epidemiology | tea with the demon and the witch [OPEN]

CHARACTERS: Sebastian Michaelis (

cutlery), Sieglinde Sullivan (

grunehexe), and YOU

DATE: Today?! I guess?!

WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: Sebastian received tea and a teapot for his holiday gift, so what better way to use it than to share it? That, and it's a prime opportunity to socialize Sieglinde. It's lessons time.

[ Whether you received an invitation to come to tea or just happen to be an especially dedicated explorer, you're likely to find the local apothecary's first floor slightly rearranged. After a bit of bargaining with the owners, Sebastian had managed to convince them to allow for a small gathering. While Sieglinde's little apartment above the store was well enough, it was certainly not suitable for what Sebastian had in mind. He had received a gift of tea (earl grey, of course) from ALASTAIR, and not quite having a taste for it himself, well. He had another idea on how to use it.

It was perfect for a lesson for the young lady.

A large table is set up for tea, including a plethora of tasty treats all made by Sebastian himself. He won't be sitting to join, since it's not proper for a butler, but he'll happily stand to the side of the room with the teapot at the ready to give people tea as they need a refill. There's no need to ask, since he's a butler of perfect principles, so just as you seem to be wanting more, he's there to refill your cup.

In his mind, this is an occasion for Sieglinde to meet others and socialize with them, and he can gently give lessons on proper etiquette, but it might not be in yours. Feel free to strike up a conversation with the butler quietly playing host, though he'd much prefer you speak with everyone else! ]

ooc ; Welcome to a tea party! This log is OTA, so feel free to tag in even if you don't have CR with Sieglinde or Sebastian. He's too polite to turn people away, and Sieglinde is probably just excited to meet more people... Feel free to make toplevels and use this as a mingle post. I'll be responding to every toplevel at least! ♥

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ most likely best not to ask, especially if Alice wants any semblance of a straight answer. Loki has a way of working around things—telling partial truths, utilizing omission and exaggerations—all to save little bits and parts of him. he's not about to give up the habit now. ]

A little more caffeine does a body good, or so I'm told. [ there's a pause, and he tests the saying on his tongue: ] It's always time for coffee ...

I'll... take your word for it.

[ She has a creeping suspicion that he could do without anymore caffeine, frankly. ]

On coffee, that is. I've had any before, I can't say.

[ She does recall her parents having it during the mornings, however, but Earl Grey has always been a Liddell favorite. ]

Though, I wonder, do you have a preference on a type of tea, or did you come here solely to speak about coffee?

I have a preference for all kinds of things. As much as I do like coffee, tea does have a certain charm to it, doesn't it? [ he doesn't have a favorite because his "favorite" seems to change so frequently. coffee because his former incarnation liked tea. defiance like this resonated in several parts of his life; it was like he wanted to make a statement with his own personal preferences, and somewhere along the way forgot he was supposed to like things. ] As much as I miss coffee ...

I'm rather partial to green tea. Sometimes with mint, other times with honey ...

[ because its green, and green is a great color. ]

It's difficult to choose. Variety is the spice of life.

You really have a penchant for green, don't you?

[ Looking him over, she can't help the quirk of the corner of her lips curl to a ghost of a smile. ]

There is also earl grey, rose hips, and white tea.

[ Earl grey has always been a Liddell favorite, so naturally, it's the first thing Alice goes for, happy just to be able to drink tea at a tea party, unlike the ones before in Wonderland where the Mad Hatter and March Hare would make them all move down for a clean cup. Being the awkward person she is, Alice can't help it, it won't leave her mind and she has yet to forget the woman she spoke to days ago. ]

Forgive me, but do you have a sibling?

[ Loki's glad in several shades of green: from the dull olive color of his jacket that seems to change a shade or two every time she sees it, or the sheen of the green scale mail beneath it that's patterned delicately enough that it could have belonged to a snake. his eyes are green too—inhumanly so. ]

Er—several, depending on which myth you're consulting.

[ he doesn't show the wariness, but it always lowers over him when he talks about family. ]

Myth?

[ It's not too unreasonable of a statement, with Gilgamesh and talking skeletons. Alice would still argue she has every right to be skeptical and it shows in her expression. ]

I... I wasn't thinking of any myths.

[ So very awkward -- what did he mean? ]

You look like a woman I've on these devices.

[ With a man with a bag over his face and definitely kidnapped. She won't mention that, however. ]

[ the skepticism never bothered him, it never mattered: he was here, he was who he was, and disbelief wasn't going to change that. there's a non-committal shrug that's pointed in her direction, there's nothing awkward about him. instead, he manages to look perfectly casual, waving his foot back and forth to fill the time. ]

The one who captured Michel?

[ you know, just to be sure there's not anyone else looking like him running around. ]

[ Alice actually hesitates. She looks around her and knows everyone has been involved with the jailbreak, one way or another, and knows they're aware of what happened afterwards. It's hard for any recruit not to know.

Loki, at least, knows why Alice is doubly hesitant; there's still a slew of mixed feelings about the whole ordeal and Alice actually found herself sympathizing for the brothers. ]

Yes, her, that would be the one.

[ Olivia had asked Loki, at the time, which side she was on. was there a side to be on? that almost seemed like dangerous territory to dip one's tone into. situations were complex, and to boil it down to the right and the wrong in the strictest sense seemed like averting some of the more creative solutions.

there was the whole matter of Michel and Arthur. ]

Ah, well—it's unsurprising, really. That was me.

[ he says, sipping some tea. ]

[ Thank goodness Alice has stopped drinking her tea, otherwise she'd be choking on it. It's hard for her not to stare at the moment, for a long moment. ]

That was you?

[ His features are almost the same, as Alice looks at his eyes before she realizes that may be seen as rude. Dropping her gaze, Alice looks at the cup in front of her. ]

... That is-

[ The strangest thing she's seen here. ]

But why take that shape?

[ for a moment Loki lifts his brows, looking at her as if she had just asked which why there were Ten Realms. she hardly has time to finish it before he shoots back smoothly: ]

Why take this shape?

[ but it wasn't like he could just on any form he wanted to. all the shapeshifting that he did was in terms of who and what he was. he couldn't change into something that Loki wasn't. ]

[ She should be used to odd questions like that, between the Cheshire Cat and Caterpillar. It doesn't make it any less frustrating. Fortunately, as an adult, Alice doesn't see that much reason to press like she used to. ]

Is it not the right one?

[ Which feels odd to ask, but his question is too evasive for Alice's taste. ]

[ there's a little hm in reply. the tea hovers, and his legs slide at the knee. with a scoot he lounges casually back in his seat. ]

I'm always myself.

[ short, sweet, simple: man or woman, Loki was Loki. he was a creature of will and whim, with no one form truer than another, just the one that Loki carried at that instant. ]

No matter what shape or size?

[ She knows the answer to this and experiences a waves of flashbacks to her early visits to Wonderland with all of the old inhabitants. She still keeps rationalizing herself she should be used to it, no matter how gripped she is with the frustrating responses from him.

She's still genuinely curious. ]

Such an odd thing to say, I was only curious.

[ for the short moment, while only Alice's attention is on him, his body shifts, and in what seems like a blink, there's a foxhead in a diadem staring back at her. it's probably a little disconcerting how much human-based emotion is painted all over the fox's face (satisfaction, for the moment). ]

No matter what shape or size.

[ of course, he can't turn into anything he's not. that cuts out a whole lot of things. ]

[ One would think, after shrinking, growing, and changing form herself, Alice wouldn't really say something like this- ]

What an odd thing to change into. What purpose does that serve?

[ Before he can answer, Alice holds up a hand. She knows the answer to this. ]

Never mind, I suppose something along the lines of "why not" will suffice.

tea with the demon and the witch [OPEN]

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