♫ 12

[both_neither]

[So, a couple of days in to being locked in and even Gren is starting to feel a little stir-crazy. He's glad Vicious is around, but he's willing to admit that his comrade is not the best at holding a conversation for long, especially now that they were very much out of alcohol. The food was also far less exciting when that was all you had.

He's figured out a way to spice up pretty much all of those things. It might be insane, but dammit, what else is there to do?]

Ok, so, not so theoretically, if I have nothing but movie theater food to eat, how would I make it at least a little interesting? There has to be some combinations people don't usually try. Probably because the theater would never let you. Or possibly because they're insane.

Nacho cheese dog, by the way? Amazing. But I think we can do better. I'll take suggestions for just about any combination you can come up with. We got all the basics - hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels, nachos, all sorts of candy, and all the implied necessary condiments for the above. Let's see who can come up with the best idea.

And for a small donation of caisos I'll actually eat the bad ideas.

[There some banging around in the near background as he moves some things around]

Hey, is anybody up for experimental chocolate popcorn? I think I finally figured how to melt chocolate in here.

['In here' being the popcorn popper.]

((Open over the journal and in person to the lock-in crowd))

Comments

[nothingtobelieve]

[Vicious knows how to deal with deprivation--he had enough experience with that--but not with this sort of endless tedium. It was probably the same thing that was motivating Gren right now, but that didn't make it any less ridiculous]

None of this tastes good.

[He'd prefer army rations over all this sugar any day]

[both_neither]

[It's okay, Vicious - Gren knows you're allergic to fun. He's probably the only person that finds this fact occasionally amusing]

Something tells me nobody fed you s'mores when you were a kid.

[nothingtobelieve]

[It's not just the fun allergy that makes his frown deepen for a moment before returning to his usual look of mild annoyance]

No.

[But he had no doubt Gren's childhood was full of such things]

1/2

[both_neither]

[He notices that and suddenly the joke was a lot less funny. It's kind of heartbreaking, actually, and for a moment it shows on his face too.]

2/2

[both_neither]

[A hug is very much out of the question, but he's tempted.

Instead he shrugs the statement off and goes back to mixing things together.]

It's not the end of the world. It's not like my dad was ever around for that stuff much, that I can remember.

But anyway, that just means I get to make up for it.

[nothingtobelieve]

[He didn't discuss his past for a reason. It was over and done with, and he was all to happy to leave history where it lay, so it was just as well that Gren let things go. He wouldn't have gotten anything for his efforts, even if he'd tried]

I don't think this is going to make up for anything.

[He gestured vaguely to the ongoing culinary experiment, but his tone was less caustic, probably as near to joking as he'd come, especially under the current circumstances]

[both_neither]

[He gives Vicious a wry smirk, recognizing the brand of humor for what it was, and shrugged slightly]

You're probably right. But sometimes it's okay to try.

[nothingtobelieve]

As if I could stop you.

[Technically, he could, with force, but that would have been ridiculous, and it wouldn't have changed Gren one bit. This was how he was... strangely optimistic despite all circumstances. And while Vicious couldn't understand it at all, he could almost appreciate it.]

[both_neither]

[He can't help but grin at that remark]

Was it that obvious?

[Given the rhetorical nature of the question, he didn't wait for answer. Instead he pulls the bowl from the popper and reaches in to pull out one the chocolate-covered kernels, still warm and melty from the heat.]

Want to try?

[nothingtobelieve]

[One eyebrow went up slightly]

No.

[He might have forgiven Gren things he would not have most other people, but he hadn't forgotten why he was currently stuck in a movie theater with a concessions stand as the only source of food, and the sight of melty, chocolate-covered popcorn does nothing to distract from that.]

[both_neither]

[There were only so many amends he could make for this. He does feel bad, but staring at the walls until the door opened just wasn't his style of coping.]

Fair enough.

[He pops the morsel into his mouth, making at face at Vicious as he sucked the excess of his thumb. It was way too sweet. Some chocolate wasn't meant to be cooked with.]

[nothingtobelieve]

[He could say 'I told you so' but he's really not the type. So he'll just give the tiniest of smirks instead]

[both_neither]

Well it was worth a try.

[Nope, no regrets ever]