plasticasshole | Aefenglom IC Inbox

[Connor takes them without thinking, then seems to pause for a fraction of a second as he realises what he's holding. Mildly flustered, but good at hiding it, he does as he's told. He does give Justine a lingering look though, LED spinning yellow briefly as he processes some complicated feelings.]

I'm sorry again for luring you into the water.

[She gently shakes her head from side to side as she spreads out the legs of her leather pants.] You've already made up for it.

Though, I'd be careful singing from now on. [Justine looks up at him, her dark eyes glittering in the soft afternoon sunlight spilling through the bay windows.] You're voice is too beautiful to ignore. [It's also probably magic but Justine ignores that fact.

With everything set into place she walks over towards Connor, lightly placing the tips of her fingers against his elbow as she spoke.]

For cooking. I think it might be better if you tell me what you know. I realize you said you didn't know much but I'm not sure how much of an explanation you're looking for. [She seems unware of any embarrassment on Connor's part. He's very good at hiding it.]

[It helps that, as an android, he can already sing. The perks of being able to control your voice perfectly. Added magic just invites disaster.

He smiles slightly as Justine touches his arm, though.]

I know how to work the appliances. I've never actually cooked anything, though.

Then let's start with food prep. We're going to cut up the vegetables, rinse off the fish and then season everything. The stove here is a wooden stove. So I need to make sure the fire is going.

[This is definitely a witches house.]

We'll start with chopping up some herbs. [Her dark eyes glittered with laughter as she glanced down at his hands.] Since we know you're so good with your hands.

[Justine steps over to the cabinet and grabs a wooden cutting board and a sharp large knife. She sets them both on the kitchen table and beckons Connor to come stand next to her.]

[Connor stands by her, waiting for her to show him what to do. He thinks he can gather that "chopping herbs" speaks for itself, but he doesn't know how small to cut them.]

How long have you been cooking for? Who taught you?

[He gives Justine a curious look, wanting to know more about her.]

I taught myself.

[She reaches for his hand and gently pulls him so that he's standing front of the cutting board. She'd purchased parsley and something akin to thyme from the market and she places them next to each other on the cutting board.] I didn't exactly have a pleasant child hood. I spent a lot of time trying to take care of myself and after I began to work for House Raith, I found that I enjoyed cooking on the rare chances that I was able too.

[Justine takes his hand and curls his fingers inward.]

Hold the herbs down like this. It'll make them easier to cut. [She slides up close to him, her fingers on the back of his hand while her front pressed against his side.] This knife requires a rocking motion for it to work properly, so the tip of the knife won't ever leave the cutting board. It'll prevent the herbs from going everywhere as you're cutting. You want to get them as small as you can. [More surface area means more flavor.]

I'm sorry. You don't have to answer, but in what ways was it unpleasant?

[He just wants to understand her better. Connor nods though, focused on the task as he works but also dimly aware of Justine pressed to his side. He finds he likes being this close to her. He feels comfortable around her.]

Like this?

[He starts to cut, and now that he's been shown what to do he's pretty good at it. The herbs are cut to tiny pieces.]

[Justine's eyes focused on the herbs as she spoke.]

It's in the past. I don't talk about it if I can help it. I'm sorry. [She'd left that life behind when she'd run away from home and it's for that same reason that she'd abandoned her last name. It doesn't belong to her. That... isn't her family.]

Yes. Like that.

[Justine breaks away as he cuts to unpack the rest of the basket. She stands in front of the sink and begins washing the roots and vegetables she'd purchased, placing each on a towel on the opposite side of the sink. Then the fish which was placed on a separate towel before she took a few seconds to wash her hands clean with soap.

Her expression is calm but lost as she slipped into old dark thoughts. Justine spends a great deal of effort not to think of the time before she came to be in Thomas's care.]

[Connor lowers his gaze, nodding.]

I understand. I'm sorry. I... tend to ask a lot of personal questions.

[He keeps chopping the herbs, and when he's done he rests a hand at Justine's back. He can tell he's brought up some unpleasant thoughts.]

I won't ask again.

[Justine stiffens and then relaxes at Connors touch. She turns towards him and steps forward to gently pull him into a hug.] It's alright. I can't... answer some questions.

I wish I could.

[She closes her eyes and presses her face against his shoulder.]

It isn't because I don't want to tell you but it's so hard. I'd left that world behind. I ran away when I was very young. It was the only way to find an escape from everything that hurt me.

[He pauses at the hug, then slowly wraps his arms around her. Hugs are always unexpected, and this is only his second one ever.]

It’s okay, Justine. I won’t make you talk about it.

[He looks down at her and gives her a little smile that he hopes is encouraging.]

But if anyone or anything tries to hurt you again, tell me.

[She buries herself in his arms, her frame slender and small compared to his.]

I wish life was that simple Connor. [Justine glances up, her dark eyes peeking through thick lashes as she shyly meets his gaze.]

It's always the people closest to us that have the power to hurt us the most and I don't think anyone an stop that.

[It means that if someone is going to hurt her, there is a good chance that it'd be Connor who does it. The last person who Justine let into her life is going to kill her the moment she finds her way back through that mirror. That's how her life has always been.]

[He tilts his head a little, because he’s never thought about it like that.]

Maybe they can. But I wouldn’t do that to you.

[He brushes a stray lock of hair out of her face.]

Because then I’d have to beat myself up, and that might be difficult.

[She exhales a soft breath, her lips pulling into an involuntary smile.]

That's sweet. Sometimes I wonder if you're too good to be true. Maybe all of this is a dream so that I could create you. [Justine laughs softly and while she feels better, she doesn't pull away.]

Thank you, Connor.

[Even if he's lying, she doesn't care. It's a sweet thought and she wants to believe him.]

[That’s a nice sentiment, and Connor gives a more genuine smile because of it. He’s oddly pleased with the compliment.]

Androids don’t dream, so this must be real. I’m glad for that. I’d hate to wake up and find you gone.

[He gets to be confident in the knowledge that Justine is very much real.]

[Justine finds it difficult to pull away but they have food sitting out that needs to get into the oven.]

If I ever forget that I'm real. I hope that you'll be there to remind me.

[She glances down and gently pulls away while biting nervously at her lower lip. Her ass hits the counter and she stumbles forward a step towards Connor.] Oh. We should probably get the fish in the oven. Then maybe we can pick up where we left off.

[He awkwardly steps back, but he's still smiling slightly.]

I'll be there, don't worry.

[Connor looks to the fish, abandoned on the counter.]

What should I do next?

[She misses the comfort of his arms around her slender frame but they have a job to do and fish to cook.]

Oh yes. We mix the herbs, lemon zest and pepper with olive oil.

We'll coat the fish and vegetables in the mixture and place it in the oven.

[Connor makes a mental note of the ingredients just listed as something to put on fish.]

I can help mix them, if you’d like.

[He assumes he needs a bowl for everything, so he looks for one.]

Sure. you don't need a lot of oil. It's just to keep everything together and on the fish.

[Justine turns and slips up next to him to show him where the bowls are by opening the correct cabinet.] A small one should be fine. [As he does that, she'll grab the olive oil and the pepper.]

Once we have this together we rub it thoroughly on everything and cook it for about twenty minutes.

[He takes a bowl and waits for Justine to gather the ingredients, and lets her put the correct amounts in before stirring it. The entire time he keeps glancing over at her, until he hands her the bowl.]

I think that's mixed well enough. Do you need help rubbing it on the fish?

[It's not like there's much fish to rub it on.]

[Justine hides her smile as she nods.]

I'd love to see how well you rub.

[She doesn't actually need his help but she can't help herself. She dips her fingers into the bowl making them slick with the mixture before coating both the vegetables and the fish, attempting to have her fingers cross Connor's in the process.

She doesn't think he'd mind.]

[He doesn't mind their fingers crossing, in fact he's quite pleased with it. He resists the urge to take her hands because he's not sure what he'd do after that, and when he's done with the fish and vegetables he moves to wash the mixture off his fingers.]

Now we put it in and wait for twenty minutes?

Yes.

[Justine places everything on a metal sheet and then washes her hands. When she's finished she slides the tray into the wood burning oven and closes it. She steps over to a stone rune and activates it with a soft whisper of magic.] And now a timer is set.

[She reaches for Connor and gently takes his hand in hers.]

We have twenty minutes.

[Connor gives the rune a curious look, but says nothing about it. He lets Justine take his hand, stepping a little closer.]

What should we do while we wait?

[He gives her a gentle smile.]

It's up to you.

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