ph au psl

[belovedscars]

[The food is heavy in Gil's small arms, promising a meal and plenty of rations for him and his family. The thought makes him smile and nearly stumble up the broken steps that lead to their current shelter, an old, abandoned cottage on the outskirts of the city. It wouldn't last. Someone bigger and stronger would find it, and they would need to be prepared to leave swiftly. But now they didn't need to worry like they used to.

Noh was leading them home. She would know what to do.

Ever since Gilbert and Vincent escaped the freakshow and ran into Noh, their lives had already become so different. She had seen the same golden drops of light as Gil, and after convincing Vincent they would be okay, they agreed to stick together and follow the lights. Gil knew in his heart that the lights had lead them to Noh. She was strong, smart...she was really cool, and the only person other than Vincent Gil trusted.]

Vince! Noh!

[Bursting into the rundown room with a bright smile, Gil proudly holds out his spoils.]

I found lots of food! We can eat it while we travel.

Comments

[nohty]

[ Their ramshackle little place might not be much, but it's more a home than any other place they've been in until now. Between the freak show Gil and Vince came from and the slums of her own past, having a roof over her head like this is a lot for Noh.

Yeah, it won't last, but for now? It's theirs and she's got two tiny fists full of spunk to defend it to the very end.

--Until they leave anyway. Gil reports that he's got food and Noh perks up like a lightbulb and drags Vince with her to greet him. ]

Gil...! There you are. Yer not s'pposed to go off without sayin' nothin' ya lil' squirt!

[ Which is her way of welcoming him home, reaching up to ruffle his hair this way and that with both hands. ]

Told ya I'd go out an' find somethin'... You dingus.

[ She squishes his face and lets him go. ]

[belovedscars]

Noh!

[Gil's arms being full, he has no choice but to accept her affectionate scolding and hair ruffling with the biggest, silliest smile.]

But I wanted you to stay safe here.

[The look he wears is one of pure adoration.]

And I found meat! And vegetables that are still good! Doesn't that sound delicious?

[nohty]

Ah, shoot...that does sound real good. Ugh. Okay! But yer still in trouble, you hear me? No more wanderin' off.

[ No matter the U, Noh's one true love will always be meat. Gil's present has swayed her in this moment, but he's getting another hair ruffle just because. ]

Let's eat!

[belovedscars]

I woooon't. I'm sorry for worrying you.

[It's a bold lie. Gil might be sorry, and he'll agree to appease Noh, smiling sheepishly when she ruffles his hair, but if it meant she would smile at him and her and Vincent wouldn't go hungry, he would wander off every day.]

Mn!

[Laying the cloth down with all the care in the world, he unfolds it and arranges the food with as much thought as he can despite how his stomach growls.]

Eat up!!

[nohty]

Squirts first! You two're littler 'n me, so you guys grab yers first.

[ She says, absolutely about the be the smallest of the trio in like two months of proper nutrition. She's taken them under her wing though and darn if she isn't going to make sure they get the first dibs.

She'll shove an old, stale roll into Gil's mouth if she has to and only then snatch one up for herself. ]

[belovedscars]

Noh! And Vince is littler than m--mmn!

[Defeated by bread!! Gil tears into it as if afraid the food will disappear any moment, roll still secured in his mouth as he pushes Noh and Vincent towards the food.]

[nohty]

[ Yes, yes. Noh will be happy to tuck in once she's sure her boys have gotten some; then all bets are off and she's scarfing down the roll in her hand as if she'll never have another--which is possible given their circumstances. ]

Mmf....I was starvin'. Where'd you get all this??

[belovedscars]

[The question has Gil looking guilty. He looks down at the bread, silently begging it to answer, but it doesn't answer, with it being bread and everything. Maybe Noh will accept it if he answers while eating? If he's too busy chewing she won't be able to understand him!]

Mmphsfsrt.

[nohty]

Use yer words 'dillo, that don't make no sense to no one just now.

[ But on the flip side, she is glad to see him stuffing his face like that. Squirt needs to eat more, she thinks. He's too skinny. He might be eating better now than when he was at that show, but she wants to see him plump up. ]

[belovedscars]

[Oh no(h)! His attempts didn’t work. Gil tries to eat the bread slow as he can, but it’s in vain, but he does pause between hungry bites to look down sheepishly.]

I said it’s really good, isn’t it?

[nohty]

[ NOH SEES WHAT YOU'RE DOING TINY MISTER and she is not buying it. He's going to get a h u f f for that answer...and the next chomp she's gonna take is out of his cheek!! homf. ]

[belovedscars]

Wah! Noh!!

[Gil makes the most pathetic face he can, his lip wobbling and he waves his arms. He’ll try to appease Noh with food! Shoving the bread in her face.]

[nohty]

Grrr...!

[ ...she says, but she's grinning when that dinner roll mushes into her cheek and turns to bite into it. Gil is released!! but she expects an answer....one day ]

[belovedscars]

Here!

[Giggling, he offers her some pork.] Eat it. You too, Vince! You need food to grow.

WHAT A CUTE ICON???? gil stoppit....

[nohty]

[ Which she accepts with only a brief squint to make sure he's set aside enough for himself and Vincent. She's gotta be sure!!

Once she is it goes straight into her mouth with zero manners ]

C'mon Vinnie--eat up! Yer the tiniest one o' all.

CRIES…they’re both cute T_T

[belovedscars]

[Vincent looks up at Gil, then Noh for permission. He somehow looks more unsure than Gil, but he shovels the food in with a quiet thanks.]

Isn’t he tiny and cute? But I’m always gonna be bigger! I have to be. And I have to stay taller than you, Noh!

[This is very important!!]

I love them weeps!!

[nohty]

Taller'n me?? No way. I'm gonna shoot like like a big ol' sunflower ones o' these days, an' yer gonna be jus' a lil' shrimpy-shrimp 'cos you don't eat enough food.

[ So THERE Gil, that's her perfect and absolutely 100% flawless prediction for the future, can't see how this could backfire-- ]

me too! ;_; also pretend i didn't mess up

[belovedscars]

[Gasp! Gil puffs out his cheeks, looking upset by the very thought.]

That isn't true...! One day I'll be taller than you! I have to, so you can count on me!

[nohty]

[ How cute that being shorter than her is what gets him all huffy...it makes her want to bite his face again. ]

Awww, I'd count on ya even if you weren't no bigger than ya are now. Then you'd really be a lil' 'dillo! Hehehe~

[belovedscars]

[Bite his face! Out of defiance, he shoves some bread at her for her to eat, sounding distressed.]

I'm-- I'm older than you! [He thinks? He likes to think that he is, anyway.] That won't happen. I'll definitely grow!

[nohty]

Nu-uh, no way! I'm older.

[ She isn't, but she is The Boss and therefore definitely the oldest in her mind. ]

[belovedscars]

Y-- you are?

[She is The Boss and Gil being Gil would trust her if she said the sky was edible. She has a confidence he lacks.]

[nohty]

I'm the boss! 'Course I am. Bosses are always the oldest.

[ Just watch both their horror when the Baskervilles are like "well actually..." ]

[belovedscars]

I didn’t know that.

[His uncertainty shifts into admiration and he looks at her with stars in his eyes.]

You know a lot, Noh!

[nohty]

That's 'cos I'm the oldest-!

[ SELF-SATISFIED HUFF as she bumps her chest with a fist. ]

You gotta know all this stuff when yer the oldest.

[belovedscars]

So cool...

[That look of awe doesn't fade.]

I'll-- I'll know stuff too!

[nohty]

Then you gotta grow up! An' if you wanna do that you gotta eat--so open up, 'dillo.

[ HAVE ANOTHER DINNER ROLL. ]

[belovedscars]

[He giggles, it's sheepish and warm, speaking through a mouthful of bread.]

You eat too!!!

[nohty]

Yeah, yeah! I knoooooow.

[ Because she's the boss!! Bosses know this sort of thing.

Noh will eat, but it's after she's certain that Gil and Vincent have had a good enough portion. If she were alone she would have shovelled all the food into her face and fought against sharing with anyone...but she's got them to look after now. She has to make sure they all get to the place with the glowing lights. ]

Awright, you guys good? We gotta lotta ground to cover today!

[belovedscars]

[She is the boss!! Gil looks absolutely delighted to share food together. Even Vincent shyly scarfs his bread down.]

Yeah! I ate so much I won’t be hungry for a week!

[He has plenty of energy to protect Noh! Vincent nods and timidly parrots Gil’s yeah.]