Fantasy for Organ, in E flat Major

[collector]

[There is cake on the kitchen table. Everything else is irrelevant, because there is a table, and it has delicious cake on it.]

[But if one must notice the peripheral details, Irving Braxiatel is leaning on the counter by the oven. A fresh sheet of croissants are on top of the stove, and Braxiatel is looking over a paper on Shakespearean performances in non-human cultures. He is also fixing an odd bit of technology that might be recognized as part of a time ship's temporal stabilizer. The devil, after all, always finds work for idle hands. He seems perfectly at ease.]

[There is also an extra cake on the table, as if to ward off vultures from the main prize.]

Comments

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[Benny zeroes in on the croissants, taking one as she stands on tip toes in order to lean over Brax's shoulder and see what he's working on. If she gets crumbs on him or his paper, well whoops.]

[youidiots.livejournal.com]

Do you need a hand?

[seriousmarauder]

[If there's one way to Sirius Black's heart, it's food. Even if the cake is a lie, he still wants some, though he's at least polite enough to ask first before eating all of it at once cutting himself a slice.] You're not saving all this for anyone in particular, are you?

[collector]

[Braxiatel carefully moves the papers out of crumb-range] You realize you could simply ask to look at them.

[collector]

[He looks up at Tear and smiles.] No, I'm fine. Thank you.

Though I wouldn't begrudge a song.

[collector]

The one at the centre is, but have at with the second. That's what it's there for.

[everdistant_utopia]

[Oh god you just had to go straight for her jugular, Braxiatel. Have a King of Knights holding on to the last scrap of her dignity in the face of good food.]

[collector]

[Far be it from Braxiatel to refrain from temptation. A smile flickers over his face.] They're quite good, I assure you. I learned from the best.

[everdistant_utopia]

They do smell rather good. But I do not wish to impose.

[collector]

Not at all. I love to share.

[everdistant_utopia]

Outwardly she smiles just slightly, but inside Braxiatel has just acquired a loyal ally.]

Then you have my gratitude, sir.

[However, she can't keep the very pleased smile off her face as she takes a criossant and eats.]

[collector]

[Braxiatel doesn't bother hiding his amusement.] Not at all. I hope you like them.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I absolutely could.

[This of course means she doesn't move off of him at all, and merely shifts slightly so she can follow the direction of the paper.]

[collector]

Benny. [His tone is that unique mix of resigned, exasperated, and exceptionally fond.] Enough of that. Are you disturbing me because you're bored, or do you want something?

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she sighs and then pushes herself off of him and hops up to sit on the counter]

Do I really need a reason to take an interest in your activities?

[she takes another bite of her croissant]

You wouldn't happen to have tea around for these, would you?

[collector]

[Braxiatel steps away from Benny, towards one of the counters, so that his back is to her. But the smile is there.] You've always an ulterior motive, Professor.

[When he turns around, he is holding a cup of tea, one for each of them.]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

You make me sound so calculating. [she sounds oddly delighted by this fact]

[she accepts the tea, taking a sip] I could merely be interested in the academic works of one of my very talented colleagues or some nonsense like that, you know?

[collector]

Impossible. [He sets his teacup down on the table and cuts himself a slice of the second cake.] You only ever call me 'very talented' in sarcasm or to butter me up, as the saying goes.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

And you only make two cakes when you don't want anyone touching the first one. So what's so special about that cake there, Irving? [she tilts her head towards the first cake]

[collector]

[Braxiatel glances at it.] Ah, I see the game is up. Well, if you must know, it's for Narvin. And I did not make that cake. It wouldn't be right for the Icicle to have gone through that effort for him, so I shall claim that you have done so, and none the wiser.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she laughs, because wow] You expect someone to think I made a cake? If you wanted to blame it on someone else, you could at least have found a more believable scapegoat. I'm almost disappointed.

[collector]

Nonsense. Your domestic talents are universally renowned. And I really don't have many people to choose from.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

You really are desperate. It's not that terrible to do something nice for a child, even if he is Narvin. You could just admit you made it yourself.

[onehundredbeers]

[Nathan and I cannot resist saying hi. He grabs cake. Because cake is better. But he does not stay distracted with it, because... Irving's technology is much more interesting than cake.]

Having fun?

[This is clearly the big concern here.]

[collector]

After you spend a few centuries trying to be more Gallifreyan than the Gallifreyan, you will realize the gross error in that statement. Authority figures do not bake cakes for their charges. [Brax sips from his tea.] And politicians lie at every opportunity. It's good practice.