to see a world in a grain of sand

[kowase]

WHO: Dante, Vergil, Nero, and any visitors to the Auguries within the month of June.
WHERE: Auguries of Innocence
WHEN: Throughout June/July
WHAT: Different logs/stuff that happens at Vergil's apartment-slash-shop
WARNINGS: General sparda family stuff, they talk about demon stuff idk. there'll be a birthday party at the end of the month too.



[ A three-story building with a shop in the bottom-most floor, a sign that is overtly fancy and gilded with silver, Auguries of Innocence. In the window, there is now a smaller, just as fancy, but red glowing sign that says Opening Soon: Devil May Cry.

The second floor a storeroom filled with crates of items unsorted and damaged alike, things Vergil has collected for numerous years and hasn't finished restoring, or is just holding while not ready to sell. The floor also has a number of crafting tools in it for restoring broken items or refurbishing damaged ones.

The third floor is a minimalistic, mostly grey and silver apartment with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a study, a kitchen, a livingroom and a dining area in it. It's covered in antiques, with some weapons hanging on the wall. The furniture looks styled more for looking at than it is for sitting on, which is annoying, at best.


For the Montshs of June/July, Vergil and Dante have forcibly kidnapped Nero to live with them while he's dealing with some rather unfortunate memory issues -- and this post will be used for any threads involving the trio + any visitors while this mess goes on. ]

Comments

[lapislazily]

[He will after he downs an old-fashioned. Maybe.]

'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Foshan becomes only one of several destinations when there is so much to see. Perhaps I should take you with me to Anyang. They recently opened the Cao Cao Mausoleum, and since I've been busy with things here, I haven't had a chance to see it myself.

[Zhongli is genuine about the invitation, but finding time to travel will be difficult.]

What would I make? Hmm... I would begin with a set of cups, of course. Once I was sure of the consistency of the clay, I'd make you a proper teapot to go with it.

[kowase]

It has been a long time since I have gone travelling for anything but business. Perhaps a vacation would do me good, one of these days.

[ being invited along so casually feels... odd. he can't recall the last time someone openly invited him to anything like that in his own family, let alone a 'friend'. Hm. this was a feeling to process. ]

I could take the time off, of course. Merely let me know a few weeks in advance, if you can find the time, as well.

[ zhongli always seemed to be busy, after all. That Black Order business... no, he shouldn't ask. ]

--Ah. Handmade pottery is something I can appreciate. I never quite could get the hand for it myself.

[lapislazily]

My friend is always going on and on about adventure. I suppose it's been long enough since I had one.

[He nods. As far as he's concerned, this arrangement isn't impossible. Though the Black Order has been busy as of late, he doesn't think this will be forever.]

I'll let you know when I'm able to take some time off. Work has been... demanding as of late, so it may be a little while.

[Demanding, he says. He doesn't elaborate.]

The method seems straightforward enough, but there are many factors that can decide whether your work stands or crumbles. Still, there's something remarkable about shaping something with one's own hands, whether it matches what you had in your head or not. So much of what we devote our energy to is... intangible, or difficult to quantify. Pottery and sculpture bridges that gap.

[kowase]

A little adventure is not terrible for the soul. Jarring as it has been, I believe the change of pace from Milan to Kaisou has been an adventure of sorts, in and of itself. So I believe a trip may well do good for you as well.

[ zhongli has explained the way the black order operated before, but he's not so sure how busy they would be--did the work become seasonal? did they have to explore every gate that popped up on the zodiac app every month, or...?

questions he wanted to ask, but felt rude prying about. ah, the mystery. ]

Crafts are interesting like that. Often what you visualize in your head never shows up in your hands.
Which is why I love pottery as a form--no single hand-crafted piece is identical, regardless how a creator may try for consistency.

[lapislazily]

[He nods. Vittore has done a lot to blossom on his own since moving here, making more friends and learning about himself. Zhongli had done his best to keep an eye on Vittore up until now, but perhaps he won't need to do so for much longer now that the silver-haired son has found his path.]

A little change in routine...

[He looks thoughtful.]

... That is true. And so it is for the jade I've given you, as well.

Would you like a drink, Vittore? I imagine you must have the ingredients for an old-fashioned in one of these cupboards.

[kowase]

[ he's been so alone and isolated most of his life--on purpose, of course--it was a struggle changing that, now that he was here. it's not like he had a choice--but maybe he was growing okay with it, as time went on. ]

--I would actually enjoy a drink. I have a number of fine drinks here, there, over in the kitchen--

[ he points to a fine mahogany cabinet, one of those ones that hold crystal glasses and has a little cupboard in it, as well as a wine rack at the bottom. ]

There is a number of fine liquors in there--many of which I have attempted to keep my brother from pilfering overmuch.

If you would like to mix something, I would most certainly enjoy a drink alongside you as well. [ he's getting up, slipping that new knife into his belt--as if it belonged there. ]

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli entered the Black Order the same way, intending to live out the next thousand years unfeeling and uncaring, and now he's attending birthday parties.]

I thought you might. You are a man of great taste, after all.

[He watches where that knife goes and smiles a little.]

Allow me to mix you something for this auspicious day, then.

[He goes over to the mahogany cabinet and takes out two rocks glasses. It takes him a minute to track down the non-alcoholic ingredients, but once he's found what he needs from the kitchen and splashed bourbon over the top, Zhongli offers Vittore a glass. Even the orange garnish has been sliced with attention to detail... in a diamond shape, no less.]

Here you are. Hopefully I haven't lost my touch.

[kowase]

[ he'll take the compliment, thanks. It's praise--praise from someone he respects quite a lot--and he's not used to blooming praise like that. Even his own father, when handed Vergil's scholastic achievements, gave him the barest of compliments, 'to be expected', 'living up to expectations' and the like.

Being told he has great taste makes him feel oddly smug in a way that he won't admit, and he'll move over to watch Zhongli as he preforms his mixology, directing him if he feels the need to where other ingredients might be kept.

Once he's done, he'll gratefully take the glass, and raise it.

A little smirk working its way across his features. ]

...Some of the simplest things are the most tasteful, in their own ways.
A personal touch like this is warming.

Thank you for your hard work.

[ he'll raise the glass to the other. ]