Second Floor Common Room [Tuesday Early Afternoon]

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

The facts were these: Ned was baking a pie again. He'd almost tried to theme this particular pie with that of a volcano but the volcano was long gone and so was that idea. Ned didn't really want to simulate lava in a pie anyway.

He'd chosen a new recipe this time, something he'd never baked before and had set out to prep and cook in the common room.

He wouldn't call this a routine yet but it was relaxing. And it was nice to get out of his room and do something besides annoy himself with all his issues.

[Open common room is open. Work is boring. I am hungry.]

Comments

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Sure," he said, taking his hands of the pie and nodding towards it. "Smooth that out for me?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee'd grown up with a mother who cooked and a father who put her to work in his shop. As a result, she'd learned the importance of washing one's hands before touching anything, so she scurried over to the sink to do just that before smoothing out the pie carefully. "You gonna share when it's done, or is this a just-for-Ned pie?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I couldn't eat an entire pie on my own," he said. "Well, not all in one day. I could eat an entire pie on my own over the span of a few weeks but, by then, I'll have gotten bored with that particular pie and want a new pie but wasting pie is never good."

He took a breath.

"Besides," he said, shrugging and blushing, "I make pie to share."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Good," she said, grinning at him. "'Cause I was gonna have to make you share if you said no."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"You were gonna make me?" he laughed. "How?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I can look real sad when I want to. Either that or my feminine wiles, but I ain't too good with those so I'd have to really try with the sad thing first," she said seriously, nodding.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Let's see your best sad face," he asked.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee made the saddest, most pathetic face she could manage.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"That's pretty sad," he said, frowning and nodding. "I think I know what I can do to fix it."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Oh?" Kaylee asked, looking a touch less downtrodden.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Ned picked up a handful of leftover pie filling...

...and proceeded to flick it at her.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

She hadn't expected that, but she burst out laughing. "What was that for?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Pie face," he said like it was obvious. "Want me to get it?"

He'd been sniffing too many pie fumes, apparently. Or had mysteriously been slipped drugs this morning.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Okay," she said, smiling up at him and holding still. She hadn't expected that, either.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Stay still now," he said, bringing his fingers closer. "I wouldn't want to poke your eye out."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I can see how that'd be a worry," Kaylee said solemnly, holding very still.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"It happens," he said and took a deep breath before very, very lightly brushing at the pie filling on her face. He kept his touch light, trying to do it slowly to keep his own jittery nerves from flaring up.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Your hand's soft," she said softly. "Probably too soft to poke out my eye. Just sayin'."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"My hands aren't soft," he said, using his thumb to get some of the bigger crumbs. Still soft though.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Are too," she replied. "Softer than I'd think, anyways."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"You think about my hands?" he asked, going a little slower with the brushing. He wanted to be thorough. Sue him.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes. Well, I am right now," she said quietly, watching him.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Ned made himself focus on his hand and his fingers and not on her eyes or her voice.

He tried to, at least. It was hard to miss her voice.

"What are you thinking about?" Ned asked quietly. "I mean, about my hands."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"You got big hands," she said without even thinking about it. "Nice hands."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"They're not that big," he said, fanning his fingers out against her cheek without thinking about it.