[She's already up when Muffet arrives, knocking and deviating from Shepard's norm very quickly. She doesn't get visitors at all, especially after so many people left her islet. She spends a mostly solitary existence here, and fills the time with a strict routine. It makes her feel like she's actually doing something while trapped on this island.
The knock is investigated immediately. When Shepard opens the door she's wearing her casual Alliance wear, dog tags hanging around her neck freely.]
[Oh good, she had briefly been a bit worried that she might be disturbing her by arriving too early, angels know the poor woman could probably use more sleep.]
[Muffet smiles warmly and holds up the basket for Shepard to see. The delicious smell of fresh bread is probably noticeable from where she's standing.]
Good morning, dearie. I do hope I'm not being rude by dropping by unannounced, but I wondered if you might like to share some breakfast with me.
[Oh the smell of real bread… that’s something she hasn’t had in awhile. Her mouth starts to water.]
You’re not rude at all. What’s the occasion?
[She opens the door and gestures for Muffet to come in. She wishes for a brief moment that she was dressed in something better than her Alliance fatigues but it’s not as if she has many options.]
[Aw, Shepard, you look fine. Just because Muffet is somehow still managing to be all tidy and fashionable while living in the island wilderness doesn't mean you should too.]
Oh, nothing in particular- simply that I'd had the time to make a proper meal and wanted to enjoy it with a friend.
[She steps neatly into the room, looking around for an appropriate spot to set down the basket.]
Admittedly, it would be nice if that wasn't an occasion, but given how messy it can be in this place... Well, I thought it better to appreciate the calm while it lasted.
[tbh if it weren't for Alliance training in keeping herself hygienic she would have become a swamp creature by now.
An appropriate spot for the basket... well there's a large stump in the middle of what could be a kitchen if you squinted hard enough. It seems to count as a table, as evidenced by left over food detritus here and there, though not enough to look unseemly. Mostly it looks used and lived in, which is good because it is used and lived in. There are actually some cups here, which is a surprise, but at least she has something. Supplies of fruit and other food items are stored in what seems to be the remains of what was a cabinet at one point.
On the other side of the little shack there's maybe one room that seems to count as a living room/bedroom, sporting a sort of pile of long grass that's been tucked into some long line that a person could sleep on. Shepard's clothes are folded neatly beside it, but other than that (and a series of tally marks scratched into the wall) the shack is almost uncomfortably bare. Shepard still continues to look sheepish.]
Welcome to my, uh. House I guess. I'm glad you want to eat with me.
[Her smile turns up just a bit more, some warmth dancing in her eyes.]
In a place like this, calm, happy moments are precious, I agree.
[Muffet places the basket carefully on the stump, taking the distressingly acetic state of the shack smoothly in stride- looking surprised would be rude- although she privately resolves to get this woman some decent bedding at the bare minimum. And perhaps some baskets to keep things in, goodness knows Connor has enough to spare.]
As much as I like to keep busy, sometimes even I need to take a moment to breathe and appreciate the small things.
[She unwraps the contents of the basket, revealing the bread, eggs, and fruit inside, and adds:]
[The sight of the fresh food makes Shepard's mouth water and she watches eagerly as Muffet puts out the spread.]
I don't think I have had food this fresh in literal years. Before coming here all I had was ship rations and the occasional burger on shore leave.
[She looks around for anything that Muffet could sit on so she's not awkwardly standing and she eventually pulls over a rather large rock that she's used as a chair in the past. She gestures for Muffet to sit and for herself she pulls over another little pile of hay and sits on it.]
Well, we certainly can't have that. Please, take as much as you like.
[Muffet does not approve of your military diet, eat a fresh fruit. She gives Shepard a polite little nod of thanks and seats herself neatly on the rock.]
Oh, not too long- I already had all the ingredients, I only needed a bit of uninterrupted time to make it properly.
[Muffet sits down with such proper manners and Shepard increasingly feels like a cavewoman as she reaches for the food hungrily. She’s not gonna stop herself that much though, since she literally has not seen anything this appetizing in months.]
Thank you, Muffet, really. This is… wonderful.
[This feels more like home, she wants to say, but she bites her tongue.]
[Regrettably, Shepard is not the least-mannerly person Muffet has seen eating in recent memory. She's learned to accept that not everyone has her commitment to proper dining etiquette while in the middle of an unknown land- though that doesn't stop her from eating properly and delicately, even now.]
Oh yes- I might have made my living as a baker, but getting too wrapped up in my particular specialty would have done my skills no favors at all, so I made a point of cooking other types of dishes when I could.
Besides, someone had to feed all my cousins. I come from a rather large family.
[Shepard's attention is piqued at the mention of Muffet's family. She looks up from the plate of food, her cheeks a bit filled out as she tries to speak. She then quickly chews and swallows and tries again.]
Did you have a lot of siblings too? How many cousins did you have?
[Muffet's smile is, briefly, a little sad- not the look of fresh grief or pain, merely a momentary wistful sorrow, some passing melancholy.]
No, I'm afraid I was an only child.
[And then the moment passes, and it's gone.]
But quite a lot of cousins- I suspect we'd be here all day if I tried to list them all. My particular subspecies tend to lay eggs in batches, so you see where we might be inclined to end up with large households.
[When she elaborates, Shepard can understand the sadness a little more.]
I see... that must make you being an only child pretty troubling.
[She's not sure what the implications there are, but they can't be good.]
I may have been an only child myself. I don't really know.
[Honestly, she's entertained the thought of maybe having siblings somewhere out there, but if she thinks about it too hard the ache in her chest threatens to overwhelm her.]</small.
[She shakes her head gently- calm and understanding, not hurt even though she's discussing something sad, something that did hurt her once, a long time ago. It's not now. She's grown.]
Not troubling, precisely- merely rare. Not every egg in a clutch survives, that's simply the nature of things. For there to be only one viable hatchling instead of five or six is... very uncommon, yes, but not completely unheard of.
[More akin to a stillbirth, in human terms, than anything else.]
[It's hard to say she mourns her siblings, exactly, because how can you miss someone you've never met? But there's always going to be a part of her who would have liked to meet them, to have the chance.]
"May have"? [She tilts her head, curious.] That's an interesting turn of phrase- though you needn't elaborate if you'd rather not. If it's painful, I won't pry.
Yeah... I'm sorry that happened to you. But I'm glad that you seem to be handling it well.
[It's a breath of fresh air, honestly, to hear about something sad that happened to someone and seeing how it just... doesn't crush them.
She wishes she was like that.]
No, it's fine. It's old news for me.
[She sighs a bit, sitting back from the table, taking a break from eating.]
I was an orphan. My mother, presumably, abandoned me on the doorstep of an orphanage when I was a couple of months old. So I never knew my parents. Or any siblings, if I had any.
[Muffet nods solemnly, sad for her friend but appreciating how much it means for Shepard to tell her about this.]
[She can't imagine not growing up surrounded by family, the people who love and care for you. She's not unfamiliar with the idea of family that isn't blood-related, her relatives being prone to cheerfully adopting loved ones into the fold of their already-large family tree, but the idea of not having those relatives around is still depressing.]
My condolences on your loss, then- or perhaps hers, for never truly coming to know you. [She smiles gently.] Certainly, she missed out on someone wonderful.
[But the warm smile on her face and the slight blush on her cheeks speaks volumes.]
She never went looking for me in the end, even when I became a well-known name in human households so... who knows what happened there. Same with my dad. Never heard from him. I always wondered if I went back to the mega-city that I was raised in if maybe I would find them after the war but...
[She shakes her head.]
It doesn't matter, in the end. If they were alive when I grew up, they're probably dead now after the invasion.
[She looks at Muffet, curious.]
How were your parents? Kind? Strict? There for you or no?
[Muffet sees that blush, but has the tact and mercy not to point it out.]
Well, family isn't always blood. I'm certain you found those who mattered to you, regardless of relation.
[She looks wistful, the gentle nostalgia of recalling happy memories, as she replies.]
Oh, always kind- we had our arguments from time to time, as anyone does, but we never quarreled for too long. They were always there when I needed them, and on those occasions when they couldn't be, one of my aunts or uncles was there in their place, just as they did the same for my cousins. We... all looked out for each other, really. We knew we were stronger together than apart.
[Shepard's eyes soften at that comment and she nods.]
Yup, I did. Found a whole crew of family. They're an eclectic bunch, but I wouldn't trade them for the world.
[Shepard listens, a bit enraptured by this beautiful picture that Muffet weaves.]
That sounds so wonderful.
[Maybe when she was younger this sort of story would make her feel bitter, sparking anger and resentment in her heart at her own circumstances. But she's older now, more experienced, and all she can feel right now is genuine happiness that her friend had a good life.]
So you grew up in that... Underground, was it? On Earth? What was that like?
[She smiles warmly, seeing Shepard's obvious fondness for her crew.]
They sound like lovely people. I'd rather not wish this island on anyone, but I'm certain I'd have enjoyed meeting them.
[A brief nod.]
The Underground, yes. I'm not entirely certain how to describe it, since I have rather little to compare it to... It was a small place, compared to most nations. Overcrowding was an issue, and we had to be careful about growing food with the lack of sunlight in most areas. But we managed well enough, we took care of ourselves and each other.
What about you? What was it like where you lived, when you were young?
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timeasmymeasure
DON'T BE SORRY IT HAPPENS
Date: 2018-05-07 02:06 am (UTC)The knock is investigated immediately. When Shepard opens the door she's wearing her casual Alliance wear, dog tags hanging around her neck freely.]
Muffet. This is a surprise.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-08 08:50 pm (UTC)[Muffet smiles warmly and holds up the basket for Shepard to see. The delicious smell of fresh bread is probably noticeable from where she's standing.]
Good morning, dearie. I do hope I'm not being rude by dropping by unannounced, but I wondered if you might like to share some breakfast with me.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-27 01:43 am (UTC)You’re not rude at all. What’s the occasion?
[She opens the door and gestures for Muffet to come in. She wishes for a brief moment that she was dressed in something better than her Alliance fatigues but it’s not as if she has many options.]
no subject
Date: 2018-05-27 06:53 pm (UTC)Oh, nothing in particular- simply that I'd had the time to make a proper meal and wanted to enjoy it with a friend.
[She steps neatly into the room, looking around for an appropriate spot to set down the basket.]
Admittedly, it would be nice if that wasn't an occasion, but given how messy it can be in this place... Well, I thought it better to appreciate the calm while it lasted.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-06 04:16 am (UTC)An appropriate spot for the basket... well there's a large stump in the middle of what could be a kitchen if you squinted hard enough. It seems to count as a table, as evidenced by left over food detritus here and there, though not enough to look unseemly. Mostly it looks used and lived in, which is good because it is used and lived in. There are actually some cups here, which is a surprise, but at least she has something. Supplies of fruit and other food items are stored in what seems to be the remains of what was a cabinet at one point.
On the other side of the little shack there's maybe one room that seems to count as a living room/bedroom, sporting a sort of pile of long grass that's been tucked into some long line that a person could sleep on. Shepard's clothes are folded neatly beside it, but other than that (and a series of tally marks scratched into the wall) the shack is almost uncomfortably bare. Shepard still continues to look sheepish.]
Welcome to my, uh. House I guess. I'm glad you want to eat with me.
[Her smile turns up just a bit more, some warmth dancing in her eyes.]
In a place like this, calm, happy moments are precious, I agree.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-06 09:20 pm (UTC)[Muffet places the basket carefully on the stump, taking the distressingly acetic state of the shack smoothly in stride- looking surprised would be rude- although she privately resolves to get this woman some decent bedding at the bare minimum. And perhaps some baskets to keep things in, goodness knows Connor has enough to spare.]
As much as I like to keep busy, sometimes even I need to take a moment to breathe and appreciate the small things.
[She unwraps the contents of the basket, revealing the bread, eggs, and fruit inside, and adds:]
I do hope you like blackberries.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-17 04:32 am (UTC)I don't think I have had food this fresh in literal years. Before coming here all I had was ship rations and the occasional burger on shore leave.
[She looks around for anything that Muffet could sit on so she's not awkwardly standing and she eventually pulls over a rather large rock that she's used as a chair in the past. She gestures for Muffet to sit and for herself she pulls over another little pile of hay and sits on it.]
How long did it take you to make this?
no subject
Date: 2018-06-18 09:27 pm (UTC)[Muffet does not approve of your military diet, eat a fresh fruit. She gives Shepard a polite little nod of thanks and seats herself neatly on the rock.]
Oh, not too long- I already had all the ingredients, I only needed a bit of uninterrupted time to make it properly.
no subject
Date: 2018-09-24 12:58 am (UTC)Thank you, Muffet, really. This is… wonderful.
[This feels more like home, she wants to say, but she bites her tongue.]
You used to cook a lot back home, yeah?
no subject
Date: 2018-09-24 08:32 pm (UTC)[Regrettably, Shepard is not the least-mannerly person Muffet has seen eating in recent memory. She's learned to accept that not everyone has her commitment to proper dining etiquette while in the middle of an unknown land- though that doesn't stop her from eating properly and delicately, even now.]
Oh yes- I might have made my living as a baker, but getting too wrapped up in my particular specialty would have done my skills no favors at all, so I made a point of cooking other types of dishes when I could.
Besides, someone had to feed all my cousins. I come from a rather large family.
Shepard Doesn't Even Know
Date: 2019-03-25 01:11 am (UTC)Did you have a lot of siblings too? How many cousins did you have?
The sad backstory headcanon comes back to get me once again...
Date: 2019-03-26 07:17 pm (UTC)No, I'm afraid I was an only child.
[And then the moment passes, and it's gone.]
But quite a lot of cousins- I suspect we'd be here all day if I tried to list them all. My particular subspecies tend to lay eggs in batches, so you see where we might be inclined to end up with large households.
yes it does :3c
Date: 2019-04-18 01:00 pm (UTC)[Muffet seems... sad at this thought.]
I'm sorry to hear that.
[When she elaborates, Shepard can understand the sadness a little more.]
I see... that must make you being an only child pretty troubling.
[She's not sure what the implications there are, but they can't be good.]
I may have been an only child myself. I don't really know.
[Honestly, she's entertained the thought of maybe having siblings somewhere out there, but if she thinks about it too hard the ache in her chest threatens to overwhelm her.]</small.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-19 02:20 am (UTC)Not troubling, precisely- merely rare. Not every egg in a clutch survives, that's simply the nature of things. For there to be only one viable hatchling instead of five or six is... very uncommon, yes, but not completely unheard of.
[More akin to a stillbirth, in human terms, than anything else.]
[It's hard to say she mourns her siblings, exactly, because how can you miss someone you've never met? But there's always going to be a part of her who would have liked to meet them, to have the chance.]
"May have"? [She tilts her head, curious.] That's an interesting turn of phrase- though you needn't elaborate if you'd rather not. If it's painful, I won't pry.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-21 08:12 pm (UTC)[It's a breath of fresh air, honestly, to hear about something sad that happened to someone and seeing how it just... doesn't crush them.
She wishes she was like that.]
No, it's fine. It's old news for me.
[She sighs a bit, sitting back from the table, taking a break from eating.]
I was an orphan. My mother, presumably, abandoned me on the doorstep of an orphanage when I was a couple of months old. So I never knew my parents. Or any siblings, if I had any.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-26 07:26 pm (UTC)[She can't imagine not growing up surrounded by family, the people who love and care for you. She's not unfamiliar with the idea of family that isn't blood-related, her relatives being prone to cheerfully adopting loved ones into the fold of their already-large family tree, but the idea of not having those relatives around is still depressing.]
My condolences on your loss, then- or perhaps hers, for never truly coming to know you. [She smiles gently.] Certainly, she missed out on someone wonderful.
no subject
Date: 2019-05-04 02:05 pm (UTC)I don't know about that.
[But the warm smile on her face and the slight blush on her cheeks speaks volumes.]
She never went looking for me in the end, even when I became a well-known name in human households so... who knows what happened there. Same with my dad. Never heard from him. I always wondered if I went back to the mega-city that I was raised in if maybe I would find them after the war but...
[She shakes her head.]
It doesn't matter, in the end. If they were alive when I grew up, they're probably dead now after the invasion.
[She looks at Muffet, curious.]
How were your parents? Kind? Strict? There for you or no?
no subject
Date: 2019-05-05 03:51 pm (UTC)Well, family isn't always blood. I'm certain you found those who mattered to you, regardless of relation.
[She looks wistful, the gentle nostalgia of recalling happy memories, as she replies.]
Oh, always kind- we had our arguments from time to time, as anyone does, but we never quarreled for too long. They were always there when I needed them, and on those occasions when they couldn't be, one of my aunts or uncles was there in their place, just as they did the same for my cousins. We... all looked out for each other, really. We knew we were stronger together than apart.
no subject
Date: 2019-05-06 12:02 pm (UTC)Yup, I did. Found a whole crew of family. They're an eclectic bunch, but I wouldn't trade them for the world.
[Shepard listens, a bit enraptured by this beautiful picture that Muffet weaves.]
That sounds so wonderful.
[Maybe when she was younger this sort of story would make her feel bitter, sparking anger and resentment in her heart at her own circumstances. But she's older now, more experienced, and all she can feel right now is genuine happiness that her friend had a good life.]
So you grew up in that... Underground, was it? On Earth? What was that like?
no subject
Date: 2019-05-10 09:35 pm (UTC)They sound like lovely people. I'd rather not wish this island on anyone, but I'm certain I'd have enjoyed meeting them.
[A brief nod.]
The Underground, yes. I'm not entirely certain how to describe it, since I have rather little to compare it to... It was a small place, compared to most nations. Overcrowding was an issue, and we had to be careful about growing food with the lack of sunlight in most areas. But we managed well enough, we took care of ourselves and each other.
What about you? What was it like where you lived, when you were young?