Luke

[nosediving]

Comments

[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.]

[nosediving]

[shang qinghua is actually speechless. he watches the gracelessness unfold, his mouth agape. his eyes are the only things to move as they follow the trajectory of the tea leaves.

after what feels like an eternity, he closes his mouth.]

Just like that, you finished? Wasn't that too fast?

[dupelicate]

What, there's a speed?!

[tea is complicated???]

[nosediving]

Well, the tea is hot . . . or was.

[dupelicate]

Not if you drink it really quick with your throat.

[he nods wisely.]

[nosediving]

Isn't that bad for your throat? You're still young, so your body can handle the extreme temperature now, but you should be more careful in the future.

[dupelicate]

Right, I'll... keep it in mind.

[no he won't!!!

anyway. he gestures to his cup.]

So, can you just fill it up again and drink it twice like this? Or what?

[nosediving]

. . . Even though you can, aren't you just going to spit the leaves out again?

[dupelicate]

Yeah, that's what you're supposed to do, right?

[anyway]

I guess I could try chewing them this time...

[nosediving]

[shang qinghua has a feeling that luke will gag on the leaves.]

You shouldn't force yourself into doing something that you're not keen on. Still, it's good to try something new once in a while.

[dupelicate]

Hmm...

[without waiting for any more tea

he just upends the leaves into his mouth

and gives em a chew





and spits them back into

the cup.]

Bleegh. No thanks.

[nosediving]

[is this better or worse than the time gau threw chopsticks onto the floor and dove face first into a bowl of noodles?

shang qinghua doesn't have the answer to that. watching luke, he nearly pulls a muscle in his face.]

At least you tried . . .

[dupelicate]

Exactly!

[WELP. enough of that.

putting the tea aside, he wanders back over to his jamjar, stirring the jam inside.]

Want a sandwich?

[nosediving]

[he stares at the jar. he won't take his eyes off of it for even a second.]

What is a sandwich?

[dupelicate]

Two breads slices with something in between—in this case... jam!

[he pats the jar.]

[nosediving]

[it's a cursed hand on a cursed jar.]

Just jam? You don't put anything else in the middle?

[dupelicate]

[he considers it.]

I mean, you can, I guess... but jam's just easier!

[L A Z Y B O Y]

[nosediving]

[well, in a setting like this, some laziness is probably excusable. probably.]

Then, I will try this sandwich with just jam . . .

[dupelicate]

Coming right up!

[even he can't mess this one up.

still, it's clear from his........... technique, or lack of it, that he is not a consummate chef, and could probably burn this sandwich if he really put his mind to it. he slaps the jam on, thick and unadorned, with all the abandonment of a young child making food when their parents are out of the house and they aren't allowed to touch the stove yet. all the same, two jam sandwiches on white bread do emerge.

they are not cut. they are just. sandwiches.

Luke carries them over, placing one in front of the man with a flourish it does NOT deserve.]

Ta da!

[nosediving]

[if luke had burned the sandwich, shang qinghua would have been truly impressed.

these sandwiches are so massive that he doesn't dare reach out to touch them yet. who knew slabs of white bread with copious amounts of jam could be so intimidating?]

So this is a sandwich . . .