Washed Up (SoL / Roskana - Kumo)

[VoxApocrypha]

Apollo would check out the store's contents with great interest, his eyes lingering for perhaps a little too long on a bag of chips. He wanted some quite badly, having lost the last bag of chips he actually liked when his ship had gotten turned to driftwood and a metal hulk at the bottom of the sea. He looked at them for a moment longer before he pried his eyes away, unwilling to make her spend money on a bag of chips for him. He felt a little guilty at the thought, though it would be replaced by more idle wandering until he had heard her call out to him, his ears snapping up as he turned his head, eyes glazed but focusing on her words before he'd reply, a bit more quietly, "Got it" and turn to go back towards the meats.

He'd look to see what kind of meats they have, having forgone rice as he recalled there already being a bag in her home. He'd as well briefly stop to grab a small sack of potatoes, and then some beets and other vegetables, taking small packages of them. He'd grab a package of breakfast sausage, bacon, and then one of a decent looking package of beef, carrying it all over to them, having sort of organized it.

"This all look good for breakfast and lunch?" He'd ask her.

[Sophie]

Atsuko had noticed Apollo meandering about in the snacks area and frowned when he scurried out of there. She was happy with everything he had brought forward for lunch. Atsuko had already collected flour, baking soda, milk, butter, a sack of sugar, and some salt. "This looks great! I can make you some hamburger steak for lunch." She lightly booped him on the nose.

"Oh, but can you also grab us some snacks? Sometimes I can get a little hungry just before bed and love a light snack. Maybe some cookies or chips? Whatever looks good to you." She smiled, hoping to bait him into going to pick up whatever he was peeping at.

[VoxApocrypha]

He would scrunch up his muzzle a little at the gentle boop, it looking kinda cute as he would, before he would once again perk up as she asked him to go and look at the snacks. He'd nod his head, and then make his way over to the snack isle. He'd look at the cookies and go for generic chocolate chip before he stops, eyes resting on the bags of chips for a moment before he would side-step, and then make the choice to get two bags of chips, one large and one small. He'd gotten two bags of a spicy potato chips, the brandname he didn't really know because he was only a little versed in Kumo. He'd make his way back up to her, having been baited into getting a bag of chips, though smaller than hers. He seemed content with that arrangement as well.

"These chips look good to you?" He'd ask her, holding the bag in a way that she could see the logo and type, though with the amount of stuff he was holding already he was being careful not to drop any of it.

[Sophie]

"Those all look great!" She answered, happy to see him getting a little more comfortable. She grabbed the bigger bag and helped Apollo place everything on the counter. "Though why'd you get a small and a big bag of the same chip? Why not get two big bags of different kinds?" She smiled, not realizing what he was trying to do. "Then we can have a bunch of options to share."

Atsuko turned back to Yamagata, "So all of this and another bag of chips. What do we owe you?" She smiled, pulling out her wallet from her satchel.

"Looks like one-hundred and fourteen yairen all together. Oh, and it says here," She pointed to her abacus despite not once using it, "that it will also cost you having me over for dinner soon." She smiled and laughed a little.

"I'd love to have you over to catch up, Yamagata-sen. I haven't cooked with you in a while. I miss that." Atsuko smiled and turned back to Apollo. "Would that be alright with you, Apollo? Maybe we can have her over tomorrow?"

[VoxApocrypha]

Apollo would open his mouth to explain, and then simply shrug.
"Just didn't cross my mind in the moment." He'd reply.
He'd let them talk for the moment as he looked around the store again, and then as they asked if he'd be okay with her friend coming over for dinner, he'd reply with "Oh, of course! I'd not mind at all. Tomorrow sounds good to me too." He'd say, smiling softly, his tail gently wagging behind him.

[Sophie]

Atsuko happily giggled at seeing Apollo's tail wag again. She enjoyed having such an obvious telegraph of her love's joy. "I'm so glad. We'll have you over tomorrow, any time before sunset then?"

"That sounds wonderful. I'll bring over some salmon and teriyaki, so we can make it together!" Yamagata smiled and tapped her paws on the floor.

Atsuko handed over what she owed for the groceries and placed everything in a canvas bag. "Thank you so much Yamagata-sen! We'll see you soon." She held Apollo's hand with hers and they both turned to leave.

[VoxApocrypha]

Apollo would listen to the exchange, and at the mention of Teriyaki, it'd not be hard to see his tail start to wag a little quicker, with the Festria reaching back to grab it and stop it from bumping anything. He'd only really grab the lower end because half of his tail wasn't even a real tail, which she'd learned no doubt by now.

He'd smile and give her a polite goodbye, before he was soon out of the store with his girlfriend, smiling happily as he even again began to purr a little, though it'd be hard to notice.
After a few moments he would ask her, "Do you know if anyone is hiring bipeds around here?"

[Sophie]

As the two walked back to Atsuko's house to cook up a nice, albeit late, breakfast, she thought about his question. "I suppose it depends on what you're willing to do; the rice farms always need help around harvest and planting season. Planting season will be in a couple of months. Though it doesn't pay super great, it's still good work. Do you have any special skills? What was your rate in the navy?" She asked to help him but was looking forward to the side effect of learning more about her boyfriend's past.

[VoxApocrypha]

He'd take a moment to recall, and then start to speak. "Well, I was several things in the navy." He'd say. "My job description was officially as the chief gunnery officer aboard the GRRV Galanthus. But in practice I was a salvage collection chief and security chief as well. A lot of my time in Arema was spent picking through wreckage and killing infiltrators and spies in port, if I wasn't busy with something else. Wasn't really all that much action on the sea until the end of the overthrow, when the Tsar retreated to Razgrina." He'd scratch undr his chin, his eyes wandering a bit as the wagging of his tail stopped, smile fading a bit.

"I was trained in other things as well since the ship was so short on hands that maintenance was something we all had to keep up with. Mostly mechanical maintenance since I already knew so much about the ship's turrets. That included the electrical element of it. I can more or less pass as a electrician but it's very, very basic. Same for a bunch of other shit." After a moment, he'd say, "Honestly, I'm surprised those dreadnoughts didn't sink us during the Raz-Run." He'd shake his head.

[Sophie]

Atsuko frowned, "I'm not really sure if there's anything specific you can do with those set of skills." She squeezed his hand tightly, "Well I suppose you could work on the maintenance team at the docks but the work is sporadic. You could always start your own business! That's what pretty much everyone who lives here as done."

[VoxApocrypha]

"I'll give it some thought. Maybe the maintenance team at the docks would work for the moment. Maybe as well a main job. Don't know about my own business, not sure what I'd be able to offer aside from maybe cheaply fixing electrical components or replacing wiring in the.. what, four or five places here with lights?" He'd say, looking around. "Guess I could probably get a job on that farm too... actually. What about repair work?" He'd ask. "Like, fixing wagons and things of that sort. Anyone doing that here?"

[Sophie]

"Something always needs fixing, either in town or on one of the farms," Atsuko affirmed. The two of them had already made it about halfway back home. "There's plenty of money to be made in repairs. Though until you get a reputation most jobs will be paid upon completion. As well you'll have to likely supply the parts and tools yourself." She pointed out. "Oh wait! I know the perfect job for you!" She ran ahead of him a few feet and turned back smiling brightly at him. "A position just opened at my house for a cute guy to hang out and brighten the place up while keeping me company!" She giggled and winked at him.

[VoxApocrypha]

With a smirk, he'd step towards her, his hands coming to rest on his hips as he approaches. "I think I'll take that position, as I've got plenty of experience spending quality time with this certain Kumo." He'd say, catching up to her before he would lean up and kiss her on the cheek, before then he'd continue walking, chuckling with his tail now once again wagging behind him.

[Sophie]

The two continued their way happily along the dirt path. "You're hired!" Atsuko giggled again and held onto his hand even tighter. "You'll find a job in no time, I'm sure of it. For now, let's worry about getting some food in you and getting you to your doctor's appointment."

[VoxApocrypha]

"Easiest interview of my life." He'd reply. Then he would snap his fingers, and let out a quiet, 'dang', before he'd say, "Oh man, I forgot I had to go to the clinic today. Having so much fun with you I just didn't remember.'
He'd lean into her, hugging her tight around the waist with his arm and giving her side a gentle kiss, walking along with her back to her home.