RP:In Case Of Apocalypse, Please Refer To Plan B

Summary: CalluMeri try to get back to some sort of normalcy with their lives while Sabrina lurks in the background.

The Royal Arborium, Larket

It’d been a short while since Kahran’s attack. A week? Week and a half? Maybe two? Callum had lost track. Nothing else mattered but fixing his gardens. Well, they weren’t -really- his; they were Josleen’s, but still. These plants that Chisel had destroyed were his babies, his pride and joy! Things had mostly been cleaned up here, in this portion of the biodome that was the gardens, but the main area to the east still needed a lot of work. One solitary plant survived the blast: the Queen’s precious Jade Wisp Fern. To have lived through that, it must’ve been magical in the same sense that Chisel herself was and Callum avoided it for now besides having had watered it earlier. Now, he was directing a terramancer from the city’s magic academy, telling him where the red bricks should go, where the bronze and glass was before--all of this in an attempt to set things right before Josleen could have too much of a fit whenever she got out of jail. Other herbalists, some witches and some not, were helping tend to new flora, installing the new jungle plants, hoping to recreate what it had been before. Callum sighed heavily, once he was done with the terramancer, and set to watering some of the nearby plants with his water magic.

Sabrina had heard of the recent strife of Larket; The Magnet of Doom, if there ever really was a place. Her clinic was full, everyone carrying on keeping Larket afloat. Except her. She hadn’t been here and what she learned was bits and pieces. An evening stroll brought her here. Callum was directing his crew. She sucks a bit of air between her teeth and shoves her thumbs in back pockets while looking up at the stars. It was dark enough she’d be easy to miss in all the renovations, and she kept a reasonable distance so as not to interfere.

Meri wasn’t here with Callum from the start. Her arrival comes later, probably much later actually. She has her own business to try and take care of and while it has not suffered nearly as much damage as Cal’s own workplace, it could not be ignored. When she does come she comes with the gift of food, nothing overly fancy. It’s a small to go box from the near by eatery with enough food for one — some sandwich deal that Cal could eat quickly and with ease so he could get right back to the grind. It takes Meri a moment to actually locate Callum, the gardens even destroyed was not contained in the smallest of areas. It was the sound of his voice instructing that terramancer that helped her figure out where she needed to go and by the time Cal was found, the terramancer was off and Cal was resuming his watering. “Hey you.”

Callum didn’t notice Sabrina just yet, as it were, he was much too pre-occupied on things currently. Meri, however, does gain his attention, ocean blue eyes fixed on her now instead of the plants he’d been tending to, “Hey.” The food that’d been brought allowed for the faintest of smiles from the recently ill-tempered male, “How was work?” He took the food and moved to a bench that’d been recently installed and sat down on it, leaving enough room for Meri to take a seat as well, “Things here are… slow… as you can see. Thankfully, it seems like some of the witches trust me a little better now, after that whole debacle at the labor camp. I’d much rather have them here than anyone that Josleen might appoint for me.”

There is a slight wrinkle of her nose at Cal’s last sentence. It is not a jealous expression, Cal should know better than to assume that by now. However, even though Meri is pro-witch, it does not mean that she is keen on the notion of witches working for Cal, where Josleen could discover that and label her beau a witch supporter. That is why her nose wrinkles up. But those thoughts are pushed to the back of her mind, Cal let her do what she wanted to do so she would afford the same to him at all times despite her concerns. Onto the bench she goes, sinking into a spot immediately next to Callum. No sandwich for her for she already ate it prior to bringing Cal his dinner. “It will come along. Slow and steady wins the race. It will probably be better than last time, I think. It sucks that all your hard work was destroyed, but I think in the redesign you will get more say in how things look? Maybe?”

Callum had spied that nose-wrinkling as he tore off a bit of that sandwich and shoved it into his mouth, “What…?” He frowned a little, then shook his head, “No. I’m putting it back the way it was before. Josleen would have a fit if I changed anything and she’s already crazy enough right now--and probably suspicious too because of how hesitant I clearly was to help Macon. The more I do to appease her, the better. If I can at least keep her on my side, then that means Macon’s on our side for the most part too.” Another small bite of his food is taken, and then some of it offered to the blonde.

Meri both brows are lifted at all of this. He’ll put it back exactly the way it was? What was the fun in that. But Meri saw his logic, let’s not upset Josleen. Not if she is already feeling suspicious. There is a nod of her head to signal her acceptance of this answer and then a shake of her head to decline the remains of the sandwich. “Naw, babe. I got that all for you. I ate one at the eatery before I swung by. I thought about waiting but...” and eating together as couples tend to do. “...but I was hungry.” Though Meri was suddenly wishing that she had thought to snag a couple of beers for them too. Blue eyes travel over the expanse of the garden, but it is enough to cause her to frown. It was such a beautiful plus before and it would take so long to rebuild. “The longer we stay in Larket, the more I think we need to stock up your second home with non-perishables so that we’re prepared in case we need to make a quick escape...How is Macon?”

Callum just shrugged as she explained her not wanting to share his sandwich, and dug into the rest of it instead while she pondered aloud. “I think you’re right,” he said finally, closing the to-go box, “Especially if Larket might get attacked again by Kahran. I’m almost half-tempted to ask Brand if we can just live on his ship too. Don’t have to worry about batty monarchs or people hellbent on burning the rest of the world if we’re far enough out at sea. I’m about as at home out there as Brand is, albeit I’d just have to get used to it again. It’s a thought, at least… Just in case.” Another shrug came, this time in the form of an answer instead of a ‘suit yourself’ sort of thing, “I dunno. I’m trying to do my best to stay away from there until I can get my own head on straight again--if that’s possible. Lying’s not easy, and it’s even worse if my head’s not in the game.”

Meri smirks at Callum. Live with Brand? He just said that? Live with Brand? Meri has this mental image of Cal having a paranoid moment and not being able to sleep in the slightest because he is convinced Brand is going to burn him alive in his sleep. “Well no offense, but may be Auntie Meri but I am not super keen on living with a Preggo and a newborn.” If it ever came to that. Sorry Khitti, Cal will thank Meri later. “Buuut...can we buy ourselves a boat?” A boat, not a ship. “Nothing oversized. Just one of those two person deals. Maybe three person.” Maybe a small yacht. “We can park it in Cenril and take her out whenever we want.” Meri frowns momentarily. “But if we do that we need to stay clear of mermaids at all times. I don’t need them trying to eat another boyfriend.” This was not the most realistic dream, probably it would be more realistic to stock the other house up with dried fruits and meats.

Right. Yes. Pregnant women and children are not exactly the best to live with. Callum could probably -maybe- handle living with Captain Crazy Fire Pants, but not the other two. His right eye twitched a little at the thought. “We could get a boat, yes. Once things seem to be mostly sorted out here, we can go down to the wharf in Cenril and see what’s there. And… I would definitely prefer to not be eaten by ladyfish. I appreciate your concern.” Cue Cal giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“You are welcome, though I confess that I am selfishly (shellfishly is what came out for a bit there) saying we should avoid the ladyfish for my own sanity. Let’s not be sexist though. I hear mermen are just as much of a handful, but I have never actually met a merman before. Just their old maids.” Which is a statement that would not sit well with those maid’s if they ever heard Meri stay such a thing. That kiss on the cheek is given a cheeky grin. “Let’s go home though, hm? You have been working hard. I will draw you a baaaaath and maybe if you bat those pretty blue eyes at me enough I will give you a massage.” Meri winks, and not in a sexual sort of way. This is not any innuendo from Meri. She is just trying to be nice to her cranky butt boyfriend, you know.

Callum side-eyed the ground a bit, “I wonder what the merdudes look like.” If they were cute enough, maybe he’d be okay with them eating him? But, you know, only if there was no escape and Meri suddenly realized she was fine with him dying to fishpeople. There was a hint of red to his cheeks as he stood up and offered his hand to Meri to help her up, “Alright, yes. Let’s go home. I could definitely use all of those things. I might even let you pour me a glass of whiskey too. I might need another sandwich on the way as well. I forgot how much manual labor in a garden gives me an appetite.” He’d move to where he left his things (his coat and that secretly-yet-somehow-still-infamous notebook), then return to Meri’s side, letting her lead him on, if she preferred.

Meri will fight all the merdudes and mermaids. No, fish people. Her storm mage. She will too! She has some experience beating up mermaids. If Cal wanted to make a pit stop to grab another sandwich? Meri would be happy to make that stop with her guy. Lead or follow though? Neither is Meri’s top choice. She prefers they do the whole walking together thing. Off they would go, and all of Cal’s blushing...well Meri is still a she-devil. He blushing earns him a pinched rear. Oh my.