[Open]

[yokunaru]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Vkusno! Shaved Ice in the Shopping Centre
WHEN: 2/10 afternoon
WHAT: Valentine's Day Chocolate Workshop
WARNINGS: None so far


[After a handful of people expressed interest in learning how to make Valentine's Day chocolates, somehow what had started as tentative plans between a couple friends turned into a full on workshop.

The prep took a couple days, but in the end things were ready! The kitchens of Vkusno! Shaved Ice were secured for melting down the chocolates. The tables and chairs in the shop proper were all equipped with chocolate molds, decoration toppings, and other tools for anyone who stopped by to use. All that was left was to send out the invites via network:]

Chocolate making workshop at Vkusno! Shaved Ice is open now. We're on the 4th floor of the Shopping Centre if you want to join in.


(ooc: Please feel free to make your own top levels!)

Comments

[yokunaru]

A.

[Though Yuuri wants to work on his chocolates and finish up as quickly as possible, he also knows that as the person who apparently started the whole thing, he should stick around and make sure that things go smoothly. So he makes the rounds, moving between the kitchen and the shop proper to keep an eye on things. It's a little unbelievable when he stops to think about it. Him...organizing a social event like this. He can almost imagine both Phichit and Minako-sensei raising their brows at him from across the galaxy if they ever catch wind of this. Somehow Viktor is to blame for this, he knows it.

Yuuri's jolted out of his thoughts by a very distinct smell as he enters the kitchen again--the smell of something burning. He spies the smoking pan immediately.]

Someone's chocolate is burning! Um, you'll probably have to start over... [Yuuri immediately gets the pan into the sink and looks down at it, sighing. He hopes the owners of the store won't be too upset after all this. He does still work here, after all.]

B.

[Once Yuuri feels a little better about leaving people to their own devices in the kitchen, he finally heads toward the tables with the intent to start his own chocolates, finally. There's a problem, though: he can't find the mold he'd picked up specifically for this anywhere.

Yuuri checks each group, eyes scanning the tools scattered across the table tops as he frets.]

Excuse me? [He doesn't want to be bothering anyone when they're all so focused on what they're, doing, but...] Have you seen the molds that look like pawprints around here?

C.

[Wildcard! Let me know if you want something else!]

my own toplevel pls

[sweatysometimes]

The invitation is interesting enough to get Pidge out of her shell. Something about the possibility of getting real chocolate (real familiar food!) again, maybe. Man, if Hunk was here he'd be so excited. The thought of her friend makes her smile as she tugs open the door to the shop and peers inside.

"Hello? I heard there was chocolate..."

[nodyinteam]

A

[Nekomaru Nidai is in attendance, wearing a pink apron over his ordinary attire as he prepares to get to work. He's just finished a series of stretches before he announces to no one in particular:]

Alright!! Now that I've finished my warm-up exercises, I feel completely fired up! Who's ready to make some chocolate?!

B

[In the aftermath, Nekomaru oversees the fruits of his labor: a set of chocolates that are all shaped like different sports balls, with a proud grin.]

They came out pretty great, didn't they? Of course, if anyone wants an early taste... there will be a price to pay!!

C

[Or just run into him at any point before, during or after the chocolate forming!]

[yokunaru]

"Come right in," Yuuri says over his shoulder, as he rearranges the molds on one table. With that done, he brushes off his hands and finally turns around to face her. It's early enough in the day that not a lot of people have showed up yet.

"Here for the chocolate workshop?"

B

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri, just finished with pouring chocolate into the molds, glances over at Nekomaru's work curiously.]

Wow, those look great. [His smile falters just then.] Um, wait, what price?

[nodyinteam]

[He crosses his arms as he looks down towards Yuuri, as daunting as can be.]

I'm glad that you asked! You see, they say that there are systems that follow a low called equivalent exchange... but in this case, I want to institute a price that's called equivalent exercise!

[sweatysometimes]

"I'm mostly here for the chocolate, not really to do any workshop," Pidge admits a touch shamelessly. "...I've been away from earth for weeks and haven't had any familiar food since I left..."

Sure it's a little sob story, but if it gets her free chocolate, she's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[slackbeard]

[Making candy’s not his usual thing, but when in space Rome! Plus he has nothing else to do and isn’t imagining that there will be the usual amount of post-Valentine’s day chocolate sales. Gotta get his seasonal cheer somehow.

And he’s successful! In that he has made one (1) entire piece of chocolate. It’s small and shaped like a bear and it’s flawless. Too bad it’ll never have a friend, what with Jughead just eating the rest of the melted chocolate out of a bowl with a spoon while he stares contemplatively at the tiny chocolate bear on the counter.]

I’m gonna name you Yogi Jr.

C

[genice]

( he sweeps in late because he's been practicing, taking advantage of Yuuri's workshop hours to workshop his own new program. it's exciting, and it's raw, and he's not going to have the polish that a season of perfecting would afford, but it will be genuine, and it will say what he wants to say with the whole of his body, skating there on the ice.

he looks to find Yuuri, a curious glance over the packed away and mostly clean area; he's happily exhausted, carrying his backpack slung over one shoulder and slipping around the counter to slide an arm around Yuuri's back, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his cheek. everything smells like chocolate, in a way he wouldn't call nostalgic, but a manner he does find fond. )

How's everything gone today?

C

[genice]

( It's after, when most the clean up has occurred, that Victor makes his way to the store; taking advantage of time where Yuuri has his attention dedicated elsewhere to work on his own new routine means making the most of moments like these. He smiles when he sees Nekomaru, adjusting the strap of his backpack and giving him a halfwave from about shoulder level. )

How was your passion given form today, Nekomaru?

[canadese]

[Ax sidles up to Jughead originally on the hunt for more melted chocolate, because he didn't even get as far as making the mold before he lost all self-control. When he approaches his face is half-covered in chocolate and he looks like a crazy person. He's not even looking at Jughead. He's staring right at the solitary bear on the counter.]

Are you going to eat that.

[It isn't a question.]

[nodyinteam]

I'm glad you asked, Victor! It's taken on a very wonderful new form...

[Nekomaru grinws and steps to the side to give Victor a look at the sports ball-shaped chocolates.]

BALLS!!

[slackbeard]

[Listen, he's not here to judge. He's been where Ax is.]

That's the plan! [Jughead looks over, and-- okay, maybe he hasn't been exactly where Ax is. Somewhere adjacent, though.]

...you okay, buddy?

[yokunaru]

The shop is still intact, so I think I’ll call it a success. [Yuuri turns his head, cheeks warm at the sudden act of affection. ] There were a few close calls in the kitchen, though.

[Closing his eyes, Yuuri allows himself to lean against Viktor for a second.] Didn’t think organizing a get together like this would be so tiring.

[yokunaru]

Her sob story does work on him, judging by the way his expression softens. It’s something he can easily relate to; being on the Eluvio for the past month or so has definitely made him miss certain things from home as well. There’s a lot of chocolate for the workshop. A little bit of it wouldn’t be missed, even if they’re technically for people to give to their loved ones.

“I guess it couldn’t hurt,” Yuuri says eventually. “I made a test batch that you can sample, if you want?” Melting the chocolates to shape them sounded relatively easy in theory, but Yuuri doesn’t want to take any chances.

[yokunaru]

Equivalent…exercise. [Yuuri says, looking between Nekomaru and his chocolates somewhat dubiously. Somehow he’s getting a bad feeling about this.]

How does that work?

[sweatysometimes]

"That would be awesome, thank you!" Pidge's gratitude is genuine in the extreme and she sniffs the air, mouth fairly watering at the thought of chocolate. "Where are they?" She pauses for a moment, then blinks.

"Uh, I'm Pidge, by the way."

[yokunaru]

"Oh!" Yuuri's smile brightens suddenly. "Pidge, it's me--Yuuri. It's good to meet you in person."

He pops behind the counter and brings out a plate of chocolates in the shape of stars. There are only a handful of chocolate pieces in this first batch, and they're a bit lumpy in some places. They'll taste fine when she actually eats them, though.

"Here. Tell me what you think?" Yuuri watches her anxiously.

[nodyinteam]

Gahaha! It's simple, isn't it? You eat it... and then you instantly get to work working it off!! No excuses accepted! [He even points dramatically at Yuuri.]

[yokunaru]

[Why are you pointing at him, he didn't eat any of it!!

But also--] Um... if you train right after you eat something, wouldn't that just give you a stomachache?

[nodyinteam]

[BUT HE'S GOING TO, HE KNOWS]

...Gahahaha! You're right. It isn't wise to rattle up your digestive system like that... so maybe a ten minute buffer zone can be allowed. Yes, that should do it!!

[sweatysometimes]

"Oh, Yuuri!" Her face brightens instantly (not that it wasn't already bright of course).

"Nice to meet you in person. Thanks for your help on my post the other day." She leans over the counter to examine the chocolate, tongue poking from between her teeth before she finally settles on one and pops it into her mouth without hesitation. The reaction is nothing short of ecstatic and she leans against the counter with a happy sigh.

"Oh my gosh, chocolate!" She's beaming, grinning from ear to ear.

A

[winscenario]

What? —oh.

[ Clearly looking away from his pan for longer than thirty seconds was not a good idea. Jim really had been paying close attention to what he was doing up until then, but he got so fascinated by the recipe book (printed on actual paper and everything) that he got lost reading through other recipes and is now staring at the bottom of a very burnt pan. Oops. ]

Sorry. I got distracted. [ He winces slightly and offers Yuuri an apologetic smile, taking off the glasses he was using to read. ] Think that'll come off? I'd hate to know I ruined the pan.

[genice]

( gore i'm so sorry Victor just looks at Nekomaru, then the sport ball shaped chocolates, then back to Nekomaru. )

Sports balls. I presume?

( He's having flashbacks to "Icy Balls Shaved Ice" right now, we're sorry, Nekomaru. )

[nodyinteam]

[It's okay... Nekomaru just misses the apparent flashback-inducing nature of his statement, and he soon redoes his gesture towards the chocolates.]

Of course! What other kinds of balls would a guy like me handle?! Just look at them!!