Who: Noah, Sebastian, Calum, Iomhar, Isannah, Balthier When: Current Where: Gatehouse, Craigcrook Castle, Edinburgh What: A pie is being cooked. Rating/Warnings: Nay Status: Complete
Noah’s frowning at the recipe. “So it’s - a crust or mashed potatoes, on fish in gravy, with some hard boiled eggs. Any objections?”
“None at all.” Sebastian nods, “It should turn out well, actually. I like the thought. Anything you want to add with it? I think we have a few green things that would go well.”
"Some green things wouldn’t be bad.” Noah’s tucking a blanket over Balthier. He’s actually sleeping, so let him try to catch up. “You know, I actually don’t feel like I’m utterly ready to crash. I think I’m getting caught up on my sleep.” Still waking up in the afternoon, because of his night schedule, but not feeling so grittily tired is nice. “Are you thinking mashed potatoes or crust on top?”
“I like the idea of the crust, but I could be persuaded.” Sebastian considers a moment.
“Do we have the right amount of time to MAKE a crust just now? It didn’t seem TOO difficult, but..” And the sleep thing is good. “Not ready to crash? Oh good. That’ll make this better.”
“We’ve got the time,” Noah says, mostly because he’s made pie crust on an institutional scale at work. “Isannah? Do you think Evan might be interested in joining in? If Calum’s ready for a break.”
“We should get him.” Isannah nods. “It’s a good idea and he and Calum would be FRIENDS if pushed to it.” She really does want to find friends for Evan. Now that there are more people they can trust, it should be opened up, right?
“I do hope they can hit it off. I think Calum sees me - with the sword work, slightly a teacher. And it’s - hard to take that role off.” Noah sighs. There’s probably a bit of it there that he - tends to read things very grimly and seriously and Calum tends to watch closely for doing things well. “But - I hope it works well. We were talking dinner. A fish pie from the internet.”
“He had the tendency.” Iomhar comments from where he’s been folding napkins, because why not? He’d found a book about origami and been interested and then it’d turned into trying to fold these. Which isn’t working at all. Must be the type of paper. “Not so bad as all of this until...after. Fed into everything he was leaving behind, I suspect.”
“As in a fish pie purchased from the internet?” Isannah wonders, raising an eyebrow. “Or something from a recipe. I mean there IS a difference. I wouldn’t eat anything I bought from one of the auction places. MAYBE the craft one if it was definitely fresh. I’ve seen enough of a man on the you tube thing eat out of date foods to make me think it’s a bad idea.”
“There was a man eating military rations. They looked - better than what I had for camping food.” Noah looks bemused. “The recipe though.” He holds up the page. “I did double check it, and Sebastian agrees that it sounds promising. We could make something sweet to finish the meal with, if it’s not great.”
“Sounds like fun.” Isannah makes a mental note. I’ll look for that. But let’s see…” She glances over and blinks. “Fish with a gravy? That works?”
“It actually does.” Iomhar says, nodding. “Looks interesting. Like a modern version of something they might do at an inn or something. And I can go grab Cal."
“We were talking about trying to cook things that reminded us of home.” Noah’s frowning at the recipe. “Basically, someone needs to wash the spinach. We make a gravy, and add some cheese at the end, and then the fish goes in the pan with the gravy and the spinach. Bake until the crust is done. Hard boiled eggs go in there. Sounds like someone should do the eggs while I do the crust, so the eggs will be cool enough to peel?”
“I can handle that.” Sebastian’s reaching over to actually grab water to cover the eggs in a pan. “They’re...you start with cold water, so you can peel I’ve heard? Or does that happen after?” He’s really not sure himself. He leans over to get a look at the recipe.
It looks like the recipe is voting for cold first, due to easier timing. “Would you like to wilt the greens and grate the cheese, Isannah?” Noah asks. “The gravy simmers a while, if someone wants to watch it and stir occasionally. How has your day been?” This is peaceful enough work, laying out the butter and the flour.
“Not bad,” Isannah steps around to grab it. “Most of the usual sorts of things. I DID finally get some work done on the beading for those curtains I wanted to try out. Took a while, but they’re staying.” She probably shouldn’t have gone with the base she had, but they’d been already DONE for the most part, and just needed to be decorated. Well, mostly. A little hemming but that was easy.
“Bead curtains or beaded?” Noah asks just to make sure. “I’ve been tempted to put up bead curtains for the kitchen doorway but I suspect both Basch and myself would jump if they made noise. With this time off, it might be nice to head up and see how the cabin’s coming.”
“Beaded. Stitched on.” Isannah’s starting the grating now. “The beads are a nice IDEA but yeah it seemed a little loud for all the time. Might be nice for a party of some kind. Strange was thinking about doing some that way for one of the meditation rooms he’s working on. I hate to say that doesn’t fit in with how I understand meditation works but…” She shrugs.
“The first place I was stationed had bead curtains on everything. Restaurants, homes, all of that. I think it was for the shade and to let the breeze in. So sometimes it’s a bit - nostalgic, I guess?” Noah’s working through the crust. He’s done enough of it at work that a lot of the cutting in of the fat and the mixing is muscle memory. “I fear that my sewing is purely practical. I’d probably be awful at beading something. I did see the kitchen chairs that Balthier got. I’m tempted to replace that slightly rocking uneven legged chair upstairs or see if I can repair it.”
“That one IS a bit of a…” Sebastian considers. “Well, it’s FUNCTIONAL isn’t it from what I’ve seen?” he frowns the slightest bit. “But the problem is, of course, that that’s about all it has going. I could see it re-covered, maybe?”
“I think it’s missing a bottom -” Noah pauses and then finishes wrapping up his pie crust to tuck it in the fridge to firm up. “The little metal bit so it’ll slide better over the floor? I assume you can get another. The octopus rose fabric isn’t too bad, but it is sunfaded.”
He doesn’t have a better description for the odd brown and mauve patterns of floppy leaves and rose shapes.
“That kind of IS a little octopus...like.” Sebastian admits, thinking that over a little. “All...lengthy and...things.” He makes a little bit of an amused face. “Probably nicer than the real thing too. Just as a guess.”
“I heard they’re very intelligent, so probably better to not sit on them? It seems like bad luck to make fabric for seats out of smart animals.” Noah’s guessing there. “Would...you be willing to look at wedding plans with Evan, Isannah? Mostly practicality things. I want you both to be comfortable.” He hesitates. “Not for almost a year, and things like - we’re talking clothing and traditions.”
“Sort of a lookover?” Isannah nods. “I can do that, definitely. Good idea, in fact. And Evan’s probably going to be beside himself with joy over that. It means he’ll get to go head to head with Calum. Which I can only imagine they’re both going to actually legitimately love.”
“I’m also thinking - I want it to be low key?” Noah waves a hand. “Political parties will be gaudy and overkill and I’ll hate them either way, but the actual wedding is for us. Plus, you two might know traditions for good luck. It feels a bit - I’ll be wearing Vael colors and handfasting in a Vael style, and mostly all I care about is that we have a Landisser flower crown involved. Neither me nor Basch remembers much of how weddings were supposed to work.”
And he’s not going to get choked up about that weird - all the times his mother promised she’d tell them later, when they were ready. “So - perhaps you two have some ideas to mix in? I don’t mind the plaid and the traditions. But it might be - interesting to find home? I don’t know how to put it.”
“Is this because he wants to throw some massive public thing? That IS for the public. I mean, no one goes to that sort of thing expecting to see anyone actually.” Isannah nods sagely. “Basch should remember a bit more how THAT sort of thing goes. I mean, it wasn’t one of OURS, obviously, but that same sort of…”
She’s not sure really what the word for it here is. “It’s an excuse for people to mill around like idiots and have fun and overeat fried things on sticks, I think. Have you noticed everyone here seems to push the fried things?”
“Tourism.” Sebastian remarks on that. “And the deep fried Mars bars are really good? I can’t say I would go out and have one every day, but…” He’s setting a timer for the eggs now.
“Chip buttys.” Iomhar supplies. “When you’re ah...in a stage that’s not quite sober anyway. Or Kebabs. They have a couple places here. What we SHOULD do is just get Cal to rent one of those for this thing. I mean, it would be nice, right? And it could be well away from anything major or important.”
“Something like that COULD work.” Calum’s in the doorway, having caught that, and he’s got a little ink on his cheek and more on his thumb, but he’s here. “A big distraction sort of a thing. Maybe something fundraising thrown in there for it. I know people who might have ideas. Iomhar REALLY knows people. Also, if I’m doing this and everyone’s still on with it, I want a secretary. Ser Evan if he’ll take it would make sense.”
“Could always arrange that some of the fundraising goes to charity. There’s one for war children that seemed reputable, and I’m sure Shaun could research things to make sure.”
Noah waves at him. “Aren’t you already hiring Isannah as a bodyguard here? We’re making pie. Would you like to supervise or help?”
“Well, aye, that would be the ideal way to do it. You two would probably have to pick to make this fair, but aside from that…” Calum shrugs. “We’ll, I don’t know, get permission to drive you through the city briefly.”
“Do they make strong enough bullet proof glass now?” Iomhar asks, genuinely curious. “And I mean, suppose something really crazy happens during the time. They DO have a workaround for this sort of thing here, you know, where they keep back one official. And *I* was hiring her, technically.”
“We DO end up here a lot.” Isannah’s finished with the ingredients prep now. “Though I’m half expecting the two of you to... “ She shrugs. “Elope together or something at some point. Evan can probably CALL it what he likes but we all know the two of you are discussing uhm…” She glances around trying to come up with something.
“Dictionaries. Reading dictionaries in very sultry voices.” Iomhar nods and Calum snorts.
“If I say that we were playing chess, that probably becomes a metaphor we DON’T want tossed around, but we play chess and we file. And sometimes other delightful things. We took the most ROMANTIC trip to the Office Outlet the other day. And now we both own hole punches. It’s amazing, honestly.” And he’s getting a look at the prep there. “I’ll do the plates and stuff if we’re setting up somewhere particular. It’s better we don’t get me NEAR the cooking.”
“Did you find a good one? The older one we have does three holes at a time and sprays round bits of paper all over with a terrifying groan,” says Balthier. He’s muzzily sitting up, trying not to wake up Basch. “Or did Evan get rid of the haunted one?”
“We did, actually.” Calum shudders at the thought. “I DID go manual, but I LIKE using them. It’s oddly soothing, somehow. And he’s slightly afraid of getting rid of it. Like it’s going to rise from the donation pile or grave and stalk him if he dares replace it.” And he pauses. “We may or may not have been watching a really terrible horror program at the time that came up as a topic and started improvising scenarios, but I saw the fear in his eyes, I’ll swear it.”
“Horror programs?” Balthier looks bemused. “I wonder if shouldn’t join you on sultry office supplies. It might help when I can’t sleep and am getting crabby about it.” He moves over to lean on the counter. “For the record, brother privilege, be nice to Evan?”
“I think I can do that.” Calum says, nodding. “He’s a good man, your brother. And I like him. I promise the hazing won’t be TOO terrible. Probably involves wrangling those supplies around. There’s a pair of scissors that are delightfully saucey little…”
Iomhar holds up a hand. “Right. I get it.” He doesn’t snort, really.
Noah looks at him levelly, and then moves to start on pie crust. “Need I mention linguine to you, Iomhar?”
Which - really - that’s probably a sin, in a way. Remembering little details that happened in the past. Not that he hates Iomhar (annoyed that Iomhar’s issues risk upsetting Ellie, but -) It’s habit. He’s had it for years.
Balthier blinks. “Linguine?” He’s absently stealing some spinach and some of the cheese before leaning to check the recipe.
“I...ah…” Iomhar flounders for a moment and then comes back with. “Well, who tries on kilts with their fiance and ONLY tries on kilts, eh? “ he leans over like he’s scoring a point.
Noah blinks. “We did go for a walk? It was a pleasant time.” And tested kissing. Sebastian seemed to find it rather distracting with Sebastian in his family colors. He’s spreading out the pie crust on the bottom layer. “Almost ready to put this all together. Is the oven preheated, or will this cool down for a while?”
“Did you?” Calum raises an eyebrow. “By the bus stop?” He can’t help but ask, and Sebastian ducks his head and flushes deeply.
“I…” he sputters a moment.
Noah raises an eyebrow back at Calum. “It was my suggestion that we try kissing, but I’m not sure why that’d matter to Iomhar.” He eyes Sebastian. “Are you - is there a reference I’m not getting?”
“That time we had to duck into the bushes to avoid the school children.” Sebastian laughs, even though he’s scarlet. “That was all. These idiots.” He rolls his eyes. Isannah snickers. “That’s ADORABLE.”
Calum leans over to lightly punch Noah’s shoulder, grinning at him like an idiot. And okay, it’s rare for him, but this is good right now. Things are working OUT.
Balthier brightens. He did hear some of that story. Noah had also expressed the opinion that nah, smooching in the rain wasn’t a - you know - desert island desire for him, but Sebastian’s love of it more than made up for any mild indifference Noah had about it.
“It’s good the short robes - the kilts worked out. What do you call it? A dry run?”