Mission - Pancakes / Backdated to the morning of April 3rd

[oncedevil]

Who: Tony and anyone awake at Willow Ridge after the Kidnapping Incident
What: Demon be hungry, so that means pancakes for all.
Where: Willow Ridge kitchen
When: Morning of April 3rd, after Nathan's rescue
Warnings: Possibly some recollections of violence, but otherwise only pancakes. Maybe eggs. We'll see.

Dressed in jeans and a light T-shit, one could almost forget just the night before he'd been barely able to walk under his own power and bleeding all over himself. Quite the change, though watching closely it was still evident Tony was a little tender and sore. Moving stiff and careful while he cooked.

As it turned out, healing was hungry business. Fortunately Willow Ridge was equipped with a well enough stocked kitchen, and Tony with a little skill instilled by Hajime. Despite his best efforts, he still couldn't really use chopsticks with any kind of efficiency. Fortunately pancakes only required a spatula.

Stacks of them, in fact. The first attempts, under-cooked or over had already been eaten, but now he was on a roll. Why not ask him why he's cooked so much, or join in to help devour the abundance? Surely, he figured, the others would wake soon and they'd be hungry as well. Though likely Tony was far over-estimating their hunger by comparing it to his own.

Comments

Open

[solvethepuzzle]

It had possibly been the first decent rest Nathan has had in nearly two weeks. Which, considering said rest had essentially been passing out on Lazarus's shoulder, probably says something about how exhausted he's been. The danger had been over, the strings of tension had been cut, and he just hadn't had the strength to hold himself up on his own anymore.

A change of clothes and some splashing of cold water on his face has him feeling at least halfway alert, even if he's still somewhat drained. He doesn't bother to so much as run his fingers through his hair. His shoulder aches faintly where the double's fingers had dug in, but it's an ignorable pain, one he's accustomed to. The bruising would fade eventually. It always does.

It's the scents coming from the kitchen that draw him there. Maybe he shouldn't be hungry, given what he'd seen last night . . . but the body turning to feathers has made the more gruesome visual more distant, less real. He can handle food. He should eat, right? He really doesn't do that enough.

He manages to sit without plopping down in undignified fashion, but there's still an unmistakable weariness in his posture. One elbow is propped up on the table, his chin resting in his palm. Almost absently, he watches Tony cook.

"... Pancakes?" Yes, it has taken him this long to finally register what the smell is.

[oncedevil]

Indeed, once the stress broke the sleep had been amazing. Of course the exhaustion played a huge role in its success, but Tony wasn't complaining. He was certainly feeling better than he had been last night. He'd even found one of his other eye patches to replace the one that had been doused in acid and left behind.

He perked up when he heard the shuffling, and thunk of someone settling in at the table. When Nathan spoke, he shot a tired but sincere grin over his shoulder.

"Yup," And began dishing up a plate for him right away. If anyone needed fed it was Nathan, and L, but that always goes without saying. "D'you like strawberry, blueberry, ... or I'm sure there's some maple around here somewhere." He goes shuffling about to deposit the offered syrups and plate in front of the slumped Nathan.

[solvethepuzzle]

He doesn't return the smile; his mind is still processing everything and thus he remains emotionally removed. Idly, he wonders when it will all hit him. He rather hopes he's by himself when it happens.

He just kind of stares at the plate when it's set in front of him. Nathan, remember there's this thing called eating? That's what you're supposed to do here. "I am not particular."

His life situation has hardly afforded him the luxury of being choosy.

Open to all

[lovesickkiller]

Misa wakes up with a fairly intense hangover. Wine had seemed like the best way to cope with a night like last night; lots of it. Not enough to forget her criminal activities, unfortunately, but at least the pounding headache is a decent distraction from everything else.

She wanders into the kitchen clad in an overlarge T-shirt and still sporting bedhead, wincing at the mid-morning sunlight. The stacks upon stacks of pancakes are a surprise, as is Tony being the one cooking them, but Misa doesn't comment on either of these things immediately.

"Anyone mind if I close the blinds?" she mumbles to no one in particular.

[ursoreckless]

"Please do. I don't wanna stink up to room by burning," Shou said from the nice, dark corner he was hiding in. Shame on Tony, forgetting that he can't really stay much in the sunlight.

He was probably the only one dressed semi-decent, but that was probably because he hadn't gone to bed yet. He was waiting to make sure Tony was feeling better and also made a couple phone calls to make sure things were working properly after all the finance haggling from last night.

[lovesickkiller]

Misa flinched, rubbing her temple tiredly as she walked over to close the blinds. Was she ever going to get used to Shou's tendency to just be there without her noticing it? Everyone seemed to be acclimated to it. At least he was wearing clothes this time; she was the under-dressed one.

"Tony didn't bleed in the pancakes, did he?"

[solvethepuzzle]

It doesn't matter how worn-out he is; Nathan recognizes the signs instantly. This kind of sight is a common, familiar one. And he falls right back into an old habit.

"No, it's fine, of course." He pushes himself out of his chair. "Water or orange juice? We have that, don't we? You should hydrate."

[lovesickkiller]

Misa takes a moment to react, surprised by Nathan's courtesy. She's used to him keeping to himself, not offering beverages.

"Orange juice, thanks," she says, taking a seat at the table. "How are you feeling?"

I should be sorry

[chalicejoker]

You know what every hangover needs? Giant bugs. Giant bugs who get skittish when their freaky bug-senses pick up on someone they don't know coming into the room and turn into giant bugs only when skittish in this fashion. "Sure, go ahead, close them. I like dark rooms anyway."

Hajime, stop making this awkward.

never be sorry

[lovesickkiller]

Misa yelps when she sees Hajime and instantly regrets it, cradling her head.

"When did you get here?" she demands in the harshest whisper she can muster.

Open

[chalicejoker]

Hajime's not even sure what he's doing here poking at a pancake. Sure, he wanted to check up on Shou and Tony, but sticking around for breakfast wasn't something he'd had in mind. But he's been teaching Tony how to cook; he should at least try one...

He's a little skittish around people he doesn't know, given the way things have been going lately, so don't mind him if walking into the room means you're treated to the sight of a cockroach man sloppily eating pancakes. (It's hard without lips, okay.)

[oncedevil]

Hajime showing up to check on them is a bit of a surprise, honestly, but a pleasant one. And in return Tony is more than happy to share pancakes with him. He got a little overzealous after all, and there's plenty to go around. When he's not shoving his own rather impressive stack down his throat like a starving man.

But Hajime, why are you a bug right now anyway? Doesn't make a lot of sense, but he won't argue. He's just delighted Hajime's humoring him and trying to eat his pancakes anyway. "Hah, s'like a party in here this mornin'. What d'you think, edible?" His mentor's input is very important here, try not to crush him too hard, Hajime.

[chalicejoker]

Look, Tony, Hajime's a stupidly skittish bug around reporters, and he knows Misa's a reporter. So sorry, he can't deal with these things like an actual adult.

But he can at least try to deal with his protege's attempt here, so he'll stuff a piece of pancake in his own mouth--which is kind of awkward and messy because he doesn't actually have lips right now, thanks, weird bug form--and see how it goes. "It's not bad!" And another bite. "You used a mix?"

[solvethepuzzle]

Nathan is about the last person anybody should feel skittish around. He's small, pale, thin . . . easily mistaken for a preteen or young teenager despite his real age. He's sitting across the table, utterly unobtrusive . . . while watching Hajime intently with dark, glassy eyes -- eerily similar eyes to those of Lazarus, to anyone accustomed to the man.

Nathan had paid attention to media reports before becoming Numbered. He'd reviewed backlogs of the networks activity after it. It isn't as though he hasn't seen the 'Lord of Bugmen' before. But this is the first time in person, and watching him poke at pancakes is surreal.

"... They taste fine."

They really do. All that prodding at them seems unnecessary to him.

[chalicejoker]

Dark, glassy eyes that have a strange resemblance to Lazarus's don't seem to bother Hajime any. This is because his bug self is very inexpressive, save for the occasional antenna twitch.

"You sure?" More prodding. "He used a mix, right? I...don't really trust mixes." Such a picky cockroach.

/skids in late as usual

[brotimaeus]

[for Tony]
"I figured this'd be where you were hidin'."

There was a soft Texan drawl by the door, barely amused under the forced thread of annoyance as Richard slipped into the kitchen and gently thwapped the back of Tony's head.

"Look, I'm not gonna be the person steppin' on this newfound independence of yours, but you know what I expect from you if you ain't gonna be home. You take another blow to the head and forget about your old man?"

[open!]
Once he was done with the mock-scolding of his errant adopted son, Richard has a spot at the table and eats far more pancakes than you would expect him to be able to given his body type. Whether they're under or overdone doesn't really seem to matter.

He's mostly watching the comings and goings, giving the occasional nod to anyone who passes near enough to catch his eye and, as he gets used to the light in the room, he'll take off his shades to show the bright orange irises they were hiding.

[oncedevil]

WHOOPS yes there definitely was something he was forgetting, now that he thought about it seconds too late. He let out a little undignified squawk at the slap, offering Richard a sheepishly apologetic grin.

"Not hidin'," He insists, and gestures towards the rather impressive stack of pancakes. You want pancakes? Have so many pancakes. By now Richard should know full well that Tony's already impressive appetite ramps up to insane levels when he's injured. "Ran into a bit of trouble last night, had to sleep it off that's all. Sorry I didn't message you, got kinda distracted."

Getting shot kind of distracted, you know.

[brotimaeus]

"Hmmm."

He arches both eyebrows over his shades, putting two and two together quickly enough to prompt the envy of any preschooler. The insane amounts of food can really only point to one thing in this kind of context.

"C'mon, kid. Story time."

[solvethepuzzle]

That is an impressive amount of pancake-eating going on there. That more than the eyes is what has Nathan's attention. He's accustomed enough to physical oddities to not pay particular mind to the more minor ones, but disproportionate appetites get his notice. Maybe that's strange, but Nathan has always been odd in one way or another, even before being Numbered.

His gaze is perhaps a little too intent, simply because that bit of interest has been caught. Though they've never met, Richard will find something about his eyes very familiar -- dark and glassy, they're remarkably like those of Lazarus.

Still, Nathan doesn't say anything. It's his nature to be quiet. He just casts that intent look up at him every few careful, meticulous bites of his own. Pale and silent, he's something of a diminutive ghost at the other side of the table

Open to Everyone

[dead_black_eyes]

The stress of the last 24 hours has piled what feels like years onto L's already bent back and deeply shadowed eyes. For all of that and the mixed feelings that come with the death of a former lover, though, his makeshift family is home safe and bustling around the large kitchen that was once probably occupied by several cooks at once, preparing enough food to feed a school full of children three times a day.

Now, Tony's cooking pancakes. So many that even with a crowd of young, active and relatively shell-shocked individuals, there's not really any danger of them running out.

He takes a plate and helps himself to several, staying quiet and mostly keeping to himself. Though he appreciates that Tony's doing this more than he can express in words, the last time he ate pancakes was after a particularly indulgent morning in a hotel ended with being treated to room service. The man who'd beamed as he set them in L's blanketed lap had died horribly the night before after doing horrible things, and his fork feels heavy as he uses it to worry the edges of his pancakes but can't quite seem to start eating them. The syrup's gradually absorbed by the hotcakes, and as they puff and swell, an unexpected and unwanted image of a face being eaten by acid flashes across L's mind, and his hand goes to his mouth as his stomach lurches. Hopefully, that's all that's going to happen.

[solvethepuzzle]

Nathan has managed to eat. Perhaps surprisingly, considering what he'd witnessed the previous night, but there's a certain unreality conveyed by the knowledge that the body had turned to feathers. It all seems so much more distant right now.

Despite a good rest, he's still worn out -- he has two weeks of poor sleep habits to make up for. But he isn't so tired as to fail in noticing Lazarus's behaviour. It's . . . understandable, certainly. Unfortunate, but understandable.

When Lazarus's hand goes over his mouth . . . Nathan isn't really sure what to do. The only things that come about are a slow blink and an inadequate: "... Are you going to be alright?"

Certainly inadequate. There's no inflection in the words. He can't help it; he's still in shut-down from the ordeal and there isn't any telling when he'll finally break out of that state.

[lovesickkiller]

Misa doesn't speak to Lazarus immediately when he comes in, uncertain how to feel after the events of last night and averse to any more excitement on principle with the way her head is throbbing. She feels bad for thinking it, but there is something a little comforting in seeing that it looks like she wasn't the only one who had trouble sleeping.

She notes that he isn't eating, but doesn't say anything about it as she eats her fill of pancakes and strawberry syrup (which isn't much). When his hand goes to his mouth as if about to vomit, Misa's immediate assumption is that Lazarus had too much to drink last night as well.

Nathan and Tony had provided for her when she entered the room nursing a massive hangover; it seems only right to pass that courtesy down. Misa slips out of her chair and fetches a glass of cool water, returning to the table and pressing it into Lazarus's hand.

"Try to hydrate. It helps."

[oncedevil]

He'd figured it might be a nice treat after the horrors of the night before. Something relaxed and domestic, something else to focus on rather than the surreal events that had transpired. That, and his demon stomach demanded sacrifice in the form of tasty golden griddlecakes.

As L helps himself to pancakes Tony shoots him a sleepy but bright smile, gesturing for him to please help himself. He's always delighted when L volunteers to eat, and tolerating his cooking is even better. Makes him feel useful, warms his need to mother hen and take care of his big brother. But there's something wrong, he can't help but notice the way L picks and frays the food, seems lost deep in thought. Then gags, briefly Tony wonders if there's something wrong with the food itself, or if it's something else all together.

"If you like, I can cook you something else?" He offers tentatively. You okay, L?

Later - for Shou

[oncedevil]

After all is said and done, a final conversation with Misa and the last pancakes inhaled with great gusto, Tony finally gathers Shou up in his arms to take him down to his room. It's a little awkward, given that Shou's quite a bit taller than Tony, but he's strong enough to manage it without too much fuss.

And as much as he'd love to not wake Shou on the way Tony knows that's probably impossible. Sorry, he tried.

Later

[ursoreckless]

He really really was not the kind of person that liked getting woken up. He attempted to curl up a bit more and ignore the fact that he was being moved and that someone was carrying him and that the voices and the warmth of the kitchen was gone and that the slightly chilly air of the school's halls. A slight hiss as the faint rays of the sun touched him and then was gone and he was just curling tighter in an attempt to remain asleep.

But by the time they were in his room - the air was warmer and smelled a lot like his cologne - Shou was in a grumbly not-sleeping mood again.