Sixth Floor Kitchen, Monday Evening

[omgnochecksyet]

Well, Eric's first proper-school-year semester at boarding school had officially begun, even if he didn't have any actual classes until tomorrow.

So, naturally, he was celebrating with a bit of baking.

He'd also lugged his laptop up with him and had it set up to record as he puttered around the kitchen, chatting about the weekend's welcome picnic in between narrating the recipe's steps.

[ooc: oooopen!]

Comments

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo had been up on the roof enjoying the evening breeze. She'd been planning to just head back to her room, but something smelled really good.

"Ooooh, something smells amazing!"

[omgnochecksyet]

"Aha!" Eric said triumphantly in the direction of his webcam. "My plan was successful!" He waved at Ringo. "I've got brownies in the oven, they should be ready in just a few, you're welcome to have some!"

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Brownies, huh. Well, I guess if you insist," Ringo said with a giggle.

She shook her head. "I'm so amazed at how many people here can cook and bake and stuff."

[omgnochecksyet]

"I do," Eric said solemnly. "I'm guessing you don't do a lot of this sort of thing back home, then?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, I can make cup-ramen. And a couple of other things in a pinch, but I can't really do any proper cooking, you know?"

[omgnochecksyet]

"Tch," Eric clucked his tongue at her. "Well! You just come see me whenever you get tired of cup-ramen and takeout and I'll make sure you get a proper meal."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo blinked, then grinned. "Really?" she asked, clearly enthused by the idea.

[omgnochecksyet]

"Of course," Eric told her, after taking a moment to finish up recording his vlog entry and sign off. "I love doing all the 'cooking and baking and stuff' but it's nowhere near half as good if I can't share it with anyone!"

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, that part I can understand," Ringo laughed. "The best things are even better with other people. Nothing's as fun by yourself."

[omgnochecksyet]

"Hmm, exactly," Eric hummed in agreement as he went to take the brownies from the oven. "The only time I'd ever want to eat an entire pan of brownies by myself is if I was having an absolutely terrible day and needed to get a good sulk in, and thankfully that's not at all the case right now."

[soniaroadsqueen]

That pulled a giggle out of Ringo, and she shook her head. "I think that even in that case, I'd rather have a friend to share them with, you know?"

[omgnochecksyet]

"Depends on the level of sulk," Eric said. "Because you're right, of course, sometimes a friend is just what you need."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"A friend to bake you brownies, or make you something more exciting than cup-ramen!"

[goforthe_optics]

Tali had been on her way up to the roof to get in a little bit of stargazing -- turned out it was actually possible to have withdrawals from that sight when you'd been planetside a while, if you were used to life on a starship -- but she heard Eric's voice as she approached the sixth floor and decided to poke her head in.

She was going to regret that as soon as her air filters processed the smell of brownies.

"Oh, hi," she said, leaning in through the doorway. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

[omgnochecksyet]

"No, no, of course not... Tali, right?" even though most of Washington's class had passed for Eric in a haze of startled squawking and hiding behind things, Tali's look was pretty, well- distinctive?

[goforthe_optics]

"That's me," Tali confirmed. "I remember you from Agent Washington's teamwork class. Eric?"

She did remember the squawking and hiding, but she wasn't going to bring that up.

"What are you up to?"

[omgnochecksyet]

"If that's a kind way of saying you remember me falling to the ground repeatedly like one of those fainting goats, it's okay," Eric said, sounding somewhat resigned. "I'm aware physical confrontation is not my strong suit. And I'm just, you know, doing a little baking. Fudge brownies!"

[goforthe_optics]

"They smell delicious," Tali said with a distinctly wistful note in her voice. "And I don't remember that about you at all. You know, strategic hiding is highly underrated."

Because hahaha look at the people she used to hang around with.

[omgnochecksyet]

"Well, I'm glad someone agrees with me on that point," Eric said. "And would you like one?" he offered, having no idea of her particular dietary restrictions. He was going to be so mortified by his own presumptuousness once he did find out.

[goforthe_optics]

"I would, but . . ." Tali sounded chagrined. "I can't. Don't get me wrong, they smell amazing, but I can't eat human food."

[omgnochecksyet]

"Oh!" Eric's eyes went wide and he brought one hand up to cover his mouth. "That's- I had no idea, I'm terribly sorry," he said apologetically. "I hope I didn't offend you by offering."

[goforthe_optics]

"Not at all!" Tali held both hands up. "It's all right. Really. Not like I go around wearing a sign that says so or anything. It was nice of you to even offer in the first place."

[omgnochecksyet]

"Well, I'm glad I didn't offend, but... I'm still sorry," Eric said. "What, uh- what do you eat? If it's not too rude of me to ask." Was it something he could make? Because if he could you would damned well bet he'd try.

[goforthe_optics]

"It's a biological thing," Tali explained. "Our amino acids are different, so at the very least eating levo-protein based foods will give me a stomachache. Back home, there are just two versions of a lot of the same foods, and there's a couple of places in town now that have an option or two for me."

She shrugged. "I guess it's never really been an issue that came up before I got here."

[omgnochecksyet]

"Hmm," Eric said, making a mental note to try and track down just which places on-island made the sorts of things Tali could eat.

... And try and wheedle recipes out of them. WHAT?

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want my baking to cause anyone harm, so I have to say this is the first time I'm glad someone's refused," he said, with a small smile.