[Vivian] A run-in with the mill

[Gloomcrest]

23rd of Ash, 4622

“A new season, new opportunities….”

The alistian rogue couldn’t help but smile for a moment as he gazes outside into the windowsill. Sunrise, which splashes the skies in golden wheat yellows & apricot cirrus clouds, is contrasted with the true blue backdrop that paints the ethereal nature of the landless world above.

“Hey, Jared; Get back to it. We got a busy day, and the loaves of bread aren’t going to make it themselves & you need to make some biscuits. The people love it and hope you got some more ideas brewing up that noggin of yours!

A bold, burly-looking man with a classic full beard with the hues of straw blonde and splashes of dark blonde thrown in the mix pipes up at the distracted thief.

“Oh right! Sorry about that!”

Jared smiles underneath his face cloth as he resumes back to his work for the day. Within the last month or two, the alistian thief managed to land some work as a baker in the rural areas within Genteven. In a way, it was a killing two birds with one stone kind of situation for the nightfallen thief; as it was an excellent cover to use, a method to earn income outside of his larcenist ways & a job he could sustain if he felt ill while training his capabilities with his raw magic.

For today’s workload, Jared was tasked with making the loaves of stone-milled maslin bread; the refined-gorgeous white bread was often left to the elites of society, and only the finest bakers were allowed to make such prized items, which Jared would often mentally scoff at.

White bread was easy to make from his experience, it was more about having access to better quality ingredients that affects a baker’s performance, but Jared couldn’t complain. He was still training in his personal opinion, even though it was stated numerous times by the owner of the bakery he was working in how he was lucky to get a talented baker.

Nevertheless, the alluring smell of baked maslin bread lingers in the air & the scent of sweetened biscuits and dough permeates through the sea breeze that roams throughout the City of Monuments.

[Vivian]

Oh the City of Monuments was a wonderful place to explore, and Vivian's nose had caught on something wonderful. In the slums of Amoren, bread was a luxury. Dried out crusts were filling, easily wetted with water or beer, and filled out the gaps in watery stews. Bread was precious. Even in the Socorro household, the Veir got the freshly baked loaves and the servants got the cool leftovers. Even then, it wasn't the highest quality. It was good bread, but their chef used it as a utility and not as a staple. Vivian's nose was catching the scent of something that was like bread, but if bread was blessed by the gods themselves.

He followed the scent through the streets, relying on his nose, until he came to a small bakery. Oh, what perfection. Loaves set to cool in perfect little rows, looking like little golden brown lumps of glory. One could offer Vivian a gold bar and a steaming loaf of whatever that was, and Vivian would always choose the latter. He stood at the window for a time, mouth watering and his eyes watching the machinations of the bakery. It was going to be busy soon; servants were already lining up to buy the morning bread for their houses, and by the looks of the servants the bread wasn't going to be cheap. Damn. Vivian's chances of affording a loaf to himself were already slim to none.

Or were they?

He crept around the back of the bakery. The scent was stronger back here, where the kitchens were. Flour bathed the air, wafting heaven on the wind. Vivian's stomach snarled. Maybe it was the idea of stealing from the rich. Maybe it was the promise of that buttery crunch that came from biting into a fresh loaf of bread. Maybe it was the pregnancy. But Vivian absolutely had to get his fingers on a loaf. Maybe some of the biscuits he saw cooling on the counter. Right. This was going to be a quick sneak operation. Sneak in, get into the bread, get out with as much food as he could possibly carry in his stomach.

Vivian looked around the alleyway and came upon a flour sack. Perfect. It was discarded next to the garbage, but clean enough that it had likely been used that morning. He grabbed it, and, looking as much as possible like he was trying to find a place to put it, came inside the back door of the bakery. Vivian had found that while sneaking into a place garnered a lot of attention, just acting like you were supposed to be there garnered a lot more success. He was close. He tossed the sack aside the minute he was in the building proper, and crept over to the cooling racks.

There they were. Maslin bread. White, fluffy, just the perfect amount of golden brown on the outside. He seized one of the loaves, swearing under his breath at the heat, and sank his teeth into it. His eyelids fluttered. His eyes rolled back into his head and he tore off a great hunk in his teeth. "Oh...my gods..." he mumbled around the cheekful of the most delicious thing ever to touch his tongue. And that included most men.

It was as soft as a god's pillow. Subtle, sweet and buttery flavor. The perfect texture. He had to have more. Vivian stood there, devouring the loaf of bread like a mad starving thing. He polished off the loaf in record time, and seized another.

[Gloomcrest]

TIME STAMP

It is true that in the short amount of time that Jared started to work at the rustic bakery on the outskirts of Genteven. However, the Alistian Thief didn’t realise how much of an impact his craft in the culinary fields would garner a build-in reputation; Something, the thief, would like to avoid entirely.

Letting out a rather loud wheeze before quickly coughing into his elbow, the same sensation runs through the Nightfallen Mage’s body, the same sense of nausea & weakness that occurred a season ago. The natural reaction of the soul filtering out the radioactive ether that flows in his very veins itself.

“Hey, going to need a moment to get some fresh air!”

“Alright, but make it quick; Lots of people are coming in to collect their loaves of bread & other possible goods, and we can’t afford to waste time now.”

As the weird feeling began to build, the amber-eyed chef quickly made his way towards the side of the building, which goes into one of the alleyways that shortcut throughout the City of Monuments. Taking a moment to look around, the thief quickly moves over to a small pile of garbage, to which he coughs up chunks of radioactive ether, though it seems unpleasant, and the feeling of throwing up marble-sized pieces of solid matter confirms that.

“Uhhhh… Fucking terrible, but at the very least, this weird ass nausea is slowly fading….”

Taking a moment to pull out a waterskin that he keeps on to the side of his belt, Jared begins to take a few deep gulps of well-water to help rehydrate himself and rinse his mouth of the terrible taste of removing one’s stomach contents out of his mouth yet while doing so. But, then, a figure catches his eye; A pale-skinned, silvery-blonde man whose appearance seems out of place for someone to come into the slums creeping around the back of the building where the majority of the baked goods were stored to cool down.

“Huh, now that is new…. Don’t see too many people like them.”

The Alistian Sorcerer mutters before his gaze picking up slight ticks that reveal some intentions; After all, Jared is a thief at heart and figuring out if someone was on the prowl to steal wasn’t all too uncommon.

He took a moment to quiet his steps by lacing his boots with a thin veil of Umbralplasm. The Journeyman Baker takes a moment to look around, checking if there are other thieves or witnesses around his temporary workplace. Shadowing the would-be thief was an understatement, but overall, the intentions of the theft were more intriguing to Jared than anything else; Food can be replaced, after all.

Peeking around the corner & controlling how much of his shadow looms in broad daylight wasn’t an easy task. Naturally, the Nightfallen rogue preferred a moonlit night when conducting these kinds of operations, but for now, something interesting was happening at the very place he worked. Witnessing for a moment, this strange lad picked up a used flour sack before looking about again as if he was searching for something before entering through the back.

“Reminder to lock the backdoor when you are done tossing the trash….”

This event is very confusing for the Alistian man as in this kind of scenario, Jared would be in this stranger’s shoes. He is looking for a way in, seeking an opportunity when it presents itself before slipping away into a crowd or shadows that gloss the city itself.

Closing in on the would-be thief, the amber-eyed baker takes a moment to peer through the backdoor, left slightly ajar by no means of its own accord as the wooden door was in great need of repairs it to close correctly.

As the thief continued to watch, the act was then committed. This silvery-blonde hair man reaches out to one of the many Maslin Breads he made up at the crack of dawn with his grubby fingers before tearing his work apart and consuming one of the many golden-brown loaves as if one was in deep bliss.

Not wanting to see more of his work get destroyed, the would-be thief getting caught & the guards being called in. The amber-eyed thief steps in before letting out a deep cough.

“Ya know, if you wanted to eat some of the loaves, you should have waited until dusk when the leftovers get tossed out or pay for it as any other person would.”

Jared couldn’t help but smirk underneath his black facecloth, his short yet wavy soot-coloured hair covered in flour. In a way, the thief wasn’t the most intimidating person as he was currently wearing a linen shirt with a flour-covered apron & slightly baggy pants, which were also covered in flour. The only fierce feature that the thief could muster was his deep amber-hue eyes and the many scars that run along the Journeyman baker’s hands & wrist, an indication of experiencing some level of combat in the past.

“I’m only saying this as a fellow thief that getting caught in broad daylight would get you into trouble real fast, and I don’t want a fellow thief getting into deep waters now.”

[Vivian]

Maybe his stomach had gotten the better of him, but nothing could match the sensations on his tongue. This was what he wanted out of life. He wanted Alistair by his side as he sliced a loaf of this in the morning, slathered it with warm butter, and ate the whole thing by noon. He wanted this to be the bread of his household, something his child would grow up eating and never know about picking cockroach bits out of your teeth when you ate bread in Amoren. Ye gods, why had he wasted his time spreading his legs for leftovers when he could have been stealing this?

Right, well, he knew the answer. Getting a hand removed was a lot worse than getting a man’s parts down your throat and being a little hoarse.

Vivian enjoyed the second loaf, nuzzling his nose into it and inhaling the scent. He was eating this one a little more slowly, having learned his lesson with Degare’s storeroom. Eating too much too fast would result in him throwing up glorious golden brown vomit in a ditch somewhere, and he wanted to keep this down. Honestly, he had a hell of an appetite before the pregnancy and it was only getting worse a quarter season through it. His nose led him around, his cravings were ferocious when they did appear, and it seemed this time his child had chosen the bakery as a target. Lord help him, this thing was going to get him hung.

Vivian stood stock still at the sound of a voice, and turned around. Ah well, caught. At least it was by the baker. He swallowed, smiled, and leaned against the counter. “If I waited until you tossed it in the trash, I wouldn’t get to experience it warm right out of the oven. Besides, you and I both know affording this is out of the question.” Vivian smiled, ripping off a bit and eating the tender white fluff slowly. “Fellow thief? You’ve got enough flour on you…did you make this?”

Right. Keep him engaged in conversation, sneak toward cookies, grab cookies and run. It was a chaotic plan, but Vivian liked to lean toward smash and grab whenever he was caught.

[Gloomcrest]

#### of Ash, 4622

“Yea? What about it? It isn’t too hard to make bread; anyone can do it; All about the practice and willingness to get it right.”

Jared couldn’t help but cross his arms, kind of giving himself a self-hug as he didn’t want to admit that he enjoyed cooking or baking. In a way, it kind of upsets him a little as he always associated cooking with being a domestic house-husband which isn’t something the amber-eyed thief sees as such.

“If you want to know how to cook or bake, it just takes some practice. Just like with anything else.”

The amber-eyed thief watches as the feminine male continues to another loaf of bread, making the nightfallen magus chuckle underneath his facecloth. Finally, the thief couldn’t help but lean over to the side of the door's wooden frame, smiling, which can be easily told by the way his cheekbones raise & the corner of his eyes wrinkle up.

His gaze acted as if a cat was stalking through the night & watching its surroundings for the slight change in movements. It isn’t uncommon for Jared to be on alert since most of his life was spent on the streets as an urchin who barely managed to get out due to thievery.

“Nonetheless, If you want something to eat, you can wait for a couple hours when my shift is done for today. Then, I can make you something with some leftover scraps from the bakery. Won’t be too fancy but at least hearty at the very least.”

It is no wonder that Jared had much work ahead of him; It had only been about a month or two since he started working at the rural bakery but from his guess. Word of mouth about his baked goods seems to be popular among the crowd, and while that is all nice, The journeyman baker didn’t like the idea of his cooking garnering some sort of reputation. The mere thought caused the thief to flinch before quickly recomposing himself.

Something didn’t seem right to Jared. The young male in front of him was consuming a relatively large quantity of starches; A single loaf should be enough to feed a family of four for a single day, yet this stranger was already digging into the second loaf. Deciding to push the boundaries a little bit, the charcoal-haired baker speaks up with his usual husky, low tone.

“You are eating quite a lot there. What gives?”

[Vivian]

“I don’t know how to bake.” Vivian admitted around another mouthful of bread, swallowing it down. His tongue darted out and swept around the corners of his mouth for any stray crumbs. “This is nothing short of sorcery. How do you turn boring white dust, a little water, and an egg into this beautiful fluffy thing?” He grinned, trying to ease the other. He didn’t quite know why the other man was being a bit defensive about baking; Vivian held him in the highest respects. Entente didn’t mean anything to the man. Evil is as evil does. But a humble creature who could turn powdered grass into god’s pillows was the best kind of mage.

Vivian slowed his eating a bit. He was caught now, but he didn’t seem to be in any danger. At least, not for the moment. He could properly enjoy it now, taking smaller bites and savoring how the softness dissolved on his tongue. Nobles didn’t know how good they had it. What insane man took this loaf, let it sit on the counter for a day only to demand it the next morning with a haughty ‘cook it again, but only lightly!’?

Vivian eyed him. An offer to feed him? These days he’d be hungry in another two or three hours. Growth was relentless. He understood every pregnant woman’s cravings now; children were demanding even inside of the womb and this one had very expensive taste. What was next, sliced beef and cheese? “Want any help? I’ve no problem working for my food.” Vivian offered. It also meant he could see the process up close, unless this kitchen mage guarded his bread secrets.

After all, Azunath’s will was change and transformation. Wasn’t he duty bound to give this at least a shot?

The corners of his mouth quirked up a bit at the baker’s question, and he patted his belly. “Eating for two.” He explained with a proud smile. “And before you question how a man can get knocked up, I’m a Malformity mage. Best not to ask questions you don’t want the answers to.” He crammed the last of the second loaf in his mouth, cheeks burgeoning, and clapped his hands. “Wheremf mwe starfing?”

[Gloomcrest]

#### of Ash, 4622

Jared couldn’t help but laugh for a moment as he watched Vivian consume his work, albeit at a slower pace now, and enjoy his work. The nightfallen thief couldn’t blame the man for eating so fast; when you are a child on the streets, anything goes, and when you are fighting to survive in a broken world, you do what you must.

“That doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to bake or not; Anyone can learn anything, some might be harder than others & some are naturally talented at it than others but with time & dedication. You can learn even the basics & master it. You will still be achieving something.”

The amber-eyed baker spoke as if it was faithful to him; In essence, Anyone can learn anything if you are willing, and that was one of the mottos that the apprentice thief has kept in mind for most of his career and life in general.

“Not sure if the bakery is looking for workers at the moment, but when the shop closes, I am sure I can do some teaching here & there. Live within your means, after all.”

As the newfound stranger continues to eat, It only becomes more apparent that his friend* had a slightly roundish belly that wasn’t as noticeable from afar but now seeing the effeminate male was indeed carrying something. From the further explanation, the thief looked quite surprised as he tilted his head to the side in utter confusion.

“Wait… What do you mean pregnant… Is that even possible?”

The baker felt very confused as, despite knowing more about his cooking & thievery as a whole, the mere concept of a man being knocked up and carrying a child felt bizarre. It was only by further clarification from the stranger that this was from a form of magic that he was unfamiliar with sort of makes it digestible for the thief’s mind to handle.

“Okay…. Well, that is rather weird, but I would push any further but curiosity is going to kill to ask… but restraint is much preferred.”

The amber-eyed thief felt a bit uncomfortable as he moved his right hand over to his left shoulder and began to rub his arm slightly, a nervous tick that he had other than adjust his facecloth. His exposed neck, ears & cheeks turn a light shade of pink as his mind begins to wander about how a man could be pregnant since his own experience with physical intimacy is little to none.

As the other male asked what else needed to be consumed. The thief seems a bit surprised by it as it is not customary to eat much; from his guess, if this continues, the man in front of him could consume silos of grain & starve out people.

“Ummmmm… I was planning to make some stew since it is easy to make and can last for a couple of days if you are liberal with your portions….”

[Vivian]

Vivian chewed the hunk of bread in his mouth, and tilted his head. “Could you teach me then? After the shop closes?” He asked hopefully, ripping off another lovely piece. This thief was indeed passionate about his work, but Vivian had to question why he was here instead of stealing and moving on. Perhaps it was easier to make this than he was thinking…perhaps this other thief had a good thing going by baking every day. Someone would pay him, he could make a loaf for himself, and take food home every day. It was a bit sedentary to Vivian, but he could see the appeal. He grinned when the other man asked about his condition, looking a bit flummoxed by the idea.

“It’s possible.” Vivian said lightly, winking as he chewed. “I’m a Malformist, and my speciality is insects. Insects don’t adhere to the same rules as every other animal. Some of them can be male and female, and carry children. My magic gave me the same gift, and you know how it is with men. Give them something fun to stick it into, and they’ll run with the idea.” He chuckled.

He perked up at the idea of a stew, and hefted the rest of his bread loaf. “Well we have bread to go with the stew; what do we do first!” He was definitely excited at the prospect. He’d be just as hungry again in the hour it would take to cook.

[Gloomcrest]

#### of Ash, 4622

As the bread thief continues to chew apart the chunk of bread, watching as Vivian tilts his head in a slightly curious manner from Jared’s perspective. The charcoal-hair thief nods.

“More than happy to teach a fellow street rat to bake; After all, it is tough living on the streets and fighting for food, shelter & turf isn’t any better.”

The amber-eyed thief takes a moment to push himself off the door frame he was leaning on and make his way over to the wooden stool, pulling it towards him before taking a seat in a seated crouch.

“Something is on your mind? Care to spill the tea or not; I don’t care as long as you are comfortable with sharing your thoughts.”

Jared is a somewhat curious person. His recent improvement in investigating various paths & finding hidden objects has lent itself to finding some potential cues that people give off, or possibly Vivian’s head tilt was making the thief think more than needed.

“Alright, you're a Malformist & you deal with insects… You must explain exactly that as I am unfamiliar with the term….”

The Journeyman Baker seemed a bit confused by the terms as he relayed the curious in the form of a head tilt of his own, but that brief moment in confusion changed to a quick smile as the other male expressed interest in making some stew.

“We have some leftover bread to make edible bowls; We can make a hearty stew with meat and vegetables, but my favourite is making a stew with mushrooms. Very tasty and can have a meat-like texture and experience if you know how to prepare it properly.”

Making a hearty stew would generally take a bit of time, but the cunning thief had a few tricks up his sleeves to make the process move much faster if he wasn’t taking his sweet time in making the dish, but the nightfallen mage likes to take his time and assess what is going on before acting.

[Vivian]

Vivian pulled over a spare stool and copied the other thief, crossing one leg over the other. "Well, I was wondering...how is it a thief gets a position at a bakery and doesn't steal anything? I couldn't keep my fingers off of these beauties." he waved around the last third of the bread loaf. "Why would you bake here, when you can just take a few loaves. They aren't really secure or anything. I just waltzed right in." He shrugged his shoulders. He was curious to know the answer. Thieves weren't usually gainfully employed. Vivian was under the impression his fellow sisters and brothers with sticky fingers did so precisely because they spurned hard manual labor. Working all day with hot ovens and heavy sacks of flour, for instance.

"Malformists seek to understand the world around themselves by transforming into animals. We use empathy to understand them by putting ourselves quite literally in anothers' shoes." Vivian explained. "I like insects and crawling things. Pretty much anything that would make the average woman scream. I'm not a complicated girl. I see the unwanted and unloved, judged for their appearances and dismissed as weak due to their size." He smirked. "Not unlike myself."

He did lick his lips at the idea of the stew. "Tell you what, I'm more of a meat enthusiast myself. Why don't we do both? Add mushrooms and meat together, make a heartier stew we can both enjoy. And if you really don't like meat all that much...it's my specialty to suck down some extra." Vivian smirked at his own little joke. "I can't pay you for the lesson....but I can give you a blowjob that'll make your toes curl. Sound fair?"