December Catch-All

[maximumcake]

Who: Max & Open
What: Max stayed behind on the ship so now he's stress baking + It's his birthday + reactions to people being home by Christmas + closed starters
When: Thru December, Birthday on Dec 20
Where: All over, technically, but let's be real, mostly the kitchen
Warnings: Stress baking and sadness, one prompt will be NSFW, others could follow because it's Max.



Stress Baking
It's fine. It will be fine. Ash and Valdis have each other. They'll watch each other's backs. He knows it. And Security will protect Helena while she makes sure it takes care of itself. Phil went, so Cassandra will be okay, right? And Klaus is... Klaus. Nothing keeps them down for long. He envies how they can float through so much without letting it touch them.

If only Max could find some of that calm for himself right now. They've been gone for so long. These things didn't usually last so long, did they? How long were they at that winter hotel?

In his distress, he's turned to the one thing that always soothes him--baking. He's not doing it quite as obsessively as the last time, but that doesn't mean the kitchen isn't rapidly filling up with cookies decorated in an assortment of winter and Christmas themes. There are some fruitcakes mixed in, too, and gingerbread. At the rate he's going, he'll have two dozen cookies to give to each and every person on this ship. He's already started bundling them into little gift bags if for no other reason than to get them out of the way and organized.

Among the batch are two very special containers--cakes he made specifically for the Captain and Sparkles. They can best be described as a diabetic coma in pastry form. One bite might be enough sugar to put even the Captain into a sugar coma. Good luck to any poor unsuspecting passenger on this ship who accidentally tries to sample one of these.

But why would they open a Tupperware that's been marked as "For The Captain" and "For Sparkles" when there are plenty of nice normal cookies all around? All anyone has to do is catch Max in the kitchen during one of his many long baking stints. Hopefully, those times he isn't in are because he's getting some normal food to eat or he's sleeping. That's what he's doing, right? He wouldn't subsist on only cookies for two weeks, surely? (He would.)


Happy Birthday
They still aren't back. When he told them it was okay to go, he never imagined they'd be gone long enough to miss his birthday. And yet...

Still, he should do something, right? Ylva is on board. So are Edgar and Daisy. Maybe they could all use a little something to brighten their day while they are all stuck waiting. So, today, instead of cookies, he's making an elaborate birthday cake for himself. And, because it's him, he's making golden Macarons to go on top as a garnish. At least it's giving him something to focus on today besides the fact that he's another year older and things are still... not as good as he wished.

Later on in the day, he goes around the ship looking for anyone and everyone he can find. He'll hand them a hand-written card he's made:

Max's Birthday Party!
Tonight starting at 6:00 PM
At Playback
Join me for a casual night of games and cake?
(No gifts expected)

He hopes people will come just so he won't feel so alone right now. They don't have to know him well, he welcomes them all.


For Grace-NSFW
It took him some trial and error to get these visual aids just right for Grace. Well, okay, so maybe he was being extra, extra careful to make them accurate and generally representative because he didn't want to give her any false ideas. He takes his job as a teacher here very seriously. Grace is counting on him... no matter how awkward this is gonna feel.

He's texted to let Grace know to come meet him, where else? The kitchen. In front of him are two objects lovingly sculpted out of modeling chocolate. One is an anatomically correct penis and balls, colored and painted with extreme attention to detail and even decorated with small strands of candy "hair". Beside that sits an equally detailed sculpture of a vulva with a long canal for the vagina attached. It has "hair" too. Along with those is a bowl of melted white icing, and an unopened condom package. Let the lessons begin.

Homecoming
Placeholder for when we get to the event end. I'll write this later. :p


Wildcard!
Suggest something or just jump right in. Let's go!

Comments

Stress baking (about a week and change into the excursion)

[hate_gettin_older]

"Hey," says Edgar from the door of the kitchen -- that's as far as he's willing to come in without first making sure he's not about to collide with any fast-moving or precariously-stacked sweets. "How's it going?"

[maximumcake]

"Hey," Max says, looking up from where he's busy with a rolling pin getting the next batch of sugar cookies nice and even before he cuts them into shapes. "It's uh... going?" He looks around sheepishly. "Yeah. You probably know what it means when I start baking this much, huh?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"Could probably guess even if I din't know," he says ruefully. "Worried about em?"

No need to say about whom.

[maximumcake]

"Yeah. I am." He blows out a heavy breath, sending a cloud of flour into the air like a mini dust bowl.

"They've been gone a lot longer than I expected and I'm afraid they're going to miss my... never mind, it's stupid. I just want them to be okay."

[hate_gettin_older]

"-- right," Edgar realizes out loud, pushing a hank of hair off his forehead, "shit, your birthday, that's coming right around. No, they gotta be back by then."

Unless something's gone wrong.

Happy Birthday

[actuallyawolf]

Ylva has a vague sense about birthdays being very important to people, and also that gifts are traditional, and also that as the, you know, girlfriend, she ought to be doing something special. Never having had a birthday herself, she's a little vague on some of the details, or what makes a good gift that she can actually lay her hands on.

She shows up a little early, hoping to catch Max alone, and immediately wraps herself around him, burying her face in his neck.

"Your present is that I'll break into the claw machine and get you anything you want. Hi. Happy birthday."

[maximumcake]

He melts into her arms like soft butter in a warm pan, wrapped up in the sweetness of her scent and the warmth of her love. He's so glad she's here. Selfishly, he's so glad she didn't go on that excursion so he has her to hold on his birthday.

"Thank you," he murmurs against her ear, squeezing her back extra tight. "Can you turn into a rat and climb up through the flap? That would be so fun to watch."

[actuallyawolf]

"Rat, or maybe a ferret. Something wiggly, anyway. It's easiest if you open the door from outside for me. I've done it before."

This is, after all, an utterly victimless crime.

"I also," and suddenly Ylva's blushing as red as her hair, "have a dress I'd maybe like to show you later if you want? Not in front of anyone else though."

[maximumcake]

"I can totally do that. Team effort." He's so charmed by the whole idea, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.

That grin turns decidedly less child-friendly when her face heats up while describing a dress for later.

"Ylva, I want to see it so bad I have half a mind to leave my own party early just to get to that faster."

Stress Baking

[glassaxolotl]

Dedue enters the kitchen hoping to do some stress cooking, only to find that the place is jam packed with desserts. He finds Max in the middle of another project and says, “I think we had the same idea.”

[maximumcake]

"Yeah? You making Christmas cookies as gifts for people too or..." he's trying to pretend he's not as stressed as he is but...who is he kidding? "Just need something to do with your hands to work out the worry?"

[glassaxolotl]

“The latter,” Dedue sighs.

“The land I am from does not have a Christmas. Although the Fodlan people celebrate Saint Cichol Day at around that time. The Duscur religion also has a winter holiday, but it is through a different calendar that does not align as well.”

[maximumcake]

"Oh yeah? What kinds of traditions do you have for those holidays? I think I remember you saying winter gets really cold and snowy for you, right? Do you have big feasts and light fires to stay warm?"

birthday

[sabigoe]

Originally, Fio planned to arrive right at 6:00 PM. It's already 8:00 PM when she arrives with Judith. Though gifts aren't expected, she spent the past two hours digging through the Tommy Bahama for a quick gift...

"Hello? Happy Birthday!" She stands at the entrance to Playback, as if she needs to be invited in. Putting on a smile, despite worrying how long everyone else has been gone. They'll be back... for sure.

In her hands is something small, wrapped in nautical paper. Not an item from the sundries shop. She's just recycling! Whatever it is, it's about the size of a glove.

[maximumcake]

The party is still in full swing, though it's pretty sedated as parties go since there are so few in attendance. Max doesn't seem bothered at all by her timing. His face splits into a wide smile when he sees her.

"Fio, hi. Come in. Don't be shy. I'm glad you came. Do you want some cake?"

[sabigoe]

"Yes, please!" An eager nod, as she steps further into the establishment with a skip. No doubt the cake is as delicious as the baked goods he made for Halloween. "But only a little bit. Let's... save some for the others when they come back."

Her voice wavers slightly as her thoughts briefly focus on the others' lengthy absence. She's clearly worried, but she speaks as if they'll return. Because they will.

"And here." She holds out the tiny, hastily wrapped package. "I tried to get a gift for you."

[maximumcake]

"Don't worry about that, I made a lot of extra so we'll be sure to have enough for them when they get home." Because he, too, refuses to entertain the idea that they won't come back. They will. He knows they will.

"Thank you so much," he says taking the gift with a pleased and surprised expression. She didn't need to get him anything but he's touched that she has. "Would you like me to open it now?"

Stress Baking

[knotawolf]

[It smells so sugary down the hallway and Yufei follows the smell to it's source, flip-flops announcing his presence long before he turns the corner. He was going to snarl something about how offensive this smelled but then he sees the zillions of decorated cookies, all lined up and organized.]

You are making... small trees? [And small people and wreaths and bells apparently. Though it sure doesn't smell like any trees he's aware of.]

[maximumcake]

Yeah, I am. Well, I'm making cookies shaped like them.

[He motions for Yufei to come in and look.]

Do you like cookies? You can taste some.

[knotawolf]

Cookies are... food? [He picks one up and sniffs it, wrinkling his nose because he's not a fan of sugar. He likes savory things. ] Can't eat. Not anymore.

[He tries to put the little tree back, crumbling the edges a bit and trying to poke it back together.]

[maximumcake]

Yes. They're sweet.

[Max frowns.]

What do you mean you can't eat? Are you feeling sick?

stress baking

[hadnoright]

Whilst it would be an exaggeration to say that Daisy spends as much time in the kitchen as Max does, you could be forgiven for making that assumption regardless. The longer the trip stretches out, the more restless the Hunter gets, the more she relies on the company of the few remaining people aboard she likes to keep her from losing it. Even baking like a madman, Max is a comparatively stable presence that helps to keep her tethered.

Though she's sure how unnerved this extended absence has her isn't helping his nerves. It's hard to tell yourself this could be normal when the person aboard who's seen the most excursions come and go is just as worried about the length as you are.

"This goes on much longer. Then I'm gonna march up to that bridge. And beat the door in, until he tells us what the fuck is going on."

[maximumcake]

He doesn't mind her hanging around, even with her nerves on full display, because it gives him someone else to focus on instead of his own worries. He's subconsciously started baking more of the things he knows she likes when she's around.

"For all we know, he's wondering the same. His boyfriend went on the trip too, didn't he?"

[hadnoright]

Daisy huffs, turning another lap in her restless pacing. "Skulfuckery always goes on these things. That just tells me there's no chance the Captain doesn't know what's going on. You really think mister all powerful's going to let his boyfriend go off with no idea when he'll be back?"

No way, no chance, not in Daisy's head. After the coffin Daisy felt like she was going crazy every time Basira ran off chasing some lead without telling her how long it'd be, she can't imagine the Captain letting himself stew like that.

[maximumcake]

Max snorts so hard he sends up a dust cloud of flour in front of him. "God! Don't call him that, now I'm picturing it." Ew, no, no, get that mental image out of his head.

"I... guess I didn't look at it that way. Yeah, he wouldn't let Skulduggery go if it was too dangerous. So... they'll be fine. They'll be back any day now."