[Nathan was not okay when he arrived, and Nariko could have known that with her eyes closed. He was drunk and upset, though he did a good enough job of hiding it from the kids, who had all come with her and Masaomi to the airport, but she'd practically fallen apart inside not knowing, not getting the opportunity to ask what could be so wrong. It was bad enough that everything had been pushed back when he seemed so eager to become a somewhat proper family again, and now she irrationally feared that something had made him regret the decision.
Unfortunately between the barren state of his new home and the sheer number of people involved Nariko wasn't given a chance to speak with Nathan the first night he arrived or the following day. Joshua, Tom, Sullivan, and Octavio were all helping with the bigger pieces of furniture while Nariko sorted boxes under the supervision of one mate or the other (after all, she wasn't supposed to lift anything even vaguely heavy). Junko, Olivia, Audrey, Ada, Veronica, and Koji were meant to help with smaller details - general things like kitchen and living room furniture which could safely be handled by them.
It was Emily who ended up with Ariel in her lap, sitting at Nathan's new dining room table. She's just gotten back from buying everything they'll need for the actual housewarming party, which is mostly a whole lot of food because the entire pack is going to be hungry after this - there's just enough of them to get the bulk of it done in a single day. And that's pretty much the goal, and some of the point of having them all help in the first place. The other part is to make sure everyone knows who Nathan is, and that Nathan knows who Everyone is, too. So until the real work is over and done with Nariko's concerns will remain in the back of her head while she directs things from one place to another. Right now it's the redhead, in a comfy top and old jeans, who asks for Nathan's attention.]
So, hey.
[Leave it to Emily to just pop up with a question to a stranger.] What was it like living overseas?
[That's not what she really wants to ask but the guy looks weirdly out of time and space, so it's best to start with something easy.]
no subject
Unfortunately between the barren state of his new home and the sheer number of people involved Nariko wasn't given a chance to speak with Nathan the first night he arrived or the following day. Joshua, Tom, Sullivan, and Octavio were all helping with the bigger pieces of furniture while Nariko sorted boxes under the supervision of one mate or the other (after all, she wasn't supposed to lift anything even vaguely heavy). Junko, Olivia, Audrey, Ada, Veronica, and Koji were meant to help with smaller details - general things like kitchen and living room furniture which could safely be handled by them.
It was Emily who ended up with Ariel in her lap, sitting at Nathan's new dining room table. She's just gotten back from buying everything they'll need for the actual housewarming party, which is mostly a whole lot of food because the entire pack is going to be hungry after this - there's just enough of them to get the bulk of it done in a single day. And that's pretty much the goal, and some of the point of having them all help in the first place. The other part is to make sure everyone knows who Nathan is, and that Nathan knows who Everyone is, too. So until the real work is over and done with Nariko's concerns will remain in the back of her head while she directs things from one place to another. Right now it's the redhead, in a comfy top and old jeans, who asks for Nathan's attention.]
So, hey.
[Leave it to Emily to just pop up with a question to a stranger.] What was it like living overseas?
[That's not what she really wants to ask but the guy looks weirdly out of time and space, so it's best to start with something easy.]