chikaidestroyer | ∞ 95: A quaint birthday [action]

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∞ 95: A quaint birthday [action]

[An early birthday dinner. That was what Albert had proposed, knowing it was likely Caesar would want to nap as soon as he was full. And so, with Caesar's Luceti birthday having arrived, there were light preparations for a quiet celebration. After all, Silverbergs were intensely private as it was, so there would be no invited guests unless Caesar himself decided to invite them.]

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[One would question what the point even was in being difficult when it came to little things like this, but at this point it wasn't really worth saying as such. Instead Raine tries the pizza first, since with all of her previous comments it seemed pretty logical to start with.]

Very good. What kind of birthday dinner would it be if the celebrant was displeased? [Sarcasm, and no small amount of it. If Caesar found some reason to complain about this, he would be surprised. His discomfort was noticeable.]

Not a very good one, I'd suppose! But who can really say? [He feels a little better now that everyone's started eating. It's almost like a normal dinner. Except when Albert reminds him that it's not a normal dinner, of course.] I'm not easy to please, you know, but I don't think I'm displeased.

[Hm, not bad. Not that she was any expert on pizza, but the flavors did pull together. It was always nice to have a reminder that something new every once in a while was a refreshing change. She raises an eyebrow slightly at Caesar's last statement, as she reaches for her drink.]

Then it seems we're off to a good start.

[And of course Albert had reminded him it was a birthday dinner on purpose.] Indeed. And perhaps you will be more pleased as you eat more. [Or just more full.]

I'd say it's not impossible. I haven't eaten food like this in a long time.

All the more reason to enjoy it more, I'd hope. [She sets her glass back down, starting in on some of the other foods.]

Perhaps you can learn how to cook some of this, if you enjoy it so much, Caesar. [Even as he says that, Albert finds himself unable to imagine Caesar laboring over mashing potatoes.]

I'm not so sure about that... [He frowns a little, imagining where his attempts at that would leave him.] It wouldn't taste the same if I made it. It is possible to ruin a good thing!

That's why practice is usually necessary to achieve better results. It'll help you feel more accomplished at the end, don't you think? [... although that might not be too encouraging coming from her on this topic, so its back to focusing on that spoonful of mashed potatoes.]

At least learn to cook something that you enjoy eating. A goal for your next birthday. [But that's of course low on the list of priorities.] Be sure to leave some room for dessert.

Heh. I can do it in less than that. [Even though that still didn't guarantee that it would taste good. But if it meant being able to have it more often, then maybe...] Is that your way of asking me to save food for tomorrow?

[But that's a joke, too, of course.]

I think he just means he doesn't want you to overdo it. Especially since there still is enough for tomorrow.

Indeed -- for the sake of dessert. [It just wouldn't do for Caesar not to eat every course for his birthday.] Raine was kind enough to take on that particular course.

Lucky for you two, there will always be room for dessert. [He waves dismissively. The food was too good to worry about exactly how much of it he was eating. But then, it occurs to him what they mean by "dessert".] Cake?

[Birthday cake. He can't remember the last time he had his own birthday cake. There's that nervous feeling again.]

[She perks up, smiling brightly for a moment after finishing her pizza slice.] You'll see once we finish dinner.

[He smirks a little at Raine's excitement, giving Caesar a glance that he hopes will be misinterpreted. A little dread before dessert wouldn't be a bad thing.

And then he'll innocently return to eating his dinner.]

I simply cannot wait.

[The sarcasm in his voice might be obvious, but he tries not to frown when he sees that glance. Polite? He can be polite if he tries. But he isn't willing to put his life in danger for the sake of being polite. He'll find a way out of this if he has to.

He might even be considering possible courses of action as he continues to eat. This better not turn out as bad as he thinks it will.]

I hope you'll be able to maintain that enthusiasm. [Sarcasm aside, she's still looking forward to it. She worked hard on the preparations. although there were the usual anxieties that came with cooking along with that excitement. At least Albert had been there during any questionable moments.]

[Albert already knows what the dessert be, and had ensured that Raine wouldn't get too creative along the way, but he knows Caesar can be just as skeptical about Raine's cooking as he can. (...Mostly because he had warned him about that.)

He'll probably be the first to finish his food, if only because he will switch between coaxing Caesar to eat more and telling him to save room for dessert.]

I'll try, I'll try.

[Caesar will take his time eating. He probably won't need much coaxing—even without help, he contemplates more food as he starts clearing his plate. Part of it is because the food is good, of course (he's already eating more than he usually would), and part of it is obviously because if he eats enough, he won't be hungry enough to eat too much dessert.]

[It doesn't take Raine much longer than Albert to finish her own portions, once she stops talking and focuses more on eating. She'll sip at her drink quietly while Caesar continues eating; obviously the table would need to be cleared before dessert could be served.]

[Clearing the table is Albert's way of telling Caesar that he's had enough, and he takes far too much pleasure in taking away the bowl containing the mashed potatoes. The salad was almost completely gone, and they had made an admirable dent in the pizza, but there were still enough leftovers for a proper ... well, brunch. Mashed potatoes, eggs, and sausage didn't sound like a bad idea.]

Ready for dessert?

[Caesar frowns at his brother when he takes away the bowl. He knows he's getting a kick out of this, the jerk. When he finally does finish his food, he sinks into his seat and shoves the plate away from him on the table. He shrugs as he responds.]

I'm ready for anything.

[When Albert starts the process of clearing the table, Raine moves to get the dessert plates ready. Smaller than dinner plates, with a fresh fork and knife. Quite a lot of dishes to do after dinner. The meal in question is hidden under a cover. All the more suspense for the younger strategist.]

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