guffawsungraciously | psl time: single dad au edition

...Oh, I must. At the very least, she needs a hat lest she catches a draft.

[He brings the bassinet over to where he laid the clothes out, and looks them over, before picking out the chick hat and a white gown. He very gingerly picks her up so he can change her clothes, and then once the gown is on, he puts her hat on and sets her back in the bassinet.

There are a few confused squeaks as he does so, but once she's dressed, she seems... well... generally baffled by the experience, as most babies are, but she isn't upset, at the very least.

She also looks very cute, and Jasper's... trying not to clutch his chest... from how adorable...]

[Hendrik watches as his friend fuss over his daughter, feeling a warmth in his chest at the sight. Has Jasper ever looked so touched and pleased with something?

But perhaps he shouldn't be marveling over something like that. Of course having a family would make Jasper happy, after going without the majority of his life.

He's sure it would be the same for himself.

He walks over to look at Celestine, snorting in amusement at her wide-eyed, baffled expression. It's made especially funny by the chick hat and the tuft of blue hair peeking out between her brows.]

She looks quite confused. And very cute. Excellent choice.

Ah, I am sure she will not be confused for long. She will get used to it, I imagine.

She will certainly continue to be adorable, though.

[He smooths out some of the fabric and picks up her bassinet again, then nods.]

Now I believe we are ready.

[Stepping back with a nod, Hendrik leads the way over to the doors, holding one open so Jasper does not have to juggle between the bassinet and the door. Then it's off to the dining hall, which is not all the far away from their rooms and still close to the kitchens.

The winter months tend to be quieter in the castle to match the slowness of the city beyond the walls. There are still occasional visits from foreign nobles carrying proposals and treaties for the king's attention, but the general air is peaceful.

When they were much, much younger, these winter months were when he and Jasper would be at their worst together, whether it be inside or outside of the castle.]

[Jasper always somewhat preferred the quiet of the winter months, even if he had mixed feelings about the season in general. The only people around were generally his favorite people or, at the very least, people he didn’t dislike, and it was a little easier to relax and let loose because of that. There are a few guards somewhat lazily patrolling who offer Hendrik a salute as the two pass, but it’s a fairly uneventful walk to the dining hall. When they get there, Jasper sets Celestine down on the table, and... ah, one of the kitchen cats that’s particularly fond of him has promptly spotted him and made a beeline for his legs. He does chuckle a bit at that as he bends down to scratch him behind the ears.]

...oh, well, everyone is just demanding my attention today, are they not?

[Oh no. When one of the kitchen mousers strolls into the dining hall, Hendrik gives it considerable breadth. While his cat fur sensitivities are rather inconsistent, he doesn't want to risk dealing with sneezing fits for the rest of the day.

So he leans against the table on the other side, watching Jasper settle the bassinet on the tabletop.]

Is there anything specific you are craving? Perhaps the staff will have the ingredients to take a request for dinner tonight.

[...right, he probably should try and keep this cat occupied, at least so it doesn’t bother Hendrik. Also do babies get allergies this early? Goddess, he hopes not. He doesn’t want his daughter to be deprived of the joy of cats.

...that is certainly a question, though. Hmmm...]

Well, given I was running around town in the snow earlier today, I will admit to being in the mood for some hot soup or stew if it is available. If not, I would be happy enough with some roast chicken.

If the apprentice knights are being fed the same meals we had at their age, they may have porridge or stew leftovers. I can check on that.

[Chicken was the most common protein available, given how quickly they could be raised and how they laid eggs even when not breeding. They were also not predisposed to learn how to tell the weather, unlike cows. Chances were good that there would be a chicken dish somewhere in the menu, whether it be a full roasted chicken or baked into a pie.

A smile tugs at his lips as he inquires further.]

Shall I check what they are intending for dessert?

I would be surprised if they were not, especially for a send off meal. I remember that the cooks were always a adamant to ensure the trainees had a good meal to keep them warm on the trek home.

[Chicken was also tasty.

But anyway, he smirks at Hendrik as the cat grows bored and he sits down properly.]

Must you even ask that question, Hendrik?

[Hendrik chuckles as that smirk is aimed in his direction, nodding in acknowledgment. Yes, he really didn't need the extra confirmation, especially after his assumption had proven correct yesterday when he'd brought those leftover desserts to Jasper's room.]

Then I will be back shortly. Do not be surprised if some of the ladies stop by when they hear Celestine is out and about.

[With that said, Hendrik exits the dining hall to head to the kitchens. Unsurprisingly, some of the cooks ask how Celestine is doing, having heard from the maids that he had been taking care of her. There's such happy chatter in the warm and wonderfully-smelling kitchen that Hendrik sees no reason to not linger and answer.

Yes, the baby is well; she is with her father right now. She drank a good deal of her bottle; she will definitely need another bottle for the evening. Yes, Jasper seems to be doing well so far. Yes, he does look cute with a baby.

Er. Well. Thankfully no one catches how he pauses at that.

The cooks soon usher him out; they are hardly going to have the general standing around while they continue cooking. After hearing they are preparing pear tarts and berry cobbler for dessert, Hendrik heads back towards the dining hall.

It's in the quiet of moving between the two areas that Hendrik is struck by how ... happy he has been in the last day or so. It's especially notable considering how preoccupied he's otherwise been.

Has he truly been under so much stress the past three years?]

Oh, I most certainly will not. I imagine she will like the attention.

[She hasn't hated it so far, anyway! Jasper and Celestine do, at least, get to spend a little quality family time together, although... it's a little awkward once they're alone together. He wonders if he should talk to her... but she can't understand him, probably.

...

Well, perhaps that doesn't matter. Actually, maybe it's a bonus, especially if he keeps his voice low enough...]

...you really have no idea how much of a boon you have been, do you? Honestly, I had never put much thought into the idea of starting a family, but...

[...oh, thank the Goddess, he heard one of the maids squealing before he could get any sappier. There were still members of the staff who hadn't gotten to meet the baby yet, and they were all clearly excited. Strangely, Celestine almost seems to have more energy for dealing with people than Jasper, as while he just kind of... answers when questioned... while she looks curiously between all the people present and lets out some intrigued burbles.

....the hat is definitely a hit. Everyone loves it, and Jasper feels a weird swell of pride from being able to pick out something that cute. They also seem weirdly insistent on asking him to hold her, which, well, okay, he might as well. He gingerly picks her up and adjusts her so she's comfortable, and...

...oh, right, girls love it when handsome men hold babies. WELL, SURE. He may as well give the ladies what they want! They are very sparkle-eyed over the whole thing, and one of them mentions that she saw Hendrik holding her earlier and that was weirdly cute, too...

...he very nearly agrees out loud but catches himself. In any case, everyone is still chatting when Hendrik returns, and Celestine seems quite content as long as she's being held.

Jasper actually seems content, too. He's not flirting or anything, but the positive attention isn't... actually unwelcome, particularly given that he'd kind of expected worse.]

[Hendrik hears the voices of others before he reaches the dining hall again, and he pauses outside the doors, listening to some of the ladies on the castle staff show their enthusiasm over Celestine's presence. They speak excitedly to Jasper, fawning over him and his daughter.

It really emphasizes how much the castle staff are a part of their lives. While there are a good deal of young maids nowadays, there are others who have known them since they were apprentice knights.

So he's smiling when enters the room, nodding to some of staff who greet him as he enters. It's a pleasant atmosphere that belies what he knows of the world beyond the walls and the rising number of aggressive monsters.

He smiles at Jasper as he catches his eye, peering in close to see Celestine burbling at the enthusiastic but relatively quiet interaction. Heavens, she seemed to deal with crowd better than either of them.

Of course, she seems to be a little charmer. Perhaps that's just to be expected.]

[Jasper finds himself smiling as Hendrik enters again, and he does adjust Celestine so she’ll be able to see Hendrik a bit better, too.]

How good to see you returning to us, Hendrik. What is on the menu today?

[One of the older maids encourages the others to give the three a little space so they can eat in peace on account of having a busy day shopping or babysitting. Most do, though two promise to leave when the food is out...]

[As Jasper adjusts Celestine in his arms, Hendrik think about how pleasant it will be when she is old enough to hold up her head and sit up in Jasper's arms. It will be fun to see what catches her attention and what will hold her curious eyes for an extended amount of time.]

Root vegetable stew and roasted chicken. It sounds like they are hopeful for venison in the next few days, so that may be something to look forward to. Dessert dishes will be berry cobbler and pear tarts.

[Pear was at least not so incredibly sweet that he may be able to enjoy it.]

[Jasper independently thinks roughly the same, honestly. Celestine is very cute as a wiggly useless loaf that makes noises every so often, but it will definitely be nice when she has more motor control, strength, and ability to express herself... it will be easier for him to parse her moods, at least. He does gently rock her just because she likes it!]

Ah, that all sounds fantastic. Granted, I rather hope you do not mind me passing you some of my potatoes so I can save room for more cobbler.

[like he loves carrots, but he doesn't want to fill up on starches when there's dessert waiting for him.]

[Hendrik chuckles at Jasper's decision to trade away some of his food for a chance to eat more of his dessert. It's not an unfamiliar decision by any means, considering their preferences for savory and sweet foods had not changed over the years.]

I would never say no to a well-cooked potato. Or mushroom.

[Well. Mushrooms seemed perfectly fine to eat raw. Potatoes not so much.]

A comment was made about eating a whole chicken between us, but I am not that hungry.

I cannot complain too much about it, all things considered.

[Jasper adjusts Celestine a bit so he can sit down while holding her, because while it is a touch unwieldy, he really doesn’t want to stop holding her yet...

...

And he thinks a bit about that, actually.]

I think we probably could if we were not planning on eating anything else.

Indeed. But one of the benefits of being home is the welcome variety of food.

[He smiles when he sees Jasper take a seat, approaching to stand by his chair and look down at father and daughter. He has to get a certain angle and wait for Jasper to look his way, but it's fascinating to see those familiar gold eyes reflected on Celestine's tiny face.]

Has she fussed at all? Or shown any interest in eating?

Ah, I am certain. I imagine you have not eaten terribly well while you have been out on the road, have you?

[Jasper looks down at Celestine after Hendrik's question. She is burbling a bit intently, though she does not seem upset just yet... but hm.]

I think she is getting a bit hungry, yes. You are hungry, are you not?

[He’ll reach out for the bottle and bring it over to her. She does squawk a bit expectantly, so he smiles and brings it to her mouth.]

Well, I am sure you can eat first. You are a growing girl, after all.

We eat well enough for what we are doing, but it is obvious where the skilled cooks are whenever we return to Heliodor.

[Fortunately, there is no shortage of edibles on the road, even if Hendrik quickly finds himself missing breads and more complex savory dishes that require more time and care than they usually had while camped out.

He blinks at Celestine's little squawk, surprised by her apparent enthusiasm. But it's hard not to smile again when she latches onto the bottle.]

Ah, so she was waiting. What a patient child.

[...He may be giving her too much credit.]

Well, I did follow your advice so she would not get too terribly demanding. I will encourage her to be more outspoken when she can articulate her desires reasonably well.

[Jasper makes a few minor adjustments so Celestine can eat more comfortably, especially since she is fairly enthusiastic about it.]

...honestly, it is a bit difficult to tell whether she was really that hungry or if she is simply a bit intense in her enjoyment of things.

If she was very hungry, I am fairly sure she would have fussed and then cried, especially if she has cried before.

[As he watches Celestine drink, he pulls out the chair beside Jasper and slides into it. He ponders on the comment about intensity.]

I suppose there is no way of knowing until she is somewhat older. An avid eater is not a bad thing, with a baby. As long as she is not making herself sick.

[It's not long before some of the maids arrive to prepare for the meal with flatware and utensils, as well as freshly baked bread presumably as an accompaniment for the stew.]

Ah, that is good, then. I suppose I can simply assume she is enjoying herself for now, since I do believe she cried when she was hungry...

[She does, at least, kind of look like she's enjoying herself. It's cute. She's so cute.

After the maids are done setting the places for the two and begin to leave, one of them perhaps not so subtly wonders aloud if the handsome Sir Hendrik would, perhaps, also be in the market for starting a family, and another shushes her with a bit of a giggle...

...

Jasper's expression doesn't change much at that, but he does find himself reaching for some bread to, you know, start on. Bread... good....]

[Hendrik nods politely as the maids set the table, momentarily distracted by the prospect of food to not notice the remark made aloud. When he does, his expression freezes as those words rattle around in his head.]

Ah... Perhaps in the future. It is a pleasant idea.

[It's not really meant to entice the maids, but they leave in a cloud of stifled giggles to likely help with the dinner prep. Hendrik's expression returns to a resting frown, brows knitting together in thought as he picks at a roll of bread as well.

What a funny thought. Coming up twice in so many days? ...Hm.]

[oh, wait. oh god. he can't actually reach for the bread his hands are full. Celestine grumpily admonishes him for even slightly moving the bottle! how dare he.

He looks down to see if he's accidentally made a mess and... oof, kind of, yeah, but he can't really... address it until she's done... sigh. he can't get distracted like this...

...

should he ask... Hendrik for help... no, he should probably handle this himself.

...

well, it's not like she'll be eating that much longer... the bottle is almost empty, after all. he'll just sit in mildly agitated silence until then...]

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