the day before the day [fayt, holly, wynter]

Spring was a good season. It meant time to sleep with the windows open, for one thing, but Fayt still couldn't shake the habit of making himself a mug of tea before he went to bed. The kettle let out a shrill whistle and he smiled to himself, pouring the hot water into a ceramic mug over a few tea leaves, as well as a single mint leave to enhance the flavor. There was the memory of chill in the air and he wrapped his hands around the ceramic of the mug, letting the heat seep into his skin and warm him from the outside in. Soon, it would be from the inside out.

The sharp knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts and he turned his attention in that direction, blinking slowly. Was someone... knocking on the door? It was a little late to be receiving new guests, but he supposed he couldn't really judge. Maybe someone had set out a bit late from their destination and gotten here at a strange time, and maybe they had too much luggage to open the door?

...or something.

Setting his tea down, Fayt made his way to the door at the front of the lobby and opened it slowly, not really knowing what to expect. A young man who looked as though he was dressed for the dead of winter, at least, had certainly not been it. "Yes?" he asked, opening the door all the way. A frown marred his features as he noticed that the man was shivering, and while he meant to ask if he needed a room, what came out was, "Are you all right?"

Grocery shopping wasn't always her job, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. And on a spring day like the one that blessed them, she couldn't complain at all. Though, on the way back, she would have to say it didn't end in the same way that it normally did. The sight of a man at the entrance made her tilt her head in confusion before picking up on the conversation. The voice on the other side made her more confident to respond.

"Yes, this is the Sea Breeze Inn. You're welcome to enter at anytime, sir!" Her cheerful voice came from behind Theris at the door. Holly looked up at the man, having to shift the weight of the paper bags in her arms to actually see over them properly. After a little chuckle, she added, "If you want to, that is. Wouldn't want you to have to make up your mind on the spot. But if you're feeling not all right, getting inside might be helpful."

It didn't truly surprise her to find someone new looking for a place to stay, but she would be lying to herself if she didn't think he was dressed a little weird for the time of the year. She had never seen him before, though, so maybe this was just how people where he was from dressed? "If Fayt's holding you up, then you can just kick him out of the way. Don't worry, I give you permission."

"Wha- hey!" Fayt said in response to Holly's... accusation, for lack of a better word, taking a step back to allow both the stranger and his ungrateful sister to pass into the lobby of the inn. He focused a glare that had no real heat onto her before looking to the stranger. He really didn't look all right at all, did he?

"You're welcome," he said, taking in the young man's appearance. He had no possessions with him, but his clothing was not that of someone homeless. A runaway, then? He didn't look much older than Fayt himself, but looks could be deceiving. After he had determined that the black haired male wasn't going to keel over and die in the middle of their lobby, he said, "My name is Fayt Devanti. This is my sister, Holly." He mentally added, "whom you're free to ignore", but thought better of it.

He had a much better way to punish her for her behavior, after all. Menial labor.

"Hey, Hols," he said, turning his gaze to his sister. "I was boiling some water earlier. Think you could make him some tea and get him some of the stew from dinner?" Without waiting for a response, he turned to Theris with a frown. "You could eat it here, if you want, but you'd probably be more comfortable in the dining room." Then again, moving him might have been a terrible idea.

His hearing had gone a little muted, but he still heard the names. He swept the two of them a carefully-executed bow, bringing a hand back up to his heart once he finished, counting heartbeats as best as he could. "Theris Lysander. It's nice to meet you." The alias he had picked out and the history he had invented for himself during his days in prison immediately went out the window. A lapse in concentration, and Theris remained himself. He couldn't yet bring himself to care.

When Holly left for the kitchen, Theris followed Fayt to the dining room. He practically sank into the first chair he saw, pressing his hand to his wrist to check his pulse. He was supposed to count, but the number kept slipping away from him. Too slow. He could tell that much. Sitting down for a few minutes seemed to help, and he definitely must have closed his eyes, because Holly's voice snapped him out of it again.

"It... isn't a heart attack," he tried to reassure them. "Just... beating irregularly." He wasn't sure how comforting that was.

Theris blinked, realizing that food had arrived. "Thank you-- I can't pay in coin," he said quickly. "I was going to ask about working to cover the cost..."

Darkness had fallen quickly that night. The day had passed like it always had, but with the beginning of the spring season, it seemed as if there was always more to do. With the groceries being taken care of by Holly that evening, it had been his own job to gather firewood for the hearth that was to be lit during the evenings. Early spring chill still lingered in the evenings, and a small fire would serve as both warmth and a place to relax.

The sound of clattering and a cry from the kitchen drew his attention as he made his way back from the wood pile that rested at the back of the inn. Entering through the back door in the kitchen, it didn't take long to notice the mess that had been left and a brief amusement had fluttered up to the surface. The sound of voices coming from the front drew him out of his thoughts, his hand lingering on the counter before stepping through the doorway and out to the small gathering.

"I don't remember, but you can always ask dad." Wynter came to a stop just behind the others, Fayt's words reaching his ears, a small smile splaying itself out across his expression. Tucked under one arm was the pile of firewood he had gathered and in the other hand laying at his side was the remnant of the broken dish. "I don't think he'd be against someone working to help pay off their tab."

"Welcome to our inn. I'm Wynter. What's your name?" Even with his hands full and being unable to extend a hand to shake, a welcoming nod was given to Theris as he shifted to place the wood down. Straightening back up, Wynter turned his attention to Holly, holding up the dish to inspect it. "I take it this is your handiwork? Don't worry, I can glue it back together. I can always tell mom I broke it if she asks."

At Fayt's reassurance and then the appearance of Wynter, Holly mimicked her brother's wave of the hand-- something that she had picked up from him, no doubt. "What handiwork? If you heard Fayt, nothing has been damaged or broken..." Holly snatched the broken piece of dish from her childhood friend and slipped it into her pocket. Tilting her head innocently, she grinned up at Wynter. "Right?"

Humming contently to herself, Holly plopped herself down in a chair, producing an apple from her other pocket and munching on it. An interested expression took over when she looked at the stranger, now named Theris. Travelers were common in Asgard, but Holly always took an fascination in learning where people came from. It definitely helped that she lived at the inn. She got to see many different people.

Swallowing her bite of apple, she shook her head. "No need to apologize. If you're starving, you're starving. There's nothing really to help that but food." Holly smiled softly, peeling off the skin of the green fruit in her hands with her nails absentmindedly. "So, Theris. Have you just arrived? Have to say I haven't seen you around here..." Directing her gaze at Wynter and her brother, she raised an eye. "Either of you?"

Theris did his best to hold up his end of the conversation whenever he didn't have too much food in his mouth to speak. "I got off the boat late this afternoon, and then I think I got a bit lost." In retrospect, it probably should have been easier for him to find the inn than it actually had, considering its placement.

"I was raised to be formal," Theris admitted, his mouth twisting slightly. "It's a difficult habit to shake, even now that I'm out of Heim." His tea seemed cool enough to drink, so he took a sip. "If you have a room open, I'd appreciate it."

He felt almost normal again. Wonderful.