and still no fried ice cream, what a tragedy

[motherfucking_ghost]

WHO: Cosima, Church, ALL Y'ALL
WHAT: Frying food. Possibly frying things that aren't food. A slow descent into crazy.
WHEN: During Phase One
WHERE: Gallows kitchens, primarily
NOTES: They made an announcement, this is just during the whole period of time. We'll have toplevels for each of them, and unless specified, there's going to be threadhopping since they're in the same place at the same time.

It had started with a meeting of active minds, more active now than before. And then a gathering of supplies and a taking over of the kitchen between meals. They tried not to be in the way when there was cooking for meals, because otherwise that would be very rude, and they didn't need a whole lot of space to set up what they needed, a makeshift deep fat fryer.

But, of course, because of the Plot, this isn't just gonna be happy fun Rifter food times, so I hope you're not super put off by the sight of two obsessive and restless Rifters making a mess of things and not sleeping and practically forcing fried mostly veggies on everyone.

Comments

[youwonscience]

"We're feeding people," she says, absently. "People come and eat it, we're not throwing out the food."

She doesn't think they're throwing out the food. In fairness, she's not entirely focused on what happens after it's made now, though she was at the beginning. Now she mainly solicits feedback from whoever is close by, sometimes without looking up from her notes.

"I need to get it right, though, it's still not exactly right. I can't keep the heat as even or as high as I need it to be, the pot isn't a precise instrument and the oil's smoke point isn't always totally consistent, which makes me think some of the vendors might be adulterating it with something, or even just mixing kinds."

It's like a ball rolling down a hill, the way she inevitably returns to the project, talking to herself more than to Herian.

[dashing]

“Oil is expensive,” she replies simply - cooly, almost. “The quantities you are using seem by no means sustainable.”

Herian keeps her faint frustration in check. It is childishness, to be nettled by this, but Cosima’s response to her concerns make the disappointment of her failing to come and spend time together a little more irritating than it otherwise has a right to be.

“I am not saying you cannot continue the project, simply that there is no need for it to be perfected immediately when stores are as they are.”
The tone is not harsh or unkind, but there is something reprimanding in it, before she stops herself and exhales. “You look exhausted, Cosima.”

[youwonscience]

"I'm good, I feel better than I have in months, actually. That's part of why I want to get this right now, I'm probably going to crash again." She's still moving about the kitchen, almost absently, unable to settle at any length. The fact that she's not reacting to Herian's agitation is, in itself, telling.

"We could try melting butter if the oil becomes a problem, but I don't think we're there yet, and butter's got different properties so we'd have to start a lot of the experimentation over again if we went that route. We might accidentally brown it, for one, and that's going to throw everything off. Maybe if we clarified it first?"

[dashing]

She has no idea how to help in these circumstances. She is no healer; she cannot aid Cosima even with her normal health problems, let alone with this. She doesn't even have sleep spells at her disposal, so it's not like she can just incapacitate Cosima to ensure she gets rest, and she's not sure Cosima would be happy with her making a decision like that even ifs she did have the ability.

Normally, she has better patience, especially for Cosima, but this stings at her in a way she's not sure how to counter, and the frustration is turned inward almost more than outward. Is she just being childish and self-absorbed? Is she expecting too much of Cosima, if she reacting unfairly to something reasonable because it is a rare occasion when Cosima's attention is not focused on her? Does her own self indulgence not pause at all?

Herian exhales a little shakily. She should reason with herself better, be steadier, but she has been struggling more and more since Starkhaven. Her— reason feels as though it is abandoning her. Her emotions are outlandish; she is painting Cosima as unreasonable in her mind, but what basis has this in fact, and what basis lies in her own want of attention?

"I will not interfere with your efforts. My apologies for interrupting your work."