chiron_survivor | A fine day for horseback riding. ((For i

"Cheesecake," Adia explains, turning her plate so that Paladin can get a better look. "It's not like a traditional cake, it's a mixture of eggs, cream cheese, and sugar." Which probably leads to a question about cream cheese, so she explains what that is preemptively. "It's a mild, soft cheese. A little tangy, like yogurt. You have to eat cheesecake while it's fresh, it doesn't last like other cakes." At least not without refrigeration.

She takes a quick look at Paladin's plate and smiles, glad that she's enjoying some of the salad options. (And not wasting food.) "The pie they have is blueberry. It looked good, too."

"It smells really good," the Paladin says kind of wistfully because she has a plate with food on it when all she wants is cheesecake and pie, mmmm, blueberry pie. Sinking back down into the seat, Paladin contemplates the rest of the food, the current room in her stomach, and then glances over to where Adia went for the dessert.

"If I was to get a slice of blueberry pie would you share it with me?" This factors into eating tactics which is incredibly important when at a buffet or some establishment where everything just looks so good. Also, the ability to nap afterward, very important.

"Of course," Adia says without hesitation. Friends always help their friends eat dessert. "I can split this slice of cheesecake, too, if you want." That way they get to have both. Adia has been careful not to overeat, but she is reaching her limit, and she unfortunately doesn't have the option of napping afterwards.

A sign of a good person and a good friend is assistance in the consumption of sweets and baked goods. Blue eyes widen and light up in delight at the offer. "Oh, that would be very nice! Bogbad never shares his dessert with me, but he's an Orc and not so surprising. I'll go get a piece!"

He saves her life and that more than makes up for it.

It doesn't take the Tiefling long to get a nice, still warm, slice of pie. Returning to the table, Paladin sits with a leg tucked under herself before setting the plate down between them.

Adia only has a vague idea of what an orc is, but she nods in sympathy. It's more fun to share, anyway.

By the time Paladin returns, she has neatly sliced the cheesecake into two equal pieces. "Do you want me to cut the pie, too?" It probably won't slice as evenly as the cheesecake, but that's all right. She'll take the smaller piece for herself.

Very smart thinking, clearly Adia has done this before. Paladin would have just gone for the free for all method of sharing dessert. Cutting it can be a lot more equitable.

"Yes please!" It's a rather childish sounding request as she pushes the plate forward. "Then you can dish out the piece you'd like on your plate, and give me the piece of cheesecake that you wouldn't like for me."

A free-for-all method would result in Adia worrying that she was taking too many bites, or making a mess of the dessert. Better to split it up at the beginning.

Adia grins. Dessert brings out the child in everyone. She takes a clean knife to the piece of pie and slices it in two. The flaky crust breaks slightly unevenly, but she has a surprisingly steady hand. Must be all those hours spent preparing slides in the lab. "Here you go," she says, after taking her slice of pie and giving Paladin a share of the cheesecake.

A fantastic plan, though Paladin would insist that she was not even remotely taking too many bites. Splitting it is the safe way to go though, it ensures everyone gets a fair shake.

"Bless you," Paladin breathes and takes her plate before sinking back down in the chair. "I have a sweet tooth, I will admit it. When I was a wee Tiefling my baker friend used to make these sticky, honeyed buns that were the most amazing thing to smell and to see. Every day I would stare at them through the window, get the free smells," Paladin will start with the cheesecake first because that's new to her.

It is so light but very rich, that will get a hum of appreciation from her.

"They sound delicious." She hopes that her baker friend let her have one on occasion. "You should look around at some of the bakeries here, I wouldn't be surprised if someone sells them."

Adia also starts with the cheesecake, since that is what she chose in the first place. "This is very good," she tells Paladin, after swallowing a bite. "Some cheesecakes can be a lot denser than this, but I prefer it this way."

On occasion, when they became friends and Paladin was good with their lessons. "Are there Dwarves here?" Paladin didn't even think to ask, there might be other races that she is familiar with here. "Regardless, I do have a soft spot for bakeries," oh no, taste testing all the bakeries in the Nexus, how awful!

"Between the richness and the sweetness I think I prefer it like this as well." Of course there will be a taste of the pie along with the cheesecake because good separate might mean good together as well. Before so, Paladin pauses: "would you like some coffee?"

"I've never met one, personally. Do they have to be baked by a dwarf? They sound like something we used to have in our own bakeries."

Adia is not as adventurous as Paladin (in many ways), so she sticks with one dessert at a time. She nods in response to Paladin's question. Some coffee would go wonderfully with dessert.

"I think these are a Dwarven recipe specifically." And they have a soft spot in her heart. But then there is that moment when something from both their world's intersects and Paladin gets rather excited. "What were the ones like on your world?" Shaped like a bun and covered in honey aside, or maybe they weren't like that at all.

The Tiefling catches the eye of the waitress and when she comes near Paladin politely asks for two cups of coffee. "I am very glad this is here as well, but it is a bit weak." Sooner rather than later two steaming mugs are placed on the table.

"The dough was rolled into a spiral, and the honey was like a glaze that was within the spiral as well as on top." She suddenly feels rather nostalgic, although not so much for honey buns specifically. Her mother would sometimes make desserts like that for breakfast: cinnamon rolls, popovers, baked goods that weren't honey buns per se, but in the same category. "If you find the ones you're familiar with, let me know."

"The coffee is stronger on your world?" Adia picks up the mug and lets its warmth seep into her hands before taking a small sip, not bothering to add cream or sugar. It's better than the free stuff she drinks in the Plaza, but not exceptionally so.

"Mmmmmm," hilarious, talking about food while eating food, it can't get any better than this. "Ours were very similar but he would put cinnamon and a nutty mixture in the spiral, I never figure out how to make that, it was his special recipe. If I find some we shall have a feast." Maybe someone in the Dwarven settlement can make them just like he used to.

"I believe it's the way it is made in my world," think super old fashioned coffee, throwing grounds in a kettle to boil. "The machines you make it on here are nothing like the ones we have."

It seems inevitable for two people who enjoy their food, desserts in particular. "Oh, we had those, too. We called them cinnamon rolls. We didn't make them with honey, though, we used brown sugar for the filling." It is impossible for Adia not to think of lazy Sunday mornings with her parents, the smell of cinnamon rolls wafting up to her room. "My mom made those sometimes. They came from a can instead of from scratch but they were still good."

Adia nods, having a vague idea of what Paladin means. "This is strong enough for me, usually. And after all that iced tea, I don't need much more caffeine."

"Cinnamon rolls, the name just sounds delicious. I would try cinnamon rolls," in a New York minute, if there was a New York in her world. "That must be a very pleasant memory for you, would you eat them with her while having a cup of coffee?" That also sounds lovely, half of which comes from having a mother that one can sit down with and have a meal with.

Paladin licks the blueberry filling from the fork before going in for another bite, the mixture of the two is really appealing, it's probably the sweetened fruit. "It is the perfect thing for a long watch, or a cold morning." Suddenly a grin and a bit of a laugh. "Or any time really."

"They're very good. And I know I've seen them for sale in the Nexus. The Crossroads Cafe has them for sure." She takes another sip of coffee, letting the memories wash over her without getting swept up in them. "Yes. Well, not when I was very young. I didn't start drinking coffee until I was older... she'd make them on weekends. Days that we didn't have to rush off to work or school, so we could just sit and enjoy them."

It's hard to believe that she ever took for granted such simple rituals. "What other drinks do you have on your world? Do you have any carbonated beverages?" She asks before taking another bite of cheesecake.

Black fingers wiggle in excited planning. "It will be on my list of things to do while I am in the Nexus. It is exciting to me to eat foods found in your world." Adventurous eating has always been a hobby of Paladin, why eat the same old boring things when THERE IS SO MUCH TO TRY. Except fish. After the long trip up the Northern Road, stopping in fishing village after fishing village, every single fish in all of history can go for a swim.

"Ah, ah," a bob of her head in understanding. "Like our holy day, when people do not work but take time off to go to temple and visit."

As for drinks? It's weird, what Paladin has never thought of before. "Well, we have a standard selection of alcoholic beverages. The town of Barlox is starting a new batch of cider which I am very excited to try. As far as I am aware we do not have... Carbonated beverages," the words are drawn out, slow and suspiciously. "Mainly because I don't know what that means."

"I can tell," Adia says with a small laugh. Why else would Paladin be so excited to try jello? "If I get a chance, I hope to try something from your world, too."

"Yes, exactly... that's what our Sunday used to be, a religious day." She doesn't know why they ended up with another day off, but it hardly matters anymore. She works daily without question, attending to those who need vaccinations or medical care when she isn't in the lab generating data for the Cylons. It's a wonder she has time for the Nexus at all, but she makes sure to find some when she can.

Adia feels a little bad for throwing out such a modern term without explanation, but she was distracted by the cheesecake. "Sorry. It's, um... fizzy water. Water with gas bubbles in it. You can find it natural occurring in a mineral spring, or you can make your own with a little technological help."

"Yes!" And those blue eyes light up again. "I have not forgotten, Adia. I owe you giant bee honey, and I will find something good and sweet for you to try as well. I wonder if you would like my world in general, it's not such a bad place."

Except for the chaotic evil creatures that roam the countryside and terrorize villagers, but what can you do about it?

"Days of rest are very important to have no matter what you do, from working the farm to helping people like you do," maybe Adia's day of rest is when she comes to The Nexus.

As for the bubbly water? Paladin's eyes narrow in thought before finally giving a shake of her head. "If there is such a thing I have not come across it. I have seen a large part of the world but not all, so it could be there."

"You don't owe me anything," Adia protests mildly, but she is secretly glad that Paladin did not forget about the giant bee honey. "You world sounds scary and amazing, to be honest, but I would be honored to see it sometime." Despite not getting much opportunity, Adia does enjoy visiting other worlds, so long as she has a guide. "How safe is it for someone like me? Assuming I'm in your company."

"Of course." She looks at Paladin thoughtfully. "How is it for you? Do you get regular time off?"

"You should try some, then... maybe not right now, it doesn't really go with dessert or coffee. You can try the water plain, or flavored." Preferably when Adia is around, because she would love to see Paladin's reaction to trying seltzer water.

"I promised!" The Tiefling argues back with a smile. "I will not forget my promise and it is such a small thing I would be a cad to forget." Especially since there are so many other ways in which they are a cad.

"It is a very exciting place but you would be very safe with me. Which is not to say because I am strong and powerful, but because the town that is my home is very safe and the area around it is relatively safe as a result." Out of habit and in the spirit of sincerity, Paladin reaches out and touches the back of Aida's hand lightly before realizing the act and letting her fingers drop away.

"It depends on what is needed. I am currently in the service of The Margrave which means that if something reaches the ears of the crown I get sent to deal with it. Or if someone seeks me out." There are busy weeks and not so busy weeks.

A grin: "so many things to try! Do they have it here? I could try it later."

"I wouldn't want that," Adia says with a small grin. "Is the giant beehive near your town? I'd love to see it." She smiles at the hand touch, perhaps a little confused by Paladin pulling away just as quickly. She's pretty hesitant herself at gauging how much physical friendliness other people want, though, so it's sort of understandable. "But, you really should get a PINpoint before you head back home. You'll want to set your home coordinates. I can show you how to do that, it's very easy."

"What's the Margrave? Is that a title?" She takes a long sip of coffee while Paladin answers. "Start with the simply flavored kind, if you can. There's stuff called pop, but a lot of it is artificially flavored. They started originally as tonics for indigestion, but then people started making them with more and more sugar. I don't really have a taste for them."

"It is a few days ride from Rensford, I would be happy to take you out there." All of the real dangers were cleaned away, well, except for the ants, but that's easy enough to deal with. Paladin isn't actually sure if the ants are dangerous anyway, it just seemed like a shame to kill them. "I would be much obliged if you did, Adia, thank you!" That should make things much, much easier.

As for touch it's an odd thing for Paladin. Historically, the Tiefling hasn't been the subject of hugs or physical signs of affection unless she paid for it. So when it comes to reassuring gestures she doesn't exactly know how to handle them but assumes that most people wouldn't want to even brush against her. As a keen observer it's become clear that there are those moments where a touch is just that, a touch, and a powerful means of reassurance, support, or sympathy. With people Paladin is comfortable with it comes a little easier but with hesitancy.

"Indeed, think: hereditary title, a ruler of territories, generally under an empire. Despite the empire falling, old titles still stick around. From the interactions I have had with her she is a worthy leader, strong and very dedicated to her people. A good person, which is why I have no qualms working for her," generally authority figures get Paladin to make a rude gesture but the Margrave is different as is her captain of the guard.

"After this dessert I will have met my sugar quota for the day at least, so I will go with what you recommend."

A few days... that might be longer than Adia can spare, on her world. But she won't say no, outright. Things may change, or time may run differently there. "It's no trouble. You'll be able to do it yourself in no time."

Adia's hang-ups about physical touch are rooted in her own social insecurities, but a friendly touch from a person she trusts is always welcome. "Oh, that's good, that she's a good leader." She sounds a little like former President Roslin, but unfortunately she did not get enough time to prove herself before being voted out of office.

She finishes her cheesecake and starts to work on her pie, but it's slower going. "I think I'm reaching my sugar quota, too," she laughs. "This was a wonderful meal, Paladin. Thank you so much for treating me."

A fine day for horseback riding. ((For i_paladin))

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