won't you take me

[kokuyoyo]

Who: The Li Tieguai clusterfuck
What: Well, we're out of a shitty haunted forest, who wants dinner?
When: November 16, evening
Where: Li Tieguai's Temple

Usually, when there's some big nonsense in Heaven, Chikusa can be found out cold or "away" in his own head for most of the following couple of days afterwards... but that apparently only counts for event which involve people. Spending an entire day trekking through a possessed forest filled with violent plant-life and cultists is manageable.... somehow.

No matter how exhausted or injured anyone in the temple is, food still has to be made, and Hakka is in no condition to make it. Thus, dinner is being arranged by the other cook in the house, and invitations have been sent out to the relevant people Chikusa thinks care- namely Nanako and Ayumu, along with anyone they seek to bring. That doesn't mean people checking in on the Li Tieguai temple can't just waltz right into the dinner as well....

There's a lot to do in the time leading up to dinner, after all, depending on when people show up (or, you know, realize there's smells coming from the kitchen). Bon, the resident enormous Tibetan Mastiff, demands attention in the form of bodily flinging himself at people. There's a goat in the garden, tied away from all the important medical herbs. At least four different nekomata wander in and out of the temple ground whenever they please, including Pookie, the most permanent resident, and never shut up.... Not to mention that a Kung-Fu movie has been put on the television for people to watch.

There's also a sign on all entrances to the kitchen that says: CHO HAKKAI IS NOT ALLOWED TO COOK. Presumably Chikusa put it up while making direct eye contact with him.

Either way, mess around until dinner, have dinner, crash in the living room where another kung-fu movie has been put on again... Have fun.

Oh, and before it can be forgotten.... The dinner menu for the night is fritto misto, meaty Amatriciana sauce with bucatini noodles, and all the garlic bread in the world apparently. For dessert? Cannoli again. That... might be all he knows how to make on the dessert front.

Comments

[kokuyoyo]

[This is exactly why he told you to rest, Hakkai. Exactly why. Chikusa doesn't say anything, however. He just slowly shifts his gaze back to the kitchen.]

....Yeah. That... sounds right... [Her, Hakkai, and himself all seem to be similar in that regard.] So.... What do you want to do?

[reformedsinner]

Keep an eye on her, for now. If she winds up with a god who will take good care of her, then we might not need to intervene, but otherwise...

[Even if she winds up with a god who would take care of her, but who's too young or innocent to properly grapple with Ayumu's self-blame.

Hakkai knows that he and Chikusa understand that kind of self-destructive impulse. Not everyone does... which is probably for the best, but a source of worry, too.]

[kokuyoyo]

...And if we do?

[Chikusa isn't so optimistic about finding Ayumu a god that will help her. After all...]

[Him and Hakkai have both had to go through ablutions before they could be free of their own guilt.]

[reformedsinner]

Being there for her is the first step. As for the second... well, if she can't let go of the guilt without an ablution, I know shinki who can help.

[The corner of his mouth tilts, not quite amused.] Even if I can't anymore, myself.

[kokuyoyo]

...I can... try to talk to her.

[He's not very good with this kind of thing but, for Ayumu, he'd make the attempt.]

[reformedsinner]

If it's necessary. I've talked to her about it tonight, but...

[He shakes his head.]

Well. It might be too early for her to really talk about it at the moment.

[kokuyoyo]

....Okay.

[He guesses all he can do is wait to see if she gets any better, then... For now, he just glances into the jar.]

Do you want anymore of these...? Before Ken and Goku raid it...

[reformedsinner]

Hmm.

[Should he? Probably not; it's not the sort of healthy food that'll help him recover faster from his exhaustion. They're very good, though.

He takes another.]

Thank you, I think I'll stop at two.

[And Ken and Goku will take care, inevitably, of the rest.]

[kokuyoyo]

[They'll definitely take care of the rest. Chikusa is pretty sure about that as he turns to shuffle back to the fridge. As he's reaching upwards to slide it back into place, he murmurs over his shoulder.]

You should go to sleep early...

[reformedsinner]

Yes, I suppose I should. [He'll just lean on the counter for a few more moments while he finishes this cannoli first.]

Make sure you send Nanako home before she falls asleep on the couch? I spotted her yawning earlier.

[kokuyoyo]

We have enough rooms that she could stay, right...?

[Clearly Chikusa doesn't see the problem.]

[reformedsinner]

Well, I suppose so, if she wants to.

[There are far too many unused rooms upstairs; even with Goku and Gojyo added, they can easily host guests.

Still:]

I don't think we have a spare toothbrush, though. Or pajamas in her size.

[kokuyoyo]

....I have spare toothbrushes.

[A blink. Hakkai can probably guess, if he tries, why Chikusa has spare toothbrushes immediately on hand.]

[reformedsinner]

Oh, well, in that case....

[He chuckles, and takes a moment to finish the last bite of cannoli.]

I'm going to go back and watch the rest of the movie before I go to sleep, I think, but I'll leave Nanako to you.

[kokuyoyo]

Alright. [That should be alright. It's not like Hakkai is going to be the one participating in the movie.]

Then.... I'm going to sit outside for a while. Enjoy it.... or whatever...

[reformedsinner]

Thank you, I'll try.

[Or whatever, indeed. He brushes the crumbs off his hands into the sink, straightens up, and heads back for the sitting room.]