Second Brawl: A Little Holiday Cheer!

[feetoffury]

[Mid-afternoon, after her morning shift at Seventh Heaven and lunch, Chun-Li appears over the journal in a video feed. Smiling, and dressed in a heavy brown varsity jacket over warm looking clothes, she’s outside in the plaza, waving down at the camera.]

Hello everyone. This is Chun-Li,, and I’d like to announce that due to the weather, and Smoker’s continued absence I will be cancelling the self-defense classes at the barracks for the next few days. At least until after Christmas, or till Smoker gets back. It just feels appropriate. However, if you’d still be interested continuing to train or you need a sparring partner I’ll be happy to keep up classes in the Battle Dome. It’s just not a good idea to do too much heavy breathing in the snow like this, particularly the sorts of breathing exercises I've been teaching, so keep that up while you're indoors, or meet me at the usual time in the Dome.

That said, I’m also willing to teach anyone proper firearm usage to anyone who doesn’t already know how to use them. That’ll be in the Battle Dome as well, of course, since we don’t really have a whole lot of 9 millimeter ammo to spare. I’m a licensed instructor back home, and I can teach you how to use anything from a pistol to a shotgun. If you can’t defend yourself with your fists, may as well get a gun and learn how to shoot. I’m a strict teacher, though. Don’t expect to be coddled, and I won’t tolerate horseplay, especially with something like firearms.

[She pauses and looks around, letting out a sharp huff]

Switching gears here, what are some foods that remind you of winter, and the holiday season? It’s been a while since I really had time to myself for the holidays, and I gotta say I could use some comfort food. I know lots of folks have been asking about the holidays and stuff, but I guess I just don’t quite know what to make of it.

[She breaks off, looking away from the camera and turning to look up at the sky, and she looks a little more glum than usual. Thinking of her dad, and mom, and Po-Lin always makes her a bit wistful.]

Always makes me a bit daydreamy. Holidays.

[She turns back, smiles and cuts the feed before heading to the store to pick up stuff to cook. That evening, anyone in Community House 3 would be greeted by the smells of an enormous meal being prepared on the 6th floor. Anyone is welcome to stop by, she’s making desserts, Chinese food exactly as Gen taught her, and she’s got a small radio blasting some Chinese pop-songs throughout the floor. Cook something for the people you live with the elf had said, so...she'd complied happily!]

Comments

[feetoffury]

Alright, I'll keep that in mind.

Some people are bound to like it, so I'll get some for dinner tonight.

[bionically]

[He snorts lightly, good-naturedly.] Throwing a lavish dinner party?

[feetoffury]

Lavish? No. Impromptu and full of all sorts of things? Yes.

[She laughs right back]

Community House 3, 6th Floor, if you want dinner.

[bionically]

[Impressed, he nods, his eyebrows lifting. Hell, he hasn't any plans - and he's certain from the sound of things that he can't whip up anything half as good as she can.]

Sounds like a plan - around what time's good?

[feetoffury]

Let's say around eight?

[She laughs cheerily]

Bring some eggnog.

[bionically]

[Now how did he not see that coming? He cracks a breathless laugh, his head slumping forward as if with a great sense of relief.]

Alright; you got it. See you then.

[feetoffury]

Sounds good!

[She giggles, and shuts the journal]

later :P

[bionically]

[In the vicinity of a quarter past eight – fashionably late – Chun-Li can expect a tapping at her door, and then find a bionic commando with one carton of egg nog in hand and a festively bagged bottle of wine in the other. While he didn’t intend to hang around for hours, he felt he could use a break in his routine and enjoy some human interaction for sanity’s sake.

No shades this time, and no particularly formal or half-formal attire either for this Christmas gathering; just cargo pants and a zip-up sweater with the left sleeve neatly removed to allow for his arm, and a perfectly circular hole cut into the back for a cable to pass through. Tailored clothes were a blessing.]

Hey.

[feetoffury]

[Chun-Li, for her part, opens the door wearing the same blue and white qi-pao she'd been wearing earlier. Though now she's wearing a santa hat and apron as well, cooking away. There are plates of food laid out, and people have clearly been in and out. It's more a 'come get food' event than a real party]

Hey Spencer, come on in.

[bionically]

[He smiles easily at the greeting, inevitably offering her an quick, appraising glance as he steps in. Well, she does look cuter than she had in the videos, he notes, as a little screen on the page only allowed so much to be seen.]

...Anywhere you'd like me to put these?

[But he's not here to admire his female company, after all. Keeping things guilelessly light and friendly is his intention.]

[feetoffury]

[She grins and lets him in, stepping out of the doorway and gesturing towards a table]

Oh, just put them anywhere there's room.

[She's smiling happily, giving him an appraising look of her own. The arm is even cooler in person.]

Help yourself to whatever, there's plenty.

[bionically]

Sure thing.

[The place smells all sorts of wonderful, and he aches dully inside as he appreciates how long ago it was when Em used to whip up something nice and surprise him. A romantic dinner in the comfort of home where he didn't need to dress particularly sharply for it. He wills away the thought, eying the food laid out.]

It's been a long time...

[Since I've been greeted with a home-cooked meal. He bites it back, thinking it the wrong time and place even for a wry little joke.]

Since I've had Chinese. This must have been hell of a lot of work.

[feetoffury]

[She misses the joke entirely, pointing to pasta and various other ethnic foods. She's hardly an inexperienced cook!]

Nah, not really. The hardest part was keeping Ilyana out of the kitchen.

[bionically]

Heh, never had that problem when I'd whip something up.

[But he's not especially skilled with pots and pans, or perhaps, he just has never really bothered to try something more than eggs or bacon. He takes one of the plates laid out, considering what to choose first.]

Don't think I'm familiar with some of these things -- care to give me the lowdown on the menu?

Sorry...I have no idea what she'd cook just that it'd be lots!

[feetoffury]

Well...

[She rattles off and points to a list of pastas, Chinese dishes, Japanese food, even a few American foods and some soups.]

Nooooo worries.

[bionically]

[He whistles lowly under his breath.]

If you hadn't been an agent, you should have been a chef. Or the head of your own catering service.

[He tucks into samplings of different pastas.]

[feetoffury]

Well, I doubt that. I only learned to cook because of my kung-fu teacher.

[She beams though, glad that someone besides Ilyana (who may or may not be tied up in the closet to save the food) eating her cooking!]

[bionically]

That’s one hell of a teacher. I might not be an expert on the subject…

[He gestures to his plate with his fork.]

But I think you’re just being a little humble. Nothing wrong with giving yourself a solid pat on the back every once in a while, huh? [A beat. The smile looks good on her.] Oh yeah... you're going to want to toss the egg nog in the fridge if you don't feel like giving it a shot right now. Should have brought rum with me.

[feetoffury]

[To her credit, she does not blush, or protest, She just keeps smiling.]

Well, I'll give it a shot. [She heads over and takes down two cups from her cabinet.]

Anything I need to know about pouring it? Rituals or something? I know a lot of this holiday stuff is special.

[bionically]

I was never a stickler for holiday traditions so I’m probably not the best guy to ask. I know some people like their nog with a little nutmeg or cinnamon sprinkled on the top, but between you and I, I’m not that fancy.

[Hurrhurr.]

[feetoffury]

Then lets keep it simple. I always prefer that.

[She pours herself and him a glass, raising it.]

Cheers!

[bionically]

Cheers.

[He clinks glasses with her before tipping back his own. Moments like this, he always remembers why egg nog is best in small amounts - and he watches her expression half-expectantly after helping himself to a second swallow. It's hard to know what to expect, but he's leaning towards her reaction being something along the lines of, 'blech, how can you drink this??']

[feetoffury]

[She takes a drink of her own, sipping carefully at first. It's quite rich and sweet, and it's pretty good. Her face flickers with a curious smile, and she takes a little bit of a larger swallow after a moment, savoring it a bit.]

Not bad. It's sweet, but you're right about it being really thick. Hard to drink it quickly. And yea, it could do with a bit of rum for sure.

[bionically]

Good. Glad you like it 'cause you're stuck with a whole carton of it now.

[feetoffury]

Great...[She groans in mock despair] Whatever will I do?