Path of the Vampire forum

"Elizabeth, it's wonderful to finally meet you and I would love to help," she said firmly, hopefully making her feelings a bit more clear. Athena didn't always communicate well, but you couldn't go wrong with repeating what you actually meant. Right? So she smiled, in what she hoped was a welcoming and warm manner and waited to be told what could actually be of use right now. Because if she were honest, she didn't have a clue. Nervously she brought her hands up and shoved them into her pant pockets, her shoulders slumping some as she tried not to freak out about the idea of tossing herself into unknown territory.

But she could do this.

It was the mention of baking that made her sigh, an almost guilty look crossing her features. "I can't say that I'm a good baker, or a good cook, but I can follow directions and read." she offered, knowing that putting herself onto a register might also not be the best idea. For a moment there, she felt bad, because she didn't think there was anything that she could do here with her specific drawbacks. After all, she had told Cosimo more than once that she had survived being human on take-out and frozen foods that needed to simply be warmed up.

Cassidy. Athena tried to rack her brain to remember if Cosi had mentioned her, but she couldn't remember such a situation so she followed Elizabeth's gaze to the woman and managed to stretch her lips into another smile, hoping still that she was managing to be welcoming instead of her normal standoffish approach. "Should I ask her where the kitchen is? Maybe I help with the tarts?" she offers, turning her head again to catch a glance of Cosimo who seemed to be in his element, really dripping with that charisma he always oozed and for the first time she smiled without any thought behind it. She smiled because she was in love.

Athena couldn't help but to stare at Cosimo. She loved to see him happy, to see him where he really thrived and that had to be here. It was where he could be the social butterfly he always was, and will always be. It just wasn't something that she was good at, too. But they managed sometimes to meet in the middle, like now. She was excited, really, under it all to be doing something with him that he loved so much and was good at. Athena hoped under it all that she could find a place here to not only help, but to be great at so they could have something like this in common. Just because they couldn't eat didn't mean they couldn't cook, they could always donate the food somewhere and plus - Athena had to learn at some point in her life, right? She couldn't be a disaster in the kitchen forever. Maybe that could make eternity bearable, the opportunity to learn everything under the sun they couldn't stand anymore.

"Thank you, Elizabeth. I'll do my best not to burn your bakery down." she finally says, snapping back from staring dreamily at Cosimo to look at the man's sire again. She smiles big now, showing just the hint of the dimples that cradled her warm mouth. It wasn't hard for her to do, for looking at Cosi always brought a smile to her face and warmed her like nothing else could. He made her better, she thought. He melted the icy exterior that she held with her everywhere, which was nice for her because sometimes it just got heavy to bare. The kitchen was pointed to so politely she smiled at Elizabeth and she excuses herself so she can help whomever rang the little bell for attention. With every step she took towards the kitchen she felt her stomach twist into a knot. It only got tighter the closer she got. She really did hope she wouldn't burn the damn bakery down. What kind of first of impression would that be?

It was over an hour or so later when she spotted Cosimo again, him coming in briefly to return a tray and she was smiling still. The woman's hair was tied back, her hands were dirty because she had been busy this entire time helping make the tarts -even in the smallest way - and that made her feel handy. It made her feel almost alive again, to be doing something with her hands. This was the way Athena preferred to live her life -busy and using her hands. She returned the cheek kiss, sharing a brief look with him before she returned back to work and let him do the same. It wasn't that she was mad anymore, though she certainly would've been in the past- he was wearing his pants now and she appreciated that. Maybe she didn't always have to yell. Athena looked down again and she got back to work, she used her hands as if that could communicate to everyone why she was finally around. That she was trying, and she hoped deep down, that they knew now more than ever.

Athena heard the mumbling of their voices, the sweet way Cosimo talked in his gruff tone. The way Elizabeth's voice flowed with all the elegance she held in every move she made. In the deep pit of her stomach she could feel that longing twist her insides, telling her that she missed Cosimo in these past few hours. That she wanted nothing more than to be with him which was exactly the reason she came to the store to begin with. It hadn't been originally to help, but she never would complain about work, or even about getting dirty doing it, because if it hadn't been for this woman she never would've met Cosimo who ended up being more than just a jolly annoyance.

Just like she had been more help in the kitchen than she originally thought. Athena had learned to make a simple tart tonight! She had learned how to roll the dough, how to make it the perfect size, how long it would take in the oven and even how it looked when it was done. That part, the part about learning how it looked when it was done, wasn't that easy for Athena since she had ruined a few batches in the process of learning but with her determination she had done it and it hadn't been that hard! She couldn't wait to tell Cosimo, for a girl who hadn't been able to do more than warm up frozen chicken nuggets in the past, it was quite the task she learned, and she had done it by sure luck.

Elizabeth entered the kitchen and Athena was busy wiping down the counters inside, she had her hair pulled back and out of her face. The necromancer even had a hair net on, knowing that she could shed on the food and really trying to avoid anything like that, she hadn't mind doing it. She didn't much care about how she looked when she was working, because by now she was confident in the fact that Cosimo would love her no matter what, even if she didn't deserve it. And she was trying hard to deserve it now, ignoring that ping of guilt that she admittedly should've been trying this hard to begin with.

"So it looks like I didn't ended up burning your place down, and I'm relieved." the woman jokes, ending it with a grateful sigh while she stood up straight against the counter she was cleaning, a rag in hand and the sprayer in the other, looking just like an employee if you could forgive the lack of uniform.

Athena had imagined the same would happen as Cosimo did, that they would chat each other up and get to know each other better with their common interest in making sure Cosimo is safe and happy. But that didn't happen at all, and her joke had been taken so far out of context that it left Ath in a world-wind of confusion. She hadn't expected this to happen, and if she had, she never would've made the joke a second time. It was supposed to be just that, a joke, and here she was making an *** out of herself in front of her boyfriend's sire and it felt utterly awful. It was in silence that she watched the other lovely woman break down into hysteria that she had made with her joke, allowing the woman to take her by the hand and even moving down to the floor to crouch under the metal counters just as Elizabeth did. She tried her best to whisper that everything would be okay, to hold Elizabeth's hand in both of hers to try to soothe her but nothing she did worked. The woman only spoke of how the kitchen would catch on fire and shook her by her shoulders, asking Ath if she had turned off the stove which of course she had done so she could clean up the stove with the cleaner and the rag in her hand. She tried again, she tried to grab Elizabeth by her hands and to make them look into each other's eyes so maybe the woman wouldn't freak too badly but she didn't get the chance. instead Elizabeth jumped up, leaving Athena crouched under the metal counters and stunned. Would Cosimo forgive her for accidentally causing his sire to freak so badly? She truly hadn't meant to, and if she would've had any clue, she definitely wouldn't have said anything to cause Elizabeth to freak so badly.

When Cosimo finally came into the kitchen she was still under the counters, breathing slowly in and out as if that would help her shake her nerves. She didn't know how he would react, she didn't know if even the kitchen was in any real danger. The place was quiet, and cold though, nothing to hint there was a fire anywhere in the building and everything was still cool to the touch. "I joked that I didn't burn the place down since you know I'm no master chief.." trailing off, she looked rather guilty for even making the joke to begin with. "I'm sorry, I didn't know she would react that way but I don't think the kitchen or the bakery is in any real danger." frowning, she slowly made her way to stand again, smoothing palms nervously down the fabric of her shirt and the top of her pants. It was comforting when Cosimo touched her, their fingers easily intertwining together and even further comforting to hear that he wanted to leave.

"Yes, let's go home. -Please."