open

[heavyhead]

who: Noctis and open
what: various open prompts including baby animals at the petting zoo
when: throughout May??
where: the zoo, other miscellaneous places
warnings: nothing

A. zoo/this is technically 2 prompts

[For someone who's only ever held down one job (and not for long), Noctis is doing pretty well at this petting zoo attendant thing. He gets to sit around and pet cute animals for most of his shifts? What's not to love? It almost makes up for having to clean up after them at the end of the day.

He has zero complaints about the uniform, complete with nametag, either. Actually this is probably the best part of this job.

What's not so great is how many people he has to talk to and supposedly educate, because damn, he is not great at that. The little kids are easily entertained enough, aside from the precocious ones who keep trying to correct his Animal Facts(tm), but it's a lot harder to remember everything he has to say about the various animals in the petting zoo area when there are actual adults around... He has petting zoo stage fright.

But he tries. Mostly, to varying degrees.

If you come by the petting zoo in the morning, when he's giving it his best shot, you'll probably catch him holding, at the same time, a bunny and a rough-looking, folded-and-unfolded-too-much piece of paper. The bunny is quite literally tucked into the crook of his arm, while he frowns at the paper and flounders.]

Okay, so this type of bunny— rabbit, this type of rabbit usually lives in, uh... [please save him, ask a question or something.]

[ORRRR if you come by later in the day, when he's just tired and wants to clock out and go, he'll hold up what looks mostly like a baby alligator, but for some reason, orange, and sigh.] You want to hold a lizard?

[professional.]

B. not the zoo

[When he's not at work, Noctis can be found loitering in public spaces like shopping centers and food courts, minding his own business and playing on his phone... or buying too many fishing lures at a time, or actually standing around looking like he might want to talk to someone.

The thing is: he had shit to do at home and it was pretty dang important, and now he's here and as much as he'd like to stay in his room and sleep all the time, there are people there and so he needs something else to keep busy. Which is dreadful in and of itself, but finding something to do besides mobile games? Even worse. He's compromised and gone back to the only thing he knows how to do: favors for other people. So while he loiters, there's a little sign set next to him that just says 'ODD JOBS' on it in marker. Hire him to pick vegetables or something.

He's still wearing the lion hat.]

C. etc?!

[plotting available @melodrama!]

Comments

[ a ]

[supersweet]

[ Jon likes the zoo. He doesn't get to go there very often, considering Metropolis is a fair distance away from Hamilton and whenever they head into the city, things are . . . well. Busy. But the school took the class on a field trip and gave them some time to look around the exhibits, so long as they meet back at the entrance at the appointed time.

His father once spoke of a zoo. A special zoo he had created for creatures whose planets had died. Jon hadn't seen it though. A human zoo was just as amazing, with all the animals. As he wanders into the petting zoo, he watches Noctis struggle and tries not to giggle. Quietly, like he's passing on a secret. ]

Fields. Even forests.

[heavyhead]

[After being corrected by a smart mouthed 6-year-old one too many times, Noctis is wary of audience participation, as it were. So at first he doesn't seem to respond to that helpful tip beyond a hasty glance, and another when he realizes he isn't being called out by kindergarteners this time. Aha-]

—Fields, right! And the forest, where they make, uh... burrows...

[He's guessing. This time the hasty glance is somewhat pleading, looking for confirmation. Is he doing better, rabbit expert kid??]

[supersweet]

[ Jon nods helpfully with a grin. ]

Where they store their food like carrots, weeds and other plants.

[heavyhead]

[Oh thank god, a food transition. He can handle that one, shuffling over with the rabbit in his arms to a feeder that cranks out pellets suitable for kids to drop all over the area in a few minutes.]

That's right— and we've got some... plant pellets right here for everyone to feed the rabbits. One at a time... [He has to stand here and crank out pellets for a dozen small children now, but Jon gets a grateful nod of his own. Come here and get rabbit food, little expert.]

[supersweet]

[ Jon hangs back, letting the little kids go first. He doesn't need to rush and the smaller kids were way more enthusiastic than Jon, who has seen plenty of animals on the farm. Once it dwindles, he approaches with a few pellets. ]

I hope you don't mind. It looked like you were having a hard time.

[heavyhead]

[There are so many children and they are all thrilled about feeding this rabbit, Noctis can do nothing but stand there and hope for the best. He survives, but only just.]

Nah—I think you saved my neck. They kinda throw you right into giving tours and stuff, here.

[supersweet]

So you've never done this before?

[ Jon knows it's obvious but he assumed that Riverview would pick the right job for people like they did for his parents who are journalists. It's a bit odd to see someone so out of their element. ]

[heavyhead]

[Thanks for not totally calling him out, he appreciates it. He shrugs.]

I've helped a couple animals before? As, like, favors, not a job. [His job history is... pathetic... don't ask.]

[supersweet]

How do you do favors for animals?

[ Were they all lost and Noctis fished them out of trees?? ]

[heavyhead]

What? [Uhh... oh, he hears it now. He gets it.] No, I mean—other people own the animals. I just go looking for 'em when they get lost, things like that.

[supersweet]

That's pretty helpful of you.

[ Looking at Noctis . . . well, he doesn't seem the type, but it just proves anyone can help someone out in their time of need. Jon feeds a few pellets to the rabbits, at ease. Working on a farm means he's always well equipped feeding and taking care of animals. ]

[heavyhead]

[He knows that look... Don't worry, he's aware he doesn't look like the type to do much of anything. It's a little of both. He shrugs, sighing just a little.]

That's me, everybody's errand boy. It's not that bad. [...] So, you like animals?

[supersweet]

[ Jon grins, adjusting his cap. ]

Everyone likes animals. I live on a farm so I'm pretty used to them.

[heavyhead]

Everyone...? [#doubt. He does, though, which is apparently his only marketable trait in this place. Flattering.]

I've, uh- been to a farm. And a ranch.

[supersweet]

[ Jon is ten and his word is law. Ish. ]

It's pretty boring. Not a lot of stuff happens on a farm.

[ Well. Normal farms. Jon doesn't live a normal life. ]

[heavyhead]

[Ah yes, he forgot this about ten-year-olds. Everyone likes animals; noted.]

No way. There's gotta be something.

[supersweet]

Unless you like cows, there really is nothing.

[ Jon has Strong Feelings about Cows. ]

But a zoo is better!

[heavyhead]

[What did cows do...]

Okay, okay, you win. Zoos beat farms. I guess we do have some pretty cool animals around here... [cooler than bunnies.]

[supersweet]

[ Jon smiles. ]

Are you gonna be okay with this job?

[heavyhead]

[Is a ten-year-old worried about his job performance. How uncool.]

Yeah- yeah, why wouldn't I be? It's fine.

[supersweet]

You just seemed out of your . . . [ Jon pauses, trying to find the right word. He snaps his fingers once it hits him. ] element.

[heavyhead]

[so he sucks at zookeeping, nice]

No! No way, this is... y'know. [He gestures around, like look, nothing's going too wrong.] Piece of cake.

[supersweet]

[ Jon takes pity on him. ]

Yeah. You'll figure it out in no time.

[heavyhead]

[Ego, crushed...]

Thanks. [sarcasm, but] Come back in a week and I'll run circles around your- bunny facts.

[supersweet]

I'll be counting on it.

I dunno if our school will be making a trip back here, but I can ask my dad.