with_my_teacup | Kitchen Spam

[The breakfast menu just got kid friendly-- and the kitchen just got a lot better secured. No little hands in sharp places, or high places, or hot places; Riddick has it locked down. He's also keeping a serious eye on the mess hall, dividing his attention between waffles and doing walkarounds.

Unfortunately, he's not quite himself. He found this pair of smoked eyeglasses... and he's been trying not to talk ever since he put them on. Fucking floods, am I right.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

deadly_ned

[Riddick may travel to the kitchen, but someone's already in there baking pies, and alarmingly looking like an expert at it. With his sleeves pushed up to his elbows and his face and hands covered in flour, Young Ned looked up with a start as the kitchen door cracked open]

From:

with_my_teacup

[Riddick stops, instantly cautious. But... baking.]

Ned?

From:

deadly_ned

[At least Digby is familiar, and gives a friendly bark. Ned on the other hand goes pale white in the horror of being caught in the act. He immediately frees his hands from the flour, jumps down from the chair and begins to back away from his workstation.

A quiet one, Ned is.]

From:

with_my_teacup

Hello, Digby. And hello, Ned, a pleasure to have you today.

[Under the modifying influence of the glasses, Riddick's smile is less a small smirk and more an actual smile than usual.]

Hmm, we'll need nitrile gloves in smaller sizes. And what are you making today?

From:

deadly_ned

[Young Ned's eyes flick nervously from Riddick to the workstation and back. Was he in trouble or not?]

Pie.

I"m making pie.

...

[His subsequent anxious look asks the questions he doesn't have the voice to ask aloud; Why is he being questioned?]

From:

with_my_teacup

Wonderful.

Good morning. My name is Riddick; I'm a cook and occasional baker. I'll be making breakfast once I get some protective gear on.

[Not his usual procedure at all, but he's not sure how to broach the 'don't touch me' conversation yet.]

From:

deadly_ned

[Young Ned nods, beginning to slowly back out of the kitchen; he seems instinctively edging away from Riddick himself, so there's no need to go over the don't touch me rules]

...What happened?

From:

with_my_teacup

I'm not sure what you mean.

..aren't you going to finish your pie? You're welcome to, you know.

From:

deadly_ned

...There's one baking.

In.

In the oven.

...

Is this death?

From:

with_my_teacup

A-hah. Of course.

It isn't death, dear child.

[Ugh, could he sound like more of an asshole. He's gonna go with no.]

You're usually a bit older-- but quite alive-- but this is a complicated place. You've been de-aged for a time. It happens, every now and again.

You taught me to bake, you know.

[Flowery, yet blunt.]

From:

deadly_ned

[All of this information, Young Ned absorbs into himself. He looks at Digby for confirmation, then back to Riddick once more]

By magic.

From:

with_my_teacup

By magic, I'm afraid. I don't much like magic as an explanation but I haven't found a better.

From:

deadly_ned

[Young Ned, worried and concerned by his own magic, holds up his pointer finger to Riddick.

This kind of magic?]

From:

with_my_teacup

[Riddick nods seriously, and holds his own finger up to his lips. It's a secret.]

It's magic to be careful with. Do you know how to be careful?

From:

deadly_ned

[Giving a single, serious nod, Young Ned puts his own finger to his lips before setting his arm down]

....I wasn't careful. I'll be careful. I promise.

From:

with_my_teacup

I wasn't careful either, I'm afraid. You will have to be particularly careful with me, and with another boy named Arthas.

You are my dear friend and I'm sorry I've discommoded you. I hope you will still work in the kitchen with me-- there are so many people here who you make happier with your baking.

From:

deadly_ned

[The crushed, absolute look of misery that shows on Young Ned's face reveals he knows exactly what kind of careful he has to be around Riddick. Which is odd, because he didn't remember touching the man, or telling anyone.]

...I don't want to go to jail again.

I don't want to kill anyone again.

From:

with_my_teacup

[His shoulders slump sympathetically, and he retrieves an apron and the longest pair of nitrile gloves the kitchen has before he reaches out for a handshake.]

You won't, dear boy. You won't. It was my mistake. And nobody will take you away here. Your friends will look after you.

From:

deadly_ned

[Young Ned stares at the hand, checking it over to make sure there's no way he can hurt Riddick.

Then, he shakes the man's hand]

No.

From:

with_my_teacup

Why not?

From:

deadly_ned

It was my mistake.

I don't have friends.

From:

with_my_teacup

I'd be your friend.

...although I have the distressing notion that it will be easier once you're older and remember to blame me again.

From:

deadly_ned

[He frowns, clearly not understanding but knowing that asking questions is a bad and disappointing thing]

...

From:

with_my_teacup

[Riddick puts it on Ned's shoulder.]

I am your friend. You are entirely welcome in this kitchen. There is no organized police force to harass you here, and you are not the strangest person aboard. I do so badly want you to feel safe.

From:

deadly_ned

[This, Young Ned is unsure about. He's grown accustomed to the lies adults - and children - tell. He's slogged along in a disappointed slump of detachment, too afraid to grow close to people and then accidentally or on purpose touch them back to life later on.

So he lies. Again. To keep Riddick safe.]

I don't want to be your friend.