(log) It's Thanksgiving Time!

[forethinking]

Who: Ren and You
When: Thanksgiving Day
Where: ADI's cafeteria
Summary: A little thanksgiving party for everyone.
Warnings: Alcohol, but other than that, none!



(It's finally the day! Ren's spent the day in the canteen, from the early hours of the morning with the help of Kate, until just close enough to the arranged time.

Several tables in the cafeteria are taken by the food, but there's still plenty of room to sit and spend time with your fellow ADI employees. After the previous month everyone has had, it feels much needed. Available is the following menu:

Deep-fried Turkey + Stuffing;
Ranch-Seasoned Roast Turkey + Stuffing;
Mashed Potatoes + Gravy;
Green Bean Casserole;
Cranberry Sauce;
Pasta alla Norma;
Sicilian Rice Balls;
S'mores Cupcakes
Pumpkin Pie;
Apple Pie;
Sweet Baked Potato;
Pecan Pie;
Roasted Vegetables;
Stuffed Mushrooms;
Squash Soup;
Garlicky Green Beans with Crispy Onions;
A selection of alcohol;

Ren's tried his best to recreate what the Internet and other folks have told him, and without him tasting the original flavors, some of the dishes might have an unexpected twist of spice. Kate has also helped with putting things together, and at the previously arranged time, Ren opens the doors with a smile from ear-to-ear.

Once everyone's settled, he'll ask for a moment to, gasp, speak:)

I'd like to thank everyone for coming today. I know it's been tough, but I'm still thankful we can spend good moments like these together. I hope you enjoy the food.

(And just like so, he'll bow, and hand plates to those ready to eat. Time to dig in!)

Comments

[abrightboy]

“Um, most things,” Malcolm admits awkwardly. “Extreme anxiety from complex PTSD,” he explains almost apologetically. “But the soup is delicious,” he quickly assures. It’s plenty for him. Really. “And it’s nice to just… get out and see people without…” Watching them get slaughtered. “Trouble.”

[worthallthis]

Anxiety is a thing he knows. PTSD, complex or not, is a thing he does not. (Even though he pretty clearly has it.) So he frowns a bit at the explanation, looking like he doesn't understand, but he also doesn't ask.

Only eating one thing, though, he also knows. It's easier than having to pick something new every day. The only reason he personally is eating multiple things today is he's determined to get through the entire menu. It's not choosing: it's eating it all. "I am here to make sure there is no trouble for anyone," he assures Malcolm. "Can you eat desserts?"

[abrightboy]

“Some of them,” Malcolm concedes. “The simpler the better. This particular feast has… a lot of complicated food and a lot of… fried,” he points out.

[worthallthis]

"Apple pie?" he asks with a kind of hopeful lilt to his voice. It's the most tone he's managed since he sat down. Mostly his voice is very flat with very little inflection.

Apple pie is familiar. Comforting. Simple. Surely Malcolm can have that, right?

[abrightboy]

Well, that’s just… sweet. Malcolm smiles softly. “I expect I can manage a very small piece,” he concedes. Apple pie isn’t too bad.

[worthallthis]

Winter looks satisfied, and immediately gets up to go collect one. Small, he said. A small piece. Hrm. All the already cut ones are pretty good-sized, but... he can just cut it in half and eat the other half, himself.

He likes apple pie, after all.

So he brings the little plate back to the table.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm does notice that he made one of the existing pieces much smaller and he smiles as he accepts the plate.

“Thank you,” he says, looking over as he cuts off a small forkful. “How have you settled in? Do you get along with your roommates?”

[worthallthis]

That's an easy question. Winter nods, starting in on his own meal, which is much bigger and more varied than Malcolm's. He might have plenty of PTSD to go around, but it hasn't affected his appetite most days. "Yes. I know one of them from my world. And the other makes dinner every night. They're my team."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm smiles broadly. "I also have a roommate that makes sure we all eat," he admits. "I wonder if they split it up like that on purpose. Though... there's someone here I know from my world and we didn't end up roommates."

[worthallthis]

"There are two others from my world, and they aren't in my room," Winter assures him. "I think it was random luck."

He's not complaining, though. He's grateful to have Yelena where they can watch each other's backs. "Maybe because I found her when she arrived," he adds, thoughtfully, after a bite of his own half a slice of pie.

[abrightboy]

“Oh, before the kelpie attack?” he confirms. “That’s good that you found her.”

[worthallthis]

"No, after. In the second wave of us. So at least I could tell her a little." If it had been before the kelpies, then he'd have been as lost as she was. And even more panicked, and probably no help at all.

[abrightboy]

“Oh, that’s good,” he says. “It’s good that she missed that. I’m sorry she didn’t miss… some of the other stuff, though.”

[worthallthis]

Winter sighs a little. "Yeah. Though she handled herself like a champ. Not unexpected, though. I trained her, I know what she's capable of." Even as an eight year old. She's even more amazing now. Amazing enough that he actually used a slang word, and a little vocal inflection.