[closed] it's not a nutritional dinner

[kokuyoyo]

Who: Chikusa, Ken, and all the people invited to Hakkai's temple
When: October 12
Where: Li Tieugai's temple in the Central District
What: Having recently lost their other god, Ken is sad by yet another loss.... so Chikusa is fixing this with his dog's favorite things: people he likes and copious amounts of meat.

Unless people actually ask, Chikusa.... doesn't exactly tell what time the dinner is actually going to be at. At least he'll probably tell them that Hakkai's temple moved? One would hope.

The temple of Iron Crutch Li doesn't really seem all that impressive upon approaching it, despite being in the Central District. The walled gardens are certainly large and lovely enough, if a little wild, but the building itself is rather plain at its two stories. There's a small sign attached to the front door that simply says 'come in'. Chikusa isn't going to bother answering the door for visitors. It's not like Hakkai locks that thing anyway.

The inside of the temple is about as sparsely decorated as its outside, but, today, the overwhelming smell wafting from the kitchen has overtaken any medicinal smells that might normally be about. It adds a certain warmth to the room.

Until dinner will be served a little later into the night, people are free to do whatever- hang about the gardens, go bother Chikusa in the kitchen, or otherwise find the other residents of the temple. Chikusa won't care to stop anyone, although Hakkai might.

As for dinner? Chikusa is serving so much meat: rabbit stew with olives and rosemary, swordfish, curried chicken, veal marsala, and a more traditional spaghetti served with meatballs. Fortunately, at least there's garlic bread and stuffed mushrooms, so there's something that isn't meat.... And for dessert? Zeppole, cannoli, and an apple ciambella with almond cream.

Comments

[reformedsinner]

Before Dinner

[Hakkai's not precisely welcoming guests. He is sitting in the front room, with the lights on and spilling a warm golden light through the windows, but he has a mug of tea, his reading glasses on, and a red pen as he goes through a stack of math workbooks.

Everything's in the oven -- as the delectable odors of tomato, cheese and roasting meat suggest -- and at this point, he'd just be a bother hanging over Chikusa's shoulder in the kitchen. He's decided to get some work done instead.

There are several sofas and armchairs in the room, and he won't object if someone drops in, although he can't guarantee he'll stop grading.

The white dragon curled up on the back of the couch looks more enthusiastic about company, raising his head and cheeping if anyone stops by the door.]


After Dinner

[Most of Hakkai's temple is a little old-fashioned. The bulky old TV and DVD/VCR player he's recently purchased are no exception; while he can deal with DVDs, theoretically, he has a certain fondness for the more familiar magnetic tape. And screens that aren't flat.

He's fiddling with the television cables, trying to get a nice clear picture, and calls over his shoulder cheerfully.]

I have some monster movies, and a few kung fu films... Ken, which would you like best?

[Once they've picked a video, he may have to make popcorn.]

After Dinner

[junkyarddog]

[Ken doesn't look like he's long for this world in any case. He's stretched out on the same couch as Chikusa, essentially using his partner as the world's boniest body pillow, and after gorging himself at the feast he already looks sleepy. But he's still awake enough to have a preference.]

Kung fu sounds cool, byon. [Monster movies don't interest him much. Most of the monsters tend to look like one of his own channels, and it always makes him a little uneasy.]

Before Dinner!

[welcome_home]

[ It's the dragon's greeting that has Nanako pausing and poking her head more fully into the room, a shy smile on her face. ]

Hello, Hakkai! Hello, Jeep! Are you busy?

before

[artificialrose]

[Garry feels a little awkward being invited to this for more than one reason... And that feeling only intensifies once he enters the temple itself, and spots who's right there in the front room. He lingers for a moment, smiling a little towards the dragon, before taking a breath.]

Hakkai...?

After Dinner

[purr_ince]

[Since Adrien had helped Marinette with their own tv back at their temple he's moving to help Hakkai. Sure it's an older setup but he's pretty sure it can't be that different. So the blond is standing at his side before pointing to a couple of cords.]

I think those two are swapped around. That one on the bottom should be in the the top hole. I'm pretty sure anyway. I mean the TV at our temple has little labels and color coding but -

[He trails off rubbing at the back of his neck. Adrien doesn't want to be rude or come across as pushy.]

[kokuyoyo]

A - Making dinner

[It's within the kitchen that the warm smell of meat and bread is at its strongest. Throughout the afternoon and evening, Chikusa is constantly at work no matter what time someone decides to arrive. It's true that his lethargic nature is one of the qualities people tend to notice the most, but right now? Right now he's hard at work, hands moving quickly so that he can accurately juggle the handling of various dishes that all seem to intersect.]

[Yet no matter what he's working on, whether meat or desserts, he always seems to have a knife on hand when he turns to deadeye whoever enters.]

...What?

B - Dinner

[...And of course all that energy is out the second he sits down at the table, absolutely right next to Ken.]

[There's food on his plate, sure, but his blue beanie with the dogs stitched onto it is tugged nearly all the way down to his eyes, and his cheek is propped up with one hand.]

[Is he even awake...?]

C - After Dinner

[A monster movie is playing. Chikusa has claimed an entire couch.]

[So has a cat. And probably Ken. There is a Tibetan Mastiff dominating the entire floor in front of it. Somehow, a goat has squeezed in and is gently gnawing on Chikusa's hair.]

[Is he asleep again? Or does he just not care?]

C

[junkyarddog]

[At least Chikusa's been sufficiently rewarded for all his efforts today. Not only did Ken devour a considerable amount of the food Chikusa made - to the point of practically making himself sick - but now Ken is stretched out with him on the couch. Well, more accurately, Chikusa is stretched out on the couch, and Ken is stretched out on Chikusa.

Ken hasn't explicitly thanked Chikusa for everything, but the way his head is tucked under Chikusa's chin, nose pressed up against his neck and breathing in his scent, may be thanks enough. (Hopefully it is, because it's happening either way.)]

A!

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako stops short when Chikusa turns towards her with a knife, blinking up at him for a moment with wide eyes when he looks at her like that. Then, uncertain, she ventures... ]

Do you need any help? Is there anything I can do?

Making dinner

[reformedsinner]

Did you need someone to mince the onions for the sauce?

[Hakkai points at a few yellow onions on the sideboard, smiling cheerfully. Chikusa seems to have a solid rhythm established in his cooking, but prep work is prep work, and the more hands on it the more smoothly things can go.]

It's an interesting cuisine, I must say. You'll have to teach me a few of these dishes.

[Maybe he can find a way to make them a bit healthier.]

A

[moonlitknight]

[ Zero stares at the knife looking unimpressed. ]

Why am I here.

[ Why did you invite him. ]

Making Dinner

[purr_ince]

[Adrien has never been a fan of just being idle. The boy has too much pent up energy for that. So he's stepping cautiously into the kitchen. Only to freeze as that knife is leveled at him - his hands instantly going up in a placating gesture.]

Easy there buddy, we don't stab our friends, right?

[There's a nervous little laugh then he's rubbing at the back of his neck.]

I uh.. I wanted to help but I can't really cook so can I set the table or something? I can carry stuff that's not very hard but it'd make it a little easier on you if someone helped out with it, right?

The guest of honor

[junkyarddog]

A) Before Dinner

[Anyone who knows Ken - which is pretty much everyone attending the dinner - will be able to observe that the usually loud and rambunctious boy is distinctly subdued. His usual energy seems to be absent; in fact, the way he's slouching around, he seems more like Chikusa than himself. (Perhaps Chikusa has stolen all his energy to be able to make tonight's feast.) He can be found either in the kitchen, or in the room where Hakkai is grading papers; he seems to drift back and forth between the two rooms, unusually non-disruptive, simply following their movements - his partner's and his god's - with his eyes.

Roy's loss has hit him hard. The fear of losing his other god, and of losing his partner, is that much stronger right now. And no one he's cared about has ever disappeared while he's looking right at them, so maybe if he watches them enough, they won't vanish.

Still, since he's minding his own business, there's plenty of opportunity to talk to him. And you may want to do it now, because...]


B) At Dinner

[...Ken at a table full of meat and sweets is possible to approach, but most people probably wouldn't attempt it. You might lose a hand.

Ken may be grieving, but he doesn't see any reason for that to affect his appetite. Or perhaps he's actively using the food to distract himself from it. Either way, Chikusa's energy output isn't going to waste, so Chikusa can at least feel gratified about that.

Ken's also leaning against the chef, who looks like he might just slither out of his chair to puddle on the floor without Ken propping him up.

In any case, Ken can be talked to during this time, if you don't mind his mouth being almost perpetually full.]

A!

[welcome_home]

[ When Ken had texted her, Nanako had of course agreed. And had made a quick trip to the Near Shore before arriving tonight. Once she's inside and greeted the others, she comes looking for Ken, a paper bag clutched in her arms as she pokes her head into the room, looking for him. ]

Ken?

a

[artificialrose]

[It's more than a little awkward to arrive here, knowing how Komaeda and Hakkai's interaction had gone... but it had seemed rude to refuse, and, from what he'd been able to get out from this Chikusa, this was all for Ken. So he's here, a small plastic bag in hand, and goes to find the 'guest of honor' himself.]

[Of course... He's not expecting him to look so morose as he passes from the kitchen to the front room, and Garry pauses.]

Ken? Are you alright?

A

[nibelungvalesti]

You look troubled.

[The Valkyrie doesn't speak with her usual harshness or cold imperiousness. She isn't even in her armor, which ought to be a warning or alarm to all concerned. But this isn't about her, especially not when someone looks so upset at a party.]

A

[moonlitknight]

[ From behind: ]

You're moping.

Before Dinner

[purr_ince]

[Marinette had pointed this person out to him as Ken. The blond stayed at Marinette's side until she seemed happily engaged in conversation. That meant he'd been watching Ken and Adrien had tilted his head before understanding seemed to dawn on him. He's crossing the room to Ken determined steps. This is something he's noticed in himself - this odd Hypervigilance.]

You're afraid.

[Adrien's words are a soft statement as he watches Ken with bright green eyes.]

It will be fine. You can protect them, you know. You don't need to be afraid. [He pauses for a span of a heartbeat, his gaze flickering back toward where Marinette is then snapping back to Ken.] And even if you can't protect them from absolutely everything, I don't think they would blame you.

A!

[doodlebuginette]

[She'd seen him drifting in and out of the room while she and Adrien had been speaking with Hakkai, but she hadn't been able to do anything more than wave. And even then, she couldn't be certain that he'd seen her. So now that Hakkai had gone back to his work, she was free to say hello now.]

Hi, Ken. How are you?

Dorkinette has arrived.

[doodlebuginette]

Before Dinner

[For as eager as she'd been to be here, Marinette had never actually asked what time they needed to be here. Instead, she'd just made sure to get Adrien and herself here somewhere around dinner time. It turned out that her guess had been right this time, as they were greeted by the overwhelming mix of many types of food as they walked in.

The soft cheeping noise that accompanies their entrance makes her smile, and then she's turning to smile and wave at Hakkai. She doesn't actually recognize him, but she figures it's a good idea to be polite.]

Hi!

[And it's at that point that she realizes he's busy, so she's more than willing to leave it at that in favor of taking a seat on one of the sofas. Once she's settled, she's turning to smile at Adrien.]


After Dinner

[Chikusa had genuinely surprised her with both the sheer amount of food he'd made and the amount of effort that must have gone into organizing something like this. Thinking about what little she actually knew about him, it was certainly surprising.

She'd been eager to try a little of everything, and she was now bordering on being uncomfortably full. But she was satisfied at the effort she'd made to sample things she might not have otherwise had the chance to. Maybe she'd try asking Chikusa for a list of everything he'd made, like she'd done at the banquet. It was a thought.

For now, she's parked at the end of a sofa and she's casually leaning on Adrien as though she does this sort of thing all the time.]

I ate so much... but I have no regrets!

Before Dinner

[reformedsinner]

Ah, hello! You must be one of Ken's friends?

[Hakkai's smile is a little blank. Who was it who he hadn't recognized, on the invitation list? Marinette...?

He'll wait for an introduction before he makes any guesses, just to be safe.]

I'm Cho Hakkai, his god. It's a pleasure.

After Dinner

[purr_ince]

[Adrien had had a bit more restraint than his goddess had seemed to. That's not to say he didn't eat. In fact, he tried the stew and the spaghetti, stuffed mushrooms and garlic bread. The ciambella was the last thing he dared to eat least he make himself sick. He'd settled on one of the couches and when Marinette had come to sit he's patted a spot next to him, inviting her to sit.

And soon she's just there leaning on him. Adrien can't help but laugh at her. He wasn't judging though. They're just fifteen. They're growing kids - they need to eat and have healthy appetites. Absently he rests a hand atop her head.]

You over-stuffed yourself but you'll be okay. [He's glancing down at her an amused grin on her lips.] Are you going to always try to eat some of everything every time there's a party?

plu amore ai

[priforprince]

[ I. During Dinner, scene 1 ]

[ "Iron Crutch Li" is a god of medicine, are they not?

What's more, they're the god whose temporary but extremely inconvenient demise resulted in Hibiki contracting what can only be described as the "plu". She aches. She fevers. Occasionally her royal and priceless nose even leaks. The radiance of her eyes is dimmed by the illness racking her soul.

She also goes through headache medicine on a normal week like nobody's business, so when the necessity increases, her stores deplete alarmingly quickly. She debates sending Wendy, but Amaterasu has Wendy's cell phone. And going to the Near Shore herself is a trial not even a steadfast heart bent on revolution can withstand.

Thus there comes a knock on the door in the middle of dinner. Then, a more insistent one, followed by the door swinging open. ]

What? Why does no one answer --

[ The dinner party will be treated to the sight of Shikyoin Hibiki in her pajamas and bathrobe, carrying a mug of tea, stepping into the room and then dropping the mug.

That ridiculous invitation she'd forgotten all about was for tonight?! ]

[ II. After Dinner ]

[ Hibiki has curled up in a corner, sentence-ender-cancelling cutphones in place, unable to summon the energy to teleport just yet. She's picking at a cannoli as if deciding whether eating it is worth the effort. Or perhaps she's just wondering whether it's edible. But she's pretty subdued, all the same.

To think, atop suffering from illness, she should have stumbled upon a sentence ender party. ]

a

[kokuyoyo]

[Yes, that ridiculous invitation was for tonight.]

[From where he's slumped against Ken, Chikusa doesn't even look up.]

Shut up and shit down...

I

[reformedsinner]

[That certainly is shattered ceramic and tea all over his floor. And he'd just been standing up to go answer whoever was banging on his door, too -- in the sincere hope it's not someone who's heard about the location of the party and decided it's their chance to deal with a confessed mass murderer....

But no. It seems it's Hibiki. He smiles thinly.]

May I help you?

[kagenonadeshiko]

Before Dinner

[It's not like Ayumu to run late. She's usually on time for her engagements but given how full her hands have been lately with helping Gojyo out at the bar, gathering information on the yakuza that had slain his dog in preparation for the raid yesterday, and of course, the raid itself, perhaps she could be forgiven for her less than perfect timing.

She arrives in a rush, her new goddess in tow, carrying a stack of tupperware containers full of maple leaf shaped molasses cookies. Her cheeks are flushed and there's a large band-aid on her forehead. Similarly, both hands and wrists are neatly wrapped in ace bandages though the long-sleeved dress she's wearing hides most of them.

In spite of her injuries, Ayumu's cheerful as ever, even if she seems a little more interested in spending time with the temple pets than the other guests at the momen. Once she's deposited her goods in the kitchen, she settles down on the floor to play with the cats. It's the first chance she's had to see them since she'd left so right now, they're what she's preoccupied with the most. Feel free to interrupt her animal bonding time.]

After Dinner

[Once dinner's over, Ayumu's much more inclined to socialize with other people. During dinner, she hadn't really spoken much unless spoken to but that's not really unusual behavior for her in a group setting. She's always been more of a listener and lurker than a talker herself.

Afterward, she scoops Spot up in her arms and makes herself comfortable on one of the sofas. Recent events are still fresh in her mind, what the yakuza had done to that poor dog, how upset she and Gojyo and Tsuzuki had been about it, and what they'd done in retaliation. It's too early to know for sure just how much the situation will escalate, only that it will, and she needs to be ready.

Right now, Ayumu's still sore and tired from the day before. If she hadn't already promised to come, if it hadn't been family she'd made her promise, too, she would have cancelled her plans and just spent the day recuperating and plotting how to get ahead of future fallout.

But it's good for her to go out and be around other people, spend time doing fun, normal things. She's starting to develop a taste for it. Ayumu, still petting the shameless sprawling Spot rumbling away in her lap, turns to the nearest person with a smile undimmed by her worries.]

Dinner was delicious, wasn't it? Chikusa-kun did a wonderful job. He's gotten so good at it.

[There's an audible note of pride in her tone. The boy is her student after all.]