Pumpkin Hollow IC Inbox

[maximumcake]

Comments

Special Delivery

[graveling]

A courier delivers a parcel to Max at home one afternoon. The contents are a pair of jars; one contains strained honey. The other, raw honey with a nice chunk of comb. The top of each jar is marked by a wax seal--beeswax, undoubtedly. The seal is in the shape of a bee with feathered wings.

There is no note.

Reaction

[maximumcake]

"Huh? Who sent this?" Max murmurs to himself as he inspects the jars, turning them over to see if there's some kind of signature on the bottom. No. Nothing there, either. And no note.

"Damn... I wish I knew who to thank for this." Fresh honey, what a treat! If only he could pay them back somehow...

If they wanted that, they'd have sent a note, he concludes. He'll use the honey happily, and wish whoever was kind enough to give it to him well.

Package Delivery

[theresalwaystheview]

There's a heavy box on Max's front step, left there by the usual courier. There's a card on top of it in Bart's small, neat handwriting, his name on the front and Max's underneath. Inside, it reads:

Mr Maximum,
We'd discussed the possibility of developing some more efficient kitchen equipment,
and it has become something of a pet project of mine.
Enclosed there is an appliance that I would like you to test and provide feedback
It works similarly to a standing mixer, but hand-cranked.
It can be fastened to your bench-top so that it doesn't need to be held in place
and the beaters can be swapped for a single wire whisk, or a set of grinding rollers
as an attempt to make something for you that might facilitate production of
powdered sugar, as you'd mentioned needing a better method for it.
If there are tweaks that need to be made, please do not hesitate to let me know.

-Bart Torgal

And just as described, there is something similar to a Kan Wonda-mixer secured in the box, with a bowl wrapped in brown paper to keep it from breaking in transit. It isn't the prettiest device, but inside there are instructions for use, including nicely illustrated diagrams for how to attach it to the corner of a kitchen counter or the edge of a table with something like a built-in clamp.

[sending stone]

[maximumcake]

Max can't believe his eyes when he opens the box. It's absolutely beautiful in his eyes. He's so excited he has to use it right away! One batch of sweet potato cookies coming up!

An hour later, Max is still grinning like a fool, so pleased with how easy that mixer made everything, especially when it clamps to the table like that. He's racking his brain thinking of improvements that might be made, but, honestly? It already works so perfectly like this. Maybe the only real complaint is that it's harder to clean after.

So, anyway, of course, he's going to call Bart up to gush about this! He grabs the stone and barely waits for a hello before launching right into it.

"Bart! Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for the mixer! It works like a dream. I made some sweet potato cookies and it was a breeze to mix them in your invention. You're amazing! You thought of it all, even the clamp to stabilize it. I'm so impressed!"

Via Sending Stone

[misbegottendreamer]

Max,

I feel some guilt in asking a favor when we’re still getting to know one another, but it’s for a good cause- do you, perhaps, know how to bake a pizza?

sorry for taking so long!

[maximumcake]

"No need to feel guilty. I never turn down a chance to cook or teach cooking. I do know how to make pizza, yes. What can I help with?"

Honey delivery, take 2

[graveling]

There is once again a jar of honey at Max's doorstep. This time, it's held by a corpse, who knocks on the door, like a person ought to.

[maximumcake]

"Coming! Just a minute!" Max calls to the door. He's just pulling a cast iron full or cornbread out of the oven. As soon as he can peel off his mitts, he goes to answer the door, still wearing his apron covered in cornmeal.

"Angel? What brings you here?" he asks in surprise, but then he sees the honey. "Wait, was it you that sent me the other jar, too?"

Middle of July

[redlightgreenlight]

Max still isn't home when she hauls herself through the door of their house, still covered in blood and dirt. She takes one look at the disaster, sighs and goes to grab whatever alcohol she can find. She doesn't even bother pouring a glass, just slumps on the couch and drinks straight from the bottle, waiting.

[maximumcake]

She doesn't have to wait long. Crumpet comes bounding in first, running right up to here where she sits. Max is not far behind, but he freezes in place when he sees... everything.

"V-Valdis? What happened? Are you okay??"

[listenforbirdsong]

It's a lovely afternoon in August with the plague situation safely behind the town when Mairi knocks at Max's door. She's got a bundle in her arms--- a small but heavy canvas sack. Catching herself bouncing on her toes a bit, she feels childish for being so excited, but she's always really loved giving gifts.

[maximumcake]

"Fidough, Fi fi!" barks Crumpet from behind the door, followed quickly by Max telling her to quiet down.

The door opens a few moments later to reveal Max in his apron with both sleeves rolled up. He smiles in delight the moment he sees her.

"Hi, Mairi, come on in! What's that in your arms? It looks heavy."

Late August cute (Post event)

[pineapplesalmon]

Max! Max, I need help!

[Yet his tone is very happy, almost ecstatic.]

[maximumcake]

What?

[Max's tone is one of confusion. Please, Cesar, don't leave him hanging.]

Before the Gala

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis hangs the dress she ordered last month up on the bedroom door, next to the suit Max had made to compliment it. She's thrilled with how it turned out and can't wait to enter the gala with him by her side. The magic daggers from River lay on the dresser with her jewelry, she knows exactly where they will be hidden amongst the jewels.

"Max," she says, glancing around into the bathroom where he's just getting out of the shower. "I really think you should take one of the normal daggers, just in case."

[maximumcake]

Max is still toweling off his hair as he answers. "I think you're right." He hates having to say it, but look what's happened at all the other big gatherings?

"I already have one of my daggers and harnesses ready next to my suit. I just really hope I won't have to use it."

After Max's Birthday party

[redlightgreenlight]

When all the guests have gone and everything is cleaned up, Max will find that Valdis is suddenly nowhere to be seen. Ava and Shasta also seem to have vanished, though Anani is winding his way around Max's legs as if determined to trip him. If Max goes upstairs, he will still find no trace of her. Not in the guest room, the bathroom or even the room they share together. There is, however, a letter in an envelope laying against his pillow.

The letter inside is written in her sweeping and elegant cursive.

My Dear Max,

I had to step out to grab your present, please shower, grab a drink and wait for me here. I'll be back soon.

-Valdis

time for the after-party~

[maximumcake]

"Valdis?" he calls on his way up the stairs, "You want first shower or should I?"

No answer? Well, not with words. He spots the card and is smiling even before he opens it. And now he's really, really smiling.

"Guess that answers my question," he giggles to himself as he starts stripping to make a bee-line for the shower.

Once he's scrubbed down and toweled off, he goes to fetch the good wine he's been saving for them, along with two glasses. He sips on that while he waits (in his birthday suit) on the bed for her to return. Giddy excitement bubbles inside him until he can't help but fidget and squirm in anticipation of her return. It won't matter what the present is, he can't wait to unwrap it with her.

Bakery

[staybizzy]

It's been about two weeks now since Capochin arrived on the island and he's already found a few places he frequents. The Oak & Iron, obviously, and Empty Pockets, both for evening wind downs. The general store for cigarettes a few times a week. The Burger King for his and Hector's lunch. But there is no place he visits more frequently than Max's bakery. He'd initially popped in for muffins for breakfast and to offer interviewees but the minute he discovered there were bagels, and damn good ones, he began going in there daily for his breakfast--- an everything bagel with plenty of cream cheese!

Like clockwork, he arrives with his little black coffee in hand and pats the counter. "Mornin', Max! It's a good day for solvin' mysteries. I feel it in my bones. How you doin'?"

[maximumcake]

It still amazes Max, sometimes, how quickly a new face can become a regular and established part of his morning. Capochin has definitely become that. It a comfort to him to see the guy in every morning like clockwork. Makes the world seem like it's running as it should. It also guarantees his bagels are never going to go out of style.

"Good morning!" he responds brightly as he sets the already prepared order on the counter. Extra cream cheese for his loyal customer, no extra charge. "It's looking like another beautiful day and I'm feeling pretty good. What kind of mysteries do you have for today? Anything spicy?"

Early Februrary

[misbegottendreamer]

It isn't the first time she's come to Max looking for help with reading a letter. However, this is the first time she's brought him a letter from one Lord Osborne.

Early Februrary

[maximumcake]

Max invites her in and offers tea as is his custom, happy for the visit no matter the reason. But, when she hands the note over to him and he notices the author is Lord Erik Osborne he nearly chokes on his own tea biscuit.

"U-uh..." he starts shakily, "I feel like I should probably warn you that I know your penpal pretty well. He um. He actually says it himself in his letter. I... here, I'll just read it." And he does, carefully controlling his tone through it all as a flood of different emotions rise up in him. He's happy for Erik, it sounds like he's really taking these changes to heart. God, he hopes he won't ruin that now but he should probably be the one to break the news about their past before something like what happened with Edgar happens again.

"The thing is, I knew Erik from home already because I used to live with him--as his human servant."

[nothingbadeverhappensto]

Leon shows up at Max's door sometime after the opera with a satchel full of a variety of colorful herbs - some whole and fresh, some dried, and some powdered, all very strong-smelling in various notes of floral and earthy and sweet. Leon's gotten pretty used to smelling like a combination flower shop-apothecary in the last couple of months, though, and pays it no mind as he knocks politely, stepping back to wait at the threshold for a response.

[maximumcake]

Max's nose catches that from through the door. Whew, was someone out cutting grass or something? He politely does not actually ask that when he opens the door and gets a punch in the nose about it, even if his eyes are watering slightly.

"Hello, uh... Leon, right? Sorry, Valdis isn't in right now but you're welcome to come in and wait if you want." Max assumes this is for Valdis since she's head of the enforcers and he knows Leon also works there.

Post-fight with Erik & zombie event

[stoneoftherose]

A tall but rather sickly-looking man slouches into Max's bakery, his body hidden under an unseasonably heavy black coat draped across both shoulders. He doesn't seem interested in food or drink; he simply finds a place to sit somewhere out of the way and then stays there, watching Max worked with his chin propped up on one hand.

Re: Post-fight with Erik & zombie event

[maximumcake]

Isn't he hot? Max wants to offer a cup of coffee or tea to him, but what if that gives him heat stroke?

"Can I get you anything?" Max asks after a while, once the silence starts to become truly awkward for him. "Maybe a muffin?"