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[incomingchoppers]

visits + mail deliveries: 1 Leeds Road, Downtown Hollow | 486 Juniper Drive, Northwest Hollow

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[thethirteenthchild]

Towards the end of the work day, Dahlia bumps Radar lightly with her elbow to get his attention as she's making her way out. "Wanna grab something to eat before we head home for the day? There's something personal I wanted to talk to you about. Nothing bad, just don't need the whole office hearing."

[incomingchoppers]

"Oh!" Jolted from his thoughts, Radar blinks up at her owlishly -- but he's smiling, too. To the shock of probably everybody in Town Hall, he even starts putting away the paperwork he was scribbling on. "Sure, ma'am, I'd like that."

(Just like John is still Mr. Rambo most of the time, Dahlia's still on the receiving end of plenty of ma'ams and Miss Leeds, despite everything.)

"Where do you wanna go?"

[thethirteenthchild]

"That little cafe across the street?" Dahlia offers with a smile. "My treat."

[incomingchoppers]

"Oh, yeah, they got real good sandwiches there." He beams. "You know they'll even make you a triple-decker one if you ask nice?"

Radar found that out about a week ago, and his life may never be the same. God help the guys on KP whenever he makes it back to Korea.

Shoving the last of the paper into its designated spot -- he'll remember where it is, even if nobody else will -- he grabs his things and follows Dahlia out the door.

[thethirteenthchild]

Dahlia chuckles. "Yeah, I've seen you bring them back. I don't know how you can get your mouth around them," she jokes.

Dahlia leads the way to the cafe, and once orders are placed at the counter, they grab a seat.

"So the thing I wanted to talk to you about, ah. It might be a little... tricky. But I'm hoping that it'll ultimately be positive," she begins.

[incomingchoppers]

"...Okay," he says. Some of his usual cheer has dimmed into uncertainty, but all he does is frown, slightly, as he toys with the napkin in front of him. It's a little too noisy to get a good read on her, which means he's gotta ask outright: "What is it?"

Early November, after the Casino

[hate_gettin_older]

At the Black Stag Casino, Edgar finds himself ... not quite worried, but uneasy. He couldn't help noticing that Radar wasn't assigned to the room with him and Rambo; it took longer than he expected to find out where he was instead, or to even catch a glimpse of him. And the fact that he barely at all saw him outside the VIP suites ...

Well. They're back at the ranch now, and Radar doesn't seem like he's been through anything particularly bad. But that doesn't stop Edgar from trying to keep an eye on him, even if he isn't exactly worried.

[incomingchoppers]

Radar, for his part, is in decent spirits -- better than he was for most of October, anyway. No more hiding in the hayloft or deliberately taking on the worst farm chores just to be alone. Plus, ever since he clued in that Helga was pregnant (a little while before Mr. Rambo did, but it wasn't something that needed telling or fussing about until she was further along), he's been having fun spoiling her rotten by sneaking her extra sugar cubes and giving her the kind of nice, long grooming sessions that'd put the casino's spa to shame.

He's carefully detangling Helga's mane as Edgar approaches the barn, and calls when his friend's barely got half a foot inside the door: "Hey Edgar."

Bandit -- the Purrloin skulking around the barn that Radar adopted last month -- immediately abandons her attempts to wind around Radar's legs in favor of trying to trip Edgar instead.

[hate_gettin_older]

"... Hey." He's getting used to how Radar always seems to anticipate things, but every now and then it still bemuses him a little.

"How's it going?"

[incomingchoppers]

"Pretty good," he says, amiable as ever. Helga snorts as he hits a bad tangle, and he lowers his voice, soothing: "Yeah, I know, you got a rough patch there, we're gonna go slow and get it smoothed out, okay?"

He rubs the bridge of the horse's nose as he glances Edgar's way. "How about you? -- Bandit, no."

"Prrr?" says Bandit, all innocence, from where she's trying to stick a paw in one of Edgar's pockets.

[hate_gettin_older]

"Right," says Edgar, and bends to scoop up Bandit into his arms. "Come here, you little menace. Nothing in there for you."

Bandit does get a bit of a scritch between the ears though.

[incomingchoppers]

Bandit also complains loudly -- prrrloinPURRLOIN! -- and turns the saddest look imaginable on Edgar, even as he scritches her ears. You monster. How could you not let her pickpocket you. Not having anything in your pockets is no excuse.

Radar chuckles, sheepish. "C'mon, bring her over here. She can steal some of Helga's treats outta my coat, it'll make her happy. I'll bring you more soon, don't worry," he adds to Helga as he pats her side.

november, sending stone.

[abhorrently]

Radar? When you're free, I need your help with something.

[if she sounds stressed, don't worry about it.]

[incomingchoppers]

[joke's on you, Fever, Radar worries about everything!!]

Oh hey Fever! I gotta go feed my animals but I can come over right after. What's wrong?

[abhorrently]

You don't have to come over for this, I'm...

[breathe.]

What do you know about horses?

[incomingchoppers]

Oh, a good bit. We didn't keep any in Ottumwa but Mr. Rambo's got a couple and Colonel Potter used to be cavalry, so I know what to do with 'em pretty well. Why?

[abhorrently]

...I agreed to drive a pair in a little over a month's time and I have no idea how to interact with a horse at all.

[then why did you-]

Please, whatever you know, I'd owe you big time.

[incomingchoppers]

[...oh, Fever. it's kind of funny, her being so stressed about something like this when she hardly seems scared of anything most times, but Radar's kind enough to keep those thoughts to himself. he makes a small, thoughtful noise.]

You never been around one? Not once?

[no judgement! he's just thinking.]

givingstide

[lovethyneighb_or]

Snuggled inside the box is two jars of jam, both apple. Also folded inside is a sturdy bag sewn together from repurposed cloth, the body striped, the straps patterned with something that looks akin to decorative tiling. There are pockets on the outside with button fasteners and more pockets on the inside, including a few very narrow ones that look fitted for pencils.

Merry Christmas and happy Givingstide, Radar!

Remember that bravery and courage do not need to be paired with violence or anger. You are a very, very brave young man, and I cannot tell you enough how glad I am to see you come into your own outside the war. Thank you, always, for being my friend.

With love,
Mulcahy

[incomingchoppers]

Even more than the gift itself, it's the letter that fills Radar's heart almost to bursting. To have anyone call him brave, let alone the Father -- oh, he's going to keep this right alongside the letter from Mortanne so he can re-read it whenever he's feeling down.

Mulcahy's own present comes in a number of small envelopes, bundled together with green and red ribbons. They're seeds from every conceivable place Radar could gather on the island -- the other farmers, the forest, Dahlia's enormous garden, flowers and food both. Included with them:

Dear Father Mulcahy,

I hope these will all grow okay when you plant them! I got them from all over, so at least some of them should take. The ones with a little star on the envelope are ones that have to overwinter and won't sprout unless they get good and cold first. So if you plant them now, they'll come up in the spring. Something to look forward to!

I'm really glad you're here. Living on this island wouldn't be nearly as good without you around.

Merry Christmas,
Happy Givingstide,
Your friend,
Radar

(And as soon as they've both got a spare second amid the festivities, Mulcahy also gets a bear hug from Radar.)

[uselessrayofsunshine]

The weather has been unbearably hot lately, and anyone in his vicinity has heard Daisuke lament the lack of air conditioning. While just could very likely argue the point that air conditioning hadn't even been invented yet around here, and that Daisuke himself had dealt with heat and humidity plenty if he'd grown up on a tropical island, it super would not stop him from continuing to grouse.

What had made him quiet down for a little while, though, came in the form of a favor from his closest friend on the island. Or, rather, from her closet and gently modified to be able to fit him better:

A very cute, lightweight sundress and bare feet. Nothing else about him was particularly different, but he's been twirling around intermittently for the last couple of hours, or at least swishing the skirt when he has to stand in one place. He doesn't look particularly self-conscious about it either, even as he spots and runs up to the familiar figure of the friend he'd made at the Pride festival.

"Hey yo Radar!" He waves enthusiastically and jogs over with the specific intent of showing off. "Check it out!"

[incomingchoppers]

Radar's already looking up before Daisuke even shouts his name, ready to wave enthusiastically and call out a cheerful hello. It's been a bit! And he's a real swell guy, and it was so nice talking to somebody who knew so much at the Pride festival, and...

Oh.

Oh wow.

He's.

Any thought of calling anything, Daisuke's name or otherwise, zips right out of Radar's head. His eyes go huge behind his glasses, and it takes him a second to notice his mouth's gone dry because his jaw's hanging open like a ninny. He snaps his mouth shut and clears his throat. Don't start catching flies, Radar; it's fine. It's fine.

"Daisuke!" he finally manages. "Wow. Where'd you get that?"

Even Klinger doesn't look that good in a dress.

[uselessrayofsunshine]

Daisuke comes to a somewhat bouncy stop near Radar, grinning at him as he continues to swish. His head tilts when he realizes that he is outright being gawped at, and he finally has the grace to look at least a little bashful.

At least the question is a good starting point, and he reaches to grab the sides of the skirt and spread it out so they can better see the layered effect of it. "Anya let me look through her stuff! I told her I was talking to you about it and I wondered if she had anything I could try on and then this one looked really nice so I was like, hey do you wear this one much or anything? and she gave it to me after we fixed it a little bit so now I can keep cool out here!" He sticks one leg out for good measure. There's still a fine layer of hair on his legs but it's not terribly dark or really visible from a distance. "Anyway, you think your friend would approve? You said he was really good at the whole thing, and I'm just a noob but I think it looks nice!"

[incomingchoppers]

Aw, no, did he stare too much? He definitely stared too much. Oh jeez. He doesn't want Daisuke to be self-conscious when he looks so good!

"Oh, yeah, he'd love it!" he's quick to say, completely sincere. Klinger might be scandalized Daisuke isn't wearing any nylons, and insist Daisuke needs a couple accessories to go with, but that kind of light, flowy dress with the cute little bow at the back? That has Klinger Collection written all over it. A little shyer, Radar adds: "It does look nice. I really like the flowers on it."

[uselessrayofsunshine]

He's not used to people paying that close of attention to him anymore! At least Radar's quick save helps, and Daisuke smiles back again in his relief.

"Yeah, I'm a sucker for flowery patterns," he admits, swishing the skirts some as he holds the sides in his hands still, now just to fidget with. "Before I got here I had this awesome button-up with pink flowers all over it, I miss having it but like, hawai'ian shirts don't seem to exist here. This is a pretty great next best thing though, right? Bet it'd be even better with like, some sandals with little blue flowers on 'em. They don't have normal sandals here though. We're gonna have to invent sandals AND hawai'ian shirts."