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

[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.

[juststeverogers]

"That's quite...parental of them." Steve can't help but smile. He's glad she got that chance.

Seems to have done her a lot of good, too, all things considered.

[onemorebounty]

They were great parents. They did the very best they could for me.

*Her smile is wistful, a trifle sad. Thinking of loved ones now gone is always at least a little bittersweet.*

I did visit another world of theirs, a few years ago--they'd built a city of flying pods, all linked together, in the upper atmosphere of small gas giant. It was beautiful--sky everywhere.