voidtreckerexpress | One Foot in front of the Other Foot [ota with closed prompts]

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One Foot in front of the Other Foot [ota with closed prompts]

Who: Taiki. There is an open prompt and then closed prompts for Inigo, Gyousou and Tidus.
Where: Kitchens, Library, Cinema
When: Horseshoe days 2-5
What: Taiki tries out some recipes from his vegan cookbook. Taiki and Inigo make food to cheer Tidus up, Taiki and Gyousou have a talk in the library and Taiki finally succeeds in tracking down Tidus.
Warnings: Taiki and Tidus' thread will have themes of disappearing/dying- purposefully to try and solve things- with mention of a past suicide attempt. I will add more things as they come up.

Day Two: The Kitchen [OTA]

Tidus' suggestion of a cookbook had come at a good time because as the month changed they once again had meat as one of the main ingredients. It was a little better this time, the meat was processed, already cooked and so entering the kitchen and store room was not an exercise in steeling himself against the smell of blood and raw meat.

He has his new book, Vegan: The Cookbook and has found a recipe for pizza. Considering pizza is one of the recipe's on the ICP this month he is confident that he should find the things to make it.

He moves carefully around the kitchen, gathering ingredients. Soon he has everything but cheese, the book simply says to use vegan cheese, which is not something they have.

He flicks through the book, looking to see if there are any suggestions for alternatives. He has found himself a corner to prepare food in but still feels like he is in the way, mumbling a 'sorry' to anyone who comes near. He hadn't meant for this to take that long...

Day Three: The Kitchen [For Inigo]

Permeating the whole of the last few days has been the lack of Tidus. Taiki has been worried about him, more than worried, ever since Roland told him what had happened on the platform. But despite many attempts he hadn't been able to find him. He wasn't answering his door, Taiki hadn't ran into him in any of his usual places.

He had kept trying, though he feared annoying his friend, the line between being worried and just irritating him so much that he wouldn't want to ever talk to him again was very thin, and Taiki didn't want to cross it.

But he was worried... And he knew Inigo was too, he had seen him around, seen him near Tidus' cabin. He knew he was just as worried, with Yuna leaving... So soon after whatever Tidus had seen on the mountain... It was too much.

He finds Inigo quickly, he's trying not to think about how easy that is to do, and holds out the two books in his hands. One is his cookbook and one is a book on bread making. "I told him I would cook him a meal... Maybe it will chear him up. Do you want to help?"

He doesn't think he needs to clarify who.

Day Four: The Library [For Gyousou]

The situation with Tidus was not the only thing Taiki was worried about. The flashes of the ouki from Inigo, that was worrying too. He knows it has something to do with what happened on the mountain. Something now linked his king and Inigo.

Just as he was certain that these flashes of confusion, of anxiety weren't completely his feelings alone. He was used to feeling overwhelmed and anxious, but this is more so.

Both things put together meant that at times like right now he did not want to stray from Lord Gyousou's side. So here he was, Gyousou was resting on a beanbag reading a history book called Book Not Found Taiki approached silently and sat on the floor next to him, not quite leaning on him but sitting close, his own book Summoning Magic on his knees.

Day Five: Cinema [For Tidus]

He still hadn't seen Tidus, not at all and he was more than worried. But if the other man didn't want to be found, if he was avoiding him and Inigo... then should they leave it? Was it better to allow him his space or make sure he knew they were here for him.

He didn't know but for the last couple of days he had just tried Tidus' room a couple of times. So it was a surprise, when he entered the cinema. He glanced instinctively at the screen, it showed some children clambering through a cave, holding torches as they explored. His eyes went back to where he was walking, scanning the seats and there...

There in the corner, his purple hood was pulled up but Taiki still recognises him.

"Tidus?"

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"Um..." He looks down the ingredients until he finds the flour. "Eight hundred grams."

He looked back at Inigo, letting him take the lead on measuring flour. After Inigo's worry in the store carriage he doesn't want him to think for a moment that Taiki doesn't think he is capable.

So he just smiles as Inigo figures it out.

Well, Inigo is definitely not great with math. But reading numbers off a dial is definitely a skill someone who has only had classes up to about 10 years old can perform, so he seems to be doing alright so far. Shaking small bits of flour out of the bag and onto the scale, keeping that up until the dial ends up at about 800. Easy.

He's already scooping it all up into a bowl before grabbing the yeast to do the same with that.

"It really is amazing how much you are used to, Taiki," he remarks in the meantime. Especially since he remembers talking with Gyousou about how the food lift here was also very new.. then again, Taiki did say he had been away from his king for a while - but the skill to understand both old and new appliances is one very few people here seem to have.

"The technology here is similar to earth... mostly..." It was more advanced, but in a way that built on things he knew rather than being completely different.

"Um... We just need two tea spoons of yeast," He handed the tea spoon over with a small smile before Inigo could pour any into the scales. He pours the flour from the scales into the bowl.

"But when I went to my own world I knew nothing at all. Everything was completely different and I was only a child so didn't really know anything anyways... So I guess this isn't the first time I've had to get used to a new way of things."

"Two tea spoons?!" Somehow Inigo almost sounds offended. Not at Taiki though - no, this is just an obvious overdramatic exaggeration. Maybe even intentionally for comedic effect, just to keep Taiki's thoughts as light as possible. "Why even put any in at all then?! We might as well just leave it out!"

But don't worry, don't worry, he's already obediently measuring the yeast.. Trying to fill up this tea spoon.. Why is the modern world so weird with their tea spoons.

He may be grumbling under his breath about it for another moment or two before returning to what Taiki is saying..

"But.. doesn't all of what you're saying just make you more amazing though? It's not easy to even get used to things once, let alone multiple times. You're smart and resilient to keep figuring things out like this."

He blinks at him. Did he not understand? Or... He smiled softly. Perhaps they did not eat bread in Inigo's world? Or he did just not understand how yeast worked. But he kept a soft smile on his face as he watched Inigo measure out the yeast.

He looked down slightly, "I didn't really have a choice. I think anyone can get used to things when they have to. Just like you Inigo. You can use the ICP's and communicate with the SCA on missions but you don't come from a world with computers or phones at all."

So really it is Inigo who is amazing.

Taiki, why must you always turn these compliments around on him, huh? Can't a guy compliment you in peace and have you easily accept it!

"I'm just trying my best." See, at least that's not a deflection! Because Inigo is. It takes him so long to type out messages on the ICPs, but he tries anyway. "It's not as if I could go without using them after I've been here so long already."

Done with measuring the two tea spoons, Inigo glances back towards Taiki.

"Where am I supposed to leave this?" This pitiful amount of yeast. Tsk, tea spoons.

"It needs to be added to the flour." He smiled reassuringly at Inigo as he gestured at the bowl.

"It needs to be mixed together." He explained and then we need two hundred grams of butter..."

Okay, adding it to the bowl. He can do that. Just casually dropping the content of the tea spoons into the bowl. Simple.

"Can I just mix it myself?" Or do they need one of these fancy modern machines, huh? Inigo wouldn't be surprised if they can do just about anything in the kitchen at this point.

"Of course." He handed him the spoon with an encouraging smile. "I think it just needs to all be mixed up together. Then we add some water."

He checked the recipe. "And milk. I can go and get that."

"Alright! Leave the mixing to me in the meantime then."

He's capital D determined now! He'll show these machines that there are plenty of things medieval people are capable of doing by hand! You are no longer necessary, weird modern devices!

Hence why he takes the spoon and starts stirring the content of the bowl right away. It seems to be going well so far - he's thankfully not mixing it up hard enough for anything to fly out of the bowl.

Taiki gathers the milk and takes a measuring jug to fill up with water as well before returning to Inigo with a smile. "It looks good..." Inigo was working very hard on that mixing.

Taiki smiles at him encouragingly. "I'm going to pour the water and milk in, can you stir while I do so."

At least that's what the book says needs to happen. It's a good job there are two of them, they need more than two hands for this.

He is working super hard on this mixing, indeed! Thank you for noticing.

Actually, really thank you for noticing, because the moment Inigo notices Taiki giving him that reassuring smile, it's like his own smile widens just a tad.

"That won't be a problem at all." He does put the bowl down on the counter though, so Taiki will have an easier time pouring it in.. But he isn't stopping the stirring! He is now a stirring machine! "Go right ahead."

Taiki's own smile grows larger as Inigo's does. He's been worried about him, especially after what had happened with Tidus and so just seeing him relaxed makes him glad.

He slowly begins pouring the water into the bowl, little by little, giving Inigo time to stir and making sure not to spill any. He repeats with the milk.

Maybe Inigo actually does have some talent for this, or maybe he's just paying closer attention in order to not screw this up since they're doing it for Tidus's sake, but no matter what the reason is, there's no dumb clumsy accidents. Everything just goes well for once. Taiki gently pouring in the liquids, Inigo stirring everything up without splashing it all over their faces.

Apparently the stirring master here himself is rather pleased with the way things are going too, judging by his facial expression.

"You know, I think this might just end up turning out amazing."

Maybe a little too preemptive there, Inigo.

Edited 2020-10-21 15:54 (UTC)

"I think so too." Inigo being confident and happy about anything has the instant Taiki seal of approval and so he nods, completely agreeing. This will be the best bread ever made.

That was the last of the liquid so Taiki reached for the flour again, sprinkling some on the counter.

"We need to knead it... I saw a program on TV once... This is so it doesn't stick to the counter."

"Ah, really? That's quite smart!"

Inigo keeps stirring as he says it to make the last of the liquid be stirred properly into the mix they've got going on, but once that's fully in there, he finally stops, staring down at what he's got in the bowl. It does look like something that could be kneaded.

"Should I take it out of the bowl and put it on top of the flour now then?" There's a slight pause, but probably even before Taiki can answer, Inigo can't help but add, ".. and what might a 'TV' be?"

Taiki nods, looking like he might speak but then gets distracted by the question.

"Oh... Sorry. It's... A bit like the ICP's I guess, except instead of people who you know talking but actors, like on stage... Playing out a story or telling you what is happening in the world. Oh like the cinema..." He blushes, "Sorry that would have been a better explanation..."

He shakes his head.

"No, it's fine! I understand." .. More or less. The idea of the TV that Inigo has inside of his head right now is nothing like an actual TV.. But it's not like he's aware of that. "So is that what people in those kinds of worlds do all day, since machines take care of the chores? They just watch the people on this TV?"

"Oh, no." He shook his head. "People have to work. Machines can't do everything, at least not on the earth I know. Children go to school, to learn what they need to know and then when they are old enough they find a job. That might be anything from selling food to using one of the machines, like a computer. Even though we have machines that help with growing food we still need people to farm, people to pick fruit."

The jobs are different than in his own world. But at the same time not that much so.

"So machines can't do those things? You need people for it?"

With how much they could do on the train, Inigo was starting to think that in certain worlds there were just machines for everything.. But he looks like he's trying to wrap his head around the concept Taiki is telling him about instead.

In the meantime, he'll start spreading out the dough mixture on the flour so he can start kneading it.

"That's odd. Do you know why?"

"No." He shook his head, "I guess they just... haven't been invented yet. New things get made all the time."

Computers were still relatively new, at least for use by the general public. Other things were even more new, but he doesn't know much about it at all.

"There are machines that can knead dough for example, but they are expensive so unless you are making bread every day, most people would make it by hand like us here."

.. what a complicated world. They invent all these fancy things, but then a lot of people can't even use them? Inigo can't help but feel like his medieval world is so much better in some ways, like how uncomplicated it is.

Though he'd miss showers if he suddenly were to find himself back there. For sure.

"Did you find Tai more or less complicated than that place?" He can't help but wonder, still busy working on the kneading here. "That place with its machines sounds much more complicated to me. It's as if every explanation makes me think of five new questions."

Inigo pauses, seeming to realise how Taiki of all people may take that, and so is quick to add-- "That's not on you though, mind you. You're explaining it just fine, I just don't understand the world behind it."

"It depends." He smiled at him, "Some things are more complicated on earth. I think to someone from Tai they would find earth very difficult and complicated. It was very strange for me when I first went to my world but I was only a child, so there were many things I didn't understand even on earth."

He remembered how strange everything had seemed. Honestly there were still things in his own world that seemed strange to him. "But I went to Mount Hou first, that's where Kirin live until they find their king. The sages there were very kind and explained things to me when I didn't understand and I had Sansh..." He trails off for a moment, taking great interest in the dough Inigo was kneading.

"I had Sanshi. Even the strangest things were not frightening because she could explain them to me. So I think they are about the same level as complicated. There are more rules in Tai, but that makes things easier."

He sucks in a breath.

"I'm glad you had help." The rest of the explanation makes enough sense to him, so Inigo chooses to focus on that instead. He can only imagine how overwhelming it must have been for Taiki.

Inigo stares back at the dough he's kneading.

Remembering who it's for.

He gets a little more quiet, his expression not exactly dropping, but growing a bit more thoughtful. Softer.

".. Everyone deserves help." Isn't that why they're doing this right now? Because Tidus, too, deserves help right now. And it's hard to do anything else to help with the other cooping himself up in his room.

"Yes." He agrees and he understands where Inigo's thoughts have gone. That is why there are here, to help Tidus.

Even if Tidus didn't particularly want help right now, he still deserved to know he had friends, who were willing to help him.

"The best we can do for him is just... Be here when he wants us to be."

And give him space until then. Space and garlic bread.

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