Labyrinthum Inbox.

[coineater]

BLACK CAT

---

[un: gatto]

(note: cat is unfamiliar with this level of technology/accessible communication, and icly takes a bit of time to respond.)

(for action, he lives in a smaller than
average hill house.)

. action | text | voice | video .

© EFRYNDIEL

Comments

[labyrinmods]

[ One morning, as your character steps out of their home, they are greeted by an owl messenger, bearing a letter. The letter tells them that they have been selected to participate in a gift exchange, and they are to deliver a gift to Arrakis Faylare by the end of the month. The letter says nothing more, and once the letter is read, the owl will fly away. ]

action!

[foundfamiliar]

[ The fox would like to think he's a pretty observant guy. He keeps his eyes and ears open, just in case there's anything going on that he might want to be a part of.

So, when he hears people around town talking about giving each other gifts, he pays attention. Gifts, as he understands them based on what Ame has told him, are ways of showing the people around you that you appreciate them.

He appreciates Black Cat letting him sleep indoors on nights when it's too cold to be comfortable outside. So, the fox thinks maybe he should get Black Cat one of those "gifts."

And so it is that on one random December morning, Black Cat will open his door to find the fox sitting outside it, tail neatly curled around his feet, with a dead bird on the ground in front of him and a mouthful of flowers. As soon as he sees Black Cat, the fox spits out the flowers. ]

These are for you. For, uh... Helping me out.

[ If Black Cat looks a little further down the way, he'll see a suspiciously fresh looking bare patch in the neighbor's garden. ]

[coineater]

[He nearly stumbles into the gifts -- even with his mask, his vision isn't perfect -- but thankfully with his adjusting to the fox's presence, he's getting better about checking the ground before he commits to his steps in and around his little hill-bound home.

Leaning against to door handle to stabilize himself, Cat takes a quick scan of the area before letting himself crouch down to investigate. As safe as things have been -- kidnapping, magic-induced mood swings, and temporary amnesia aside -- there's only so much he can do about the discomfort he feels without his sister at his side. From his visits, the fox will have learned that he isn't seen frequently without his mask and full attire, even on his own. Really, there wasn't much point without heat or running water.]

For me? Aren't you a generous one. [The only hesitation he has in gathering everything up is to make sure he's treating it with care. There's no real way of knowing, but Black Cat doesn't look disgusted by the gift. He recognizes the dead bird as thoughtful.

Still, that poses a question he didn't want to ponder anytime soon. If this is for helping him, then that meant this wasn't for that widespread gift exchange. What's with all the gifts? Surely it can't be like this all the time.

Whatever. He enjoys the funny little fox. Moving everything to one hand, he reaches out with his other to offer some scritches under the chin.] Who wouldn't want to help a handsome, friendly fellow like you? You and I, we make good company, don't we? I know I like having you around.

[He speaks a little more quickly than usual, and more. The fox has put him in a better mood.]

But my belly's a bit bigger than yours, and this won't do if I'm looking to cook for two. I was about to head to the markets to pick up some more food. Want to come with? My treat -- I got a nice discount around the place.

[Night between the 24th and 25th]

[fragmentaryblue]

[Quiet as a mouse, a package is deposited on Black Cat's doorstep in the middle of the night. This is no secret santa gift, but the giver delights in stealth nonetheless. The package is cylindrical at the bottom, wrapped in paper and cinched with string at the top. Two stiff pieces of paper, card-like but without a fold, are attached at the knot with another loop of string. One bears a poem penned in small but elegant, vine-y handwriting:]

The cat went here and there
And the moon spun round like a top,
And the nearest kin of the moon,
The creeping cat, looked up.
Black Minnaloushe stared at the moon,
For, wander and wail as he would,
The pure cold light in the sky
Troubled his animal blood.
Minnaloushe runs in the grass
Lifting his delicate feet.
Do you dance, Minnaloushe, do you dance?
When two close kindred meet,
What better than call a dance?
Maybe the moon may learn,
Tired of that courtly fashion,
A new dance turn.
Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
From moonlit place to place,
The sacred moon overhead
Has taken a new phase.
Does Minnaloushe know that his pupils
Will pass from change to change,
And that from round to crescent,
From crescent to round they range?
Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
Alone, important and wise,
And lifts to the changing moon
His changing eyes.
~ W. B. Yeats, "The Cat and the Moon"

[The second note has only a few lines on it:]

Place in your sunniest window.
Add water only when the soil is completely dry.
If flowers appear in the spring, pinch them off.
Ask for help if you need it.
~ Iris

[Inside the package is a little blue pot bearing a small catnip plant with a handful of freshly grown stems and leaves.]

[coineater]

[In the morning, the pot sits on the windowsill that receives the most sun through the day, as instructed...with the hint of a folded up note tucked underneath. Should it disappear, the reader would find, in a far more ordinary scrawl,

You're writing to an alleycat not a fly, Fiore.
Show a guy some mercy.

...Seems he's decided to not be too offended by the comparison to his waning eyes and the similarly pale moon. The rest of it, once he was able to make out the poem and recognize the plant, was just too charming to feel fussed about it.]

secret santa delivery. (backdated; sorry it's late!)

[deathrespect]

( On the 25th, there's a note and a package left. The handwriting is a bit messy and the message is short: )

Hey. Happy holidays. Not sure if you're the celebrating type, but I hope it's been decent to ya. Can't go wrong with stuff everyone needs, right? It's kinda like the presents someone close to me would get for something like a gift giving holiday, so I wanted to pass that feeling along.

Stay warm, alright?

- Samatoki Aohitsugi

( Inside the package are a few fancy fruit tarts, looking picturesque even wrapped up. Beneath them, though, there's a black folded up quilt with a unique pattern to the white stitching. It feels a little thin, but it's surprisingly incredibly warm. )

post-blizzard.

[coineater]

[Bro is saving Cat's life this event with this blanket, bless him. When things get less frostbite-inducing, he's going to emerge from his burrito long enough to find the accompanying note from the trash and send a frightfully (for himself) sincere thank you.]

Sweepers always repay what is owed, and gift or not, I owe you one.
Don't be a stranger anymore if you find yourself in a spot of trouble.
- Black Cat

[The fact that he's not a Sweeper anymore -- that the organization doesn't even really exist anymore back home -- doesn't matter, nor does the fact that he never put much stock in the motto. He's feeling tender about the kindness after his misfortune.]

text, un: mouthfuloflies, backdated to the blizzard

[doctor_uhh]

[Roughly 24 hours after Li Lianhua's brief visit to Miss Iris' doorstep, he's finally finding the consciousness energy and time to send a quick message.]

Friend Cat, this weather is really not making it easy for me to live up to my promise to you. But for now, I'll tell you there's an empty bed and warm soup next door, should young miss Iris' company prove too overbearing.

un: gatto

[coineater]

[If only he knew "lol"... What a ridiculous message to receive even before it clicks who this must be.]

good to hear you lived

iris has been sweetening my stay with pastries but i might take you up on a visit
maybe you can tell me just what she did to you to be known as overbearing over a bowl

[doctor_uhh]

[On a particular day in early February, the mail mice will deliver a red envelope to Cat. It's folded to resemble a little pouch, and inside are found eight flower seeds and two lines of calligraphy.]

May the waning year have planted the seeds for good fortune,
And the coming year see flowers bloom all around you.

[coineater]

[bitch is gonna be soooo disgruntled when cat goes to that dang blue to have her do the dirty work of getting these started and stable, as well as explaining lunar new year

(but at least he knows not to attribute the gift to her -- if only because he's already had to warn her about notes like this needing a certain level of clarity and it's just a smidge too small for how fancy it is. what a pain this was to read...)]

text, un: mouthfuloflies, backdated to early April

[doctor_uhh]

Friend Cat, that Huli Jing has asked me to tell you that he's foreseeing a great good fortune for you if you come out to the big maple tree by the path to the crystal. Apparently it's pretty time sensitive though? Don't ask me why.

[coineater]

[rip to some of that time sensitivity because it takes at least twenty minutes for him to find the dang phone]

is that so?
well if you dont know anything about it then it cant be helped
ill have to trust in his special sight

[and for free? What a strange little dog. As much as he questions how worthwhile this endeavor is going to be, Cat throws on his mask and heads over to the maple tree as directed. He's lacking his usual coat and bandages, and his clothes are a spare, if similar, set, but his gloves and boots are the same, at least.]

text; un: epiphyte

[fragmentaryblue]

Your alchemist friend seems to have flown the coop. I happened to pass by his house this morning, and it looked uninhabited.

[coineater]

[Oh. Good news, mostly. He's more relieved over the fact that he's been reminded of a lifeline.]

so i cant breathe so well right now and its hot
if you wouldnt mind passing ny this way too please :(

[doctor_uhh]

It's funny, how so little and yet so much has changed since the last time Li Lianhua had walked this particular path a few weeks ago. To an outsider, nothing at all has changed; just Li Lianhua out for a stroll, basket with edible treats in hand and Huli Jing at his side. But there is a friendship lost and a little scrap of paper appeared in this world, and both weigh equally as heavily on his heart.

He has no expectation of mending anything, and that's probably for the best. But this scrap of paper is simply too valuable to entrust anyone else with its delivery. He can only hope he'll get the chance to explain as much. Then again, it's not really up to chance, is it? He won't be able to leave until Cat has seen this.

When he knocks on Cat's door, there is no carefree humming this time. But he wouldn't be Li Lianhua without a small smile on his lips, at least by the time the door opens. Huli Jing, seemingly recognizing the place, takes a seat in patient expectation of being let in, as if wanting to make a good impression.

[coineater]

Cat needs a moment to get over the jarring experience of someone coming over unannounced, before he can even think about opening the door, but when he finally does there's a call of, "Hold up! I'll be there in a second," and some gentle clatter from within. There isn't a good way for him to subtly snoop on who it is before making the decision to greet them, after all. His sight is too far gone for that. Hell, for all he knows, he's talking to someone that's dropped off a letter and left already, their mission complete.

When the door does open, his other hand is on his masked hood as if he's just finished putting it on. Even with it, making out the figure in front of him is difficult, especially as the device inside adjusts to the change in light. The interior behind Cat is lit only by the light through the windows, which are sparsely placed and small in size to match everything else about the hill house -- occupant included.

It's Huli Jing, perfectly shaped and seated at the bottom of Cat's vision, where it remains most clearly, that makes him realize who he's dealing with, and on reflex, he pulls the door to close it a little again, filling the remaining space with his body. Both his figure and his voice are guarded, though the latter isn't without a touch of curiosity. Subtly as he can manage -- not particularly -- Cat looks to the sides to ensure there isn't some well-meaning fool hanging around, trying to pester the pair into making up. He doubts Li Lianhua would let that happen, but him showing up here on his own is plenty unexpected, too.

"Ugh," he sighs, his irritation leaning closer to exasperation than anger. "What're you here for, then?"

[After the July Sleepr mayhem]

[detective_xiaobao]

[Strangely, Fang Duobing had never though to question where exactly Cat lived. Either the other boy was sneaking into his own bedroom, or they were meeting in some third location for whatever reason. So once he's returned from work, he has to actually text Cat for his address...]

[Which serves just as well for an announcement of his imminent arrival. There shouldn't be any surprise in store, when he gives a solid knock on the door--except for the fact that there's a small box of random leftover pastries tucked among the other things he's brought: Some of the coveted watermelon and a bottle of wine that looked moderately good.]

[As he waits for the door to open, he shifts his weight from one leg to the other, restless but not from awkwardness. There just isn't any good spot to lean (coolly, strategically) while he waits.]

[coineater]

[He doesn't have to wait long before the door opens, so it's probably for the best that he wasn't trying to figure out how to look as cool as possible, especially since Cat is already squinting in his direction to confirm what he assumes. Yep, big with a ponytail, flowy clothes, and carrying shit. Probably raising a hand in a charming stupid little wave any moment now.

He draws back and rubs as his eye with the heel of his palm as if hoping that will help smooth out the look of annoyance he hadn't been able to rid himself of, and which had worsened as he tried (unsuccessfully) to make out Fang Duobing's face out of the smudges his vision still allowed. It probably just makes him look like he's cranky from being woken up. His eyes already have dusky bags beneath them that give him a look of tiredness that shouldn't be achieved by someone his age. With a sigh that becomes a breathy, forced chuckle, Cat pushes his hand up further to comb his fingers through his hair.]

There you are. [He leans forward, some life returning to him as he mimics a cat sniffing about to pinpoint its food sitting on someone else's plate. Has he brought the goods? It's too hard to tell if everything's there.

Oh, right.] Well, come on in, then! What're you waiting for?

[As if he hasn't been prevented from doing so. Cat moves out of the way and gestures for Fang Duobing to enter, his wave vague enough that it could be either at the kitchenette or the sparse pieces of furniture that make up both a living and dining space.]

Action, during duck hunt drama

[fragmentaryblue]

[Upon hearing Cat's dictation of his credentials, Blue glances down from her own perusal of the network to look at the boy using her lap (one leg crossed over the other) as a headrest.]

Have you really? That sounds like a very heroic use of your time.

[Not that she doesn't think he's capable of it, but there has to be more to it than Search and Rescue. Or at least a reward, which he seems to be negotiating for now.]

[coineater]

[Despite relying on it more heavily, he'd refrained from using Speech-to-Text and vice versa in Blue's presence to spare her the nuisance, but it didn't take long for him to realize that with the way the two of them laid about discussing what they found on the network, doing so was pointless. She'd discover his words one way or another eventually.

...This is a bit of an awkward thing to have to explain, though.]

Oh, heh. I might be embellishing a little...but it was similar enough! Especially since I doubt the little duckling needs the rescue half.

slightly backdated

[doctor_uhh]

[Two days after the return of everyone from their respective futures, the mail mice will deliver a somewhat amateurishly made white paper rabbit to Cat, as well as a little red envelope not unlike the one he received in spring. The writing is larger this time, though.]

People see joys and sorrows, partings and reunions,
The moon sees clear sky and clouds, fullness and emptiness,
These matters of old have been troubling.
Wishing for people to have enough time,
A thousand miles apart, united by the radiant moon.

If you're asking what a rabbit has to do with the moon, stop by Li Lianhua's house on the evening of the next full moon. All you'll be troubled to bring is a good appetite and enough time to share a cup of wine with friends.

COIN TREE DRAMA

[coineater]

October 7th, cw chronic/terminal illness and past self harm mention

[coineater]

It's taken time to recover from the events of the previous month, the damage running deeper than the little cuts that had broken across his dry lips or the ones on his upper arm he'd added with a knife on his own for proof that he was okay, he still had time, and he wasn't going to die in that version of the world filled only with dust and the broken. The miracle of his cure and escaping may have been kept out of his reach for most of his time there, but that didn't matter.

He was back now, able to stand in front of the gold coin tree that had withered away to nothingness, and know that its roots were secure, healthy, and ready to drink in the magic that would help it grow before...it really was too late. Better as he was, Cat knows that coming back to the same day he'd been jumped years forward didn't erase his body of all the disease the same way it erased the dates.

It would be fine. He was back. The tree was here, his hope. Blue was here, his friend. The day was here! Today! Well, the day of the start, anyway, since it would still take a long time, even if it won't be the years he doesn't have. Cat looks expectantly over to the woman with his hands in his hips, trying to not buzz out of his skin with energy he can't direct into anything else. He can't exactly do anything to help with this. Like, what, should he be a cat about it? He already is!

"So, you're ready, right? The tree's ready?"

action, on October 12th

[fragmentaryblue]

(Following the initial sending of this message.)

[Blue, presently, has a headache. It's not helped at all by attempting to focus on the small bright screen of her phone, or the bizarre text that she just received. She still has a fever as well, and a gnawing hunger that never really abates but has felt particularly worse this past week.]

[She tries not to be irritable, especially not with Cat, who has been doing his level best to nurse her back to health. If she has any complaints (and she does), she'll at least not add this to them. He's not the one messaging her, after all.]

[It does concern him though... Or she thinks it does. She's seen the way that Cat acts in regard to Inigo. A little fly buzzing about him that he doesn't seem to mind. So it's only fair that she inquire without preamble, in a moment when he happens to be in proximity of the living room:]

What are your feelings on our dear firefly?

[coineater]

[Taking care of Blue, even if he can tell she's trying very hard to be on her best behavior, isn't...not a headache. He can feel her dissatisfaction radiating from her when he isn't giving her something to focus on -- and with no communication at large to gossip with her about, he feels like her playing around on her device isnt necessarily the best way of lifting her mood... But at least she pesters other people instead of him.

-- or at least she DID]

Firefly? [That is her phone, right, not his...? Yes, his is still in his pocket, as he checks with a pat. He tries to keep it on him more these days.] What's this about? Are you two talking about me, now?

12/25 gift delivery !!

[placation]

[ On Christmas morning, Black Cat will find a squashy package at his hill home doorstep. Inside is a scarf, crocheted by one of the local craftspeople long before they shuttered their businesses to the dreamers – a dark forest green with little grey cat heads dotted throughout, though he's unsure if Black Cat will be able to see it.

And as such, there's no note inside, but Maruki does send a quick voice message to un: gatto, without any expectation of response. ]

Merry Christmas, Black Cat! There's a package from me at your door – I wanted you to have something to keep you a little bit warmer during this endless snowy night.

[coineater]

[There is a response later on, albeit a brief and ungrateful one.]

Send it sooner next time!

[He still wears it around the house in a vain attempt to keep out the cold coming from within, and appreciates the pattern once it's conveyed to him.]

( christmas gift )

[purrsonality]

[ after listening to maruki's advice and not being sure what to give, this is the solution izutsumi hits upon. ]



happy holidays.

[audio message from un: gatto]

[coineater]

A favor, eh?

[He sounds a bit sick, but his voice has a fond warmth to it all the same.]

That's a dangerous and appreciated offer. ...Happy holidays to you, Gattina.

Jan 29, Spring Festival

[doctor_uhh]

[On this day the mail mice deliver a parcel to Cat, which contains a box of cupcakes with distinct facial features and a little cloth purse sewn from soft yet robust fabric. It is printed with pink and white plum blossoms on their branches. Although it was made with a lack of advanced skill, the cuts and seams are even enough to do the job. The pouch closes with a red cord.

Of course, the gifts come with a red envelope, which contains a few flower seeds. The mail mice, having been so instructed and bribed handsomely with cheese, recite these lines to Cat in a chorus of squeaks:]

Blooming ahead of hundreds of flowers,
Amidst the cold of snow and ice she's seen.
The frosty moon surely knows her,
The first to feel the spring breeze on her face.

[Since he's already been invited to Fang Duobing's Spring Festival party later that evening, he will receive his well wishes and toasts for the new year in person.]

text; un: melancholic.gentleman (mid event)

[detective_xiaobao]

Hey.

Are you still alive over there?

[coineater]

Wouldn't it be funny if I didn't reply to this?

[backdated to 12/25]

[fragmentaryblue]

[Following a meeting with Chise, Blue finds that instead of paying her dearest friend a surprise visit, she needs to escort (read: carry) her poor assistant home. She can spare only a moment to attach her gift to the handle of Cat's door, a soft package wrapped in paper and tied with string, containing two grey knit mittens with a thick cover to fold over the fingers.]

[Later, when she has a few minutes to spare, she sends a text to alert him to his waiting present.]

Gattino, I've left something hanging from your door. I would have liked to give it to you in person, but there are some things I need to take care of presently. I'll visit properly when I'm able. Enjoy the warmth in the meantime.

april event | doppel fox & pinocchio

[coineater]

[It's been close to perfect, the last few days. There were still a few stumbling blocks to come, he's certain -- the wounds still hadn't fully healed from his argument with Blue at the winter gathering, not like their first fight's physical toll on him -- but for now, Cat is focusing on the good things. His sister is back! He's in recovery! He hasn't driven away his boyfriend despite all of his fuck-ups, and now their sixth month anniversary is coming up!

Fox has been accompanying him everywhere, just as unwilling to leave his side as he is to leave hers after what happened last time she'd been brought to Somnius, and today's trip into the city on the other continent is no different...though Cat's shopping list isn't targeted towards making their life together more welcoming for her, this time. He's not buying anything home-like at all!]

All the sleeping outside we've done, and I haven't a clue what I'm all looking for.

(using this account to facilitate doppelganger plans)

[moonlightdancer]

[Perfect is the way it should be. It wouldn't do for Cat to think of their time together as anything less. She was perfect, wasn't she? What else could he possibly want but to linger in her company, to be her brother and nothing but?]

[She seems content to travel with him, to go where he goes, to accompany him on every errand that he might run, no matter how small. It's for his safety, she insists. They won't be separated again.]

[But this errand has taken them far into the city and away from their solitary abode. "Fox" drifts closer to him as they traverse the roads, her curiosity seemingly piqued by his dilemma.]

I might be able to help, brother, if you tell me what you're hoping to find here.

text; un: melancholic.gentleman (Early May)

[detective_xiaobao]

Hey, answer me something.

What color were you assigned with these strange competitions?

[coineater]

You tell me

[Cat could tell him, of course -- but where's the fun in that? He's definitely just a little guy that doesn't have a teammate taking refuge that could tell his blind ass what color his team is~

So instead, he sends Fang Duobing a selfie, though his face is mostly hidden behind his arm being held between him and the camera like a guard in order to display the green flag tied around his wrist.]

text; un: epiphyte; Following getting chased out (May tdm)

[fragmentaryblue]

Remind me again why I didn't put him in the stew.

[coineater]

haha
if I were generous I would say because I think he's a funny fellow but I feel like that isn't enough after that display
the real answer is because he's helped to keep me alive
and probably a little bit because chances are you would have spilt it all over yourself