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[It is impressive work. She comes from a place where food, especially exotic and well-made food and drink, is generally an afterthought.

This is exciting, but also fascinating.

She moves on to the second half of the lime, juicing it as she thinks that over.]

People are amazing! All of these creative foods and drinks, all because trying different kinds of things with different tastes makes people happy... I really like that about this place!

Mm. We are all the same, in spite of the worlds that bore us... In spite of our similarities, we've our differences. All of these create tension, but from those tensions, beauty flourishes. We've a new world on our hands... I intend to make a happy one.

[ Midnight begins unscrewing caps for the next steps, setting the open bottles next to each other. Honestly, the opportunity to learn is one of the best things that have happened to him here... about both the world and other people alike. ]

[She laughs a little at that--not at his words, not at him, but in simple delight.]

You have such a lovely way of speaking, Midnight. [Like poetry, like warmth, like the stars.

She passes over the shot glass full of lime juice, putting aside the juiced halves of the lime carefully and just as carefully holding out her now sticky hands as she shuffles to the sink.]

But planning on making a happy new world... that's really ambitious.

Thank you. I am quite good at putting my thoughts into words...

[ Most of the time, anyway, but he's put in enough practice to make it a solid "more often than not". He accepts the shot glass, then sets up another, watching her wash her hands. What a dutiful child. When she gets back, he'll direct her to pour the lime juice into the metal tumbler, then take the shot glass back, pulling the bottle of rum back to him. ]

We'll need one shot glass of rum, same amount as the lime juice, then we need about half a glass of syrup. They all go in, any order you like. As for making a happy world... Well, why not? So long as we're all here, and as long as I like a happy face, there's nothing wrong with giving the endeavor a try. And I do so love trying new things, and persisting at things I like.

Edited 2024-01-10 22:59 (UTC)

[Lime juice in! He's got the rum, so she reaches instead for the syrup.]

Half a glass, half a glass... [Where are the glasses, she's gonna rummage for one.

In the meantime, thoughtfully:]

I guess that's true, though. It's just... everyone has a different sort of happiness, don't they? So it's hard to make them all come true at once.

Ah, just wash out the lime juice glass, then fill it halfway with syrup.

[ Efficiency! He pours the rum, then pushes it to her. He is going to let her do the honors. ]

Of course. This is a directive, an ideal, not a reality. It's the sort of thing one aims for. Like perfection. Not the worst way to spend one's time.

[... ah, right. That's smart. She laughs a little sheepishly, but obediently snags the lime juice glass instead, puttering over to the sink again.

And as she does:]

Aiming for perfection...? Is that really something people can do?

[She returns with a clean glass, carefully measures out the syrup, and pours that in--followed by the rum, equally carefully, as if she's afraid she'll ruin it through a lack of concentration.]

It doesn't get... overwhelming?

Not at all. A directive, an ideal, are simply those things. Directions, dreams. Now, a goal...

[ He says, opening the minifridge to set a small container of ice on the counter, handing off the small plastic scoop inside to her. ]

One small scoop of ice, then the ice goes back in the freezer. It's all right for an ideal to be unattainable. A goal, in contrast, should be realistic. And one must have both.

[She grabs the scoop, carefully measuring it out and dumping the ice into the drink they've been making. Some of it splashes due to her haste, but thankfully not much, and she winces a little as she snags the rest of the ice to put it into the freezer.

... A goal and an ideal, huh? She can't help but wonder which of her aspirations is the goal, and which the ideal. They'd both felt equally impossible for so long.

She returns from the freezer, leaning against the counter.]

Then... what's your goal?

My goal...? To make you smile during this date, of course. At least once, but as many times as I can afterward.

[ Midnight grins, then seals the tumbler shut, sliding it over to Altria. ]

Here we are: shake this for ten seconds, then pull this part back so the liquid filters out.

[ Midnight sets up the first of two tall glasses for her to pour the mojito into. Shake time! ]

[Oh, he gets her every time. Lulls her into a false sense of security with interesting discussions of various things and then bam! A sincerely sweet comment that brings color right to her cheeks immediately.

She looks away from that grin, accepts the tumbler, and starts to shake, shake, shake.

Her cheeks are still red.]

Really? Is that really it? That's so...! [She's delighted even though she's embarrassed, floored by his charm.]

It is. What? Did you imagine something more grand?

[ The little filter should be able to handle the dregs of mint and the ice, so Midnight simply nudges the first mojito glass to her and allows her to do the honors of pouring the drink out. ]

What could possibly be more grand than the happiness of a lady? Happiness is a precious commodity by itself, after all; to have the honor of being the cause of one's happiness is nothing less than the rarest of privileges.

[Aaah... she can understand the truth behind those words. Happiness is a precious commodity... it's like he said before. He's helping grant people dreams of a beautiful, wonderful time.

She lifts the concoction they've made, and carefully pours it into the glass, eyes fixed on the drink.]

... Well... you've made me really happy. Teaching me this... and talking with me, and always being so nice to me... I feel really happy! So--thank you, Midnight!

[She sets the mixer down, and peers at the drink. All finished?]

[ A peer on Midnight's part, then a nod. It looks beautiful, the product of a good teacher and an excellent student. He reaches over, pulls the small nozzle for the sparkling water from its receptacle, and hands it off to Altria. ]

You're welcome. Fill it up to here, garnish with a fresh mint leaf...

[ And there, a perfect mojito. He winks at her. ]

That one's mine, by the by. I do want you to try it first, since it's yours, but you did so well... Forgive me, I'd like such a perfect drink for myself.

[And there, a perfect mojito. She takes a moment to admire it, looking at it from all directions with an appropriately impressed expression.]

Perfect?

[She perks up from where she was peering around it, blinking at him.]

Is it really? [The things she does are usually... well, far from perfect.

Still, he said she can try it first, so she reaches out for it cautiously to take a sip.

... Oooh!!]

[ While she samples it, he quickly washes out all of the implements, sets up, and begins to make a second for her, sans rum. (This one should only take a minute or two, he doesn't need to go through the steps as slowly this time.) He smiles at the expression on her face. ]

Sour, sweet, with just a hint of coolness. That's a mojito. You made that.

[ He'll have hers done in a moment, hands working as quickly as possible without skipping steps, but he's perfectly content to let her bask in her victory while he works. ]

Mojitos are very kind drinks, easy to drink and easy to make. Even if you haven't the proper tools at home, putting together the same ingredients and pouring the whole lot over ice will do about the same thing, so long as you remember to stir it before enjoying.

[She sets it carefully back onto the counter after her sip, humming a little. "Kind drinks"--as ever, she loves the way he puts things. It'd be nice to be that eloquent, wouldn't it...? But then she smiles at herself. Honestly, she's far too tongue-tied for that sort of daydream.]

Hmmm... I think we have all of these ingredients back home. Well, I might have to break into a bar or something to find some alcohol, but that's okay! [is it]

I'd like to make one for my friends back home too, when I go back.

[ Well, on the one hand, Midnight is as eloquent as anyone is allowed to be in this world, so he can do that job nicely. On the other hand, he wasn't always that way... He believes in your power, lil Caster!

Anyway, Midnight nods affirmatively, begins the shaking and pouring step on her virgin mojito. He isn't often a proponent of breaking the law, per se, but nothing on that front counts here, as far as he's concerned. Be gay, do crimes. ]

You'll have to keep up with the practice then, to make sure you're sharp when the time comes. [ He wipes her glass with a napkin, then wields the soda gun with aplomb. After this is garnish, then he's all done. ] I'm sure they'll be ascendant to know your hands have made something so divinely tasty.

[She watches him at work intently, but also just to enjoy the easy movements that he utilizes as he works. There's something so truly enjoyable about watching a master going about their tasks, after all.

She laughs a little at his words, though.]

Aw, shucks, it's nothing that exciting! But my friends back home are always doing so much for me... so it'd be nice to be able to do something in return! Usually I'm just making a mess of things.

[It's rough out here when Clumsy is no longer just a cute anime girl trait and instead taken to its natural conclusion of "really annoying to the people around you".

She seems pleased as punch, though.]

They're going to be soooo surprised at my newfound skills! I can't wait to see their faces!

[ As self-congratulatory as Midnight can be, not even he would call himself a master at drink-mixing — he's good and a quick learner, but a master has sheer love for the art. Still... he loves a good drink, and the laughter and joy radiating off Miss Caster as he works is reason enough to improve. ]

It's most certainly something that exciting, especially when you yourself say your friends will be excited to see how you've improved. What more joy is there in the world to come across something or someone well-loved and familiar, only to see that there's another lovely facet you haven't seen before? There you are.

[ Midnight finishes off the drink with soda water, hooks a lime over the rim and fits a mint leaf next to it, and slides the virgin mojito to Altria. Now they can both enjoy!

Midnight scoops up the mojito Altria made for him, takes a small sip, then a longer one, savoring it. ]

Mm. Yes, I do quite like this new facet you've polished. With this lovely of a start, you'll be as good as I am in no time, I'm quite sure of it.

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crawls back in. i've been sick and on a road trip. i am alive but at what cost

opens arms to. you've been through a harrowing battle

the battle continued for another month.......... but i'm back(ish)

WELCOME BACK opens my arms to you again

runs in... so much has happened...

i feel that... i feel that so much. BUT HERE WE ARE

you 🤝 me: everything happens so much

TRULY... the void is just so enticing...

man can someone turn out the lights in the world for a week so i can nap