nexus_crossings | you, and hibachi grill, and a bear

A space pirate, with his wrist in a bulky brace of some kind, follows the smell of food. All that it took was the scent to draw him over after being awake all night. He'd spent the evening as well as the small hours of the morning out hitting the bars and playing sabacc again. Which wouldn surprise absolutely nobody who knew him in a more than casual sense.

It's how he's spent a lot of his nights in the Nexus, only this time, he's not trying to earn money. He just went out for the sake of unwinding.

It doesn't take long for him to realize he knows the chef behind the grill (it's hard to miss a polar bear, after all) and that makes him even more inclined to walk up and drop a few credits on a meal. Han pulls out a stool and sits down very carefully, as if he didn't trust his own sense of balance.

His eyes are a little bit bleary and definitely bloodshot when he glances over at his pal, but there's still an easy smile on his face. He reaches his good hand up to his already messed up hair to ruffle it in thought.

"Hangover food." He says thickly, like his mouth was dry. "Whatever ya think's best."

Edited 2016-05-14 15:44 (UTC)

[Seeing Han approach his makeshift shop gets a smile out of the polar bear, as he puts away a set of knives he was cleaning. Immediately, he notices the drunken behaviors the space pilot is showing in front of him. Hearing the request merely confirms his suspicions.]

"Ice Bear will take of it." [He places a glass of water in front of Han and turns to the side, retrieving a handful of noodles, placing them into a pot which is warming behind him. The smell of pork comes from the pot, mostly full of cooked animal broth. The noodles are removed and placed into a large bowl, which is filled to the rim with a salty pork broth. Two slices of pork, scallions, a lone egg, all placed on top of the noodles carefully, the pride clearly showing in the bear's work.]

"Hakata Ramen. Please enjoy." [The warm bowl of ramen is set before Han carefully, ensuring none of the broth spills.]

It was worth stopping and precariously balancing on this stool alone just for the glass of water. "Ice Bear ..." He says, staring at the water for a little too long before looking back at his friend. "... you're a wonderful ... human being."

So begins the smuggler's attempt to drink said water without making a huge mess. It helps that this is hardly the first time that Captain Solo has had the technicolor yawn and he has pretty sure hands. He's just gonna take it slow and everything will be alright.

After a minute or two of nursing from the glass Ice had given him, he'll set it down and watch the bear cook. Most of the time he seems to be watching, that is. There's a moment where he's zoning out, but that doesn't seem to last very long.

"Thanks, pal." He murmurs, when the food finally ends up in front of him. "I 'preciate it." Sticks? Why are there those stick things around here? What he needs is a fork. Fork. Where's the ... oh. It's right there. Next to the bowl.

Edited 2016-05-15 00:37 (UTC)

[Ice Bear merely blinks, ears twitching at the compliment about being a great human being. Well, he's not going to be upset by such a strange compliment, choosing to focus on other things. Like offering Han a spoon for his ramen, because savoring the broth and noodles at the same time is necessary.]

"...Long night?" [The bear doesn't have any other customers right now, so he's free to chat it up with Han for a while. Hopefully the pilot doesn't mind having a small talk with him while hung over.]

"Ice Bear's ears are open, if Han wants to talk."

A spoon and a fork? He's not supposed to do both at the same time, right? No. The fork for the noodles and the spoon for the broth. And even if that's not how he's supposed to be doing it, that's the most amount of sense that he can make out using both utensils in this state.

He starts by getting some of those noodles onto his fork because this stuff looks delicious. Try not to judge him too hard for those stray noodles that are hanging out of his mouth, he's in the process of slurping them back up.

"Jus' out playin' cards." He says, concentrating really hard on his bowl of soup. "Got all th' money I need fer the ship, but ... can't fix it like this." And to further illustrate his point, he raises that wrist in the air cast.

Edited 2016-05-15 16:12 (UTC)

[Thankfully, this spoon isn't like your usual silverware, being much deeper in order to hold the broth in. Ice Bear doesn't seem to be offended by whatever means Had uses to eat, just as long as his cooking turned out well.]

"Ramen good for hangovers. Lots of salt. Drink lots of water with it."

[Cards? The bear blinks curiously, but inevitably, his gaze rest on the cast. Oh. That will take a while to heal. Without thinking, the bear says the first thing that comes to his mind.]

"Hire help? Or just wait out the recovery time?"

He happens to see that curious blink. Even coming down from his evening, he happens to be observant enough or looking at the right time to catch it. Either way, he saw it.

"Cards." He confirms. "Start'd playin when I was a kid. Lotsa people do to pass time 'n starships."

He'll spare Ice the trouble of trying to explain Sabacc right now. It's hard enough to explain the rules when you're not trying to shake off a booze-soaked evening. Chances are it will come up again. He plays pretty regularly.

"These are good food, Ice Bear. These rawmen."

What were they talking about? Oh yeah. His wrist. He supposes he's been holding it up long enough to have made his point.

"Red's lookin fer the parts." He explains. "Gotta figure how mush it will cost ..." before he can think about hiring someone, but Han seems to have lost his train of thought mid-sentence.

"Ice Bear has played poker before. Casually. Brothers tend to cheat though." [A shrug of his shoulders, while reaching for a nearby pitcher of water, filling up Han's glass. The compliment gets a small nod from Ice, a modest way of accepting the praise.]

"Red will find a way." [Given his background with the gentleman, Ice knows that he'll find a way to retrieve said parts.] "...Is Han trying to leave the Nexus forever?"

Does he need Han to compliment him at this point? Sure, everybody loves compliments, but it's not as if Solo has ever hesitated to eat anytime Ice has offered him food. He's always enjoyed and took every opportunity to have more.

Clearly, the polar bear has him hooked.

"I woz gonna." Han says, going for his first sample of just the broth. Then he realizes why he's having a hard time. He needs the spoon and not the fork for this job. "Longer I stay tho. The more people I'd miss 'f I didn' come back."

"Finding a balance is hard." [That topic seems near and dear to the bear, as he places one hand over his heart. A glimmer of sadness is in his eyes, as if contemplating Han's words carefully. People go away all the time, but maybe, he's actually sad at the thought of losing a Nexus companion.]

"Come back. Ice Bear enjoys having a friend to cook with."

The topic of Han leaving and whether or not he intends to come back has been a topic more and more discussed lately; even as he seems to hit a new stumbling block every step of the way. For a man not very good with his feelings or having friends, it's a conversation he continues to find difficult to have.

"I'm gonna find a way." He says after taking enough time to compose himself to make sure he can be understood clearly. "I want to see you again."

And ... now he's back to half drunkenly trying to handle these noodles.

"...Ice Bear understands why Han must go." [For a brief second, the bear turns away, as if intentionally avoiding eye contact. He distracts himself by putting away any loose cooking utensils or clearing out empty dishes left behind by patrons of his little shop. His bear brain needs some time to process the fact that Han is going away, for who knows how long or if he'll even return at all.]

"Take your time. With the noodles. Ice Bear imagines it must be difficult to eat while intoxicated."

Chewbacca is the main reason that Han could never be a permanent resident of the Nexus. He might be able to live without the familiarity of his own stars and the planets that he knows from back home, as long as he still had the Falcon. But. He would hate the thought of never seeing Chewie again. And it's selfish of him, too, because Chewie could easily go back to life with his family on Kassshyk if he was to stay here.

The smuggler is thankful for the subject change, though. He's terrible at talking about his feelings.

"I'm not ... arlight, I maybe a lil drunk still. Jus' a little." He's gonna help himself to a little of that egg now. "Wher'd ya learn to cook from?"

[The bear can't help but roll his eyes at that first comment, knowing full well what a drunk person looks like. But with Han admitting that he's had one too many drinks, his look turns to something less skeptical.]

"...Watched a lot of tv. Read lots of books. Ice Bear picked up cooking after that." [The question does get him thinking though...]

"What is space like? How did Han become a pilot?"

"It's cold. Dark. Quiet."

Unless you have a good friend like Han does at your side, it's frankly kind of lonely. It's also nice in it's own way. He's seen stars that burn like speckled suns, brightly colored nebulas and planets with all different kinds of compositions.

"'s also pretty. Bein able ta get through it ... makes ya free." The story of how Han became a pilot is convoluted and personal. He's a little to buzzed to do it justice even if he was inclined to share. So he takes a moment to eat his food and figure out how best to put it simply.

"I needed ta 'scape from somewhere, so I stole a ship. Kind'a natural skill, but I studied before that. Even when I wuz young, I wannted to be a pilot."

"Space. One day, Ice Bear will see it."

[Even with the negatives Han has mentioned, he still seems determined to explore the great beyond. To see something that isn't California. After all, there has to be a place where a bear can explore and also not interfere with a world's workings.

At least, that's what Ice Bear believes in.]

"Freedom is a good thing. Han learned flying like Ice Bear learned cooking." [He won't push the topic any further, mainly due to just wanting to give Han his space.] "...Will you let Ice Bear know when you plan on leaving?"

"You will." Han insists. The Millenium Falcon's Captain hasn't forgotten the promise he made to help get a Polar Bear in space. "Where'd you wanna go? Just ... any old space or d'you wanna see sumthing seps- ... pes-"

He's trying to say specific, but it doesn't want to come out right now. "... somewhere ya had in mind."

Han will take a drink of water and another couple of bites of food. He nods his agreement in the way he learned how to fly being analogous to the way Ice learned how to cook. That seems pretty likely. "I'll make sure ya know. Before I leave."

"Take your time. Get things in order."

[The bear just shakes his head in response to the question.] "No. Ice Bear has no idea. Figured Han could find the right place."

[His eyes continue to rest calmly on the space pilot, but it's clear that he's taking this topic seriously.] "Good. Ice Bear will never forgive you if you don't do that."

Han takes a sip of water, nodding his head at the comment. Can't leave without telling Ice Bear.

He wasn't inclined to leave without saying goodbye to several people and his polar bear friend was certainly on that list. That said, he'll make doubly sure that he's seen Ice beforehand.

"I'll know be-fore I'm going." By at least a few days. He doesn't really say that part out loud so much as think it. Then, he adds, "doya wanna know a few days in ... before?"

"...Yes. Give Ice Bear time to prepare."

[And by prepare, he'll probably fix the older man some food to take with him on his journey into space. But also, Ice needs time to prepare mentally for the loss, even if Han has promised to return.]

"Can Ice Bear do anything to help Han before he leaves? Place to stay? Things to buy?"

Han certainly could use some packed up food. He can't make himself slow down enough to really master the art of cookery. Anyway, the bear shows his affection with food the same way Dewlanna did, Solo thinks. That's why he never hesitates to stop for whatever Ice is cooking. Different flavors, but the same care and attention to detail.

"Well, I think ..." Hrm. What does he think? "... 's prolly gonna be another two months I think. Maybe free if I have'ta wait fer my rist."

Han has gotten through about half the contents of the bowl so far. He's gonna focus on water now though. The ramen is delicious, but does have the high salt content that Ice Bear mentioned earlier.

"When th' parts get here. I could use some bear ... muscles."

A familiar police officer ducks under the curtain of the pop up shop before taking a seat at one of the few stools by the counter. He gives Ice Bear a smile and a nod by way of greeting as he takes his seat.

"I'd rather trust your tastes. Please, your specialty."

[It's been a long time since Ice Bear has seen Katsuya, even managing to avoid being spotted by the police officer during the unofficial fight ring. So when the Persona user slips into his pop-up shop, the bear instinctively greets him in Japanese.]

"Hisashiburi, Suou-san." [He bows, for as well as a bear can in such tight quarters.] "Ice Bear has three specials today. Fish, tofu, or meat? Preference is important."

"Hisashiburi." Katsuya is nothing if not polite, and offers a bow of his head in reply to the shop's proprietor. "I hope you've been doing well."

The officer takes a moment to consider his options before nodding to himself. He takes food quite seriously, and Ice Bear had brought up a rather good question. With the warming weather and spring in full swing, meat seems a bit heavy.

"Fish will be quite fine please." The smile he offers the bear is full of interest to watch a fellow professional work.

"Staying busy, if anything. Ice Bear hopes things have been well for you."

[The bear nods his head, reaching underneath the grill to produce a fine cut of salmon from a hidden fridge. Placing the fish on an empty place, the bear coats the fish with a soy-sauce base before placing it on the hot grill in front of Katsuya. While the fish cooks, he does attempt to hold a conversation with the police officer.]

"Doing anything interesting lately?"

"I am indeed." The officer replies, his smile turning for the first time from polite to something a bit more personal. He seems pleased with himself. Certainly a rare emotion on officer Suou's face ~~or any Suou's face, really~~.

"I'm to open a bakery slash cafe in the near future. Ms. Radio will be managing, I will be heading the bakery and...I suppose I'm in the market for a skilled chef to handle the savory side of things..."

[The smile merely gets a nod from the polar bear, not to be rude, but his attention is on the cooking while holding the conversation. One paw reaches for a pinch of brown sugar, gently spreading the substance on top of the fish, before flipping it over on the grill.

It takes him a few seconds to process what Katsuya is saying, mainly out of natural skepticism, so he's not quick to respond. Instead, the bear merely flips the well-cooked salmon onto a plate with finesse, along with two bowls, filled with warm fluffy rice and a warm serving of miso soup. All three items are presented to Katsuya for consumption or for approval?]

"...What kind of savory things"

What a splendid looking meal. Katsuya breaks his chopsticks apart and gives a bow of his head in thanks when the meal is set in front of him.

"Thank you very much. Itadakimasu."

Katsuya has grown accustomed to eating all kinds of different cultures of food since coming here, but he really does appreciate a taste of home and this delivers in spades. Even the dishware reminds him of home and the officer can't help the pleased hum he makes after his first sip of the soup.

"That would be up to the chef, wouldn't it? I would hardly want to dictate the creative freedom of someone else. But while I have an extensive knowledge of pattiserie skills and techniques, I confess I would be working more from a book were I to attempt to create a menu for meal items. I would much rather take on someone with skills in that area and focus on what I'm best at."

The officer sets his chopsticks down gently. Smiles to Ice Bear.

"I confess, I actually was looking for you to see if you'd be interested in the position."

[A light nod comes from the bear, as he starts to clean the grill quietly, letting Katsuya speak his mind freely. The invite to cook whatever he wants for people, the very freedom any good cook desires, almost scares Ice Bear. He's experienced people who lack an open mind, refusing his food, and some who do the opposite.]

"..." [He's almost too quiet after hearing the offer, taking a long time to think about everything that's been said so far. The look on his face is hard to hide, his usual stoic demeanor has been reduced to a pensive, thoughtful stare.]

"...Ice Bear needs time to think about it. Gomen'nasai."

"I understand completely."

The officer picks up his utensils and returns to his meal for a moment. The food really is divine and Katsuya doesn't want it to go to waste. It gives him a moment to think back to the offer Radio had made him earlier.

"I said the same thing to Ms. Radio when she suggested the establishment. Please take all the time you need."

"Much appreciated. Ice Bear must figure out how to balance life in Nexus with home life." [That's one thing slowing him down, but the very nature of cooking for other people is something he has to work himself into.]

"Meals compliment dessert, and vice versa. What kind of things will Suou-san be making?"

"I confess, I have a bit of a sweet tooth. I know how to bake breads and savory dishes, but I prefer to make cakes, rolls, shortbreads, and pies. I'm quite fond of roll cakes and castella cakes in particular. As they pair well with a dark cup of coffee."

It's hard to choose a favorite however, given just how much freedom he has. It's staggering in many ways when he thinks too hard on it.

"I studied European style desserts when I was younger, though as I grow older I find myself appreciating the subtler flavors of my homeland's baking."

"Food that pairs well together. Ice Bear would need to synchronize meals with Suou-san's desserts. Not a challenge."

[Two competent cooks in one kitchen that won't hopefully step on each others toes? The concept of a human still asking him to cook still mystifies Ice Bear. He just shrugs his shoulders calmly.]

"What inspired Suou-san to do this?"

"Finally having the chance." Katsuya's answer is earnest and softly spoken as he looks down at the remnants of his delicious meal. "I would never have thought to do it by myself, but when Ms. Radio offered me the chance I..."

He chuckles slightly, finally beginning to smile.

"I couldn't think of a reason not to do it that wasn't me just denying myself what I have always had a passion for. I'm so used to putting others first. Doing what I ought to instead of what I want...part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I want to do this."

"With a bowl of the chef's favorite, of course."

Red smiles easily as he takes a seat at the counter, removing his hat as he does so. He seems completely at ease with the pop up restaurant and in fact is rather enjoying the many smells coming from the grill. Places like this always make him feel right at home with the world.

"It all smells wonderful," he adds after a moment, "which is why I can hardly choose what I'd like. I trust your judgement completely, though."

"Good afternoon, Red-san"

[The bear actually smiles upon seeing the older gentleman take a seat at the grill, happy to be able to serve a good friend. He's already looking back towards the bar, gesturing to the assortment of bottles lining stacked carefully behind him.]

"Want a drink? Ice Bear has got it covered."

The offer of a drink gets a pleased hum and a broader smile. Never one to turn down a free drink, Red's going to try not to take advantage of his friend, but he's certainly going to make sure he enjoys what he gets. "Sake, please. It seems only fitting in a place like this, don't you think?"

With that, Red takes a better look around the small establishment. "Is this whole set up yours, then? It's quite remarkable and very authentic. Having been to Japan myself, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has the feel of the real thing."

"Yes. Fits the mood perfectly."

[There's a genuine smile on Ice Bear's face, while he reaches for a bowl, getting ready to make some ramen for the stylishly-dressed gentleman. To be fair, Red is one of the few people that gets a positive reaction from the bear, mainly due to their long-standing friendship.]

"Sort of. Ice Bear is stepping in for the owner. Ice Bear is currently just taking small jobs here and there..." [Based on the way Ice lets those words slip away, it's clear that the topic of work is a sensitive one. Instead of dwelling on it, he starts placing noodles into a clear, miso-based broth. Cooking is a great way to distract himself from uncomfortable topics.]

"...How did Red know what he wanted to become? Destiny? A forced choice?"

That the bear is uncomfortable is obvious and rather than push on it, Red goes along with the new line of questioning easily.

"A combination of both, I'm sure." He waves vaguely in the direction of the Nexus at large. "Destiny brought me to the doorstep of opportunity, but I had to step through it to get it." It's a very non-committal answer, one obviously meant to hide the truth of the matter - or at least distract from it. "In any case, whatever brought me here has made my life very interesting and given me our wonderful friendship. And that, I believe, deserves a toast."

Bringing this all back around to the drinks? Why, yes, Red believes this is an excellent idea. A slow grin spreads across his face. "You should join me when you have moment so we can celebrate this momentous occasion of enjoying each other's company."

The Once-ler stares for a bit at what appears to him, to be a large, albino bar-ba-loot. Dressed as a chef.

When it's apparent the bear speaks, the inventor decides to roll with it, drawling out his response a bit, because he wasn't sure what was going on.

"Um. Yeah. I don't suppose you have sweet tea?"

"Sweet Tea. Ice Bear can improvise." [He gestures to an empty stool in front of him.] "Have a seat."

[Once the Once-ler is settled in, the bear turns his back to a nearby wall, where an assortment of drinks have been lined up. He thinks for a moment, before reaching for a sealed jar, containing a red liquid inside. The bear pours some of the liquid into a white japanese teacup with a fish painted on the side.

Confidently, he places the drink in front of the Once-ler, pouring hot water into said cup from a nearby teapot. Looking into the ceramic cup, the hot water has blended with the reddish liquid to make a unique tea blend. There also seems to be pieces of orange and a few thin slices of lemon.]

"...Yuzu-cha-style Blood Orange Lemon Tea. Still sweet, but also natural. Please enjoy."

Once peered into the cup looking at it critically. The scrutiny lasted a mere few seconds though, as he brightly picked it up and took a sip, smiling.

"Hey, thanks! Hot tea is great for you, at least that's what my Mom always says."

"Hot tea very good. Warms the soul."

[The Once-ler gets a small nod from him, as the bear watches the newcomer take the drink. A tilt of the head, then another question.]

"Want any food? Ice Bear doesn't mind cooking."

you, and hibachi grill, and a bear

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Love that icon of Ice.

ty :D

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