♦ ♦ 20th Contract - Video/Action For Housemates

[mortemscintilla]

[ The feed clicks on to a familiar sight. 'Li' being 'Li' -- placidly preoccupied with cooking. A spread of ingredients -- a slab of dough, grated vegetables, minced beef -- are in bowls on the kitchen counter. But it's apparent that the kitchen isn't his. It's too large, too well-appointed. But Li opens shelves, takes out pots and utensils, as if he's familiar with the setting. Moving to the fridge, he cracks it open to peer inside. ]

[ And scowls. ]

[ Pitching his voice to a yell -- ] You forgot the milk. Again [ -- he reaches inside to withdraw two eggs. ] One simple task. And she can't do that right...

[ Such a sweet-tempered hubby. Whatever dish he's making is surely filled with love. Halfway to the counter, he nearly trips over something lying on the floor. Glowering, he stoops to collect a child's colorful softball. ] ...It's like living in a damn toybox... [ Grumblegrumble. Hopefully he's not this charming all the time. (Spoiler: he is.) ]

[ (Ain't family life grand?) ]

[ OOC: Hit with Family Day! Mad Hatter, July, Yin and Hei are a merry (dysfunctional :|) fambly bunch. Threadjacking is mightily encouraged! Go forth and spread chaos! ^^ ]

Comments

Action

[through_glass]

I will make them for you sometime, mommy.

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

Mommy'd like that very much.

Action

[through_glass]

Do I have to go with daddy to the store?

[Yes, he heard that. He looks up at mommy.]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

Wouldn't you like to go to the park as well afterward? If not, you do not have to go.

Action

[through_glass]

You would not be there.

[He doesn't want to go if mommy is not there.]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

I do not think your father wants to make it a big outing. But mommy could meet up with you later.

Action

[through_glass]

It is not the same.

[Momma's boy.]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

You can stay here then if you want. [Ne won't mind at all.]

Action

[moonlitrequiem]

No one else is going? [It's spoken in her soft, slow manner as always, but the fact she's even asking it is still worth noting. So is the slightly different expression she has. She feels like there are undercurrents she's missing. Too unaware to put them together, but aware enough to know it.]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

Why don't you ask your father dear?

[Let him explain to them why he doesn't want to be around his wife.]

Action

[moonlitrequiem]

[She nods and turns to Hei. It's not like he hasn't heard all the other conversations going on around him.]

Action

[through_glass]

[July will just hold up another one. Look at his good work, mommy.]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

[Ne pats his head, ruffling his hair a little as ne does so.]

Very good, July. You may be better than your father one day.

Action

[through_glass]

[He nods because that is what he will do now. He is going to be better than daddy.]

Action

[mortemscintilla]

[ Wise ambition, kiddo. Between the bouts of assholishness and the self-interest, Daddy is not someone to aspire to be like. ]

Action

[mortemscintilla]

[ Surprisingly, that gets a half-smile. ] Of course he will be. [ Because cursed or not, what good parent doesn't want their child to excel at everything? ]

Action 1/2

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hey, hey, hey. Don't lump this all on him. Just because there's friction (or a lack of friction -- or anything else) between the parents doesn't mean the kids have to get involved. ]

[(Although he's sure they can sense an entire whirlpool of Not Rightness between them. Kids always know.) ]

Action

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei shoots Hatter a toxic look over Yin's head, then reaches to smooth his daughter's hair. Then he does what comes naturally. ]

[ He lies. ] I figured mommy could use a break. To have fun on her own. [ re: Away from him. He hesitates, then concedes with an inward scowl, ] Unless you want to make a foursome of the trip?

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

Well the children did seem to want a family outing, and I'd hate to disappoint them. [Disappointing daddy dearest isn't a concern of nirs at all.]

Action

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei's smile is a rictus of rigor mortis, ]

Of course. It'll be loads of fun. [ Fun like getting bengay and rock-salts rubbed in the eyes. ]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

The zoo might be nice for them.

[Unless you want to go to the mall and have nem spending your money?]

Action

[mortemscintilla]

[ Reason #999 why every married couple should never have a joint account. The concept of What's Mine Is Yours & What's Yours Is Mine is ridiculous. ]

Great idea. Caged and desperate animals, longing for freedom. What's not to enjoy? [ Oh, how he sympathizes with their plight. ]

Action

[indecent_butterfly]

[Let's be honest, it's all nirs--the house, the money, everything. The only reason he has any is because he works to get away from the family.]

They aren't caged. There's no cage that could hold a T-rex.

The park then? Or out for ice cream.

Action

[through_glass]

[Whatever mommy wants is cool]

Action

[mortemscintilla]

[ It's either workaholism, or alcoholism, Madam. Take your pick. ]

No cage. Except maybe wedlock. [ The jibe is delivered with a pleasant smile. ]

Both sound fine. [ He could use the fresh air and the comfort food. ]