bakerstreet | texts on a sunday

Oh, yes, protein it is. Anything you think would pair particularly well?

[ Steve is, as always, a proper dinner guest and will do his best. ]

[ Matt can't make decisions like this without the ghost of a nonna to advise him. Especially because adding protein to dessert and booze suddenly bumps it (in his mind) from "inviting friend to taste a snack" to "asking Steve over for dinner," and that sounds suspiciously like a da-- ]

chicken piccata?

or failing that, pizza with some kind of vegetables

[ "Chicken piccata" is just a name of a dish Matt knows. Upon Googling, he's relieved to see that it actually does seem like it'd pair well.

Friends ask friends for dinner all the time. Don't make it weird, Jamison. ]

[ Okay, well, the problem with Steve getting chicken piccata on the way is that he doesn't actually know how to make it and googling it, he can tell that he's not gonna want to make this the first try, especially when Matt's going through so much trouble making nice things. ]

Only if you want the kind from the restaurant down the street. Apparently theirs is really nice.

[ Yes, he's looking up yelp reviews in the neighborhood. ]

Aita Trattoria? If it's them, I've been meaning to try them. But yes either way

[ Matt is running around cleaning more stuff through all this texting. The panna cotta is chilling (literally) in the fridge, so it's doing fine. Can he get anywhere close to the level of neat Steve's place achieves? Unlikely, Matt has too many plants and pieces of magic paraphernalia for that. But he can try.

In the meantime, he nudges the shoes he's been leaving by the door into his teeny closet. ]

Let me know when you're here and I'll buzz you up.

[ A few minutes later, there's a buzz at the door.

If there's a video screen, there's Steve with a bag in his hand, smiling up at the camera. Yes, hello Matt, he's got dinner! And he's excited to come hang out. And maybe talk to a lonely ghost! ]

[ Let's say yes to video, for the purpose of Matt melting a little bit when he catches sight of how pleased Steve looks. He smiles back before remembering that the video only goes one way.

He buzzes: bzzt.

Matt's third-floor apartment, previously Mrs. Franchetti's, is one of those prewar ones with a nonfunctioning fireplace. Bars on the windows, a teeny but not punitive kitchen. There's a lot going for it, Matt feels. It probably only sat empty for so long because it's haunted. ]

Hey there, [ he says, stepping back from the door to wave Steve in. He inhales, smiling. ] Something smells good.

[ Immediately past Matt, there's his couch and coffee table, on which are scattered various occult items: some candles, some crystals, the Ouija board. Its planchette lies still for the moment. ]

[ Steve brings in the bags but since it's decidedly not a date, he hasn't brought flowers, which he otherwise would have. ]

Hey Matt.

And hey, Mrs. Franchetti.

[ He doesn't know where she is, so he just gives a general wave to the apartment.

Which, speaking of, he finds to be a completely normally-sized apartment, and very nice. ]

Anything I can help you with?

[ When Steve greets Mrs. Franchetti, Matt's smile warms a touch. He glances to the spirit board--no movement--and then to the kitchen, where not a spice jar is stirring. The temperature might dip a few degrees? ]

I'm sure she appreciates it, [ he says to Steve. At the offer of help, his smile turns both brighter and a little bit sheepish. ] I think the most helpful thing would be any thoughts you have about the fact that I don't really have a table for eating, per se ...? There's--

[ He gestures: first to the coffee table, in front of the sofa and flanked by a mismatching armchair. Then to a desk by the window, which has a folding chair at it and is covered with potted plants and a scattering of crystals. ]

We can eat on the coffee table.

[ Since there are things on the desk, so Steve doesn't want to disturb them or eat around them. It does get a little cold but he doesn't mind, and assumes that she's trying to say hi to him, which he appreciates. ]

Apparently that's what young people do today, anyway, eat around a coffee table. Hope Mrs. Franchetti doesn't mind.

[ He will help by uncorking wine and pouring them both a glass. ]

[ Matt grins at "what young people are doing." Steve seems to have things under control pouring wine into Matt's pretty but mismatching glassware, so he pads over to the kitchen. ]

I've never really known what the kids are doing these days, [ he notes over his shoulder. As he turns his attention to the matter of grabbing plates and utensils, he adds wryly, ] Don't worry. If she disapproves, you'll know.

[ Matt could probably add because she'll throw things, but oh well! He returns with similarly mismatching dishware and napkins, nudging some of his candles closer to the spirit board to make room. ]

Thanks for coming all this way on short notice, [ he adds, shooting Steve a smile. ] And for turning my dessert offer into a shockingly respectable meal.

[ The glassware is pretty and the whole apartment has a sort of mismatched but nice look to it, like it's purposeful for Matt to have picked up one or two of each item because he liked them individually, but they don't work as part of a set until you get to the whole collection. ]

It's no problem, just thought it is about dinnertime, so there's no reason not to make it into a meal.

What else have you been up to? And have you always had a - roommate?

[ He's not really sure how to describe this relationship, but he's rather curious if he moved in specifically because the place is haunted. ]

[ Steve is completely correct to imagine that Matt might find "lonely ghost" an apartment selling point, up there with "in-unit washer dryer." In this case, however: ]

I wasn't aware of her until a few weeks after I moved in. [ A small smile, as Matt settles down on the couch and reaches for the takeout bag to help with removing and organizing stuff. ] I'm actually pretty bad at sensing spirits, so I had to go out and buy the spirit board, do a whole ritual. But it's been really nice--I haven't lived with another person since, like. High school?

Apart from that, I'm helping out where I can. [ Strange loops him in on some of the weird mystical stuff, though mostly when he has no choice. ] Trying to adapt some of the neighborhood spells I'd set up back home to here, so that's an interesting challenge.

What about you? What's new?

Huh.

[ He'd never thought to check if spirits were in his home before, but he thinks maybe he ought to ask Matt if there's one living in his that he's been ignoring this whole time. There are cold spots and creaks, but he'd just assumed it was because he lives in an old apartment building. ]

Nothing. Just got back to Brooklyn, thought I'd stay for a bit. Retirement looks pretty good on me, but, I think I might get pulled back into something soon.

[ He never stays out of the action for very long, which is not good for dinner dates but great for the safety of the general public. Still, it was nice to be doing normal things for awhile. ]

[ Matt smiles, leaning back and peering as if to assess how good retirement looks on Steve. ]

... Admittedly, I didn't know you pre-retirement. But you do seem balanced. Peaceful. There's a luminosity there. [ ok thank you for that very weird observation matthew ] Any idea what you might get pulled back into, though?

[ He's asking for a friend (who is him, and still not used to the way disasters arise in this corner of the multiverse). Meanwhile, he eeny-meenies between the plates, and slides the one he considers prettier over Steve's way. He doles out a portion of chicken piccata for himself. ]

[ He isn't expecting the assessment, but he smiles when Matt decides to agree with him, though he's confused about the luminosity statement and he doesn't want to implore more than that - he isn't a compliment-fisher. He does want to know if he was so unbalanced before, but it's not something Matt can answer for him. ]

Anything. Aliens, robots, apparently wizards is the other big one.

[ Or whatever Sam had come up with to explain the bulk of things they had to deal with. ]

My money's on aliens this time, but I'm not a betting man.

[ He takes the plate graciously and doles himself a portion too. ]

Guess I'll just have to enjoy nights like this while they last.

Oh no, I hope not wizards, [ Matt protests, taking a swallow of wine. ] I never get to hang out with other magic users, I don't wanna fight any.

[ He doesn't sound that bothered, actually. He's even a little playful. And in fact: Once Steve has served himself, he raises his glass with a flourish. ]

Okay, well ... then despite our forays into divination, I'm going to toast to living in the moment. And enjoying nights like this one.

Honestly, I'm not sure when we fight the wizards, but we've fought alongside a couple. I'm sure I could put you in touch, but it might take awhile.

[ Despite being literally Captain America, it's not like he got Strange's number, and though he's run up and down Bleecker Street, he can't find the Sanctum. Still, Steve, who still thinks he's just a normal guy, doesn't actually feel slighted by this in any capacity. ]

A toast to the present. Everyone's always telling me I'm spending too much time in the past. Let's enjoy tonight.

[ Clink. ]

Oh--that's nice of you. [ Matt brightens. ] Honestly, no matter how slow-going it is, it's probably faster than getting Dr. Strange to like me, so I appreciate it.

[ Clink, swig! Matt takes a moment to connect with the present moment: Steve's weight on his couch, smells of delicious food wafting, occasional cold spot flickering in the air around them. The planchette wobbles on the Ouija board, but doesn't move as such.

Matt breathes. Takes another bite of food. And, after a quick swipe of his tongue to make sure there's nothing embarrassing stuck in his teeth, he smiles. ]

How's the rose quartz been treating you, by the way?

Well, I put it under my pillow and I hold it sometimes before I go to bed. I think it's going well, but I can't tell. I mean, things are going well.

[ Not romantically, that's dead in the water, but he's doing well with his friends.

But he's happy the way things are, anyway. He doesn't feel lonely. He doesn't have everything he wants, but he doesn't want to be greedy, either.

He smiles and then looks at the wobbling planchette. ]

Is Mrs. Franchetti trying to say something? I don't wanna ignore your roommate.

[ But he does dig into the food, which is warm, and very nice. ]

It sounds great, [ Matt agrees, giving an encouraging nod. A part of him is surprised to hear Steve's taken to it so seriously; a larger part is like, nope, this tracks. ] I bet it's totally attuned to you by now.

[ He's about to launch into all the fun and esoteric things Steve and his rose quartz buddy might achieve, when the planchette catches his attention. He and Steve seem to notice it at the same time. ]

I dunno, [ Matt answers curiously. He shifts in his seat, peering over the board. ] Are you, Mrs. Franchetti?

[ After a moment's watching, in which the planchette tremors but doesn't move decisively towards any letters, Matt looks up at Steve with a smile. ] I think she's more like, making her presence known. I'm not exactly an expert on spirits, so take this with a grain of salt, but my impression is that sometimes people want to be seen or heard, and if they can't be seen, they'll manifest in a different way. You ever seen one of those movies where things fly around or writing appears on the walls?

[ Well, Matt had explained how it worked and Steve had wanted it to, so he followed along as best as he could. He's happy to hear that it's probably attuned to him, and nods.

Besides, it's more important to him to hear from Mrs. Franchetti, who's in the room and apparently feeling a little neglected. ]

Oh, yes. Well, she doesn't need to worry. I didn't forget about her.

[ He doesn't think Matt has, either. ]

But if she does need something, well. It might go through a few interpretations between us.

[ There is exactly one downside Matt has identified to having a ghost for a housemate, and it's what's going on right this minute. Mentally, he prays, Please Mrs. Franchetti, please don't be more interesting than me to the cute guy.

Verbal psychic communication is not a skill he's ever manifested, but you never know until you try. ]

Well, [ he says to Steve, ] don't worry. I'll gladly translate as needed. [ That's totally true, even if he is feeling slightly upstaged at the moment. Matt snags another bite of dinner, then a swallow of wine. ]

... I think I was about to talk about rose quartz, [ he adds, with a crooked smile. ] I forget what I told you before. But also, feel free to veto magic rock properties as a topic.

No, no. Please, tell me everything you know.

[ Steve, at the very least, is a polite dinner guest. And it's not that he finds Mrs. Franchetti more interesting - though, truly, he does find her interesting - but rather that he doesn't want her to feel left out and alone.

He's not old, not really, but he knows how hard it is to relate to young people, how isolating it is when all your friends grow old and die. To - honestly, to be dead. He knows what that's like, too. So he doesn't want her to feel left out.

And, well, to be honest, if he had thought this was a date before, he certainly doesn't anymore with a third dinner guest. Sorry, Matt. ]

About the quartz.

[ IT'S OKAY, he can yearn! A little crushing is good for the soul, it makes you feel like you're alive as the chambers of your heart all panic.

Tragically, Matt doesn't piece together the whole of why Steve might feel a kinship with Mrs. Franchetti. He just thinks Steve is kind, and considerate. (And that people in general are either repelled or fascinated by life beyond the veil.) ]

Everything I know, [ Matt repeats, with a tinge of amusement that says that could take awhile. He tops off his glass and leans back to consider. ] Okay, I'm sure I mentioned this is a stone of unconditional love. "Unconditional love and infinite peace," as one of my crystal books puts it. And I hope I mentioned that it doesn't have to be romantic love. There's love for your friends and-or family, love for the world around us, self-love. People forget about self-love.

I think the other thing that's underrated about rose quartz is that it also supports the architecture that makes love possible, or heightened. So there's things like openness, trust, peace, understanding ... any or all of those. Rose quartz can help.

[ He's not sure he understands entirely, but he looks down at the quartz. ]

And it's supposed to ... open up doors for me, so that I can make that happen?

[ Like make him open to receiving unconditional love, or maybe open to giving it in return, so he can have it as well. Hm. Well, it's not working just yet, bu he's still hoping. ]

Is there a guide on how long it'll take to kick in?

[ Because Steve hasn't been using it long, but he's certainly been waiting a long time. ]

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