ataraxionlogs | so let's raise the bar

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so let's raise the bar

CHARACTERS: Soysauce & open!
LOCATION: Kitchens, oxygen gardens and hallways.
SUMMARY: Trying to stay optimistic and light-hearted.
NOTES: Open for any time until next jump!

[ soysauce is a little thick sometimes; that's difficult to deny, and he's even willing to acknowledge it himself. but that doesn't mean he's ignorant to the constant danger present aboard the tranquility. he's definitely aware of how the ship can warp at any moment and throw everything into chaos; whatever atmosphere of peace that may rest over the ship at the moment is temporary at best.

but -- isn't that all the more reason to make the best of it while it lasts? he's never been good at remaining serious for too long, always searching for a silver lining to any exhausting situation, trying to keep spirits up no matter how difficult the situation. and so Soysauce spends his days cheerfully, offering the brightest smile he can manage to anyone who might meet his gaze. whenever he's not on security duty, he's out and around -- keeping himself occupied in the most high-spirited way he can. ]

kitchens ;

[ he spends a fair amount of time in the kitchens. it's peaceful there, and he likes to cook extra food whenever he can -- leaving it in the fridge in little containers, marked 'free for taking.' (he knows a few people here probably can't or won't cook -- no shame in that! -- so he'd like to make their lives just a bit easier.)

people walking by the kitchen might catch the savory scent of food cooking, the sound of pots and pans and utensils clanking. but they might also hear the lilting noise of cheerful whistling and humming, and maybe the sounds of shoes tapping lightly against the floor -- when he's waiting for things to simmer and cook, soy sometimes spends his time dancing. always keeping himself occupied somehow or the other. ]

hallways & gardens ;

[ he tends to be a bit less productive in the evenings, though. (words can't describe how much soysauce misses his home at times. the busy streets, the bright lights, the bustling nightlife of beacon -- things he holds dear to his heart and can't find anything even close to aboard the tranquility.) never content to just sit still anywhere, even while intoxicated, soy takes to wandering around the ship -- cheerfully waving and chirping at anyone he recognizes.

whiskey bottle in hand, cheeks slightly pink, pleasantly light-headed from the alcohol swimming in his veins, soysauce walks the hallways without any real destination, often ending up roaming the gardens in search of some poor person (victim?) to talk to. ]

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[ soysauce can't help but consider asato fondly -- there's some awfully endearing about that curious gaze, the way those ears flick ever so slightly with each word. idly toying with the mop's handle as asato approaches to take a cautious look at the simmering contents of the pot on the stove, soysauce laughs -- leaning on the mop as he answers with a cheerful smile. ]

I'm quite certain! I tend to cook a lot at once and leave some for people who might scavenge through the freezer box later. And it'd would be much tastier to eat it now, instead of waiting and going through that extra step of waiting and reheating it later, wouldn't it?

[ a little nod to punctuate his words before soysauce taps over to wring the mop out and put it aside for the moment -- washing his hands in the sink before he patters over towards the stovetop. another little grin at asato before he lifts the lid to the pot. immediately, a cloud of steam comes wafting out, along with the savory scent of stew -- as delicious as one can make anything with the lackluster ingredients available aboard the vessel. a small check of the time before soysauce fetches a spoon and looks to asato. ]

Mmmm, I must admit I'm not really sure if this would be to your tastes -- but if you'd like a taste first, I think it's been simmering long enough by now?

Edited 2013-06-22 02:53 (UTC)

Yeah. [It's a simple and sincere answer that addresses just about everything Soysauce has said. He's right; it would be better to eat it now, though Asato's slightly perplexed to hear of anyone leaving food for others to find, when he'd much rather squirrel anything extra away for later, never sure when the months might start getting leaner. Or he could share it with a few close friends before it goes bad...but anyone who happens to wander into the kitchen? Soysauce is weird.

His hands rest on and grip the side of the countertop, keeping him from leaning too far forward in his efforts to get a look, a sniff, maybe a taste if Soysauce is going to serve some. Once the lid is off the pot, he lifts his face and breathes in the scent of what's inside, his mouth beginning to water and his stomach giving a quiet but demanding growl while his pupils widen from their relaxed oval shape. He could have tried to pretend he wasn't interested as much as he wanted, but ears and tails never lied--and now, that tail rises some and finally takes an inquisitive upward curl.

Not sure if it's to his tastes--Soy, Asato would eat the dishes and a chair if only he wouldn't risk breaking his teeth on them. He looks between the spoon and the pot, then repeats himself for good measure.] Yeah. I want to taste it.

[ soysauce watches, grinning, as asato seems to assess the pot's contents. he's always been more of a dog person -- grown up with two massive, shaggy, overly-friendly shepherds who were far too eager to knock him down and slobber on him -- but he can't help thinking there's something almost painfully charming about the little curve to asato's tail, the way he sniffs at the pot. and soy laughs as he hands asato the spoon. ] Be careful, it's quite hot!

[ he grabs up another spoon and fetches himself a spoonful of the stew still hot from the pot -- blowing to cool it before carefully trying it out. a pause as he licks his lips, thinking things over, before he looks to asato and gives a sheepish grin. ]

Might need a little more pepper, I guess? [ he hums cheerfully while searching for the little cannister, talking out loud partly to asato, partly just to himself. ] -- it's quite difficult getting used to cooking here! Everything tastes ever so slightly different than it does back home -- a little too strong or a little blander or a little spicier, so on and so forth. Quite a nightmare getting everything to strike the right balance, yes? Needs a bit of back-and-forth with seeing what might help to add when to make things just right. But ah, I suppose that's part of the fun of cooking? But I think it should be good to go as soon as the pepper's been added!

[Asato grabs the spoon carefully from Soysauce's hands, having decided that potentially making a huge mess by digging in with his hands just isn't worth it. Too much stew on the countertop and on the ground, and that's a waste. No careful dips or tentative tastes here though, only a good, filling spoonful that he brings to his lips as if the heat hardly bothers him.

He hasn't swallowed his mouthful yet when he's already filled up his spoon again, his senses grinding slowly back into motion at the taste of food and the promise of more to be had. It really does remind him of something Bardo might cook, like a Ransen-style stew--or what, considering where Bardo apparently spent his days before coming here, Asato has to assume is Ransen-style. Food is food, of course, but it helps that it tastes sort of like home, like something to be shared over an evening of stories, huddled together for warmth in their own little space on this immense ship. Or like what he sometimes imagines they might have a few bites of while they settle down in the forest for the night, an endless stretch of stars above them.

Food's important to cats, even precious. But Asato doesn't think very hard about any of this right now, focused only on having another spoonful while he listens to Soysauce, chewing a little more slowly to consider what he means about the flavors... But he can't find anything wrong. It's food. That's nice enough. So he gives a tilt of his head and speaks through a mouthful (manners, what are those).] It's good.

[ well that's always a good sign for any chef, when someone digs into your cooking with that much enthusiasm. soysauce finally locates the little cannister of black pepper and turns around to find asato mulling over that stew, and he can't help but give a cheery laugh -- barely resisting the urge to scritch asato between his ears. ]

Ahaha, that's good! I wasn't exactly sure if it would be to your tastes! Stew's always a safe option since it's a fairly inoffensive and tasty thing to make, but you never know what people might or might not like when you're aboard a spaceship with people from many different worlds, no? [ he dumps a load of pepper into the stew as he speaks, stirring the pot and then taking another taste. mulling over it for a moment before giving an energetic nod. ] There we go, that tastes about right! I think it's done now.

[ that means he now rummages for a ladle and pair of bowls -- looking to asato and giving him a wink. ] How 'bout we move to the table? I think it might be a little more comfortable eating there than standing at the stove like this, no?

[Asato would dig into dishes far less tasty than this one with equal hungry force, but between the way he licks his lips clean after every scoop and the pleased curl of his tail, Soysauce should be happy to know that this gets the seal of approval and then some. Good thing he's cooked up a hefty amount of it, not more than Asato could eat in theory but enough that when the cat calls it quits there will still be some left over for the others. Just because he can empty the pot doesn't mean he wants to, even on a day like this.

He listens and watches while Soy stirs the pepper into the stew, sneaking in for another spoonful as soon as he can. It was already good--but this is even better, and his ears prick up, the fur at the base of his tail standing momentarily on end. Soy wouldn't be able to pry him away from this stuff if he tried.

The spoon still in his mouth, he turns around and gives him a quiet nod, although honestly he'd be just as happy eating right out of the pot while it's still on the the stovetop. His dexterity with cutlery leaves a little to be desired after a life of eating mostly with his hands, but if that's the way people do it here then the least he can do is try too. Especially if there's more stew to be had.

So he pulls away from the counter and grabs a chair at the table, immediately looking back up to Soysauce with big, blue, expectant eyes.]

[ goodness, it's growing harder and harder to resist the urge to just throw his arms around asato and give him a bit, cozy hug. nibbling at the edge of his spoon, soysauce just watched the way asato reacts to the food -- he's so animated and lively that it's delightful just watching him, and soysauce grins when asato finally decides to move over towards the table. almost like a hungry teenager waiting for dinner to be served ASAP.

wouldn't be polite to keep him waiting, then? a quick flick of the stove's switch to turn the heat off and the lid's placed on the pot.

soysauce promptly ladles out a generous bowlful for asato, almost to the point that the bowl starts to overflow -- and a second bowl for himself, not quite as full. it's a careful balancing act when he carries them over towards the table, and soysauce has to focus very hard to keep from spilling any of the stew, letting out a little sigh of relief when he finally manages to set asato's bowl before him. ]

Then, without any further delay -- please enjoy! [ it's said with the sort of flair that would be appropriate for a five-star chef, and soysauce perks with some amount of pride. he doesn't drag on that flashy performance too long, though, sliding into the seat across from asato. taking a few quick bites of his stew before looking to asato, eager to make small talk. ] How have you been lately, by the by? Not much new on the security front, I imagine?

[Hugs would be fine, so long as he's guaranteed food after.

The five-star flair and fanciful presentation, however, are more than Asato sees a need for. His eyes are glued to the bowl as soon as Soysauce has filled it up, and he can't keep from licking his lips once he's taken the spoon out of his mouth, waiting with dwindling patience for his food to make the short trip from the stove to the table. When it comes to Ribikan approval of his culinary skills, Soysauce apparently has little to worry about, but Asato would indeed appreciate an ASAP on the delivery.

Thankfully the most he does is watch intently, not a word passing his lips to rush Soy along. The moment the bowl's in front of him, Asato digs in just as happily as he tried his first sample or two from the pot, aware enough to want to keep from getting it all over himself and making a mess--but hungry enough that he can't be sure he'll make it to an empty bowl without a splatter on his sleeve or collar.

His ears prick up to listen to Soy speak before the rest of him follows, an upwards glance and a slight, thoughtful tilt of his head.] Fine, [is his initial, simple answer, given through half a mouthful. But thinking of an answer with some exposition to it takes a while (and few slow swishes of his tail) longer. Was he doing something before? Patrols, but he's on patrol every day. His wounds from the pirate attack have since scarred over. What was he up to before he--

He makes a vague mumbling noise, and suddenly his bowl is the most interesting thing in the world.]

[ there's a certain satisfaction to be had in watching someone else enjoy the food you've made, and soysauce can't help just watching asato for a few moments. he's always been a bit needy, always hungry for approval from other people, and the sight of asato digging in eagerly is immensely relieving and pleasant at the same time. chuckling softly under his breath, soysauce takes a few more little bites of his stew, pecking slowly at his food -- he's not particularly hungry at the moment, and he's already snuck a few bites for himself while making sure it was cooking properly.

so that mumbled answer catches his attention, of course. blinking curiously, soysauce waits for some sort of elaboration -- and when it doesn't come, he gives a little tilt of the head. ]

Eh -- 'nothing to report' is as good as news gets around here, isn't it?

[ a slightly lame little laugh before he takes another few bites, wondering if asato's hiding something, or simply isn't in the mood to talk. ]

It certainly seems you were hungry, though. Something happened to build up an appetite?

[Unsure of what to answer, Asato only nods and swallows down another mouthful of food and stirs through the bowl with his spoon. He's much better at eating than he is at conversing on any ordinary day, and now that the topic is edging closer to the past day or two--with Soy's knowledge or not--he's even quieter than usual. Not stubbornly tight-lipped, like he's got some awful secret to hide (it's so far from awful, truly), but a touch flustered all the same, his attention focused on his bowl like he might find a suitable answer there.

But no. That's not helping at all. While he eats, his free hand clutches at his chair, rhythmically dragging his fingernails against its surface over and over again. If the chair were wood there would be splinters and slivers littered all over the ground, but all he has to show for it now is a soft scraping sound and a hefty dose of his usual fumbling--with words, with actions, with everything.

Subtlety is...not really one of his strong points sometimes.]

I was in my room a lot. [That much he manages to say between bites, his voice low.] With Konoe. For a while.

[ it takes him a moment to register those flustered little reactions, the way konoe scratches at the leg of his chair, movements slightly fumbling and ears flicking in little nervous twitches. chewing on his mouthful of food, soysauce lets konoe's words sink in for a moment, blinking as he gives a curious little tilt of the head. -- and then it clicks. ]

Ah! I wasn't aware you and Konoe were partners!

[ well, that's what he's guessing, at least. he's already learned of the 'heat' that ribika go through from bardo, and he probably should have connected the dots sooner. chewing on his spoon, soysauce muses partly to himself, ]

-- in hindsight I suppose I should have guessed it sooner. It just hadn't ocurred to me, but it seems quite fitting.

[ another little pause as he thinks back to the hints he probably should have picked up in the past, before he perks up. giving a slightly awkward laugh, gesturing with his spoon. ] Ah, I'm sorry, please stop me if it's impolite for me to mention these things?

[Partners is a good way to put it, one that Asato doesn't protest to, though he makes no attempts at enthusiastic agreements either. What he and Konoe are is difficult for him to say concretely--partners, confidantes, Sanga and Touga. In love. He just nods, his spoon still in his mouth, confident enough that Soysauce knowing or realizing that much doesn't have a chance to cause any harm. Besides, the two of them aren't exactly taking great steps to hide it from anyone either, and if anything he can take this as a chance to tell Soy a little about Konoe, about how great and amazing he is, about his eyes and his ears and his smile and--

He very nearly avoids spilling the next spoonful all over himself.]

It's fine. [And he's telling the truth when he says that.]

He's... I'm his Touga. When we fight, he sings to make me stronger. I'll never lose if Konoe is singing for me. [He's got a scar over his shoulder that tells otherwise, but his belief--not confidence in his own ability as much as absolute faith in the strength Konoe gives him--is genuine.]

I like to spend time with him sometimes. [Sometimes meaning all the damn time, but he'll leave it at that, unaware of Soy's own experiences during solstice-time. And just in case he gives the wrong impression or looks suspicious of having skipped his duties--] But I still did my patrols. Every morning.

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so let's raise the bar

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