings, all right. Goodness, they are moving just as fast as he is. But never fear, Agent Yoimiya is on the case! She nods her head, shoots her boyfriend a quick wink, and makes her way on out. Sliding across the hardwood floor, she makes it just in time to greet them at the bottom of the stairs. ]

Heeeeey~! I was looking for y'all. How did the match go?

[ Crossing fingers they don't ask where their brother mysteriously vanished off to. She hopes that getting them to talk about their epic Dreadnaught game will keep them happily distracted while Ajax does his magic. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Even as he issues the order, Tartaglia wastes no time moving to the side of the fireplace to set the wooden chest down, nearly blending completely in with the spare wood for it. They shouldn't be able to find it there so easily, but now he's got to get that door closed before the kids discover it. He doesn't want to have to come up with a story on the fly for that...not yet.

The children are greeted by the cheerful Yoimiya, and Teucer first and foremost comes up to her there at the bottom of the stairs, just out of sight of their big brother and the secret entrance...]

Yoimiya!!! We waited so long for you and brother! We wanted to tell you that I won!!!!!

[The little boy seems so happy, his face bright and victorious. Anthon doesn't look all that pleased, but Tonia just gives a small smile up to their brother's girlfriend.]

Teucer's been getting better at these kinds of things. Brother Ajax teaches him well.

[Meanwhile, the door slides shut and Tartaglia makes his way back to the three siblings, arms akimbo, like nothing had happened at all.]

Heeeey, was that you three I heard thundering across the floor upstairs? I thought a snowstorm was hitting the house.

[They all look up to him proudly, as if they were some kind of powerful force that makes even their older brother be on guard. The boys temporarily forget Teucer's win, staring upward with pride.]

I lead the charge!

That's right, Anthon made sure we all made sure to find you two! We were worried!

[niwabi]

[ Out of the three kids, Yoimiya wasn't sure who was going to come out as the Dreadnaught champion, not only do each one of them have their own strengths, she can tell all three of them have been taught well by their beloved older brother. But somehow, Teucer winning the game doesn't surprise her, that sweet, precious child seems to idolize and acts like Tartaglia the most. That kid has got some wit to him, she had a feeling he was going to fight tooth and nail for that victory.

More importantly, she can tell they all had fun playing. Her heart is filled to burst with warmth seeing their bright faces, kids truly are precious treasures. She beams at them, reaching out to give each one of them a well-deserved pat on the head.

There's the sound of a door sliding shut, causing Yoimiya to glance over and see none other than the man of the hour himself! As expected, he took care of hiding that chest in no time at all. She's trying so hard not to laugh at his akimbo arms that don't look suspicious whatsoever. ]

It's true! Anthon was the first one I saw rushing down the stairs, he looked like a commander in charge. [ Hopefully that will cheer him up a bit from his loss. ] That's so kind of y'all to worry about us! Your brother was helping me get settled in.

[ They are all so sweet, Yoimiya is struggling so hard to not even give the slightest hint about their gifts. She has to stay strong! Seeing their surprised faces will be worth it. ]

Would it be all right if we checked up on your mother? We can talk some more over the dinner table! Ajax has also been dying to know what happened in the game.

[ Giggling, Yoimiya slyly looks over in the direction of Ajax, shooting him a quick wink. ]

I think Teucer has a lot to tell you.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Seeing the bright shining smiles of his siblings never fails to give him joy, happy that they had fun with the game and it'll be a fun pastime for them going forward. Ajax catches that wink from Yoimiya, sounds like Teucer won the game and is probably very proud of himself. Enough where he's sure he won't stop talking about it and will probably get overbearing at some point...but he knows his brother, he'll want Mother and Father to know all about his win.

He gives Anthon his own pat on the head for being such a good leader, stealing a glance at Tonia that says I hope they behaved, before facing Teucer.]

Does he now? Sounds like good news.

[Teucer's eyes brighten like two suns, clenching his fists in front of him, excited. He's about to open his mouth when Childe holds a finger up, smiling down at his brother.]

Ah, ah, let's wait like Yoimiya suggested to talk about it at the dinner table. You know that Mother and Father will want to hear too.

[The younger sibling's mouth snaps shut, nodding but doing as he's told. He can wait...good boys know how to wait. Brother taught him patience is important.]

Good. You three run along and get washed up, and we'll meet you at the dinner table. Yoimiya and I are going to help Mother.

Okay!!!!

[They all say in unison, before running off to head to the washroom. Tartaglia lets out a sigh of relief, thankful that their plan worked out.]

Whew, that was a close one. Thanks for the save there. We really only pulled that off by the skin of our teeth.

[niwabi]

[ Off those darling kids go, bouncing on their little heels to the washroom as per their brother's instructions. The giggles just keep slipping out as she watches them take off. Just from what Ajax told her, Yoimiya knew these little rays of sunshine were going to brighten up her trip and now, she feels especially blessed to have met them. They are such good kids, his family has raised them well.

She turns to Ajax with a big, bright grin. At this rate, her cheeks and stomach are going to hurt from all the smiling and laughing she's done over the course of these few hours. ]

No problem! It was a team effort on our part, I was impressed with how quickly you took care of that chest. One second I was chatting with them and the next, there you were! I didn't even hear you make a peep.

[ Tartaglia is so quick on his feet, it's amazing how fast he moves. If she were the one attempting to hide the chest, Yoimiya could see herself stumbling all over the place complete with crashing noises. She'd get caught right on the spot. ]

Where did you end up hiding it?

let's skip ahead to being sat at the dinner table imo

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's proud of the praise Yoimiya gives him, glad that he could pull it off (with her help of course!) All in a day's work for the middle child of the family trying to take care of three rambunctious siblings.]

It's right behind the wood pile next to the fireplace as planned. You can barely see it due to the shadows the fireplace casts on the side there, even if the wood is completely different than the wood we use to burn. It ended up being a pretty good hiding spot.

[He inclines his head towards the kitchen where his mom is definitely still working on things for dinner.]

C'mon. I doubt she'll let us do much cooking, but we can help set the table and bring the food out for her so she doesn't have to. Knowing Mother, there's a good chance everything's almost done anyway.

[niwabi]

[ Perfect! Those little precious bundles of energy will be none the wiser to their hiding spot. Thanks to Tartaglia taking the lead, their stealth mission is a complete and total success. Their reward will be the adorable looks on those kids' faces when they receive their presents and of course, some good ol' Snezhnayan cooking made by mama Ajax herself. Speaking of food, Yoimiya's tummy starts to growl. ]

Sorry about that! With all the excitement, I didn't realize how hungry I actually was, hahaha. [ She can't help but giggle at her own silly self. ] Let's go! I can't wait to see what your mother has in store for us.

[ Reaching for his hand, Yoimiya walks into the kitchen with Ajax at her side. The son knows his mother like the back of his hand, just as he predicted, most of everything is done. Still, Yoimiya wants to help in any way possible, any plates or food that needs to be brought out, she's happy to assist. And once the whole setup is ready, she excitedly takes a spot at the table, admiring all the dishes lining the table. ]

Oh wow... everything looks delicious!

[ This will be her first Snezhnayan smorgasbord experience and she is more than ready to sink her teeth into all of these delicacies. Oh, where to begin... ]

I've never had Snezhnayan food before, I'm so excited. [ She gazes up at the lady of the household, an expression of appreciation settles on her warm smile. ] Thank you so much! You really went above and beyond with your cooking.

[monoceroscaeli]

Haha, alright.

[Tartaglia takes Yoimiya's hand as she reaches for it, heading off into the kitchen to help out and get everything set for the dinner table. Naturally, his mom has it all ready for them to take out to the table, so the two of them work together and get it all ready for the feast. It doesn't take too long, and before anyone knows it, it's finally time.

The spread of food on the table is vast, from chicken kiev to olivier salad all the way down to pies that sit cooling in the kitchen for dessert. Tartaglia grabs a chair and pulls it out for Yoimiya, giggling quietly at his girlfriend's enthusiasm.]

Wait until you try it all.

[He grins before pushing her seat in for her once she's in it, taking the chair next to her to sit. He immediately reaches for the bowl of rassolnik, serving himself some of the soup before the munchkins come tearing in to find their seat at the table, the three of them hopping into each of their seats on the opposite side of the table to stare at all the food mom made. His mother smiles back proudly to Yoimiya at her compliment, happy to see that Yoimiya thinks well of all the food in front of her.]

Thank you Yoimiya, I hope you'll enjoy it. Did Ajax not make any for you while he was in Inazuma?

[His mother shoots him a playful look, they probably didn't have the ingredients there to really make a slice of home, but that doesn't mean she won't tease her son about it. The Harbinger shoots a look back at her, huffing in his seat.]

Please, you know I can't make traditional Snezhnayan food without the proper ingredients. Sure, you can replace some, but it's just not the same...

[niwabi]

[ Poor Ajax. His mother is relentless. If she is already poking fun at him in front of his girlfriend this much, Yoimiya can't imagine how much he's been on the receiving end of her teasing throughout his life. She'll apologize to her man later but... sorry, she can't help but burst into a chorus of lighthearted chirpy giggles at his mama's jest. It's pretty funny to see the fierce, confident Harbinger get taken down a peg or two by his own mom. ]

That's right, you beat him to the punch! When the Sakoku Decree was issued, Inazuma wasn't in a state to trade with other countries. Ajax was visiting when the borders just opened back up and at the time, finding anything from Snezhnaya or the other nations was still a challenge. [ a beat ] So, it's all thanks to you that I get to try Snezhnayan food for the very first time, hehe.

[ Sorry, boyfriend. She couldn't help but join in with your mom. As an apology, Yoimiya slyly hoists her foot, rubbing his leg from underneath the table. Once they are alone, he will also receive an extra special compensation from her............

But for now! It's chow time and oh boy, Yoimiya is practically drooling over the mouth-watering spread. Eager to sink her fangs into all of these tasty goodies, Yoimiya gets a little bit of everything from a bowl of borscht to chebureki, to the chicken kiev, and last but certainly not least, the olivier salad. Fork and spoon in hand, she wastes no time trying everything. ]

Ooh...! It's so delicious, the chicken kiev is melting in my mouth. This is my first time trying borscht and my tummy feels so warm and happy.

[ Yoimiya is definitely going to leave the table full and happy by the time she's done eating. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Man, getting ganged up on like this...but Yoimiya's foot rubbing him is at least enough of an apology that he doesn't huff at the table. Not like he hasn't been made fun of plenty of times by his older siblings though. Thankfully they're not here tonight, or else it might be a bloodbath with him as the victim for a change. Instead, he gives both of the lovely ladies a look while he dishes himself up with more food until his plate is covered with all sorts of delights that his mother has made.

He's glad to see that Yoimiya is loving a slice of his home, and so does his mother. The kids are all happily digging in right alongside Yoimiya, chattering with each other while also telling Yoimiya about how much she should stay in Snezhnaya if she likes it so much, that mom makes the best food ever! and the like. His mother smiles back to her, thanking her for the compliment, but Ajax can hear the heavy footsteps of a latecomer behind him as his eyes move to look, but his head doesn't move an inch.

He'd wondered if Father would join them tonight, and it looks like he is. The tall figure of a man worn by time and seven children lumbers to the dining room table to take the empty seat next to his mom, sitting down heavily with a cough that he tries to suppress the best he can before scooting himself into the table. The kids instantly lower their volume, and Ajax simply nods his head in greeting.]

Apologies for coming down late. I hadn't realized what time it was. Anthon, you should have come and gotten me for dinner.

[Anthon apologies immediately with a sorry, Father, but dinner continues on as if nothing were amiss. His mom helps to get some food on his plate, as he gets some bread for himself to butter.]

So, you're Yoimiya? It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My son hasn't quieted down ever since he came back from Snezhnaya about the girl he met in Inazuma, so naturally I had to see who managed to tame my wild child.

[To that, Tartaglia says nothing- his wildness is still a bit of a sore spot for him, but that was a whole other trauma for another day- instead choosing to chuckle quietly, even if it's a bit awkward.]

Yoimiya, this is my father. Don't take him all that seriously, he likes to poke fun at my adventures when I was younger, is all.

[niwabi]

[ That look... Yoimiya sees it but being the brat she is, chooses to feign innocence with a sweet smile. This is the expression of a girl who has done nothing wrong in her life. HAHAHAHA-

Pretending to be a sweet innocent angel aside, the rest of the dinner goes without a hitch! Ajax's home has been nothing short of cozy, warm, and welcoming, with each family member having hearts as big as the home itself. Yoimiya is having the time of her life chatting with his mom and the kids while they feast on this delicious dinner. The children have been the sweetest bundle of joys ever, they ask her to stay in Snezhnaya with the most precious faces ever it makes her feel bad she can't live here quite yet. By the end of this trip, they'll tempt her so badly it will take all of her willpower to go back to Inazuma. But if it's ever in the cards, she would love a future where she can live with this amazing family.

As she is slurping down a spoonful of Mama Ajax's delicious borscht, the sounds of bulky tromps heading into the kitchen cause her ears to perk up in curiosity. Yoimiya looks over to where the noise in question, finally locking eyes with none other than the father of the household himself. From what Ajax has said about his condition, she was worried his dad might not feel well enough to join them but upon seeing him, she's filled with relief and happiness, greeting him with a soft, warm smile. ]

Hello! It's so nice to meet you. Thank you for allowing me to stay in your lovely home. Everyone has been so wonderful and welcoming.

[ Oh dear, the poor guy is trying his best to suppress his cough but it can still be heard. For the time being, she'll try not to bring attention to it. She knows her dad back home wouldn't allow his ailment to be brought up during a joyful dinner like this. Ajax's quiet, awkward chuckle catches her attention, making a note to ask him about that later. She can't pinpoint the part that made him feel awkward but if there's something Yoimiya is good at, it's making a conversation light-hearted and fun. ]

Isn't there a saying that goes... the apple doesn't far fall from the tree? I think can see where Ajax gets his adventurous side from. He told me you used to be an Adventurer back in the day and I think that's incredible!

[monoceroscaeli]

[Hoping that things go well between Yoimiya and his old man, Tartaglia now opts now to be quiet to let them have a conversation. Speak when spoken to, that's the best policy going forward. He's already decided to speak up in defense of himself, but he knows better than to push it when Father is in the room. It's amusing to him how Yoimiya also seems to defend him in a way- but he keeps that smile to himself.]

So he did tell you about what his old man used to do? Hahahaha...yes, I was. I used to worry his mother sick with some of the adventures I used to go on...want to hear a story about one?

[In which his dad begins to yap all about some grand adventure he took in Natlan once when he was younger, regaling Yoimiya and the rest of the table about a expedition into a dangerous cave, wrought with all sorts of monsters that they had to fight off, only to emerge with some rare treasure at the end too.

It's no wonder where Ajax also gets his ability to ramble about his own adventures...definitely got it from his dad.

At the end of the long story, the kids are absolutely enamored with their dad's story, and Ajax simply smiles as he feels a bit of nostalgia hit him from long days past when his dad used to tell him stories like this all the time. It's special to him that Yoimiya also gets to partake in it, something he'll probably talk about with her later when they're finally alone.]

...And we received quite the reward for our efforts! [His dad finally finishes, looking proud of himself.]

Yes, I think I remember this story, Father. You used to tell me this one when we went ice fishing. This must be the...twelfth or thirteenth time I've heard it, haha.

Come now, it's a good one. Yoimiya has never heard it before. What'd you think, young lady?

[As if he were searching for praise....just like Ajax does, sometimes.]