∞ 44: Another meeting [written/action]

[chikaidestroyer]

Filtered to the council and Golbez
[written]

I would like to call a meeting in the very near future. We have much to talk about -- the tunnels, the desert, the fort, the ruins. In addition, we have the matter of a destructive new resident who had to be forcefully neutralized; Sir Golbez, another newcomer, can report on the matter.

Your thoughts on meeting soon, everyone. Mark is unfortunately absent due to our captors.

/end filter

[action]

[Albert is finally heeding his body's need for nourishment, going out to shop for groceries. He has a lot on his mind -- but really, when does he not?]

Comments

[chikaidestroyer]

Foolish.

And you continue to prattle about how I take care of myself. Stop assuming you can read my mind, or see yourself to the door.

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

I'd get to tell you he's okay and you have somewhere to return.

Ignore me. You're good at that, and I'm used to it. Good thing she's here, you wouldn't be able to not eat when you have to feed her.

[chikaidestroyer]

I have no good reason to believe you. [The fact that you look like Caesar just makes this more suspicious.]

She isn't here. If she was, your baseless assumptions would have brought her forth. [He turns his attention back to putting around the last few grocery items.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Don't. For all I know, it's possible I am your brother's recycled version. Far from him being okay.

And after hearing my accusations about your tendency to neglect yourself, she'd at least take a good look at you as it wouldn't hurt to try, and proceed to notice how thin you are. What a relief she isn't here now.

[chikaidestroyer]

How comforting. [He shuts the cupboard with a little more force than necessary.]

You should realize that I've always been thin.

[Suddenly feeling restless, Albert moves to stand by the window, staring outside.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

[But you'd have thought about it.] But then, this is experiment, which means I probably wouldn't last more than a week. I doubt they would have completely removed your brother's data from this body if that were the case.

Maybe I always didn't like it and wanted to tell you to eat more. I'm supposed to be your brother, you know.

[Caesar remains in his spot, only his eyes following Albert.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert continues to stare outside at the wintry surroundings, his expression blank. He leans on the windowsill.]

Are you going to continue nagging me until this experiment is over?

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

[Caesar's expression mirrors Albert's.]

If I shut up, I don't even have to try.

[chikaidestroyer]

Then shut up.

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

...

Fine.

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert remains at the window, trying to decide if he should eat or not. This entire situation has ruined his appetite, and the nagging has started to affect him, too. He finally decides he might as well attempt to cook, since that was why he bothered going shopping at all.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

[Caesar is silent, occasionally chewing his lip to keep himself from blurting out something aggressive. He considers helping, but decides against it because this Albert mentioned once his Caesar can't cook.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[And so Caesar can watch Albert work his way around his kitchen. The coat comes off as Albert preps and begins. Soup is far from anything particularly gourmet, but it allows Albert to busy himself cleaning and chopping vegetables and not pay attention to the experiment-born Caesar that he is keeping his back to.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

[Caesar takes a seat at a table, having nothing else to do. This is where his Caesar would have sat and watched. Caesar ruminates, not really able to ease his anxiety, but pretending he can anyway. This is where he would have dozed off while waiting for his meal to be cooked.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Eventually, there comes a point in the cooking where the cook must simply stand back and watch -- or wait, for that matter. Again restless, Albert turns to find Caesar sitting at the table.]

Are you hungry? [Again, he finds himself inviting conversation.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

[Caesar hesitates for a second before responding. It really might be for the best if he just kept silent during his whole stay in Luceti.]

...Kind of. [Another pause.] Are you?

[chikaidestroyer]

I was. [Until you showed up and started talking conspiracy.] But I'm going to eat anyway.

[His tone is once again dry.] It's nothing special. But it's better than mediocre.

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

Good. [Because shoving things you don't like into your face is what I do best.] You should.

I manage to keep my fingers out of the knife's way and the boiling water. That should be good enough.

[chikaidestroyer]

If you intend to be a mess cook for the army. [Albert rests his hands on the table, examining the pale digits. He really needed to invest some time in finding new gloves.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

And if I don't manage, at least it would be something special.

[Noticing the paleness of Albert's fingers, Caesar subconsciously puts his hand in his pocket. He had picked up a pair of gloves for Albert before finding himself here, but would they still be there? ...They are. Caesar frowns.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert quirks a brow at the comment.] Special?

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

You don't get to contemplate the true meanings of finger sandwich and bloody stew everyday?

[He almost fishes them out of his pocket, but shoves them back. ...Maybe later.]

[chikaidestroyer]

And this is why you will never be a chef.

[Albert returns his attention to the soup, giving it a stir. Right now, he wished he had been thinking about a dish that required higher maintenance; the wonderful thing of soup was that he could usually just throw everything into the pot and then return to work. I really don't want to entertain this guest.]

[todisgrace.livejournal.com]

Excuse me if I'm not offended.

[Caesar fumbles in his head for a topic, then gives up as none of what he can think of seems even remotely appropriate. He stands up from the chair, aiming to go out of the kitchen and give Albert some room to breathe.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert looks over his shoulder as Caesar leaves, taking a deep breath and silently exhaling. It takes some willpower not to massage his temples, too. This is by far the most ... spiritually draining experiment yet. What would he do if this wingless Caesar stayed around for an entire week? Would he try to interact with the others in the village?

He snaps himself out of his reverie when he realizes he has been staring at the now-boiling soup.]