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

[onemorebounty]

*Having swiped a napkin to dab her forehead, Samus makes her way over to Verity's table.*

Please tell me your chili isn't hotter than your brother's?

[brave_heart_verity]

"Ha! No. It's quite mild on its own." She would have thought Samus could take a spicy chili, but she knows if she comments it's coming back on her tomorrow morning. First she hands over a bottle of water, then she dishes up some chili. "Here, have a bite as-is, then we'll fix it up for you."

Proper chili is a team effort.

[onemorebounty]

*Either Verity's expression suggested some of that thought, or shrewd Samus can guess that it's there.*

Spicy food tends to be a matter of being used to it, prepared for it, or both. Since glassing my tongue for the sake of one meal would leave the next few pretty bland, I tend to go after other flavors. His would be great for anyone who has to live in micrograv, though.

*Samus takes the offered bowl, and a small, cautious bite.*

Mmm. There's still heat, but it's gentler, with more nuance. And... do I taste chocolate?

[brave_heart_verity]

But she didn't say it, and that's progress for her. Plus, that's given her something new to be curious about: "Micrograv?"

While Samus tastes, Verity considers the toppings to suggest to her friend. "You do. In Mexico, there's a sauce called mole, which is chilis, tomatoes, spices, and chocolate. So I guess you could sort of call this a mole chili."

[onemorebounty]

Micrograv--what you get outside a planet's gravity well, if you don't have any sort of artificial gravity? Grav-dependant species like humans get up there, and their sinuses clog up because there's no proper direction for them to drain. It's like a head cold all the time. You only taste really strong flavors. That stuff would clear sinuses, and maybe strip paint.

*She smirks; the latter was a joke and Verity knows it. Hopefully, she isn't too sensitive about other people taking digs at her adopted brother.*

Mm, mole chili. You've got my vote.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Ooh." That makes sense. Some people get to make digs at her family sometimes. Samus gets away with so much because she's been such a good friend. "That makes sense. The part about draining your sinuses, I mean."

The approval gets a smile, but she holds up a finger. "Ah, we've only just begun. One of the best things about chili is how customizable it is. For you, I'd suggest a scoop of sour cream to smooth out the edges of the spice, some crumbled tortilla chips for crunch, and some red onion for a little bite."

[onemorebounty]

Micrograv's... interesting. I don't recommend it, long-term, but it's interesting for a visit. And it is nice to soar.

*Samus gives a thoughtful sound, then modifies her chili as recommended, stirring it all together before taking another bite.*

Mmm! Even better! That's a good profile.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Maybe someday I'll get to enjoy it." She may have been through it, going to the City, but Blaze wasn't giving her time to goof around. Plus, the views.

Her grin is slightly smug. "Glad you like it. All that situational awareness pays off."

[onemorebounty]

I've got a ship, I could take you up sometime.

*Samus smirks, but Verity's smugness is well-earned in this case.*

Yes it does. Nicely done.

[brave_heart_verity]

Oh, look at how excited she gets by that prospect. "Really? That'd be great!" That sounds like a proper adventure.

Well-earned and rare enough to be cute, if she's lucky. "Thank you."

[onemorebounty]

Sure. You've had your shots, just let me know when works for you.

*They're friends, meeting outside their usual context of teacher and student, so Verity gets a fair bit more leeway. But then again, so does Samus.*

You're welcome.

[brave_heart_verity]

That's what friends do: give each other extra space and extra grace.

"Later this week, if you don't get a mission?"

[onemorebounty]

*Both of which are welcome, indeed.*

Later this week. Are you going to want your first trip to be somewhere public, or somewhere private?

[juststeverogers]

"Am I the only one who thought it was pretty good?" Steve looks a bit surprised to see Samus standing over there. Doesn't she eat like everything?

"You doing okay?"

[onemorebounty]

I'm fine. Just not used to eating things quite that spicy. My palate doesn't usually go for straight-out heat like that.

[juststeverogers]

Says the lady who eats bugs. Then again bugs aren't really spicy, per say.

"That's good then. It's good to see you here." Here, in this case being outside of their training in any capacity, really. Not that he isn't enjoying that.

[onemorebounty]

*Some bugs are spicy, but the bugs she favors are sweet.*

Likewise. I take it from your remarks that this is your kind of eating?

[juststeverogers]

"Sort of? Not really something I've had often before. But I'll take anything to warm me up with how bad the winter's been here."

He is so, so, so over being cold all the time.

"Mostly I liked that it tasted like it had been cooked over a campfire. I like things that taste homey."

[onemorebounty]

Homey is things that were cooked outside, for you?

*She's not mocking him, just seeking clarification on his perspective.*

[juststeverogers]

"Makes me think of being at the ballpark. Or out on the boardwalks in the summer." Steve nods along with a faint smile.

"Bein' outside. Doing things." That was a luxury for him.

[onemorebounty]

Ah, homey in that sense.

*She gives a knowing smile.*

It's nice to go somewhere, where just for a moment, the air smells like it did where you grew up.

[juststeverogers]

"Is there anything that does that for you?" Steve hopes the question isn't too deeply personal.

He can't help but be curious given her travels.

[onemorebounty]

Sometimes. Old places, with giant trees or weathered statues. Certain flavors. The world the Chozo raised me on was too caustic for humans to survive, so human-friendly nitrox mix never quite smells right to me.

[juststeverogers]

"How did you survive then?" He bites at his lip in confusion.

"You're human, right? Have you always worn those suits?"

[onemorebounty]

I used to be human. The Chozo altered my DNA, gave me an infusion of theirs so I could live where they did. They wanted me to grow up like a healthy child, running around and playing, not cooped up in a habitat.