✘ Round 3 | [Audio]

[glacius]

[Despite things in his apartment being a little bit more complicated than usual, Glacius comes to the network today with a relatively straightforward question. Since Carlisle has sequestered himself away in his room--again, a concerning tendency that has developed only recently-- he assumes now is as good a time as any, though he doesn't particularly care if the clergyman sees it or not. One way or another he's going to find out what the alien is up to, he'd just prefer his efforts to culminate in a nice surprise for his friend.] Hello, fellow residents of Hadriel. I have a simple question, so I will get right to it: is there anyone here would happen to be kind enough to teach me how to make any dishes or meals that are commonly enjoyed by humans?

I live amongst you now, after all, so I should... probably know how to better provide for my friends. You can leave recipes here--or if you are feeling particularly inclined, I would be willing to take lessons as well. It would have to be in your residence, however... I doubt my roommate is currently up to entertaining company, and I do not want to infringe upon what I assume is wanted space.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[voice]

[circumitus]

Can think of a few things to show you, maybe. Have to get creative sometimes, since ingredients tend to vary here from back home.

[She hesitates. Then, genuinely wondering:]

Out of curiosity, what is it you normally eat?

[voice]

[glacius]

That would be excellent, thank you.

What do I eat? Well, my species is omnivorous, so I can eat various plants and animals... and though I surely have not tried everything intended for human consumption, so far what I have has been safe for me. My preferred food is frozen, uncooked meat, plus hardy grains and tuber-like vegetables... anything that is dense and can provide plenty of nutrients and energy.

[There's a brief pause as he tries to come up with any more applicable examples, eventually landing on one from awhile back.] Oh..! And ah, my friend Emily introduced me to sushi and sashimi--I found both of those dishes highly satisfactory, and they were probably the closest human analogues to meals that my people enjoy. [Though he could do with the portions being a little bit bigger. He's no greedy or gluttonous, but he is a very large creature whose unique abilities tend to burn a lot of energy, so he can put a fair deal away when given the chance.]

[voice]

[circumitus]

[In spite of his long-winded response, one detail is what gets Rey's attention:]

Wait. We have sushi here?

[voice]

[glacius]

[Glacius blinks at that reaction.] Ah. Well--I don't think it's a thing that is always here. You know how things tend to randomly appear in the shops--that was where we found it, and she stated that it wasn't exactly the same as sushi found on earth. I suppose you'd just have to check every now and then..?

Why, do you enjoy it? I can keep an eye out, if that is the case.

[voice]

[circumitus]

Um...

[Okay, you spend most of your life not knowing what food tastes like, you learn to fucking love it when you can actually enjoy stuffing your face. Contain yourself, Rey.]

Enjoy it, yes. Have become... really fond of a lot of Asian cuisines. Just have a hard time finding ingredients to replicate certain dishes.

Not to mention trusting meat products the gods provide.

[Pause.]

...Come to think of it, those sharks that showed up recently should be edible. Brought some home for storage.

[Voice]

[blessedmaiden]

That... I may be interested in learning as well, my knowledge of food is limited to 'place mushrooms or meat on a stick and cook it'.

Anyway, I know they're quite fond of sweets, especially chocolate, I'm not sure of how that can help.

[Voice]

[glacius]

[Oh, a voice he's never heard before! While normally Glacius would be afraid of outing himself as a nonhuman, he's aware that this post has basically already done that, so he's... a little less wary about asking questions that would probably have obvious answers to a member of the species.] This is not my second time hearing of "chocolates", though I must admit I do not know what they are.

Most sweets are not very nutritious, correct? I should probably start by learning to provide proper sustenance, though I appreciate the suggestion.

[Voice]

[blessedmaiden]

[Well, she's been raised by monsters and she's a summoner, not a human, Rydia doesn't really care about one's nature as long as they have a positive attitude.] I don't know what chocolate is myself... but it comes in dark brown tablets and it has a sweet taste, they either eat it like that or melt it in their recipes- but I admit that's basically all I know.

They're rich in sugar but I don't know what else they can offer... still I don't think humans prepare them to get a balanced meal, it's just something they really like.

[Voice]

[glacius]

[Forgive him, Rydia--unlike himself, the vast majority of the non-humans in this place look the part, so Glacius has given up on being able to tell the difference at first glance... and he's far too respectful of people's privacy to go asking what they are during a first interaction. He's sort of just resorted to hoping that people will correct him if they want to be referred to as something else; it's served him well enough in the past.] Well. Providing them with something they really like cannot be a bad thing, if I'm doing this to make them happy. Which I am, though I also want to learn to take care of them properly. So. I'll certainly keep it in mind. [Especially if it can help to cheer them up, which is extremely high up on his list of priorities given his partner's struggle the past few days.]

[Voice]

[blessedmaiden]

[That's a wonderful way to deal with the issue, actually! She would totally approve of it, even ifher tactic is slightly difference and she never assumes one's race.... mostly because many creatures of her world can also shapeshift to 'look the part'.]

Indeed, sometimes you can't just focus on the properties of a food, sometimes you have to feed the soul. And... I do have a close human friend here, I will try to ask him more informations on the matter.

voice;

[wendigoner]

Hey! [ She remembers you from Emily's party! ] Um, I'm not great at cooking, but I know a few recipes my mom taught me. They're... kinda basic, if that's okay?

voice;

[glacius]

[Oh hey, Glacius remembers you too! And he's always happy to connect with a friend of a friend.] More than--basic is probably preferable right now, honestly. Nobody becomes a master of the culinary arts on their first go. [He gives a small chuckle.]

So tell me about some of them. Also, are there any ingredients I should go out to fetch for the recipes? [He's done that a handful of time for Carlisle's baking endeavors and finds himself rather good at it despite how the ingredients provided here are fairly unfamiliar, so long as he has clear instructions on what he's looking for.]

voice;

[wendigoner]

Okay! Um... well, first off, do you already have any ingredients? I might be able to help you out with stuff you already have, so you don't have to get more.

[ That's always good, right? ]

voice;

[glacius]

Oh, ah... yes we have some... my roommate is human, if i didn't already mention that, and is very skilled at making bread, soups, and some other dishes. Though he comes from a world that seems rather different from the more common human homeworld of Earth, it seems like a fair amount of the ingredients are similar, so there's that... though ah, the ingredients here are often more outlandish... [Glacius trails off now as he strides into the kitchen to check what else they have on hand; there's a brief pause as he does his best trying to make a quick, cursory list of the various items.]

So yes, ingredients for various breads and soups, as well as fruits and vegetables from the orchards and some other miscellaneous items found from the shops. I also keep us stocked on plenty of meat, usually freshly cut from whatever I manage to hunt in this cave. Does... that give you enough to work with?

voice;

[wendigoner]

Breads and soups? [ Hmm... ] Um, what about butternut squash soup with some good bread? It's perfect for the kind of cold weather we have down here. [ beat ] Do you know if there're any squashes around to use? That's the main thing.

[action because they live together, gosh]

[tongueamok]

[Whether or not Carlisle sees the post goes unsaid for long after Glacius makes it, as the clergyman spends much of his day the way he's spent nearly the last week: he's up in the morning from a restless sleep, spends an hour or so in prayer as usual, and then starts the long seclusion in his room. He rarely emerges, and when he does, he assures Glacius that it's nothing he's done and that he's just not feeling well... and then back to his room he goes, so blatantly demoralized that it's a wonder he can even muster up some excuses. Glacius might hear the clink of glass bottles, some fevered words to the rabbit or his goddess, or the occasional, choked sob, but other than that, Carlisle has been incredibly quiet regarding what's wrong, what's gotten him so wrapped up in his own sorrows again.

The alcohol doesn't help, but it does allow him to drown his headache and think of something else for a time, something other than how he's a monster who deserved what Shadow did. He'll work on making amends to the hedgehog when his head clears, as his goddess would have him do; until then, he just wants to forget what it feels like to be completely miserable as he stews in some volatile mixture of bitterness, despondence, and self-loathing.

It's a lot like how he felt after Algidus appeared in the city, really. He's ruined a friendship by his own volition, shown himself to truly be the abomination those back home would believe. He used his curse against someone, stripped them of their free will, and now he's paid the price.

Has he, though? A simple garden for dominating someone's mind? The toll should be higher. This is one reason he's not allowed -- even expressly forbidden -- from having such things, Carlisle thinks to himself. He ruins them, taints them with the aura of misfortune that follows him on account of what he is. The twice-cursed are to be avoided for a reason, his paranoia tells him. He should have known this would happen. He had this coming to him.

And it's thoughts like that that send him grabbing the nearest bottle once more. From elsewhere in the apartment, Glacius may hear another series of glassy clunks as Carlisle sets that bottle with the several others sitting around his room and has a seat in his closet, curling in around himself as he finds something else to drink, his hands tearing through his hair. It's tight in the closet, secure. He can see everything and can think about the uncertainties beyond his room rather than the ones within. Though well aware Glacius is worried -- they are partners now, more than that -- Carlisle cannot bring himself to tell the alien what happened, knowing how he might react. Glacius would want to protect him, defend him against Shadow; he cannot let that happen. He deserves this, Carlisle reminds himself.

It's a good thing he has some Dwarven blood in his family line, or he'd probably be dead from all the liquor he's consumed, though given his general disposition the last several days, there's no telling if he'd consider that an improvement.]

[glacius]

[If Carlisle wants to forget what it feels like to be completely miserable, then maybe he shouldn't be expending so much energy pushing away the one being in this cave who adamantly persists in helping him.

Of course Glacius had immediately noticed something was wrong when Carlisle had first walked in the door a handful of days ago utterly distraught--and of course the alien had attempted to comfort him and figure out what was bothering him. His partner, however, had not been forthcoming at all in regards to what or who was to blame, and the otherworldly being didn't want to push him when he was so badly upset. So though the ice alien did not buy into the clergyman's excuses even for a moment, he figured he would give him some space, and see if he that helped matters at all.

It didn't. His partner seemed to spend the following days in a downward spiral, avoidant not only of his questioning, but of any attempted consolation--and attempt he did, on multiple occassions, especially whenever he heard those quiet sobs. Every time the alien came in to check on him, however, he was offered only more excuses, and his affections were barely allowed before he was turned away--it was like the human had been set back weeks on all the work they'd done, building up his sense of self-worth, and it made Glacius quietly angry on behalf of his friend. If Carlisle wouldn't help him figure out what was going on so that he could better help him overcome it, then he was going to have to set out to find answers himself.

That was when he saw the garden--his partner's pride and joy burned to the ground, leaving little more than ash and blackened pots--and that was when he knew that someone had acted out against Carlisle. He didn't know why, but he knew enough to understand how the prejudices that the clergyman had faced in his own world had shaped him. He was probably stewing in grief and undeserved guilt, and Glacius couldn't allow it any more. He couldn't allow the drinking to go on unchecked, either--ever since he'd encountered Carlisle in his garden that fateful night, he'd had his suspicions that his partner was the sort to overindulge when faced with persistent demons, and had seen firsthand how that never helped, only made him badly sick on top of being miserable. None of this was healthy and no amount of respect for his partner's privacy was enough that the ice alien would allow the clergyman to waste away any longer.

So, as Carlisle attempts to hide from his problems in the dark confines of his closet, he'll hear the door creak open and see two familiar glowing green eyes appear in the blackness. Taken aback by the sight of his partner cowering like this--and the mass of bottles and reek of alcohol that permeates the entire room, though the clergyman's utter sadness is at the front of his mind right now-- Glacius leans as much of himself as he can into that cramped space, extending one long limb to place on the human's shoulder. His voice is gentle as he speaks; he'll switch to tough love if necessary but right now he just wants to console the broken clergyman.] Carlisle... come on out of there. I thought that giving you space might be helpful, but I see now that I was wrong. I won't let you shoulder... whatever this is alone any more. I am here for you... we need to talk.

[tongueamok]

[Carlisle only glances at Glacius as the alien places a hand on his shoulder, not moving from his seat on the floor, his gaze returning to the bottle in his hand a second later. He knows what he looks like: his hair is a mess, his eyes more tired and dulled than they have been in some time, the sweater he's wearing wrinkled and worn.]

I'm fine, Glacius. I will be fine.

[There's a hint of anger in his voice, deep-seated ire that burns ever inward. It seems he doesn't want Glacius to feel that ire is aimed at him, adding:]

It's not you. It's nothing you have done. I've just... been thinking.

[glacius]

No you are not, and no you will not be if you do not find some way to rally yourself. That is what I am here to help you with.

[The ice alien tilts his head at that addendum, and then he snorts. The time for dodging his questions is over... even if this leads to a confrontation, he reminds himself that his partner will be better for it in the long run.] I know it's nothing I have done. How long did you think you could hide this from me? How long do you think it would be until I passed by your garden in my patrols? I know what happened, so if what you are thinking about is how you deserved that, you had best stop thinking that right now. I will not see you harmed by old prejudiced any longer.

[tongueamok]

[That gets Carlisle to look Glacius' way, abject horror plastered across him the instant Glacius brings up his garden. While he hadn't expected Glacius would go forever without finding out... he'd certainly hoped he might not discover it on his own. He should have known, Carlisle reminds himself. He should have known Glacius would find out, the same way Shadow would find out. Everyone would find out at some point.

His hand shakes as he brings the bottle to his lips, words leaving him before he drowns them and his thoughts.]

I was going to tell you at some point. I— [a single, mirthless laugh escapes him, his nerves getting to him] —I did deserve it this time, though. For something awful I did, awfulness was done to me. Practically a trade, isn't it?

[Video]

[amos_moses]

GLACIUS HI!

[Amos waves furiously at the screen, beaming, glad to see - hear?- the ice alien is well.]

Remember me? I came back!

Uh, I know a few simple recipes? A few soups an' like two recipes for cookies and stuff.

Though finding the right ingredients here is impossible. I kinda haveta guess a lot.

[Video]

[glacius]

["Well" might be a bit of a stretch--it's hard for him to be considered such when his partner is so obviously suffering, and when the alien feels like he can't do much to change that. But knowing that there's at least someone who's enthusiastic to see him does help a little bit; Glacius allows the feed to switch, smiling back in a manner that is appreciative, but also utterly tired.]

Yes, of course I remember you. It is nice to see that your good-natured personality has remained intact. [And he means that--this cave has a way of dragging too many good people down. Soups would be wonderful--my partner makes a lot of those, so it would be nice to be able to introduce him to some new ones.

I understand your difficulty with the ingredients, though. Sometimes you have to get creative... or lucky. Those shops seem to stock up all sorts of oddities, which is why I prefer to hunt for myself whenever I can.

[Video]

[amos_moses]

[Amos is incredibly pleased Glacius switched to video: he remembers the alien's (wholly understandable) wariness about people seeing him, and is delighte to merit such trust. He bounces a little, laughing]

Ah but there's one soup dat's good for that, I'll teach ya how to make gumbo.

It's a soup you can put just 'bout anything in, cause that's what it is.

[Video]

[glacius]

[Amos knows him surprisingly well, then--Glacius indeed would not open a video feed for just anyone, but at this point he knows the human won't seek to hunt him down or send others after him. Besides, the post basically gave away that he wasn't human... so there's no point in trying to guard it so closely in this instance.] ... "Gumbo". [He repeats it, trying out the unfamiliar word.] It sounds... good? What are the base ingredients?

[Video]

[amos_moses]

Roux - flour n' butter - veggies, and meat. Usually it's like onions an' celery an' bell peppers, but it can be whatever you got, an' fish or chicken or pork, whatever you got.

[Amos counts the vegetables off, then waves his hand dismissively. There's literally hundreds of ways of making gumbo, as there are hundreds of people who cook it. Amos himself has varied this recipe often. That's why it'll be okay to substitute whatever for it here,because that's how it goes.]

It's pretty easy, an' pretty tasty no matter how you cook it.