deferences | ♪ noctium inbox

[oh whoopsie, that's on him for assuming it wasn't sleeping. (he'd been swinging and missing before, after all, it seemed alright to assume!) but it's fine, since noiz reaching out and snatching the cookies is something far more interesting to focus on. sizhui grins faintly, withdraws with the bag of brownies then tucks them away back into his qiankun bag. he did offer, so it's totally fair for noiz to have taken them, but it was just a little bit rude.

he doesn't seem fussed whatsoever, even smiles wider following noiz's ‘thanks.’] You're welcome, I hope you like them.

[after assessing noiz's expression though, his own seems somewhat dubious, he can feel it. like, are they good, not good? too sweet??? a million things could race through sizhui's mind, but he holds steady, smiling despite his concerns. if he's truly enjoying them, however, he might be surprised to learn they're homemade. there's been loads of free-time, what with him currently jobless – in a sense! – and he's taking advantage.]

Sounds like you ought to find it a nice, soft blanket to lay on. [a moment's hesitation] Perhaps, uhm, not inside the sink though.

[The fact that he is still chewing on them probably means they're good. Noiz is not the type of person to continue to eat something out of politeness. Even if he does seem to be vaguely confused about the fact that he is enjoying them.]

They're sweet.

[His attention is drawn from the cookies in his mouth to the rabbit itself.]

It can sleep on the couch.

[He says it pretty drily, but that was honestly about what his plan had been up until now.]

Or on the bed.

[Or in the shower...? No.]

[although it's difficult to not watch noiz's expression the entire time, seeing him continue to eat without any complaints is more than enough reassurance; surely he wouldn't continue if he found them gross? or at least sizhui wouldn't expect him to (and it's true, noiz doesn't seem the type). his confusion, however, is still questionable and he can't help giggling before softly inquiring,]

Aren't they supposed to be? Most cookies I've eaten have been sugary... [they're a dessert, after all, and those usually include sugar. savory desserts do exist but even those have some form of sugar, just less so than other sweets.

—honestly, he's thinking about it too much and thank goodness, noiz's observation draws his attention back to the conversation.] Hahhh, I'm sure it'd appreciate that more than the sink. [a moment's hesitation, his lips quirk into a half-smirk and he nods,] But if you're feeling extra generous, the bed wouldn't be a bad idea either, and it could be a nice way to bond with your new companion.

[like come on, who doesn't love snuggling a cute animal?]

[Yeah, he's chewing on another cookie for a moment, instead of actually answering Sizhui's question. Cookies are probably almost always sweet, but maybe these were the exceptions! Maybe they were something else!

... Maybe Noiz just really needed to expand his palate! These were all possible!

(Mostly that last one, though.)

He frowns, mostly at the rabbit.]

It bites.

[Although the one time it had happened, it had been Noiz's fault.]

[that's completely, one-hundred-percent fine, noiz can have all the cookies he wants so long as he's enjoying them. next time, perhaps, he'll have some more savory and slightly less sweet desserts noiz could try out.

which, of course, is a step toward expanding his palate too! so, two birds with one stone kinda deal? there are oodles upon oodles of different foods, after all.]

O-Oh! [pardon him for the surprised stutter but did noiz just say ‘it bites?’

sizhui glances down at the second cracker he's withdrawn from the plastic baggie and is offering the spriggan, widened eyes watching, almost like he's half-expecting it to attempt right now, even if it's still momentarily preoccupied with what's left of the first biscuit.] When and why did it bite?

[Noiz just frowns.]

Checking his teeth.

[As in. He full on stuck his own fingers into the rabbit's mouth to check to see if its teeth were more like rabbit teeth or fangs.

It had been very very early when he did it, okay.

...]

If you're just giving him food he won't do it.

[But he still might do it when he was sleeping?? How would he know.]

[hmmm.] How were you checking his teeth?

[because just going right on ahead and doing that probably isn't the best way to go about it; most animals don't appreciate having people prodding away at their mouths, regardless of how different they may be.

but in noiz's defense, he's learning and can't be expected to instantly understand everything there is to know about proper pet care.] Perhaps not, although many animals are food-oriented. It can be easier to gain their trust through such methods. [sizhui spares the creature another glance, regards the second cracker then upturns his attention again.] If your companion trusts you, it's less likely to bite. [speaking of which, his eyes flicker toward noiz's hands, examining them for wounds in case he's in need of assistance.]

Hopefully, you are not injured. [and that he figured out whatever it is he wanted to know with his new friend's teeth since sizhui's still healthily wary about being bitten himself.] Once he's finished, I'll... try something. [then he turns back once more, smiling faintly, hands folded securely around the treat.] But only then and not a moment sooner.

[Noiz just glowers at that first question. He knows it was stupid, he doesn't have to deign it with an answer. He wouldn't, because then he has to own up to the fact that he was dumb as rocks.

Dave had already laughed at him for that, he didn't need Sizhui to, also.

He draws his hand closer to himself.]

I'm not injured.

[He'd put his bandages back on anyways, so it would've been hard to tell. There was no way the rabbit had mangled both of his hands, right? Right.

His eyes creep back toward the rabbit as it finishes nibbling on the biscuit.]

You can do whatever.

[c'mon, noiz, he doesn't think it's stupid, just that it's not the brightest idea to surprise an animal they've only known for a short while by poking around its mouth; people make mistakes, it's normal, no big deal whatsoever!

and sizhui absolutely wouldn't laugh at noiz's misfortune. that'd be super rude in his opinion, okay?]

So, you wear bandages just because? [sorry not sorry, he's calling it out, though gently and also because one: he's never seen anyone wrap their arms that way and two: noiz's gesture of drawing his hand nearer to himself isn't very subtle. sizhui is at least smiling too, gaze lingering for a long moment on the other male before eventually directing toward the spriggan again.]

Well... I'm not going to do whatever, lest it give me a bite too, but we shall see what I can do. [he switches the cracker to his left hand, slowly reaches out to the creature with his right, letting his fingers curl close to his palm so he can test his ability to maybe possibly pet this little dear.] If he'll allow it, I'd like to try and pet him. [thus far, it's been intrigued enough by his offer of food, so perhaps it will allow touching too, and then sizhui could risk picking it up from there.]

[When Sizhui comments on his bandages, Noiz gives him a sharp look.]

None of your business.

[The way he says it is sharp but also basically a mutter. And it wasn't, he wasn't about to show his fucked up hands to someone lest he invite worry or concern. Whether it also was hiding a bitemark on a finger wasn't relevant.

The rabbit is oblivious to all of this, of course. The rabbit is just excited to have new attention, especially since Noiz was already proving to not be the touchiest of owners.

It happily pads forward to allow Sizhui to pet it. It ... it looks happy, right? Yes? It's definitely happy, but its face is still kind of terrifying, arguably.]

[despite his attention being elsewhere, sizhui sheepishly inclines his head, flushed with embarrassment, but nevertheless admitting,] You're right, it's not.

[even though it still causes him concern anyway and he'd really like to continue pushing, yet he hesitates at noiz's tone. tentatively, his gaze lifts, he turns toward noiz and exhales a sigh.] My apologies, I didn't mean to pry. [then he redirects to the rabbit, eyebrows lifting with faint surprise at how carefree it is while approaching. regardless, sizhui's hand is measured and slow when stretching closer, his fingertips gingerly scritching the top of the spriggan's head once it's close enough.]

Awww, [he drawls quietly, neverminding the fact this animal somehow appears gladdened by his motions, and its expression still seems so haunting; it's maybe a little unnerving but lan sizhui isn't deterred whatsoever.

after rubbing one long ear between his first and second digits, he withdraws that hand, steadily lowers both then reaches out to attempt picking noiz's companion up. please, don't bite! is a neverending mantra in his head, but he's braced for the pain of it anyway, just in case he's unlucky on that front.]

[The rabbit just smiles that slightly unnerving smile as Sizhui attempts to pick it up. He's really quite happy to be held or picked up, mostly amenable to all interactions. As long as you don't try to stick foreign objects in its mouth, anyways!

That, or it likes Sizhui and Dave more than it likes its actual owner. It's hard to say, especially when it's only been a few hours since Noiz met it at all.

Noiz himself looks vaguely annoyed at how well it's going, but it isn't like he can stop that.]

Whatever.

[It's not like he cares if his pet likes other people more than it likes him, or anything!! Couldn't be it!]

[why must it look so disturbing? nonetheless, he gingerly lifts the rabbit, tucks it close to his chest, one arm underneath its feet – where he's currently fisting the treat – while the other reaches up and his fingertips drift over those ears. holding and petting it will be enough for now, as it wouldn't do to test his limits right away, regardless of how pleased it seems.

being fair to noiz, sizhui has this way with animals, and it's not just his patience; there's something else, something that is probably simply explained by his kindness.

he upturns at noiz's remark, head tilted questioningly.] Would you like to give him the cracker as a reward for being picked up? [this way provides positive reinforcement from the spriggan's owner while it's being held—

and perhaps, just maybe, he can also determine if noiz is sincerely irritated and do something to abate it.]

[The rabbit can't help how it looks, and at least the smile is genuine. Even if it looks kind of toothy and strange and fuzzy around the edges, that doesn't mean that it means any particular harm, unless you're an idiot like its technical owner.

Noiz is intently focused on the treat in Sizhui's hand, as if he'd maybe magically gain some knowledge of how to treat a pet just from observation. He's so focused on the treat that it takes a moment for him to react when Sizhui addresses him.

That reaction might seem irritated, however— he wasn't expecting to be asked, so he scowls. However—]

Fine.

[He reaches out to try and pull the cracker out of Sizhui's hand.

... Rude ...]

[no, it cannot, and the sincereness of its expression is exactly why sizhui's reassured that whatever he's doing is fine. (that, and the fact the spriggan hasn't turned on him for any reason at all.) this doesn't make noiz dumb either, it simply makes him someone who needs to learn better.

considering noiz's distraction with the treat, he's almost wondering if he ought to have tried something else, but whenever noiz ultimately decides he'll try, he forgoes any second-guessing to adjust his hold on the rabbit and allows that cracker to be snatched in favor of making sure he doesn't lose his grip on noiz's little companion.]

Be gentler with him, at least.

[and if there's any irritation in sizhui's voice, it can be chalked up to him being more flustered by noiz's attitude toward his pet rather than the impoliteness of him snatching things right out of his hand.]

[If Noiz hears the irritation, his brain doesn't ascribe it to one thing rather than the other. Sizhui sounds irritated, Noiz pauses to get a better look at him.]

Okay.

["Gentle" as a general concept is foreign to him, but he wasn't really here to argue, really. Instead, he gives the rabbit another wary glance, and holds up the biscuit to its mouth.

...

After a moment, the rabbit takes it, apparently still happy to take food from Noiz even though he'd stuck his finger in his mouth earlier like a weirdo. Quite happily, too.

And without any further injury, too.

He looks back up to Sizhui and raises an eyebrow.]

[sizhui's features instantly soften after noiz looks at him, his head dips with sheepishness then he quietly clears his throat before admitting,] It wouldn't do for you to get bitten. [again is something he'll leave unsaid, however.

should noiz need a demonstration, he's got no problem showing or guiding him, but he seems to do better the second time around, given little rabbit accepts the treat and gleefully starts eating.

it's really quite lucky that the spriggan doesn't leave noiz's fingers injured any further, though sizhui had a feeling he'd do alright with just the slightest push. this is noiz's pet, after all, it wouldn't do for him to not learn a thing or two while sizhui can teach him. another pleased smile quirks his lips when noiz upturns toward him again, he carefully adjusts his arm across the animal's midsection then nods, approving.]

Much better, [he praises, scritching the rabbit's belly gently.] And nobody got hurt, which is definitely a plus!

[Noiz scowls, even though he has no real reason to assume that he's being insulted. "It wouldn't matter if I got bitten" is something he could say, and considers saying, but he doesn't want to raise more questions about this than he needs to.]

Thanks.

[He says that to Sizhui, but he's still watching the rabbit eat the treat and not looking back at the person he's theoretically thanking. He's probably going to avoid giving it treats most of the time, at least until he can assess whether it's actually hostile.

He'll just.. leave food out for it instead, or something. Who decided that it was a good idea for him to have a pet again?]

I want it back now.

[Better than trying to bodily take the rabbit from Sizhui...]

[insulting noiz wasn't his intention at all, but sizhui would understand how his being overly concerned can come across as too plain-spoken and, in some cases, offensively irritating because of it. he's almost tempted to apologize for overstepping, yet noiz's thanks comes first and he can't resist grinning outright.]

You're welcome, [comes easily enough, then his own attention downcasts to the rabbit too, watching as it keeps right on eating like that's its life goal in this moment. nothing wrong with being sparing treat-wise; it can't eat those alone, obviously, so maybe sizhui could try fruits and vegetables next time. (if there is a ‘next time,’ anyway?)

whoever decided it probably should've considered better – no offense to noiz there, either! – before giving someone a pet that they don't know how to take care of. regardless, he's noiz's now and he must make the best out of his situation without worrying too much—

oh . . . yes, he ought to give noiz his companion back since they've gotten it to eat.] Right, of course, uhm. [a moment's hesitation while sizhui gingerly hooks one hand beneath the spriggan's chest and the opposite underneath its feet, careful to not jostle it too much during its cracker consumption.] If there is anything else you need help with, you can contact me anytime and I'll do my best to help. [following this, he then outstretches his arms, waiting patiently for noiz's acceptance of his pet.]

I know they may seem like a handful, but having pets can be nice...

[Noiz ... reluctantly reaches for his pet, although at least he doesn't handle the rabbit roughly. Just hesitantly, like he still can't decide how he feels about all of it.

Then again, the sleep deprivation is probably catching up to him too, here. He'd caught the poor thing in his sink far too early in the morning.]

Yeah.

[It's sort of a response to everything that Sizhui had just said to him, although he wasn't really planning on getting back in touch. He shifts the rabbit in his arms so that he can carry it back to his apartment a little more easily.]

Thanks.

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i straight up lost this notif... s-sorry

hey, no worries!! i'm slow af right now as you can see so ohrghrgh

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