A little taste of home

[just_rogue]

Who: Rogue and open
What: Someone is having a birthday and there is cake
Where: The Mess
When: August 26
Warnings/Notes: Not gluten free?


Birthdays were always odd affairs for her, well her own anyway. Rogue had enjoyed a good many birthdays for other people but she seemed to let her own just pass by more often than not. Being here though, away from home and friends and those she'd come to call family, it made her a bit homesick. So when she noted the date she thought she could at least do something to mark the occasion.

Farmer Bob was one of the sweetest men she'd met aboard so far, and her willingness to pull weeds in the gardens without complaint and to generally be comfortable in the warm and humid greenhouses was appreciated. Bob let her snag a half dozen eggs easily enough and a vanilla bean pod.

The kitchen staff was less enchanted by her but as long as she didn't dip too heavily into their stores they didn't seem to mind her whipping up on of her grandma's cakes. The frosting had been harder to come by but she made do with what they had and after a few hours of work, she had one fine and festive looking red velvet cake that could serve whoever showed up and wanted some. That's southern cooking, go big or go home and no one leaves hungry.

She wasn't quite sure how to let people know so she just sent out a general text that there was cake in the mess hall for anyone who wanted some.

Comments

[credit_not_blame]

"I heard there was cake," Stacia announced as she entered the room, because she hadn't met this woman before and making small talk before the acquisition of cake would be entirely insincere.

Great hair, though.

"Special occasion?"

...Okay, maybe a little small talk, but only to indicate that Stacia had some manners.

[just_rogue]

"Sure is, let me cut ya a slice." Sweet southern tones matched the delivery of the words. Rogue offered a smile and sliced off a piece of cake to a plate and held it out.

"Maybe a little, it's mah birthday."

The gloves weren't just food safety, they looked more like weird fabric and vanished up under the sleeves of the jumpsuit.

[credit_not_blame]

"Happy birthday!" Stacia said with a big smile, accepting the offered plate. "Here's me not asking how old you are, because I figure that it mostly stops mattering after high school."

She shoved a forkful of cake into her mouth and groaned with happiness. "This is delicious, I commend both your baking abilities and your willingness to share this with others."

[just_rogue]

"Thank ya, Sugah." She had to smile with that sort of enthusiasm, it reminded her a bit of Jubilee when she'd been younger.

"Ah guess a lotta that depends on when ya count from. Ah traveled in space, an ah guess that changes things. But ah don' figure it means much anymore anyway."

She cut a couple more slices to set aside for anyone else. "Gran's recipe, she used ta make it on Sundays."

[credit_not_blame]

"Space, huh?" Stacia asks, taking another bite of the cake. "Are you an astronaut, or is space travel common where you're from?"

She nods agreeably. "That's neat. I never met any of my grandparents, and my mother wanted to forget everything she could about the 'old country', so all of our family recipes are out of books and off of boxes."

There's a non-zero chance that Rada Novik faked her death in the process of immigrating. Stacia hasn't asked.

[just_rogue]

"Na, ah guess some folks call us heroes. Basically we're just a bunch of people with powers that try ta help out other people. It more common in the circles ah travel in, not ah don't think it's common for everyone." Rogue shrugged a bit, never sure how to approach the topic with new people.

"Ah know a few off the top of mah head, if ya ever need some let me know. A'course it's country cookin' so it might not be fancy like you're used to." She knew she came from humble beginnings, but she'd worked hard to make her place and had no shame in it.

[credit_not_blame]

"Huh, pretty cool." Stacia says. She's never been to space-space herself, though she's made a few trips to the moon on the spiritual side of things. "Well, 'heroes' is better than 'monsters'; which is what I usually get."

She smiles around her fork, pleased to have been perceived as the sort of girl who's used to finer dining as a matter of course.

"Hey, food is food. And honestly, most of the actual cooking aside from here was over a fire in the woods, so I'll take any recipes for that if you've got them."

[kingofneworleans]

It wasn't that Remy had forgotten her birthday. The problem was more keeping track of time in this place. And the fact that it had been fall when he'd been pulled here. So it took some readjusting of his mind to the new calendar.

When he DID realize what was coming up, it took a little talk to get what he wanted. Meant he probably owed a favor to the Easter Bunny.

Well. He'd owed favors to worse people in his life.

Which is why he rolled into the cafeteria somewhat late, holding a terracotta pot with a raffia bow around it. And in the pot? Sweetpeas. Rogue's favorite, as he knew.

"Bon anniversaire, Rogue."

[just_rogue]

"Ah wondered if ah was gonna see ya, cajun. What have ya got," Her smile froze when her eyes moved to the sweetly decorative pot and the flowers within it. "Are those.. sweetpeas?"

Gloved hands covered her mouth as she let out a sort of squeaking gasp. It wasn't the gift, or that he got her a gift, he had been known to be extravagant in the past and was a good gifter. It was the fact that he remembered one of the simple things she loved, and how much it reminded her of home.

She flew at him, rather literally. Careful not to knock the pot out of his hands when she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"That's the sweetest, most wonderful thing ah've ever gotten. Thank you Remy."

[kingofneworleans]

Remy puts the pot on the table, but only so he can hug her back. And so the flowers don't get squished between them. "Well. Ain't like I got much of a chance to do any shoppin'. But I got a good memory for de t'ings dat are important."

Like Rogue's favorite flower. Or the fact that, without even looking, he knows that cake is red velvet.

He turns his head carefully, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. In a spot where the hair covers any bit of skin. "You're welcome, chère."

[just_rogue]

How many years had they done the dance of almost but not quite in their relationship? More than she cared to count and things were just getting settled back home before she came here. Remy being from even further along didn't help matters.

But this, something that might be so small to someone else meant the world to her.

Rogue pulled back far enough to cup his jaw in gloved hands and just drink in that handsome face. "Remy, I wanna, if you don' it's ok Ah understand, but ah really wanna kiss you right this second."

[kingofneworleans]

It was an odd dance that they have going. One step forward, two steps back. Or sideways. Remy did his best to follow along, but Rogue called the steps and he abided by it.

He might push some boundaries, but he tried not to step over them.

Then she made that pronouncement and Remy went entirely still. Or, not entirely. His eyes went directly to hers, trying to be certain of her intent. After a moment, he relaxed, corner of his mouth kicking up into a lazy half smile. "Well den. Reckon maybe dat's somet'in' you should do, hein?"

[just_rogue]

Most people wouldn't even think about a warning or preparing their long time significant other that they wanted to kiss them, especially after an act of kindness. But Rogue wasn't most people and Remy of all people understood why she had to be sure he was alright with the risk involved. She thought she had a measure of control over her powers, but thinking and knowing were two very different things. And her being wrong would hurt more than her and her pride.

Even with her intention spoken clearly and Remy's agreement with it she didn't move in suddenly, oh she wanted to. The things she wanted to do were... well not fit for the mess hall for starters, but also getting excited was a sure way to make any control she might have, slip. So she had to take her time out of necessity, even with all the burning want and need in her.

She didn't remove her gloves, so the thumb that stroked along his cheek was still covered in soft material. A gift from the Rig for her performance and behavior. Gloves she'd been used to back home and knew would last for her, gloves that ensured his safety more than other things she was about to do.

She wanted to hold on to a moment of closeness between them because either way in another minute it would change. If her control held then they might have more freedom together than she'd dare attempt until now, and if it didn't, well she'd be more gun shy for next time. Memories of kisses they'd shared swam through her mind and she knew this would have to be carefully measured. As much as she would love to throw caution to the wind, she had to be mindful for both their sakes and probably a bit for the rules of the rig as well.

After all that thinking, all that internal struggled to keep feelings in check she finally leaned in, a mental prayer wished up and sent out to whoever might be listening, and her lips softly touched his.

Nothing happened.

That is to say, there was none of that immediate draw she felt when her powers activated. Like drinking through a straw she would feel the other flowing into her and knew to measure her sips lest she drink too deeply and end up with another head full of someone else. There was however a near-immediate surge of her heartbeat and a soft almost whimper of a sigh of long-suppressed longing and emotion.

[passifloraincarnata]

Setsuna stands around, awkwardly eyeing the cake as if expecting it to stab her hand somehow, or conceal some other danger to her person.

Honestly, given her last experience with baked goods on the Rig, she probably can't be blamed for this response.

Eventually she takes a piece, not wanting to be really rude, and her eyes go wide. "Oh, it's delicious! Wow!"

[just_rogue]

"oh, hey! Glad ya like it Sugah! If turn out is low feel free to have seconds."

"Ah sweet-talked the cooks ta leaving out a lil coffee, and drinks if ya need 'em." She gestured to a side table with other refreshments.

[passifloraincarnata]

"Oh, I'm not much for coffee," Setsuna murmurs, dissembling and flushing a little at Rogue's forwardness. "But thank you!"

She flashes a smile, genuine and reassuring.

[just_rogue]

"Some mornin's that's the only way ah get going. But truth be told ah'm a sweet tea gal all the way." You can take the girl out of the south, but not the south out of the girl.

"Name's Rogue by the way."

[passifloraincarnata]

"Sweet tea? Like matcha?" Somehow she's not sure that's what Rogue means at all ... she may suddenly have been able to know English but there's some colloquialisms she just instantly recognizes aren't ones she shares, all the same. "Or something else?"

"Ah!" She nods. Should she offer Rogue her hand? That's how Americans greet other people right? "Setsuna. Higashi Setsuna. It's nice to meet you, Rogue."

[just_rogue]

She chuckled good-naturedly and shook her head. "Not quite, more like hot tea over ice with lots of sugah in it. Ah like ta add a couple drops of vanilla in mine for a lil extra flavor." It was very much a drink of her home and even other Americans never really understood the concept or executed it properly.

"Nice ta meet ya too, Setsuna." She shook her hand with a safely gloved one of her own.

[grimbiker]

No one could blame Sirius for passing up the opportunity to have some cake. The man was clearly in need of it. Even if he had put on some weight during his stay here, he was still unhealthily thin. But his eyes were bright when he walked in although that might have been because of the promise of food.

"So there is cake." He flashed Rogue a smile that looked out of place on his gaunt face. "Do I have you to thank for it?"

[just_rogue]

"Ah made it mahself. Sort of a happy birthday to me present." She cut an extra big slice for him given he looked rail-thin. Gran would never forgive her if she didn't. "Ah'm one of the newer folks ah guess, name's Rogue." She handed the cake and a fork over to him.

[grimbiker]

Sirius's eyes brightened a little at the generous helping. He nodded and and took the cake and fork. Fortunately, he had enough manners not to shove his face then and there. "Thank you and happy birthday. It looks delicious."

Just about any food looked appealing but it was cake. Actual cake. That was worth being polite for. Though he kept waiting for a catch.

"I'm Sirius Black. Yes, seriously." Not that he thought someone named Rogue had room to judge, unless that was a nickname. And if it was... well, a small part of him, the part that hadn't grown up since Hogwarts, briefly wished he'd called himself Rogue instead of Padfoot.

sorry I missed this!

[just_rogue]

"Thanks, Ah figured everyone could use a lil homecookin now an then." She leaned back against the table and folded her arms.

"Ah've heard stranger names know a guy who goes by Sinistah." And he was a piece of work. Not like she was glad to know him, but still, she knew Essex.

"Go on, eat up, cake's meant ta be enjoyed not jus' looked at." She smiled and poured him a glass of punch to go with the cake.

it's alright! I've done that too

[grimbiker]

Sinistah? Wait...

"Sinister? And I thought Slughorn was bad," he said under his breath.

He needed no further encouragement to eat. He closed his eyes as he savored the taste of cake that wasn't stale or composed of whatever junk Jorgmund had provided for their terrible little party months ago. This was a small piece of heaven and he felt almost bad washing it down with punch.

"You're right. Everyone could use this." He smiled. "I'm sorry I don't have a present for you."

Re: it's alright! I've done that too

[just_rogue]

"Company is present enough." She smiled encouragingly and honestly seemed happy to have him enjoying the cake.

"Been in some dire straights before an what Ah learned from it was that was survival has better odds when ya stick together than on yer own. So way Ah see it we need ta stick together here."