genessia | {Cooking?} - OPEN {Action/Video}

Entry tags:

{Cooking?} - OPEN {Action/Video}

{Video}

[Terra smiles shyly at the screen, it’s set up on her counter and shows a small view of her modest kitchen.]

Hello, I’m trying to learn how to cook. I’m not too good at it but I have some good cookbooks I found at the book store. I have a few people who have already offered to help but if anyone else is willing I’d be grateful.

Thank you.

{Action}

[She knows a few people who will rush over after seeing her video. She’s invited them to learn to cook with her though she doesn’t know who will teach them. Terra has everything prepared with a cookbook open, the refrigerator stocked while pots and pans littered the counter tops. She doesn’t even know which would be best to use.

She’ll wait to hear a sound at the door, spending the extra time reading the intro to the cookbook while sitting at the kitchen table. It goes over food pre, names of equipment as well as common techniques to be used in the kitchen.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Terra takes a seat across from him and fills her own bowl with salad. She waits a moment before pushing around the lettuce with her fork. She doesn't bother to add a dressing.]

It was.

[He looks down at his salad, and over to hers.]

...try the vinaigrette.

[Because it hit him then why cooking was so strange to her, and he felt an overwhelming need to teach her everything.]

[Terra reaches for the dressing without question and pours a small amount on her salad. She takes a bite letting the bittersweet taste fill her mouth. It's good and she looks surprised before addressing Ronan.]

Ah, Thank you.

[She takes another bite before smiling over at Ronan.]

Did you want to learn more about my past?

Edited 2016-01-15 23:59 (UTC)

[He nodded at her thanks, but he was more focused on their more serious conversation.]

Yeah, I would.

[Terra puts down her fork and then looks up at Ronan with an even gaze. Where should she even start? What would he think after he found out about her? Would he want to leave?]

When I was young my home was destroyed in a war. A man from the military took me instead of killing me and raised me. I wasn't... normal. [She's too nervous to say.] They did a lot of tests...

When I turned sixteen they wanted to use me for war and handed me over to the army. I became more like a weapon then and killed a lot of innocent people. [She doesn't want to mention what the army did to her but he can probably guess.] That went on for years... a little while ago. I was rescued but I lost my memories. That was the first time I woke up in Genessia.

You seem pretty normal to me.

[Granted, Ronan has a weird definition of normal.]

...that doesn't sound like that was your fault, Terra.

[Terra is a little happy to hear that and her lips curl into a light smile.]

Thank you but I still didn't stop it.

[She's not a good person.]

There are details. [She's just covered the barebones of the events.] ...but I'm not used to talking about it.

[He nods, looking away for a moment thoughtfully.]

We've all got things we don't talk about. I'm not...very good at talking about me. [A shrug.] But if you want to explain, I'm not judging over here.

[Terra finally takes a bite of the salad before answering.]

I just don't know if people really want to know. [She pauses and looks up at Ronan.]

Why don't you talk about yourself?

I don't ask questions just to be nice. If I ask something, it's because I want to know.

[He's not sure if she'll believe him, but it's the truth.

He shrugs.]

I just suck at it.

[Terra does believe him. She's used to taking things at face value and she trusts Ronan.]

I don't think I'm much better. [There is a light smile on her lips.] But you can tell me if and when you want.

[Her attention moves back down towards her salad as she spoke.]

I have nightmares. [He's probably heard her whining or crying out in her sleep.] When I was taken in by the Empire... they performed a lot of tests. I only found out later that it was torture but it's all I knew. I didn't know there was happiness in the world. They might have known that I had hope... that they hadn't broken me because they put this circlet around my head.

It's a slave crown and it's designed to specifically work on me. [It's currently hidden in a box under her bed.] It's how the army controlled me.

[They probably don't know that she remembers every moment she wore that crown and all the deprived things they made her do.] They weren't nice people. I burned down villages killing everyone. [She can still hear the children screaming.] They used me...[But never left a mark on her perfectly pale skin.]

Edited 2016-01-22 02:36 (UTC)

[Ronan listens through her story, nodding at the appropriate parts to encourage her to continue. When she was finished, he didn't say anything for a moment.]

For the record, I think you did a good job. [He pauses for a moment.] Explaining yourself, I mean.

[He doesn't really even know what to say for a moment. He's not good at being supportive.]

None of that was your fault. You get that, right?

[Terra looks down towards her salad feeling a little nervous.]

I don't know about that. [She shifts trying to steady the strange feeling rising in her throat.]

About either of those things.

[There are still things she's left out.]

Really? [He doesn't buy any of that.]

You can't expect me to believe you wanted to be used that way.]

[Okay that's a little awkward.]

I didn't but I could have done more to stop it.

[Though most of her solutions wouldn't be ideal for those who know Terra and/or care about her. It's one mans kindness that set her free.]

[He nodded, looking more than a little doubtful.]

Right. You didn't know any better.

[No matter what he says it sounds like an excuse. Terra nods her head though and silently agrees. She takes a bite of her salad and then another. She likes it with the dressing and she might take salads when she's feeling too tired to cook.

She doesn't think there is anything wrong with silence and so she lets it linger in the air between them. For Terra it's comfortable because she trusts Ronan.]

[Ronan ate his salad in silence as well, but more out of thoughtfulness than anything. He was watching her, and his frown deepened the longer he did so. Finally, he leaned back, crossing his arms.]

Can I ask you a hypothetical?

[Terra blinks curiously looking up at Ronan.]

Of course.

[He's welcome to ask whatever he wants.]

[He nods, not meeting her eyes or onfolding his arms as he continues his question.]

So, say there was this kid who's parents were street thugs. They lied, they cheated, they stole, his dad beat the shit out of people over bad drug deals, his mom sold drugs on street corners to little kids. Say they brought him up thinking robbing gas stations and stealing cars was what life had in store for him, that that's all he could ever be. He didn't know any better, but then he grew up, got sent away to prison for a while, and he started to think that maybe that wasn't the life he wanted, but he didn't know how to go anywhere else with it. Stealing, cheating, all that, it's all he knew.

[He takes a breath, then looks over to her.] You think that kid was to blame? He didn't even have the crown thing you talked about that controlled his thoughts.

[Terra's lips curl into a gentle smile as she listens to Ronan's Hypothetical situation. She hasn't caught on that he's talking about himself yet.]

I don't think he's to blame. [Her expression falls slightly before shifting into a wistful smile.]

I'm sure I would have still done as I was told even without the crown. It's how I knew how to live. The soldiers that were in the army where there for their families, to earn money and to survive. I don't think the world is blank and white. [She shakes her head.] Even if we do something wrong we deserve a second chance to make it right.

That's what I'm trying to do here... by making things grow.

That kid isn't the blame and if he wanted to turn him life around... [Her smile widens.] I think that's amazing. Someone making that sort of choice when it went against what they knew. It isn't easy and not a lot of people can do it.

[He nods, looking over to her and giving her a slight smile. It's an awkward expression, as though he's not used to making it.]

Well, if that kid isn't a bad guy for trying to be someone else, then how are you? Just because of what they used you for, you didn't know any better, and you didn't even have a choice in the matter, and I think you're doing a damned good job.

[He pauses for a moment.]

So, did you guess that kid was me yet?

[Terra smiles in return. Awkward, yes, but it's good to see him smile.]

I thought you might say that.

[At least part way through her response but then she kept speaking as if it was something he wanted to hear. She pauses for a moment and then feels her cheeks warm slightly.]

It's you? I didn't know...

[She feels silly for not realizing it.]

[He chuckles, looking down sheepishly before starting to pick at his salad again.]

See? I'm terrible at talking about myself. I should just stick to asking questions.

[Terra shakes her head.]

No, Its nice to hear about you.

[She smiles.]

You're an amazing person Ronan.

[She is just dense and still learning how to talk to people.]

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