ᴘᴜᴍᴘᴋɪɴ ʜᴏʟʟᴏᴡ﹕ ɪɴʙᴏx

[drharvey]

ota — action, deliveries, visits to the mental health clinic, sending stone, etc. 🍂

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[drharvey]

( Truthfully, James is a bit mentally worn after Givingstide, and the lingering ache of Mourner's Night before. He's glad for an opportunity to get back to business, and to talk to Namu one-on-one in a setting separate from all of that.

This will also actually be his first appointment with someone here. Granted, it's not a super professional arrangement, but the teen's coming over specifically to talk about some things in person, and so James has been making an effort to get things presentable here. Arranging the little home office space, tidying up... His spooky little friend seems to understand something's going on and has been a proper menace trying to distract him from his tasks — when James opens the front door, his hair is a bit of a mess, sticking up on one side, because the ghost(?) has been pulling it.

There's also a faint charred smell coming from the kitchen. James might have earlier burned what he was attempting to make. )

Namu — Don't you look handsome! Come in, come in.

( James ushers the boy inside, cheerful as ever despite everything. )

You're my first visitor here, you know.

[thetombkeeper]

Ah—

[He looks at James and... immediately notices the slime in his hair. The man must have had trouble getting ready with that little ghost blob of his...]

Thank you.

[Huh. He hasn't been called handsome since... well, since Ishizu called him that as a child. It brings a bit of color to his cheeks.

Marik steps inside and that's when he notices the smell of burnt food. As he removes his coat and gloves, he looks to the doctor sympathetically.]

I'm honored to be the first but... are you sure you're alright? I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I?

[drharvey]

Oh no, not at all! I'm happy to have you!

( James insists quickly, reaching past Marik to shut the door and smiling brightly at him as he gives the teen's shoulder a good-natured clasp before ushering him in further. There is... a certain amount of chaos that follows Dr. Harvey around in life. The ghosts have only amplified it. )

Please, make yourself comfortable. Are you hungry?

[thetombkeeper]

If you're sure...

[The teen tenses only slightly at the grasp to his shoulder but passes it off as him removing his coat.]

Oh, um. I'll take a snack since you're offering.

[Marik goes to take a seat, placing his coat down beside him as he looks around the room. He'll wait until James has returned and settled in before he begins speaking.]

You've got a really cozy place here.

[drharvey]

( James nods and moves quickly into the kitchen to fetch some things. When he returns, he's (barely) managing a container of treats and two cups of tea. Joining Marik at the couch, he sets the plate and cups down on a nearby coffee table. )

So, I have a confession: I tried to make your baklava and, uh, failed a bit at it.

( The man gives a hapless, dopey grin. )

So then I tried to make something else of my own, some cookies. ....Those got burned. ( Hence the smell in the kitchen... ) So I ran over to the market and picked up some from there. There's a couple of pastries in there, too. Kinda baklava-esque.

[thetombkeeper]

[Marik stares for a moment, surprised to hear James tried to make him the treat he wanted. He could have just gone out in the first place and bought him something but... the man tried to make it more personal.

His expression softens as he looks down at the tea cups and box of sweets.

No one's... ever made him something before. Outside of his siblings, of course, but still.]

... Thank you. You didn't need to get me anything, really. I'm sorry you wound up having so much trouble...