sageguidance | brandishes a knife

[HE'S IN THE LIBRARY working on his important project (it's bumper cars) when sweet Alphinaud appears.]

Ah - no, not really! [WAVING A HAND. He quickly abandons his work because he'd rather spend time with other people, honestly. He's just been trying to keep to himself a bit this week, considering what a pain in the ass memshares have been.] What's the matter? Is something wrong?

[ What... are you doing in here, sweet Souji.

Well, anyway. ]

I have a favor to ask, is all. If that is all right with you...?

[DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.]

Oh, of course! Whatever you need, I'll do my best to provide. [AT LEAST ASK WHAT IT IS FIRST. He does not, though, simply rising from where he'd been working and patting the dust from his knees.]

What is it?

... Do you know aught of baking sweets?

[ yea. ]

[SWEET ALPHINAUD.]

Oh! Baking... So, Western-style sweets? I have some experience with them, yes! Cakes and cookies and the like, correct?

[ a nod! ]

Correct! Then I believe cookies would suffice—and be easier, I believe. My own experience with them is very little.

I'll be more than happy to help, then!

[COME ALONG, TO THE KITCHEEEN. Though as he goes, of course he has to ask:] Are you making them for someone? Or do you just have a bit of a sweet tooth?

[ to the kitchen! ]

Oh—um. Well, 'tis but a gift. I would not bother you were it solely for mine own pleasure.

Oh, don't worry about anything like that! If I can do anything to help you, even if it's just learning how to make something tasty for yourself, don't hesitate to ask!

[Because Souji fckin dies if he doesn't have enough stuff to focus on or people to fuss over...

Once they're in the kitchen, he'll start rummaging around for the basic ingredients.]

What sort of cookie did you want to make?

[ Adorable... How is Souji the best. ]

Are you any familiar with ginger snaps?

[He is... a goblin.]

Ooh, yes! The dry biscuits that are good with teas, right? I haven't made those exact ones before, but I've made something of a similar texture, so I think we could probably figure something out!

Brilliant. I'm positive we can make something of good taste, regardless. My father and I once made an attempt at them—it nearly took all day to make an edible batch, so I do vaguely recall what goes into it...

Flour, of course. Then an egg, cinnamon... molasses...

[ He trails off, trying to think. ]

Flour, egg, cinnamon, molasses!

[Calling out each item as he plonks them down on the counter one by one, along with some brown sugar.]

Goodness, you put quite a lot of effort into figuring this one out, didn't you? An all-day affair!

More effort than it warranted, most likely... Normally we would leave such tasks to the servants, but they are my sister's favorite, and we thought it may cheer her up one day when she had been quite crestfallen.

Ah, how sweet!

[He really is touched in his little gremlin heart about this... Family is so important!! Trying to figure out how to make cookies all on your own and taking a wholeass day to do it all for the sake of a sibling is peak "Souji appreciates this" hours.]

Did she cheer up? I hope she did!

At the very least, she received a treat she enjoys.

[ He smiles fondly, and a little wistfully. ]

But I think she did. She seemed all right after...

[Cute... Though it also brings something to mind, and as he's arranging the ingredients, he'll glance back toward Alphinaud. After a beat:]

Is that the person on your door...?

[Because of course he's noticed... the double Alphinauds.]

[ While Souji gathers the ingredients, Alphinaud is getting some bowls! He remembers that. They gotta mix all this stuff in something.

He pauses briefly at the question, though, a hint of surprise in his expression before returning to the task at hand. ]

Yes. That is Alisaie—my sister.

[Alphinaud saving them from becoming making-food-on-the-counter tiktokers... He'll grab some measuring tools when he's done with the ingredients, they're not about to make PREVENTABLE MISTAKES in this house.

This is very sad though, considering that they're dead and all and what that could very well mean for their hostages. Fortunately for both of them, though, Souji is aggressively ignoring those bleak possibilities!]

The two of you are close, I take it? That's a wonderful thing... I have an older sister myself, so I can understand.

[Sibling bonds!!]

[ They're not savages like tiktokers... But, erm. Yeah, Alphinaud isn't acknowledging the whole "what's happened to the hostages" thing. Not outwardly, anyway. ]

I would say so, aye. We have always been there to look out for each other, though I would say she has usually done a better job of it than I.

[TIKTOKERS AS THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL... That's so fair, though. Simply ignoring all of the terrible things that could be happening right under your nose is sometimes the only way to continue functioning like an even remotely passably normal creature!

In any case, there's a definite softness to his expression at that.]

That sounds like something a sibling would say. At least when they're in a good mood!

[Said in a lightly teasing lilt... AH, SIBLINGS. Though he's always had a good relationship with his own sister, he has Seen the sibling rivalries and bickering in the siblings around him.]

[ He laughs, lightly. ]

Oh, no, I truly do mean it, good or bad mood.

Is she a very caring type? The fussy sort, perhaps?

[He can say this, being a fussy sort himself.]

... Ah...

... I daresay she would accuse me of fussing too much, were she privy to our conversation... Alisaie is an unruly sort, but in spite of that, she has always had plenty of room in her heart for others.

Oh, dear... So the fussy one is you!

[WHY DOES HE SAY THAT LIKE HE'S DISCOVERED SOMETHING HILARIOUS.]

It seems unruly people usually do have good and big hearts, though. They tend to bring quite a bit of good humor to the situations they're in, too, wouldn't you say?

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