Jamil is cooking something I don't feel like picking when Kalim comes in with his arms full of clothes, and immediately decides this is more important than whatever cool bug Kalim probably saw outside.
"Kalim, I told you, if you forget to take the laundry basket with you need to come back and get it first. I don't care if it takes more time, it is NOT worth dropping something and having to clean it again!"
"Ah hah hah, whoops... Sorry, Jamil!" Kalim peers over the laundry to locate the basket and decant everything into it. "I didn't drop anything this time, though, so it's okay!"
Settling down to start folding it, he continues, "Okay, so! I met this girl in town a couple of times, her name is Maomao. She's kind of weird, I think she likes throwing up? Anyway, she asked me if I could help her try out some of the medicine she's making, and I said yes, buuut... That was before we had that talk, and I figured I should check with you!"
Jamil is trying to pretend he isn't monitoring Kalim's folding technique out of the corner of his eye, so it takes a second for what he's saying to sink in.
When it does he gives a comical double take. What happened to only trusting Jamil's food?
Kalim's folding technique is... fine. It's fine! It could be worse! It's fine.
Anyway, what happened to only trusting Jamil's food is that he had to live here without Jamil for two weeks and in that time he was forced to decide that didn't matter here because no one here would want to poison him anyway. The food situation is one of the things he hasn't reevaluated since their talk.
"Well, she seemed nice, and like she knows what she's doing! I'm pretty sure if something went wrong she'd know what to do."
Jamil is caught between wanting to blow his lid and wanting to take over folding. It is only years of careful practice that keeps all this off his face.
Well, he really should have expected something like this. He should have set things straight with Kalim immediately, but no, because he dithered around Kalim went and got himself mixed up in nonsense while he wasn't paying attention. It's a good thing they're not at home, because that feels like nothing short of negligence. What is wrong with him?
Jamil keeps himself in the moment: Kalim is presently alive, so there's still time to rectify this before it gets worse. And he certainly can't trust Kalim's impressions of the situation, so he'll just have to sort it out personally.
He forces himself to turn away from Kalim's 'folding', as if he's no longer bothered. "I don't think it would be a good idea. You'll just have to tell her you're no longer available," he says, perfectly placid. "Or better yet, I can do it myself, since I'll need to go into town for more ingredients anyway. You said her name was Maomao?"
And that she liked throwing up. Whatever that means.
Kalim makes no objections. He's a little disappointed that he won't get to help his new friend, but he brought it up in the first place because he guessed Jamil would have an issue with it. It feels kind of... comfortable, honestly... Maybe it's because it's been a while since this kind of thing was Jamil's business – if something like this this had happened while they were still at school and this was still the norm he might have pouted about it a bit – but right now the straightforwardness of it makes him feel a bit more secure.
He doesn't have any qualms with the prospect of Jamil going to talk to Maomao in his stead, either – if anything he seems keen on it. Maybe Jamil can make another friend!
"She's pretty short," he gestures an approximate height, "and she has dark hair and freckles."
"Where do you normally meet with her?" His voice stays very casual as he goes about the kitchen putting things back in order. Maybe he can just go settle this now, on the premise that he doesn't have enough to make lunch. Kalim can keep to himself here for a bit. "If she makes legitimate medicine, she must have a shop."
"Huh, I don't think she's selling it..." Kalim hums thoughtfully as he inexpertly folds a pair of pants. "She gave some to Vil a while back, though! It's been a while since we met up. I think she's living with a guy named, um... It starts with an N...?"
Vil knows her? Interesting. That lends some credence to her legitimacy, but Azul has also boasted about selling beauty products to Vil before so there's clearly no accounting for taste. This is still the sketchiest thing Jamil has ever heard.
"If I see her while I'm in town, I'll make sure to pass on the message." Mildly, like all this would be an afterthought and he isn't planning to throw himself into locating this woman the second he leaves the room.
Then, because he knows it will probably keep Kalim happy all day while he sorts this out, Jamil adds, "Thank you for doing the laundry. It was very helpful."
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"Kalim, I told you, if you forget to take the laundry basket with you need to come back and get it first. I don't care if it takes more time, it is NOT worth dropping something and having to clean it again!"
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Settling down to start folding it, he continues, "Okay, so! I met this girl in town a couple of times, her name is Maomao. She's kind of weird, I think she likes throwing up? Anyway, she asked me if I could help her try out some of the medicine she's making, and I said yes, buuut... That was before we had that talk, and I figured I should check with you!"
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When it does he gives a comical double take. What happened to only trusting Jamil's food?
"What? Why would you ever agree to that?!"
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Anyway, what happened to only trusting Jamil's food is that he had to live here without Jamil for two weeks and in that time he was forced to decide that didn't matter here because no one here would want to poison him anyway. The food situation is one of the things he hasn't reevaluated since their talk.
"Well, she seemed nice, and like she knows what she's doing! I'm pretty sure if something went wrong she'd know what to do."
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Well, he really should have expected something like this. He should have set things straight with Kalim immediately, but no, because he dithered around Kalim went and got himself mixed up in nonsense while he wasn't paying attention. It's a good thing they're not at home, because that feels like nothing short of negligence. What is wrong with him?
Jamil keeps himself in the moment: Kalim is presently alive, so there's still time to rectify this before it gets worse. And he certainly can't trust Kalim's impressions of the situation, so he'll just have to sort it out personally.
He forces himself to turn away from Kalim's 'folding', as if he's no longer bothered. "I don't think it would be a good idea. You'll just have to tell her you're no longer available," he says, perfectly placid. "Or better yet, I can do it myself, since I'll need to go into town for more ingredients anyway. You said her name was Maomao?"
And that she liked throwing up. Whatever that means.
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Kalim makes no objections. He's a little disappointed that he won't get to help his new friend, but he brought it up in the first place because he guessed Jamil would have an issue with it. It feels kind of... comfortable, honestly... Maybe it's because it's been a while since this kind of thing was Jamil's business – if something like this this had happened while they were still at school and this was still the norm he might have pouted about it a bit – but right now the straightforwardness of it makes him feel a bit more secure.
He doesn't have any qualms with the prospect of Jamil going to talk to Maomao in his stead, either – if anything he seems keen on it. Maybe Jamil can make another friend!
"She's pretty short," he gestures an approximate height, "and she has dark hair and freckles."
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"Where do you normally meet with her?" His voice stays very casual as he goes about the kitchen putting things back in order. Maybe he can just go settle this now, on the premise that he doesn't have enough to make lunch. Kalim can keep to himself here for a bit. "If she makes legitimate medicine, she must have a shop."
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"If I see her while I'm in town, I'll make sure to pass on the message." Mildly, like all this would be an afterthought and he isn't planning to throw himself into locating this woman the second he leaves the room.
Then, because he knows it will probably keep Kalim happy all day while he sorts this out, Jamil adds, "Thank you for doing the laundry. It was very helpful."
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"Aw, no problem! Tell Maomao I said hi if you see her!"