04. upon thyself thy beauty's legacy

[keepscalm]

Characters: England and all of the cultured people. Open!
Setting: Floor 25.
Format: Starting action, but will match!
Summary: England is having a teatime picnic. It's long overdue. Threadjacking is okay and welcomed! Join an existing thread and make it a tea party or make a new thread.
Warnings: Probably language since it's England. Also possibly threadjacking, so just say in the subject if you don't want that!

[So there is no fancy garden table and chairs or quaint little sitting room, but the innocuous spring floor is almost as nice. He's laid out a length of cloth snatched from the workshop floor to act as a makeshift blanket, and has a teaset out, with a full pot of tea, multiple cups, and sugar. No milk or honey, due to the restrictions of the Tower's kitchen, but he can deal.

And he's actually smiling a little. Do you dare risk disrupting him in this almost fugue-like state?

Of course you do, he's just a silly grump with pretty plates and big eyebrows. Come join him for tea.]

Comments

[queenofbass]

<sub>[That sunhat of hers was getting more and more usage as her time in the tower went on, Marceline noticed, and especially as there was more time spent on the meadow level of the tower. It was almost like being home again without the war relics slowly covering over with moss and rusting out to harmless shells. She's more than used to these walks being quiet and uneventful.

Stumbling onto England's tea party? Well, that's certainly something else.]</sub>

Hey, what's with the picnic?

[keepscalm]

[Does it really count as a picnic if he has no food to go with the tea? Because he doesn't. Thank goodness for everyone that he didn't feel like struggling with the Tower's limited kitchen supply to actually cook something, because no one wants food poisoning.

But, sandwiches short of a picnic aside, England looks up at Marceline from his totally dignified seat on the not-blanket on the ground, still smiling faintly. He sets down his teacup and saucer to greet her properly.]

Ah, Marceline. Good day. It's... [Oh wait now he's embarrassed. He didn't expect having to explain himself. His smile fades to be replaced with a slight blush.] ...well, I haven't had a relaxing tea time in quite a while. I thought I was due for one.

[He nods to the tea set, in spite of his embarrassment.] Would you like to join me?

[queenofbass]

<sub>[Man, has it been forever since she was confronted with a real gentleman. No, really, forever. Of course that's what one gets when living life on the fringes more often than not. And of course she's totally not blushing or pretending she's seen a highly interesting butterfly off to the side.

No way. She's too cool for that kind of junk.]</sub>

Tea, huh? I guess you'd be due for it, especially after all the crazy stuff that's happened recently.

_{[It's been a while since she's actually sat anywhere, not just hovered but actually settled her butt somewhere, and that it's the ground would be all the more surprising to anyone who knew her back home, but there she is.]}

I dunno if I can drink any but I'll keep ya company at least. If it's got red in it I should be able to handle it though.

[keepscalm]

[Thankfully for Marceline, England is so poor with little cues like that that he doesn't even notice any hiccup in her totally cool composure.]

It's a stress reliever. [For him, anyways. He got caffeine headaches so badly when he first got here and couldn't keep a damn schedule for his tea.] And I'm quite glad for your company, even if you choose not to partake. [He then looks at Marceline with polite intrigue.] Though, if I might ask...what do you mean by red? The colour?

[That...doesn't make much sense, unless she means red tea.]

[guiltapalooza]

Ohhhh, hey, tea! [This is one of Willow's favorite floors, so she'd been wandering around it at random, enjoying the scenery.

But tea time is a big improvement and always welcome.] May I join you, Mr. Kirkland? [she asks, putting on a fake pompous voice, entirely at odds with her grin.]

[keepscalm]

[He looks up at Willow with a spark of amusement, well-hidden behind his teacup, which is conveniently raised to his lips.]

It would be my greatest honour, Miss Rosenberg. [...alright to be honest he sounds pretty pompous all the time anyways considering his default high-class English accent, but he's pretty clearly joking around, considering their first name agreement.]

[guiltapalooza]

[Since she's wearing an ankle-length skirt today, Willow takes the opportunity to give an awkward, unpracticed curtsy. She manages not to giggle while doing so, and flops onto the blanket afterward.]

So how have you been doing? This is just regular tea time, right, you didn't get any bad news or anything?

[keepscalm]

[He chuckles a little at her attempted curtsy, setting down his teacup and saucer so he can take the teapot and pour a cup for Willow.]

Call it my time to unwind. There is no novel bad news, I'm merely shrugging the weight of all of the accumulated old bad news, for the time being. [Translation: all is well, he just really needed a cup of tea.]

You've been well, too, I hope?

[tomatina]

[ Oh there are more floors up there. And that blond guy with the big eyebrows was having... a tea party? Of course Spain would be intrigued.

Cradling the little bullfairy she adopted in the church, she walks closer, smiling a little. ]

Hola.

[keepscalm]

[Oh, he recognizes this woman vaguely. He met her a long time ago in the church. She'd looked of Latin descent, so he's not really surprised when she greets him in Spanish.

He gives her a courteous nod.] Hello. Would you like to join me? [There's certainly enough cups for a small assembly of people, and it's only polite to invite her.]

[sageprincess]

[So, she supposes she can't spend all her time fruitlessly scouring for information in the libraries - she hasn't even been in the Tower that long and she's already becoming frustrated.

The meadow floor certainly seems safe enough for a walk, and before long Zelda comes across England and his tea set. What a lovely idea, given the stresses of this place. She can't help a little smile at the sight.]

How picturesque.

[keepscalm]

[He looks up at the woman, and-- wow. She looks like royalty. And she has ears like Link.

He can't help but color a little at her remark. While he's probably the best candidate to find having tea time in a meadow -- being the country he is and all -- he's not exactly the most picturesque person to look upon.]

It's best to enjoy tea in relative peace.

[sageprincess]

You have chosen an excellent venue for such an activity, in that case.

[Truly, it reminds her a bit of the courtyard from her childhood, just without the stone walls and patrolling guards.

But she notices how... surprised? the man seems and, oh, did she interrupt?]

--Ah, my apologies, I did not mean to disturb you.

[keepscalm]

Oh-- [Whoops, he didn't mean to make her feel like that.] --Ah, you didn't disturb me at all. I was merely...

[Okay, this is bothering him now.] ...if you don't take offense at my asking, do you perhaps hail from the same world as someone named Link?

[notagiraffe]

Taiki liked the meadow, it didn't smell of blood for one thing; most of the time anyways and it was warm. Much warmer than the rest of the tower. He spotted mister Kirkland and his face lit up. He hadn't seen the man in a while and he enjoyed his company even if he constantly worried about annoying the older man.

"Hello!" He skipped towards him with a smile.

[keepscalm]

[England looks towards Taiki at his approach, setting down his cup.] Ah, Taiki. Hello, lad. [His smile grows a little, tinged with relief.] You're looking well.

[notagiraffe]

Hello Mister Kirkland!! [He smiles] Thank you, you are too.

[keepscalm]

[Comparatively, he probably does look pretty well. This is the best he's felt in a while.] Thank you.

Would you like to join me for tea, perhaps? [Wasn't that how he met Taiki? Making tea in the kitchen?]

[metawoof]

Ooooh! Hey!

[Echidna had been carrying an assortment of books, looking for somewhere other than a totally depressing library to read without having to trek back up to her room, when she stumbled upon the familiar Briton.]

Are you having a tea party or something?

[keepscalm]

[At first he looks quizzical when he sees Echidna, but when he recognizes her, it's with a note of relief. Thank goodness she was safe. He'd been worried ever since the invasion of the tower.] I'm not sure I'd call it a party, as I'm hardly an exciting host for such a thing. Not to mention there is only one person present.

[The relief quickly gives way to intrigue at the sight of the books in her arms.] Would you like any help with those?

[metawoof]

Oh, no it's OK! I have got this! [Hopefully England wouldn't mind having some company, because Echidna shuffled with the books some more and carefully placed them on the ground next to the blanket.]

Well, if I am allowed to be present then we can make it a two-person party, heheh! And I promise I will not critically scrutinize your duties as a host.

[keepscalm]

Of course you're allowed to be present. It's terribly rude to turn away good company. [And he is a gentleman, thank you very much.] Welcome to the party, then.

[He pours her a cup of tea while she's getting situated, and then eyes the books with intrigue, eyes traveling the lengths of the spines -- though he can't read the ones that are turned away from him.] What have you got there? That's quite the load to be carrying around.

[eastern_awsum]

[It was interesting stumbling into England, as he had seemed to be doing with many other people, stumbling. Prussia had to raise an eyebrow at the scene of England having a tea party in the flowers. He couldn't help but laugh, maybe his sanity had finally snapped.]

All you need to a tophat with a playing card and a hare and you'd be set, England.

[keepscalm]

[Hey. Hey. Don't knock his precious Alice, man.

He looks up at Prussia and scowls.] And what do you want -- an unbirthday party? Or perhaps you're late to a trial, as per your traditional disregard of decorum and courtesy? [Prussia would be the worst white rabbit ever.]

[eastern_awsum]

I think we already got over the trial part, I lost if I remember correctly. As such I'm not late for an important date either, course I'd make a better white wolf than rabbit.

[Prussia will grin and have himself a seat on the grass.]

Course, you're no mad hatter, you make a better queen if anything.