Complete Private It’s Been a Long Time Coming

[Luthien]

She could understand where the apprehension that Lena and Ronja’s parents felt came from regarding the brunette’s sudden appearance of online friends. Even now, despite all the technological advances made, it wasn’t uncommon for people to caution others about “strangers on the internet” and for good reason—when there was a virtual screen in between you and others it was fairly easy for people to slip into the more unsavory traits of humanity.

That didn’t mean that true friendships couldn’t be forged through the web however, and she hoped the appearance of Nico and herself into Ronja’s life would ease some of the worries and concerns her parents and caretaker had for the brunette.

"Whoa… does she have jet boots or something?" Somehow Valeria was certain she wouldn’t be surprised that was truly the case, though given the extended range of time in which Lena could be back once Ronja called… a gut feeling told her the maid was probably a lot closer to the mansion than either of them might realize.

The sounds that accompanied each crank on the handle had shifted a while back, the blonde finding more and more resistance now as she continued to churn the cream manually. "O-Okay, I think this might be done at last." She hoped it was at least, the muscles along her arm were aching now and Val was sure they’d be sore for a few hours if not a day or two.

She also didn’t want to risk putting too much pressure on the antique, Lena would probably not be happy if something got ruined or damaged on her prized possession.

Carefully the blonde began to release the safety’s on the lid, paying close attention to everything she did, before finally taking it off. The coolness that greeted her face as it escaped was a delightful feeling after laboring so much, and the sweet hint of vanilla that it carried was already a promising start.

"Oh thank the Alfather, it is done." The blonde released a breath she’d unconsciously held onto when she finally got a good look at the ice cream. A hand reached for two spoons and carefully gathered a decent amount into each, before offering one of them to Ronja with a wink. "Time for the first taste test~"

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja laughed at the idea of Lena wearing jet boots, but she tilted her head as well, giving it a deep thought. "Honestly, I could see her pulling something like that off..." She said, mostly joking and approaching Val as she seemed to be nearing the end of her work.

When it looked like it was a job well done, Ronja smiled to her friend. "Good job, Val... I hope your arms are alright..." Ronja looked at her with a hint of concern, but she knew better than being overly worried to her friend because of some intense cranky handle exercise.

"Alfather? I think he doesn't answer anything in here..." She giggled, then looked at the spoon, taking it with a grateful gaze to her friend and gently tucked it into her mouth.

Her eyes widened briefly, and she hummed before swallowing it, glancing at Val.

"This is so tasty... That's a very good ice cream... Are you sure this is your first time?"

 

[Luthien]

The fact that the thought of Lena possibly owning jet boots didn’t quite faze either of them spoke volumes of the head maid’s abilities—or, at the very least, the things they considered her more than capable of. Still, aside front he ever watchful and piercing glare gaze of Lena the blonde couldn’t say she felt particularly threatened by the older woman… and it’s not like Valeria couldn’t understand where Lena’s concerns came from.

Hopefully they’d be able to prove to the head maid that there were no ulterior motives going around, Val truly cared for and enjoyed Ronja’s company because of who she was as a person—and no amount of wealth, or lack of it, would’ve changed how much their friendship meant for her.

"Alfather? I think he doesn't answer anything in here..."
"Huh...? O-Oh right, damn… force of habit, I guess?"

She hadn’t caught her tongue slip until the brunette pointed it out, a light frown creasing her brows as Val gave it some thought, before it was ultimately forgotten as her mouth filled with fresh vanilla ice cream. "Mmm~!" Rose colored irises almost seemed to sparkle in delight as she sampled the cool treat, before gazing towards Ronja and confirming her friend looked just as delighted.

"Gosh, it’s so creamy… nothing ever beats making something from scratch." It really made all that manual labor pay off, and a look towards the ancient machinery confirmed everything seemed alright and in its proper place. Good, hopefully Lena won’t be too mad we used it without asking.

"For ice cream? Yeah," she answered, a soft chuckle escaped before the blonde offered to take Ronja’s spoon—ready to clean them before going in for a second taste test because why not, right? "It’s crossed my mind a few times, and I’ve seen some ‘hacks’ on the internet to make it easier, but Michigan’s pretty chilly most of the year… so, when I do want ice cream, I usually just go out and buy some y’know?"

Plus it was vanilla, hard to fuck up something so basic… right?

"Alright, we should work on shaping some balls with it before it gets too warm," A glance was given towards the jam that Ronja had made, hoping it had cooled off enough while they’d been chatting and cranking ice cream. "We’ll use cling wrap to help form and keep the shape before putting it right into the freezer. Ready~?"

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

"Probably because it is very fresh too... Time didn't do any harm to it..." Ronja licked her lips, handing the spoon to Val and tilting her head as she heard her friend speak of Michigan. "That sounds terrible, a place that is too chilly... It doesn't let you enjoy all the pleasure of an ice cream..." Ronja closed her eyes in a (feigned) sad expression.

"But don't worry, Val... You just need to come here any time you want a very good ice cream experience..!" She rose a thumb to her friend, slipping an excuse for her to visit more.

Then, she adjusted herself to a position to engage in the last step of their work, grabbing a scoop and nodding to Val.

"Sounds like a plan... and I am ready, let's make these steadly-"

 

[Luthien]

"That’s a very tempting offer," she spoke upon catching sight of Ronja’s feigned sadness, the beginnings of a smile already curling the edges of her lips despite her best attempt to hide it. "And how could I say no to that cute face of yours~?"

She finally broke as a mirthful giggle escaped; she’d never need an excuse to come visit her friend, but the world seemed bent on keeping her far away from those dear to her heart. It’d be absurd to expect them all to be within the same zip code as herself—especially given the game that brought them together—but she wished they’d had shared a state at the very least.

"Here’s hoping Lena gets a good impression of me then." Sure, this might be Ronja’s home, but the last thing Val wanted was to be a drift between the maid and the brunette… especially when all Lena wanted was to keep her friend safe.

She broke a piece of cling wrap before carefully placing it atop her open left palm, a nice spoonful of ice cream scooped out and settled on it before she pressed the middle to create a divot. She made sure to keep her palm tilted just enough so Ronja had a clear view of the process as a smaller spoon scooped some of the homemade jam.

"It’s easy enough up to this point." Though it was still a bit warmer than Val would’ve liked she was glad the ice cream didn’t immediately start to melt. "Now comes the tricky part..."

Hands wrapped around the bottom of it, carefully coaxing the edges of the ice cream to creep upwards and wrap around the jam, the roughly shaped sphere quickly closed off by the cling wrap and gave better shape when she twisted the ends of it tightly.

"There, this should keep it from deforming while they chill in the fridge." It would also keep them from melting into a pool of sweetness as they formed a few more. "Wanna see how many we can get before we run outta jam?"

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja giggled, smiling faintly. "I guess I am getting better... At charming others to do as I wish..." She clasped her hands together, with an expression that brimmed with mischievous desires, but then she frowned a little, averting her eyes. "Actually... That's a terrible thing..." She laughed awkwardly, clearing her throat and then nodding to Val's hopes.

"I'm sure... She will be alright with you and everyone else... She still needs to get used to me bringing people home again..."

As she spoke, she watched the whole process with full attention, not wishing to miss any other part of it, especially when her friend spoke of a part being the trickiest one. Ronja's eyes narrowed, and she even leaned closer to watch it very, very close, only leaning away when the first attempt was shown, and seeing a second one, she felt ready to do it herself.

"I think it will be fine... None should deform." Ronja said, starting to scoop and wrap, scoop and wrap, scoop and wrap— "We can do it..." Ronja started trying to do it quicker, and she was managing so far, after all she was at the very least used to Arts and Crafts and baking a bit too—

But it didn't take long for some scoop of jam and ice crem to drop and land on her lap.

"... Cold..."

 

[Luthien]

"You’re learning fast… too fast, maybe." It wasn’t often that Val got to banter like this with the brunette, and she rather enjoyed this other side of Ronja. It didn’t last long however, an awkward laugh escaping her friend as she continued. "I don’t think it’s terrible though, you’d never use that charm of yours to trick us into doing horrible things~"

Again…? It dawned on the blonde that she’d never asked her friend much about her life before they’d met inside a certain forbidden game, but thinking back on it now it was foolish for any of them to believe they were the first friends Ronja had ever made. Part of her wanted to ask, wondering if perhaps there was a story behind it that would explain Lena’s extreme overprotectiveness of the girl, but one look at her friend’s focused face made Val drop that train of thought for the time being.

Her movements were slow at first, making sure that she gave Ronja the best view possible as Val explained step after step. The brunette was a rather crafty individual, and she had little doubt that Ronja wouldn’t pick up the movements quickly. "It’s almost like molding clay… just colder, and delicious~"

Dollop after dollop led to more and more ice cream spheres with boozy jammy cores, and Val began to pick up her pace once she felt confident that Ronja had the hang of it… though it wasn’t long before the first mishap happened. "Pfft, yeah… they are pretty cold huh?" She could feel the chill along her palms, and Val was certain the tiny bones inside her fingers were probably starting to frost over by now.

Antique as that ice cream machine was, it did a hell of a good job.

"Here," her hand moved to tear a sheet of paper towel, dampening the fabric under the faucet and wringing out the excess, before she offered it to Ronja. "I don’t think it’ll stain, but better to wipe it off quickly."

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja chuckled at the idea, taking a quick but deep breath. "I would never... At least not under my own control..." She said, then frowning at the ice cream that was really getting her to shudder with all its cold. The sheet of paper towel was taken quickly and gratefully, with Ronja trying to get rid of the ice cream as soon as possible.

"It shouldn't leave any stain, yeah..." She nodded, looking at Val with an apologetic smile. "I should've paid more attention, I'm sorry, haha..."

Now they just needed to get back to work, but before Ronja could try to get the scoop back, something caught her attention on the corner of her eye, and a half-second later, a dry voice spoke—

"I see you are enjoying yourselves."

Ronja nearly leaped out of her seat, eyes growing wide as she looked at the direction of the voice.

"O-Oh..!" Ronja blinked, pouting slightly.

"D-Didn't I—"

"You were taking too long."

She answered flatly, with her eyes going from her machine and back to the ice cream.

"... I was worried for almost nothing, however."

 

[Luthien]

She mentally scolded herself for that joke as Ronja admitted she’d never do something like that without outside influence, the last thing the blonde wanted was to remind her friend of that terrible time within the game. "I know… we all know." Part of her could only hope a hint or clue could be gathered from the captured Mother of Machines within MIT, something that could ensure no one else could take over the agency of Ronja or any other magia like Szofrit had done.

"Don’t worry about it, besides I think we’re doing good time anyways—"
"I see you are enjoying yourselves."
"—Ay puñeta!!!"

With her back turned in the direction Lena stood, Val had been totally caught by surprise as the head maid’s voice suddenly resounded in the kitchen. Her soul almost jumped out of her body as an expletive in her native tongue slipped through, before she finally turned to give Lena a shaky nod. How the woman could cause more fear in her heart than even a TerraSphere boss was beyond Val, a hand resting against her chest as the blonde took a few deep breaths to try and calm its beating down.

"S-Sorry ‘bout using it without asking first… ah, but I promise to clean it up properly after we’re done." She did her best to try and hide the molded treats and ingredients with her own body… though that itself was undoubtedly a poor attempt to conceal their surprise from the woman given the vast amount of counter space they were currently using up.

@Ronja

 

[Ronja Bubblyfoot]

Ronja's gaze shifted between Lena and Val, with an awkward smile crossing her lips when her friend apologized for not asking before the maid to use it first.

"It wasn't her fault... I was—"

"You were the one that gave the idea."

Ronja closed her mouth halfway through her words, nodding embarrassedly to Lena.

The maid looked between the two women, but didn't say much aside from a brief sigh while approaching to the ingredients that were so poorly hidden. Ronja's lips pursed, and Lena looked at it with an unreadable expression before reaching for a spoon and taking a bit of the ice cream.

She took a small piece of it, eating it and letting her process it for a couple seconds before nodding and looking at the two.

"Decent. For first-timers."

Ronja blinked.

"Next time I will show how it is done. For now, allow me to help."

Another blink, and Ronja soon looked at Val with a defeated but relieved smile. "Well... It can't be helped... Give us a hand then..!"

 

[Luthien]

She winced as Lena’s words cut through Ronja’s, her lips shut tightly as Val watched the unreadable expression on the head maid’s face. The light glinting against her glasses casted a shine that hid her eyes from sight, and it only helped unnerve the pair of young women further as Lena came closer to inspect what had kept them busy for so long.

The sigh that escaped Lena didn’t go unnoticed by the blonde, Val quietly taking a step back and closer to Ronja to give the woman ample view and space of the makeshift treat workshop station currently laid on the counter. She could feel the nervous hammering on her heart against her chest, a sneak glance stolen in the brunette’s direction to see if Ronja was waiting on bated breath like herself, before the blonde forgot to even breath as the head maid picked up a spoon and ate a tiny bit of their ice cream.

"Decent. For first-timers." Three rapid blinks followed before Val finally turned her head to properly look at Ronja then, as if wishing to confirm her ears hadn’t played a cruel trick on her in that very moment, before Lena spoke again. "Next time I will show how it is done. For now, allow me to help."

The smile that finally showed on Ronja’s face was quickly mirrored by the blonde as Val felt an invisible weight lift from her shoulders, before it widened into a proper grin as she accepted Lena’s offered hand. "I have sooo many questions, but we can start with where on earth did you find this gorgeous thing and how’ve you kept it in such pristine condition…"

@Ronja