[D3 LE] Helping Hand (Chantelle's Apartment)

[Chantelle Rossette]

"Why don' you boys si' yourselves down? Dis is almos' ready." She fetched mugs down from a cupboard, and opened the pantry to take out a tin of gingersnap cookies.

[Marcus Kendall]

Marcus did was asked, flopping his rear down on a chair. His anatomy made it awkward as he had to place his hips close to the edge. His tail, living a life of its own, curled around the back of the chair, the eyes closed. It seemed like the tail was... bored? "Eh, dunno." the best shrugged, turning to face Jack again. "Why you think so?"

[Jack Doyle]

Jack hopped up into a chair.

"I doubt Chantelle would care much for you, if you weren't." he shrugged.

[Chantelle Rossette]

From her smartphone, Chantelle put on some music, her body swaying in time to the jazz-electronica fusion, setting out the cookies on a small plate and bringing them over for Jack and Marcus. She smiled radiantly, absently touching the beast under the ear, in the spot that tweaked his nose, and ruffling Jack's hair as she returned to the stove. Pouring two mugs of cocoa, she added a generous splash of schnapps, and two marshmallows, dusting powdered chocolate over the top. Serving the drinks, the scent of cinnamon and paprika rose from the mugs under the peppermint and chocolate.

[Marcus Kendall]

Marcus murmured his thanks, keeping his tongue in his mouth as he smiled as disarmingly as he could. Mostly he just managed to bare his teeth. His tail kept slumbering, seemingly disinterested. When Chantel touched him, he pressed his head against her fingers.

The scent of the cocoa mixed with that of the alcohol, Chantelle, and Jack. The beast wrinkled his nose, focusing on some of the notes. "That smells pretty good Chantel."

[Jack Doyle]

"It tastes pretty good too." Jack said after a sip.

[Chantelle Rossette]

Happy contentedness swirled around Chantelle in a warm caramel mist. The song changed and, impulsively, the egret twirled, the full skirt of her sundress flaring, the soft fabric floating about her. She sang, moving across the small kitchen with a dancer’s grace, fluid and expressive, pouring the last serve of hot cocoa into a tall, skinny mug for herself.

Her sweet song filled the space, the little apartment suddenly felt like a cathedral, and her voice was filling it all, it was an amphitheater, the music amplified and projected to an audience of thousands. Then the illusion faded, and it was just Chantelle in a small, spotless kitchen on the edge of the French Quarter, with Jack and Marcus looking on. Embarrassed, she rustled her feathers, “mais, pardon, I go’ carry away,” and she busied herself cleaning the saucepan and wiping down the bench and stove tops.


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[D3 LE] Is This Belonging? (Presence 4, Expression 4, Singing 1, Dramatic Voice 1, Striking Looks 1, Nightsinger): 11d10o10h8 5

[Marcus Kendall]

The beast's attention snapped back to the songstress, his tail flaring out ever so slightly. "Damn." was all he managed to say when Chantelle finished. "I could listen you all day, all night." There was an off softness to his voice, rather unbecoming for a man-wolf. "Nothing to be sorry about." It didn't even occur to him that her neighbors might have been less happy with the impromptu musical. "You have a really beautiful voice."

[Chantelle Rossette]

The egret was probably blushing under her feathers as she left the kitchen spotless once more and wrapped her long fingers around the narrow mug. Leaning against the bench, she sipped her beak and took a long drink. When she lifted her head again, there was cocoa on her beak, and she primly wiped it away with a napkin.

[Marcus Kendall]

Marcus sniffled his cocoa for a good while before gingerly taking a sip from it. Drinking more sticky beverages was easier said that done with his anatomy and soon there was a brown much stuck near the tip of his snout. The beast knew it, he could smell the stuff on his fur. But, he was used to worse and figured that he could always take a swim in the bayou later.

"Mhmhm. It's very nice." the beast growled, sounding happy. "Anyone else hiding here?" There was a hint of tease in his voice.