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

[finethanks]

My, you heard the words of the king of the jungle. ♪ Line up, one by one, as he takes your answers.

[Eichi takes it in stride with a laugh, accepting the wiggling bunny and doing surprisingly well with holding it. He can be gentle with a bunny, and wiggling doesn't startle him. So, he'll crouch down enough to let everyone take turns petting it as some smart kids probably show off their knowledge of rabbit habitats.

It continues like this for another while longer, probably another question or two, before the kids are led on to the next exhibit by their chaperones and Eichi is left standing back up and petting this bunny.]

Do you struggle with public speaking, Noct-kun? [Blunt...]

[heavyhead]

[Don't call him that... Leave his uniform alone, it's the second most important perk of this job!! Noctis just gives him another look, supervising to make sure everybody gets to pet the bunny and nobody starts pushing or freaking out a ton of baby animals at once.

So he's doing his job, that is. He's better at this part, and at the part where he waves and thanks the kids for coming. Give him his bunny back, nosy interloper.]

You really don't stop, do you? [christ,] Only when there's so many of them.

[finethanks]

It's a skill that takes plenty of practice. Even to this day, I still get nervous during large or important shows.

[He passes back the rabbit carefully, making sure it's safely in Noct's arms before his own drop back to his side. He definitely avoided that first comment very purposefully, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about it.]

I hope I'm not bothering you to be here right now. I've never really been to anything like a "zoo," you know, and I was curious to see what your work was like while I was here.

[heavyhead]

[Eichi has no off switch and almost everything he says has airquotes, Noctis can't not comment on it when it's... egregious. When he's embarrassed about his petting zoo performance.]

If you paid to get in, it doesn't matter. [noct] Thanks for the save. I've gotta do that, like, ten more times before lunch.

[finethanks]

Then why don't you practice once more, before the next group arrives? Fufu, if I can be your critic, then I can point out any flaws and you can correct them quickly. Noct-kun has that sort of endearing personality where even if he messes up, he'll be forgiven, though.

[He still seems enthused about this, despite the comment about paying to get in... That's fine. He can understand capitalism.]

[heavyhead]

[Enh... practice... He's not too sure about that 'endearing personality' comment, either - that's not the reputation he wants to have, is that the vibe he gives off??]

Well... don't see why not. [besides his self esteem and chronic laziness] So, what do you want to know about rabbits?

[finethanks]

Asking a group of children what they'd like to learn is a little strange, isn't it? They need some guidance. Was there no script given to you?

[He chuckles, still reaching over to pet that bunny again. It's soft!] What sort of rabbit is this? Does it have a name? Those are the first simple questions to answer.

[heavyhead]

[Slow down, megacritic.] Got a couple notes, but not really.

Its name is- [he looks down at the rabbit, uh, which one is it,] Jumper? Pretty sure this one's Jumper.

[The way he says it, there's a Hopper and a Hoppy and a Jumpy just beyond, still in the rabbit hutch. He is not responsible for this. And he doesn't know what kind of rabbit it is.]

[finethanks]

I see. So the problem is that you're uninformed, is that it, Noct-kun? Even the name is something you can't be confident in. That poor rabbit must be so sad to hear you say that.

[That he's "pretty sure" of his name!! Gosh, gosh.] I still don't know where Jumper-kun lives, after all. Even a few basic facts are necessary to appease the adults while the children are mostly satisfied by petting a fluffy rabbit.

[heavyhead]

You'd be surprised. Nobody comes here to learn anything new. [Half the kids already know all this rabbit crap? And most of the adults are more interested in petting the animals themselves than even chaperoning their little charges. So there.]

Besides, it's a rabbit. It likes me 'cause I feed it, not 'cause I know its life story. [It can't understand him, picky boy.]

[finethanks]

Really? To be honest, this is the first time I've been to a petting zoo myself, so I wasn't entirely sure of the purpose. Is the educational side just a curtain hiding the true enjoyment of petting young, furry animals?

[He thinks he's getting it, now. He's 100% genuine, even if all of this is worded like it might be sarcastic. The tone isn't there. He's so serious. He had no idea...]

Even still, you can at least understand the feelings of this rabbit, I hope. Like if it is afraid and you should pull it away from a greedy hand.

[heavyhead]

[Has Eichi ever been anywhere? He's eaten burgers and been to an arcade once; that is the extent of his worldly experience, as far as Noctis is aware.

So wow, that sure is something else, all that stuff he just said. Noctis doesn't know what to say to it, since it seems obvious that petting cute animals is more fun than learning things you could look up online, so: pulling the rabbit away from a greedy hand.

Slowly, looking at Eichi the whole time, he takes the rabbit away. Jokes!!]

[finethanks]

[hey, asshole]

Fufu, Noct-kun is going to hurt my feelings with teasing like that~. [No, he's fine, really. He does honestly think that was funny, withdrawing his hand to place on his hip instead.] I'm done, I'm done. After all, your next group should be arriving before long, so I shouldn't steal the rabbit to myself.

[heavyhead]

[Ugh, no, not the next group... It's so early in the day and he dreads this, already. When does he get to nap with baby animals instead??]

Saying it makes it more suspicious. They're gonna hang your picture up in the office as someone to be on the lookout for.

[finethanks]

Is Noct-kun going to report me? That's no fun at all. I only came here to visit, you know?

[Visit him... or the animals, or both. Zoos are fascinating. Petting zoos are especially fascinating.] What time are you off work? We could get something to eat together, since you're working so hard. To be honest, I'm surprised you're not simply fishing and selling the fish to make your money.

[heavyhead]

[That Eichi, what a weird but stand-up guy. Noctis shrugs; this is an okay job??]

I'm just here 'cause they told me to be. [Ultimately, he just does what other people tell him... not very regal of him at all.] I'm here 'til four or five.

[that's a whole hour of difference]

[finethanks]

Which one is it? It's difficult to schedule dinner with you if you don't give me an exact hour. Shouldn't you know the time that you were instructed to clock out?

[Noct, what are you doing... Know your own schedule!!]

[heavyhead]

[Don't make him smack you, Eichi... He sighs and goes to get yet another wrinkly folded paper out of his pocket. This one has his schedule printed on it. He needs this in his phone calendar or it means nothing to him??]

Could always just pick the later one to be safe... [nag] Looks like it's four.

[finethanks]

It wouldn't make any sense to leave you waiting for an hour, Noct-kun.

[Don't be such a whiner.] I'll come by at four, then. I plan on doing some shopping before then, so is there anything you needed for the apartment? [Trashbags, maybe??]

[heavyhead]

[The cleaning guy takes care of that. And he wouldn't mind an hour break before socializing, so it looks like he played himself, in the end...]

Nope, I'm good. I'll see you then?

[finethanks]

Okay. Good luck with your next group. ♪

[Since they seem to be loudly rounding the corner right now! That's Eichi's cue to leave, and he waves a little before heading off. He's going to pet some other animals and then be on his way, of course.

And he'll be right back to wait outside of the gates for Noct a little before 4. No breaks before socializing at all.]

[heavyhead]

[By 4, Noctis is Exhausted, more than usual since he has to socialize now. It's not that he minds hanging out with Eichi, just - he really could have used that break. So when he finally gets to clock out and leave the animals behind, he meets Eichi at the entrance with his hat tucked under his arm and his phone out, like he has more than 3 friends who might have texted him.

The real reason he should be allowed the break: Eichi has to go out with him wearing this lion sweatshirt now.]

Hey.

[finethanks]

Hello~.

[He raises a hand to wave at Noct, smiling calmly like he always does. He actually loves that lion sweatshirt. It's endearing in a certain way he can't put his finger on... He's not ashamed to be seen by someone with it on at all.]

How was the rest of your day, Noct-kun? Not too overwhelming, I hope.

[heavyhead]

[Eichi is so weird...!! Noctis brushes off the last bits of hay stuck to him from wrangling goats as he comes up beside Eichi and nods for him to lead the way to wherever they're going. If he stops moving he will fall asleep, no doubt about it, let's go.]

Wouldn't say that... I learned baby goats are a lot stronger than I thought they were.

[finethanks]

Oh, so it wasn't just the rabbits you worked with? Fufu, baby goats are called "kids," aren't they? From what I've heard, they can be quite feisty, jumping around and headbutting whatever they'd like.

[Sounds like a fun time, Noct... He feels a little bad, but that image is also a little funny. He's leading the way, though, casually pulling out his phone along the way to check a few things before he slides it back into his pocket.]

But if they suggested this job to you, it must be that your skillset lines up with it perfectly. Did you have a similar job at home?