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

[red_room]

She sees that look. Her own face is as unreadable as possible on purpose.

"Romance holidays. Who needs 'em, right?" Carefully crafted statements that are not lies in place of lies. Because saying she certainly is fine would definitely be a lie.

"Lime juice? On it." She will do just that. And then continue nomming. "Carny charm versus metropolitan chic? This is gonna be rough."

[brave_heart_verity]

Again: not prying. Nat seemed to be getting along with Clint pretty well, so she's not without people to talk to when she's ready.

"I think the people who enjoy them don't need the excuse, and the people who need the excuse don't get it. So I guess that leaves florists and Hallmark."

Being called 'chic' makes Ver grin. "I'm sure you'll find some way to endure the burden we're putting on you today."

[red_room]

It's unnerving, is all. But she knows Verity is family to this Clint, so she tries to be nice. Natasha doesn't like feeling vulnerable. Luckily, there's plenty of other reasons to get along with Verity.

Like this bowl of chili, for example.

"Easily the best job I've ever had." And that is no lie. "Loser doing the cleanup or is this mostly for fun?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity is well aware of how uncomfortable she makes some people. Nat hides it well.

"Mostly for fun. Fun and circus waffles. Have you had Clint's waffles?"

[red_room]

"He's making you circus waffles?!" She knows what those are, and she's startled enough that she is talking--sputtering really-- through a spoonful of chili.

He only made those for Laura and the kids. Then again, Verity is family. It makes sense.

She's not jealous shut up.

[brave_heart_verity]

Ver's surprised by how surprised Nat is. But then again, they really are that good.

"Yeah, if I win. If he wins, he gets a cake. But, don't tell him, he's getting the cake either way." So spoiled, that Clint of theirs. "Maybe we should make it a party. Jim's already been invited. Have you seen this Clint's world yet?"

[red_room]

Wow way to lose your cool there, Nat. She hardly feels like she could be blamed for it, all things considered. She clears her throat and pointedly eats a bite or two in silence to regain composure.

"Jim...the blonde? His brother?" Something like that anyway. Guy's got a loud mouth and quite the reputation among Earth planets. Then again being Jim Kirk would do that.

"I haven't. I took him to see mine once." You know, when she thought he was an impostor and tried to break his face. She's made worse first impressions.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Our brother, yeah." She knows she's very 'me too' about it sometimes, but she can't help it. Jim and Clint have a connection she doesn't understand and can't rival. But she needs them, and she's pretty sure they're better off with her, too.

"Oh? I bet that was fun for him." Why no, she hasn't heard about that. "I'll remind him to return the favor."

[red_room]

"Right." Having family is important, especially if you have no blood. She gets that. Having someplace to belong is...well. It means a lot. Natasha likes to think she belongs back home. But well, maybe not as much as she'd hoped.

"He already did." Snort. "We fought. It ended in a truce." He technically won? but she stopped trying to kill him, so...truce. Now they're friends! A true Marvel meeting. "Alternate realities makes more sense than someone posing as Clint." She truly believes that.

[brave_heart_verity]

Everyone has choices to make in life. Nat prioritizes the mission, which is objectively the best choice for everyone, but personally... Well. Ver declined the superhero lifestyle for a reason. She's too selfish for it.

"Oh. Ah. Yeah, I can't imagine there's many people who could pull off the archery thing." Nat probably knows the old saying, 'my against my brother, my and my brother against the world'. "I'm glad you're getting along better."

[red_room]

"I thought someone was trying to impersonate him. I almost broke his arm, he almost broke my legs. Then I realized it was him." it wouldn't be the first time someone had messed with her mind to try and get to her.

She looks down into her bowl and is quiet for a long moment.

"Nothing ever really prepares you for this place."

[brave_heart_verity]

Stories of violence rarely impress her, but since Clint was involved, she's going to wince. It's tough wanting to be the protective big sis of an Avenger.

"No," she agrees quietly, glad for the change of subject, "nothing really could. But this place can prepare you for all kinds of other things."

[red_room]

Honestly Natasha isn't impressed with her own mistakes there either. She's just glad Clint forgave her and they've moved on from there. She doesn't view this place as just a job anymore. Which may not be good for the mission, but it is...nice.

Most of the time.

To be here.

"Certainly makes it harder to be shocked by things."

[brave_heart_verity]

Clint is very forgiving. He must be, to keep Ver around, after how she treated him... (in her defense, he's a clumsy flirt and a little clingy sometimes.)

"This is true. And it's a great place to pick up new skills. And, being... a coworker of his... that's not a bad idea probably."