{ CLOSED }

[aceso]

WHO: Christine, Church, Sam, and Cyril
WHAT: A double date dinner.
WHEN: Bloomingtide 13th
WHERE: The Delacroix-Church residence

Christine's twenty-eight birthday dawns cloudy and humid, leaving an oppressive mugginess around her wherever she goes. It's a far cry from the clear, sunny day that her birthday fell on last year when she hosted a picnic outside of Kirkwall on the foothills of the mountains. Perhaps it's for the best that this year is a low-key affair that will take place indoors.

After taking Ponce for his walk and heading to the market for supplies, Christine sets herself up with the task of cooking a fabulous dinner for her guests. To anyone else, a birthday would be the chance to sit back and relax while others handle all the work, but to Christine, this is how she enjoys celebrating.

At dinnertime, the table is set with candles and a centerpiece of flowers. Ponce tries every way he can to get underfoot until he has to be locked away in the bedroom, which he protests hotly with growls and demanding scratches on the door to be let out. By the time Sam and Cyril arrive, dessert is cooling on the counter, the side dishes are ready, and Christine is setting the pork ribs with their sweet and smoky sauce on the table. This is far from a light, Orlesian meal.

"Will you get the door?" she asks Church, going to retrieve Ponce before he scratches clear through the door or starts barking enough to annoy the neighbors.

Comments

[el_tybs]

"We got everything, right?" he asks softly to Cyril after they knock on the door, taking the moments of waiting to double guess whether or not they had forgotten anything. Didn't seem like it; side dish - were they supposed to bring more? - in hand and the gift in a neat little box.

Too late now, though, as the door swings open and they're greeted by Church. "Long time no see," he greets back, eyes immediately looking down at the floor expecting Ponce to come charging up at the mention. "I think we'll be alright."

[samahl]

"We did, no need to worry," Cyril replies, offering Sam a comforting smile. In truth, he finds the way that Sam fusses over trying to make Christine's day as perfect as possible very endearing. It's more proof that he cared about people.

Cyril focuses on Church once the door was opened and chuckled a bit at the description of their dog. "Oh no, I might have to hide behind this big strapping man for protection," he teased, nudging Sam playfully to show that he was the man Cyril was speaking of. Church, after all, could also fit that description just fine.

[aceso]

The vicious guard dog appears in Christine's arms as she comes to join them. The papillon is clawing against her in a desperate bid to get away so he can attack, because this is his home and he must defend his humans from intruders!

"Ponce, stop," she says, wincing a little through her smile as the dog's nails get in a deep scratch. "He really is impossible sometimes." Adjusting her grip so she can grab his paws and hold them still, she nods towards what they've brought with them. "Ah, the side dish? Thank you. There is a place for it right here at the table." Their apartment is a little cramped, but once they're all seated, everyone should have room.

"It is so wonderful to have you here for my birthday."

[motherfucking_ghost]

"Everyone here has a big strapping man just in case of anything happening." Because hell yeah Church is also big and strapping. Just uh not as much as Sam.

Church sighs at the dog and offers to take him up in his arms instead. No scratching up the birthday girl! He gathers Ponce up, paws facing out, and gives him a quick smooch on the head. "Stop being bad, you spoiled thing, you're gonna get some ribs in a second." Because of course the dog is allowed to have some scraps and leftovers. At least as far as Church is concerned.

"Everyone better compliment her food. She's been cooking nonstop practically all day when she should be relaxing and living it up."

[el_tybs]

Of course he's a little bit worried. He wasn't able to give Christine the same kind of birthday she had given Kirk and him - fond and sad memories at this point as he's still healing - minus desk pushing and the... awkward 'surprise' entrance. So, yeah, making sure they had the side dish at least as important. He's quickly put to ease though once they all start joking around though.

Sam laughs, giving a grin to Cyril, before looking at Church. "Everyone? Saying there's a bigger, strappier man I can hide behind in there?" He gives a greeting to Ponce, the vicious attack dog, right after, but keeps his hands to himself, seeing that she had too much energy and didn't want to make it difficult for Church. He turns to Christine with a smile. "Thank you for inviting us. It's the least we could do since you did the rest of the cooking. Smells amazing by the way."

[samahl]

"Oh, if there is, we should see if we can take him home," Cyril teases a bit at Sam's joke. He does like to surround himself with strong men, after all.

The teasing isn't meant to take too much attention away from the birthday girl, though, and he easily turns his attention to her. "Yes, Christine, it really does smell marvelous. And happy birthday, of course. We'll do whatever we can to make your day a happy one."

[aceso]

Christine clicks her tongue at Church's promise that Ponce is going to get some meat. Of course if they deny him, he's just going to whine all the more, so it's truly a guarantee at this point, but she doesn't have to be happy about it.

"The last I checked under the bed, there were no extra men hiding here. Just two hungry boys." She smirks at Church and gives Ponce a scratch behind the ear, as she's referring to the two of them. "Come in; have a seat. My day is already wonderful, thank you. I do enjoy cooking, so I could not ask for a better time that what I've spent bringing this meal together."

[motherfucking_ghost]

"And the hungry boys are definitely hungry. Plus, two more hungry boys. Mm, I think you've got a type, Chris. Hungry, hungry boys." But enough jokes about Christine's homemaking skills, and only narrowly averted jokes about hippos. Does Thedas have hippos?

Ponce is finally let on the floor, and hopefully he doesn't turn into a little anklebiter. He only has two hands, and they're both for eating.

"Yeah, make yourselves at home. There's plenty to go around, take leftovers if there are any. She's practically been walking on air all day, as well she should. Oh, and, before I forget--"

He reaches into his satchel left haphazard on the floor and takes out--a crown. Well. It looks kind of like a crown. Sort of. It's made of parchment, so maybe nobody open a window, but he places the makeshift crown on Christine's head.

"For my princess."

[el_tybs]

Sam snorts a bit at Cyril's teasing, but glad the topic gets changed; from thirst to hunger. Even though they're told to make themselves at home, Sam doesn't make a move to actually sit down, but he at least puts the food on the table.

"You're really something, Christine. I'm glad you found something you like to do. Brings back memories when you first started to cook at Skyhold." He grins at that, remembering how he got volunteered to be a taste tester.

At seeing the crown, Sam raises a brow, his grinning growing a bit more.

[samahl]

"I think it's pretty incredible that both of you are able to explore other talents here," Cyril replies. It's reassuring to see mages thrive under the Inquisition's care.

Cyril gets distracted by the paper crown though, amused by the idea of it. "Is that a human tradition for birthdays?" it's the first time he's seen one, and he wants to make note of it in case the next time he throws Sam a party he should make one.

[aceso]

"Oh, you flatter me," Christine replies. "Cooking is something every young girl knows how to do. I only learned late because of the Circle." But today is a day for celebrating, not thinking back to those days, so she carefully adjusts the crown on her head, sending a soft smile Church's way.

"Thank you." He had told her he was going to do it: putting a crown on her head. Hopefully he doesn't go through with the other thing, which is hoisting her on his shoulders and carrying her around while shouting how great she is.

"It is not a tradition that I know of, no. Perhaps it is on Earth?" The question is directed at Church, since he would know.

[motherfucking_ghost]

"Nah. Well, kind of? More for kids, but I'm not calling you a kid, I'm just--"

There's a short moment where he thinks maybe right now he looks like a kid, and that is, perhaps, not what he wants. But then he draws himself up, looking proud. "She's royal to me. And royalty deserves a crown. So I made a crown for my princess. Cuz who can afford a real one, right?"

Especially since he couldn't afford what he really wanted to get her but shh.