noreasonneeded (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
noreasonneeded) wrote2024-03-25 08:40 am
noreasonneeded) wrote2024-03-25 08:40 am
IC/Overflow Post
Random messages and thread continuations welcome here!
I have to get back on my feet to collect the payment soon, but if I’m not here when she arrives I’m sure someone will be.
Like I said, it’s fine. I’m patching myself up, I’ve done it plenty of times. And if spite got me this far, then the satisfaction of collecting this payment afterwards will get me through the rest of the night.
She smiles brightly at the trick, eyes alight with her amusement. How he does that sort of sleight of hand work so easily fascinates her; it's not so unlike the way she moves in and out of shadows. She never wants to know the truth of those tricks, maddening as it is to watch coins or candy wrappers seem to disappear into nothing with little more than a well-practiced wave of his hand or flick of his wrist... the mystery is why she loves seeing it.
Maybe mystery is what draws her to him.
"People do love plays on words," she agrees with a slight nod, it just makes sense. She smiles as he talks about the business. Same as he would any other under his watch, but that's the thing, isn't it? The product doesn't matter, it's the man at the top of the chain pulling the strings, and Kaz knows how to run a successful business just about better than anyone, she thinks.
She nods at the offer, "I think I will. They'd like that."
Maybe mystery is what draws her to him.
"People do love plays on words," she agrees with a slight nod, it just makes sense. She smiles as he talks about the business. Same as he would any other under his watch, but that's the thing, isn't it? The product doesn't matter, it's the man at the top of the chain pulling the strings, and Kaz knows how to run a successful business just about better than anyone, she thinks.
She nods at the offer, "I think I will. They'd like that."
"Especially food that isn't good for you," Piper agrees with a little grin. It was something she used to do with Jordan a lot when they were in the midst of finals or some other big project on the horizon. Afterward... well, much like everything else, it stopped. She had other things to focus on. When was the last time she baked anything? "That sounds really fun," she says, focusing back on the conversation at hand. "You absolutely should join the competition, you'd blow them all out of the water."
She hands over the rind to Kaz with a little thank you. "So basically after it was all said and done," she teases Nina with a laugh and picks up a second mug.
Piper takes a minute to consider her schedule at the end of the summer and nods. "I'd like that. It's been a while since I've baked anything but I would enter the baking contest with you hands down. I should be free then."
She hands over the rind to Kaz with a little thank you. "So basically after it was all said and done," she teases Nina with a laugh and picks up a second mug.
Piper takes a minute to consider her schedule at the end of the summer and nods. "I'd like that. It's been a while since I've baked anything but I would enter the baking contest with you hands down. I should be free then."
The alternative would be dying, and that would give far too many people too much satisfaction.
It’s a good one, I don’t mind sharing it with you. Which is quite impressive, since I’m not a giving soul.
I don’t say from personal experience what they do in schools here, but judging by the people who live in the city, character development doesn’t seem as high on the list as academics.
Trust me, I more than know what it’s like. I was born to spite, quite literally.
Trust me, I more than know what it’s like. I was born to spite, quite literally.
"The motto here is first work then play," Nina agrees with a little laugh and shake of her head. "Which is better than all work and no play, which I'm sure Kaz would prefer, but we nag him enough that it's more balanced." It's a far cry from her life as a child soldier in the Second Army where she ended up after her powers manifested at the orphanage. There she did form connections with some people, but there had been the constant push and stress to advance her powers and prowess for the good of her people. A part of her feels guilty for not going back, but she also relishes the freedom. As much of a taskmaster as Kaz can be, she could walk away at any time without him hunting her down. She's here by her choice. They all are, and that's what makes the little misfit family so powerful and important to her.
She smiles in delight as Les agrees, knowing the other woman needs fun in her life, too. They all do. "Great. We'll have to make some practice recipes while you're around, see what works best." She begins to scoop the cookie dough onto a sheet, warning Kaz and his nimble fingers, "There's raw egg in here. Don't. I don't care about your goat stomach, don't eat it until it's cooked." Her eyes narrow as he looks a little put out, but he backs down and folds his arms at the table. "What recipes do you usually like to make?" she asks Les to find out where the woman's expertise in baking lay. There were a lot of different types of baked goods, after all.
She smiles in delight as Les agrees, knowing the other woman needs fun in her life, too. They all do. "Great. We'll have to make some practice recipes while you're around, see what works best." She begins to scoop the cookie dough onto a sheet, warning Kaz and his nimble fingers, "There's raw egg in here. Don't. I don't care about your goat stomach, don't eat it until it's cooked." Her eyes narrow as he looks a little put out, but he backs down and folds his arms at the table. "What recipes do you usually like to make?" she asks Les to find out where the woman's expertise in baking lay. There were a lot of different types of baked goods, after all.
At heart Kaz isn’t a performer the way her family is. He’s never felt the draw to make a living off of thrilling an audience. Yet at the same time, he can appreciate the allure of it. He might have adapted that street magician’s tricks to his own uses, but Kaz recalls the awe and wonder it brought to him. For many years he lost that sense of playfulness and delight, and it took seeing Inej in all her glory to bring him back to that untainted part of his childhood. She reminds him of the good in the world when his vision tunnels to simply his own wants and needs. Delighting her with little tricks when she embodies magic itself for him is something he hopes to do for years to come.
He rubs his eyes a little, but it’s a pleasant tiredness rather than bone-deep weariness. There’s comfort and familiarity in having Inej in his bedroom and office once more, perched on his desk or on her windowsill. In talking about anything and nothing, from debating unsolved crimes to teasing one another over fate and the manners of birds. He folds his arms on the table after, speaking of no manners, and simply enjoys watching her form folded up lithely at his side. He doesn’t say that he cares more if she would like that than he does the rest of her crew, except perhaps Specht whom he’s worked with personally for years before he left to return to a life on the sea with her. Kaz always prioritizes those he cares about most, and he’s not apologetic about it. “Only downside is I won’t get to see you tipsy out there,” he teases her. “I’d hate to miss a drunk Inej balancing on the plank.”
He rubs his eyes a little, but it’s a pleasant tiredness rather than bone-deep weariness. There’s comfort and familiarity in having Inej in his bedroom and office once more, perched on his desk or on her windowsill. In talking about anything and nothing, from debating unsolved crimes to teasing one another over fate and the manners of birds. He folds his arms on the table after, speaking of no manners, and simply enjoys watching her form folded up lithely at his side. He doesn’t say that he cares more if she would like that than he does the rest of her crew, except perhaps Specht whom he’s worked with personally for years before he left to return to a life on the sea with her. Kaz always prioritizes those he cares about most, and he’s not apologetic about it. “Only downside is I won’t get to see you tipsy out there,” he teases her. “I’d hate to miss a drunk Inej balancing on the plank.”
Piper laughs and nods her head. At one point, she'd had more play in her life but when everything happened, she became just as focused as Kaz was. She was glad that they'd had time in their life to play and to learn their abilities without their life being solely about their 'destiny'. Which was what so many of their ancestors had wanted. She's not sure she would want to know how she would have ended up had that been her background. But it didn't matter. She was here and she was forging her own path forward. And, truthfully she could use the fun.
"You know what they say about all work and no play," she says with a grin. "Really, you're lucky you have so many people looking out for you." She couldn't help but tease him and knew that a) she was one to talk and b) he still worked most of the time.
She snorts when he backs down but she had to admit, she did enjoy some raw cookie dough herself. "Basically sweets," she admits with a grin. "I always went for the cakes, brownies, and cookie recipes. Sometimes the rare pie or two. But the cakes and brownies were my favorites."
"You know what they say about all work and no play," she says with a grin. "Really, you're lucky you have so many people looking out for you." She couldn't help but tease him and knew that a) she was one to talk and b) he still worked most of the time.
She snorts when he backs down but she had to admit, she did enjoy some raw cookie dough herself. "Basically sweets," she admits with a grin. "I always went for the cakes, brownies, and cookie recipes. Sometimes the rare pie or two. But the cakes and brownies were my favorites."
“What if my work is my play?” Kaz counters, thumb lightly tapping on the table beneath his folded arms. Even if he plans years in advance, there’s a restlessness to him that Nina’s noticed. A sense of persistent urgency as though he’s always racing against a clock, or against… something. Someone? She’s never figured it out, but she’s noticed that Kaz is the embodiment of perpetual motion. He is that shark that he’s always called, though perhaps for more reasons than just a predator hunting prey.
Nina shakes her head. “It doesn’t work like that, Kaz. You can enjoy your work, but it isn’t the same as play. It shouldn’t be.” She doesn’t think even he really buys what he’s saying, or else he wouldn’t let everyone but himself take days off.
The oven timer goes off and Kaz rises to his feet, taking the tray from her to put it in to bake. He gives her a smirk as he does so, one that’s shiny and sharp, smooth as a surface and no deeper than one, either. “Then I’ll just outsource it.”
Impossible man. She gives a huff, but at least he doesn’t eat raw egg. Sometimes it’s the bare minimum and all about small favors with Kaz Brekker. Looking back at Piper, she gives a smile. “Cakes and brownies are wonderful choices. And it’s so easy when baking with chocolate for things to end up dry, so it does take a deft hand. I usually like a little spice in my baked goods. Sometimes heat, but also just warm spices. Fall is definitely my favorite season because of that.”
Nina shakes her head. “It doesn’t work like that, Kaz. You can enjoy your work, but it isn’t the same as play. It shouldn’t be.” She doesn’t think even he really buys what he’s saying, or else he wouldn’t let everyone but himself take days off.
The oven timer goes off and Kaz rises to his feet, taking the tray from her to put it in to bake. He gives her a smirk as he does so, one that’s shiny and sharp, smooth as a surface and no deeper than one, either. “Then I’ll just outsource it.”
Impossible man. She gives a huff, but at least he doesn’t eat raw egg. Sometimes it’s the bare minimum and all about small favors with Kaz Brekker. Looking back at Piper, she gives a smile. “Cakes and brownies are wonderful choices. And it’s so easy when baking with chocolate for things to end up dry, so it does take a deft hand. I usually like a little spice in my baked goods. Sometimes heat, but also just warm spices. Fall is definitely my favorite season because of that.”
[OOC: Continued from here.]
Me, I don't skip. I stride. Sometimes I saunter. On ice I sometimes slide. Dunno about a skip, though.
Me, I don't skip. I stride. Sometimes I saunter. On ice I sometimes slide. Dunno about a skip, though.
Have you tried prancing instead? Maybe not on the ice, though, that'd be a a fall waiting to happen.
Yes, I’m nimble enough in a fight but I’m hardly a ninja. I'll walk on ice when I have to but I don't like it. Prancing sounds like something for ponies. I’ll leave it to them.
Fine, fine. No prancing, no skipping. Just saunter, maybe, with some intimidating background music.
I can saunter, though whether it's in rhythm with theme music I might need some practice. You know I don't want to leave anything to chance.
Speaking of rhythm, it does help seeing you play certain bits on the guitar to then mirror. So. I owe you for that.
Speaking of rhythm, it does help seeing you play certain bits on the guitar to then mirror. So. I owe you for that.
Just find something with a good, solid beat to go along to. I have every faith you can manage.
Yeah? I can show you more, if you want me to go over anything. I know it helped me when I was learning to see how other people's fingers sat on the strings.
Yeah? I can show you more, if you want me to go over anything. I know it helped me when I was learning to see how other people's fingers sat on the strings.
I’ll take that trust to what passes for a heart and not fail.
I’d appreciate that, yeah. It’s not the same watching videos, even slowed down. Perhaps after you perform some night but before the sun rises.
I’d appreciate that, yeah. It’s not the same watching videos, even slowed down. Perhaps after you perform some night but before the sun rises.
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