003 [Written/Action]

[ofthursday]

I presume from the reactions and entries I have seen so far, this occurrence with the mistletoe is not new.

[Castiel is far too flighty to be resting as he should be, and so is in the Castle's massive kitchen trying to learn to make Turkish coffee. It's a slightly complicated process and involves a lot of waiting for the right times to stir, so he has opportunity to entertain himself with the journals while the coffee doesn't need his attention. The whole balancing act is a little easier said than done with only being able to use one hand, his other still in a sling due to being stabbed in the shoulder the week before, but he's managing.]

I know there is some cultural association with mistletoe and winter holidays, but it is only recent, and there are others that could've been chosen. That it has been the same one multiple times is interesting.

[Though he's not entirely sure what the pattern is, and doesn't feel much like concentrating too hard on figuring it out considering his concussion. Besides, his attention is far more on the coffee, which... Is not foaming as it's supposed to, but boiling, and he scrambles to turn down the heat and stir the grounds even though there's no salvaging the attempt from here. Hopefully everyone likes the smell of coffee, as some ends up splattering on the page of his journal, though at least it's just a few drops and not enough to damage anything or burn anyone.

Castiel can be found in the kitchen if anyone is in the area, scowling at the ibrik and ruined coffee and deciding if he wants to try again, journal forgotten on the counter nearby.]

Comments

Action-

[radiantwingedone]

[ Traveling with journal slightly open has become a habit of Duke's, because then he can listen to random things as he goes about. So he catches the commentary as he steps into the kitchen, deciding to try to find out if any of Vanyel's cookies had been left. ]

The year prior, it was nutcrackers. The year before that, small faeries.

[ He hears movement near the stove, but he wasn't interested in searching over there just yet. Another counter is his focus for the moment. ]

[ofthursday]

[Castiel, in contrast, is entirely focused on the new arrival as he hears him enter, eyes sharp and wary. He isn't going to be caught off guard again, though it does seem the other person isn't particularly interested in him.

He glances briefly back to his own journal, scribbling out a reply while still tracking the movement of the other individual.]

Nutcrackers are still related to the Christmas holiday, correct?

[radiantwingedone]

[ Nope. Although he does stop searching counter tops with his hands when he hears scribbling. Oh, someone was in the room and-

That was a reply from the journal. Okay then. ]

I believe so, yes. My world held a similar festival involving the solstice and snow themes, but was never called 'Christmas'. It seems similar, from what I have read.

[ No cookies on this counter. Time to find another one. ]

[ofthursday]

[Castiel is still watching, though with more curiosity than alarm now, though he cautiously moves away a little as the Duke nears a bit more. That the other journal is translating his writing into speech gives him a clue of what's going on, and he ignores the actual topic they're discussing to write a question rapidly.]

Are you unable to see?

[radiantwingedone]

[ That stops Duke fairly quickly. He stops, and blinks vaguely in the direction of the writer. ]

You're blunt.

[ Most people usually wait a bit before asking him that. Of course, most of the time Duke isn't groping about on the counter for something. ]

And yes.

[the_effect_she_has]

No ... sadly, it isn't new.

[Katniss let out an aggravated sigh as she tied up her boots to go train in the gym. When she stopped. Frowned for a moment. Then looked down at the journal.]

Castiel ... are you out of bed?

[ofthursday]

[Oh, Katniss. One of the few people he likes at the moment, not that everyone else in particular has annoyed him, but he's feeling generally antisocial. Of course, liking her doesn't mean he's going to answer the question truthfully when he's pretty sure it will prompt scolding.]

Of course not.

[the_effect_she_has]

Okay...

[She's not sure if she believes him, but he's got such honest eyes. She looks at the journal, twisting her mouth, before she sighs.]

All right. Anyways, yeah. The castle thinks it's funny.

[ofthursday]

[It's really easy to lie through writing anyway, though Castiel has gotten better at it lately as well.]

I presume due to the kissing aspect.

[the_effect_she_has]

[She makes a face - before she sighs.]

...And ending up kissing people you don't know. Or, you didn't want to kiss them because you ... it's complicated.

Action

[putuporshutup]

[Have one seriously not amused demon girlfriend tracking you down to drag you back to bed.]

There you are. Seriously, Cas? How do you expect to get any better if you won't rest up?

Action

[ofthursday]

[BUT MEG. He signs a quick response, even using both hands for it, though he's only barely moving the injured one.]

I am already better.

[putuporshutup]

[BUT NOTHING. She crosses her arms and looks him up and down skeptically.]

Yeah, right. You're barely functional! What could you possibly, REMOTELY need down here that you can't just wish up?

[ofthursday]

[Castiel looks down at her for a moment, then makes a vague gesture at the ruined coffee as if that's an answer. It isn't, but you know. He doesn't actually have a really good answer.]

[putuporshutup]

That's what I thought.

[She sighs audibly, looking as exasperated as he's probably ever seen her. Unfortunately, she knows how damn stubborn he is, and digs her proverbial heels in accordingly.]

Hey, Paradisa, do us a solid and give Cas some... what is that, Turkish coffee? And hey, throw in some baklava for good measure.

[She gives him her best look when it all appears and picks up the tray, nodding at the door.]

Don't make me drag you back up there, too.

written;

[rightchoices]

Where and when are you from?

written;

[ofthursday]

I was last in the midwest of the United States, on Earth, in late 2013.

written;

[rightchoices]

Then the cultural association with mistletoe isn't something "relatively recent." Is it really that confusing to you?

written;

[ofthursday]

It is 'relatively recent' when one has lived as long as I have.

It isn't confusing, as I understand the concept well enough. However, it is unusual to me that this particular custom would have been chosen, particularly more than once.

written;

[rightchoices]

And how long is that, exactly?

And it seems like more people are familiar with it than not. Perhaps it bases what happens off of what we know.

late action of late

[peacockherald]

<sub>[ Vanyel had found himself coming to enjoy time in the kitchen and practicing things like baking and cooking. He had rudimentary skills necessary for a Herald, but expanding them was becoming something of a treat and a challenge. Luckily, he usually had a guinea pig in the form of Tylendel or Yfandes, though his lady was much pickier about those sorts of things.

He had come in today, wanting to try something with apples he thought both might life, only to be confronted by a man having a stare down with what he had come to understand to be coffee. ]</sub>

Did something go wrong, Castiel?

<3!

[ofthursday]

[Castiel turns his head a little fast, startled by the voice, making himself dizzy for a moment due to his injuries. Well, that's embarrassing, and at least it's just Vanyel; Castiel is relatively certain he's not going to be a threat, though it's not like he's been the best judge of things recently.

Once his head stops spinning he gives a tentative, careful nod at the question before frowning at the coffee again. It probably looks more or less normal, other than having splattered around the stovetop a bit, but it definitely isn't right for what he had been trying to do.]

Re: &lt;3!

[peacockherald]

_{[ He watches him, brow puckered, but it smoothed quickly as he came closer to him and considered the "ruined" coffee. He cocked his head, not quite sure what the problem was, or if there was a problem at all. ]}

Anything I can help you with?

_{[ He tapped his forehead to remind Castiel that he was capable of speaking mind to mind, so they could avoid charades. ]}

[ofthursday]

[Castiel remembers, though he just digs a second pad of paper out of his pocket to use instead of his journal; since he's not soaking wet, it's no problem to write even though he has to do so one-handedly.]

I don't believe so. I am trying to learn to make coffee in this manner and it is difficult.

[peacockherald]

_{[ He read the paper quietly and looked at the contraption and the ruined coffee. ]}

And what way is that?

_{[ Coffee was not a known beverage to his people, though here he had been exposed to it and never quite taken to it the times he had had it. It was to bitter for him, even with milk and sugar. ]}

Perhaps there might be a book on it in the library?