[closed-ish]

[messianic]

WHO: Dave, Minato, Ochako, Okuyasu, Caramia, Lupin, John, Guren, Ignis! also you if your character has reason to gatecrash the party, go for it
WHERE: Dave's depressingly colorless house
WHEN: now
WHAT: It's a family dinner. The most makeshift family dinner in the world. They tried.
WARNINGS: i hope there aren't any

[With John keeping Dave busy, Minato and Caramia and Ignis are able to put together Food of Some Variety--

And with everyone else's help, it's possible to make sure there's a proper table, chairs, even clean dishware to use for all of the food.

Of course, you can't really expect a group this rambunctious to have a proper family dinner, can you? They tried.]

---

ooc: just treat this as a mini mingle log, honestly, there are too many of us for a proper thread order

Comments

OTA, he's generally around so hit him up with whatever!

[unfatalist]

[The problem with a garden is that pretty much by definition, the only things you can really get out of it are, like...vegetables, and other healthy food items. Not exactly a crowd-pleaser for a bunch of kids — and of course, no one knows that better than Ignis, who is used to cooking for someone who would literally rather throw down in a duel to the death in a highway diner parking lot than eat a bite of a carrot.

However, the fact of the matter is that options are limited, so he's got to make do with what he has. Fortunately, he's kind of the master of making do, and he's always down to just come up with a NEW RECIPEH, so!

Today, for everyone's eating pleasure, Ignis's contributions are threefold: a tasty dish of peppers, onions, and potatoes; a selection of apple-glazed apples, and of course the ever-present crowd-pleaser, purple french fries. Astrals bless that portable camping cooktop, he didn't even have to take up space in the kitchen to do it.

Eat up, kids and adults alike. Did you know Ignis's favorite part of cooking is seeing people enjoy his food? BECAUSE IT IS.]

[messianic]

[This spread is amazing and Minato is awed, honestly. For his part, he stuck with making what he knows; he brings grilled fish with Ochako's help with the actual fish catching part. They look less alarming when properly grilled, and at least there's some fish with proper color to make them taste good.

(He misses rice.)

Still, when all of the food is laid out... Minato has to come over.]

These dishes are all really impressive, Argentum-san. Thank you for putting so much hard work into them.

[unfatalist]

[WE ALL MISS RICE. Someday the food gods will bless us with a rice field but it is not this day.]

Ah, certainly, it was my pleasure. With all the work we've put into the garden, it would be a shame if we didn't find uses for its bounty, wouldn't you agree?

[No one understands how mad he was about the lack of taste in food there, for a while.]

...It really does make a difference to see that fish when it's properly prepared and plated, doesn't it.

[heartsteals]

[ this food looks amazingly good for being made from the scant few ingredients they have access to. Lupin, too, is impressed. Really impressed. His eyes light up when he sees it, and he claps his hands together. ]

Did you make all this? Bravo! If it tastes as good as it looks and smells, it'll be the best meal I've had in months.

[ which is so sad to say out loud, god, he needs to get out of here, but it's true. ]

[unfatalist]

A mere trifle, really. But I must say, it's nice to have an audience with an appreciation for vegetables.

[Unlike SOME PEOPLE he cooks for. No one man should be as skilled as Ignis Scientia is at hiding vegetables in other foods so that unsuspecting people will eat them.]

I'm sorry to hear you've not been eating well — that seems to be a trend around here, unfortunately enough, and I would hope that the presence of the garden would be helping to change that.

[windeity]

[It's impressive when people know what the hell they're doing. Those people are not John at the moment but he's busy eyeing Ignis's spread of food and as he looks it over he grins a little.]

Thanks for everything. [He's glancing at the table again.] How'd you do the apples? [He's not touching anything yet though because it looks nice but he'll get there.]

[unfatalist]

None too difficult, really. The apples themselves are simply peeled and baked, while the topping is simply more apple but mashed and reduced down with some cola to make a glaze. Brush that over the finished product, and thus: apple-glazed apples.

[Otherwise known as a diabetic's nightmare BUT OH WELL.]

Are you preferential to them, yourself? I seem to recall that Dave likes them, which is why I thought it'd be nice to work up a few.

[windeity]

[Where the hell did they even get functional tables and chairs and dishes? These are mysteries but you know what, sure, John's not complaining.

He did his part to make sure Dave was thoroughly distracted enough before bringing him back to the house where a whole crowd of people are waiting for him and...it's nice, actually. They'd had a conversation on their first day here about meeting new people and now there are a whole lot of people who genuinely wanted to do something nice for his best friend.

And that's pretty awesome, frankly.

However, the problem is that John's not great at sitting still? So like. While people are gathered around the table he'll do his best to keep up with passing around dishes of the food people brought, also taking away dirty dishes to wash and dry them via a few containers of well water he's dragged back to the house before returning clean dishes to the table.

At the table itself he'll strike up conversation with whoever since he's met (and likes) all of these people and it's kind of nice that they're all getting along.

But later he realizes that the house is colorless and gloomy, frankly, so while people are mingling and doing dinner and what-have-you, John floats his way back to the living room/entrance. It's a dinner for Dave, after all, and so as far as he's concerned when he's not eating or chatting or on dish duty he can do the bff thing and make this even better. Everyone who's come through the house might have noticed the piano sitting in the corner of the living room and after a while music filters back to the table. It's quiet enough to serve as ambiance and background music rather than loud and hard to talk over, but there it is. If left alone long enough he'll slide into other classics.

Granted, he's not tied to said-piano so by all means if bribed enough (or even if he's just asked to) he'll come back to rejoin the majority of the group. Happy dinner, friends.]

[messianic]

[Happy dinner! Minato, of course, is drawn immediately to the piano. He can't help it!! John's playing, and he's interested, though he at least doesn't stare.

Instead, he leans against the wall off to the side of the piano, listening contentedly, hands in his pockets and eyes fluttered shut while everyone else mingles.

Music.

He misses it every day.]

[windeity]

[Thanks for not staring, my dude. But Minato nearby still gets John's attention and he grins. It's nice just kind of existing without having to keep up with everyone and he continues to play.]

Any requests? I know mostly classics and some other stuff, but I can maybe wing it.

PIANO

[unfatalist]

[Well, well. Dave had said that John had a piano with him, but it's one thing to hear about it word of mouth and quite another to actually see it and hear it played. So it's small wonder that he comes wandering over when John starts up, intent on watching as well as listening.]

You're quite talented. Have you taken lessons?

[windeity]

[He doesn't seem to mind the audience and in fact looks up when he hears Ignis approach. His fingers are still moving on the keys, body on autopilot almost as he plays and replies.]

Thanks. [No sense in not being polite in this instance.] I never took formal lessons or anything, no. But my dad started teaching me when I was really little.

[pursestrings]

[Hey former roomie, what's up?? Okuyasu is here leaning against the piano - not on anything important, he knows how to not break musical instruments - having arrived towards the end of a tune and waiting patiently until the end. Then he pats the corner of it, very fondly. So fondly. This fucking piano.]

I kinda miss having this thing sitting around. [ha......] You're pretty good.

[can you play all star]

[parodeity]

[ after everyone has left - something of a relief even if dave likes them all, because he likes quiet and space to himself also - dave can be found lounging in one of the empty arm chairs in the living room nearest the piano. he's probably fooling around on his laptop but is also just seeing if john intends to play the piano again at all.

not that he intends to ask. ]

[parodeity]

[ dave's house lacks color except in strange outlines - on the walls in many places are plastered captcharoids of various people and objects and animals when he could get them, and the orange-red outline is intacct.

if anyone wanders up to his room there's a drawing of a crow in this style, but in the living room there's a tank with a blue lobster in it and in one of the armchairs there is a skeleton in fancy peasant dress, neatly arranged.

for some reason.

john didn't have much trouble at all distracting dave - he's easily distracte by friends - although his initial reaction to a house full of people unexpected was maybe a jolt and his hand moving before he stopped and went "oh. what???"

it isn't a bad surprise, though, and while dave's appetite is occasionally hit or miss he puts things on his plate or lets other people do that and will kind of distractedly talk with people. usually he doesn't do big sit down meals, as in basically never. so this is new, and he likes to talk to people, so...

otherwise he kinds of drifts around seeing what people are up to. if you hold still long enough he might take a picture with his captcharoid camera although he'll make a face after and mention he wishes he had his actual camera - or he might offer you the back and white image surrounded by orange and red. ]

[windeity]

[For the most part he's just letting Dave mingle with people and he's doing the basic maintenance for the house (dish duty, etc) so eventually by the time he wanders back to Dave it's a little later and he grins brightly.]

So...kind of a nice surprise, right? [Minato is a good friend and deserves to be acknowledged.]

[swordfucker]

[Oh, a camera?? A really, really old camera? He thinks. He'd be more annoyed about a random shot if he weren't here for Dave's sake in general, so instead he just takes it as an invitation to move over and talk to him. He had just been kind of staring at everyone else mingling, before...]

You probably didn't get my good side at all. [In response to him mentioning he wishes he had his actual camera. Guren reaches to try and just... place his hand on top of Dave's head. What is he doing, why is he like this.]

Hey, kid. How are you liking the dinner, anyway?

[messianic]

[Yeah, sorry, Dave. Minato wants to go talk to you and see how things are going but like.

He's distracted staring down the skeleton in a dress.

Just........staring at it with a vaguely bemused expression on his face.

...????]

[pursestrings]

[how does that camera physically exist

Or: Okuyasu isn't paying attention until the picture is taken, so he blinks and looks around to see Dave-and-ugly-camera after a second. Weird wallpaper, weird camera... He takes the picture and automatically holds it up to shake. Clearly this is necessary for the development process, right??]

What'm I supposed to do with a picture of my own mug? [why is he shaKING IT]

[thriftea]

[Ochako was invited to brighten things up a bit, and by gosh, that's exactly what she's going to try to do! She'll be bouncing from person to person throughout the night, chatting and laughing and doing her best to make everyone smile.

But while everyone is mingling together, Ochako makes sure to present each person with a festive red party hat. No, party hats definitely are not things that can be found at normal family dinners, but normal things are kind of boring? Plus she had a feeling that Dave would appreciate the silly little things, so... thank you, Momo!! Hopefully everyone enjoys—and wears—their silly gift.

During the actual dinner, Ochako will be oohing and ahing over every dish. The apples, however, are totally the star of this show, and she'll happily encourage everyone to try them. Toward the end of the meal, she'll definitely ask anyone sitting nearby to split one with her. Dessert just has a way of bringing people together!!]

dinner

[murdery]

[Henry wasn't even invited, he just followed Caramia here, but he embraces the party hat life like he was born for it. He never takes the thing off. He considers it a glorious accessory.

It makes him inclined to immediately think favorably of Ochako, so when he plops next to her and she offers to share her dessert, well... don't mind if he does!]

Hey, sure! I like apples. I like 'em even better now that they're red again.

mingling

[messianic]

[The party hats are so cute...

And also just really bright? Which is kind of nice, so when Ochako presents one to him, Minato just solemnly puts it on.

It clashes horribly with his blue hair.]

How does it look?

mingling........

[pursestrings]

[She has party hats.

She has party hats, and Okuyasu is just looking at her, wondering if this is some kind of a joke. A party hat? Him, in a party hat?? Uh huh. But rather than object outright, he folds his arms and straightens up to his full height instead of slouching all over. There's a point to this, ready--]

I'm not wearing that unless you can get it on my head. Using your quirk's cheating.

[ha HA!!!]

I'm sorry he's like this,,

[ifionlyhadthecourage]

[ Caramia couldn't turn down the offer to cook, even if it meant there was going to be... quite a few people around. He wasn't good with crowds-- not without his pendant, anyway. But it wouldn't be so bad. Who couldn't bond over food? Besides, he was even able to walk here with Henry, holding his hand the whole way, and for once, it wasn't because he was scared.

But... when he arrived at the party in the very dull kitchen, preparing Maybe Too Much food, because it was something he was good at. Looks like someone is gonna have to convince this anxious mess out of there to really participate in the family dinner...

So much for a get-together... At least he came? ]

[pursestrings]

[After a little while has passed in the party zone Okuyasu wanders into the kitchen for more snacks, surprised to see someone has just been lurking in here the whole time. He can't even remember seeing this guy come in, when did he get here...? Huh.

Regardless, he gets himself another piece of fruit or whatever they're passing off as snacks and nods to Caramia, before turning and making it to the doorway of the kitchen before he stops and turns back around.]

Oh, you're that guy! Hey! [HEY..... That Guy] You hiding out?

[This is a joke. He doesn't know. He tried.]