interfaith dinner mingle!!

[stefanged]

Who: Interfaith Center regulars & the not-so-regulars (party crashers are welcome too!!)
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Interfaith Center on the Iskaulit
When: Forward-dated to November 4th

[The Interfaith Center sounds far more bustling and busy than usual - and anyone peering inside would quickly figure out that a communal dinner is underway! Take off your shoes and walk in: the lounge has extra tablecloths on the floor as well as buffet tables with non-alcoholic beverages and all sorts of food, including Jordanian cuisine (or the outer space equivalent of Jordanian food).

The board games are out of their hiding nooks; the furniture's arranged for the maximum seating possible; and even the teddy bears donated by Kitty & Winn are out for cuddling, should anyone want them.

The kitchen's bustling with helpers - Stefan's running around at vamp-speed to make sure everything's a) done on time and b) cooked to perfection - but he sure wouldn't mind an extra hand. And if you're still not up for some food? Well, the prayer rooms are open as usual. There's always a quiet moment to be found, even if the laughter's louder and the scent of freshly-baked mansaf's wafting through the long corridors.

Anyone and everyone who's ever been inside the Interfaith Center has been invited (via text message - and Stefan even used the fancy emoji). If you're not particularly faithful or devout? Well, drop by anyways. There's more than enough food to spare.]

Comments

Eithan Paine | ota

[deviances]

[ Eithan's mostly here to hang out with people. And because there's food. Of course. Food and company - the best ways to get Eithan's attention.

He's not very religious, actually, even back home. Hell, and it's not like anyone here (that he knows of) has even heard of his goddesses. But after having a deep and interesting conversation over the network a while back, and because he's becoming pretty good friends with Stefan (not to mention they've been playing ridiculous phone tag since they entered this system, oops) he figured he might as well show up to this thing. So, sure, he might feel a tiny bit like an interloper... but that's why he's helping out wherever Stefan says he might need a hand with something! Because that totally gives him more of an excuse to be there. ... Or something like that. Sure.

When he isn't helping Stefan, he's spending his time in the lounge, talking to anyone about any given topic - spiritual/faith-y, or not. He's genuinely curious about all the different religions, and he might ask questions if it seems like someone wouldn't mind them. Hell, he'll talk about his own faith, if it comes up at all.

He's silent and respectful during the prayer, and though the food is like nothing he's really seen before, it doesn't stop him from digging in. In his opinion? It always pays to be adventurous with food~ ]

[stefanged]

[Phone tag is absolutely the worst, but Stefan's so glad that he has Eithan with him in the kitchen. The bulk of the cooking's done (thankfully!!) and Stefan's even sipping from a jar of mouse blood as they're waiting for the baklava to bake.]

Thanks again for coming out here. [Stefan lets himself sigh of relief.] I forgot how much work these things take.

[deviances]

Seriously... I think I've got a newfound respect for my dad - dunno how he manages to pull shit like this off all the time.

[ He grins, though, clearly pleased with how it's going so far. ]

Besides, it's cool of you to do somethin' like this. Beats just sittin' around, wonderin' what's gonna happen next. You know?

[stefanged]

Right? My grandparents did this once a week, and now I'm not sure how they ever managed.

[He returns that grin, ducking his head. This feels like such high praise coming from Eithan.]

I've always wanted to. Back home, my old boss did these... communal dinners? They were all about building a community, and since we're all stuck together, we might as well get to know each other.

[deviances]

Maybe there's some secret we don't know yet. Or it gets easier with practice. [ Beat. ] Or your grandparents and my whole family are just crazy. Who knows?

[ Nod! ] Yeah, might as well. And hey, nothin' brings people together like food and a good time - even people from whole different worlds! Some things are universal I guess.

[stefanged]

Could be all three. You never know.

[He sips on that mouse blood as if it holds all the secrets of the multiverse - or maybe he's just hungry. He's been here practically all day.]

I'd hope so. I don't think I wanna meet someone who doesn't like the idea of dinner and board games.

[deviances]

[ Totally valid - dinner organizing really takes a lot out of a guy... ]

Seriously. Not that I know any of these games, pretty sure, but that just means I get to learn. And then win later.

[ Yep, there's that grin again~ ]

[stefanged]

Okay, I know you're not from Earth, but you seriously don't know Jenga?

[There's a dangerous gleam in Stefan's eye.]

We're gonna fix that tonight. Win OR lose, I don't even care, because you've been seriously deprived.

[deviances]

Nope. What's a jenga?

[ But oooh, that looks like a challenge~ ]

Sure - bring it on! Got some time before the baking's done?

[stefanged]

It's a stacking game. You have these slabs of wood, and the whole point's to build a tower out of them as high as you can.

[He sets his jar of blood aside so he can mimic the actions with his hands.]

We've got a whole half hour. I think we can go for it.

[deviances]

Stackin' pieces of wood, huh? I'm assumin' there's some sort of catch to that?

[ But hey, Stefan says there's time, so he's definitely gonna start walking toward where all of the board games are~ ]

[monolike]

[Exhibit A: a kid who has no problems socializing.

Sorey just comes right over to Eithan and plops down next to him on a cushion, beaming.] Eithan! Good to see you again!

[deviances]

[ Exhibit B: A guy who is more than happy for conversation! Of course, it helps that this is something a billion times more relaxed than any of the ridiculous soirees he had to deal with back home. Plus, he actually likes these people.

He grins when Sorey plops down right next to him, happy to see him in good spirits. ]

Hey, Sorey! Been a while! Glad you could make it to this thing.

[monolike]

Ohh, same here, same here. Stefan is so worried about it going well, but I can tell he's putting on a brave face. [This food seriously is bomb, tho.] Hey, so! I've kind of been meaning to ask you a question, if it's cool.

[deviances]

Yeah, he is... but honestly, I think it's gonna go great. We'll just have to make sure he doesn't explode before it's over. [ snicker~ ]

But uh, yeah, 'course. What's up?

[monolike]

Ohh- hang on, there he goes. [Stefan keeps disappearing into the kitchen and then coming back out five seconds later. It's cute.] I've been keeping count on how many times he gets up and wanders around before sitting back down again. Did you know he hasn't sat down for longer than five seconds?

[deviances]

[ He watches Stefan, aaaaand snorts when he does, indeed, dart right back out of the kitchen. Geez, Stefan. ]

Know what? Not surprised. Think we should try to make him sit down for longer?

[ because that won't backfire spectacularly somehow jfdksl ]

[monolike]

Heh, good idea! Yeah, let's go jump him! [gets up and y'know what grabs a cushion for good measure]

[deviances]

[ Excellent. He knew there was a reason he liked you, Sorey~ He gets up too, with a huge grin on his face. ]

Perfect. Let's stand by the door to the kitchen, and when he comes back out, start nudgin' him back this way. Sound good?

[ Oh my God. ]

[monolike]

A pincer attack, perfect. Let's make it look casual, like, [he leans against the wall beside the door. SO CASUALLY. it's so casual it looks scripted]

[deviances]

[ so casual, huh... ]

Uhhh, you look like you're gonna fall over. Casually. Maybe just... stand normal? Unless you wanna fall on him, 'cause that might work in our favor, too.

[hearsthesea]

[If Eithan's interested in others' faiths, then Shirley's not a bad person to ask. She's not the most religious either, but you can't say she doesn't know the Ferines faith.]

Well...what is it you want to know?

[deviances]

Well, for starters, if you're sure you don't mind my askin' - what's like... the basic gist of what it's about? I mean, I'm assumin' you're not from my world, so I've probably never heard of it at all. You know?

[ He can't help his curiosity, so he can only hope he's not being intrusive or otherwise disrespectful. ]

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley isn't offended at all; it's not like she hasn't talked about the subject before.]

That's true. I haven't seen anyone else from home here, so I don't think many people would know. In my world, the sea is special in a way I haven't heard about to anyone else so far. To the Ferines especially, the sea and its will are the most important thing in the world.

[The implication, of course, is that Shirley herself is a Ferines. She says it more as a fact than a passion, though, which may or may not register as weird depending on Eithan's experience.]

[deviances]

[ Not weird, really - it's clearly truth and fact for her, and as far as he can tell, it's not like there's anything wrong with that. ]

The sea... What makes it so special? I know water's an important thing for life in general, but still.