[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard is up early this morning, out and about before most of the rest of the household is even awake. He's not about to let his odd sensitivity to any sort of wind stop him from getting things done-- instead, he simply bundles himself up until he looks more like a walking pile of coats and scarves than anything else before making his way in to the center of town for a shopping trip. Of course, the downside of said bundle of outer layers is that it's a bit hard for him to see, meaning that he might occasionally stumble into people or objects before he even realizes it...

His first stop is the grocery store, where he can be found consulting a list and selecting ingredients. Okay, maybe making a black forest cake is a bit ambitious on his end, but he wants to give it a shot anyway. It SOUNDS delicious, if nothing else.

Then he heads to the item store to grab a few more things, even though he'd already picked out his main present some time ago. Perhaps a new toy for Tiger Festival as well...

Of course, then he realizes that his recipe calls for cherry liqueur, which requires a stop by Good Spirits to pick some of that up.

Finally, he heads back home to House 28, where housemates will find him in the kitchen baking something that smells very delicious and very chocolatey. The end result may be a little lopsided and the frosting job definitely leaves something to be desired (maybe he should've whipped that whipped cream a bit more, it seems a little runny), but at least it smells good?]

Comments

[action]

[untrueheart]

[Bundled up in a coat, hat, and scarf, Rue stands at the end of one aisle in the grocery store, squinting at the text on some packages. She'd be inconspicuous against a backdrop of ordinary if not for the very un-ladylike sneeze she lets out; the backstep she takes to brace herself ends up unbalancing a display set-up of fresh fruit, and they drop to the floor and roll aimlessly.

Agh. Ugh. This whole thing is awful and she feels awful and could she just start today over, please, it's cold and she's tired- and not noticing Richard just a few feet away. Being assaulted by runaway lemons.]

[action]

[ledbythewind]

[It's hard not to notice the sudden fruit avalanche at the end of the aisle, even if he doesn't realize who caused it at first. There are lemons and apples rolling everywhere like some sort of comedic multicolored ball pit and for a moment Richard wonders if someone didn't upset the display on purpose... until he spots Rue, that is.

Quickly he makes his way over to her, picking up a few stray lemons as he goes.]

Are you all right?

[action]

[musubi]

[Peeering into the kitchen. Don't think for a moment that Isamu's forgotten what day it is. He's being extra cautious because of it - and Isamu that's not the proper way to respond to your birthday.

He sticks his head around the door frame, eventually moving to stand in it.]

What's cookin', your lordship?

[action]

[untrueheart]

[Someone noticed.

Could this day turn any worse?]

Fine. [And, since she recognizes Richard:] Thank you.

[Maybe, if she keeps to fewer words, he won't hear all the sounds of someone with a bad cold.]

[action]

[ledbythewind]

You aren't the first one to have caused that to happen-- I set off an entire avalanche of potatoes the first time I went shopping in the store. I didn't realize what would happen if I just took one without checking to see if any others were sitting on top of it.

[He isn't going to laugh, nor will he berate her for this. Instead, he's just going to set the ones he picked up back on the display, then lean down to retrieve a few more pieces of fruit before they can roll too far.]

[action]

[drawnbythesword]

[Asbel's certainly not used to delicious smells coming from the kitchen anymore. Not since Cheria left Luceti, at least... So needless to say, that delicious chocolatey smell is definitely catching Asbel's attention.]

Mmmm... Is this your doing, Richard?

[action]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard looks up from where he's attempting to get the whipped cream to stay in place on top of the cake so that he can set some extra maraschino cherries in it and grins. Yeah, this is no Sanji-made cake, but at least he's trying?]

Something that you technically aren't supposed to see until later on.

[action]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard glances up from the bowl he's currently attempting to make whipped cream in and smiles, bringing one finger up to his lips in a "shhh" gesture.

... which has the side effect of getting a small blob of that whipped cream on his nose, but details.]

It's Isamu's birthday today. Now that Sanji has gone home, I wanted to try making a cake for him myself. I didn't want to just pick something up from the bakery. It would feel too... impersonal.

[action]

[drawnbythesword]

I didn't know you even knew how to bake. [He feels like he's learning something new about you, Richard.]

[action]

[ledbythewind]

That's the other part of the secret. This is the first time I've tried making a cake on my own.

[But oh, is he trying!]

[action]

[musubi]

[...Yeah, that figures.]

Should I cover my eyes and leave the room, then? I'd hate to spoil the surprise further.

[action]

[drawnbythesword]

Do you even know what you're doing? [He doesn't want to have to put out your fire, Richard...]

[action]

[ledbythewind]

I'm following the recipe I found in a cookbook.

[Even he should be able to do that much... right?]

[action]

[ledbythewind]

It's not much of a surprise when you can smell it throughout the house. Besides, it might be best if I let you taste-test it now rather than letting you have an unpleasant surprise later.

[He doesn't think his cooking is REALLY that bad - it tastes fine to him - but the taste-testing idea is still a good one. With his free hand, he gestures to the bowl that was obviously used to mix the cake batter.]

You can help yourself to whatever is still left on the bowl. It is your birthday, after all.

[godbent]

[ Haruhi's stranded in the Item Store, looking for a new pair of mittens when she really should be looking in All Passions. Her coat doesn't have outside pockets... and. Well okay it's a long story. But more important, she sees Richard and- ! ]

Hey, you! Richard!

[ Hurries over to him ]

[wipesfaith]

[Trips to the grocery store take Jean longer than they really should, because he ends up getting sidetracked by the unfamiliar array of oddities that are supposedly food. He's been examining this box for the past minute, trying to figure out what the hell a "fruit gusher" is, if not some kind of wax.

Giving up, and finding the box's claims of edibility to be dubious at best, he shoves it back onto the shelf and continues down the aisle...only to have his eye snagged by another box labeled "Froot Loops."]

...Who the hell wants to eat something that ain't even spelled right? [He mutters this to himself, but he's not generally known for having a quiet voice.]

[action]

[musubi]

Cake batter? Fuck yeah.

[He hasn't gotten to eat unhealthy dough in years. Screw being an adult. That bowl is his.]

[action]

[drawnbythesword]

What kind of cake is it?

[action]

[untrueheart]

Just leave them. I did it.

[Even Rue is shocked by those words. Ordinarily she expects the men drifting through her area of control to do things for her, whether she asks or not.]

[action]

[ledbythewind]

[But Richard merely gives a soft chuckle and continues to pick up the fallen fruit. Perhaps if she were to ask him politely... no, even then he would still assist her, because his noble upbringing has instilled in him the firm belief that one should always help someone in need.]

I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I stood by and left a lady to clean up a mess all by herself.

[action]

[ledbythewind]

Chocolate cake batter, made entirely from scratch.

[Richard will gladly nudge it over in Isamu's direction...

... after he sticks a finger into it to swipe one last bit for himself. He's allowed, okay. It's compensation for all of his hard work here.]

[action]

[musubi]

[Get your fingers out of that, that's his.

Isamu grabs a spoon from a nearby drawer. He enjoys his dough, but he'd rather be cleaner about it.]

If I get sick from this, I'm blaming you.

[action]

[ledbythewind]

A black forest cake.

[Then, seeing the blank look on Asbel's face, he quickly explains:]

It's a chocolate cake with cherry filling and whipped cream on top. I thought it would be something a little more special than just an ordinary chocolate cake.

[action]

[drawnbythesword]

Wow, that sounds pretty impressive for a birthday cake.

[Asbel gives Richard a smile.] I'm sure he'll appreciate it.

[ledbythewind]

[The sound of his name pulls Richard away from where he's staring with rapt fascination at a very strange object on one of the shelves and considering it as a possible gift. When he spots Haruhi, he smiles at her and sets the strange-looking thing back down.]

Hello, Haruhi. I haven't seen you in a while-- how have you been? Are you looking forward to Christmas?