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 Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 6:34 pm
Quote: Gummy Plight (16) : During the Star Festival, seasonal pop-up shops are everywhere. StarSweets is a new candy shop that touts a variety of ‘healthy’ sweets in addition to old classics and new favorites. Their reviews are great, and for good reason! Except, when you go, something’s wrong with your order. As you chew, it suddenly gets gummy, and then it gets tacky, and then you can’t chew at all. It’s so sticky that you can’t open your mouth. The only consolation is that the flavor stays fresh and delicious the entire time. Maybe it takes a few minutes, or a few hours; you can try whatever remedy you want, but if you wait it out it will eventually soften and you can free yourself. Overall it’s harmless, just massively inconvenient, and maybe a bit embarrassing.
Since he wasn't working, focusing instead on his botany degree, Alexandre had more time to himself and more afternoons free. It had still beenawhile since he'd gone to a family hosted high tea, it had been months infact, it had him out of the loop on things which he shouldn't have been so out of the loop on. But he'd been busy with work, and he couldn't bring Aiden in the past or explain things to the other. With the ending of that relationship he'd started attending them again and he didn't have to worry about explaining things or just vanishing. Things had been bad enough without throwing afternoon high tea into the mix.
At least now he could go and Mason was working most afternoons as he knew this wouldn't be the blonds cup of tea. Mason wasn't into high society at all, though he did know enough about it from past experiences. Alexandre respected that enough to not ask the other to join him, when he was home; which he wasn't today.
After all the time spent prepairing things Alexandre and Hudson had headed over to their cousin Chantal's condo in the city, up on the fiftieth floor of the high rise building she lived in. The place was done in a more modern style than Alexandre liked but as he stood leaning on the kitchen counter, while the trays of food were unwrapped, he took a moment to glance about the collected group assembled. Everyone in the room was blond haired, various shades of blond, and blue eyed and all of them were related.
Looking up, and over, towards his Laurent he nodded his head once to the question asked. "Mmm, I made the sandwichs while Hudson did the baking. I didn't get a menu or anything to go off of so I made a few traditional offerings." Waving a hand as he pushed off the counter and went over to his cousins side, the taller blond was two years his junior and working in his mothers lawfirm. He'd made his own way in the company, not having his mother help him, Laurent was a cousin Alexandre got on with fairly well.
"I'll take everything to the table downstairs before you start eating things." From behind Laurent he reached and grabbed a tray of mini sanwichs and headed off across the kitchen, up on the second floor, and down to the spiral of wooden steps to the first floor where round tables were set up for this conspiracy. One table for them to sit and eat and one for the food, and deserts, to be presented. Setting the sandwichs he'd made up on the trays, a nice array of tierd trays, he was careful not to knock or jostle things as he called up to the others in the kitchen. "Hudson, bring down the deserts and set this up with me. Callum, can you grab the tea set and bring it down as well. Let's get this conspiracy started." Bruishing his bangs from his face, tucking them behind his ears as he turned back to the task at hand.
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:22 pm
He had gotten up well before the sun rose to get started on the deserts, something he was more than happy to do. Of course part's of the deserts had been started even earlier as some of them such as the macron's had ingredients that had to set in the refrigerator for hours to settle correctly and get the right consistency. Hux had made sure there would be a variety of flavors as well as a variety of sweetness levels as a few of their cousins loved deserts that were very sweet while some liked ones that had a more savory then sweetness levels like Alex.
Once both the deserts he was making, as well at the sandwiches that Alexandre was putting together, were safely put into travel containers Hux made to to freshen up next. While he didn't tend to act on it normally, he did fully know how to fit in with high society and one did not show up to high tea with flour on them even if it was with family only. With how busy he had been with his job and other duties to the Negaverse, he also had ended up out of the loop so it would be both of them that would be stepping back into the family information network not just Tink alone. Once presentable, it didn't take too long to travel to Chantal's condo, with Hux offering to do most of the carrying of the food.
It always amused him how similar all of the cousins looked in coloring, with just shades different in hair and eyes, though skin tone could vary such as cousin Lucrezia having a nice, natural bronze tone to her skin. Of course he greeted everyone as he helped set up the food with Alex and Callum. "Looks like we are all set and ready to go." He said after one last check that everything was ready.
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:38 pm
Having everything set meant the large round table, inundated with food, also held a full silver tea set and porcelain tea cups and saucers. To the side were both a chilling bottle of white wine and champagne, this was what a full high tea for the house of Evans meant for both himself and Hudson not to mention their other cousins. Sighing he stepped back from the table in order to take in the sight, just as everyone else was coming downstairs to join them.
Moving to pull a chair out for Christine, pushing her back in once she'd seated herself, he went to take a seat as well. "Callum, I heard your wife isn't present because grandmother personally requested her to join her conspiracy to day. Along with your two little ones." It was rare for someone of their age to be asked to the family matriarchs table, everyone in the family tended to stick within their age group unless they were children and than they joined their parents, so for that invite it had to mean something. However, he didn't know if even Calum knew why the invite had been sent two days ago.
It was a wonder no little children were gathered with them, because a few gathered here had children, but they were at other gatherings with his cousins spouses today. This was a childfree conspiracy, something which would not always be the case, and he was fine with this. "Hudson, you mentioned something about that new candy shop in the city." Nodding towards Hudson as he spoke, having heard about the issue shortly after it had happened, it was something worth noting here at this gathering. He knew once they said it here the word would spread to everyone else in the family.
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Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 8:48 pm
Hux had pulled a chair out for Chantal before he seated himself, not even thinking about it before doing so as it was just ingrained into him manner wise. Likely it had been the same for Alex when he had done the same action for Christine. As he fully settled down he watched as Calum did agreed that his wife and children had been personally called away but didn't explain why. It was obvious to the entire table of cousins that he did indeed not know why the family Matriarch had sent the request at that time. It was possible that information would be spread around soon enough though.
At Alex's prompting, Hux nodded his head and looked around at their gathered family. "Yes, there is a new candy shop in the city that everyone should stay away from. It is called StarSweets and while many walk away from it with no consequences, some instead have a mild to serious issue from it." He, as well as a few of the others, started to prepare their tea as he spoke. "It's not a set candy from them, as far as I'm aware, as accounts varied as to what they consumed. However the effects are when a person starts to chew on one of the effected candy, it gets gummy, then tacky, and then shortly after the person can not chew anymore and are then stuck with a sticky bit of candy essentially gluing the mouth shut. The effects can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours I heard." While the effect were mostly mild, it could easily become trouble, especially for those who have children effected by it.
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Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2023 9:06 pm
Hudson and himself had both grown up learning proper etiquette, though they hadn't grown up going to the same conspiracies, they had learned the same lessons. It was the same for everyone at the table, as Laurent was pulling a chair out for another female cousin of theirs. Once everyone was seated and Hudson was talking Alexandre went to pour himself something to drink; avoiding the tea on offer.
"I can see how that can cause a bit of a panic, especially from someone who easily has such affliction." Those who panicked easily would not be pleased with such a predicament he was certain, children also would not fair well. It was something he could see Callum making mental note of, no doubt he'd be telling his wife about this once tea was over and people went about their day.
Wine wasn't his thing, he didn't like to drink and nearly never had in his life, but he also had a rather strong dislike for tea. The only time he ever consumed tea was herbal teas for their medicinal uses and even than he didn't like them; but they were needed. So he'd poured himself a glass of white wine and giving it a swirl, or two, he took a sniff and then another swirl. He might not drink wine but that didn't mean he didn't know what to look for, another lesson he'd had whilst growing up and attending events.
Sipping slowly, the flavor wasn't bad, it was nicely chilled as well. Looking at the bottle he nodded once, mroe to himself, he wasn't surprised to find it was an import. "So we'll let our families know once this conspiracy has concluded." Let word spread amongst the family in order to keep everyone safe. It was how they worked and kept each other, as a family, safe and prosperous.
"Perhaps I should have said something sooner...but I've been working on something, on the side." Looking to Laurent he nodded his head once before he continued. "You work with my mother, no doubt you've heard of the judge who is working against her and the other females in the firm." Waiting until his cousin nodded he took a sip of his drink before he continued. "I've made an alliance with a member of the Sharp family, Melody, and she has been helping me look into the Judge. I've been keeping an eye on him at social events. Perhaps, we might benefit from more eyes on him? I was caught by Melody so no doubt someone else might catch on if it's just us two."
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