Noelle's December Catch-All

[holidaygirl1225]

WHO: Noelle & Mayaka, Bigby, Kris, Agnes
WHAT: Questing, decorating for the holidays
WHEN: Throughout December
WHERE: Bottlecap Bay, the Spire
WARNINGS: Any Deltarune spoilers will be marked by thread.

Comments

[pyrodulia]

Agnes comes to answer the door after a moment, giving Noelle a quiet look.

"You smell like pastries." Because she can't figure out what else to say. Her home is dark, definitely not decorated for the holidays, and she herself looks...well, a little scruffier than usual.

[holidaygirl1225]

"That's probably because of all the pastries I made, fahaha. I'm still trying to get the recipes right with no hands..."

Is there a polite way to say 'you look awful'? Their first conversation was incredibly emotional; it feels weird to be so unsure. She's always torn, now, between her awkwardly polite self and her other self.

"... want to try some?"

[pyrodulia]

There's a pause that lasts longer than it probably should before Agnes nods.

"Sure. I haven't had very many pastries. Bigby introduced me to pumpkin pie, at least."

It probably shouldn't be a surprise to her that Noelle Holiday has a thing about Christmas. No, that's not surprising at all. It's that she's here to share it with Agnes that's the disconnect.

[holidaygirl1225]

Noelle reaches into a satchel and retrieves a peppermint cookie and a gingerbread cookie-- unfrosted. Lacking hands, she has to do it with her mouth. She only leaves minor teeth marks in them.

"I've been testing things out, so they might be like, totally weird or whatever. It's fine if you spit them out. Actually, maybe I should get you some water or tea or something, just in case...?"

She looks at Agnes, trying to judge if she's had anything to drink in a while.

[pyrodulia]

Agnes is a Ninetales, surely that means she doesn't need to drink water. Right? Right. Clearly. Bullshit.

Also lacking hands, Agnes takes the cookies with her mouth, setting both down on the floor and tearing into the gingerbread cookie like she might have skipped breakfast. "It's good. Lots of flavor."

[holidaygirl1225]

"You think so? I'm glad!" It seemed like she really liked it, though that may have just been out of hunger.

Noelle steps away for a minute. When she returns, she's just brought some water in a bowl-- easier for Pokemon like them without hands, even though it makes her feel like a pet dog every time.

"Here, maybe cleanse your palette. I'd like you to try another one or two after."

[pyrodulia]

Agnes has less issue with drinking like a pet dog, though there's a wry look at Noelle, like she realizes this isn't just about a palette cleanser. But she doesn't call it out immediately, instead lapping up a good amount of water.

"Are you looking in on everyone, like this?"

[holidaygirl1225]

"... um. No."

Caught. Noelle guiltily places a sugar cookie shaped like a star in front of Agnes. "I haven't seen you around, and... I know the holidays aren't always a great time for everyone, y'know? And you were there for me when I was just getting up from my coma, so... yeah."

[pyrodulia]

"Well, it's not like I have any tragic backstory related to the winter holidays. I just...they're not something I've ever had anything to do with, before. The people whom raised me were religious, but not that religion."

Cultish, but she isn't going out of her way to underline the details of what that made her childhood like, today.

"I'm staying out of everyone's way, that's all."

[holidaygirl1225]

No tragic backstory related to the winter holidays-- just many other serious things. So it goes.

It's hard to imagine having no relationship to the holidays, though. They've been a big part of her entire life. Even though these past few years haven't been the same since... it happened. And this year will be incredibly different now that she's away from home.

"I'll stay out of everyone's way with you for now, then." She proceeds to make herself comfortable. "... sometimes, the expectation that you should be all jolly and cheery just makes you feel worse for not feeling that way, I guess."

[pyrodulia]

Agnes lets out a soft huff and scoots her way closer to Noelle, because she's actually gotten quite good with being close to others rather quickly. It's like she's been touch-starved or something!

"You guess? I think you're speaking from experience."

[holidaygirl1225]

It's warm and fluffy, Noelle thinks. This... feels nostalgic, even though it wasn't long ago Agnes was warming her up in the Clinic. She leans in, inadvertently releasing more of a sweet and soothing smell from the flower on her head.

"... The holidays weren't the same after my sister... well. Disappeared." Even though usually she would just pick a fight with their mom at the holiday party... even then. Weirdly, she looks back even on unpleasant memories like that with some fondness. "I don't know. Isn't it weird how the world just... keeps going? After something terrible happens?"