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[thanks to Altria's help, Lyney has managed to find residence in her apartment building! the home he has chosen for himself is. . . pretty boring and sterile, but that's okay. if he truly is meant to be here for longer than just a few days, he'll spruce it up in no time]

[but for now, he has taken to exploring his surroundings and familiarizing himself with the facilities the city has to offer. which includes-- GASP-- the laundromat!]

[. . . anyway, washing machines and dryers are a relatively new invention in Fontaine, and only the upper crust have access to them. Lyney is not the upper crust, so he has never seen one in action]

[cue him watching as his emotional support top hat tumbles around the dryer, bouncing to and fro off of the machine's walls]

[he's transfixed]

Edited 2023-12-15 01:42 (UTC)

[It's only natural that Altria would stick her nose in all of the areas nearby their living space. Today's snooping has brought her to--GASP--the laundromat!

Altria does not know what a laundromat is.

She does not have any clothes in her arms.

... But she comes over when she sees Lyney, sits next to him, and is equally transfixed by the way his emotional support top hat tumbles.]

[Altria's presence is noted long before she takes a seat, but the only acknowledgement she gets is a slight tilt of Lyney's head. he knows she is there! . . . he isn't saying anything because he's still transfixed]

[two idiots watch a hat bounce around a dryer. what riveting entertainment]

[. . . but anyway, at least Lyney eventually breaks the silence]

I've heard of such machines back in Fontaine, but I've never seen one in person. They seem rather. . . interesting.

[TALK IT UP MORE WHY DON'T YOU, LYNEY]

[It's a delight, wash your mouth out.

Anyway.

When he breaks the silence, Altria tilts her head to one side, long pigtails swaying with the motion.

And:]

What does it do?

[ah! so she isn't familiar with these machines, either? perhaps they aren't as common as this city makes them seen]

Supposedly, it cleans and dries your clothing for you. I've tested it with my top hat, since it is really quite durable, but I haven't yet examined the results.

[since. . . it's still drying]

... Whoa, really? That's so easy! And fancy!

I want to try it!

[...]

If your hat turns out okay!

Quite! Only those with more mora than they can count can afford these machines back home. The rest of us wash our clothing the old fashioned way.

[an orphanage run by the Fatui is still an orphanage, so no one at the House of the Hearth has ever used a washing machine before. her second comment-- about wanting to try the machines out herself-- earns an amused smile from Lyney]

I'd suggest starting small. Perhaps you could wash your hat, too?

[Altria reaches up to touch her hat.

And then carefully pulls it off her head and holds it in her hands.

Hmmm. Hmmmmmm.]

... Well! If Muramasa made it, it should be able to handle whatever any strange machine can do to it!

[And so she chucks it into the wash.

and waits for it expectantly to start doing something. She does not know how to start a washing machine, obviously.]

[WHO IS MURAMASA. . . fortunately for her, Lyney has figured out how to use these machines through trial and error. and, with light amusement]

I believe you need to put soap in it first.

[brb he is looking for the detergent]

Oh, I see.

[Well! When he finds that, she looks at it, and then at the machine, and then, blessedly, reads the instructions instead of dumping the whole dang thing in there. She doesn't dump it into the right compartment but it's probably fine.

Then she looks at him with a blank smile.]

Done! Now what?

[damn, and here I was hoping they'd flood the laundromat in soap]

[but at least they are both too smart not to read the instructions! and Lyney gives an approving nod as he retrieves the detergent from her and places it aside]

Next I believe. . . [he reaches out and gently nudges the lid shut. it slams down with an impressive BANG] . . . we do this!

[why is he saying it so dramatically he's just closing the lid]

[i'm gomen maybe someday--

regardless, she jumps a little when he shuts it so definitively, and then nods eagerly.

!!!!!]

And then it starts?

Only after you push this button.

[he points to the start button]

[but doesn't press it]

[because it's her time]

[....!!!! Ooooohhhhh.

She looks at the button, and then at him. Back at the button. Back to him.

And then with great determination, she presses it.

And jumps when it starts, but with excitement, immediately pressing her face up against the glass to see.]

[WHOOSH! THERE'S SO MUCH WATER!!! the washing machine spins around and around and around, taking her now-soaked hat with it. Lyney can't help but chuckle]

I'm glad you can understand where my own fascination came from.

It's really amazing...! I wonder how all of this works?

[She finally pulls her face away from the window to look at him.]

Everyone says it's technology and not magecraft... and I do see the technology influence, it's just that I'm not very familiar with that sort of thing.

Are you?

[he folds his arms at that question, clearly pensive]

Only a little bit, and only with the sort of technology an average citizen would use.

. . . if my little brother were here, I'm certain he could explain the entire mechanism to us. Right down to the very last gear.

[...!!!

She looks at him, agape.]

Really? Wowwww... he must be incredibly smart!

He is!

[he speaks about his brother with the same sort of familial affection with which he spoke about Lynette, of course]

He's quiet and a bit introverted, but when Lynette broke the sink, he was able to fix the piping issues with no problem whatsoever.

[FREMINET, THE HOUSE OF THE HEARTH'S RESIDENT REPAIRMAN]

[what's a sink]

... Amazing!

[... also, it's so cute:]

You always sound so proud of them when you talk about your... siblings!

[girl you been having a sink for like a month now]

Of course I sound proud. It's because I am.

[he is being so sickeningly sincere. it's probably the only time he ever is]

Wouldn't anyone be proud of their family?

[don't perceive her.

Also that's... adorable, honestly.]

I guess so...! [what's a family--

no I joke.

But like, also, I'm mostly serious.]

It's really nice to hear about, to be honest... I like learning about your siblings.

[ONE DAY LYNEY WILL EXPLAIN TO HER WHAT A FAMILY IS. . . . . . . . . . in human terms]

Is that so. . . do you have any of your own, back home?

[he asks that question to continue the conversation, but also, because he has found himself talking about his family with her quite often. he doesn't want to be the only one spilling details about his personal life!]

[ONE DAY!!!

He asks it a little abruptly, enough so that she's taken off-guard; she blinks at him owlishly for a moment too long, and then turns her gaze back to the washing machine.]

Any... siblings, you mean?

[... Maybe that's easier than family. Maybe she can pretend she misunderstood.]

Nope, I don't have any! It's just me.

[A-NY-WAY.]

Wowww, look at your hat bounce around! It must be a really tough hat!

[he did mean siblings, yes! and if she had just said no without the strange pause, owlish blinking, and sudden change in subject, he would have just let it go. but because she is very bad at not seeming suspicious. . .]

Ahah! It's the toughest hat that ever existed. It has to be, to be a proper magician's tool.

[he folds his arms, one finger tapping against his skin]

I won't pry, by the way.

[but he is saying that to let her know he can tell there is more to her answer that she isn't saying]

dec 14, i guess!!

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