collaborative_daredevil | Slavery RP Post XVIII

Matt hummed a little, you have to tell me which books, am reading Ontology of Torture and legal things, would like nicer sometimes listening very intently to understand all the emotional undercurrents, and his best estimation was that Toffee was nervous and excited, and the fancy girlpet with softly clicking jewelry was wary and curious, she leaned a little towards Toffee even with her arm offered to Treacle. Matt asked, gentle but very curious if Toffee was allowed his first name, how is new master? A good kisser?

"He's careful with me, and I think he adjusts to what we need more than anything else. I...even when he's been aroused by me he's held back, not pushed me and waited to calm down." He thought about books. "Currently we're reading through Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials books, we've got a few chapters into The Subtle Knife."

"There's a new trilogy coming out in that world, isn't there?" Treacle asked sounding idle, and Toffee turned to Ivannya hoping that she knew the answer.

Matt was quite pleased by that, and felt his protectiveness easing just a tiny bit as he took it all in and Ivannya-pet was saying something soft and sweet to Treacle about how there was a new book series coming out yes, and did he like Braille or audiobooks better? And Matt asked Toffee very quietly off to the side, almost whispering, how are nightmares now, sleep well with all five together and warm?

Treacle Matt was explaining that he liked braille for study or reading alone and audiobooks better for listening to socially.

"Uh-huh. Mostly sleep well and they all make me feel better when I have a nightmare."

Matt took that into consideration, and there was a call from downstairs for them to come and return, the table was being set, and he was slow and carefully last on the stairs, taking them sideways to be sure not to fall down the long hard wood steps, and he kept his head held high and let none of his own issues show at all as they came down near the others, and he smiled a little at the sweet way the master--and Matt was pleased to know the first name and that Toffee called him that--drew Toffee into a little embrace and kissed his forehead several times before allowing him to come and move with the others.

He watched Toffee move to cook the paratha as he guiding his Matt into a seat beside him, letting Golubushka follow at his own pace and pick his own seat. Hendrick slid in to sit on Danny's other side, with Ivannya following him, smiling charmingly as they explained that they weren't as good in the kitchen as Jamie and Toffee.

"So it's better not to crowd them."

Matt sat to fit himself next to Ivannya, where he hoped Toffee would sit on his other side, and nodded in recognition, when I bake breads and especially experiment, Foggy takes Piroshki-cat and leaves me to it, with self-deprecating smile and heard soft talking behind him in the kitchen, Jamie-pet sounding stressed and swishing of an an apron.

(OOC Today has been absolutely insane, so I'm sorry I only just replied. But MERRY CHRISTMAS!)

"It's okay, you don't need to worry so much. There's plenty of food for everyone." Toffee hugged Jamie, trying to help him calm down a bit while Ivannya and Hendrick chatted with Danny, Treacle and Golubushka.

Matt listened keenly, fascinated by the dynamics he was slowly learning, how Jamie-pet worried so and so but slowly accepting comfort from Toffee and the smells of the kitchen wafting in, savory and tea and herbs, fresh and good, and Matt was listening too closely to speak.

--

"He just looks--they look--" Jamie sighed deeply, and took a few moments to just wring his hands. "I only planned for there to be Matt, and now there's three, and I don't mean it rudely, but Golubushka's just odd, Toffee, I can't get a read on him. Wherever did you meet him?"

"I thought Danny was coming along already, that Master Erik wanted to talk with him." He blinked, feeling a bit confused about that. "And I met Golubushka in Danny's apartment. He's odd, but he's not nasty or anything, he just really doesn't trust Danny for some reason."

"It wasn't very well communicated, I don't think," Jamie said, fussing over the tea now. "Well, we'll just have to figure that out ourselves, won't we, Toffee? Now please get the sugar cube bowl and carry it over to the table while I carry the pot and cup tray," Jamie directed him. "With the carved spoon too, please."

"Of course." He smiled at Jamie, well aware that he got snippy when things like this happened.

Matt noted how Jamie snapped but Toffee's heart was mostly calm, only jumping up a little bit and not sharp or terrified, and then the air filled with tea-smells, complex and delicious and the cups sounding expensive, all cold and the slightly not perfect smooth that meant painted by people's hands, and Matt sat up quite eagerly to get some as Toffee offered to pour, and Matt felt suddenly cold and anxious, aware from Feral that tea meant so much, all layers and layers and symbols and songs, and Matt knew almost none of them but bit his lips to be quiet and not rude.

He could see that Golubushka was anxious for some reason...oh he'd asked about pet teas once. And the others all agreed to let Toffee have the practise.

"Thank you Toffee. Even tea chosen for flavour more than the effect is relaxing, especially since there's no ritual in sharing tea with friends."

Matt hid his reaction as best he could, put on smiling sweet-pet face and show nothing, but felt a wave of icy humiliation and then total boiling rage splash and drown him, and jammed dangerous feelings down and down, pets really could not afford to feel this way, and when he just could not stand to be in the same room any longer he kept himself polite and stood up, murmuring that he needed the bathroom, excuse me, and when someone offered to help he used his lawyer-voice total authority but assertive to say No. and when in there took deep breaths, this was happening more and more, offers of help or attempts to soothe made him furious, and Jessica thought it was normal and Foggy best-person-ever-Foggy was so understanding and gently left Matt to do things himself more or wait for comforting hugs or kiss or tea, but Matt absolutely could not put up with more and more mean little jabs at how little he knew about this world and attempts to throw him off, he would snap if it happened one more time, and he really didn't want to lose it, if he started screaming in rage he might never stop, and anger was far far too scary anyways, and he gulped down a handful of icy cold water and carefully used it and a clean towel to wash his face to try and calm down, deep breaths and riding the waves instead of drowning, like Jessica's friend had told her and she told Matt.

"Should we wait for Golubushka to get back?" He asked anxiously, looking around and trying to figure out what had him so upset. "Do you think he wanted to pour and was insulted by the idea of letting me practise instead?"

Ivannya and Hendrick bristled at that suggestion, and Danny shook his head.

"No, I don't think that was the issue. Jamie, will the tea be okay in the pot until he comes back?"

(OOC: Danny was just trying to reassure Golubushka subtly - no one else even noticed it was directed at him - I take it Golubushka's projecting all over the place again)

"It will be absolutely fine. Toffee, go check to see if he's feeling ill or whatever's happened," Jamie said firmly. "Then come back and pour, you'll be lovely," and he swept back into the kitchen.

He nodded and went to knock on the bathroom door.

"Golubushka? May I come in?"

Matt blinked in surprise from where he calming and taking deep breaths and opened the door immediately, Toffee sounded very unsure to him, and Matt asked, what's up? Did something happen?

"We're worried about you. Are you feeling ill or did someone upset you? Everyone's letting me pour because I need to practise, how to be graceful when I serve tea. It's not a status thing." It all came out in a rush as he moved forward, hugging Golubushka.

Matt felt suddenly deeply protective, all anger and bad rising tide gone and dry, and he hugged Toffee back warm and close and cradled him, of course not your fault, did absolutely nothing wrong, nothing to do with you, and he kissed poor puppy's cheek, am fine, just some dumb passive-aggressive drama, you don't have to get involved. I'm fine now. Let's go back and you practice, I'm not graceful either, he reassured.

"Was nice of Danny to remind me that it's safe to mess up with ordinary tea." He murmured, feeling vaguely guilty about agreeing when Jamie had called Golubushka odd. And when they got back to the kitchen Danny was explaining how Ward and Joy Meachum's status symbols had trained in performing tea ceremony for their Japanese business partners.

Matt smiled and decided the best revenge would be to be his most charming and good self instead, and came back, murmuring apologies, he'd just felt sick, and listening avidly to the story or at least appearing to, and thanking Toffee genuinely for the tea, and in the kitchen Jamie was asking for what had happened and fetching a ginger ale for with the meal for the guest.

"You're welcome." He smiled at Golubushka, still not sure what had made him so upset. "I should go and prepare the parathas now."

(OOC: Is Golubushka taking Danny being social as some sort of dig at him now?)

Golubushka: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Re: Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Re: Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Danny: Visiting and Helping

Golubushka: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Golubushka and Jamie: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Jamie: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Golubushka: Visiting and Helping

Danny: Visiting and Helping

Re: Danny: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Jamie: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Re: Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Re: Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Re: Toffee: Visiting and Helping

Toffee: Visiting and Helping