A Latte Good on a Sunday [open]

[Kyrie Blaze]

August might be able to pretend he saw nothing, but Kyrie was watching. Kyrie saw. She arched an eyebrow knowingly but for now didn't say anything as to his obvious pain. Her daughter - who was shifting so she could lean back against David, playing with the cat and figure - would feel horrible.

She took the change of topic with grace, as though she hadn't seen a thing.

"It is technically my career, and involves over fourty hours of play per week--both with the symphony itself and practice on my own, but I have an incredible amount of flexibility outside of established practice times and concert nights. So, I play with them every month, yes. It is incredibly demanding but very fulfilling, to be able to bring back and share the work of composers long since gone. The only downside...is that the arts have been declining in popularity and there is not as much appreciation as there used to be."

[David B.]

David nodded.

"I see. Well...good. I'm glad. I think careers like that are important- especially when they feel fun despite the work involved."

David turned to August and leaned forward.

"Can we get a move on?"

Okay....maybe he was just a little eager.

*******TIME SKIP*******

David exited the car first, walking around to open the door for Kiyr, kuz he was a damn gentleman. He would hold out his hand, offering to help her or the child out of the car. Once done, he'd shake his head at August, indicating he didn't need a bodyguard to come in with him. The nurse had gone home at Youichi's order- she wasn't needed, for now. David would follow her to the door and take a slow, deep breath.

"I like your home."

[Kyrie Blaze]

The blonde nodded, pleased he understood it was no simple "hobby", but something she worked hard at and took a lot of pride in. She glanced about on the way home, keeping her amusement dampened at his show of eagerness. Her daughter occupied herself...and David, as she was pretty keen on including him in whatever little fantasy she had concocted.

They came upon her current house. She packed up the things Aurelia had dug up and out of her bag. The blonde blinked as the door opened - August still seated in the front - and turned her eyes sharply to see who... Ah. David. She shifted the straps of her bag over her shoulder and set her hand lightly in his, the blonde not putting any substantial weight upon his offered hand as she disembarked.

"You are all welcome to come inside and have something to eat as well."

Aurelia followed, clutching David's hand with both of hers even after they were clear from the vehicle.

"Thank you," Kyrie blinked over her shoulder as she unlocked the deadbolt and lock, and opened the door. The shrill sound of an alarm immediately started and Kyrie slipped her flats off to go silence it, wincing slightly, before moving back to the front entrance to hang coats and then move forward, towards the kitchen.

Aurelia raced forward and pulled up short to peek around the island as her mother opened the fridge.

It was a nice home. Simple and clean...and with boxes, indicating Kyrie had already started packing. By the looks of things, she would be ready to leave within the week.

[David B.]

David would shrug and nod to the other two who would follow them up, pleased to be able to get something in their stomachs. David allowed Youichi to follow in first, once again being a damn fine gentleman. He'd take off his shoes as Kiyr did, following the suit of the one who owned the place. August and Youichi did as well, but promptly walked through the house, August moving upstairs to check all rooms. He'd give a nod to Youichi, who nodded at David.

Home was clear.

David smiled and would get cheerful. He...needed to be patient. And to, perhaps, actually show this woman he cared. So far he had proven he cared for his brother but he knew she didn't think he cared about her.

She was wrong.

"So, what's for dinner?"

[Kyrie Blaze]

"Food~" She quirked a tiny smile in response before spotting Aurelia and flicking her fingers at the young girl. "You know the rules, Lia. Out of Mommy's space. Perhaps David will play with you and the others?"

Aurelia gave something of a groan but was quick to scamper off, attempting, first, to drag David with!

Blue eyes glanced at David briefly as she turned the oven on and promptly brought a cutting board, knife, and a few sweet potatoes out to make quick work of peeling and slicing them into long, thin fries. They were going to take the longest out of the meal she had planned. August was already aware that the kitchen was her domain, and it seemed Youichi was aware as well. David, however, she wasn't sure if he knew. If he offered to help he would receive a polite but very firm decline. He could watch, if he wished, but that was the extent of it.

Next came Rosemary that she very finely chopped, her knife moving rhythmically to cut the herb into very tiny pieces. Garlic, and plenty of it, followed, and was encorporated. The fries got tossed with a portion of it, along with sea salt, pepper, paprika, and olive oil. Onto a tray and into the oven they went, and Kyrie proceeded to take fish from her fridge. Half a bottle of white wine was rescued from a cupboard and set to the side she set a large pan onto the induction stovetop and flicked it on to medium high heat with a fair dousing of the EVOO she'd used on the fries. While that warmed, she brought mushrooms, half an onion, and a container of spinach out.

But first..!

Three more cloves of garlic and a much smaller amount of rosemary were chopped and finely diced.

It smelled wonderful, and would only get better. The blonde dumped the first batch of rosemary-garlic into the olive oil and swirled the frying pan. Letting that warm, she ran her knife through the onion in a quick, rough dice. She seemed to have the timing down pat; turning back after that, she cut the package of fish open and began laying the fillets in the pan, to a very pleasant sizzle. Sea salt was sprinkled and pepper was cracked...and then a generous splash of the wine was added before a lid went on top to cook the fish.

The blonde, by this time, was humming, and she sliced the mushrooms.

The last thing she needed, she went to hunt for...and then flipped the fish with a thin metal spatula, after flipping and shuffling the fries.

Cooking was like meditation.

. o O ( Aurelia's actions/conversation pending on your response. :3 )

[David B.]

David would happily come along, being drug away by the girl! She wouldn't have to try too hard- he went without argument.

August sat in the dining room, leaving the kitchen to the commander-in-cook. Youichi stayed in the living room, watching the front yard through the windows. On her face was a pair of glasses, the left side covered in a camera feed.

From the backyard.

August let out a very content sigh.

"That. Smells. DELICIOUS."

[Kyrie Blaze]

Up, up, up..! Upstairs she dragged him, to show him her room! And the "stuffies" she piled onto her bed, toys, drawings. One drawing she had to dig for. It was partially unfinished! The tiny brunette shoved it upwards at him.

"Will you give this to Damien next time you see him?" She frown-pouted a little. In kid-scrawl were the words "mISs YOu".


Kyrie, meanwhile, smiled as she heard August. A second pan was placed on the stovetop and turned on to heat as her oven - wonderful thing it was - blasted the fries with heat to cook and slightly crisp them up as the blonde shuffled them around again. She grabbed the balsamic vinegar as she put her olive oil up (after adding a generous splash) and that was left on standby.

[David B.]

David followed her, watching as she dug stuff out. He watched her calmly, but as she handed him the paper, his brow furrowed and his eyes went liquid.

“He’ll love it. I’ll definitely give it to him.”

He’d look around, making a show of it, before leaning forward with a whisper.

“Can you keep a secret?”

August, meanwhile, just STARED VIOLENTLY at Kiyr’s food!

[Kyrie Blaze]

Aurelia beamed and gave David another hug, this one softer than the first one he'd received.

"Thank youuuu!" She looked once more at the paper, with its words and stick figures, then looked back up at David, instantly curious! "Yes!"


Kyrie, meanwhile, let the food do its thing on the stove and cleaned her knife off.

[David B.]

David, having hugged her back with a little chuckle under his breath, would hold her side and continue to whisper.

"When Damien gets back....he's gonna propose to your mommy!"

[Kyrie Blaze]

The girl gasped..! And stilled.

"But, uhm," If David looked, he'd be able to see the girl's confusion. "Um, Mama said...that Damien didn't wanna stay, like the other guys, from before."

Her brow furrowed.

[David B.]

David shook his head.

"That's not true. That's what I told her at the theater- Damien was forced to go, and wanted to tell you guys but couldn't. It....it was an emergency. But he loves you very much. I even saw the ring."

He felt pain lancing in his chest.

He'd helped pick it out.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Lia blinked, looking more confused. Her mother didn't tell her that. But then, to any adult, that would make sense. And it was apparent that the blonde didn't bad mouth her exes.

"...so...when is he gonna come back?"


Kyrie, meanwhile, started sautéing the onions and mushrooms, and added the spinach, adding half a teaspoon of the wine and moving the ingredients around the pan as she flicked the elements and oven off. The spinach was quick to wilt, and Kyrie started dishing the fries up between five plates, then the veggies - topped with a drizzle of the basamic vinegar - and a piece of fish (half in Aurelia's case) positioned partway overtop of the latter.

"August, would you go get David and Lia?"

Youichi had seen nothing out of the ordinary the entire time.

[David B.]

David's brow furrowed.

"Y'know, I don't know hun. He didn't tell me he was leaving either. But Damien is super responsible, and loyal. It was definitely an emergency. As soon as he gets back he's gonna make you his family. I know it."

He gave a little smile and held up her poster.

"I'll definitely make sure he gets this."

August nodded and stood, immediately heading up the stairs. He stepped into the room and cleared his throat. When David looked at him, Augusts eyes were wide and he was silent for several seconds before-

"FOOOOOOOOOOOD-!"

He turned and RAN down the stairs!

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kyrie smiled a little and pulled out some silverware - forks, really, as the fish was flakey and tender on its own - to set places at the table, keeping hers off to the side. August would be running back in as she was somewhere in the middle of setting the forks down and separating the fish a bit on her daughter's plate.

She cleared her throat, eyes twinkling. "Would you take some plates to the table, please?"

Cups were next, along with water for all. August and Youichi wouldn't drink, but she pulled down two wine glasses, in case David cared for any to go with the food. She perched on the stool at the island, slowly flipping one leg over the other.


Aurelia frowned and sniffed a little. What if she never saw Damien agai— August? WAS DAMIEN HERE?! The girl's eyes went wide! And then..! Food??

Distracted by August's enthusiasm, she turned to David, her muddled expression brightening a bit.

"Food? Let's go eat..!" She grabbed his free hand to help pull him back to his feet, then wound her arms around his one.