From our window we could see

[velveteened]

Date & Time: June 24, 8 pm
Location: Unit 403
Characters: Kate Kane, Gilbert Nightray, and Oz Vessalius
Summary: Gilbert offers to make Kate dinner. Oz wants to meet his mysterious lady friend.
Warnings: SHENANIGANS

( he'd been curious.

gil had been acting really strangely, oddly surprised at oz coming to the apartment at this time. oz had only wanted to ask about something trivial and not so important it needed to really be dealt with now; but the fact that gilbert had asked just that -

if it really can't wait, if oz can't make do for a bit, he can't go anywhere right now but later...!

- had made oz decide to change his plans.

so gilbert is now off to search nearby shops and stalls for a local specialty, because rhubarb berries are totally real and being sold nearby but if he doesn't hurry he'll miss out for the whole rest of the summer!!!! - and oz waits to investigate just what it is gil had been expecting. )

Comments

[retraced]

[And somewhere in the middle of this awkward exchange (and as he is absolutely unable to properly read the situation ever), Gilbert finally makes an appearance. He's still a little soggy looking, but he's changed his pants and shirt and is currently fidgeting with the collar as he steps into the kitchen to join them. These shirts don't fit right here. His kingdom for a tailor from Reveil.]

Sorry, I -

[Even though he's attempted to clean up well, the minute he catches sight of Oz trying to help, he instantly tenses and hurries over to his side.]

Hey, I'll set the table myself. Go sit down if you're going to stay!

[And an unspoken glare of: AND BEHAVE YOURSELF IN FRONT OF THE LADY.]

[gevurah]

[ Her frown quickly disappears hearing Gil's approaching footsteps.

So Oz wasn't supposed to be here in the first place. First she met Jack in a sketchy situation and now this? She's starting to feel something isn't quite adding up. ]

You sure? It's no skin off my back.

[velveteened]

( he'd had a feeling this was going to happen the second gil got back, so there's no surprise at the reaction. instead, he shoots his servant the most woefully tragic of looks. )

You're saying I'm not welcome?

1/2

[retraced]

[WHY IS THIS HAPPENING WHY DOES HE EVEN TRY.]

[retraced]

That's not what I'm saying at all-?!

[Okay this is quickly turning from embarrassing to pure mortification. He takes a deep breath, shuts his eyes and points at the cabinet where the dishes are kept. At a low level, of course, so that Collette and Oz can both reach them since Oz is so SHORT.]

Do your best to set the table properly while I finish dinner and I'll fix any mistakes that you make. Thank you for helping too, Kate.

[gevurah]

[ Kate is losing her patience somewhat with this already. She came here for dinner with Gil, not cutesy manipulation from little boys. She keeps from giving him a stern look, but when she does look over at Oz her expression is eerily void of any emotion. ]

No problem.

[ She goes over to the cabinets (she's a fairly tall woman herself so she has to lean over slightly) and opens them up to fetch the dishes they need for the meal. ]

[velveteened]

( a victory with gil, though that's not unexpected. as for kate, her expression isn't something he can make out, but the careful neutrality isn't entirely lost on him. he waits on her to get the dishes, but he'll only accept two from her - he's not actually going to crash the date dinner, whatever he might tease gil - before heading to the table. )

[retraced]

[And they can have a moment alone to put the table together on their own while Gilbert prepares everything to be brought out to the table. There's little in the way of food here that he's familiar with, but the stew that he's made is good enough. There's even fresh bread, made from scratch earlier today. At least there's enough in this world that bread still makes sense.

Both of them are ignored as he puts everything out on the table. Awkward silences are just going to have to hang until everyone is served properly.]

[gevurah]

[ She sets three bowls on the table and plates just in case and waits by it, since Gil seems to have everything else covered. ]

Smells good.

Self-taught?

[velveteened]

( WELL FINE IGNORE HIM. he fusses at the bowls and plates a bit to set out placement - two placements, again - but visual impairments leave everything a bit off center. he did try.

at the question though, he pipes up brightly - )

He is! It's amazing, right? No matter what you ask him to make, he'll figure out how to do it and make it better than anyone else.

[retraced]

[He instantly goes red, keeps his eyes turned away from Oz in lieu of looking at the table instead. The food now placed safely, he reaches across and fixes the settings to be properly centered without thinking about it.]

He's exaggerating.

[And yes Oz you're mostly still being ignored.]

[gevurah]

We'll find out, right? It's a good skill to have, especially in a place like this.

[ She cooks a lot more for herself, too. ]

[velveteened]

Well there's something I have to do, so I'll come back later, alright?

( to make fun!! and also eat. in the meantime, he offers a wave and makes his way to the door. )

It was nice meeting you, Kate.

( and out he goes. the berries remain on the sofa, forgotten. )

[retraced]

I guess it's--

[Oh. Well, that's sort of a surprise, he guesses. He'd expected Oz to stick around longer and embarrass him some more since he seemed so keen on it so far. Or maybe he's just exaggerating himself because this whole situation is embarrassing in and of itself. Why did he think this was a good idea?

Likewise, he doesn't realize that the berries are left behind. Because comedic timing doesn't call for it just yet. As much as he'd like to just continue to ignore Oz like a mature adult, he manages to finally mutter:]

Hmph. Take your time.

[Read: JUST GIVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO GET THROUGH THIS DINNER FFS.]

[gevurah]

Same. [ Is all she says to Oz and when she's sure he's completely gone, her head turns in Gil's direction. She doesn't look too pleased. ]

What was that about?

[retraced]

[He waits until Oz has left before he finally lets himself deflate. One hand covers his face so that he can pinch the bridge of his nose and let his shoulders slump. Something has clearly gone terrible wrong.]

Sorry about that...I tried to get back here before you arrived, but I wasn't fast enough. I swear I didn't plan for things to go this way!

[gevurah]

[ Kate sighs, looking at the third bowl that she had set for Oz and she thinks of the blond man she encountered in the hospital.

She thinks about using Gil to extract information about both of them from him. It's cold to take advantage of him like this, but she can't shake either blonds from her thoughts now. ]

Does he not approve? [ Maybe Gil needs permission to have people over? She has no idea what his duties entail. ] Because I'm not your type, so he doesn't have to worry.

[retraced]

[Thank goodness that 'not your type' goes right over his head for now or else this dinner would end in tears. Well it might still, but. He shakes his head and drops his hand away from his face, moving towards the table finally. But he'll wait for her to sit down before he does.]

He saw an opportunity to tease me. I'm sorry if he was rude to you.

[gevurah]

About having a lady over? [ She shakes her head. ] Kids.

[ She guesses he is at that silly age where cooties are no longer an issue. ]

He wasn't rude. He only asked how we knew each other -- not that I told him exactly.

I didn't realize your [ master ] employer was that young.

[retraced]

Even back home I don't usually have - [Women.] - anyone over.

[That time it doesn't go over his head, but he evades it with as much practiced awkwardness as he's capable of.]

Well, he's...ah, that's a long story. He's old enough to be introduced into society back home, so he could be considered an adult.

[gevurah]

[ She's not going to tease, though maybe she's a bit surprised; Gil's a handsome guy so she imagines he gets some heads turning wherever he goes. ]

High society, huh.

[ An old-fashioned upper class. ]

[retraced]

He's the heir to one of the most powerful duke houses. Though you wouldn't guess it from the way he acts...

[So much like his uncle; unfitting of a duke. But that, also, is a long story.]

But he's smarter than he looks.

[gevurah]

[ She pulls a chair out and unbuttons her sweater given the current temperature of the room after Gil finishing up in the kitchen. She neatly hangs it on the backside of the chair before taking a seat. ]

His parents are the duke and duchess, then.

[retraced]

[The question throws him off a bit, noticeably. He'd planned to simply sit down and ask if she wanted him to serve her after giving her the chance to do it herself (as seems to be the more common thing in this world) but now he moves to her side and grabs the knife to cut a slice of bread for her.]

...His uncle acts as liaison as far as official household matters are concerned at the moment.

[But that's where he lets the topic end.]

[gevurah]

I see. [ She's not unfamiliar with parents being out of the picture. Her mother had been dead for a little over twenty years now. ] How's he faring here? He seems okay, but you know kids.