[Semi-Open]

[theoryandcalculation]

WHO: Swimming idiots. If your character has Free! CR and you want to tag in feel free (hah)!
WHERE: Residence 34
WHEN: November 27th
WHAT: Thanksgiving!
WARNINGS: Haru probably tried to stuff the turkey with mackerel.

[There are a few different kinds of food, and several desserts (all the cupcakes from Makoto's birthday are finally gone, at least), all laid out on the table buffet style. Feel free to assume what kind of food is available and mingle around! It's Thanksgiving dinner but without the awkward relatives.]

Comments

DINNERTIME

[iwatobi]

[Haruka sets the last plate of food on the table. He's quite pleased, seeing all his friends (the ones able to make it, anyway) laughing and smiling and enjoying themselves with nothing to weigh their shoulders down. It makes his chest ache in a good way, and he's so happy he has to escape back into the kitchen to take a moment and smile to himself for a bit.

Catch him in the kitchen or when he returns to the dinner table with everyone to eat. He and Rei worked really hard!!!]

[theoryandcalculation]

[Rei ducks into the kitchen for more to drink when he finds he's not alone. He hadn't noticed Haru get up, probably busy talking to someone else, but now he smiles at him as he goes to fill his glass with more water.]

I think it really turned out well, don't you, Haruka-senpai?

[iwatobi]

[Haru quickly resumes his usual apathetic expression, though he can't help the small lift of the corners of his mouth. Damn it. Oh well.]

Ah. I like your cooking, Rei.

[Rei is a much better kitchen buddy than Makoto, that's for sure...]

[theoryandcalculation]

[Maybe one day he'll get to see unreserved Haruka smiles, but for now he'll accept what he can get. The compliment makes him happy, though.]

Thank you! I was hoping it would turn out good, but I'm not as happy with the presentation as I wanted... Ah, but your food is wonderful, senpai!

[And more than mackerel. Yay!]

[iwatobi]

[It isn't that Haru suffers from poor self-esteem... he just has a tendency to downplay his achievements and compliments roll off his back.]

Anyone could do it. [...anyone but Makoto, anyway.]

I still don't understand this holiday.

[theoryandcalculation]

[Meanwhile Rei is a vain peacock.

He gives a little shrug at that.]

I looked into it, and it seems to mostly celebrate the pilgrims' arrival to North America. The only tradition seems to be the meal, though, so I think it's really just an excuse to be with family and eat.

[iwatobi]

[The blankest look. Pilgrims? In North America? What? Someone didn't pay attention in World History.]

Why a turkey. Mackerel would be better.

Before Dinner

[theoryandcalculation]

[Rei has been worrying about this far more than necessary, especially since he doesn't really care about this holiday itself. But he does care that he's cooking recipes he's never cooked before and everyone is going to be eating them and he wants it to be really good for his friends.

He's concentrating pretty intensely (and muttering to himself), so he doesn't notice anyone coming into the kitchen until they're already there. Feel free to find him there!]

[backstrorca]

[Makoto had been at the apartment pretty early, wanting to offer any help to Rei and Haru after they had mentioned wanting to have a Thanksgiving dinner. Of course he knew he would be perfectly useless and in the way in the kitchen, so he had taken to gathering supplies to decorate and ready the dinning room instead.

He had popped into the kitchen to gather some plates, and notices Rei talking to himself. Makoto has to smile--seemed very much like Rei to be taking this thing so seriously.]

Everything okay, Rei?

[theoryandcalculation]

[Rei startles, jolting back out of his thoughts, and if Makoto had been almost anyone else he would be getting an earful about why breaking someone's concentration is rude, and what if he's been holding a knife, honestly!

But he is Makoto, so he is spared this fate. Instead, Rei just looks surprised.]

Yes, yes. I'm just not sure about the presentation of these sweet potatoes...

[According to the Internet they're supposed to be delicious but they look like a gooey marshmallow covered mess at the moment.]

[backstrorca]

[Makoto's brows raise, walking over to inspect the sight that had apparently been offending Rei's sensibilities. It did very much look like a gooey mess, but they smelled delicious? Makoto wasn't a good judge of how food should look, being absolutely horrible at it himself.

The fact that it was a Western dish that he knew little about only made it worse.]

Hmm, I'm not sure either. They smell wonderful though, and I think that's the most important part.

[Well, maybe not for Rei.]

Did the receipt show a picture or describe what it was supposed to look like?

[theoryandcalculation]

Hold on...

[He wipes his hands off on a towel and reaches for his communicator, so he can show Makoto the recipe he's been following on it. He could just do it through mental access but it's weird and he'd rather just show him normally.

The ones he's been looking at have a much more even, nicely browned marshmallow coat than his do. His marshmallows aren't even and in some places the potatoes are completely exposed.]

See!?

[backstrorca]

Oh...

[Ah. Well, that would explain why Rei was so frustrated. The differences between the appearances were pretty stark. Not like Makoto knew how or why it had happened. There was no doubt in his mind that Rei had followed the directions to the last second allotted and gram of sweet potato asked for.]

W-Well! I'm sure they still taste delicious! And they don't look that bad, I'm sure the picture in the recipe was just...staged? Or something?

[It were times like these that he wished he had just a little kitchen experience so he wasn't at a loss with suggestions for his friend.]

After Dinner - I won't break the train

[sharkweak]

[Food has been consumed-- more consciously by Rin, perhaps, than by most considering his weaponized mouth-- and now it's time to laze about. He did his fair share of the work when it came to dishes and cleanup. Now his fingers are a little pruned, his stomach is a lot full, and he's found a couch to sit on.

Rin doesn't plan on getting up for a while, so if anyone wants to speak, they'll have to form an audience around him. There's room on the sofa, or on the floor for those who are most comfortable sitting there. Until some company finds him, he'll be scrolling on his phone. Checking the network, on and off. News bulletins, too.]

[theoryandcalculation]

[Rei sits down on what's open on the couch, also full for now. He's pretty sure that the meal they just had will keep even him stuffed for awhile, but he's shoved some leftovers in the back of the fridge in anticipation of a midnight snack. They're becoming more and more frequent.

He smiles at Rin as he settles down.] Thank you for helping with the dishes, Rin-san.

[sharkweak]

I would have helped to cook, too, but it looked like you guys had everything under control.

[Rin wouldn't be able to whip up anything fancy, himself, but he could have provided a dish or two. Yet, by the time they threw this small event together, he didn't have much time to figure anything out. Suddenly he was at the house, being served food that didn't solely consist of mackerel-- thank the heavens-- and he kind of accepted it. Dishes? Least he could do.]

[theoryandcalculation]

Help with Christmas. If we're still here by then.

[He's hoping they're not. Another month gone, another month far away from home.]

Now that I know you want to cook, you won't get off easy. [A grin.]

[sharkweak]

[Every day that passes, Rin fears the one to come after it. He runs in the morning, swims almost every evening. He hasn't lost his speed, he thinks, but the constant trepidation means it hasn't increased enough for his liking.

This isn't the school he wants to train with. This isn't the country he knows-- heck, the world.

How many more holidays, indeed.]

What do you plan on making me do? The whole damn meal?

[Grins right back. Like Hell he's going to be their personal chef. Rei's the one who agreed to be that, bee-tee-dubs. Not Rin.]

[theoryandcalculation]

[And isn't he good at it, Rin, don't you like his food?]

I'll do the dishes.

[That's a fair trade, right?

He knows how Rin feels, though - he might not have the same Olympic dream, but with every day it feels like his own goals are slipping away, just a little further.]

Before Dinner - late because I'm an idiot I'll ruin this chain

[backstrorca]

[Makoto is quick to offer himself to help with their little festivities--and even quicker to be banned and to ban himself from the kitchen, knowing he can only do harm there.

Instead he chooses to decorate, taking painstakingly careful strides into readying the dining room for their meal. He's managed to put out some plates on the table without incident, but after nearly breaking a plate in half and bending a few forks, he is moving extremely slowly, a look of concentration on his face. One day he'll be in control of his strength, but today is looking to be a trial by fire.]

BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH THREADS, CLEARLY??

[iwatobi]

[Haru appears suddenly from behind, ladle in hand.]

Makoto.

CLEARLY NOT WE ARE ALWAYS STARVED

[backstrorca]

[Makoto is only mildly surprised at the sudden voice from behind him, turning to face him.]

Yes, Haru?

[...but the surprise is enough to break his concentration and he grips a fork too tightly, bending all the tongs. A sigh leaves him and he mumbles sadly under his breath, trying his best to salvage the utensil.]

Ah, sorry about that...did you need something?

[iwatobi]

[Oops. Oh well. He holds out his ladle, a silent request for the other to taste test.]

[backstrorca]

Oh? What's this?

[Makoto is quick to oblige though, taking a step and leaning foward with his mouth open, despite his questioning. Haru usually didn't lead him astray with his cooking--even when most of the time it was some various mackerel-based dish.]

[iwatobi]

Butternut squash soup.

[SURPRISINGLY NOT MACKEREL. Haru can behave sometimes.]