xp_logs | Julian and Manuel (backdated) (Reply)

While Manuel fetchs something for Catseye and his sister, he runs into Julian trying out a costume.

The material of the costume was a little more coarse than Julian had been expecting. He'd been waiting a week now, forced to wear the rags the school was providing him for the play. If he was going to play Demetri, and he was finally sure that was his role now, he was not going to do so wearing what passed for a costume at this public school. Back in Beverly Hills the student productions always had very healthy budgets, which probably made sense given the number of students who wanted to be actors...and their rich and famous parents.

Here in the East though, there was apparently a budget to be balanced and that meant the student productions had to work within limits. In fact it was all he could do not to simply finance the play himself. At least Julian would have a proper costume and it hadn't even cost him that much, only three-hundred dollars. 'Well, better break this thing in, he thought, heading out of the privacy of his suite and toward the kitchen. At least it's a Saturday morning, so no one is going to see me in this ridiculous getup.

No one but Manuel. While his sister was upstairs, left with Catseye for all but ten minutes, Manuel was downstairs, attempting to find something that the pair of them would enjoy eating. His sister had the appetite of a bottomless pit and it seemed that everytime he turned around, she was hungry. While he did what he could with feeding her crackers and holding her off with the basics of not having to cook anything - or burn anything in his case - he was slowly coming to the conclusion that he was going to have to further domesticate himself and learn how to cook. However, that was _not_ on his agenda today.

Though the fridge was relatively stocked at all times, today seemed to be one of the days when it was low and the said person to do the shopping was probably out and doing so. Being not a fan of yogurt himself, he passed on that selection and picked up two apples, vaguely wondering if Catseye would want an apple or should he just opena can of tuna and hand it to her. His thoughts were immediately pulled to Julian, who entered the kitchen, looking vaguely uncomfortable and... itchy.

"My, that is .... ancient, is it not?" New but the style was old. "This must be a new trend."

It took a moment to realize that Manuel was talking to him and another moment more for Julian to overcome the embarrassment of being seen in his costume. "I sincerely hope not," he said, masking his discomfort with his signature smile. "They didn't exactly have comfort in mind when they designed this...um, it's my costume for the play- custom ordered it." He walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a bowl before getting the cereal from another.

"You are wearing it to work it in?" he asked. "Most only do that with shoes. Not costums." It wasn't quite fit and tailored to the boy who was wearing it, nor did he fill it out quiet like Manuel did with his own tailored attired. "There are people within the mansion who will do adjustments for you, should you need them. Clarice is one of them, if you can get her to retract her nails long enough to get a word in."

The younger scion didn't catch the off handed remark as he poured the dry cereal into his bowl, "I'll have to ask her then. I gave the measurements to the site, but they obviously didn't listen to that request- though they did take the extra money for them." He moved toward the refrigerator to get the milk from the door, "Thanks for the advice." He slipped an arm around the door and grabbed the carton, taking it back to the island and pouring it over the corn flakes and putting the cap back on.

"Mmm," he nodded faintly, judging between apples and returning one to the fridge. "Do you have your lines memorized?" he asked, moving to the side cuboards and in search of something to feed Cats. He considered adding something to a tuna can, something that would appeal to her, but he was left stnading before most canned and uncooked food, stuck for a decision, aside from the obvious tuna.

With a satisfying crunch, Julian started to eat his cereal- the first bite was always the best- being careful not to spill on his new clothes. "I'm getting there, but there's a lot of them and this might not be my first play, but it's definitely the biggest part I've had." He leaned against the island and spotted the can of tuna in Manuel's hands, then the apples. His eyes darted between the two items as he wondered what someone could possible make with both that would be palatable. "Are you making something from Spain with that?"

"Funny - no," he looked over his shoulder and cocked a brow at Julian. "I am trying to feed a four year old and a purple cat girl. Both had an afinity for good food, yet I lack the skills to cook anything beyond what I am holding in my hands. I am considering cooking lessons, though I do not want to pay the money, nor invest the time." He was being very cheap lately where food and clothing were concerned for his sister.

Julian nodded, understanding what he was saying from his recent experiences with cooking. He swallowed, "Best way to learn is trial and error with unbiased folks to test your creations. It's how I figured out how to make hot chocolate- just kept trying." The cereal was losing some of it crunchiness, "There's websites with cooking instructions, I'm sure...or Nori makes good food, she'd probably show you." A thought came to mind, causing Julian to take a moment's pause, "Is the tuna for Catseye? Isn't she trying to eat people food now?"

He would never dream of asking Nori, the communication barrier would be frustrating enough but the residents? Asking them to sample his food? The thought almost had him laughing. "The residents would assume I am out to poison them and refuse. However yes, this is for Cateseye. Regardless if she eats human food or not, I do know she has a liking to fish. It will simply have to come straight from the cane. Try as she may, she cannot ignore what she likes."

He couldn't argue with that- regardless of Catseye's desire to eat more human food in the wake of the Murderworld episode, she still had her feline tastes and they would be difficult to shake. Julian thought he'd gotten the wrong impression of Manuel and wondered why anyone might think he was trying to poison them. He'd always thought the older man was fairly good company and had in fact been thankful that it was him who was in here and not Catseye. Although she would eventually see the costume at the play, there was no need for her to call him SillyCostumeBoy from now until eternity. "You don't really seem like the poisoner type, so if you want a guiniea pig, I'm sure I could convince Fred to try something you made- and myself of course." He took another bite of now soggy cereal.

"Poison is for cowards who do not want to show their faces. That or bad cooks, which I am. Therefore, I would never subject you to my cooking if there was a possibility that I would hospitalize you. Rest assured, perhaps after my cooking classes, I can use you then. Until then," Manuel waved the canned good over his shoulder in a brief goodbye.