There's no place like home for the holidays

[keepsthefire]

Who: VILLA PEOPLE and anyone else
Where: Where else, DA VILLA
When: Starting today, going allllll month!
Style: Any
Status: Open to all, visitors please sneak in a window knock

[Even with the curse going on and the myriad of new arrivals and new residents to that well known house in Vatheon, it's actually been more or less calm there. Not exactly quiet, but calm. Which is always nice to start the month of December with.

So what is your Villa person doing today? Cooking, hanging out, putting up Christmas decorations? Whatever the case, feel free to mingle about! There's plenty of new people to say hello to!]

Comments

[Kitchen, where else?]

[keepsthefire]

[Throughout the day with various hands decorating, Rin has taken to the kitchen with several of his thickest cook books, trying to get a handle on some of the more complicated "traditional" Christmas recipes. Like a true chef, he's working ahead of schedule, just so he can get it perfect before Christmas.

This year is going to be quite the epic feast in the Villa, if Rin has anything to say about it.

Currently there's a selection of treats and appetizers out on the counter for anyone to snag and try. He wants critiques, so he's actually allowing people to graze as they walk by.

Clearly this is some sort of holiday miracle.]

[darkasnight]

[Let's see how fast Rin can notice this isn't Kuro. Night hops up on the counter, single tail swinging back and forth as he aims for a butter roll with a paw...]

[keepsthefire]

[He knows his familiar, man. But good try.]

Y'know, Night, you don't gotta sneak it. It's there for everyone.

[darkasnight]

[WHATEVER, MAN.]

Who said I'm sneaking? Can't a guy just roam around freely in his natural state of being?

[keepsthefire]

Except that your paw was going for one'a those rolls.

[Rin is just going to hum in amusement at that.]

So how many people you fool today?

[darkasnight]

[You mean he's already got his claws hooked in it and is now rolling it over towards him to nom on.]

Oh a few! Maka thought I was Kuro.

[keepsthefire]

[Rin snorts quietly at that, dropping down in a chair on the other side of the counter to take a break]

How'd she take it when she found you weren't?

[darkasnight]

She thought I was still adorable and kept on petting me! It was great. [Sincerely, it was. Nom nom, bread.]

[pierrotdemonique]

[ And coming in unannounced, scrambling his way to the top of the counter like a good dog. He's gonna stay away from the food for now though. No dog hair worries for you, Rin. ]

I suppose you haven't lost that cake recipe from last time...?

[keepsthefire]

Cake recipe...?

[Give him a minute, Meph.]

... the Christmas cake?

[pierrotdemonique]

I will say one thing. It was absolutely delectable. You have a way around the kitchen.

[ Though his face seems unaffected as ever, you can tell he's being honest by the way his tail hasn't stopped wagging at the mention of that glorious cake. ]

[keepsthefire]

[Mephisto. Complimenting him.

What sorcery is this.]

... eheh... thanks. Uhm, I made it pretty big last time. I could make it again but do you really want the whole huge thing?

[pierrotdemonique]

[ savor it. ]

Well, we do have Amaimon's appetite to take into consideration, hm?

[keepsthefire]

[Oh he will.]

... yeah, true.

Well it's gonna take me an entire day to do it, so I hope you're not expectin' it really soon or anythin'.

[I'm not doing this because I like you or anything.]

[pierrotdemonique]

[ Stop being tsun, Rin. ]

No worries. As long as I'm assured it'll be on the menu.

[ Padding over to the rest of the food though. ]

Recommend me something.

[symmetrophile]

[It's easy to be lured in by the tantalizing aroma of Rin's cooking; even if Kid had originally intended on tucking himself away somewhere comfortable to catch a few hours of sleep this afternoon, who could rest when the house smells this delicious?

The real surprise is when Death the Kid leans into the kitchen doorway and discovers an unexpected fellow resident hard at work.]

Rin, did you cook all of this?

[keepsthefire]

[Rin looks up with a huge grin at Kid's voice, nodding enthusiastically.]

Yeah! Try some, lemmie know what you think. I'm tryin' to get some of this stuff down before Christmas.

[symmetrophile]

[Hands in his pockets, Kid wanders down the line of plates, at last stopping before one. Lifting that plate, he points at the contents.]

If there's no meat in this--

[Picking a piece up, he considers it with a critical eye; provided Rin confirms the absence of meat, he'll help himself to a bite, chewing for several thoughtful seconds, his expression revealing nothing.]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin had been scouring the cook books to make sure he had something for everyone, including vegetarians, but the appetizers are mostly without meat anyway. He nods as Kid picks up a Spanakopita.]

That's uhm... [He looks down at the book, sounding out the word as carefully as he can] Spa-na-ko-pi-ta. It's Greek, I guess? Feta and Ricotta cheese with spinach in a butter pastry. I might've over cooked it a little bit, but I can get it right next time!

[symmetrophile]

I'd say the pastry is a little overdone.

[And finally, there's a smile; Kid picks another one up, balancing a triangle with two points against two fingers, the third point up.]

But it's still delicious. I didn't think you had this kind of domestic talent. Furthermore, the shape is also pleasing to look at.

[keepsthefire]

Yeah I figured. But thanks! I'll work on that next time.

[Placing another pan in the oven, he bumps it closed with his knee and wipes his flour-covered hands on the bottom of his blue apron.]

I started cookin' when I was seven. I lived with a bunch of priests, my brother and my old man who could make passable curry and not much else. We were kinda lackin' in good food until I started working on it.

First attempts were uhm... bad. [He laughs at the memory, recalling how he couldn't even break eggs without getting shell in everything.] But I'm pretty damn stubborn so I kept at it.

[seeriouswizness]

[[Oh hey...that sure is food. That sure is treats.

She's just going to peer over the selection, then kind of look up at Rin.]]

Your talent is extremely far spread, isn't it?

[[Can she just.......sneak one of the treats off the table and nibble at it? Is that okay?]]

gaknrgsjb this got buried in all the notifs I'm sorry

[keepsthefire]

[For some reason he doesn't quite catch what she means, and it gets a confused stare before he finally asks:]

Far spread?

[And yes, they're there for the taking.]

IT'S OKAY NOT LIKE I'M MUCH BETTER HERE SOB

[seeriouswizness]

Well yes. I mean you don't focus on just one type of culinary art.

[[Well he's not reprimanding her so she's going to just...casually graze on the sweets that are there.]]

shhhh /pet

[keepsthefire]

Oh. No, not really. I don't see any point in limitin' myself like that, not when I like it so much. I've learned a lot since comin' here, too. Working at the host club helped with that.

I kinda want to learn it all, but I'unno if I'd ever be able to do that.

[Never mind that he could easily live long enough to do just that.]