[Open Post] Momijigari (Maple leaf-viewing)

[cute_shinigami]

The days are getting colder and shorter, and when he hasn't been napping on the couch or reading Anne Rice novels, Tsuzuki has been at work raking leaves on the garden paths and the lawns

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[cute_shinigami]

Tsuzuki has been gazing across at the orange and gold leaves of the trees beyond the Mansion, when he jolts, hearing that voice. He turns, smiling as a greeting. "Oh, hey there, sorry I didn't say something sooner. It's a lovely time of year and I was just admiring the leaves before we lose them."

[cute_shinigami]

"Yeah, I got here in the winter: it was pretty cold, and I couldn't wait for the summer to come," he says, shivering at the memory. "Brrrr!!" He looks to the pot of cider. "Would you like some spiced cider? I made it myself."

[cute_shinigami]

"Yeah, I sort of just... took up gardening since it seemed like the right thing to do," he says, pouring a cup in case the newcomer would like some. "I used to mess around in the garden a lot when I was a kid and I've got a small garden at home. I'm Asato Tsuzuki."

[cute_shinigami]

"Aww, that's too bad," he says, sympathetically. "But you're over it now, so that should make it easier. I could introduce you to a few people: I'm not exactly the official angel of dea--err, angel of welcome, but I've met a good number of people when they first got here, so if you like, I could introduce you to some of them."

[cute_shinigami]

"Oh, I've got all the time in this world, you might say. I'm usually puttering around in the garden, but now that it's autumn and the earth is going to sleep, that frees up a lot of my time," he says, smiling. "Relax, it would be a pleasure."

[cute_shinigami]

"I like helping people," he says, with a casual shrug. "It wasn't so long ago, I was the fellow who wasn't sure where the hell he'd gotten himself off to, so it's just my way of returning the favor. Besides, it's sad to see a nice young guy like you so lonely."

[cute_shinigami]

"I think I know what you mean," he says with a gentle chuckle. "I have a supervisor where I work, who's always getting after me for slipping up on the job and grumbling about how I keep putting holes in the office budget. But I've been here long enough that I've started to miss him, or at least the kindly side that he shows once in a while."

[cute_shinigami]

"That is true, though I seem to find things to do, no matter how quiet it seems," he says. "I've been taking a couple if courses at the informal university here, and I've been puttering around in the garden as well. But it does get a bit quiet, even for me."