Sibling Rivalries: Chili Edition

[brave_heart_verity]

Flyers have been going up around the Forum and Commercial District for the last week or so. This morning,the lights in the VSW Meadhall came on. By noon, anyone getting close enough to an open door would know: chili's on!

Inside, everything's set up and waiting for the hungry and the curious: Clint's cooking in one corner, and Verity's in the other. Between them, tables are laid out with the necessities: bowls, plates, spoons, and plenty of napkins. There's beer and iced tea, some lovely tres leches cakes provided by the Nexus' favorite Japanese detective, and various toppings for the chili: bottles of sriracha and sweet Thai chili sauce, red pepper flakes, green onions and red, lime wedges, diced bell peppers and jalapeños, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Cornbread and tortilla chips round things out.

Long tables with a mix of benches and chairs fill the hall on either side of the fire pits. One has board and card games stacked neatly at one end (they were neat when they were put out, at least). Another has two boxes, one wrapped in purple paper and one in pink, for depositing voting slips.

Poll #17301 1st Annual Chili Cook-Off

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 7

View Respondents

Who gets your vote?

View Answers

Clint--Avengers Assemble!
3 (42.9%)

Truthfully? Verity.
4 (57.1%)

The fire pits are lit, the food is waiting, and there are games in want of players. What are you waiting for?
((There will doubtless be further Cupid-based shenanigans, but this weekend, it's all about the platonic relationships. Bromances, BFFs, and family ties rule the day! Let's celebrate! Threadhopping, tangents, games, and mischief are all encouraged. Just don't start a food fight or Verity will have to yell.))

Comments

[conjuredskies]

If Verity’s offering free food in the Nexus, she can’t be surprised to see her favorite legionnaire come scrounging. Felix takes a while to make his way over, partly because of the crowd and partly because he wants to stop and inspect every last topping and accompaniment provided. Academic curiosity, and all.

Once he’s close enough, he leans against her table and waits for her to have a free moment before he catches her eye with a smile. “Afternoon, Verity. Planning to warm up the entire Nexus?”

[brave_heart_verity]

"Nope. Just the nice people," she corrects with a grin. It's not a surprise to see Felix; it's a little bit of a surprise that he didn't bring more of the off-duty guards. She scans the crowd quickly, but no, doesn't look like Stratos is there either. "So you're right on time. You want to experiment, or do you trust me to fix it up for you?"

[conjuredskies]

Stratos is too paranoid to approach Verity eat much in the Nexus, and the rest of their unit listens to him. So no chili for them!

Being happily un-afflicted, Felix grins back at her. "Naturally I trust you. I'll even taste it before I ask how you made it. But here's my thinking: you give me half a bowl the way you'd recommend it, and once I know how it's supposed to be eaten, I can experiment."

[brave_heart_verity]

Why in the world would anyone be paranoid about talking to Verity? She is sweetness personified. Clearly, there is something wrong in that Imperial head.

"I like your thinking. And 'how I made it' isn't going to be a scary answer, I promise. Neither is 'what's in it'." Considering his delicate Tamrielic nature, and the fact they don't seem to have chilis in his world, she'll go easy on him. Half a serving with sour cream, cheese, and crumbled tortilla chips.

[conjuredskies]

They have chili! …In Hamerfell. Felix’s uncle tried to replicate it once and, well, suffice to say Felix still doesn’t know what chili is supposed to be like.

“Thanks.” Felix leans against the table, cupping his hands around the bowl. He breathes in the aroma before he digs in, savoring the rich flavors, familiar and otherwise.

“That is perfect,” he comments, humming appreciatively before the chili catches up and he starts experimenting with the sour cream and crumbled chips. He’s frowning a little, but it’s his curious frown and it’s not slowing down his spoon. “So, what does go into it? I’ve got… the beef, the tomatoes, the garlic and onion, but that can’t be all.”

[brave_heart_verity]

She nibbles on a tortilla chip while he eats, watching him with a pleased expression she doesn't try to hide. "Those, and the beans, are the main points. But you're right, there's a fair few kinds of spices in there. Mainly, a spice blend call ras el hanout, which means 'front of the shop'. It's a mix of all the best things the shop has to offer. And there's bittersweet chocolate, black tea, and... a few secrets."

[conjuredskies]

"Chocolate and tea?" He stops eating long enough to give her an intrigued (if amused) look. "Clever. And how do you say that- ras el...?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Mm-hmm. It's ras el hanout." She repeats it slowly and with slightly exaggerated enunciation. "I get it from the shop in the spice market with the black and gold striped awning, if you're curious."

[smartass_captain]

Jim has an idea. A terrible idea. Jim has a wonderful terrible idea.

Is it a thing if he can pick out Felix in a crowded room almost as soon as he arrives? That's totally something most people do. It's not weird. Right?

"Look, it's two of my favorite Nexus people!" He blows Verity a kiss as he walks up, beer in one hand.

[brave_heart_verity]

Oh, she's getting the blown kiss?

That is it, baby brother. Don't think she's done trying to hook you two up.

"Hey, how perfect, you two can talk about your Valentine's plans over lunch today."

[conjuredskies]

Jim’s just exceptionally sharp-eyed, of course. Just like it’s entirely normal to forget everything else you’re doing for a moment when a familiar face shows up. Felix totally smiles like that at everyone.

He’s learned his lesson, though – he’s not jumping in to greet the captain just yet. But he does look hopeful, despite the theatrical scrutiny he levels at Jim. “Well, you’re definitely acting more yourself…” Wait. Abandon joke. “Oh, we have plans? Excellent!”

What is Valentine’s? He does not know except that he’s seen signs, and shops trying to capitalize on it, which means festival, thus party, thus only good things.

[smartass_captain]

Jim chokes on his beer. Verity gets the dirtiest look for a fraction of a second.

He needs to have Valentines Day plans with Felix? Felix wants them to have plans. Shit. Oh fuck. Uh. Gifts? Flowers? Date? Jim. Calm down Jim.

"Sure." It comes out more strangled than Jim would have hoped but he pastes a grin on. "Sure do!"

Oh fuck oh shit oh fuck.

[brave_heart_verity]

He can give her all the dirty looks he wants, her answering look still screams, 'You're welcome, Jim.'

"You two go sit," she points to a table, then gives Jim a bowl of chili fixed up the way he likes, "I'll be here if you need anything."

[conjuredskies]

…Okay, so Jim doesn’t have a plan. Felix's eyes flick between him and Verity, gauging their looks. Whoops. Well, Felix is happy to help come up with a plan before it gets awkward. (He assumes that’s all there is to this. He’ll feel very foolish later, when he actually asks around about what this holiday is.)

For now, Jim gets a reassuring look and an arm through his as Felix leads him over to the table. “We needed something to celebrate your, um, restoration. Recorporation? Anyway."

He has less than zero plan

[smartass_captain]

Jim totally has a plan who says he doesn't have a plan? Felix you do not know how much of a plan Jim has. He's a starship captain of course he has a plan.

Verity is going to help him...refine...said plan. Later. She better for opening her mouth. For now Jim thanks her with a kiss on the cheek for the chili and allows Felix to lead him over to a table where they can talk more privately.

"Yeah about that. Uh. Naugus...might have done something to me. When we were swapped. Hope it's not weird." He would much rather talk about the body swap than the totally awesome plan he totally has for Valentines day. It wouldn't be a surprise if he told Felix, now would it?

One day Felix will get him to admit when he needs help :p

[conjuredskies]

Is there a jug of water here? There is, good. He'll need that when he starts experimenting with more chili.

"Hmm? Oh- wait, the shaving or- did he do something else?" Naugus! Felix is just distracted enough not to catch how quick the subject change is.

Gotta call him on his bs Felix

[smartass_captain]

Jim groans and let's his head slip down to the table. Maybe if he's lucky it will swallow him whole and spare him really any of this.

"You heard about that?" Considering Naugus was screaming about it in the forums no less, pretty much everyone did. "There's a lot of bruising, too but yeah. "

Sigh.

"Hasn't really come back much yet." Itches like a bastard though.