[PP-F28] The Slow Simmer

[Jomei 0]

Jomei the emerald duelist

Spoiler notes Level: 35 | Paragon: 92 | Tier: 4(13)  Jomei | HP: 1060/1060 | EN: 144/144 | DMG: 21 | MIT:44 | ACC:4 | AA  | F-SPIRIT | EVA:3 | BH:58 | HB: 23 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 8 | LD:5 Equipment: Vicious Mockery : ACC II | Taunt | Blight  Fencer's Regalia - Trepidation: Vamp D II | HB | MIT  Token of Serenity: HB| EVA III   equipped Vicious Mockery Fencer's Regalia - Trepidation Token of Serenity battle-ready inventory Listed Below skills Spoiler Skills Rapier R5 | TECH Spec. Combat Mastery DMG R3 Cloth Armor R5 Charge B Healing R5 Energis Howl Fighting Spirit Quick Change Extended Weight Limit Searching R4 Extra: Concentration Survival   Parry Forgotten King's Authority Assault Mode  Lady Luck Meditation Mods Athletics Emergency Recovery Vengeful Riposte Justified Riposte Night Vision Addons Stamina  Focus Precision Nimble Focused Howl buffs Spoiler Buffs Dimensional Backpack +1 BRI slot Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat     Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)     Tasty: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps.  Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Item Stash: +1 BRI slot Advanced Training: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

 

Rosemary, garlic, salt, and seasonings. 

Plucking the various items off of the shelves, he would drop them into a bag at his side. Jomei would mumble the grocery list to himself, a recipe etched onto his heart that he would always remember. Of course, he had added his own twists over the years, even more when he discovered some of the otherworldly ingredients available in Aincrad. Jomei was in no way an expert chef, but if there was one dish he prided himself on, it was his mother’s pot roast. 

Potatoes, onions, carrots.

Many fond memories of Sunday evenings at his family’s home in Celbridge were around the table where this meal was served. Maybe because it was a staple in their household, one constant thing that they could hold onto in a sea of uncertainties. Either way, it held a special place in Jomei’s heart. And now he wanted to share it with the woman he loved. 

For the meat, he found a market in the markets on Floor Nine that sold a spiced chuck of beef. While incredibly peppery on its own, it makes for the perfect addition of flavor when slow cooked. 

The ingredients gathered, the plan for the night set, the only thing missing now was his date. 

To: Lessa Subject: Dinner?

Hey you, Thought we could do dinner, if you're free. Grabbed some stuff from the shops. Got a dish in mind I'd love for you to try. Just need a kitchen to work in.  So, my place or yours?  See you soon, Jomei

 

Edited October 21 by Jomei

[Lessa 1]

[Stats to come.]

"Home sweet home," Lessa declared, her hands on her hips, her head tipped back to take in the towering building. The lighthouse's white and gray stones gleamed as it speared into a cloudless, robin's-egg blue sky. Beyond it, the midday sun held court over calm seas, which lapped lazily at the rocky cliff face. Even the wind played its part, the autumn-spiced breeze barely enough to rustle the leaves on the trees. A sweet, serene calm had settled over the Farm. The exception, of course, was Lessa's beating heart. It galloped beneath her hoodie with enough force that she unconsciously reached to rub at her chest. 

Sensing her unease, Riker bumped his shaggy body against her leg with enough force to stagger her sideways. "Okay, yeah, I'm nervous," she managed on a laugh, righting herself before reaching down to scratch behind the wolf's ears. "So sue me. This is a big move." Still scratching, she gazed up again. "A big, big move." He huffed out a breath, which she instantly recognized as exasperation on her familiar's part. By now, she knew all of his moods. 98% of them were different variations of annoyance. They'd spent a long time together, and she'd come to accept that Riker was forever trapped in his teenage phase. She loved him anyway.

"I am excited though," she assured him, demonstrating by taking the final steps to the front door. Beneath the shade of the tiny covered porch, the doorknob felt cool against her warm palm. She gave it only a fleeting thought as she turned it, pushed, and emerged inside her new home.

And was immediately met with a text notification.

Riker's annoyance was initially reflected in Lessa's eyes at the interruption, but it vanished as soon as she read the name. Warmth and pleasure took its place as she read his words, then shot back a response.

To: Jomei Subject: Re: Dinner?

Hey you back, That sounds amazing. Would you be up for breaking in my new kitchen at the Farm? It's move-in day, and  this sounds like the perfect way to celebrate. Let me know! Lessa

"Well, Rikey Bones," she began, dismissing the window and addressing Riker from her place in the doorway. "Looks like we have a hot date for dinner." The wolf, who couldn't even drum up the energy to look excited, had already launched himself onto the couch. 

"Hey!" she cried out, taking a couple jogging steps forward. "Dude! New house, new furniture. Maybe you could try staying off it for a while, so-" He leveled his amber eyes on her, and the fight simply drained like water through a sieve. "- Or not. Yeah, whatever. Do what you want." 

Now standing in the middle of her wide living room, Lessa turned a slow circle. Obviously, it wasn't her first time inside - she'd worked tirelessly to turn the run-down house and adjoining tower into her dream home. But this was the first time she'd crossed the threshold with no other house to return to. This was it - she'd made her move, and for better or for worse, she was finally-

Music, warm and familiar, suddenly drifted from the shelves bracketing the fireplace. When the unmistakable voice joined seconds later, Lessa could only stare in wonder at the large wooden radio.

Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be?
You're not here with me

"MJ," she said aloud, though her voice trembled slightly. "Nice." She inched forward, then flicked the switch, plunging them back into relative silence. She'd found the radio while cleaning out the house, but she'd assumed it was just a decorative piece. In truth, she hadn't come across many music players while inside SAO, and those she had were far more futuristic. This boxy contraption looked like something she might have seen in her grandparent's basement. It might have been new when they were born, and so she had no idea how to use it. She also had no idea what radio station on Floor 28 might be pumping out Michael Jackson's greatest hits.

"Cool cool cool," she muttered to herself, suddenly a little nervous to turn her back to the radio. "And totally not at all creepy."

[Jomei 0]

To: Lessa Subject: Re: Re: Dinner?

A housewarming dinner sounds perfect.  Just need to make one last stop. See you soon. Jomei

A canopy of reds and oranges broke away into a mere spattering of trees as the Fire Forest opened up into rolling fields of yellow and green. A gentle breeze carried the smell of the sea as it blew across the pastures, blades of grass caught in the gust waving at the man as he traveled the path. His gaze would follow a herd of horses, six in total, as they galloped across the open land. The beating of their hooves against the ground created a thundering sound that reminded him of a passing train. A curious stallion broke away from the group, a dun horse with tan colored skin and a dark mane. It matched Jomei’s pace and walked alongside him on the opposite side of the small, wooden fence. The two carried on their silent stroll together until the distant call of another horse caught the stallion’s attention. With an upwards nod and a soft snort, it took to a gallop once again to join its herd. But by then, Jomei was already at his destination. 

The lighthouse, reaching for the clouds in a periwinkle sky, stood tall on the edge of a sea cliff beside a barn and homestead. Following the beaten path down a small hill towards the estate felt as if he had stepped right into Lessa’s dreams. The lighthouse, the barn, the horses, the crisp autumn breeze blowing up over the cliffs as waves lazily lapped at the rocks below. Like something straight off of a Holiday greeting card. It was the definition of serenity and, in that moment, getting to share this home with Lessa one day became a dream of his own.

Stepping up onto the porch, he’d knock on the front door with the back of his hand. It only took a couple of seconds for Lessa to come to the door. As he saw her standing there in the open doorway, his smile grew brighter and his chest warmer. No matter how many times he could see her, each meeting with Lessa was just as sweet as the last. 

“You know, you could have told me you were moving so close by. I could have helped out.” 

As he stepped through the threshold and into the house, he’d look around at the interior. 

“But, I can see you were just fine on your own. Not that I didn’t have faith in you.” 

In the brief moment his back was turned to her, he would swipe a finger upwards to open his menu. When Jomei turned to face her once more, he was holding a bouquet of small, purple flowers - lilacs - already tucked neatly into a blue and white ceramic vase. 

“Just a little housewarming gift.Would have been rude of me to not show up empty handed.” 
 

[Lessa 1]

The rhythmic trio of thuds had Lessa leaping out of her skin. The sound that came out of her mouth wasn’t quite human, and her entire body flinched like a bad stunt double taking a bullet in an old Western film. “Jeeeesus,” she drawled, pressing a hand to her galloping heart. Apparently, she wasn’t quite as cool, calm, and collected as she’d tried to convince herself she was. A little embarrassed, a lot still on-edge, she rounded on Riker. “Someone came up to the door and you didn’t, like, bark or anything?” She jabbed a finger in his direction. “You’re a shit guard dog. Guard wolf. Whatever.”

The familiar, who didn’t even have the decency to look chastened, remained sprawled out across her pretty throw pillows. So she glanced from him to her radio, which sat silent on its shelf, before she moved to answer the door.

The smile she offered Jomei was genuine, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t pump a bit of extra cheeriness into her greeting. There was no need to let him see how shaken she was, especially after ridiculous reasoning. A radio played a song, and then someone knocked at the door? Call the Ghost Busters!

“I kind of wanted to surprise you,” she answered, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear as she watched him step inside. “I’ve been chipping away at this place for a long time, and when I realized we’d practically be neighbors, I figured I could do some big reveal or something.” She held her arms out wide, and declared, “Ta-da!”

But he’d missed her half-assed attempt at showmanship, having turned his back to her. A pang of hurt followed closely on the heels of confusion, until he spun around with the flowers. Then it all melted away.

“Lilacs,” Lessa breathed, the word as reverent as a prayer as she took a step closer. “Oh my gosh, you got lilacs.” Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the vase, but this time, it had nothing to do with fear. It had everything to do with the tears sheening her blue eyes. He knew, as most of her friends did, how important lilacs were to her. Not only were they her favorite flower, but they reminded her of the life that existed outside of Aincrad. While the looks of faces, and the sounds of voices slipped from her memory, the smell of lilacs transported her back home. 

Her one complaint about Floor 28 had been that lilacs didn’t grow in the cool autumn climate.

She hadn’t told Jomei that.

She hadn’t had to.

“These… this… it means a lot,” she finally managed, gently accepting the offered gift. She shifted the vase to one arm, then slid the other around Jomei’s waist, slipping into her spot at his side. Pressing her face against his shirt, she breathed him in. On the exhale, she whispered, “Thank you.”

Another scent that now reminded her of home.

Drawing back, she turned to place the flowers on the table in her little breakfast nook. Sunlight poured through the windows, warming the space more thoroughly than if a fire crackled in the hearth. “I haven’t fully unpacked,” she began, still fiddling with the delicate purple blooms, “but hopefully you’ll find whatever you need in the drawers. If you can’t, let me know and, uh-” Her voice trailed as she looked back at him, her expression somewhat sheepish. “I will start digging through the boxes that I did not sort or label, because organization is not my forte.”
 

[Jomei 0]

"I'm glad you like them." He would kiss the top of her hair, words spoken as warm and soft as Lessa's embrace. A fondness brightened his eyes as he watched her find a nice spot for the vase, arranging the flowers to her liking with delicate fingers.  

Crates and boxes were stashed in corners and sat atop many of the flat surfaces, yet it did not take away from the coziness Lessa had envisioned for her home. Most of the walls, shelves, and spaces for decor were left barren, save for a radio and a clutter of books. Though it appeared she had already unpacked most of the necessities.. he would see if that would still hold true when he'd begin scouring her kitchen for utensils and cookware. Perhaps if they had some time after cooking he could help her empty out a couple more boxes, really turn this house into the home of her dreams. 

"I see someone has no problems making himself at home." Would have been rude of him to not greet the man of the house. Making his way over to the couch where Riker reclined, he saw his bed of choice were a number of decorative throw pillows. Brows would furrow in a teasing manner as he scratched the wolf under the chin, "Are you comfortable? Those pillows don't exactly look like a bed you should be laying on." Just a few more scratches on the side of his head before giving the canine his space. Can't disturb a king who rests on their throne, of course. 

Finally deciding to check out the kitchen, Jomei crossed into the space and looked around. "Shouldn't need much, everything just needs to go into the pot and cook for a bit. So we should be able to make due." The empty counter space was soon filled with an array of different ingredients. Vegetables, herbs, small jars of spices and stocks, the meat, and two bottles of red wine. With the bottles in hand, he looked over his shoulder at Lessa. "This ones for the roast." he would set one down, "And this one is nice with the roast." 

Jomei would look over everything situated, going over the list in his head while mumbling to himself. "Alright, lets get started then shall we." the ginger would smile as he pushed his hair from his face and tied it into a messy tail on the back of his head. Summoning his menus one last time, layers of green cloth would appear over his free arm. Taking one of the aprons, very similar in color and make to his signature cloak, he would slip it over his head and tie it in place. Situating it so it sat comfortably, he would turn to face Lessa.

"Catch." 

A matching apron took to the air as he tossed it to Lessa. 

"Hope you weren't just planning on sitting around and looking pretty.. even though you're just so good at second part" He'd wink, had to slip a little flirt in there. "Want to give me a hand?"