a c t i o n ][ 010

[diastereomer]

[ After years of watching the sparks fly from strikers and oils accidentally set alight, Yusuf is less interested in the lanterns than what he just saw walk past him. More accurately, what was in the hand of the person who just walked past him.

Kebabs.

You can bet that he sets out after the smell of grilled meat with the fervor of a woman looking for her lost child. He follows the faint charred smell (that Yusuf can, for once in this godforsaken city, say isn't his fault) to a small stall with an already established line.

Even through the charred smell (really, the vendor should clean out the drippings or something...) Yusuf's mouth waters as he takes his place in the line.

He's going to cry if the person who just walked by was carrying a paper cup of boondi laddoos. ]

Comments

[diastereomer]

[ He does a very good impression of pained; one of the only times Yusuf is able to act somewhat convincingly. ] I am already jealous, just so you know.

[ But it's short lived, given the pertinent information not yet gathered. He peeks around the line in front of him, trying to discern what's on the grill. ] Did you have flavors to choose from or is this a mass production stall?

[boutant]

Oh, I know. [ Ariadne rocks back and forth on her feet, looking far too smug. ] But you'll get one of your own soon enough.

[ Glancing back at the stall, there's a bit of a shrug. ] There are flavors to choose from. I don't know about the mass production either way -- it could be both?

[diastereomer]

Only if there is a limit. [ Mostly... kidding.... ]

Either way, it smells delicious and that is what really matters. [ The line moves, enough that Yusuf can take two whole steps forward- progress!! ] Are you here with someone?

[boutant]

[ Sure he is. ]

Oh, it is. [ She shifts with him. If she finishes this one by the time Yusuf reaches the front, maybe she'll buy another. She's fairly certain he wouldn't mind giving her a place in line. ]

Not really. I just sort of wandered over.

[diastereomer]

It is an attractive smell- if not a little burnt...

[ He has to mention it. Every so often Yusuf catches a whiff of something distinctly burning- he would know, considering how many times he's managed to set things alight in their various abodes. ]

[boutant]

A little burnt meat isn't too bad. At least it's not a lot.

[ Like a burnt omelet... or a burnt apartment... ]

[diastereomer]

Actually, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can be produced if foods are overheated or burnt. Animal studies have found them to be carcinogenic, [ Curls bouncing back and forth as he shakes his head in a whatever gesture. ] But so long as they don't char my meat all the way through, nothing detrimental will come from it.

[boutant]

[ There's a pause as Ariadne looks down at her kebab.

Then she shrugs and takes another bite. ] If it's all the way through, you should get a refund.

[diastereomer]

Precisely. [ Following the flow of the line- Yusuf can see the stall now, the little man behind the misspelled banner (proudly selling KABABS) diligently rotating the skewers. It won't be long now...

Above them, lights twinkle in the sky. The bustle of people moving from place to place with little organization and more than enough enthusiasm reminds Yusuf of home. ]

Do you suppose anyone knows the reason for this celebration?

[boutant]

I'm sure someone does.

[ She looks up at the lights, smiling slightly. Despite the initial confusion over the lack of daylight, it's a beautiful sight. No Eiffel Tower, but that's hardly the only thing to see in Paris anyway. ]

That person isn't me, though.

[diastereomer]

Are you implying that you have gone all day without asking a single person why the City seems to be over taken by a twenty-four hour festival of lights?

[ He doesn't have to try very hard for the look on his face. Ariadne is always the first to ask questions, unabashed by her inquisitive nature. It happens to be a trait of hers that Yusuf thoroughly enjoys, if only because it saves him the trouble some of the time. ]

Should I be worried about body snatchers?

[boutant]

[ There's a snort, and Ariadne moves to elbow him slightly, playfully. ]

Of course not.

[ She knows she's curious, knows it's a trait that often gets her into trouble, but hey... at least she gets answers, most of the time. ]

Everyone I asked didn't seem to know, either.

[diastereomer]

[ Mouth curling upwards, Yusuf nods at the more likely answer. He can live with the elbowing, he's got a bit of cushioning to pad the blow. ]

That sounds more like the Ariadne I know.

[ With only one person in front of him, Yusuf is bracing himself to not say 'how much for the stand' since that might not go over well with... Actually, Eames would probably be more than okay with having a kebab stand out back, misspellings and all. From the looks of things, Ariadne wouldn't mind, and there's no logical reason why they shouldn't have a kebab stand so Arthur likely wouldn't mind.

No- no kebab stands.

Just before the vendor hands three kebabs to the person in front of them, Yusuf muses, ] Strange though, the decadence of it all- considering we've had sandy milk for the past five days.

[boutant]

[ There's a slight hum of agreement, and Ariadne takes another good look around. ]

Well, if the whole "not having sun" thing is annual, there's not much anyone could do about it. Might as well make it a party, right? Of course, that's a pretty big "if", but people were definitely prepared for this.

[ But don't worry, Yusuf -- she'll hush in time for you to get your kebabs. ]