[CLOSED] Mydei #1 Finalist of Hell's Kitchen S25

[belovedtomorrow]

Who: HSR cast!
What: Mydei is making everyone dinner 😊💖
When: Early May
Where: Kitchen in the Inn
Warnings: none I can think of, will update if necessary!


In the spirit of camaraderie, Mydei has graciously agreed to cook everyone, new and old friends alike, a wonderful dinner! Surely nothing will go wrong and everyone will be normal.

See thread headers or just free post into here with something I'm not your dad.

Comments

IN THE KITCHEN; PRE-DINNER

[belovedtomorrow]

[warchiseled]

[It's easy to find Mydei in the kitchen.

Between the scent of cooked meats and spices, one can hear the sound of pots bubbling and pans sizzling, along with Mydei chopping vegetables.

If you were to peak inside, you would see Mydei without his gauntlets or pauldron, and a pink apron that says 💋 Kiss the Cook ❤️

His hair had been pulled back and away from his face, and he seems to be focusing on the task at hand.]

[belovedtomorrow]

[Cyrene is a terrible cook, you don't want to trust her anywhere near the stove or gods forbid, a knife. However, she is very interested in the act of watching Mydei cook, and is trying to figure out the balancing act of not taking up space or getting in his way while also watching everything he's doing like ◕⩊◕❀?

Eventually, she finds herself sitting on the counter off to the side in a space he's not using, legs swinging a little as she oh so dutifully does not help.]

What's that called?

[Pointing to a random vegetable--]

[warchiseled]

[While Mydei is usually very strict when it comes to how he runs a kitchen, as long as you're not getting in the way, you aren't going to be yelled at Gordon Ramsey style.

Unless you're Phainin.

Which, luckily, she is not!

He looks up at her, pausing mid whisk to look at what she was pointing at.]

Rhubarb.

[And then he goes back to whisking.]

I am making dessert with it.

[deathgripped]

[As promised, Castorice is at the ready. She doesn't know the first thing about being a sous chef, but she grabbed herself her own apron (a woefully plain one, comparatively).

For now, she's decided to lend her hand with likewise chopping vegetables. Mostly to. Hide the carrots, it seems?

Don't worry about it.]

Is this enough?

[warchiseled]

[Mydei sets down his own knife after sliding all the chopped potatoes into an ice bath. He patted his hands dry and turned to look at Castorice, a small smile on his lips as he nods.]

Yes, that's perfect. Thank you.

[There's so much food and ingredients everywhere. Man's been busy.]

[dawnforged]

[Hi guess who is slinking in when Mydei has his back turned to snatch up a pan from the stove and take over cooking it?

...

He's stirring more seasoning in before you can stop him. Too late.]

[warchiseled]

[His Phainon senses are tingling, and he stops midswing of his knife to look behind him.

He narrows his eyes, and with the knife still in hand, he slowly stands behind Phainon.]

What do you think you're doing, Deliverer?

[healinghotpot]

[ Mydei may be cooking, but Jiaoqiu is Watching from the doorway.

It isn't his kitchen, and he isn't the one cooking. An odd feeling, but not entirely unfamiliar - he's eaten at plenty of restaurants, after all, and food is all well and good if it's someone else's treat. Mostly, he's standing back there trying to identify the ingredients being used. This world has already expanded his knowledge of food, and he considers it a pop quiz of sorts.

Not that he'll say as much. Cooking is an art form, and he'd hate to distract. ]

AT THE TABLE; DINNERTIME

[belovedtomorrow]

FOOD COMA; POST-DINNER

[belovedtomorrow]

[deathgripped]

[With a satisfactory meal now consumed, Castorice politely excuses herself into the kitchen. When she returns, it's with a pot of tea in a rather lovely looking teapot, along with six cups. She makes sure to pour one for everyone.

And you know what. She even passes out little cookies, too. Because she can.]

It's ginger. It will help process the meal properly. [And as for the cookies, after a little laugh she adds:] Those are just because.

[warchiseled]

[Mydei happily takes the cup, giving Castorice a soft smile as he warms his hands on it got a moment.]

Thank you, Castorice.

[He also takes a cookie...

Two cookies.]

[dawnforged]

[He's quick to make room for the tea and the cookie both, perking up at the latter with clear, readable excitement.]

Oh, thank you, Castorice! Did you make them? The cookies, I mean.

[Listen he may have just eaten a whole meal but he's never one to deny himself desserts.]

I'm going to run this gag into the ground at some point,

[dozygeneral]

[ While the idea of a food coma isn't normally literal, for someone who is as apt at falling asleep in any location as Jing Yuan, it certainly can be!

All of which to say: he appears to have dozed off at the table almost immediately following the formal conclusion of the meal. This is clearly a fantastic second impression (for some) and first impression (for others) both! It is a lucky thing that he is positioned rather towards the far edge of the table, because otherwise it might have been awkward rather than... simply strange? Endearing? Disarming? Who knows. ]

but consider. funny

[belovedtomorrow]

[Tap tap! Hello mister asleep man :)]

Sorry to wake you, friend~. Did you want some dessert? Tea, perhaps?

MINGLE; ANYTIME

[belovedtomorrow]

[deathgripped]

[Somewhere in the midst of the festivities, amidst laughter and stories being shared, Castorice allows herself to slip into the background. She's quiet enough that she figured no one will miss her, not for a few minutes at least.

She just needs a moment.

With her notebook out on her lap, Castorice folds over as she writes a few lines. It's not a full poem, that will come late. But a few scattered thoughts in the moment will help capture the mood later on.

Perhaps a word or two might be spied, before Castorice seems to realize she's not alone. ]

-hymns strung together through the sound of laughter.

-hands of blood now free to nurture

-soul of grief grapples with levity and light

-free from eternity's cruel fate.

[dozygeneral]

[ Unfortunately for his new friend, Jing Yuan is an observant sort. Even as he rouses from his post-food nap – which may or may not have been partially a front to observe his new comrades – he notes her absence. It does not take much work to peel himself away from the group at large.

He does not attempt to read what she has written down. He may be many things, but he is not the invasive sort. He observes for a time, then lightly clears his throat. ]

I hope you'll forgive my trespassing on your moment away from the hustle and bustle. Is everything alright?

[belovedtomorrow]

[When Cyrene is not pretending to be helpful in the kitchen (spoilers: she's sooooo unhelpful ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.), she is instead doing her best to mingle with everyone. Yes, even you! Hello :)]

How's your night treating you so far, friend?

[dawnforged]

[Normally! Phainon would also be on the mingle train, busying himself with chatting deep into the evening hours. It's where he's always been able to find a sense of ease, sociable as he is!

It's perhaps notable when he's taken the chance after dinner to quietly slip off for a minute or two, then. He hasn't gone far, just out the front door onto the deck, leaning on both arms against the railing. He's staring... Somewhere? Off into the distance. Where, isn't really that important, and the moment Cyrene speaks it's like he startles back to awareness with a jolt. The briefest disoriented look flits across his expression before it's replaced with a bright smile and quiet huff of laughter.]

As fairly as it can, given I've eaten myself halfway to unconsciousness. What about you? Enjoying the festivities?

[warchiseled]

[Before Mydei starts distancing himself from everyone, but after dinner has concluded, Mydei is found gathering dishes and cleaning up while the others sit to chit-chat.

He is leaving the desserts on the table, but everything else is fair game.

When Cyrene walks up to him, he has a stack of dishes in his hands as he is making his way towards the kitchen.]

Oh, Lady Cyrene. [He gives her a small little smile. Itty bitty.] I have been enjoying myself in everyone's company. I hope you have been having a pleasant evening as well.

[healinghotpot]

[ Jiaoqiu isn't used to just sitting and doing nothing, or at least not in this place. Back at home, he can patiently wait while someone else is cooking, sure, but here it's a little harder. He can't just go back to his room to take inventory of his gathered ingredients, so instead, he takes out a notebook and begins to take inventory on what he knows he doesn't have.

All of this, of course, goes out the window (not literally) when he's addressed. He politely puts his notes away, smiling. ]

I'm doing as well as I can be, thank you. And you must be...?

[warchiseled]

[There was always a point in celebrations like this that Mydei's social meter fills and he starts to distance himself from everyone.

Typically, in the past, it had always been during the beginnings of the feasts, when Krateros would give some speech and the warriors would shout and make the halls they inhabited ring with cheer.

Tonight, though, he had gone through the whole dinner with a pleasant smile on his otherwise neutral expression and now finds himself tucked away in the furthest area of the lobby. He has his chalice in hand, gently swirling its contents as he simply...

People watch.

And definitely doesn't dissociate at all.

So if you catch him staring, with a super serious expression, it's probably not something you did.]

[dawnforged]

[A hand gets waved in front of Mydei’s face, and it’s about the only warning he gets before Phainon is hoisting himself up over the back of the couch and plopping himself down beside Mydei.]

Thought I might find you sequestered off somewhere. Too much socializing?

[He crosses one leg over the other, bumping Mydei lightly in the shin with the toes of his boot.]

If you don’t feel like talking, we don’t have to, for the record. If you just want to sit, that’s fine with me too.