Luke

[nosediving]

Comments

jarring, i'd imagine

[dupelicate]

Oh, yeah! [another super long name guy! he shoves the knife into the jar, and descends on Shang, arm stretched out.]

Sorry, I should've done that first. My name's Luke! It's nice to officially make each other's acquaintance, huh?

[glancing over his rummage supplies, he adds on:] Making tea?

bad!!

[nosediving]

[knife in the jar . . .

he looks down at the extended arm. tentatively, he reaches out.]

Yes, I thought I should have something to drink after what happened. Would you like some?

[he won't brew acid, promise.]

|[ ] it is a jar.

[dupelicate]

[his handshake is strong! firm! eerily familiar!]

Sure, as long as I get to check the ingredients! [ho hoho] What are you making?

i'm going to chuck it.

[nosediving]

[too familiar! he doesn't like this!]

I was thinking of oolong . . .

[here, take a look at the leaves.]

theyre good jars sheng

[dupelicate]

[he takes a look at the leaves

and gives them a good sniff]

Smells like... tea. [that's good at least? but in light of events? who? really wants tea??

but, he's being!! polite!!]

Can't wait!

who's sheng!

[nosediving]

[is that forced politeness?]

I understand that this is a strange time to be drinking anything. If you have doubts about the safety of this kitchen [and his hands, because maybe he's carrying poison or something], I won't force you.

mr shong

[dupelicate]

Woah, I didn't say that!

[he waves his hands, trying to mask the forced cheerfulness. so what if he was poisoned. it wasn't even friday yet. surely he'd be ok???]

Let's get drinking!

asch

[nosediving]

In that case, I'll prepare it now.

[making and serving tea is a collective skill he's fostered for years. his hands move deftly over the counter.]

Do you like tea?

MR SCHLONG

[dupelicate]

[Luke blinks, and considers.

no.]

Yeah! It's... hot and healthy, right? Who wouldn't?

repliku?

[nosediving]

[hot and healthy is one way to describe it.]

Does that mean you prefer hot food?

[dupelicate]

Of course! Who doesn't? I mean, if you had to choose between a salad and a steak, who goes for salad?

[nosediving]

There are those who abstain from consuming meat and look for sustenance in plants. Besides that, there are ways to heat vegetables.

[dupelicate]

Yeah, but vegetables are gross.

[nosediving]

Tea is made with plants, too.

[he holds a dried oolong tea leaf up to show luke. see this?]

[dupelicate]

Sure, but you don't have to eat it!

["tea is also bad", his face says, before he twists it back into a smile.]

[nosediving]

You can, but the taste isn't so good.

[he concedes on this much. well, there goes that tea leaf into the cup.]

[dupelicate]

[he gives Shang a long look]

...Did you eat tea leaves.

[nosediving]

It's not unusual to chew on them. Because of the tang and texture, though, most don't.

[dupelicate]

Isn't it? Isn't it??

[WHO CHEWS TEA LEAVES]

...Must've been pretty desperate.

[nosediving]

[chewing is only a part of the process. the next step is to swallow them.]

Actually, eating the leaves is healthier than drinking the tea made using them. But don't worry: You can let them sit in the cup as you're drinking.

[dupelicate]

Don't they normally get filtered out? [what's with this cursed tea knowledge???]

[nosediving]

[it's the curse of healthiness . . . ]

Not always. Right now, they're not.

[maybe they can dabble in tea leaf reading together! assuming luke doesn't choke on what's left in the bottom of the cup.]

[dupelicate]

[he stares at the tea.

and the leaves.

yikes.gif]

So, what, are we drinking around them?

[nosediving]

[live a long life, luke!]

In a sense, yes. The leaves settle on the bottom, so you'll barely notice them.

[dupelicate]

I'm noticing them right now!

[whatever. he picks up the cup, and glugs the whole thing in one go--





--and spits the tea leaves, in one great gob, back into the cup.]