[ the gift takes tseng by surprise, unaware as he is of the gift-giving customs of the winter season; there are no such holidays in midgar, and even here, he had thought that the rituals shown in the films he'd seen were perhaps fictional for purposes of entertainment and not something that people really do. not so, apparently; he opens the package carefully, reads the accompanying card, and smiles to himself as he texts olivine back: ]
Thank you, Olivine--both for the gift, and for thinking of me. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have nothing to give you in return except my gratitude, but I will come to see you this afternoon, if you're amenable.
- Tseng
[ and assuming that olivine is indeed amenable, tseng will make his way over to olivine's suite in the middle of the afternoon, where he knocks lightly on the door to announce his arrival. ]
[of course, Olivine would insist he needed nothing at all in return—he's just happy to share. And of course, he's perfectly amenable to being seen on the very day he said he had all to himself for just that reason, Tseng. Brilliant dumbass.
There's only a short pause before the priest opens the door to the faintly lingering scent of freshly baked bread and the less faint scent of black tea, expression bright and warm as ever. As he speaks, he steps out of the way to let the taller man in.]
It's good to see you, Tseng. Please, come in.
[The room itself is simply decorated—a cute couch sits invitingly in the main room, cushions tall and plush, and there's a partly finished piece of jewelry on the nearby table, alongside an open box of stones and beads and a neatly wrapped box, not at all dissimilar to the gift Tseng had received earlier. But other than that, everything in this room is fairly simple, down to the handful of potted plants organised neatly on a tiered shelf. There is a relatively spacious area nearby though—it's sectioned off with a roughly thigh-high gate, behind which a very large, very fluffy bunny totters about somewhere.]
Can I get you anything? The tea just finished brewing not long ago, and I have some fresh fruits and other small snacks...
[ it's no surprise to tseng that olivine's room smells as welcoming as he is himself. baking bread and tea—strangely nostalgic, although tseng doesn't say as much aloud, just steps inside when olivine opens the door and then touches his waist briefly so tseng can lean in to press his lips softly to olivine's cheek. it's forward as a gesture, and tseng is aware he's taking a risk in kissing olivine outside the context of sex, but it is something he's willing to chance. ]
Hello, Olivine. [ a beat, and then tseng withdraws so he can look around the space and then back to olivine himself. ] It's good to see you to. Should I remove my shoes?
[ he tends to in his own space, out of long-ingrained habit, but he's more than happy to follow olivine's preferences in olivine's space. and the room is unmistakably olivine's space, even as simple and tidy as it is—there are details of his personality in nearly every furnishing, from the plush couch to the scattered jewelry-making accoutrements.
tseng turns at the question, smiling slightly. ] Tea would be wonderful, thank you. Were you working on something?
[Tseng doesn't have to wait long to see if his gamble has paid off, considering how quickly the priest's smile softens and he leans up to return the gesture. Sometimes, the man is hard to read, so he's glad to see the boundary is further than he worried.]
If you'd like. This room stays quite clean, even without too much magic. And feel free to sit wherever you'd like.
[He himself has shoes on, though they're blatantly house shoes—soft and plainly comfortable, barely making a sound on the sections of uncarpeted floor. Tseng agrees to tea and Olivine gives his hand a fond squeeze before heading toward his little kitchenette.]
Mm, I have been, but not today— [He speaks among the soft clink of porcelain, humming thoughtfully.] I have a piece of lingerie I've wanted to make a set to go with, but I hadn't been inspired for it until recently.
[It's not long at all before he's lifting the two teacups on their saucers to bring over to the table, alongside a small plate of tea cakes.]
[ it's a fault of tseng's, that he holds himself at too great a distance sometimes for fear that his proximity will be unwelcome. a years-old habit by now, too much awareness of the danger he presents to the people who grow close to him. although his head knows that there are no enemies of shinra here to use his lovers as collateral against him, his heart finds it difficult to accept the same.
less so, with olivine, who is so endlessly warm and giving and kind, and who makes tseng feel like more of a person and less of a tool just by virtue of his presence. ]
I understand. [ and he does, after a moment, toe his shoes off in the doorway. it's a deliberate choice, to take that small step toward making himself at home here, or at the very least to not keep his shoes on like he's about to leave at any moment. ] Can I help with anything?
[ another glance around the workspace, and then tseng moves to join olivine, or at least to linger close to him as he prepares the tea and cakes. ]
Oh? [ a lifted eyebrow, a slight smirk. not lascivious, but unmistakably flirtatious. ] If you have any interest in my input, please feel free to model it for me at any time.
[ like,,, they both know how much tseng likes olivine in lingerie. ]
[the offer earns another smile from him, and he holds up the plate of cakes.]
If you'd like, I'm not going to turn down help. Ah, do you like any cream or sugar in your tea?
[he doesn't think he recalls the taller man using any, but he'll ask anyway, since he's right here. and then there's that smirk, which he returns with a warm, faintly shy smile.]
I would happily model it for you regardless of input, you know. [take that, self-worth--wait.] But yes, I would be happy to hear your thoughts. Perhaps after tea and your gifts?
[ a slight shake of his head, as tseng holds his hands out to take the plate from olivine. ]
No, thank you.
[ indeed, being that his tea of choice is typically green and herbal, cream and sugar would be a strange addition indeed... he has gotten more used to brown tea particularly over the months he's spent in the resort, of course, but he still prefers it without modification.
tseng brings the plate toward the table, where he sets it down and waits for olivine to join him before sitting. ]
I would like that. [ as if tseng would turn down the chance! ] I wish I had known about these holidays beforehand...
[Olivine follows behind Tseng with the cups, setting one down in front of Tseng's position and the other where he'll sit.]
There's nothing wrong with not knowing, Tseng. To be honest, I would have given this to you before but it took me a little longer than expected to finish it. [reaching out, he places fingertips on the back of the other's hand for a moment.] Having you visit me like this is a gift enough for me, anyway.
But if it is important to you, I can explain the holidays in Klein, at least.
[ surely it comes as no surprise to olivine that tseng struggles to accept gestures of kindness given without reason. the fact that olivine has been so warm and thoughtful with him and that tseng has no way to return it except to thank him is... well, it chafes against tseng's understanding of his own role in others' lives.
the offer to be told about the holidays of olivine's world is therefore welcome, in that it gives tseng something else to think about. ]
If you don't mind, [ he says. ] Religion was eradicated from my world some years before my birth, so I have very little context for holidays in general.
[ olivine's priesthood is fascinating for the same reason, actually. ]
[Olivine would probably just say that it evens out with the gifts Tseng has already given him in the past. but at his agreement, and as he settles down to sit near the other, he nods.]
Not at all. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability, too. In Klein, the church has rather strong ties to the royal families of the Light Territory, but their influence varies wildly outside of there and the Water Territory.
Ah, although—would you like to know all of the holidays, or just the ones with a gift giving component?
[ tseng isn't necessarily averse to hearing about all of them, but before he decides, something about the way olivine phrases it prompts him to ask one question: ]
[his giggle doesn't really make the answer any more obvious in itself, but he shakes his head lightly.]
Not all that many, as far as ones celebrated by the church and its direct allies—perhaps five or six regularly celebrated by the people as a whole. I'm sure there are many, many more if you include the other territories, but of those, most of them I've only read about anyway. I just wasn't sure if you would be interested in the rest.
[given the relative why of what he wants to know right now.]
[ whew. tseng was for a second scared he was about to lock himself into a multi-hour explanation of one hundred different holidays or something. five or six feels... more reasonable, at least in light of his experience here, although still quite a lot compared to what would be celebrated in midgar. ]
I confess I'm less interested in the other territories of your world than I am in you, [ tseng says, frankly. ] Let's start with those five or six, then.
[ like, it's intellectually interesting to him to know that there are different regions of olivine's world that are ruled by different elements or whatever, but only because it's a part of the context from which olivine comes. ]
Well, I'm flattered to hear that much. [he's always appreciated how frank Tseng is. curt but not uncaring.] Of course.
[lacing his fingers together lightly, he considers what order to actually tell them in. chronological enough, he supposes.]
Then, to start with the current one, Kleinmas is a holiday that developed out of a handful of facts in the Water Territory. Namely, it happens around the time that the Holy Ark was said to be sent down with God's children, and it coincides with the time when rivers freeze. So, we began using the time spent repairing boats as a way to share our harvests and thanks among each other. It also coincides with our wintertime ceremonies, but that's more of a celebration than anything else.
Soon after, there's the celebration of the new year, which is mostly celebrated as a sort of festival, with a fireworks showing during the night.
[he pauses here then, both to give him time to digest and to ask any questions he may have right now.]
[ there's something so endearing about olivine's obvious enjoyment in talking about these things, anthropological, historical observations. it makes tseng smile slightly as he leans an elbow against the back of the couch, propping himself comfortably against the cushions so he can pay proper attention to olivine's explanation. definitely the explanation, and not just how cute olivine is.
okay, no, he does actually listen, and finds that the explanation is more or less in line with... well, if not the exact fact pattern of the holiday tseng has learned is called "christmas," then at least with the broad strokes of it. something something god, something something winter, something something gifts. ]
It seems that for many people in this place, holidays are somewhat seasonal, [ tseng observes. ] It sounds like this is true for Klein as well?
[ both a question of curiosity, and a natural segue for olivine to continue! ]
[truthfully, Olivine is largely oblivious to the way Tseng observes, at least beyond that he is indeed paying attention. he does smile whenever their gazes meet while he speaks, nodding agreement with Tseng's observation.]
Mm, Eiden mentioned as much when I first explained Kleinmas to him. They evidently have a similar holiday around the same time where he came from. [a soft laugh escapes him then, hand resting on his chest.] Many of our holidays are indeed around the turns of the seasons, though not all of them. Over the last few years, for example, we've begun celebrating "White Day," thanks to Eiden. He said in his world it's related to another holiday where people exchange chocolates—something similar to that happened here in the second month or so—where those gifted share chocolates in turn, a month or so later.
Beyond that, we have a few celebrations for the turning of seasons, and the Idol Fest in the summer. Though, I've only participated in that once, hehe.
I'm not familiar, [ which is true. tseng became familiar with valentine's day during the month of his arrival, but he never did get introduced to white day as a concept. ] Eiden must have an impressive influence on your world, to create a new holiday that way.
[ why people would need a holiday specifically for gifting chocolate is somewhat beyond tseng, of course... but far be it from him to denigrate another world's holidays! ]
Hehe. I think it was more Aster's business mind than Eiden's actual influence... ah, Aster is a vampire, and one of the other clan members like myself.
[has... has he talked about being a clan member? oh well. he can answer if Tseng asks now.]
Idol Fest is a music festival. Originally, only occupants of the Light Territory were allowed to participate, but now, anyone can form a group to perform for the people.
[ he has indeed talked about being a clan member, all the way back at their first date in june—although at the time, tseng hadn't really had much context for it, but now after having shared more conversations with olivine he thinks he has a fuller picture of both the roles of the clan members and the extent of the grand sorcerer's influence. ]
And you joined in to perform?
[ that's a cute image, olivine in a group up on stage dancing and singing for people. it suits him in a way, both his lovely image and his desire to help and entertain. ]
Yes—although it had some to do with helping our friend, I have to admit. The prize money would help his grandparents and their little village.
[it's clearly a very fond memory for him, and he dips his head a little at Tseng's imagining.]
Really? Ah, that reminds me, actually—I have the outfit that Eiden made for me, if you'd like to see it. It was delivered here on my birthday, along with my formal priest's robes.
[ as if tseng would ever say no to seeing olivine all dolled up. or even to just seeing the outfit, if what olivine intends is to show the garment without wearing it.
he nods, his interest piqued. ]
If it's not too much trouble to show me, I would like to see it.
[ he's equally curious about the priest robes, too, but it doesn't feel right to put olivine out that much and ask him to show both. ]
It's no trouble at all. It's easy to switch between them, especially since I'll be showing off the lingerie in the first place... and I'm happy to show you anything you like, you know.
[therefore, it's not inconvenient at all. in fact, one might think he wants to show off for Tseng.
But it isn't long before their tea and snacks are finished, and as he sets his empty cup down, Olivine reaches forward for the gift still resting on the table. Fingers trace over the surface of it briefly before the priest places it before his guest.]
Then, if you're ready, I'd love for you to open your other gift.
[ frankly, tseng had let the thought of another gift slip from his mind entirely, far more focused on spending time with olivine. now that it's drawn back to his attention, he remembers that olivine said there was another gift for him—one he accepts with a wry smile, reminded again of how his own world's total absence of religion has come back to bite him. ]
Thank you.
[ tseng picks it up, turns it briefly between his hands to admire the wrapping, and then carefully unwraps it piece by piece without tearing either the ribbon or the paper. it would feel rude, even if the point of wrapping paper is probably to be torn. ]
You're welcome. To be honest... this is less of a seasonal gift, since we spoke of it some time ago. But I finally finished it recently, so...
["it" is an simple, black claw clip. its body is adorned with a silvery snake, twining across both sides and curling at the top as if nesting in place. a few long strands of clear fiber hang from the bottom, beaded intermittently to create an understated shimmer where they dangle.]
I thought a claw style would be best, since you said you weren't used to using them, and these have some of the most versatile options.
[ they had talked about hair adornments a long time ago, but tseng hadn't truly expected that olivine would put so much effort in to making one for him. for a moment he doesn't know what to say, feeling briefly overwhelmed by the idea that olivine cares enough about him to put in this kind of work, then briefly foolish for being overwhelmed, because surely this level of care for others is commonplace for someone as lovely as olivine. ]
It's beautiful, [ tseng says, which is true. ] Olivine, really... thank you.
[ he turns it over in his hands, admiring the silver detailing and the beaded accents, and then smiles as he looks up at the other man. not his usual small, restrained smile, but something warmer and more genuine, an expression rarely seen on tseng's face. ]
Modeled after my tattoo? [ the snake on his forearm, twining through the shapes of diamonds. ] Or do snakes just remind you of me in some way?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Thank you, Olivine--both for the gift, and for thinking of me. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have nothing to give you in return except my gratitude, but I will come to see you this afternoon, if you're amenable.
- Tseng
[ and assuming that olivine is indeed amenable, tseng will make his way over to olivine's suite in the middle of the afternoon, where he knocks lightly on the door to announce his arrival. ]
no subject
There's only a short pause before the priest opens the door to the faintly lingering scent of freshly baked bread and the less faint scent of black tea, expression bright and warm as ever. As he speaks, he steps out of the way to let the taller man in.]
It's good to see you, Tseng. Please, come in.
[The room itself is simply decorated—a cute couch sits invitingly in the main room, cushions tall and plush, and there's a partly finished piece of jewelry on the nearby table, alongside an open box of stones and beads and a neatly wrapped box, not at all dissimilar to the gift Tseng had received earlier. But other than that, everything in this room is fairly simple, down to the handful of potted plants organised neatly on a tiered shelf. There is a relatively spacious area nearby though—it's sectioned off with a roughly thigh-high gate, behind which a very large, very fluffy bunny totters about somewhere.]
Can I get you anything? The tea just finished brewing not long ago, and I have some fresh fruits and other small snacks...
no subject
Hello, Olivine. [ a beat, and then tseng withdraws so he can look around the space and then back to olivine himself. ] It's good to see you to. Should I remove my shoes?
[ he tends to in his own space, out of long-ingrained habit, but he's more than happy to follow olivine's preferences in olivine's space. and the room is unmistakably olivine's space, even as simple and tidy as it is—there are details of his personality in nearly every furnishing, from the plush couch to the scattered jewelry-making accoutrements.
tseng turns at the question, smiling slightly. ] Tea would be wonderful, thank you. Were you working on something?
[ indicating the partially-finished jewelry. ]
no subject
[Tseng doesn't have to wait long to see if his gamble has paid off, considering how quickly the priest's smile softens and he leans up to return the gesture. Sometimes, the man is hard to read, so he's glad to see the boundary is further than he worried.]
If you'd like. This room stays quite clean, even without too much magic. And feel free to sit wherever you'd like.
[He himself has shoes on, though they're blatantly house shoes—soft and plainly comfortable, barely making a sound on the sections of uncarpeted floor. Tseng agrees to tea and Olivine gives his hand a fond squeeze before heading toward his little kitchenette.]
Mm, I have been, but not today— [He speaks among the soft clink of porcelain, humming thoughtfully.] I have a piece of lingerie I've wanted to make a set to go with, but I hadn't been inspired for it until recently.
[It's not long at all before he's lifting the two teacups on their saucers to bring over to the table, alongside a small plate of tea cakes.]
no subject
less so, with olivine, who is so endlessly warm and giving and kind, and who makes tseng feel like more of a person and less of a tool just by virtue of his presence. ]
I understand. [ and he does, after a moment, toe his shoes off in the doorway. it's a deliberate choice, to take that small step toward making himself at home here, or at the very least to not keep his shoes on like he's about to leave at any moment. ] Can I help with anything?
[ another glance around the workspace, and then tseng moves to join olivine, or at least to linger close to him as he prepares the tea and cakes. ]
Oh? [ a lifted eyebrow, a slight smirk. not lascivious, but unmistakably flirtatious. ] If you have any interest in my input, please feel free to model it for me at any time.
[ like,,, they both know how much tseng likes olivine in lingerie. ]
no subject
If you'd like, I'm not going to turn down help. Ah, do you like any cream or sugar in your tea?
[he doesn't think he recalls the taller man using any, but he'll ask anyway, since he's right here. and then there's that smirk, which he returns with a warm, faintly shy smile.]
I would happily model it for you regardless of input, you know. [take that, self-worth--wait.] But yes, I would be happy to hear your thoughts. Perhaps after tea and your gifts?
no subject
No, thank you.
[ indeed, being that his tea of choice is typically green and herbal, cream and sugar would be a strange addition indeed... he has gotten more used to brown tea particularly over the months he's spent in the resort, of course, but he still prefers it without modification.
tseng brings the plate toward the table, where he sets it down and waits for olivine to join him before sitting. ]
I would like that. [ as if tseng would turn down the chance! ] I wish I had known about these holidays beforehand...
no subject
[Olivine follows behind Tseng with the cups, setting one down in front of Tseng's position and the other where he'll sit.]
There's nothing wrong with not knowing, Tseng. To be honest, I would have given this to you before but it took me a little longer than expected to finish it. [reaching out, he places fingertips on the back of the other's hand for a moment.] Having you visit me like this is a gift enough for me, anyway.
But if it is important to you, I can explain the holidays in Klein, at least.
no subject
the offer to be told about the holidays of olivine's world is therefore welcome, in that it gives tseng something else to think about. ]
If you don't mind, [ he says. ] Religion was eradicated from my world some years before my birth, so I have very little context for holidays in general.
[ olivine's priesthood is fascinating for the same reason, actually. ]
no subject
Not at all. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability, too. In Klein, the church has rather strong ties to the royal families of the Light Territory, but their influence varies wildly outside of there and the Water Territory.
Ah, although—would you like to know all of the holidays, or just the ones with a gift giving component?
no subject
...How many are there?
no subject
Not all that many, as far as ones celebrated by the church and its direct allies—perhaps five or six regularly celebrated by the people as a whole. I'm sure there are many, many more if you include the other territories, but of those, most of them I've only read about anyway. I just wasn't sure if you would be interested in the rest.
[given the relative why of what he wants to know right now.]
no subject
I confess I'm less interested in the other territories of your world than I am in you, [ tseng says, frankly. ] Let's start with those five or six, then.
[ like, it's intellectually interesting to him to know that there are different regions of olivine's world that are ruled by different elements or whatever, but only because it's a part of the context from which olivine comes. ]
no subject
[lacing his fingers together lightly, he considers what order to actually tell them in. chronological enough, he supposes.]
Then, to start with the current one, Kleinmas is a holiday that developed out of a handful of facts in the Water Territory. Namely, it happens around the time that the Holy Ark was said to be sent down with God's children, and it coincides with the time when rivers freeze. So, we began using the time spent repairing boats as a way to share our harvests and thanks among each other. It also coincides with our wintertime ceremonies, but that's more of a celebration than anything else.
Soon after, there's the celebration of the new year, which is mostly celebrated as a sort of festival, with a fireworks showing during the night.
[he pauses here then, both to give him time to digest and to ask any questions he may have right now.]
no subject
okay, no, he does actually listen, and finds that the explanation is more or less in line with... well, if not the exact fact pattern of the holiday tseng has learned is called "christmas," then at least with the broad strokes of it. something something god, something something winter, something something gifts. ]
It seems that for many people in this place, holidays are somewhat seasonal, [ tseng observes. ] It sounds like this is true for Klein as well?
[ both a question of curiosity, and a natural segue for olivine to continue! ]
no subject
Mm, Eiden mentioned as much when I first explained Kleinmas to him. They evidently have a similar holiday around the same time where he came from. [a soft laugh escapes him then, hand resting on his chest.] Many of our holidays are indeed around the turns of the seasons, though not all of them. Over the last few years, for example, we've begun celebrating "White Day," thanks to Eiden. He said in his world it's related to another holiday where people exchange chocolates—something similar to that happened here in the second month or so—where those gifted share chocolates in turn, a month or so later.
Beyond that, we have a few celebrations for the turning of seasons, and the Idol Fest in the summer. Though, I've only participated in that once, hehe.
no subject
[ why people would need a holiday specifically for gifting chocolate is somewhat beyond tseng, of course... but far be it from him to denigrate another world's holidays! ]
What happens during Idol Fest?
no subject
[has... has he talked about being a clan member? oh well. he can answer if Tseng asks now.]
Idol Fest is a music festival. Originally, only occupants of the Light Territory were allowed to participate, but now, anyone can form a group to perform for the people.
no subject
And you joined in to perform?
[ that's a cute image, olivine in a group up on stage dancing and singing for people. it suits him in a way, both his lovely image and his desire to help and entertain. ]
I can imagine it now.
no subject
[it's clearly a very fond memory for him, and he dips his head a little at Tseng's imagining.]
Really? Ah, that reminds me, actually—I have the outfit that Eiden made for me, if you'd like to see it. It was delivered here on my birthday, along with my formal priest's robes.
no subject
he nods, his interest piqued. ]
If it's not too much trouble to show me, I would like to see it.
[ he's equally curious about the priest robes, too, but it doesn't feel right to put olivine out that much and ask him to show both. ]
no subject
[therefore, it's not inconvenient at all. in fact, one might think he wants to show off for Tseng.
But it isn't long before their tea and snacks are finished, and as he sets his empty cup down, Olivine reaches forward for the gift still resting on the table. Fingers trace over the surface of it briefly before the priest places it before his guest.]
Then, if you're ready, I'd love for you to open your other gift.
no subject
Thank you.
[ tseng picks it up, turns it briefly between his hands to admire the wrapping, and then carefully unwraps it piece by piece without tearing either the ribbon or the paper. it would feel rude, even if the point of wrapping paper is probably to be torn. ]
no subject
["it" is an simple, black claw clip. its body is adorned with a silvery snake, twining across both sides and curling at the top as if nesting in place. a few long strands of clear fiber hang from the bottom, beaded intermittently to create an understated shimmer where they dangle.]
I thought a claw style would be best, since you said you weren't used to using them, and these have some of the most versatile options.
no subject
It's beautiful, [ tseng says, which is true. ] Olivine, really... thank you.
[ he turns it over in his hands, admiring the silver detailing and the beaded accents, and then smiles as he looks up at the other man. not his usual small, restrained smile, but something warmer and more genuine, an expression rarely seen on tseng's face. ]
Modeled after my tattoo? [ the snake on his forearm, twining through the shapes of diamonds. ] Or do snakes just remind you of me in some way?
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🎀