Dolores looked over her shoulder to see the individual lounging on the armchair, the latter clearly exhausted as she attempted to sink as much into the plush fabric as she possibly could. The sight was admittedly a bit... Humorous to the older woman, but she nonetheless maintained a concerned frown as she scoured through the cabinets for anything that could be remotely useful for someone like her guest. Was she a robot? A sentient AI? Who knows? She only heard that her guest wasn't human, but she still absolutely refused to let her toil any more after several days of work.
Already, she felt immense guilt over the possibility of not being able to accommodate her guest. She, after all, had many people stay at her home in her retirement years, but all of them were... Ummm... How does one say this politely? Biological? This example didn't really fit the description, but she nonetheless pulled out a vial of motor oil from the closet (which was likely all coagulated and disgusting thanks to probable years of disuse) and hobbled over to the living room where the other party rested in. There, she placed the vial onto the nearby ottoman before seating herself on the nearby couch.
"So, about this hero role," she started quietly while looking into the suit's heart-shaped face, "Is it taxing on you at all? Emotionally or physically?" The elder tittered with a flutter before sighing and shaking her head. Of course it was. That's why she asked for you to take her in in the first place. Dolores wrung her hands together as her brows furrowed together, yet her frustration was clearly directed at herself instead of the other party.
Clearing her throat after a period of silence, she asked further, "I'm... I'm quite sorry if this isn't enough for someone like you, miss. All I know when it comes to comforting others is just... Talking. You know, like..." She rubbed the back of her neck while trying not to giggle again; besides, if she did so this time, it'd basically be a bit obvious that she had no idea what the hell she was doing. Her eyes were directed back towards the vial of motor oil before she shuddered and leaned back against her seat.
"Like this?" Dolores replied to herself, only for her to feel even worse afterwards. Don't refer to yourself like that. She wrung her hands together before finally allowing several tense giggles to escape from her mouth. Not that it helped the mood. She just... Felt helpless in the face of such an unusual yet benevolent occupant. "I could... Prepare you something that you find tasty or soothing... Like tea..." she continued ever so awkwardly, "... Something better than the motor oil, at least." Why did I even offer motor oil in the first place? Now she might think I'm insulting her!
She shrunk back, her sinking feeling only becoming more and more predominant as time went on.
"Or we can just talk, if you so desire. That's how I always unwind... It's always so much more peaceful when you can just converse and not have to worry about saving the world and... All that. Besides, I can't help but find your company interesting, ma'am. Would you... Ummmm... Tell me more about yourself in the process... Hm?"
the OC below helps Dolores gather groceries for... a beef stew. that'll definitely be shared later on too... :)c
oh heck. time for a follow-up... rip Maribelle tbh, but her dynamic with Dolores is pretty interesting so far...
Somehow, these two women managed to make it out of the woods and get back to Dolores's city, which was cold as shit and definitely necessitated soup as a staple dish. And what was the first soup that came into Dolores's mind as soon as she could put her belongings back in her house? Beef stew. And she was going to share it between her and her traveling companion, damn it, if only as a reward for tolerating her elderly frame back then.
Also, Dolores was definitely going to have to keep this girl as a sort of found family figure until the latter inevitably left. Something about her suggested helplessness, after all, and the elderly woman's savior complex made her certain that she could nullify it through her actions. Hopefully.
That was why as they scoured the supermarket in search of ingredients, Dolores couldn't help but keep looking over her shoulder to see how the younger party was doing. Guilt stirred in her stomach when she noticed how impossibly somber the girl was, but... At least it was better than that time in the woods? There was just a bit more spring in her step, though the older woman could easily deflect that as a result of food being offered as an incentive. Did the girl even like beef stew? She had proposed it to her earlier, and she just... Nodded. Not too enthusiastically, but it wasn't like it was done to get it done with either.
Still, whenever the girl's eyes drifted towards the sweets, Dolores could only think, I'll get them later; I promise.
They eventually stopped at the produce section, and Dolores busied herself to picking up some sweet potatoes - ridiculously expensive at this time of year yet nonetheless in season - when she heard a loud swoosh, then a thump. Her shoulders tensed before turning around to see... The other party wielding a large bag of potatoes. Dolores had no idea whether to be concerned or relieved. Both, maybe? She scratched her head before nodding.
"Well, it's not really stew if the only ingredients are beef and soup," she teased with a chuckle before nodding at the sack, "By the way, the potatoes are fine. Usually I use sweet potatoes when they're in season, but potatoes are far more reliable and stable in terms of supply and pricing, respectively." Was... Was Dolores secretly a vegetable connoisseur? That could be helpful in the moment. Another giggle came out when the girl recounted her anecdote about hating vegetables; something about it was so innocent and childlike - in the best way possible - that it genuinely made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. She didn't want to look down on her charge, of course, but that reminded her of the age gap between them.
Her smile faded slightly as she glanced down at her basket and replied, "Well, I have the beef and a little bit of cooking wine. I don't like using real wine as I never drink, and I don't expect my guests to either, but... I heard it does make the broth taste meatier. As for the... Celery, right? That's something I add sometimes, but you have to check to see if it's in season. If it snaps when you break off a stalk, it's good to go. The best stores let you try this out as a test, so don't be afraid to do so when you encounter them, hm?" She picked up a sweet potato, eyed it, then placed it back where it was. "As for those potatoes, miss... I can carry them myself." Said the one who was also likely going to get a fucking back injury from this.
"... You should probably relax after all that time in the wood,s don't you think? You shouldn't strain yourself like that... Really... How about I bear the weight for a little bit, and then you can get some nice warm stew later? Would that work for you, miss?" she asked gently, her hands getting shakier by the second as the girl continued to lift that bag like an ant trying to lift a large crumb of food.