Enchiridion.

[notdogmatic]

For our lessons on demographics and classification, the social studies teachers and the youth counselor have informed me that my survey on deceased and missing loved ones which sorted fellow students into the Kubler-Ross stages of grieving was invasive and socially unacceptable.

If anyone was distressed by my questionnaire, or by the chart

Comments

[downtorest]

You seem to have made a lot of people mad.

[downtorest]

I suppose there are circumstances that change, and then people's outlooks do too.

[notdogmatic]

Yes.

May I come over?

[downtorest]

Ah, oh, of course. Our refrigerator is a little empty, but I have some tea.

((ooc: *brings groceries*))

[notdogmatic]

I will see you soon.

i hope they are all hilarious things.

[downtorest]

I'll leave the door open.

[notdogmatic]

[When Kaworu shows up, he's half-hidden between an overflowing paper bag full of groceries. When they spill out on the table, it becomes immediately evident that he learned to shop from Misato Katsuragi. A deluxe jar of baby kosher dill pickles, canned maraschino cherries in single-serving tins, eight boxes of shortbread cookies, several wheels of spreadable cheese, and four microwavable packages of meatballs in black tie sauce.]

[downtorest]

[There are many Kaworu-behaviors that pegged him as distinctly "inhuman," and this is one of them. Definitely one of them, Ryoji muses to himself, turning a microwavable package of meatballs between his slim fingers. The comment had been made off-handedly, as usually he offered something to his guests (and let's face it, Minato always had a bottomless pit of a stomach, so he usually had something around), but he found himself a little short-handed with munchables when Kaworu came over.

That Kaworu tried to understand well enough to bring over bags of food was touching.]

You didn't have to do this.

[He sounded between gratefully and breathlessly amazed that anyone could pick up such a horde of mix-matched snacks. ...If that's what some of them were.]

[notdogmatic]

Balanced nutrition is an important part of continued physical functioning.

[As he speaks, he unwraps a cheese wheel, opens the pickles, and spreads cheese over one of them before popping it in his mouth.]

Between them, these items contain all major food groups, as well as sufficient calories, sugars, and salt. Likewise, there are several contrasting flavors for greater variety of aesthetic experience.

[A pause.]

Besides, according to Mister Trancy, this is something that friends do for each other.

[downtorest]

[Ryoji watches with vague fascination as Kaworu eats his weird food. He finds himself unable to look away. Well, the gesture is nice enough that Ryoji decides not to argue.]

Balanced nutrition...?

Is this what you eat.

[Suddenly he found himself more than a little concerned.]

There are other ways to make sure you get everything that you need. And, ah, well ...a little more appetizing than pickles and cheese.

[notdogmatic]

Many other foods require cooking.

[He's very matter-of-fact about it. He opens a box of shortbread cookies -- offering one to Ryoji first -- and then gazes speculatively at the rest of the food assembled there, wondering what would be most interesting with it.]

[downtorest]

[Well, hanging out with Kaworu is never boring. He takes the cookie graciously and puts the corner in his mouth.]

There's always instant ramen.

[Ryoji waves a finger, looking pleased.]

If you have a little extra money, you can get some nice ones.

[notdogmatic]

[Kaworu nods at this sage advice. Ramen. He understands.]

I'll be sure to bring some next time.

[Might as well use the rest of that spreadable cheese on his cookie, right? The leftovers get messy...]

[downtorest]

[For a moment Ryoji stops to watch him spread cheese all over a cookie. Some part of him is fascinated with the result.]

... Does that taste good?

[notdogmatic]

How would someone define "good" when it comes to physical tastes?

[Kaworu actually pauses eating, apparently fascinated by this philosophical question.]

It is quite strongly both sweet and salty.

[downtorest]

You don't know? I thought that was something bodies were born with.

[He slides the last of the butter cookie in his mouth, chewing. The brief look of thought is interrupted as he has a sudden epiphany. While still in mid-chew, he clasps a hand over the top of the maraschino cherries, twisting it until it pops. With a bit of a fumble, he fishes out one of the cherries and holds it up.]

This tastes good.