Demon Marcus, Monday

[that_oldsaying]

The last few days had been really confusing, so yesterday she'd hid in her and Mabel's room (which was not much different from most other days, to be entirely fair) and spent it showing her old toys her new room and promising that she'd find her bunny, somewhere, so they knew she hadn't gotten rid of it.

(Her toys always got upset when one of the family disappeared.)

Today she wandered into work, because she was pretty sure she was supposed to, and playing dress up was better than worrying more about her toys--

And found all her missing toys cuddled up on the counter.

Alluka squealed and bounced over to them.

"There you all are!" she said, scooping all of them up in a hug and kissing their faces. "You left the park! How did you do that? Are you okay?"

They all assured her that they were okay and wanted to know if she was.

She blinked at them. "Why, why wouldn't I be okay?"

They agreed with her, so all was well.

Alluka pulled out one of her toys from home, this one a doll with far too many arms and three eyes. "Now," she said, "I got to bring a lot of friends from home, so when we go home tonight, you're going to meet a whole bunch of new friends. But for now, everyone, please meet Missy!"

Demon Marcus is Open!

Comments

Mod Your Shopping

[that_oldsaying]

If you'd like!

Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

If you'd rather!

Re: Talk to Alluka

[not_every_mage]

After everything that had happened that weekend, Anders felt like he just about had to check in with Alluka. (Which he did with no small amount of guilt, because he knew he'd been a terrible fake big brother the last few months.)

he came into the shop with a bag of cookies in his hand and a tentative smile on his face. Cookies never made things worse, did they?

"Hi," he said, once he spotted Alluka. "I wanted to see how you're doing now that you're back on the island."

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

Cookies, in fact, could only make things better! It was in their contract!

"Anders!" she chirped, beaming at him as she waved with her elephant. She looked like she was doing fine after the weekend. "Look, look! Someone found all my toys and brought them here! Or, or they walked on their own."

It was possible, right?

Re: Talk to Alluka

[not_every_mage]

"Dr. Lecter and Mr. Starsmore helped a little," Anders told her, grinning back. "But maybe the toys told them they wanted to come along. I'm sure they missed you."

It was strange, talking to Alluka as if absolutely nothing were wrong, but if that was what she needed ....?

"I brought some cookies. Should we share them with the toys?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"Ooooh, yes, please!" she said, wriggling over to make a space on the counter and then peering off the side. "There's a stool on this side, if you don't want to sit on the counter!"

But she was going to sit on the counter. Best employee, clearly.

"And toys love cookies, but only if they're shared," she added. "So sharing is always the best!"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[not_every_mage]

Anders pulled himself up on the stool and opened the bag of cookies before passing it to Alluka. He'd gotten a mix -- some oatmeal, some chocolate chip, and a few sugar cookies decorated to look like bunnies and flowers.

"I like sharing," he said. "Besides, if I tried to eat all the cookies I'd be sick and grouchy from too much sugar, and that's the worst."

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

It was... probably not a surprise that she fished out a couple of the chocolate chip ones and beamed her thanks at him, was it?

"Kathy says that happens too," she said, trying to sound knowledgeable. "But it's never happened to me." Alluka offered the bag of cookies around to her toys, though none of them took any, and then offered it back to Anders.

Kathy v. chocolate was a battle that Kathy wasn't having much luck at winning.

Re: Talk to Alluka

[not_every_mage]

Anders took one of the flower cookies and bit into it thoughtfully, making a mental note to get more chocolate chip the next time.

"Then you're lucky and can eat all the chocolate and cookies you want," Anders told her. "Maybe I just need to work my way up to eating more."

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"My brother does say that practice makes perfect," she admitted. "I don't think I can eat as much as him."

To be fair, pretty much no one could eat as much chocolate as Killua.

Re: Talk to Alluka

[not_every_mage]

"Did you get to see him while you were home?" Anders asked, seeing an opening. "You know, challenge him to a cookie-eating contest?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka offered her bunny a cookie and took a bite out of the cookie for it.

"No," she said. "But, but that doesn't mean anything. My brother's just busy, but he always keeps his promises to see me."

Re: Talk to Alluka

[not_every_mage]

Anders nodded. "That's good," he said, around a mouthful of sugar cookie. "That he keeps his promises, I mean."

He swallowed. "Did you mind going home? It seemed like your parents are -- a little intense."

Or psychotic assassins. Or both.

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

Sparkle was not going to admit that he was kind of doing rounds of the Demon Marcus today, waiting for Alluka to show up. Doing something like that would be obsessive, okay? And Sparkle wasn't obsessed. Or worried. Or anything.

Really.

He just, you know, wanted to check up on... the... shop?

Okay, shut up, he'd been worried sick for days, and now he was letting loose a huge sigh of relief as he saw movement from within and confirmed that it was, indeed, Alluka.

"Hey, hey! Somebody missed all the Easter excitement this year!"

There hadn't really been excitement. But Sparkle had stopped to pick up another stuffed toy on the way. In case. Boy had high hopes. And a basket behind his back containing said toy and what was probably far too much chocolate.

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"I missed a party?!" she yelped. "Can, can we do it again? So I can come?"

Easter was... like... a party, right? Right?

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"I'll tell you what," Sparkle replied, "we've got the makings of a party right here, just you, me, all these guys, and..."

He was producing the basket from behind his back, and holding it out to her.

"This lil' lady!"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"She's adorable!" Alluka gushed.

Probably predictably, but she was entirely serious about it as she took the basket and inspected the little darling.

"Thank you, Sparkle!"

Alluka took a moment to snuggle her new toy.

"And, and chocolate?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"And chocolate! It's like a chocolate and ducky party!"

Sparkle was possibly more enthusiastic than usual. Three guesses as to why.

"All for you!"

That much sugar all in the same place wasn't going to end well, was it?

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

It would end fabulously!

And deliciously!

She blinked at him.

"Shouldn't, shouldn't I share?"

Though she was willing to horde it if he didn't want any...

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"Oh, nah," Sparkle replied, waving one dismissive hand. "I have my own at home, Velcro Two's keeping an eye on it for me."

Since he couldn't hide a basket behind his back and carry a backpack over his shoulder at the same time, apparently.

"But hey, thanks anyway, girly." There was a pause, and then he added, maybe a touch tentatively, "So, how're you doin', Squirt?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka looked up from peering into her basket--that she didn't have to share with anyone--to glance at him.

"I'm good," she said earnestly. "I got a lot more toys now and they're all getting along!"

... Asking Alluka how she felt about the weekend was... well. Yeah.

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"Yeah?" Sparkle blinked, and then... mostly just kind of shrugged it off. "Well, just so long as everyone's happy, yeah? Glad to be back to work?"

That seemed like an easier route than the trauma discussion. Probably on both of them, for that matter.

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

She picked up her bunny and snuggled him thoughtfully.

"I like work," she admitted. "There's always something fun to look at."

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

Sparkle's smile softened slightly. Yeah, okay, that was stinkin' cute.

"Yeah? See anything yet today that's got your interest?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"Not yet," Alluka confessed, a bit sheepishly. "I, I was talking to my toys."

Because they'd all been separated for days!

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"Oh yeah? I bet they missed you, huh?"

He had! He'd worried, okay? In fairness, he was kind of always worrying. But... still. He was decidedly less worried now than he'd been this morning.

"It's good to see you back. Should I let you and your friends catch up? Or maybe they'd like to help us find something cute to try on?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"Dress up!" she cheered, beaming at him. "Only you pick this time!"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"Oooh-ho-ho? Me pick? Well, I think we're gonna have to go poking through the pajamas that Ada was unpacking first, before we move on to the ruffles," he decided, grinning and leaning down a little. "Lady's choice... Alpaca? Red panda? Or how about a rabbit?"

... Dressup games didn't always have to be dresses, right?

Re: Talk to Alluka

[that_oldsaying]

"I can be a bunny like my bunny?" she asked, bouncing. "Can I?"

Re: Talk to Alluka

[myownface]

"You can you can," Sparkle laughed, bouncing right back. "You can even be a pink one. How's that for great, right?"

Look, kigurumi dress-up time was one of Sparkle's favourite ridiculous things to do while he was working. It was time to share the joy.

OOC

[that_oldsaying]

I have discount chocolate bunnies and I'm not afraid to eat them.

Re: OOC

[sharp_as_knives]

Oo, I'm jealous! I need to stop by the store and stock up on discount bunnies and creme eggs!

(BTW, thank you so much for this whole plot and for letting me and this cannibal dork participate! *HUG*)

Re: OOC

[that_oldsaying]

Right by my work is a place that opens at 7 am and sells tons of seasonal chocolate so as soon as it opened, I wandered down there. XD Before it was all gone! I wish you luck in your chocolate adventures!

(Hey, you're welcome! Thanks for being willing to participate! I know it was short notice/tight deadline!)

Re: OOC

[sharp_as_knives]

Right by my work is...um. A couple pho places and a Korean bakery? LOL Yummy but not chocolatey. :)

But I shall persevere!

(It was fun! Even if I'm a dork. And if and whenever you'd like, Jono and Hannibal totally want to take Alluka for proper tailoring and dress-shopping.)