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[untiltheend]

This is Sebastian Michaelis. I am unavailable at present, but please leave a message. Should a response be needed I will reply when time permits me. Please do keep your message brief.

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[monsterjohann]

After breakfast shift one morning, Johann stays behind, as he always does, to scrub the pans. He waits until he and Sebastian are alone before he speaks.

"Can we do it soon? The party? What else needs to be arranged?"

[untiltheend]

Sebastian pauses in his counter-scrubbing, turning to Johann.

"Of course; it will happen at whatever time you and Lord Leickenbloom wishes it. ...Barring Floods, Ports and Breaches, of course."

He puts down his rag and turns to fully face Johann, since this is important business.

"Unless you wish to do any last-minute tweaks to the menu, that is all finalised. I will make sure all serving staff in attendance knows how to cook all dishes, just in case. Needless to say, I myself have already memorised all recipes. [He'll let Johann handle the majority of the cooking; he's just letting him know he'll Be There if needed.]

If you have no additional notes on the décor as discussed? I will be well setting it all up. I need only a date to give the Wardens in charge."

[monsterjohann]

Johann faces him in turn, squaring his shoulders. "I want it before this next breach. I hope we have some time but - if we can manage, I'd like it to be sooner rather than later. Before yet another malfunction happens upon us." He rolls his eyes and sets the pan to the side.

[untiltheend]

"It is of course difficult to predict the exact date of the next Breach, but... typically they happen around the mid-month. How about the 10th? Hopefully that will not coincide with the Breach."

[monsterjohann]

He counts in his head and then lets out a long breath. Having a date makes it all the more real.

"Fuck. That's close. I - this is really happening, isn't it?" It took him months to plan this out. He hasn't spent days planning anything before in his life, let alone months.

What if it fails? What if Florian hates it?

[untiltheend]

"Come, now; surely only humans experience trepidation over an event such as this."

Lightly mocking, but at least his next words are sincere:

"My predecessor once told me that doing something for an important person, putting thought and sincere effort into it... that thought and effort is infinitely more precious than the actual result, because it shows that person how much you care."

No, he's no mind-reader, but that would be the obvious thing to worry about for a groom-to-be. And then he smiles wider:

"And since I am involved, everything will be perfect and will go well; I give my word."

[monsterjohann]

He is strangely soothed by that. Most of their relationship, Johann has been the selfish one. He's made Florian do significantly more work, risked more emotional toll, so Johann could fuck off and pretend to do what he wants.

This is his chance to prove that he can listen. And he can make him happy.

"Good, because if anything goes wrong, I'm telling people it was all your doing," he says with a grin and goes back to his scrubbing.

"I want it a day earlier," he adds. "Or I may - change my mind."

That puts extra pressure on him, and he feels like he might need that to survive. "I'll get you the list after I finish this."

[untiltheend]

Sebastian chuckles softly. He would in fact blame himself if anything went wrong; no need for Johann to make threats. But nothing is going to go wrong, so it's a moot point.

"Very good; on the 9th it is." Sebastian will happily take Florian if Johann chickens out.

"I will send out invitations today. Have you finished the list of people you are inviting?"

[monsterjohann]

"Ja, ja, ja," he tells him, waving a hand. "I just have one more to add. The little demon Blitzø."

A recent development. A recent friendship.

"And the only person barred is Hilbert. If someone wants to come in after dinner, they can. As long as they don't cause problems."

[untiltheend]

Sebastian briefly makes a face as if he just smelled something bad. That person, really? Then again...

"...I suppose that is entirely unsurprising."

Johann and Blitzø would getting along swimmingly.

"And of course. I will personally deal with anyone attempting to cause trouble."

[monsterjohann]

He sits back and points a dirty knife at him.

"Be nice," he warns him. "Don't be jealous that I have other friends."

[untiltheend]

Unbothered, Sebastian returns to his counter-cleaning now that the important discussions are finished.

"We are still doing this? It has been quite a while since Mr Gray left, as I recall."

Congratulations, Johann: you are officially less emotionally incompetent than Sebastian, who still is operating on their original agreement. What are friends.

It's not... malice on Sebastian's end. He simply has spent hundreds of years without ever having a friend. It's only in the last two years or so anyone has even referred to him as their friend. Humans considering him a friend is one thing. A fellow monster? It doesn't even register.

[monsterjohann]

Johann's eyebrows raise.

"Oh, Sebastian." And there is pity in his tone. Most of it feigned.

"You are an idiot."

But the pot is scrubbed, the knives are done, and he is finished for the morning.

"See you tomorrow."