[OTA] Pumpkin Faces

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

The weather was somewhat back under control, a little chill but certainly not an unhealthy one. The snow was melting, and the colors were turning, and that made Juan Pedro want to be outside.

His youngest class was in the middle of the afternoon, after school, and he decided that instead of dance lessons, today they would carve pumpkins. He'd purchased a whole bunch of them, and had them set up in the green, and he surprised the kids by claiming a field trip where he took them outside, and presented to them their trip.

Pumpkins, paper, child safe scissors, child safe carving sets, glue, paint, brushes, a whole assortment of goodies to do up some great jack o lanterns. They wouldn't last til halloween but they'd certainly be a fun, creative way to spend an afternoon outdoors. And there were plenty of the orange squashes for more than just his students. If any adults or young people decided to come and join the fun, the better.

To keep in the mood of Spanish dance class, he'd set up a sound system that was playing latin music, as he sat down with the kids to start working on a pumpkin. So far, it seemed a great success.

Comments

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

They were going to be the talk of the teenage gossip circuit. Zoe could hear the stories now - forbidden romance would be in there somewhere. She remembered how it went; thirteen wasn't that many years ago.

She looked down at her skirt, sweater, boots and leather jacket (http://www.polyvore.com/zoe_autumn/set?id=38069533&lid=1810103) and shook her head. "No dressed like this, I don't think. Where are you putting them all?"

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

JP shrugged a bit helplessly at Zoe. These things happened, he was surrounded by pre-teens and teens several times a week. You just kind of got used to it.

He winked as he went back to scooping out seeds, scraping the inside of the pumpkin with the large spoon. "I am not, the kids will take them home. They belong to them now. And I do not want to deal with rotting pumpkins in a few weeks that I will then have to dispose of."

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

She shook her head and laughed a little - which, admittedly, probably wasn't helping things.

"Ah, very clever of you. All of the fun but not all of the mess." Of course, he might have parents or butlers after him with pitchforks, but...doubtful. Just glaring.

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

"I am maybe too clever. I have bought too many pumpkins, I think I will be eating them for a few days, at this rate. But, yes, not so much of the mess."

He wouldn't mind, he would rationalize why the exercise had been beneficial to his students, and take the glaring with all the smiles and charm he had to offer in response.

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"Pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup," Zoe said with a twitch of a smile. "You could donate them to the Hearts, for their Halloween event. I think Cooper has Jack O' Lantern plans, too."

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

"It's a bit early for that, I am not sure how long they will keep, honestly." He turned the pumpkin over to spill the seeds into a garbage bag already holding several pumpkins worth of the same. These he would donate to Club kitchen for cooking.

"I don't like pumpkin pie, but pumpkin flan and pumpkin soup, definitely. I am sure my mother could do something with some, as well."

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"It's not that far away," she pointed out. Less than two weeks at this point, which she only knew because she was making sure her assistant would be fine when she and Victor conveniently slipped off-Deck for the party.

But she shrugged. "I've never gotten the taste for flan. I don't know why."

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

The look he shot her was shocked and almost pained as he gasped loudly, making the girls squee with glee and further gossip.

He grabbed at his heart as if he were in pain. "Que? No puedes estar seriosa..." he moaned. "You do not like Flan? You are aware, querida, this means we cannot be friends any longer..." He was kidding, but there was a hint of truth behind his words. Who in their right mind didn't like flan?!

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

Alas, their forbidden romance was doomed to be short-lived, because, really, who didn't like pie?

But she mustered her fairly meager acting skills and gave him the sad eyes. "You're breaking my heart, JP. Over dessert."

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

Pie was fine, just not pumpkin pie. And he had about 40 other desserts that sat higher in rank than other pies that weren't pumpkin in nature. But their dramatics would certainly create a stir in the teenage gossip pool.

"No, that is not possible, I must say I think my heart is more broken. It is my right as a Spaniard to feel this pain more greatly than your own beautiful self." He held out his hand to her in woe, looking devastated. "This is unnatural, querida, that we can be both so glamorous and yet so distanced ...por un acantilado de postres dulces."

[By a cliff of sweet desserts.]

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"I'm Greek, Juan Pedro." Which should be enough, but in case it isn't: "We actually wail, you know. And I'm fairly sure pie vs. flan is enough for some dramatic keening."

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

He laughs, enjoying this too much not to show it, before he raises an eyebrow at her, looking mischievous. A rare look for him.

"And this, is this a challenge, querida griega bonita? Because, I believe this calls for a pie to flan contest." He sounds playful and serious, at the same time.

GDI HTML. :|

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

She tips her head to one side. "It could be," she said. "But the question is...would I be challenging you?

"Or would I be challenging Mama Ramos?"

Oh... no you di-int! *snap, snap, snap* Biiiitch!

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

He gasps "If you must know, Señorita Kattalakis, I am an excellent cook. I will make my own flan to put against your pie. And do not even consider otherwise."

He motions no with his hand, after setting down the spoon. "We can cook in the kitchen if you insist, so no cheating will be possible." He smiled.

"It is a good thing we are not in the same suit, or people might get the wrong idea."

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"I would be within challenging distance," but she could never be a Club. When she'd decided to leave the Hearts, she'd never considered it - the Diamonds, briefly, but never the Clubs.

But if she was honest with herself, she would never have gone anywhere but the Spades. "I suppose that might be arranged. When?"

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

He shrugged "Ladies choice. When would be convenient. We can invite some friends, to judge, so it is not so partial."

He could not believe he had agreed to this. Damn him and his passions and his impulse control issues. Being a Spaniard was hard.

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"Next week?" She offered, and then shrugged. "I'm going off-Deck towards the end of the month, so..."

She had a feeling Victor was probably a little amused at her repressed excitement over Prague.

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

A firm nod "Yes, good, next week. I have some free time thursday evening. How does that suit you?"

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"It should be fine. Your kitchen?" She didn't have a private one, so otherwise they'd be baking under the stern eye of Chives.

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

"We could do it at my mothers, or in the club castle kitchen. Either way, mine will be too small for this, if we will be having spectators."

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

If they go to his mother's, she has a feeling she'd get the questions about Victor that she gets when she has dinner with her grandmother. "The Club kitchens probably have more room," she said. "More people to judge."

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

He laughs "Ok, thursday, club kitchen, after the dinner rush. It is a challenge." He held out his hand to shake hers to seal the deal.

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

She clasped his hand and then offered him an impish grin before whispering. "You know, if you kiss my hand, they'll be buzzing for at least a week."

[tangodebaston.livejournal.com]

He shook back, only to lean in and blink at her, chuckling softly. "you are quite right..."

He pulled her hand closer, and kissed the knuckles ever so softly. The squeal of surprise and joy was loud and shrill, from the girls in the corner, and he had to laugh against her hand, as he lingered, shaking his head.

"We are demons"

[headfollowheart.livejournal.com]

"Horrible, terrible people," she murmured back, before stepping away. "Adiós, Juan Pedro." She waved, then, before turning on her heel to make her way back to Spade Castle.