[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.]

[reformedsinner]

[Somehow, Hakkai's not surprised. Martial arts have a certain appeal to teenage boys, after all, whereas the amusement of very bad monster costumes may be one confined to those who have a taste for irony.

He slips in the cassette of Drunken Master he'd picked up at a flea market, hits play, and sits back on his heels as he fast-forwards through credits and warnings.]

Kung fu it is. You may like this one-- ah ha ha, it even features the Eight Immortals.

[As drunken martial arts forms, but still.]

[junkyarddog]

Who're they? [Ken's not exactly familiar with Chinese mythology, or even kung fu film conventions. He and Chikusa haven't lived lives that involved exposure to many movies.]

[reformedsinner]

According to history, eight Taoist masters whose practice led them to achieve true immortality. He Xiangu, Cao Guojiu, Lan Caihe, Lu Dongbin, Han Xiangzi, Old Zhang Guo, Zhongli Quan, and Li Tieguai.

[Someday he may learn not to launch into an immediate lecture at Ken when given the opportunity. That day is not today. Besides, he's Li Tieguai's shinki now, so he may as well start studying....]

So I do feel a new interest in their legends.

[junkyarddog]

[Ken blinks at Hakkai for a moment. That explanation has left him with a pressing question.]

Does that mean you know kung fu?

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai sits back on his heels and blinks, one hand thoughtfully at his chin.]

Perhaps I should try my skills and see!

But previously, I only had a self-taught qi gong hobby.

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?

[reformedsinner]

Hello, Nanako! It's good to see you found your way here. [It's a new location for his temple, after all. The Central District is, at least, a much safer place to walk around. He puts his red pen down and smiles at her.]

I was just getting a bit of grading done, so as not to be a bother to Chikusa.

[welcome_home]

Chikusa told me how to find it. [ She offers this sheepishly as she steps in, glancing around. ] Mine moved, too. I didn't know temples could do that.

[reformedsinner]

Yes, it seems they can sometimes. Where is your temple now?

[The only part of living here that he does regret is that his school is now a much, much longer way to walk. He's had to take up earlier rising.]

[welcome_home]

Mmm, it's near Ren's temple! Do you know Ren? His goddess was Nanshe's sister, sort of.

[ Also that would be Southeast, Hakkai, but Nanako's not so good with directions yet. ]

[reformedsinner]

Yes, I know Ren. [Hakkai smiles brightly at her. He doesn't know where Ren's temple is these days -- especially if it's moved -- but he can ask.]

One of his first shinki was a friend of mine. Are you two friends, too, or just the gods you represent?

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...?

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai glances up from the workbook he's grading and smiles.] Ah, hello. Garry, isn't it? I'm sorry I didn't notice you there!

[It's a little bit of a white lie. He hadn't been sure that Garry was going to talk to him, rather than heading to the kitchen to meet Chikusa and Ken.]

Chikusa's just finishing up dinner in the kitchen. How have you been?

[artificialrose]

Oh, fine, thank you. But- [Pausing- he's not exactly sure if he's doing this sort of thing right- he lowers himself into a bow.] I wanted to apologize for Komaeda.

[Because all of that sure was uncomfortably public!]

[reformedsinner]

Please, don't feel obligated to... [Hakkai pauses.] Is he your god?

[That certainly was uncomfortably public! And awkward. There had been a few borderline death threats, too.]

[artificialrose]

[Yeah, uh, there definitely were some borderline death threats there, which is why obligation is absolutely required here. Straightening up, Garry nods.]

Yes... I've been trying to take care of him, and watch over him, but there's still a lot I don't know, or only find out about later.

[reformedsinner]

It seems there's no helping it, unfortunately. As his shinki, please don't feel obligated to apologize on his behalf.

[Hakkai smiles blandly.]

I'll do my best not to provoke him in the future.

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.]

[reformedsinner]

Ah! Good catch.

[Labels and color coding don't seem to have come with this particular TV -- well. Some color coding. One of the problems of shopping for very used electronic equipment is faded plastic.

He unplugs and switches the two cables, leaning around to check the screen. Ah... it's still staticky.]

Although there seems to be something else wrong.

[He trails off as he ducks back behind the stand, scowling thoughtfully at it.]

[purr_ince]

[Adrien is looking at the TV then he's to the front of it and toying with the dial.]

Electronics are just fickle. They need too many cords and to be on certain channels for this or that. And god forbid a wire is loose you'll get a weird feedback loop, screeching, messed up picture...

[He's sticking his tongue out. He and Marinette had spent hours setting everything else up nevermind look on his face with all the other cord things.]

We'll figure it out, Hakkai, don't worry.

[So it's will no small amount of determination and focus he's sitting and toying with the knobs in the panel on side of the screen.]

[reformedsinner]

I'm sure we'll manage. [He glances at Adrien, startled, before chuckling and shaking his head. Adrien seems much more concerned about the problem of a staticky picture than he is.]

It could just be a loose wire somewhere, I suppose...

[So! The next step is to check all of the connections. He leans down and begins systematically adjusting each of them.]

[purr_ince]

Of course.

[It's really not even about the picture. He just likes being helpful and he hasn't been able to do anything much since he got here. Even if he's a guest he feels like he's been slacking off. That there's something he should be doing right now that he isn't.]

It might be something inside too. Then again it might just be one of the cables - it could be loose did you twist the bands to make sure they're tight enough?

[He's looking around to make sure that there's nothing electronic too close that could be causing interference.]

[reformedsinner]

Would you like to take a closer look? It sounds like you're much better with electronics than I am.

[He's never been too handy. Cooking and cleaning, yes. Some minor household necessities... major ones, though, like replacing doors, are beyond his expertise. So is fixing an old cathode-ray TV.

He steps back, gesturing Adrien towards the television.]