excaliburden | ic inbox.

[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.

ic inbox.

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