ishisstrength | IC CONTACT

Why is that?

[Justine smiles as she gently cleans his wound and wraps it in gauze. It isn't likely to get infected but with the strange body parts outside... she doesn't want to take any chances. It should be fully closed by the morning.

Her finger gently brushes against the deer tattoo. She has one too, over her heart, with flower petals around it as well and while its the only tattoo on her, Justine found that she likes it. There is something elegant in the mark of both hers and Majima's.]

Just not used to someone lookin' after me, I guess.

[ He watched her work and, when she was near done, reached out a hand to gently hold the tips of her fingers with his own. ]

Usually people don't get this close.

[ Or more accurately, he didn't let them get as close as Justine was now. He'd let doctors patch him up if he was close to dead, sure, but more often than not if he was in trouble, he'd drag himself back to wherever he thought was safe, sleep it off until he was reasonably back to rights.

That safe could be a person and not a place was a relatively new development. ]

[She met his gaze as she began to put away the left over pieces of gauze, scissors and tape.]

It takes time to get used too but I hope you do.

[Justine smiles then, her lips curving into a sweet but subdued expression. The first aid kit is out of the way next to the fire place and quickly forgotten.] I like being close to you. [She reaches forward to take one of his hands and press a kiss against each knuckle. She isn't ready to put how she feels into words but Majima is important to her and she's going to protect him in the ways she knows how too.]

You're all set. I trust that you'll wash it tomorrow. You won't need a bandage after that.

[Justine rises to her feet, never looking away from Majima.]

I...

[ He shook his head gently, smiling. Maybe he was already in the process of doing just that -- getting used to have someone else around. Not minding so much if someone saw him hurt. ]

Thanks, Justine. I like bein' close to you, too.

[ Then he stood, took her by the hand, and made his way over to the counter. If he kept smiling like this, he was surely going to ruin his reputation... but maybe that wasn't so bad, after all. ]

So, I brought everything we might need for toppings. Basil, tomatoes... got a bunch of different vegetables and pepperoni and so on. If we're going to be makin' those little pizzas, why don't we try different kinds?

[ There was always the possibility of letting other people sample whatever ended up being extra, right? ]

[She follows at his heels, her eyes watching the corner of his mouth as it lifts into a warm smile. He has a lovely smile and day by day, Justine finds herself being drawn in by it.] Good. [She exhales the word softly beneath her breath as they step into the kitchen.

The space is attached to the main room and the heat of the fireplace can be felt in the small kitchen.]

Sounds like fun.

[Justine begins to set everything up on one of the small counters before grabbing a bottle of red wine from her cabinet.] I have wine. Where would you like to start? I don't have a lot of practice making pizza. [She's a fairly decent cook and can prepare anything with the proper instructions.]

[ He laughed -- a warm, familiar sound. ]

Prepared, huh?

Let's start with the dough. I got this written down, so...

[ He took out a piece of paper, which called for flour and salt in a mixing bowl, with warm water, sugar, and a packet of yeast in a separate mix. ]

You probably know more about how this part than me. [ What with Justine's baking experience. ] You mix some yeast with warm water and sugar to 'activate' it. Dunno why ya can't just add it right to the flour, but I guess rules're rules.

[She pours them each a glass of wine before returning to Majima's side to read over his shoulder. It's a basic dough recipe though it looks as if they'll have to let it rise for a minimum of a half hour. It's just as well, it'll give them time to set up the counter and prep all of their toppings.]

Yeast is a bacteria. When exposed to warm water it'll grow. What we're doing is control that growth in order to give the dough the correct consistency. [She looks up at Majima with an amused smile.] The yeast makes bread fluffy.

[She takes a small sip of her wine before preparing the yeast and setting it off to the side.]

How about you mix the dry ingredients in this bowl and I'll mix the wet.

Just like bread, huh? I guess the flour and salt'd just get in the way.

[ He touched a hand lightly to the small of her back as he passed by Justine at the counter. Mixing the flour was a fairly simple task, so when the yeast started to wake up, he was able to watch with interest. ]

How about that for convenience? You can just buy as much as ya need. Think it's about ready to mix together?

[ Majima slid the bowl across the table for Justine. He sort of liked to watch her work; there was a skill in her fingers born of practice, and that was always interesting. ]

[Her eyes follow him as he steps around her and peers at the yeast. He's cute and Justine wonders if he realizes how he is in these private situations.] I think so. We'll have to let it sit for a bit after the dough is mixed but we can use that time to prep the toppings.

Yeast only rises while what your making is dough.

[Justine begins to gently pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mixes them together to create the thick dough pizza dough.]

Can you wet a paper towel for me?

[ Answer: no, not in the slightest. But he turned to duck the requested paper towel under the tap all the same, wringing a bit of excess water out before handing it carefully to Justine.

For all that he might look rough, Majima could be strangely conscientious about tasks that (for whatever reason) he decided had to be properly done. ]

Like this?

[ He reached over for the grocery bag, taking out some of the ingredients he'd picked up. ]

I asked around a little, and apparently it's better if ya shred the mozzerella yourself. Never actually had it fresh before, though.

[She unfurls the paper towel and gently drapes it over the rising dough.] This will keep the edges from drying out as it sits. [It also keeps bugs and dust off of the dough but that doesn't seem important enough to mention since the main job of the wet cloth was to keep the dough moist.]

Yes but fresh mozzarella is very soft. It'll be easier to use a knife if that's what you'd purchased.

[Justine takes a step next to Majima's side and looks into the bag with him.]

Have you ever shredded cheese before? [Her dark eyes dance with warm light as she watches Majima's chiseled features knot in confusion.] You're cute when you're trying really hard.

Wha...?

[ The comment caught him off guard. Though Majima made a show of looking a bit disgruntled about it, the truth, visible from the way he couldn't quite stop the corners of his mouth from turning slightly upward, was that he was sort of

kind of

secretly happy about the compliment. ]

Hey, c'mon, I'm tryin' to be serious! Pizza's not a laughing matter, I'll have ya know.

[ His fingers brushed against hers as he brought out a package of pepperoni. No doubt a complete coincidence. ]

For instance, whether ya like pepperoni thin- or thick-sliced.

[Justine's smile grows, the light of her expression reaching into her dark hazel eyes at she looked up to watch Majima get all affronted at her compliment. Honestly, that's cute too but she doesn't want to tease him too much.

They are here to make little mini-pizza's after all.

It's very serious business.]

Yes. Of course, what was I think laughing at a time like this.

[She takes the pepperoni from him and makes no effort to hide the way her fingers deliberately stroke his a half second before she takes the package.] Between thin and tick but as consistent as possible. [It's so difficult not to make the conversation sound like its sexual when they're talking about pepperoni.]

So in other words, just right.

[ He'd taken a moment to wash his hands to cover for himself as Justine watched him, but now he opened the package of mozzerella and broke off a piece of it, white and soft. Majima reached up and touched this morsel to Justine's lips in offering. ]

Wanna try some? Just a little.

[ Two could play at this game, Justine! Or rather, by his smile, perhaps he just felt like mixing a little pleasure with this business. ]

[Her lips part and she carefully takes the small piece of cheese, running her tongue along Majima's finger in the process.] It's good. [Her lips shape into a warm smile as she reached for the cutting board and began slicing the pepperoni. After a few slices she grabs one and turns towards Majima.

It's her turn to feed him now.]

Here, tell me if it's thick enough for you.

[Justine has a talent for being able to say such things with a straight face and an incredibly alluring tone that entices the mind to wander.]

[ If Majima was a better representation of his own national character, this would probably be the part in which he would have broken down and admitted this was too embarrassing. He wasn't, though... and it wasn't. He bowed slightly in toward her, taking the piece of pepperoni in his mouth in a gesture that was almost delicate -- but not before he gave her outstretched fingers a quick kiss.

A little show of considering the taste of the topping, then: ]

Hmm. A little salty, but it goes down smooth. In terms of girth, I'd say... just enough to satisfy?

[ He tilted his head back to swallow, baring the long curve of his throat as he did so. There was a glint of mischief in his eye as he reached for the olives. ]

[Her smile widens as he lightly kisses the tips of her fingers and she bashfully glances towards her feet before once again meeting Majima's gaze.]

I'm glad to hear it.

[She's also very happy that he's playing along with their little game. Her eyes follow the motion of his throat as her teeth gently bite into her lower lip. Justine wants to kiss his throat, to run her teeth down the curve of his neck and nip at his shoulder.] We should slice the olives thinner. They'll roll right off the pizza if we don't.

[Justine takes a small step forward, pressing her body against Majima's as she skillfully plucks an olive from the package and presses it between her lips.]

[ He was in the midst of slicing them just so, when he felt the press of Justine's body against his. She felt warm, her voice sweet in his ear.

Oh? Was that an invitation? Majima was going to take it as such, dipping down to see if he could sneak a nibble off of Justine's olive. But regardless of whether he could or couldn't, he'd take a slice of olive between thumb and forefinger and hold it out for her so she could give the quality of his work a sample. ]

That's a good point.

Here, taste this. I'd love to hear what more ya have to say on the subject of toppings.

[ Mmhmm. ]

[Justine tries not to smile as Majima takes a nibble from her olive. If she does smile then the topping will tumble from her lips and she doesn't want to break their little game with a fit of giggles.]

You want to know?

[She lightly bites her lower lip before leaning forward, wrapping her lips around Majima's finger. She sucks gently and then takes the olive as she pulls away.]

Salty but I like it.

[She is not going to clarify what she's talking about.]

[ Majima applied himself to keeping as straight a face as possible, maintaining a manner of proper decorum even when she dropped that line about being salty. Or he did for at least a second before he was forced to turn away, shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

Justine had prevailed. ]

Okay, okay -- I admit defeat.

[ He was still trying to master his smile as he picked out some more ingredients from the bag, but he could do nothing to hide the warmth with which he regarded her. ]

Anythin' else you want to try? Bacon? Green peppers?

[Justine's smile widened as a sense of warmth and pride swirls in her chest.]

You put up quiet the challenge. [She raises to her toes and lightly kisses his cheek before returning her attention to the toppings and their task.] Do we need to cook the bacon or is it pre-cooked? [It needs to be cooked before it can go on the pizza and it'll take bacon a little bit of time to cook so that's its crispy enough that it won't get soggy while on the pizza.]

I don't need to taste the green peppers but thank you.

Definitely needs to be cooked ahead of time.

[ He supposed he could have gotten the bacon pre-prepared, only it never did taste quite the same when it was reheated. Now, where did Justine keep the pans? Ah.

Majima slipped around her to pick up the frying pan and set it up on the stove, fingers trailing lightly around Justine's waist as if she were the grounding from which he'd temporarily strayed. ]

Say, Justine -- how'd ya get into baking? And cooking, too, I guess.

[ While he waited for the pan to heat up, perhaps he could indulge a little curiosity. ]

[Bacon doesn't take very long to cook and she honestly doesn't mind having her apartment smelled like delicious cured meats.] We can cook it now. [Her dark eyes follow him as his fingers trail around her waist. She'd planned to move and help him but she likes it when he touches her and decides to remain standing slightly in the way in order to feel the soft pressure and light touch of his hand against her back and side as he moves around her.]

It kept my mind busy when I was alone.

[She shifts and stands next to Majima, watching as the bacon sizzles and spits.]

Thomas would leave for long periods of time and I had very little to do during that time. It's dangerous speaking to others in the court so I found things that I could do on my own; cooking, cleaning, crafts.

I enjoy the distraction and the focus involved.

[Thomas would be risking his life with his brother or off to see his father and with Justine's fate so wrapped up in the young white court vampire, she found herself worrying until he returned. Books helped from time to time but they rarely kept her thoughts occupied for long.]

I draw too.

[Among her other random talents. Justine doesn't perform all of her hobbies well but she isn't ever afraid of messing something up.]

That's pretty amazin'. Will tried to teach me how to draw once, but I never did keep going with it.

[ The sounds and smells of sizzling bacon soon filled the kitchen, mouthwatering and savory, as he listened to her speak. He turned the heat down after flipping the bacon, neat as you please. As it crisped, he stepped back. One hand was still lightly pressed against her back.

A life speaking to few people, occupying herself with hobbies where she could... it brought to mind something she'd asked him once. ]

...Was it lonely?

I don't know if it's amazing.

[She lightly leans against Majima's side, staring at the bacon as it sizzles and pops in the pan. She doesn't think that there is a single human alive who doesn't like bacon.] I should get us a plate to put the cooked pieces on. [With her intensions known, Justine slowly breaks away from Majima and grabs a plate with a paper towel on top to catch the grease.

His follow up question isn't surprising but it does cause Justine to pause and consider.]

It was. In more ways than one. I always felt anxious when I was alone. [Likely because of her dependency on the supernatural drug that Thomas emitted.] But even when I was younger, I never enjoyed being alone.

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