Thomas Lee McCulloch | Белбог (bornebybliss) wrote in paxletalelogs, @ 2017-05-28 16:11:00 |
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Entry tags: | belobog, loki |
what a life I lead when the sun breaks free
Who: Thomas and Nish
What: Thomas has a surprise succulent for Nish, which hopefully will not be eaten by her cat! :(
Where: Pax Letale, 5th floor
When: May 25th, 6 p.m.
California sure was pretty in the morning, but it was even prettier right before sunset. It seemed like even the sun was happy late in the day, despite its gradual descent into the darker areas of the horizon. Never a fan of the night which followed the setting sun, Thomas still hadn’t a thing to complain about now that he lived in California, except for maybe the traffic. And, actually, so many people drove non-eco friendly cars, but wasn’t that the current norm? Nothing that a little time, love, and gentle nudging towards vehicles with less fuel emissions couldn’t fix.
Or a succulent. Maybe one with purple-tinged leaves, which would sprout new life if they happened to drop off and land into nutritious soil. Sometimes, the only way to get people to care about the planet in the wider scheme of things was to give them their own, personal piece of it. Let them see the wonders in watching a plant grow from a tiny seed to a blooming daisy. Let them gain satisfaction from caring for a nearly helpless plant, and maybe they’d start to see the world in a different way.
Of course, Thomas had no idea what kind of vehicle Nish drove, or if she relied on public transportation instead to save on fossil fuel consumption. However, that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy a succulent, and preferably keep it safe from her cat. He’d noted the apartment number listed with her forum login, and thinking it wasn’t too late to drop by, he picked through a row of succulents reaching for the sun from his living room window. Deciding on one which seemed particularly appealing, he left for the fifth floor.
He liked to think he knocked in a cheerful manner, and so he did so, knuckles rapping on door number 502.
Nish wasn’t at all cheerful. After her impromptu meeting with Rafe yesterday, she’d been indulging in a pity party for herself all afternoon. Even spending last night with Jen hadn’t banished her mood, though it was not anywhere near what she’d been experiencing before her spa visit. Instead of crippling depression, this was just another bout of run-of-the-mill post break-up sadness, the kind cured by ice cream and chocolate and strawberries and romantic comedies, all of which she was indulging in at the moment.
She was curled up on the couch, dressed in comfortable lounging clothes, face scrubbed of makeup, hair tied up in a ponytail, a box of tissues next to her and a tub of ice cream in her lap, watching The Truth About Cats and Dogs. The knock on the door was entirely unexpected and somewhat unwelcome given her mood and state of dress, but curiosity won out and she paused the movie, setting the ice cream down on the coffee table and padding barefoot to the door.
The face on the other side of the door was unfamiliar, but once she saw what he was holding something clicked. “Ohh! You’re...from the network, right? The new tenant…” she said, trying and failing to search for his name.
“That’s me!” Thomas flashed his neighbor a toothy grin. “Sure hope I’m not interruptin’ anything here, but I just couldn’t wait much longer, ‘cause I figured ya oughta get a real good head start on a horticulture hobby.” He held up the potted succulent he’d brought with him, the small, delicate leaves tinged slightly purple. “I’m Thomas, and I recall ya said your name was Nish? Well, Miss Nish, I’ve got a present for ya.” Beaming, he waited for her response. Surely she couldn’t be too busy to accept a gift meant in goodwill. Why, it would certainly help kick start a green thumb habit if nothing else, and that would be fine and dandy. Although he was ignoring a few general neighborhood rules (wasn’t it more traditional for current neighbors to bring welcoming gifts to newer neighbors instead?), he felt that this situation could be an exception to the rules.
Nish’s eyes widened in slight shock, looking from his face down to the plant in his hands and back up. “Ohh...I didn’t expect you to do that…” she said, shifting on her bare feet and glancing quickly over his shoulder at Abel’s door. “Why don’t you come in,” she said, stepping aside. She didn’t really want to be caught in the hall or with her door open if Abel should happen to open his or walk by. She’d done a very good job of avoiding him since the halls changed back, and she’d like to keep it that way.
She closed the door behind him and led him into the living room, Bear walking curiously towards them from the couch. He was already purring, and walked right up to Thomas, rubbing himself against his leg as if they were best friends. “Well I guess you’ve been approved,” she said with a halfhearted smile.
“Most people tend to not expect much outta life, and that’s where they’re wrong,” Thomas bantered pleasantly as he stepped into Nish’s apartment, succulent in tow. She hadn’t readily accepted the plant, which he’d quickly decided wasn’t necessarily a discouraging matter. In fact, she might simply be overwhelmed by the plant’s air of quiet determination, and thus needed to find the perfect place for it in her home.
Preferably away from the friendly cat now introducing himself. Thomas beamed down at the furry beast, carefully bending in order to pet the soft fur between its ears. Bear rewarded him by pressing his head up into the touch and closing his eyes. “This must be the plant eater ya mentioned,” he said with a laugh. “Well, I was hoping ya would’ve had a little talk with him, I mean about not eating plants.” Voice lowered to a whisper for the latter half of his sentence, as if to not let the cat hear him, Thomas looked at Nish hopefully.
Nish managed a smile for him, “yeah, that’s Bear,” she said, “he’s a good boy; it’s actually me that’s hopeless around plants. No matter what I do, they end up dead,” she said with a half shrug. She looked at the plant in his hand and suddenly feared for its safety. “You said it’s easy to care for...right?” she asked, “It’s so pretty, I don’t want to ruin it…” She crossed her arms and came closer, looking down at the darling little plant in his hands.
Then, as if just remembering something important, she looked up at him. “Ohh...do you want...I could get you a drink? I have...tea...I think I have some perrier in the fridge…” she wasn’t exactly sure of what she had, having spent most of the day in her little cocoon on the couch.
Already nodding before Nish finished her offer, Thomas plunged into his next line of business--reassuring his new neighbor that somewhere, deep inside, she had a green thumb just waiting to be awoken. “I sure wouldn’t mind somethin’ to wet my whistle; I’m real big on natural teas. And I bet ya aren’t hopeless, ya just haven’t found the right plant yet,” he said reassuringly. “Sometimes, all it takes is a little experimentin’ with different kinds of plants before you find the type that works with ya. These fellas here aren’t too hard to care for, and they don’t need a lot of attention.” He briefly scanned the room, looking for an opportune place for the succulent. As he did, Nish headed into the kitchen and flicked on the kettle, pulling down two mugs from the cupboard and slipping peppermint tea bags into them.
“Why, I reckon this one would look good over there, near your windowsill.” He nodded towards the mentioned area, trying to size up whether or not Bear would also find it to be a prime spot. It took only a moment--why wouldn’t a cat love a sunny windowsill? “‘Course, wouldn’t want your feline to eat it, but if he had a mind to share his space, well! We’d be in business, Miss Nish.”
A shadow of a smile creased her lips and she headed back out into the livingroom to join him, looking at the windowsill in question. “Well, there’s only one way to find out,” she said, stepping forward and taking the plant from his hands. She sat on the couch where Bear was already sitting, watching them, holding the plant in her lap and letting him approach to sniff it. He did, nearly poking his nose on one of the puffy leaves, giving it a good inspection and then sitting back down and looking at her, as if to say ‘what am I supposed to do with it?’ She smiled and then looked up at Thomas.
Delighted but slightly worried, Thomas mosied on over a bit closer to watch Bear’s reaction to the succulent. His face lit up with excitement at the cat’s utter lack of interest. “Well, I’ll be darned! If that ain’t the sweetest thing. Miss Nish, there’s nothin’ but clear skies ahead for that little plant.”
“I guess maybe plants and Bear can co-exist...at least this plant, anyway,” she said. As she did, her eyes fell on the pint of ice cream on the coffee table, now starting to melt. She set the plant down next to it and picked up the ice cream, putting the lid back on and carrying it into the kitchen where she shoved it back into the freezer. “So…” she said, searching for something to say, “how often do I water it?” she asked, picking up the kettle and pouring the boiled water over the teabags.
“Oh, ‘till the soil’s just about soaked to the bones,” Thomas called to Nish, having situated himself on the couch near Bear. He scratched under the cat’s chin, pleased to feel--and then hear--the quiet rumble of resulting happiness. “Good thing about those plants is they don’t need a lot of waterin’, only when it’s totally dry. About once a week, I reckon,” Thomas added. “Do ya need any help in there? ‘Cause I sure don’t mind helpin’ out if ya do,” he continued, although his petting of Bear could have said otherwise. He felt that he probably couldn’t be blamed for giving the cat a few minutes of allowed attention.
“No, it’s alright,” she said as she picked up the full mugs of tea, carrying them out and setting them on the coffee table in front of the couch. She managed a sad smile for Bear, watching him enjoying the attention Thomas was lavishing on him. “He really likes you,” she observed, “usually he takes a while to warm up to new people.” She paused and looked at the happy little plant on her coffee table and then turned her eyes back at him.
If it was possible for a human being to positively beam with joy, then that was exactly what Thomas did upon Nish’s assessment of his newfound friendship with Bear. He wasn’t even sure he’d call himself a cat person, but that surely hadn’t stopped him from reaching out and attempting to make a connection.
“Thank you, I didn’t think you’d actually bring a plant to my door,” she said with a somewhat embarrassed smile.
“I got plenty more where that one came from, don’t ya worry one bit!” Thomas replied with a light-hearted laugh.
“Are you settling in here okay?” she asked. He was new to the building, and with all the strangeness going on, part of her wanted to warn him away, though he’d already signed his lease. There wasn’t much he could do to get out of it now.
“I took a likin’ to California right away, and I’ve got a half an inklin’ that it likes me, too.” Thomas halted in petting Bear, reaching for the warm tea which Nish had brought for both of them. Faint steam rose from the mug, and he curled his hands around it, breathing in the clarifying scent of peppermint. “Plus, wouldn’t ya know, but one of my best friends lives here, too. Heck, his referral of this place is half the reason I even moved.” Sure, Matthew hadn’t outright told Thomas to apply for a lease at Pax, but he hadn’t been shy about recommending the place offhand. Of course, as life would have it, Matthew hadn’t actually thought Thomas would move all the way to Newport Beach, too.
Thomas dropped his cheer level from a hearty 13 to a more peaceful 9 ½, peering curiously at Nish after taking a small sip of the tea. “If ya don’t mind me askin’, ya seem a little out of sorts. I hope I’m not catchin’ ya at a bad time,” he offered as means of an apology, hazel eyes warm with sympathy. “Strollin’ in here with a little plant and all, interruptin’ your plans.”
Nish looked up from her mug and caught his eyes and saw the concern in them. She managed a smile for him and shook her head. “Ohh, no it’s alright. I’m just…” she paused and let out a little sigh. “I’m kind of...nursing a broken heart at the moment,” she blurted out, chuckling softly at herself as if to brush off what she’d said. “You know, ice cream, sad movies, curling up with a purring cat…” she looked down at Bear as she said it, though he was content with the attention he was getting from Thomas. The hurt was still somewhat fresh from her, even though it’s been weeks, because what had happened in Rafe’s apartment had ripped that healing wound open again. She felt tears prickling her eyes but bit her lip hard to force them away. She didn’t even know Thomas, she shouldn’t be spilling out her problems for him.
He smiled at her admission with a sad note of empathy, rather than merely sympathy. “I know what ya mean,” he said gently, tipping his mug slightly as if saluting her efforts to wear a less-than-absolutely-miserable face. Heartache was never easy, and although he didn’t like to dwell on his misfortune, it was difficult not to think back to his own experiences. Back then, Thomas had refused to let himself feel sad for too long, and now he determined that he’d try and help his new neighbor.
“One day at a time is how I healed myself, and I reckon ya oughta do the same. ‘Course, it can’t hurt to have company now and then. It helps to keep the gloom away, but Bear might take offense at not being included.” Thomas grinned then, with much more cheer than moments earlier. He took another drink of his tea, regarding Nish with consideration. “The plant will help, ya know. Something to keep ya busy. Me, I started doing yoga, and I can’t recommend it enough. When the ice cream runs out, maybe ya should see if yoga can’t do wonders, too. In fact, I’d be pleased as punch to help ya figure out a routine.”
A smile twitched on Nish’s face. “It’s hard to imagine you ever being upset,” she said, bringing her tea to her lips and taking a long sip from it. “I guess company is good for me; I’ve been kind of...hiding from people for a while,” she admitted, reaching down to pat Bear on his back and watching him roll onto his side to expose his belly to her. Another smile found its way onto her lips and she obliged him, running the fingers of her free hand through the soft fur on his stomach.
“I do the self-defence class in the gym downstairs once a week, but...yoga might be nice too. I actually don’t have any experience with it,” she added with a sheepish smile.
“Well, then I suspect I couldn’t have moved in at a better time!” Thomas replied with a grin that resolved itself in another drink of tea and the formation of a nigh brilliant idea. “Miss Nish, there ain’t nothin’ wrong with self-defense, believe you me, but ya gotta be concerned about the state of the heart and soul, too.” He gave Bear a quick look of approval, given how the cat was no doubt living completely in the moment, and likely doing the best job that a feline could do at looking after their own interests. Food, a warm place to sleep, and tummy scratches--these were enough to satisfy a cat. But people needed much more.
“We need to heal our souls,” Thomas began to explain to Nish, the sincerity in his voice belying the potential silliness of his statement. “All of us, I reckon, and the best way to do that is findin’ our centers. Yoga’s where we gotta begin, and it’s gonna be the start of a fruitful venture.” He finished his tea, still holding onto the mug as if it were an anchor to his growing plans.
“Now, I’ve never taught yoga myself, but I suspect it can’t be too difficult. And when there’s pain to be healed, likewise some soul searchin’ to be had, well, I just can’t turn a blind eye to a friend.” He nodded with purpose, determination lighting up his eyes. “Miss Nish, I’m fixin’ to start hostin’ yoga classes here, ‘cause I think we can all benefit.”
She listened to him, feeling Bear’s soft fur under her fingertips as she rhythmically stroked his belly, nodding a little in agreement with him. While she wasn’t exactly sure what she believed when it came to matters of her own soul, she did know she could use some relaxation, some centering in her life. “That sounds like it might be nice,” she said, looking up at him with a soft smile, though her eyes stayed tired and sad. “I could use a little...perspective, I guess,” she said, looking down at her tea and taking a sip and then setting it down on the coffee table.
“So yoga...it’s just a lot of stretching and holding various poses, right?” she asked. She had never gotten into it, probably because during the major height of its popularity she’d been heavily drugged most of the time. Not a lot of room for spirituality and healthy things when you’re almost always high, though some might argue on that.
“On the surface it seems that way, but it's about so much more,” Thomas began to explain, recognizing that his neighbor truly had never even attempted yoga before. But rather than holding this against Nish, it only further made him want to help her. “Physical health benefits aside, of which there are plenty, it'll really help ya find a reserve of inner peace. And ya can't put a price on that.” He patted Bear's furry head, as if the cat was in full agreement with him.
“Well, I reckon I oughta get started on the preparations,” Thomas added with no shy amount of determination. “Miss Nish, it's been a real pleasure visitin’ with ya, and I'm surely obliged to have shared tea together on such short notice.” He raised his empty mug to punctuate his point, standing from the couch to rinse it out in the sink before taking his leave. If any lessons from his childhood had made a lasting impression on him, being a good guest was certainly one of them. Minding his table manners was another, and he figured taking care of his own dishes factored right into having good manners in general.
Nish smiled and stood when he did, escorting him to the door. “Let me know when you start the classes, I’ll have to check it out, if you don’t mind a complete novice,” she chuckled. Bear even got up to see him off, loitering near the door hoping for one last pat before the nice man left. She closed the door behind him and then settled herself back on the couch, resuming her movie and feeling a little less depressed than she had when he’d arrived.