(Untitled)

[beginswithm]

(OOM: Ace and River had a bet. There were fried paradoxes on the line (as well as a few geckos). So who better to settle the matter than an eye-witnessThe front door opens, pale bandaged (and thimbled) fingers curling around the door edge as the one who opened it cautiously peers into the room

Comments

[queenofmay]

There is a a young woman of noble bearing not too far off from the side of the door who appears to be resting her eyes, one hand curled so her cheek rest upon it where her arms rests elbow to the table.

Beside her? A notably, obvious, tea service cart.

It is loaded with all the works.

[beginswithm]

Oh, goodness.

You see.

He did leave all of the tea things on the other side of the door, and ever since he was obliged to kill time, it has been tea time, and there's nothing quite as calming as a good cup of tea.

But it is very difficult to ask for one, when the lady in question appears to be asleep.

He finds himself just a few feet away, his fingers working anxiously. Maybe if he asked... it wouldn't matter if she was too asleep to answer? The asking would be sufficient, he's... almost sure.

[queenofmay]

Thankfully, it's not actually asleep. She shifts after a second, her hand shift from her cheek, to pinch the bride of her nose, and spread so her finger brush across her eyes. It's not that she isn't exhausted, every day in her home is. It's only that this is the only place that is one ounce safe now.

This is the only place she can safely close her eyes now.
But habits only last so long, and brushing them, they are opened again.

Which catching sight of someone so close caused Marian to start for second, "Oh, my apologies, did you need something?"

[beginswithm]

He starts as well, his hands curling back towards his chest, away from the tea things.

"Ah, well, it isn't so much a question of needing, though perhaps a question of wanting, or even thinking about, though that isn't nearly so dreadfully urgent - nothing is, you see, not since I was obliged to kill time, onery fellow that he is..."

He may be well set to ramble on forever.

[queenofmay]

He is not the strangest person she's ever heard or seen, Milliways is a blessing like that on the sane and rationally expecting, but that does not stop him from being odd early on.

Still Marian, tried to follow until, "Would you sit?"
It's a reasonable first, as it might help calm him.
And that would be a step toward the point.

[beginswithm]

He sits, but the stream of chatter barely takes a break, other than for him to nod in response to her request.

"...But we would have been waiting ever so long otherwise, and while tea-time can be quite wearing, I suppose, it is better than being at other times, could you imagine doing the cleaning up for ages and ages while waiting, so really it is a very convenient arrangement all around..."

[queenofmay]

He is vigorous in the rambling, isn't he? Marian considered him as he went on and on then, but she did catch cleaning and tea time, and while her world doesn't have it, she is not engaged in cleaning in her seat either.

"You would like tea, then," it's calmer, a quiet sort of amusement that turns her lips into a smile. There could be a question in it, as much as there is an easy declaration of cutting through everything.

"You may, if you'd like." Marian reached out and pulled a cup from the middle area, offering it to him in a kind gesture. "She always gives me a cart rather than a single serving."

[beginswithm]

"Tea..." He blinks, focusing with a faint frown. "I'm fine."

There's a small pause while everything settles more or less in place, and he offers a sweet smile.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you ever so much."

[queenofmay]

The fade off is a little worrisome, and leaves her studying his face until he popped back. Wondering perhaps if something was wrong with him.

Marian set the cup down before him and filled it from the pot on the top level, speaking as she went even if she felt rusty at simple conversation.

"We don't have tea back home, but I am rather in love with it now." She paused as she place the pot back on the cart. "There are biscuits or any number of things once can put in tea."

This was made with a wave toward smaller two plates flanking the pot. One of sweets, and the other of an assortment of brown and white sugars, lemons, a small container each of milk and honey.

[beginswithm]

"Oh goodness yes, why," The Hatter leans forward (his enormous top hat doesn't even waver), intent on sharing the latest gossip, "Once, we quite forgot that Mally had changed her favorite sleeping teapot, and very nearly added her to the tea. She chased us with her hatpin until it had all gone horribly cold."

[queenofmay]

"Mally?" It seemed, alas, the safer question than sleeping teapot?

[beginswithm]

"Mallyumkin, a dear friend of mine, often comes to tea, and she is such a charming conversationalist."

Never mind rather wicked with that hatpin of hers.

[queenofmay]

Well. See there. Perfectly sensible answer that one was.

So Marian, smiled, and asked the second, "And this Mallumkin sleeps in a teapot?"