it's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake

[allconsumed]

Who: Velvet Crowe & Waver Velvet (aka The Victim)
Where: Floor 6, Room 1 of the apartment building
When: Day 178-ish
Open/Closed: Closed

[The kitchenette doesn't offer much counter space, but it shouldn't be an issue; Velvet has cooked with much worse conditions to contend with. She has most of the dry ingredients out and ready, along with the butter, which has been softening outside of the fridge. The oven is in the process of preheating, and Velvet has a nice shiny pan for them to use. It's all arranged rather neatly.

There's nothing left to prepare, so Velvet folds her arms and waits for The Victim to arrive. It ought to be an entertaining, and perhaps messy, afternoon.]

Comments

[allconsumed]

She would just laugh about it, there's no need to be dramatic.

There's plenty of chocolate here if you screw up, and I can just wash the cutting board.

[Plus drinking blood is an element of her magic, but she doesn't mention that.]

[teratias]

[Waver will just go with that fact, if and when he finds out. It isn't unheard of for him either.]

You just made it sound way more important, jerk!

[But fine. Fine, on to the next task.]

[allconsumed]

I didn't think that that's how you'd react.

[She grabs the pot she used to boil water earlier, then pours a little more in and places it back on the burner.]

Once the chocolate is in small enough chunks, we put it in a heatproof bowl on top of this pot, then stir once it starts melting.

[teratias]

Nngh.

[Waver sighs, and grabs a knife so he can start chopping away. He's careful as he goes, almost overly precise.]

Got it. So...how often have you made this recipe? It's impressive that you've got it committed to memory.

[allconsumed]

[Being precise is fine, they're in no rush. She watches him chop for a few seconds.]

It's not that impressive. I don't usually make sweets, so I just made sure to be prepared. That's the most important thing when it comes to cooking. Following a recipe this closely isn't hard, and a more experienced baker would usually add personal touches.

[teratias]

You really make it sound easy though, you know.

[Waver's precise as he goes, maybe overly so. Everything should be exactly the same in size!]

That's a compliment.

[allconsumed]

[Overly so, yeah. She'll probably make fun of him about it in a second.]

I'm flattered. Turns out that you're pretty good at following instructions, too. That's not something you expect from most boys.

[They're the same age, but whatever, no fucks given.]

[teratias]

...[Was that an insult or a compliment?! Probably both, but...fuck it. Waver's not gonna interrogate it.]

Thanks. The proof of it is gonna be in the cake though.

[allconsumed]

[Actually, yeah. Both.]

If you've been as careful and meticulous the whole time as you are right now cutting that chocolate, then I wouldn't worry. Except we might be at this until midnight.

[teratias]

If you want me to go faster, then just say so. [But okay. He's going faster. Happy?!]

[allconsumed]

[Nope, never.]

I doubt you want to be here longer than necessary.

[teratias]

...It did occur to me that you have to wait until a cake cools down in order to frost it, and that takes a while....

[He's here for the long haul!]

[allconsumed]

Fair enough.

[She drums her fingers on the counter.]

… Did that job work out? How do you like shelving books?

[teratias]

I...yeah, actually. It's been pretty great, I'm still doing it. How did your...thingy go?

[allconsumed]

Security work? It hasn't lead to much so far. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to fall asleep on my feet.

[teratias]

That....that's good though, isn't it? No one's trying to do anything stupid, I mean.

[allconsumed]

I can't complain too much.

It's not like I find it relaxing, though. This city is off-putting.

[teratias]

Well, yeah. I think everyone's agreed the city's weird, and no one's put a finger on why yet.

[He puffs his cheeks out, like that will deliver the answer.]

I hate that we never get told what the hell we're supposed to do in places like this.

[allconsumed]

That's part of it, but I don't care much about helping the Qri.

[She drums her fingers on the counter again, more intensely this time.]

The residents are so straight-laced. It just feels wrong, like an unnatural peace.

[teratias]

I can't figure out what Qri's game really is. The whole thing seems too straight forward, you know?

[And honestly Waver's been happy to leave that alone and focus on himself.]

Y'know, maybe that's part of it. Being an unnatural place.

[allconsumed]

Maybe. If she needs magic to continue existing, that might just be how it is.

Still, a place like this doesn't seem worthwhile as far as magic is concerned.

[teratias]

But how do we know that's not some kind of a lie designed to get us to help? That's what my worry iss.

...I think it is. If magic didn't occur naturally, they wouldn't have to ban it, now would they?

[allconsumed]

I said "might."

[She shrugs, accepting his logic.]

Not that I get how the process works, but if the magic is being suppressed, then what's the potential advantage?

[teratias]

Not having to deal with magic users running around and trying to take political type power?

[allconsumed]

For a bunch of cowards, that would check out. You'd think they could use magic to make the people's lives easier instead of being so damn paranoid.