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

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo frowns tightly; yeah, that much is pretty obvious, and he can't deny the truth of it. Even so, and even after what happened to them, he can't not defend Sorey. It goes against the core of who he is.]

We've made mistakes, but we know what we did wrong, and we learned from it. There's no person or vessel that I'd trust more with my safety.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor looks at him searchingly and then nods, accepting ]

Only be careful, both of you. [ he murmurs ]

And if you need help, you need but ask. I would not loose either of you, if possible.

[nerdeology]

I can't blame you for feeling concerned. We gave everyone good reason to worry.

[Not only for their sake, of course. Lots of people were hurt in the wake of the chaos they'd caused. Even those who don't know them would have cause to be wary of them holding on to this power.]

I think, more than anything, giving up would be worse for both of us. This is part of who we are, now. To deny oneself is to welcome corruption.

[bythewaves]

[ he nods, accepting ]

That is true. I just dislike seeing you so unhappy.

[nerdeology]

It's not as if we enjoy it, ourselves.

[Sometimes it's all he can do not to drown in it.]

We'll need time. We've never experienced anything like this before. And grief is... it's very new to us.

[bythewaves]

No. [ Maglor agrees gently ]

I cannot imagine that you would. Grief is always new, even to those who have known it before - it comes in many guises. But it is easier borne with company - I am glad the two of you have each other.

[nerdeology]

Me too. I can't imagine... if I'd lost Sorey the way he...

[Ugh, it's hard to even say. He struggles with it for a long moment, then shakes his head.]

Forget it. What's important is that we're both here. Like you said, we have each other... it's a good thing.

[bythewaves]

It is. And do not feel you have to approach it all at once - I am glad, Mikleo, that you have each other. Take your time.

[nerdeology]

This isn't something we can rush, so I don't have much choice.

[In other words, he's going to.]

[bythewaves]

We always have a choice. [ Maglor says quietly, old and tired ]

Believe me, you have made the better one.

[nerdeology]

I have no cause to disagree.

[Going about things the wrong way is what got them in this mess, anyway. Lesson learned.]

That aside... it's nice to get back to work. I was worried there'd be a huge backlog waiting for me, but you all held the ship together just fine.

[bythewaves]

[ A soft hum of amusement ] Getting back to a normal routine does help, I have found.

And we tried! Fortunately, we have little to do, I think, save making sure nothing goes too awry on board.

[nerdeology]

I guess that's one of the factors of living here that is both pro and con... they don't force that much responsibility on us, in the grand scheme of things.

[bythewaves]

Aye - on the one hand it makes life... simple. Easy. On the other, it merely drives home how truly helpless we are.

[nerdeology]

I still don't like that helplessness, but... I'm learning to accept it. Maybe it gets easier over time.

[bythewaves]

I do not think it gets easier, but... it becomes bearable, perhaps, as you say. [ Maglor nods thoughtfully ]

Besides. They are, for the most part. Kind. [ He smiles a little wryly ] I have known far crueler captivities.

Although I am not entirely certain what to do about the... 'fan mail'?

[nerdeology]

[Ugh.]

I usually just burn them. Most of them are kind of creepy.

[And what does 'soymilk' have to do with anything?]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor shrugs helplessly ]

I do not understand many of mine, but I .... think they are meant to be compliments. Although I do not understand why they wish me to wear black leather.

[nerdeology]

Hmm... well, leather's warm, and it's supposed to be cold in space. Maybe they're concerned about your health?

[bythewaves]

I thought so too, but the emphasis on black leather is a little strange, I thought. But who of us understands the minds of the viewers, I suppose. Have you gotten strange requests as well?

[nerdeology]

I've... gotten a few, yeah.

[His expression, and the redness of his cheeks, conveys the message that such requests are those he'd rather leave unspoken.]

[bythewaves]

Wh... Ah. [ Maglor sees the blush and hurriedly retracts the question ] I see. I suppose we should be grateful that you are popular?

[nerdeology]

I guess it comes in handy sometimes... it's weird to care about money, though. I grew up never needing any, but here it seems so much more important.

[bythewaves]

Mm - my early days had little need of it, but later... well. It is hard to run a war without a cash flow, as they say, although my brother Caranthir was the one who managed things best.

[nerdeology]

...Sorry, I can't really agree on the necessity of things like war.

[He still has a healthy distaste for it. The power and cost of defending oneself from an attacker is a sympathetic issue, for sure, but it so often inflates itself into mutual aggression.]