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Post by Mattie Williams on Apr 9, 2012 20:46:21 GMT -5
Mattie watched Elise with an ever-so-faint smile.
You like her. No, no he didn't. Well, yes he did, she was nice and sweet and friendly but they were just acquaintances, maybe friends. So shush. You'll see I'm right.
The voices in his head quieted as she spoke, for which he was thankful. At least they'd listen to her. Like they did with Maman, when Maman used that quiet tone of voice. ... He missed his Maman.
Surprise her? Anything would be special? ... He could do that. And then she straightened and laughed. He tilted his head, glancing down at Kumajiro with a faintly puzzled expression, but for once, the bear was silent. All right then... what was she -- oh. That was what she was doing. He could play along, he guessed. He might enjoy playing along once in a while. Shut up.
Waiting until she was seated, he moved to the table and bowed slightly. "Two of whatever we serve best it is, Miss. Are there any ingredients the cook should avoid?" Yeah, you like her.
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Post by Elise Peeters on Apr 10, 2012 12:09:20 GMT -5
With her back ramrod straight and her head held haughtily high, Elise pretended to deliberate seriously on the question. She tapped her chin for effect, trying not to grin at the tiny smile on Matthew's face.
"Mice." She took one look at Matthew's expression and this time, could not hold back her laughter. "I'm perfectly serious. I was served mouse, rare, with stale, flat bread once in a tavern."
She shuddered at the memory. Elise was not in the habit of complaining, but that experience had been near-traumatizing.
"Never again."
But the memory soon faded and her companion's presence brightened her once more. "But you won't give me that, will you?"
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Post by Mattie Williams on Apr 22, 2012 20:05:46 GMT -5
"Mice."
Mattie blinked, nonplussed. Mice? Mice. ... Really now? Apparently. He and Kumajiro exchanged a glance, then Mattie looked back at Elise... Elise who was laughing now.
She'd been served.... she... "... Ah...." He couldn't think of anything else to say. Who would serve mouse? Especially to a pretty shut up. Especially to a girl like Elise?
"... Unfortunately, Miss... w-we're all out of mouse at the moment... so even if I would... I couldn't." He paused, then smiled faintly. "Also, all our stale bread has been requisitioned by the ducks and birds in the pond and square... so I suppose you'll have to make do with fresh."
He turned to put Kuma on the counter, then turned back. "What would you care for to drink?" He could get her that while she waited, at least.
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Post by Elise Peeters on Apr 24, 2012 15:42:07 GMT -5
"Well, sir," said Elise, dropping back into her role of customer, "I am glad to hear that. Relieved, actually."
She gave him a tiny wink. "And for drinks? Usually I would wash it all down with good beer, but this isn't that sort of occasion, is it? I'll just have to go with something wholesome. Milk should be fine."
As she watched her new friend bustle around the counter, Elise decided to abandon her act. It was fun, but she couldn't bring herself to sit still - especially since she was in a kitchen. She just had to explore, or at least watch Matthew cook.
Elise hopped off her seat and sauntered toward Matthew. With a great dramatic flop, she placed her elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hands, watching Matthew curiously. She was positioned quite near the white bear, and she couldn't help but study the bear out of the corner of her eye.
"What's his name?" asked Elise, indicating toward the bear with a tilt of her head. "Or...hers? I'm not sure."
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Post by Mattie Williams on Apr 29, 2012 21:51:39 GMT -5
"I've got milk." Mattie stated a moment later, warring internally with Kuma whether to offer milkshakes or just milk. She'd said she wanted wholesome. Shakes were not wholesome. So she'd get the milk she'd requested. He shot the bear a Look and walked to the coldbox, reaching inside for one of the glass bottles. Once he had it, he twisted the cap expertly, poured her a glass, and sat the remainder of the bottle on the counter near Kuma. It would be close when he needed it for scrambled eggs. Oh. Eggs.
He returned to the coldbox, grabbed a small carton of eggs, and a package of bacon, and returned to his work station. This was one of the only times he'd ever had anyone watching him cook... Maman didn't count... Maman was family. And he didn't mind letting kids come back if they wanted to watch... but... but Elise. Was a different story entirely. Shut up.
He turned slightly to watch Elise meander toward the counter. For a moment, she was quiet - so was he... he was concentrating on correct proportions for his pancake mixture. It was the only mixture he never had to think about. If he wanted to feed two or twenty, it just seemed that he had a gift for knowing exactly how much of something to use.
But she was speaking. He glanced at her again, then followed the question to the bear. "Ah... Kumajiro. ... He says you can call him Kuma, if you'd like... since you're a friend." Quickly, he cracked an egg into the mixture, and a splash of the milk... a little more milk... and that was perfect. Absently, he grabbed a spoon and started to stir. The pan was already on the stove, heating... he just needed butter for it. Or bacon grease... was the bacon - not yet. Well, the pancakes could wait a minute while the bacon was cooking... nah. Butter would work.
As he thought, his eyes drifted around the kitchen, alighting on the thing he was thinking about at that particular moment. Every so often, however, it would dart back to Elise, just to make certain that she was all right.
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Post by Elise Peeters on Apr 30, 2012 8:21:22 GMT -5
Elise rarely had the pleasure to watch someone else work in the kitchen, being the one bustling around it herself. So it was a joy to watch someone else who knew his way around, and maybe it was a little inspiring too. She soon found herself about to ask if he needed help, but she caught herself. This was Matthew's territory, and Elise would just sit back and stay still. At least she had a companion to watch with.
The mention of being his friend warmed her all over. Elise lifted her chin from her hands but remained by the counter.
"What's his story?" Another question lay under that one: What was Matthew's own story?
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Post by Mattie Williams on Apr 30, 2012 17:14:40 GMT -5
Mattie was too busy to really note the fact that Elise had straightened - or to think about what his words might have meant to her. Instead, he turned to watching the eggs, shifting the bacon, and dropping the butter in the hot pan to watch as it melted. Only when it was entirely liquid would he pour the first pancake. It was part of a routine that he wouldn't break now, not for anything.
".... eh? Oh. Kuma?" For a moment, he debated... a moment that crept for him but would hardly seem a pause at all to her. "Maman gave him to me years ago... When... when my brother and father... when they..." Should he tell her? He'd already started to. She was his friend. She wouldn't judge him or anything. Right? He had already started. "Pirates attacked the ship that Daddy had worked on. Al was with him... and they... didn't come back." His voice wavered, but for once, didn't break or crack or fall silent altogether.
"Kuma's been with me ever since. He reminds me of things I forget and keeps me company all the time." But enough of that sad stuff... "Elise..." And with this, for perhaps the first time in a while, he offered her a cocky grin, and lifted the pan from the heat. With the spatula, he loosened the pancake - not that it needed it, and then, with a quick movement, had flipped it into the air and neatly caught it again in the pan, uncooked side down.
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Post by Elise Peeters on May 5, 2012 10:49:30 GMT -5
Elise realized that she liked Matthew's smile. They seemed rare, but the one he was wearing right now, so confident and at ease, highlighted the twinkle in his eyes. She grinned back and applauded enthusiastically.
"And it remained clean too!" laughed Elise. She made a great show of inspecting the pan, but she knew an expert flip when she saw one. "I award you the full ten points!"
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Post by Mattie Williams on May 9, 2012 20:35:32 GMT -5
Mattie's grin remained. He liked showing off... especially for someone like Elise, who could appreciate it. "I've got other tricks, too..." He stated... but this pancake was not the one to show her those on. The pan was soon back over the heat, and Mattie was back to checking the eggs and the bacon.
Soon enough, the next pancake was ready to flip - and this time, after making sure he'd gotten her attention, he flipped it into the air and caught it in the pan behind his back... again, perfectly. Apparently, the boy had had far too much time to practice such tricks. "... Elise... what's your favorite animal?" It was a valid question, and he'd show her why in a moment. Until then... well, he didn't think she'd mind talking to him. She seemed to like to talk, after all... and... for a change, he didn't mind talking to her. There were few people that could get him to talk much anymore.
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Post by Elise Peeters on May 12, 2012 19:03:35 GMT -5
Matthew's next skillful flip earned him a full cheer from Elise. As Elise watched the batter turn a light, scrumptious gold, she began to catch whiffs of the bacon and eggs.
"Mm," sighed Elise. She looked quizzically at Matthew. "Animal? I suppose I like rabbits best...why do you ask?"
Suddenly, her stomach grumbled. She looked down at her corseted stomach, horrified. She was not the most proper of ladies, but that was completely mortifying. Her face turned red as she ducked her head.
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