[OTA] Two out of three isn't too bad

[headfollowheart]

This seemed easier when she was a spectator

Comments

Decided to go with Julien too anyway

[acethatmatters]

He'd only wanted some tea and perhaps a biscuit of some description. He certainly didn't plan on encountering Zoe in the midst of a baking blitz and a kitchen covered in jam and sugar.

Forgive him if he's left speechless for a few moments.

\o/

[headfollowheart]

Fantastic. Really. Fantastic that any Face Card came in on this, really, though Clive and Katya would probably just be amused at the situation - as long as it was cleaned up before Chives came in and shuddered at the mess.

Alas, it's Julien, and Zoe just rubs at her eyebrow, trying to get it clean of jam as she blinks sheepishly.

"...My lord?"

Honorifics seem wise.

[acethatmatters]

"Miss Kattalakis," he says, slowly. "What. Are you doing. Here."

Because, seriously. This was just. Didn't she have her own kitchen for such things?

And before she can reply he'll nod toward her eyebrow, "you seem to have gotten some on you."

[headfollowheart]

"Baking?" Because, really, if Julien thought Victor had an apartment with a kitchen, he was sadly mistaken. And if he thought Zoe had been assigned a room as a Four with a kitchenette - well, that was also a no.

And it was one of the reasons she was checking out family suites in her spare time.

She wrinkles her nose and picks up a cloth though, wiping at where she thinks most of the jam is.

[acethatmatters]

Well, Julien never did put particularly much thought into such things, even if he himself has no kitchen in his own apartment in the Castle.

"Whatever for?" He's fairly certain, at least, that that is what they have servants for, if you aren't going to use or have your own kitchen.

[headfollowheart]

She gives him an odd look at that, even though it's very much a Julien question to ask. Most people can understand there's an appeal to baking even if they don't feel it themselves.

Zoe lifts her shoulders in a shrug, though, as she sets down the cloth and starts clearing off the kitchen island of jam, sugar, and failures of cookies. "It's...enjoyable, I suppose?" She says, and searches for a pragmatic answer. "And it's the time of year for it. People appreciate handmade presents more then bought ones. Sometimes."

And sometimes not. Nonetheless.

[acethatmatters]

"I...see." He does at least, intellectually. The actual feeling of it, well...that isn't there. And asking if it's still enjoyable when she fails and gets cookie detritus everywhere is probably not one of his better ideas so he'll hold back the question.

"You plan on giving people cookies for the holiday, then?"

That's better. And he'll just have to go see to his own tea for the moment, apparently.

[headfollowheart]

No, it's not quite so enjoyable at that point, because Zoe's too much of a perfectionist. When she does something, generally, she does it quite well. At the very least, she rarely ends up with complete disasters on her hands. And she feels a little out of control when she fails.

So this particular batch of cookies will be erased.

"Some people," she says. "The ones I'm not close enough to to buy presents for." She'd probably take Silas and Säde some of the sparkling, perfect snowflake cookies as a gift from their ambassador. It saved having to shop.

[acethatmatters]

Well, he completely understands erasing little problems. He's well-versed in that, after all.

"I see. Should I save you the trouble and eat one now?"

It would go with his tea.

[headfollowheart]

"Oh," she says, and her eyes skim the cookies spread out on the table until she spies one that's only a little crack and looks more like a minor mistake rather than the victim of an earthquake.

She sets it on a plate and extends it. "This is probably the most intact."

[acethatmatters]

Julien smiles slightly and accepts the cookie, "thank you, Zoe. I appreciate it."

Who knew he knew how to be a polite human being?

[headfollowheart]

He's usually managed polite with her - even that one time when he was politely suggesting what knife she should get Victor for Christmas. It's just that he doesn't get beyond polite, often.

And if she blinks for a moment, it's because this is the first time - ever - that he's called her by her given name.

"You're welcome, Julien."

[acethatmatters]

Julien just nods at that and takes his cookie and his tea and makes his way back to his office.

He's got to keep you on your toes somehow, Zoe.