2025-06-10 - Late Night Baking!

It's late. Late enough that most inhabitants of the park are likely sleeping. Getting rest for their next day of work or vacation.

However, Alexys is not one of those people. Oh she has work tomorrow...or er...later today. That doesn't stop a late night baking inspiration though. That is what has brought her to the kitchen. When inspiration strikes you can't ignore the call. So she is currently bringing a tray of cupcakes out of the oven and dancing around and bobbing her head while she does so.

She wears a blue unicorn onesie with the hood back and light blue slippers with white clouds and sewn 'Zzz's on them. The music that is in the kitchen is low, keeping the others living here in mind, as Alexys sings along in a quiet yet enthusiastic voice.

"Pink Pony Club
I'm gonna keep on dancing at the
Pink Pony Club
I'm gonna keep on dancing down in
West Hollywood..."

Asher's days and nights are always turned around and upside down. Between rotating medic shifts and good old fashioned insomnia, plus more stress than they're willing to go to therapy about... It's not unusual for them to be up and around and trying to Zen their way into a little cozy heart of the home peace. It's late, but they've been in, and when they're letting themself inside and hear the music, they're singing along for a line or two. This makes it obvious that Asher is coming inside, because Asher cannot sing and it's bad. Because if one of their roomies is inside having some not aware they're not alone fun? They'd rather not see it.

They shut and lock the door behind them, glancing around to see which of their roomies they actually had found, and hoping whichever it is will be clothed. Oh! "Hey, Lex!" Their grin warms and spreads, particularly since she is indeed clothed while bopping around the kitchen. Asher is going to borrow that onesie next time there's a butterfly house sleepover. They've got on a Dingoes Ate My Baby tee, ripped jeans, and their favorite purple, hand-decorated sneakers. "Oooooh! Cupcakes!" They head towards the kitchen, "What's the occasion?" And, more importantly, "What's the flavor?"

The door is not heard, but Asher's singing is. Alexys has set the cupcakes on the stovetop to cool and turns around to smile at Asher, "Ash! Hey!" Her voice is excited, but calm as she keeps their sleeping roommates in mind.

Her gaze goes back to the cupcakes as the occasion is questioned. "It's a day that ends in 'y'!" Looking to her roommate again she grins and seems to think that's a perfectly acceptable occasion. "They need to cool, but then I'm going to put some tie dye frosting on them. Look it!" Reaching for a nearby piping bag she holds it up, a variety of pastel colored frostings gathered in the bag and ready for piping. "They're strawberry lemon cupcakes."

"Are you off shift? Did you need a sandwich or anything? I can make you something." She liked making sure all her friends were taken care of. In Asher's case she made doubly sure to offer food on work days just in case the shift had been hectic and they hadn't had time to eat.

A day that ends in y is always a good day for baking. Also, days ending in tomorrow, because never put off until tomorrow what you can bake today. They drop their canvas bag's strap over the hook near the door that's theirs, and then clips their keys onto the strap as well. Then they head for one of the stools at the counter that separates the kitchen space from the living space.

"That frosting is cute!" Asher means it. "And anything lemon is my favorite." They clearly approve of the game plans going on in here. They don't want to intrude in the domain of baking, but, it was a long shift, and the baker is offering. And, Asher may bake well, but, they can't cook to save their life. "Any chance there's any of the leftovers from Jake's spaghetti the other night still cold in the fridge, is there?" And the tone of their voice makes clear that if so, please pass them the tupperware. "But if not, whatever doesn't interrupt your baking would be fantastic!"

As to the day, "It was good. Folks are still loving the flower festival, the changing colors and the singing flowers. Other than the usual too much candy, too much sun, too little sunscreen, this one was about as quiet as they come." And Asher loves nothing more than a quiet night. "How have your shifts been lately? Anything going on with the animals to keep up with the flowers, or are they a little more chill about heading into summer than the flora?"

"Thanks! I hope it looks just as good on the cupcake!" Alexys says with a laugh. She seems happy to hear approval for the chosen cupcake flavor. Then, she's nodding.

"Yeah there's still some spaghetti. I'll heat it up!" Stay sitting, Asher. You've worked hard. Plus it gives Alexys yet another outlet for her energy. "Quiet is good! At least in your job I imagine. In my job it means the capybara are plotting again." Again? How mischevious ARE capybara? "Work has been good!"

She heads to the fridge and gets the spaghetti out, grabbing a dish and making sure Asher is ok with the amount she puts on the plate before putting it in the microwave. Alexys laughs a moment, "The flower festival is so fun! I still can't believe flowers SING. Do you think we'll ever get used to how cool this place is?"

"The best part of baking," Asher shares their take on it, "Is that sometimes, sure, it comes out gorgeous. But not always. Sometimes it comes out looking like a bowel evac. But that's ok. Because either way, it still tastes amazing," and, the more true part, "And, after it's all done, four hours are gone and it's time to head back to work, and you don't have to spend those four hours staring at the ceiling pissed off that you can't sleep." See? This is why Asher needs a ball pit. You cannot be emo in a ball pit.

Or maybe, Asher just needs carbs. "Please don't!" Asher is immediately begging their favorite of the roomies (tonight) not to ruin their dinner. "Who even raised you?" Asher is utterly aghast. "The only way to eat leftover spaghetti is straight from the fridge cold in the middle of the night. Just like leftover pizza, and Chinese food. Not the leftovers, order it hot and just shove it right into the fridge for the next twelve hours, then consume."

When Lex talks about their job, Asher is always down for a good capybara tale. Or a good manatee one. "Do Capybaras eat plastic balls, or just play with them?" There's a reason Asher wonders, "If we ever get that ball pit collected, think we can foster a 'hurt' capy long enough to throw it the coolest ball pit sesh of our lives?" They let Lex gush about the magic, and they try not to let the way their own magic haunts them show. Of all the things they have come to appreciate about Lex as a roomie, Asher really loves the way she loves the world, even the magic parts of it. "The cool parts," Asher agrees with enough to use, even if not maybe all of magic, "Really can do some spectacular things."

"My dad always says 'Either way it turns into poop'," Alexys recalls with a laugh. "Mom hates it. But he isn't wrong."

The exclamation about the spaghetti causes Alexys to startle, eyes widening as she hovers a finger over the microwave button. "My bad!" Opening the door the spaghetti is saved from a nuke fate and handed over to Asher with a fork. She shakes her head though, "I can do cold pizza and chinese food. Not spaghetti though. Does that redeem me any?"

With the question about capybara she considers it a moment. "If it looked enough like fruit they might try, but not for long." Alexys seems amused at the idea before she laughs at the ball pit idea, "Unfortunately no. Smuggling capybara is past my line of willing rebellion. To be honest stealing plastic balls is apparently pushing it, but it's also thrilling!" Ah Alexys. Her idea of a Purge crime would be jaywalking.

"He's technically correct," Asher agrees about Lex's dad. "The best kind of correct." Except for when it doesn't, but, that is not something to think about while grabbing for cold spaghetti. When Lex passes it over, Asher cradles it protectively and promises the pasta, "I would never have let her do that to you." As if it's not on the way into Asher's own system as soon as they stab the fork into it. They take the first bite, and since their mouth is full, they can't tell Lex if they are or aren't redeemed, the best the blonde gets is a non-commital shrug while Asher continues to chew.

Once they've chewed and swallowed, they stab another forkfull, but, before they eat it they ask a follow up question, "What if the cold Chinese food is noodles?" Because cold combo lo mein might just be one of Asher's very favorite foods in the world. And the answer will help them decide how forgivable Lex's food opinions may or may not be. They shove the next bite of food in to listen about the capybara, too. They chew, chew, chew, swallow.

Ok. So. As long as the balls in the pit are not fruit-disguised, the capybara probably won't try to eat them. This bodes well for Asher's future best day ever dreaming. And Asher quickly assures once their mouth is no longer full, "We're not smuggling! We would absolutely fill out all the proper injury paperwork in triplicate, and request to foster it here at the apartment for a few days until it's feeling better, so that it will rest and recuperate. We're not smuggling a capybara, we're getting official permission to temporarily help rehabilitate it." It's going to take at least a year - if not longer - to have a ball pit anyway. But if you're going to ball pit dream, you may as well ball pit dream big.

But when Lex mentions ball pit pillering is past their comfort zone, "I'm pretty sure we'll end up with most of them bought or donated. None of us have that much free time." Not to mention, the sleight of hand required. "But it will still be fun knowing a few are authentic." Actually. That's an idea. "Every authentic ball, someone has to write the story of how they obtained it, and it's good for one free ball-pit hang upon redemption..." Rhea's quiet nature and need of space and privacy is going to get Asher into so much trouble one of these days. Really, the only way they keep out of trouble is by keeping an eye on Rhea's schedule at the clinic and only scheduling the shennans, re-shennans, and shennan-agains during the hours that their quiet loving doctor is out of the apartment and off at work.

"Cold lo mein is bliss. Even though pizza is tomato sauce too I think something about how it is on the spaghetti makes it less appealing to me." Alexys offers the reasoning with a smile before she chuckles at the capybara reasoning. "Fair. Ok I will ask."

At the idea of people writing on the balls she lofts a brow, "Doesn't that implicate them in the crime? Granted I don't think the park will investigate it very heavily...as long as we don't still thousands of them," she laughs again. "I like the idea of turning them in for admission though. That's fun!"

"Cold lo mein is life." Asher and Alexys are in complete and utter agreement on this. They disagree about pizza and spaghetti, though. "I'm the opposite. Red sauce on a noodle? All night long and twice on Sundays. But pizza? Garlic butter, awesome. Pesto is great. I love a good white sauce. Herbed oil is just fine, too. But something about hot tomatoes in between hot dough and my own weight in melted cheese?" Asher takes another bite of the cold spaghetti and shakes their head. They chew and swallow once more. "If the pizza is marinara, cold is the only acceptable version."

But when they manage to talk the blonde into asking about the Capybara? Asher outright beams. "Lex. You are the best out of us, and don't let either of those other two shacking up with us ever tell you otherwise." Because none of them have come through with the potential for a Capybara visit to the ball pit that they still have to manage to put together. But Asher's making plans. The plans may not go anywhere, but. It keep them busy when there are quiet spots between working, and a busy Asher is a happy Asher. They don't do well with too much quiet.

As to if it's an implication or not to write on the balls... "Only if people use their own hand-writing, sign them, and don't recoognize the concept of mutually assured destruction." And besides. It's just a few plastic balls. Spellbound and its policies are pretty strict - and usually for very good safety related reasons. But Asher is reasonably confident that as long as they don't get too out of pocket about it, take their time, and don't hurt anyone or cause damages... The ball pit isn't (hopefully) going to get anyone fired. They enjoy watching Lex let go of the nervousness for the potential fun of it all. "Exactly. Somewhere just to sink into some squishness with some pie and some decent tunes and float for a while. Especially when it's winter and the water gets so cold it's solid." Asher did not like the solid water winter, and doesn't have it in them for another season without floatations of some variety.

There’s a laugh at Asher’s tomato specific clarification, “I’ll take on the tomato pizza for you and you can take on the cold spaghetti for me.”

Yay Friendship! Then the talk of winter has her smirking, “Not a fan of the cold? We can make sure we have an oasis set up by winter.” A small chuckle now, “I can even have a pina colada cupcake perfected by then. If you’re up for helping taste test.”

"It's a total deal, Lex." Asher will take the cold spaghetti, Alexys can have the tomato-based cold pizzas. "And," Asher is willing to sweeten this deal. "You can also have all my pickles, too."

But Asher was born and raised in California, and the sun and warm beaches are baked into their blood. "This winter was brutal and I refuse to do it again without better planning. Ravin is taking me shopping for something called silk thermals? I think?" Something along those lines, at least. But when a pina colada cupcake is offered? "Oh, bish. I am so in. I bet we could convert my key-lime tarts into a cupcake version, too!"

Alexys gives a genuine but also exaggerated gasp, "ALL the pickles!? You're the best!"

The mention of the shopping trip earns a nod, "Ooo silk too? Extra fancy and more effective. I can take you onesie shopping too if you want. They look silly. But they are fun and warm too." Then, the talk about cupcakes. "EASILY," she confirms regarding the key lime. "I also know a special hack."

Leaning towards her she looks around in a super secretive manner and puts a hand to her mouth to whisper. "Instead of crushed graham cracker? I use biscoff cookies. Game. Changer." Leaning back she grins, "These cupcakes will take awhile to cool before I can frost them otherwise I'd offer you one now. So we're not just torturing ourselves."

A realization strikes her now. "Wait! Did you have one of my pride macarons!?" Heading over to the counter by the stove she grabs a white bakery box. She's soon returning and lifting the lid to reveal the colorful delicate treats.

"Every. Last. One. Of. Them." It is a solid and solemn vow. Asher is always looking for a place to pawn off their pickles from things. And don't get them started about the abomination that is mustard. But when Alexys offers to also help with the shopping? "Any time." Asher could totally rock a onesie. And they add, "There was a guy at the flower festival, had the best floral blazer I've ever seen. But of course, from the thrift shop. So. I'm on a mission to find the second best wherever it might currently be. We can definitely go look through threads sometime."

As they're talking, the spaghetti slowly dwindles, forkfull by forkfull. There is one lonely meatball in the corner of the tupperware, being saved for last bites as Asher works their way through the noodles. "You've got hacks and you're holding out on me?" Asher points their fork at Alexys, "Spill it, Blondie!" They consider the hack of biscoffs. "That sounds amazing, but how do you keep the cinnamon from fighting with the tart?" Asher's own usual, "I like using half 'nilla wafers half golden oreos for the crusts."

Asher has been dropping their trans-non-bianary ace-panro self in and out of Pride events and gatherings since June first dropped onto Spellbound. But no. They missed the cookies. "Life hacks and macarons that you're holding out?" They actually pout about it. "Lex. Honey. Baby. Sugar plum. Best room-mate in an entire multi-suite of awesome. What did I ever do to hurt you so much you've been sitting on these for weeks now?" Asher has spaghetti to finish, but, they're also reaching out to slide that entire white box closer as they do.

"Ugh. Why is it always thrift shop, handmade, or some country I'll never be able to visit?" Alexys says of the blazer's origins. "It's like 'Well fine. I guess I just won't have nice things'." It's said with a chuckle though and she looks to them. "Operation Blazer is a go. Not sure what I'll get. I'm down for a trip though."

There's a shake of her head now with the question about cinnamon, "The sugar is enough that it balances it. At least to me. You could always add more sugar with the crust though or vanilla to balance it more." The go to cookies for her roommate earn an interested eye widening, "Now who's holding out on who!?"

The accusation has Alexys laughing, "In my defense. I've still been getting used to living here. It's crazy, but a good kind of crazy. The macarons have only been around a couple days now." Watching Asher slide the box closer she grins, "Help yourself. There are plenty."

"Or it's coture that would pay all our rents for a year." Asher is more than happy to commiserate on the efforts that go into good fashion. They might be a usually band tee, jeans, blazer kind of person, but. For the right occasions? They like a good set of threads and a surprise at what they can pull off when they actually make the effort to do it. Operation blazer is absolutely a go, though. And as to what Alexis needs? "We have to get you a tuxedo onesie, for the next time there's a formal event we all have to attend." Or, probably more likely, "Or the next sleepover at the Butterfly House."

They debate the merits of cookie, shortbread, and other crumb crust options, and clearly there is only one way to solve the conundrum. "We're going to have to do a trial run and bake one of everything. We'll force a few folks to taste test and determine which makes the actual best shells for a tart." Or, in this case, "Or at least crumb coating along the sides of the frosting so they look properly fancy and pretty."

Asher has snagged the box of macarons and then slips it into their lap to lay claim and make the dibs clear. "As soon as this spaghetti is gone," and they're still making steady progress of bites in between conversation, "It will be shameless desserts time." Asher loves a good macaron. "I don't have the patience to pipe the meringues and then let them rest, then bake them while they're souffle levels of finicky, then let them fully cool just so they all can get the perfect foot." Asher loves a good macaron, but it's one of the pastries they hate to have to make. "You're forgiven."

"Ooo tuxedo oneside. Vury fancy," Alexys says with an approving smile. "I like it! OH what if we could find a butterfly onesie too!?" she says about the Butterfly House idea.

The idea about testing different crusts has her eyes widening, "Oh my gosh that sounds just like a Food Network show!" Her excitement is undeniable. "I'm in. We have to make this happen."

"Hey. If they happen to go missing I'll just deny having any idea where they might be," Alexys offers about the macarons. The talk about having patience earns a chuckle, "Yeah. It's calming for me? I don't know how to explain it...just...it helps my mind have something to focus on when I'm stressed or feeling down."

A tuxedo onesie is already on the mental shopping list. As to a butterfly onesie, though? "I feel like the wings would end up cape adjacent. Edna Mode would never approve." But still. "Might end up being cute anyway, though." Sometimes, a little extra danger is worth it for the cute.

Watching Alexys go all in on the concept of Crust Wars, Asher's grin softens. Something about the blonde's enthusiasm for literally everything in life ends up being infectious. And it's inspiring, too. The idea hits like a flash. "We do Crust Wars, and then take the fruits of our labors down to the beach over the weekend. Have ourselves a little bake sale, throw the proceeds towards the ball pit?" They'll figure out great crust options, AND they'll make progress on Operation Ballpit. It's a win-win.

That box of macarons is in Asher's lap, underneath the countertop. "If what goes missing?" They look entirely innocent. Clearly they have absolutely no idea what Alexys might be talking about. What macarons? But Asher absolutely understands what she's talking about. "For me, it's a pastry cream, or a lemon curd, or a perfect french meringue buttercream... Something I can whisk all the nervous energy into, and fret about, and coddle and babysit so that it comes out like silky velvet rather than scrambling. Once it's just right, it's like I whisked out every single worry on the way."

"Ok no capes...but what about hoodies?" Alexys asks with a mock worry and a hand reaching to her unicorn onesie hood to pull it into place. It has a rainbow felt mane and plush horn on it.

At Asher's idea for the bake sale Alexy's eyes widen. "You. Are. A. GENIUS." Her hands go palm up on the counter as if weighing out the total benefits, "We get to bake. People get to eat. We get balls for the ballpit. I can decrease the amount of balls I have to acquire through possibly criminal acts!"

Her hands clap together once then and she nods. "I like it!" The talk of the non-existent macarons gets a lofted brow, "For something to go missing it has to exist in the first place and I only recall spaghetti." At Asher's own method of baking therapy she nods, "If I spend too much time on something it has the opposite effect. If that makes sense. I was just feeling a little homesick so I wanted something to distract me for a specific amount of time and then I'd make myself focus on the positive instead!"

There's a glance back to the cooling cupcakes and she rolls her eyes. "Oh for the love of fondant I can't wait anymore!" Moving over to the stove she pauses a moment as if thinking. Then, she's getting two bowls. Into each she places a cupcake, unwrapping them with quick exclamations of "Cinnamon! Nutmeg! Paprika!" in the place of what would be swear words. The cupcakes are crumbled in their still warm state to be smaller pieces in each bowl.

Once that's done she's picking up the piping bag and putting decorative swirls over each cupcake pile. The bag is set down again and forks are grabbed from the drawer and placed into each bowl before she's bringing them over to set one in front of Asher. "Here. My mom calls these Impatient Cupcakes." A small smirk is offered to them, "Ya' know. Because it seemed sad for you to have no dessert to go with dinner." Because. What macarons?

"ALWAYS hoodies." Hoodies are absolutely allowed. Hoodies are encouraged, even. Asher may not often wear them outside the apartment, prefering the more masculine lines of a blazer to help blur the lines of gender norms and expectations from strangers, but. Around friends, or in the comfort of their own home? Asher is a huge fan of hoodies and other comfort items. It's why a tuxedo onesie is high up on that list of things to acquire for their wardrobe. Best of both worlds all in one perfect set of PJ's.

Once they're declared a genius, Asher laughs, grinning across the island, "It's about time someone in this place took notice." But they're nodding as Alexys goes all in on the next phase of Operation Ballpit. They stab that saved for last meatball onto their fork and start nibbling around it as Alexys walks through their plan, and the risk minimization that they'll need to start a backup bail fund about it. "I'll see if Coop wants to spare some green to the cause. We'll bake. Folks will get baked. We'll get ourselves a ball pit and a hang day with a rescue capybara. Life will be good." That meatball is gone and Asher drops the fork into the tupperware container. "Who needs blood for the blood gods when there are balls for the ball pit. So much less messy, and no biohazard waste to deal with after."

There is a nod of their head. There are no macarons, only Zuul. "Spaghetti and cupcakes, cupcake and spaghetti." No thoughts, macarons empty. Surely that lemony yellow cookie Asher is nibbling on is nothing more than a figment of the imagination. When Alexys proclaims the opposite version of stress baking, Asher grins at her. "So. What you're saying is, if you just wake up to a bowl in the fridge full of lemon curd with minced strawberries ribboned into it out of nowhere, like magic, after you've gone to bed that could be piped as filling into those cakes before you frost them, you wouldn't be mad about it and no toes would be trampled over?"

Of course, before Asher even gets that query fully formed, Alexys is putting together a bowl of literal hot mess. And Asher is not complaining about that bowl of hot mess in the slightest, because that is an imaginary macaroon they are eating and there is always room for dessert. Some day, Asher is going to have to teach Alexys how to actually swear. But they'll wait until after she's stolen her first ballpit contribution from the midway first. One singular corruption at a time here. But when that dessert slides across to where they're still sitting, Alexys gets a bright grin, and a repeat of their earlier claim. "Favorite roomie material, right here."

"Always hoodies," Alexys agrees with a nod. Then, she's listening to the plan and smiles to Asher, "Sounds good."

A shake of her head, "I used the last of my green last week and I don't get more green until my next paycheck." She uses the term for whichever green Asher might have been referring to. "So either way tell Coop I'm in." The hypothetical situation that is discussed next has her lofting a brow, "I never question the culinary fairies and will make offerings with their gifts in ways I hope please them."

This place was magic after all. Who's to say there can't be culinary fairies? Alexys totally swears though! It's just a different variation. The title of favorite roomie gets a mock vain toss of her hair and roll of her eyes, "As if there was any competition." Such a confident unicorn. Who is quickly putting a hand over her mouth and laughing. "Don't tell the others I said that! They're great roommates we can tie!"

It's easy to sit there eating and bantering after a long, late shift at work. It's even easier yet when that bowl of crumbled cake and frosting lands in front of them. Asher immediately snags a bite of only frosting. As it melts on their tongue, Asher notices how Alexys makes mentions of both potential versions of green, and it leads them to ask, "Have you actually met Cooper? He's part of custodial, lives across the hall from us." A great neighbor to have, and not just because he's a great hookup when Asher wants their baked goods to be baked goods.

But there is a grin from short, dark, and brooding as they're declared a culinary fairy. "Pastry pixie. I can vibe with that!" Asher did after all come home covered in actual pounds worth of holographic glitter from the wine mixing party the other night, and promptly shook as much of it as they could manage over the floor of the room which some day will be a ball pit in the future. There are also two bottles of wine still waiting in there for future glitter fuel once they've stocked it up with balls all well and proper. There will be berry-infused lemon curd folded into vanilla pastry cream in a piping bag in the fridge by morning.

The laughter is easy as Alexys 'accepts' that reward. And she's right. The roomies are all a little perfect, just the right fits in their own way. Jake is the big, buff, scary looking protector of the group - but - he's also a huge golden retriever energy cinnamon roll, as loyal as the day is long. Rhea is quiet, and reserved, but the surgeon is smarter than all the rest of them put together. And she has a way of helping folks keep the peace and calm the moods when the stress of life wants to press too heavy. But for Asher? It's the blonde that bounces around like she's made of actual sunshine and light. No matter how dour a mood Asher gets home in, a few moments chatting up Blondie and they're having trouble avoiding the smiles that go chasing after her.

"Pastry Pixie! Ugh you're so smart!" Alexys laughs at the better title. Taking a bite of her Impatient Cupcake she dances a little in place because that's obviously what you do when food is good.

The question about Cooper though has her shaking her head. "No. Not officially. If you vouch for him though he must be awesome." Getting another bite ready on the fork her gaze widens, "Oh! I forgot to tell you! I met the nicest guy at Tarjay the other day. He was outside in the parking lot with a pamphlet for a gourmet chip company he's starting up."

As she explains the man's business she's obviously very excited for him. "He told me how his dream is to start off with vending machines, but when he got to town somebody robbed him of all the money he'd been saving. Can you believe that!?! So he was trying to sell his chips by the box to earn some of it back. He had run out of inventory by the time I got there, but said he had more in his car, but that was in the shop because the robbers also slashed his tires! I'm going back to meet him tomorrow. It was 50 bags of chips though for $20!"

Asher is about to comment about Pastry Pixies, but. First there is a story about a guy at Tarjay. Asher wants the tea, then they'll backtrack to the topics of culinary fairy god people. Gourmet chips? Asher is down for this. They might even be planning a little bit of wing-personing by considering adding a concessions department to Operation Ballpit. But then, well. By the time Alexys has finished that story... "Ok..." Asher lifts their arm and checks the date on their smart watch. Yup. There is still plenty of time to order gifts. "Christmas in July fast approaches, Lex. You're getting a taser, pepper spray, and lessons in how to use them."