Spring Spice
Shadius going to town.
The air was starting to warm up, and it drew Shadius from his usual hiding spot at home. He wasn't a very outgoing Elefu, and he enjoyed the excuse of winter to stay inside and keep to himself. However, a chilly spring day called for a bowl of chili, and he was in need of some ingredients.
Taking the short bus trip into town was always an interesting experience. Somedays it was packed, today it was still sparsely populated thanks to the frosty morning enticing people to stay inside just a little longer. He was grateful for the space, taking the time to see how the town had changed during the season change. Flowers had started to peek from the ground, and the stubborn weeds that chose the sidewalk as home had once again sprung from the cracks despite the city's best efforts to remove them every year.
He looked up when his stop arrived, sliding out of the bus and adjusting the half mask over his jaw, ensuring it was secure before entering the warmth of the grocery store. Any chill that clung to his bones was steadily ebbed while he shopped, meekly avoiding any other morning shoppers as he walked around. Meat, spices, peppers... was he missing anything else for the house? Collecting the last few things he needed, he checked out and left quickly to catch the next bus back home.
This ride was as vacant as the last, grateful for the chance to leave his groceries in the seat beside him rather than the floor.
Arriving home, he carried everything inside and got to work cooking the chili. The house was quickly filled with the warm smell, though he knew it'd be a while before he could eat any of it. Instead he settled for snacking on some of the extra peppers he'd bought, savoring the spicy fruits and cleaning up the house to pass the time.
Once it had finally finished cooking he eagerly prepared a bowl, getting comfortable on the couch and having his own personal feast. It was a perfect way to reward himself for going out into the town, and there were plenty of leftovers to allow himself to enjoy some peace for a while longer before he'd need to go back to town again.