RP: Tea Time Who: Victoire + Caleb What: Tea Time @ The Quatre When: 12/11/2021 (Backdated) Where: Victoire’s Apartment Warnings: N/A Completion Status: Faded Out
Victoire had moved in without much issue, except for getting all the paperwork required for the application. Once settled she had gone to great lengths to decorate in low key french fashions including the tea set she had sent to Caleb.
The kitchen table was set with all the accoutrements that she could want for an afternoon of good company and even better tea when she heard a knock on the door.
“It’s open!” she called pulling the biscuits out of the oven.
Christmas was definitely proving to be the busiest time for the shop, which was to be expected, but a little overwhelming to deal with. At least now they were a three person team they could each carve out a little more time for breaks. And he always tried to make time for tea when he could. Still. He’d brought work with him because he was definitely in a place where he was taking some kind work with him near enough everywhere.
He pushed open the door when he heard Victoire’s voice. “Salut!” he called out as he came through the door. “I’m glad we’re doing this,” he said as he started taking in her new space. There was just a gentle smile that came across his space. It slightly reminded him of the time in his family’s French home, but also of Victoire’s stylish touch.
“Nice.” He had paused partway across the room just to take it all in.
“Merci chéri.” She kissed him on both cheeks. “Just because I’m not traveling doesn’t mean France has to stay across the Channel.”
She’d chosen comfortable clothes for these occasions, a simple pair of jeans and her favorite black sweater. “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks!” The pot was set with hot water and a tray of a variety of teas for them to choose from.
She gestured him over to the table while she picked up the biscuits tray. “Please feel free to work if you need to. I know things are busy.” She smiled wide at her friend.
Returning the gesture he smiled. “Very true,” he said. “Très belle, both you and the flat.” He brushed a hand over the front of his green jumper with tasteful white snowflake designs at the neck and cuffs, paired with grey chinos and black boots. It was comfy working attire, while still looking festive enough to appease Katarina’s love of all things winter and Christmas in particular. He slipped his coat onto the hook near the door and headed for the table.
“I’ve missed you, and tea is always welcome,” he said fervently. A steady supply was often an important part of his daily wellbeing.
He gave a big, heavy sigh. “I knew Christmas was busy from running my own stall, but somehow the shop is even worse,” he said. He took a seat at something only slightly more gentle than a collapse.
“I brought something with me,” he affirmed, holding up the project bag he had slipped out of his usual travel bag. “If I don’t have something nearby I feel bad at the moment,” he said. He couldn’t help but put the bag down shortly to smell the options for tea.
“How are you settling in?” he asked.
“The decorations were the hard part. I’m glad these apartments are fully furnished otherwise I would’ve had an issue.” She paused, still looking around the room. Regardless of the start of the apartment she still had…ideas. She just wanted to be in it long enough to realize them.
She set the biscuits on the table. “You’re always welcome to do what you need. You know that.” Victoire had been around Caleb long enough to know he needed to have something with him, even going back to holidays in France where she’d find him in the back of the room working away on an idea. “Any new and interesting vendors come in for the holidays?”
Victoire had selected a Jasmine Mint Tea. It had that vegetative taste but the clean spearmint cut through that making for a balanced taste. “There’s sugar cubes and crystals if you like.”
He nodded sagely. “I helped Trina when she moved. It was hard work,” he said. He definitely had an aesthetic of his own too, but he was far less specific about his own needs in furniture. And didn’t specifically need to spend time in antique shops all the time.
Before beginning to work on his project he chose a slightly floral smelling black tea, not quite in the mood for Earl Grey and added a cube of sugar as it brewed. He needed the sugar boost for when he went back to the shop. “Mmm, there are a couple. And a lot of our regular makers expand their range for Christmas, plus Yule and Hanukkah too if Trina has her way. She found someone making calendars of lots of major holidays and keeps giving them pointedly to our makers that do anything even vaguely seasonal!” He shook his head gently at his business partner’s enthusiasm.
“Plus we had a few enquiries from people we didn’t bargain for, so hopefully they’re still interested once the rush is over.” He spelled his hands clean just in case and pulled out the embroidery project he’d brought with him. It was a round framed piece for a child’s first Christmas where he mostly had only the final layer of decorations left: french knots and small stars that laid over some of his other embroidery, even the lettering was already complete.
Victoire magicked one of her fashion magazines over to her. With her slender build she never did much care for bathing suit shoots and she’d been enjoying her time off from the jetset life.
“It’s good to hear that business is moving briskly.” The handmade world wasn’t something she was too familiar with. She had learned to sew from her mother but with ateliers and fashion shows she found little use in the skill herself.
She lifted her eyes from her magazine. She’d flipped through it thousands of times but she remembered Caleb’s need for quiet while he worked. The simple act was almost sacred to him,
“You know, we weren’t sure it would, and it was slow at first, but it’s steady now. And holidays help a lot,” he said as he picked through his thread bundle and got himself situated. “It makes sense based on previous experience though.”
He sipped his chosen tea and began to sew, absorbing the silence. It took a few minutes for him to submerge himself in the rhythm of it, but after a little while he began to shift around and frown. He sighed out loud and set his piece down, giving Victoire a rueful look.
“I got used to Trina talking or having music on while we’re working,” he admitted. “I probably won’t reply much, but feel free to fill me in on what’s going on with you.” Loud groups of people or overly loud music were still a big distraction, and in his own space he worked with only ambient noise, but when someone else was around he had learned to appreciate the input, at least to a degree.