Keni
pixel skylines
$LAYYYTER
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Monterey Bay Aquarium
Not today Justin
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Love Begins
noise dept.
NASA
Misplaced Lens Cap
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Mike Driver
art blog(derogatory)
Janaina Medeiros
will byers stan first human second
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@bowtiedbaker
[Mistel accidentally catches Carl's eye between entries— and winks at him silently, wrinkling his nose in a mirthful smile.]
[Smiles sidelong to the other man as he peeks up from looking at his cell phone - smile breaking into slightly more awkward as he starts giggling at the expression.]
Hmhmhm-- goodness, we should really be paying attention you know--! [Giggles, clearly still playing something instead on his phone.]
With a toss of her ponytail, she placed three similar dishes in front of the judges. “Good evening. Forgive me for my late entry. It took some time to get my grandmother’s recipe just right.” She motioned towards the dishes. “What you have is a wonderful tasting Strawberry Shortcake.
“I started by combining flour, sugar, baking powder and backing soda along with salt into a bowl. The original recipe called for a food processor. Since we had none, I used two knives to the best of my ability. I added the butter in and mixed it around with the knives until it looked like coarse crumbs. The next step was crucial. I had to make sure to not over mix the dough or it wouldn’t work out properly. Using a fork, I added in heavy cream and mixed it around with the dough until the cream was distributed evenly.”
Gwen quickly checked her appearance, making sure that no flour remained on her person after her many failed attempts. “Sorry. After that, I gathered the dough into a large ball then divided it into three equal portions. With those pieces, I pressed them into the three buttered cake pans and spread them out to the edges until they were smooth. Popping them into my preheated oven, I let them bake for 25 minutes. While it baked, I prepared my filling.
“With an electric mixer, I mixed together heavy cream and vanilla extract until soft peaks formed on the beaters and in the mixture. I slowly added sugar in parts while beating until the peaks of the batter were nice and stiff. I popped it into the fridge until my cakes were completely baked and cooled.”
She smiled at them. “Putting them together was my favorite part. I chopped up a bunch of strawberries and pulled my filling out of the fridge. With one layer of cake on the bottom, I covered it in strawberries and evenly spread out a bit of the cream filling on top. I followed it with another cake and did the same process until all three cakes were used. All that was left was to decorate the top with more cream and strawberries and, viola~. A wonderful Strawberry Shortcake.”
Dish Quality: 7
“Hm!♪” Carl grinned at the sight of the familiar woman from his town, head tilting slightly at her confession and only then reminding him to check a clock. “Oh, goodness-- it’s a little late, but at least it’s here! Hmhm--”
He sits back and listens, looking over the dish and to her with a large grin as she talks. Finally he leans forward to try a bite.
“Hmm--” he hums and pauses to really taste it, the final dessert of the night. Definitely something to savor, and after taking a few more bites and even finally finishing off his portion he turns to the notes to jot down:
Presentation: 4/5 (it’s lovely! Do be on time next time though sweetie!) Theme: 5/5 (it’s a dessert! I tend to think a very brunch or high tea item myself, though!) Taste: 8/10 (it tastes very good, you managed to get the vanilla flavoring very well! I would have liked it a little sweeter myself, but I still would eat another of these right now!)
After judging in the last Cooking Festival, the Harvest Goddess was excited to actually be a participant this time around. She felt should present a confection that was not only wonderful, but a reflection of herself.
“Tadaaaaa!” announced H.G. as she sparkled into existence at the judging table. “Surprise! Bet you didn’t think a deity could bake, did you? Well, not only can she, but she’s got something extra special in store.
“This is a recipe of my own design- I call it the Green Goddess Layer Cake. I have to admit- the only kitchen around my pond is in the Sprite Tree, so I cooked it there. It took quite some time, considering their utensils and appliances are so small…” With a groan, she wrung her hands, but that smile never faltered. “Anyway, I started with eggs fresh from the Mineral Town Poultry Farm, milk and butter from the Yodel Ranch, cocoa powder made from wild beans, baking powder, vanilla extract, and of course- some emerald green food coloring.
“I placed it all in a mixer with love, adding sugar and flour. You may also notice a hint of my secret ingredient: Ruby Spice, kindly donated to the pond from a resident of Forget-Me-Not Valley. My oven had been preheated to 375 degrees, so after pouring the batter into a pan, I baked it for a little under 25 minutes. After it cooled, I iced it with a whipped cream spread colored with that food coloring from before.
“That’s about it, folks! The finished Green Goddess Layer Cake serves 10 people. I hope you love it as much as I do.”
Dish quality: 7
There was a moment where Carl wasn’t paying attention, his phone in his lap buzzing with some small noises as he idly follows through with some game on his phone that needed attention. Just long enough before he finally closes it and looks up to just see some woman standing there, talking about her cake. Goodness, how embarrassing that he hadn’t even seen her walk up!
He flushes red, having trouble following her recipe and only briefly tilting his head as he tries to understand what exactly a Ruby Spice was and whether he should be concerned. Was it some sort of flavor enhancer? Hmm--
“Very lovely, thank you, miss!” he chimes out finally, not having quite caught her name - but more than happy to try the slice of cake placed before him with an awkward smile. He’s devoured it before he finally writes down his notes:
Presentation: 3/5 (it appears very homemade and uneven, which is to say very cute but not quite professional level! Perhaps some lessons with a professional would help if you’re interested in pursuing!) Theme: 5/5 (it’s a dessert!) Taste: 9/10 (it’s very tasty but I don’t know what Ruby Spice is still!)
After much deliberation, Hiro decided on matcha cheesecake. He loved matcha sweets; partly because the health benefits of matcha tea made a great excuse to eat what he really knew were unhealthy foods…
With all the baking, cooling, and other prep long done, he set a slice of his dish gently in front of each of the judges. He had been really worried how this would go. But he used the best ingredients he could find, kept all of Yun’s advice in mind, and thankfully it all appeared to have worked out.
“Well, this.. today I’m presenting slices of matcha cheesecake, on a cookie crumb crust topped with dark chocolate sauce. Uh.. desserts with matcha are something that Yun, a shopkeeper in my town, had taught me about some time ago, and I wanted to take it further with a cheesecake recipe I learned on my own recently.
“I started by making the crust, mixing cookie crumbs, butter, sugar and salt, and pressing them into the bottom of a springform pan.” He liked that step; the texture was always soothing in a way. He wished he could do it again now.
“While the crust was chilling, and the oven preheating, I began to prepare the actual cheesecake part. I blended softened cream cheese, cornstarch, and more sugar and salt. I added cream as I mixed to soften it further, and some citrus juice as a balance to the matcha flavour. Uh, although the matcha powder wasn’t in yet; it was added last, after eggs were beat into the batter.”
“Then.. the crust was sufficiently cooled at that point, so I poured the batter on top, and wrapped the pan in tinfoil. Um, this was to keep water out when I put it in a water bath. The water bath helps it cook smoothly. So I put the cheesecake and water bath into the oven for an hour, allowed it to cool inside once it was done, and transferred it to the fridge to chill overnight, before I cut it and served it to all of you. Oh, wait, and before I added chocolate sauce as well, sorry.”
He sighed slightly as he finished explaining the process. He felt confident in the dish, but had underestimated how difficult it could be to gather one’s thoughts to discuss it clearly. He felt his explanation may be scattered, or awkward.
“The flavour of the matcha,” he began, careful not to use the word bitter, even though thats what it was, “is meant to balance the sweetness of the cheesecake, and the acidity of the citrus juice. Ah, it may look like mint, but the taste is really nothing like it. It’s..subdued? It’s hard to explain, but I hope you find it appetizing and inviting nonetheless.”
Hiro gave a small bow, realizing he had been holding his breath just the slightest bit.
Dish Quality: 10
Carl lights up immediately at the sight of something so vivid and green and covered in drizzles of chocolate. There’s no reason to hide his interest, it’s not as though him enjoying the look of something right away was bad, right? Of course not-- the man had done an excellent job with a good appearance, and definitely deserved some admiration for it!
The baker waits almost impatiently to take a bite, listening to Hiro as though he were a student waiting for the bell to ring. Any moment now--
“Ah-- goodness, matcha is very tasty, I couldn’t imagine anyone getting to our age and never having tried it, hmhm.♪” He giggles, finally taking an enormous bite and savoring it - following it with two more before he finally takes the time to really taste it as he finishes the entire thing and writes down his notes.
Presentation: 4/5 (a little plain in presentation, but it looks very tasty!!) Theme: 5/5 (it’s a dessert alright!) Taste: 8/10 (the chocolate is overpowering the matcha quite a lot! Very tasty, I ate every bite! But definitely embrace the matcha next time with some white chocolate or something more modest in flavor to compliment!♪)
[She steps up with her entry, placing down a tray with three separate plates on top.]
Uh-hi! So I saw the theme this morning and thought this would be a good dessert to make. They’re called Cassate- er just call them Trapani-style Fried Crescents…
[She pauses, playing with the material of her dress before continuing.] Anyways, the filling is typically just a mixture of ricotta, sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips and a bit of cinnamon, But for today, I used a recipe my mom did a little tweaking to, giving the filling a bit of a coffee flavoring to it…and with the chocolate chips, i suppose it makes it more a long the lines of a Caffè Mocha filling.
So…I started with the dough, mixing together flour, sugar, extra virgin olive oil, white wine, Marsala, a pinch of salt, and just enough water to get a nice, smooth texture with the dough. Once kneaded, i made it into a ball and set it aside in some plastic wrap to sit for an hour.
Next, I started on the filling by first grinding my coffee beans into a fine, espresso powder. Next, I mixed the powder together with the ricotta, some sugar, and a bit of vanilla until the sugar dissolved. I then added the chocolate chips into the mix as well.
With the filling done, it came time to put it together. I rolled the dough out and cut them into little circles, about 4 and a half inches in diameter, while keeping the dough itself a bit thin. But not too thin, or it’ll all come out when cooking, y’know?
I put a generous tablespoon of filing in the middle of the dough circles, put a bit of water on the edges and folded the circle in half. With a fork, I pressed into the seams to crimp the edges.
In a frying pan, I heated up some vegetable oil and fried them until they were brown on each side. I set them on paper towels to absorb the extra oil, and immediately came here with them to dust with powdered sugar and to serve warm.
[Smiles] So yeah…that’s it. Uh- enjoy!
Dish Quality: 8
Hm!♥ [Watches her with a continuous nod of enthusiasm, lighting up particularly at her mention of her mother’s tweaking.] Really!♪ Goodness, family recipes are always the best sort of thing to have behind you, hmhm. It makes everything so much tastier when it has that sort of love in it--!
[Takes the plate with a warm grin, looking it over with much enthusiasm as he analyses it before taking a big bite. And sinking into it with a surprised enjoyment, taking another bite and before it finishing the entire thing and jotting down his notes only after pushing away his plate.]
Presentation: 4/5 (lovely! but could use some color perhaps it seemed very plain to look at and the appearance connotes beignets before something coffee flavored!♪) Theme: 5/5 (it’s a dessert, through and through! loved the coffee and chocolate mix for an after dinner idea!) Taste: 9/10 (YUM! I would like it a little sweeter but that’s personal preference!! Your dish was delightful and I could taste the love you put into it!!)
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
It’ll have to cool before the back plate goes back on, absolutely— and before we test it, as well— [He’s half distracted as he works, tongue pressed between his lips as he solders the ends of the wire into place. First one side, then the other, and Louis sits back at last, switching off the soldering gun with a triumphant grin. Then replays the last thing Carl had said in his mind.]
Hmm—
[There goes the grin. He’s not sure how to respond at first, and barely manages an awkward chuckle. Anything to stall and save face for a few seconds.] It’s, ah. Aha. Hm. Well— it’s a fairly, uh. [Well, none of those words form a complete sentence, but at least they are words in the English language. Louis tries again.] It’s a fairly simple repair, fortunately— aha— so not too much to, uh. To worry about. Or to see. Now we just, uh, wait for it to cool a bit and we’ll see how it works..?
Right--! Gotcha. [Finally settles his goggles back into a comfortable place, even if they settle uncomfortably on his cheeks as he grins again.] Sorta like sealing up a hot pie - it’ll warp the outside packaging if you do it too fast. Hmhm--♪ Makes sense to me.
[Blinks, standing up straighter to stretch his back and get a second wind in him as the caffeine is clearly not strong enough. Completely unaware that part of that wasn’t even a sentence, even, considering that he was really only catching half of anything in a sleep deprived brain. Apparently hearing also turns off for a moment when you’re stretching.] Mm--! Wonderful, hmhm. [Pauses to shift the goggles again, clearly not used to having anything settled on his face for this long.] Well, ah-- goodness, I suppose we have some time then - should we have more coffee and wait?♪ [Smiles awkwardly through the goggles to him.] Even if it’s just a few minutes, I think my brain stops running when I’m off of caffeine too long, hmhm. You could tell me a bit about what you do--♪
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
[He begins carefully heating up the solder holding the broken wire in place, humming to himself as he does— well practiced fingers careful and precise as they work. When he’s done, he gently lifts the wire out of place - allowing the now molten metal to sit for a moment while he lays the old wire on Ann’s work desk.]
Hmm? [He glances up once this is accomplished.] Oh— sure, I’ve got no problem keeping quiet. For what it’s worth, I actually don’t know Duke very well. I don’t visit the bar here in town much. [He smiles sincerely.] Which I say only to hopefully console you that there will be, uh— less opportunity for blunders on my behalf, I suppose?
[He takes the spool of wire (without even thinking to reassure Carl that it was, indeed, what he’d been looking for).] Thank you much. [And busies himself cutting a short length of it to match the length of the pierced wire, stripping the ends to give him just enough metal surface to work with. Then its back to the soldering gun, attaching the new length of wire to the two points the old wire connected.]
Here we go.. cross your fingers that this does this trick. ♪
Hmhm-- I guess so! I don’t imagine you visit much or else I’d’ve met you before now, hm?♪ [Smiles wide, tilting his head briefly.] But I guess then I won’t be seeing you much later either-- I bet I could be enough conversation you’d never have to talk to Duke anyways, hmhm--
[Gently offers the spool of wire between his fingers as though he’s still unsure - until the other man at least takes it, and-- well, er, he supposes in a moment that it must have been the correct thing, since a thanks is much different than a correction. Delayed, finally responds a jolted:]
Oh--! Right, yes, no problem, hmhm--! Hm-- [Blinks, watching him attach the wires with a slight rise of anxiety. Goodness, he supposed it would be a bit late to say something now, he definitely hoped that was a right thing. I mean, what else could an insulated wire be, right? He hadn’t suggested a specific type more than that--]
Hn-- [Smiles awkwardly, crossing his fingers high in show.] Goodness, if it works I’m gonna owe you bunches, you know!♪ Should we let it cool off first, or--? [Blinks, biting his lip for a moment before leaning forward, shifting the goggles on his face as he tries to see what the other man had done.] I, ah-- I’ve never done this before, actually-- it’s my first time, hmhm--♪
[comes into the Moonlight Cafe one night and settles himself down on a stool] Hey--can I get a Very Berry Soda, please?
[At the sound of the door, turns from something he’d been apparently writing, closing the notebook with a large grin to stand behind the bar just in time for him to sit.] Hello! Hmhm, of course--!
[And turns to fetch it just as promptly, talking over his shoulder conversationally.] Long day today?♪ You work at the-- ah, the carpenter’s, right?♪ Woody’s?
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
Not at all, actually. [He laughs briefly, a little anxiously, before leaning forward to grab a pair of goggles for himself. He snaps these on over his glasses and casts the other man an awkward grin.] Usually I’m more inclined to push a new sale than to fix an old product, aha— but I do recycle a lot of parts from broken or abandoned machinery, so that’s almost the same thing, right?
Right. [Chuckles, looking for (and finding shortly there-after) a spool of solder, setting it aside for use later.] What I’m going to do first is take this pierced wire out— and lucky you brought it when you did, as this thing is sort of a fire hazard, actually. Haha! While I’m working on this would you look on those shelves right there and see if you can find me a spool of insulated wire?
Hm!♪ [Tilts his head, giggling.] Makes sense enough to me, hmhm, more profit is selling something new!♪ [Taps his fingers against his arms behind his back, watching him set aside the spool curiously and tilting his head the other way to follow the motion - watching him almost as though taking in every detail, but clearly buzzing for the caffeine now as well.]
[Except for the sudden buzzkill of a fire hazard-- ] Ah-- [Blinks, standing straighter for a moment in surprise, and then smiling awkwardly for the laughed reassurance.] Ah-- hmhm-- hm! I’m glad I brought it in, then, goodness--! Of course-- [Smiles awkwardly, turning to look over the shelves and musing on what exactly insulated wire would look like.]
I guess I’m gonna owe you pretty big for saving me trouble and a fire hazard! Hmhm, hm-- [Blinks, picking up a spool of something and glancing over his shoulder to see what the other man was doing.] I guess I have a pretty big favor to ask of you even more than that though-- [Pauses, hesitating before falling into a more sincere tone:] Please don’t tell Duke about how-- how bad it was? Or-- or how it happened? [Smiles nervously, looking back to the spool and trying to read the scratched up label - before walking back with the spool in his hands, and tone falling more playful again.] I’d be in very very big trouble if he were to find out, hmhm--
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
[He stares at the customer’s swaying for a perhaps a second too long, his glasses sliding ever so slightly down the bridge of his nose— before clearing his throat once more. Suddenly a few things (”sweetie”) are beginning to make sense to him, but the more things make sense, the less sense Louis can actually make of the situation he’s found himself in.] Well— aha, ah— I think I can manage that, at least— aha! Hrm. Ahem– hrm.
[Better to focus on the job right now. Absolutely. Focus up. He sets the screwdriver down, turning the machine around and lifting it from the counter. He’d anticipated it’s weight from watching the other man lift it, but it’s a fairly easy task once he’s actually put the effort into it.] Alright— you can follow me, if you like— this way, mind the plate on the floor—
[He carries the machine into the back part of the shop - the one Ann calls her workspace. It’s well fit for exactly this sort of thing, and much more versatile than Michael’s shopfront counter could be. For starters, it has a soldering iron - which Louis fishes out and sets up, allowing it to begin heating up.]
Here we are. Do me a favor and pop on a pair of those goggles hanging there— [He nods to the display.] —and I’ll walk you through what I’m doing to your machine, shall I?
[Giggles into his mug, looking down at its low contents with an almost sad sigh - but also hesitating to add more caffeine to his system just now. After all, he might manage to get a couple of hours of sleep before his shift if the job ends up very easy, right? And the other man was doing wonders for making him stay awake--]
[Blinks, watching the man lift the machine with an almost surprised expression - it had seemed much heavier to him than it looked to the other man.] Oh-- right!♪ [Smiles wide, standing to finish off the last of his coffee and abandon the mug, following after with a glance to the plate on the floor and pausing in the doorway with a tilt of his head and even more curious look around the new room.]
Goodness, I haven’t been back here before-- hm? Oh-- sure-- [Turns his attention to the goggles, taking down a pair and turning them over in his hands - saying a small prayer for his hair and good looks before trying them on and situating them. Giggles again, smiling somewhat uncomfortably in the goggles as he follows after.] I really appreciate your help, goodness-- I’d be at a loss right now if you weren’t here!♪ [Bats his eyelashes to the other man as he sidles up, hands behind his back and eyes glancing to the new, unfamiliar piece of technology the man had plugged in.] D’you do a lot of-- repairs like this at home?♪
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
[It would be a lie to say that Louis has not gone slightly red, despite his smiling. This conversation is not the conversation he expected to have when he took on a repair, and it’s more than a little out of his wheelhouse— and getting less so by the second.] Aha.. haha..
[He nods as the young man points out the back— turning the machine to begin removing the screws there. Smiling to himself all the while at the choice of vernacular used to describe their problem. Doesn’t brrrr, indeed.] Well, let’s have a look under the hood, shall we? I could wager a guess as to what happened, but it’s probably better that I see it rather than make guesses about it..
[Once each of the screws is removed and carefully set aside in a neat little row, Louis detaches the back plate of the machine. He sets this on the floor, then looks to each of the points the screws had once been holding on to.] Hmmmm… ah, here. Have a look.
[He lets the pad of his thumb brush against a pierced wire— one that seems slightly out of place.] It looks like this little guy got displaced slightly back behind this screw— I’d imagine tightening it cut right through it. That’s an easy fix, actually— we’re in luck. Fingers crossed this is the only problem, hmm?
Mm!♪ Right! I could make all sorts of guesses about what’s hidden, hmhm, always better to see it for yourself-- [Eyebrows bob up playfully at the uninhibited chance to stranger flirt - giggling lightly as he picks the mug back up and cups it in his hands for warmth, leaning over the counter and crossing one foot behind his ankle in his newfound position, watching.]
[Sways playfully as though trying to continue moving to stay awake, even as he’s settled himself very comfortably against the counter.] ... hm? [Blinks, drawn out of his distracted train of thought as his attention is drawn back to the back of the machine.]
Oh...! A-ha, then-- then I did do the deed, didn’t I? Goodness-- [Bites his bottom lip, tilting his head playfully to the other man again.] I guess I’m pretty lucky you spotted that little thing, hmhm--! I’d’ve never-- [Shrugs a shoulder, eyes flicking up briefly in play.] I bet all it needs otherwise is a good, firm tightening up, hmhm~♪
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
[He follows this new information while nodding very slowly— not quite sure exactly where they’re going, with all these, um, giggles coming along with them. Nor the basic words like “screws” that seem to have gotten off the ride for some reason. It only finally occurs to Louis exactly what the other man had done when he trails off— and Louis chuckles a bit for realizing.]
[There’s no reason for him to be upset that the other man was very likely responsible for the soda machine’s demise, after all. It’s not as though it’s his machine.]
Well, that makes it a lot easier to locate, then. And probably even easier to fix. Especially if you can remember which of these “metal bits” you tried to make less loose. [He picks up a screwdriver, holding it up to one of the screws, yes, the screws, to be sure the head is the right size to work with.] Can you point it out to me?
[Eyes flit back to the other man as he not only chuckles but even accepts the answer without reprimand - and Carl lights up briefly as though relieved.] Ah-- hmhm, right! Much easier, I probably, um-- I probably screwed it up too hard and tight-- [Tilts his head, coyness slipping into his attempted innocence.] Maybe I should’ve been a little more gentle, hmhm--
[Nods, blinking as he sets the mug more firmly to the counter and stands more fully again, just enough to be able to lean around to see what the other man was doing.] Uhm-- I thought it was all rattly back here, so I tried-- [Gestures up with his finger in a swirl all around the back.] All four of these ones-- but-- but then it stopped making its-- brrrr noise. [Unpurses his lips from the rather childish description, smiling awkwardly with a brief shrug.] I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in-- because that’s what you do with other things, right? -- But it doesn’t brrr or, ah-- or do much of anything now.
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
No, some of us— [He catches the coy look with a pause. Bites his lip. Smiles, then loses it rather quickly in a sea of nervousness.] —some of us, ah, have to work a little harder to get their imagination going, aha— it’s a skill that doesn’t quite come easily to me. I mean— I don’t have it. In abundance! Without— … working hard for it. Aha. Hm.
[He looks away distinctly as the blond gets to sipping, still tugging on his tie.]
Stopped working abruptly? [Gives up tugging his tie and scratches his jaw instead, running fingernails over light (somewhat neglected) stubble.] Well, a rattly sound is probably an easy enough problem to locate, at least, if not to fix.. I’ll have to take the faceplate off and have a look inside, see if I can’t find what’s loose. You didn’t happen to see it when it stopped working, did you? Did it fall at all? Take a bump, perhaps, or something to that effect?
[Adds belatedly, as though just realizing exactly what the younger man said, with an awkward smile:] …Wait— … “metal bits”?
[Giggles-- and giggles again, trying to retain it and put it into his coffee instead.] Hmhmhm-- hm--♪ [Grins.] Well, that’s alright-- [Shrugs playfully, swirling the mug around in his hands with a tilt of his head.] Sometimes good things are worth working for, right?♪ Hmhm--
[Continues resting the mug against his lips as though unable to extract himself from his new lifeblood - eyes looking over the machine more than the man, a little anxiety rising in his throat as he smiles awkwardly around the mug.] Ah-- well, that’s fine-- if you need to take it apart, I mean. But-- it, ah-- it didn’t quite stop working-- abruptly, that is, um-- no, I didn’t drop it either...
[Blinks, taking another, very long sip of the coffee before lowering it between his hands, smiling as innocently as he can manage.] Right--! The metal bits-- the-- ah--
[Screws his face up for a moment as if trying to recall the word, then it strikes him:] The screws! The screws. And I guess the-- the faceplate, the big metal flat part. I-- I thought maybe it was loose, and I-- well-- [Slowly lifts the mug back to his mouth, eyes flitting off aside as he tilts the mug back to his lips.] ... hmhm, mmn...♪
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
[He fetches the young man a mug of coffee (instant creamer will have to do, as that’s all he has on hand at the moment)— setting it in front of him with an only slightly nervous smile. He’s caught most of Carl’s rambling, and it’s started to wander into territory that Louis feels very slightly out of his element responding to. “Feel it”, indeed.] I think I’m getting the gist that your, ah— your imagination is a little more vivid than mine, aha..
[He turns his attention back to the soda machine, tugging at his tie.] Now— when did it stop working? The, um. The— soda machine, I mean.
[Giggles, accepting the mug and its instant creamer - luckily, he really would take anything with caffeine at this point, hole burned into his stomach or not.] Hmhmhm, thank you--! Mm-- [Lifts it up to his lips to blow on it before speaking over it coyly.] You’re saying your imagination isn’t very vivid? Goodness, it’s probably a good thing - I think a wild imagination can get you into all sorts of trouble sometimes--♪
[Sips the coffee, narrowing his eyes only slightly at its bitterness before accepting his caffeine lord and sipping again, trying not to choke on it nervously as the stranger looks at the machine again.] Ah-- hm--
[Clears his throat, lowering the mug and lifting his head with an almost guilty tensing.] Well, it stopped working last night-- it-- it uh, had started making a noise....... .... [Taps his fingers on the side of the mug.] ... as though-- ah, maybe-- the metal bits outside were loose? Or something? Like a rattly sound--...
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
Uh huh. [Very scientific description. He stifles a laugh.] Sounds good.
[He sets a tool box on the counter next to the machine once the stranger places it there sans-box, busily opening the lid and letting his eyes roam over each instrument there. It’s not his own box, so naturally it takes him a moment to find what he’s looking for.]
Hm? [He looks up— and smiles. Oops. He’d barely even noticed the sleepiness before it was pointed out to him, but now that he was looking it was very clear to see all over the younger man’s face.] You’re in luck, I just brewed a fresh pot, actually. How d’you take it?
[Lights up, sitting up a little further again from the slouching he’d been sinking into.] Oh! Good! Any way, honestly - cream and sugar hopefully but I’ll even take it black at this point!♪
[Giggles, settling his elbows to the counter and tiredly rambling as he peeks at the toolbox the stranger had brought over.] Hmhm, I thought I maybe might’ve smelled a brew, or-- or it was wishful thinking! Hmhm. You know how sometimes you think about something so much and so hard that you start to think you really smell it or-- or hear it, or taste it or-- or feel it-- or-- [Stifles a yawn against his hand, giggling again to follow.] Hmhm, you know?♪
errand boy (Louis/Carl)
[There’s that “sweetie” again. Louis falters for a moment, before obediently directing his attention inside the box.] “Soda machine”— it adds carbonation to flat drinks, then?
[He scratches the side of his head, pondering.] I’ve never worked with anything like it before, that’s for certain— but I don’t suppose it’ll hurt anything just to have a look. If it’s really hard up we can have Michael take a look when he gets back, hmm? [He smiles awkwardly, then starts looking for a tool set.] Can you take it out of the box, perhaps?
Um-- right! You pour something in up here, and it does a thing-- and then you take it out of the-- the spout-- [Blinks, smiling as though that description were very on point and descriptive.]
I-- ah-- [Settles his tongue between his lips for a moment as he stares at the box, trying to decide how to best free it and almost wondering if maybe he should be giving more information about why it wasn’t working-- but, perhaps in a minute.] ...
... Right! Right-- [Blinks, realizing that he’d nearly blinked out of consciousness for a moment and hadn’t replied yet, giggling with embarrassment as he instead settles on tucking his fingers around the best hand-holds on the machine and pulling it down to let the box fall loose to his feet.] Hf-- [And sets it back to the counter heavily, heaving a long sigh and rubbing his forehead with an awkward smile as he settles himself tiredly against the counter alongside it.] Hmhm... there we go-- goodness, sorry I’m all spacey - I’m just very sleepy brain today! I don’t suppose you’d have any tea or-- or coffee, or something of that sort, hm?♪
