14075/In The Service Of Others

In The Service Of Others
Date of Scene:	13 January 2022
Location:	New Hope Shelter, East Harlem
Synopsis:	Nick and Yaozu help out in the kitchen of New Hope. Shen and Co bring in food donations.
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Yaozu Lin, Shen Wei

---

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
In the evening hours, New Hope Shelter is far from empty. With the outdoor temperatures below a certain level, every bed in the place is spoken for. Similarly, save for the piano bench at the far end of the hall, every seat is accounted for as well. Numbers like these are normal and ALMOST reminiscent of the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners of the past.

Almost. There are some key differences between the meal of now and the meal of holiday. The merriment that comes with the season has faded a little. sure the promise of a new year has its onw pull but it doesn't compare to that of one entertaining the possibilities of miracles. Despite the number of people in the room, the sound of utensils upon plates make up for much of the music for the evening. Chatter is at a low as people instead are peacefully eating.

Another difference between the meal of now and the meal of holiday is situated back in the kitchen area. Nick, who despite his usually busy schedule, commonly helps out during the holiday meals was strangely absent the past two times. It appears he's making up for lost time tonight as he's using the lull between the time the food is served and the time the dishes are collected to get some cleanup taken care of in the kitchen. Currently he's spraying down the pots that were used to cook the potatoes for the meal. Pots of that size don't do well with the dishwasher, nor are they that effective against the buildup of starches inside.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Temperatures below a certain level tend to cause folk -- homeless or otherwise -- to seek shelter. Those same chilled temperatures also cause feathers to be more fluffed up. It's an avian sort of thing, for it traps warmer air and keeps a body warmer. Winter happens in China, and Yaozu is not unfamiliar with it or the snow that comes along with it. Since he is off duty, he wears a set of pale blue robes that are trimmed in a slightly darker blue. There are soft wave patterns embroidered along the long and flowing sleeves as well as across the back. The close fit white sleeves of the shirt worn beneath the robes can be glimpsed when he lifts his left hand to open the back door to the kitchen.

He already knows that there are few within the kitchen, and how packed full the shelter itself is. He can hear the heartbeats of each living soul within. He waits for a moment beyond the door, and then he quietly steps inside the kitchen. He is not an unusual sight here in the kitchen, for he comes here somewhat regularly to check on things. And sometimes? Sometimes he comes here earlier, when the meal is still being prepared -- to make noodles the way his grandmother taught him to. It's a way for him to share his own traditions, for the noodles he makes are either Chinese or Japanese.

With the warmth of the kitchen, his feathers settle a little bit closer. There's a little bit of fluff to them, but it's a relaxed sort of thing. His talons lightly tick and click on the floor as he crosses over towards the industrial sink where Nick is working on the pots. His right hand rests at the small of his back, which is a familiar position for him. For a moment, he simply watches. "You come here often," he says softly, a gentle note to his voice.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Hearing he familiar voice a bit over the tanging sound of water spray hitting pot, Nick lifts his hand off the nozzle. The newfound silence plus the turning of his head allows for him to identify the newcomer quickly enough. It doesn't hurt that Yaozu has some unique features too.

"Ah." Nick smiles, "Evening Yaozu. Did Bucky send you to check up on me?" The pot, being wet enough gets subjected to some scrubbing as Nick turns to apply some elbow grease to the mix.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
That none of the other kitchen workers react at all to Yaozu's appearance is likely indication in and of itself that he's been here before. That he is known here. A smile parts his beak slightly, and Yaozu gives a faint bow in Nick's direction. Though not deeply done, the gesture is a respectful one. His ear tufts lift, and Yaozu moves his right hand to let it rest at his side, his gaze holding owlishly steadfast upon the musician.

"Good evening, Nick," he offers in greeting. There is a brief glance towards the pots and then his attention shifts back to the man before he gives a single shake of his head. "No, he did not. Should he have?" Yaozu asks, his head tilting a touch to one side. The gesture causes his long braid to lightly whisper against his back. "I came here to see if there was anything in particular that they have a need of for the upcoming week. Sometimes donations and funding are... unpredictable," he muses, a thoughtful note to his voice. He adjusts the long sleeves of his robes, pushing them up to his elbows, and then he pushes up the white sleeves of the undershirt as well. This causes a couple of tattoos to be revealed, one to either of his forearms. He steps forward then and towards one of the sinks, reaching out to retrieve a scrubber and set to work on another of the pots. There are always a lot of dirty dishes.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick moves his arm back from the pot, the changed position exposing the old scar on his right forearm. "He shouldn't but that doesn't necessarily mean he didn't ask." The musician replies, giving a wry smile. He watches as Yaozu joins alongside him to help with the cleanup. "Xiexie." He reaches over to the water hose and moves it to the space between the pair of volunteers to make it easier to grab. "I come here when my schedule allows." He offers up, "Normally Thanksgivng and Christmas is a given but I missed both of those..."

He looks to the tattoo closest to him. "Nice artwork."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There is a brief glance that is given towards the scar on Nick's right forearm, though his attention doesn't linger on it. Just for long enough to see if he might determine what caused the injury that left it behind. He's not impolite about it, though he is curious. "Rest assured, he did not ask it of me. I have seen you come and go from here before, in the course of my own trips. I come here when I can," Yaozu says softly, giving a small nod to Nick. It makes sese that he might have seen Nick while not being seen himself, for his vision is no longer of a human range.

"Bu keqi," he adds, inclining his head towards Nick, a smile parting his beak. "I am sorry that you were unable to be here for those days. They were quite busy, as far as I understand it," he adds in a thoughtful tone. His gaze turns to the pot that he's scrubbing, watching what he's doing for a moment. Then there's the compliment, and he stops. His feathers slick down, as do his ear tufts. His gaze turns to the tattoo on his right arm, which is closest to Nick. There's a moment, fleeting though it is, where he's tempted to and nearly hides the tattoo. Yet he doesn't. "Feichang ganxie ni," Yaozu says quietly. 'Thank you very much', in Mandarin. He's quiet for a moment after that, and his ear tufts slowly rise. "I... am not used to others seeing them as artwork," he adds in a shy sort of tone.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Considering Yaozu's background, it appears the scar has been there for awhile. It has lost the effect that would make the squeamish cringe but the positioning of long line does indicate it to be of the defensive variety. The straightness of it giving the sense of something sharp being the cause.

Whether the words are understood by knowing the meaning or the general context in which they were used, the 'You're Welcome' Yaozu gives in response to Nick's 'Thank you' is responded with another nod to match Yaozu's. The added response after that does require a bit more thought power and it shows on Nick's face as he parses out the meaning. Finding the familiar word segment in there before nodding again. "Well, different locations have different cultures." Nick responds, "Body art is a bit more commonly used around here as a form of expression."

The arm slides back into the pot, "I do have to confess. I don't know much chinese. I only picked up a few basic phrases when traveling. So if I mispronounced something and accidentally turn it into an offensive word. Keep that in mind."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The avian is not what one could or would consider to be a squeamish sort of individual. The sight of the scar doesn't bother him at all, and he makes note of the defensive positioning of it. Given his familiarity with blades of a couple of different Chinese and Japanese styles, he also makes note of that sense of the original wound having been caused by something sharp. Out of respect and politeness, his attention doesn't linger at all.

Yaozu notices in his peripheral vision the additional thought being put into the response he had given, and his head tilts to one side as his attention turns to the fellow. It doesn't take a lot for him to realize the reason behind it -- it's not uncommon for a person to know just a couple of words of a language. There's a soft snick of his beak as he thinks for a moment, and then he gives a small and single nod. "'Feichang ganxie ni', it means 'thank you very much'. 'Bu keqi' is an informal way to say 'you're welcome', though a direct translation is 'no problem' or similar," he says softly. He is, at least, willing to translate what he had said. There's another soft snick of his beak, and his gaze turns back to the dirty interior of the pot he was scrubbing. "'Body art'," he says quietly, his ear tufts laying flat for a moment and then lifting once more. "Yes. Cultures are different from one country to another. In my culture -- Chinese or Japanese -- such art is ill received, ill viewed. The... perception, if you will... of them is poor," he adds, still looking into the pot. He's quiet for a moment before he adds, "There are very few there who have seen any of them." He took significant steps there to keep them hidden, and has even done so here.

He looks towards Nick, and a small smile parts his beak. "If you wish to learn more Chinese, then I am willing to help you. And if you mispronounce something then I will be sure to be suitably offended," he offers, a streak of amusement rising to the last words and even coming to reflect in his hazel eyes. "I will offer a correction, so you will learn," he adds, giving a nod.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Bu...keqi." Nick repeats, rolling the phrase on his tongue for a moment, "I heard the xie part of the second one which made me think it was a type of thank you. But wasn't sure on the particulars."

He glances back to the arm. "Well, for what it is worth. Whoever did the artwork did it well. It's a beautiful design. I myself haven't felt a need to get a tattoo, but a lot of people in my field of work have gotten one. I admit, it's possible my view of it is a bit more skewed towards favorable than someone from a more conservative area. Considering the whole expression aspect, it makes some sense. I think tattoos still get some criticism though if they're poorly thought out choices."

Nick pauses talking to rotate the pot a bit more to allow for an easier time scrubbing another section. The offer to help with his chinese is given an appreciative glance, "I'm not sure when the next time I'll be in China but, it could be nice to pick up a few more phrases beyond knowing how to order food."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Mm," Yaozu affirms, giving a small nod when Nick repeats the words. There's a smile that parts his beak, and he gives another nod. "Yes. To say thank you is 'xie xie ni'. The 'xie' and the 'ni' are both shared syllables," he adds, sounding pleased that it had been noticed. "It is a habit, for me, that if either Chinese or Japanese are used towards me, then I will respond in that language. I will try to bear in mind that you are not fluent in either," he says softly.

His gaze turns towards the tattoo on his inner right forearm, looking it over for a moment. "Thank you," he says softly, polite and shy at the same time. "The artist... she is very skilled. I was lucky to find her. She drew them all, then inked each one to my skin, only after making certain of every detail. They are each for their own reason," he explains. None of them had been frivolously chosen, even though some of them have similar themes to them. He falls quiet for a moment, letting the scrubber slip from the fingers of his left hand so it slides down into the pot, and then he lifts that hand to lightly brush his fingers over the artwork. "I was human, then," he adds, a bit wistfully. He moves his left hand away from the tattoo, reaching into the pot to retrieve the scrubber. "Yes, I can see how some would earn criticism here. Either in the content of what they show or in the location that they are chosen to be placed," he muses.

He tilts his head and looks to Nick, and then he gives a small shake of his head. "One does not need to venture as far as China in order to have reason to use Mandarin. It is used extensively in Chinatown, as well as in many Chinese food restaurants across the city. Learning it would give you something to do, as well, while you are awaiting other things to be resolved," Yaozu says softly.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"I think unless you're in sports or entertainment, facial tattoos are still considered taboo by many." Nick comments, "Well, except when it comes to makeup tattoos when they're done right." He pauses, "...Then again when they're done right you don't even realize they're tattoos unless the person tells you."

The scrubbing pad is moved out of the pot and set aside. Nick reaches over for the hose. "That's another reason to do it. Well, that and maybe find a practice area to keep other skills up."

The pot clangs to life as a spray of water suddenly attacks the buildup of suds within. It's not quite loud enough to disturb the diners in the hall area but it's not quiet either.

Shen Wei has posed:
Someone with no visible tattoos enters the kitchen. In fact, it's hard to really tell what this person looks like at all, as bundled up as he happens to be. It's cold. Shen Wei is dressed for it. With a thick sweater, heavy coat, and thermal underwear beneath the pants he wears. What little sound he makes is lost beneath the general din of the dining hall beyond the door, and the sound of dishes being washed and voices within.

Shen Wei pauses in the doorway and looks about, as though he's looking for something very specific. Which might become obvious when it's noted that he's carrying bags. Of groceries. Mostly produce, from the looks of things. "Uh.. where.. ..?"

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"It is likely that they are taboo to many, yes," Yaozu says softly, giving a small nod. He blinks and looks to Nick, tilting his head to one side that few degrees past human normal. "Makeup tattoos? These are a thing?" he asks, his ear tufts laying back swiftly before slowly rising. "I... think that if I were to add any beyond what I already have, that I would need to find an artist here and have a very good reason for it," he adds, giving a small nod. Especially since adding any additional tattoos would involve the plucking of feathers, and that... that's something he's really just not ready for as of yet. Though there is the impression in what he's said that there is more than just the trio of visible ones.

"Learning a language is very good for occupying time, and in a useful way, as well," Yaozu says, giving a small nod to Nick. The fingers of his left hand take up the scrubber once more, and he sets back to work at the interior of the pot he's washing. "What skills are you seeking to keep up with? Perhaps I can provide some assistance in finding a place that would be good for you to practice at," he offers. He doesn't look towards Nick as the offer is made, his attention remaining on the pot that he's working at.

The sudden clanging of the pot with the spray of water against the inside of it causes his ear tufts to swiftly lay back, the rest of his feathers slicking and his wings snugging closer against his back as well. Unexpected noises can still be startling! A moment later, he exhales a breath through his nares, half closes his eyes and then gives himself a very avian shake. It leaves his feathers a bit extra floofed until they settle to a more relaxed state of being. He starts to go back to the task of scrubbing the pot.

And then... there is something -- someone -- who happens to catch Yaozu's attention on account of what he hears. The oddity in what he hears is enough to pull his attention from his task, and he turns his head to look towards the fellow who has come into the doorway. That's intriguing, and different. "Thank you, for the donations you have brought," Yaozu says, lifting his left hand free of the pot and making a slight gesture towards an empty space on the counter. "You can sit them on the counter there, or if it is all things that need refrigeration then you could take them to the walk-in," he adds, looking towards the door of it before looking back to the fellow.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"It's not a common thing but occasionally you might come across someone who resorted to it for various reasons. Old age, loss of eyebrows, sickness. People who don't want to spend hours doing makeup."

Nick turns his head as he hears another person coming in. Taking note of the confused look, he nods to Shen, "Hey, what're you looking for?" Guess those are the groceries for tomorrow's menu.

He glances over to Yaozu, "Well, I need to keep up with my music skills, so some place sound proofed for that. I know where I can go for the physical training and the climbing. I'm down a vocal coach though."

Shen Wei has posed:
Shen Wei looks from the avian to the counter to the walk-in and nods. He seems not the slightest bit bothered, or intrigued, by the fact that there's a giant bird in here washing dishes. Without further comment, Shen Wei moves to the counter and lifts the bags to set them atop it. Nick's question is met with a shake of his head. He taps the counter by way of reply. Then, he holds up one finger in a 'wait a moment please' sort of gesture, and walks from the kitchen.

He returns a few minutes later with another pair of bags, and a fellow dressed in black leather and long hair in braids. Curiously, both wear goggles with dark lenses. The new additions are sat atop the counter, then the fellow in leather speaks quietly to the other before taking his leave. It's like no language heard on his planet, whatever it was.

Shen Wei is left to deal with the groceries on his own. And he works on seperating out the perishables that need to be kept cold so they can go into the walk-in.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"Mm. Those are very good reasons, I suppose," Yaozu says softly. Then he tilts his head a touch to one side. "Though I could not imagine spending hours in doing makeup," he comments. Not that he should be able to imagine such a thing, given that he's both male and has never used any sort of makeup before.

Yaozu finishes up with scrubbing the pot he was working on, and then he rinses the scrubber out before setting it aside. "Mm. I go often to Chinatown. If you do not mind venturing there, I can see what I can find for you there. It is the only place of the city that I have significant familiarity with," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice. "A vocal coach and a sound proof location may both be able to be found in the same place," he adds, giving a small nod to him.

The avian looks over towards the unusual man when he returns with an additional fellow, and he tilts his head a bit to one side. The goggles are a curiosity as well, but for him there are additional intriguing details to wonder about. The language they use between them simply gets added on to the rest. "Would you like a hand with getting those put away?" he asks, offering to help. Dishes can wait a few minutes, if so.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"I can imagine it." Mike admits, frowning at a spot in the pan as he tilts his pot to empty out the excess water. "Work related hazard." He glances back towards Shen. Having been given the 'wait a moment' gesture, he does that and waits for Shen to break the wait.

Shen Wei has posed:
There are males who spend hours doing makeup. Many males. Perhaps not as many as females, but still. Shen Wei continues seperating things out. There's a lot more here than is necessary for tomorrow's meal. And most of it is staples that last well. He pauses at the offer, and waves his right hand. Was that a yes, or a no? Whatever it had been he resumes what he'd been doing.

It really doesn't take him long before he has the cold stuff seperated and rebagged for carrying to the walk-in. He pauses again. This time to look toward Nick with the waiting. He watches, for a few moments, as though uncertain. The moments pass, and Shen Wei walks to the walk-in. Where he pauses, again. This time, because he realizes that he doesn't have enough hands to open the door without setting something down. Poor planning on his part!

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Work related hazard? Having never been involved in the finer arts, so to speak, the avian doesn't really have a way of knowing what happens behind the scenes of a show. So that one takes Yaozu a moment of thought before he gives a small nod to Nick. "Ah. For when you are on stage, I expect," he says softly, a small smile parting his beak. He steps aside and reaches out to claim a hand towel, drying off his hands and being careful about his talons. He hangs up the towel afterwards, and then turns to look towards Shen Wei.

Left feeling a bit uncertain about if his offer of help was accepted or not, Yaozu watches him for a moment. He notices the amount of cold things, though only as Shen Wei has burdened himself with them. "Here, I will help you," he says softly. His talons click softly on the floor as he moves, stepping swiftly towards the walk-in in order to pull open the door of it. He holds it open, and slightly bows to Shen Wei.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"You'd be correct." Nick responds to Yaozu's assumption. "Visibility for concerts, and characters for the screen."

Nick blinks back at Shen, then to the groceries. As Yaozu leaves him to go help Shen, the musician turns back to his pot. Drained out, he lifts it over towards the drying area, moving back to tend to Yaozu's.

Shen Wei has posed:
Shen Wei hesitates for a breath, and then nods, returning the slight bow with a similar one. This causes one of the bags to begin slipping. Shen Wei does a bit of juggling, moving quickly to rebalance it. Only once he's got it balanced again does Shen Wei step forward and into the walk-in. Within, he moves more quickly than he had in the kitchen. It's /cold/ in there! Shen Wei is back out into the relative warmth of the kitchen a few minutes later. He closes the door and leans against it.

Which is when he remembers he's not alone. His head turns toward the other two. Though his expression can't be greatly judged because of the dark goggles, there's something almost sheepish in his body language.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
The pot that Yaozu had been working on is no longer in need of being scrubbed -- it just needs to be rinsed out. At least he hadn't walked away and left it only partially done! He looks towards Nick there at the sink, and he ducks his head a touch. Perhaps feeling guilty about leaving him alone with the task of the dishes.

He listens as Shen Wei puts things away within the walk in. He doesn't seem to mind the cold air that comes out of hte walk in, though, but the layers of silk help in keeping him warm. He steps away from the door before Shen Wei has finished within, and the door stays open. He moves instead towards the remaining groceries, to gather up a couple of things to put into the dry goods cupboard. As the door to the walk-in is closed and Shen Wei leans against it, he looks towards the fellow. "At least you did not have things that had to go into the freezer," he offers, a smile parting his beak. It's colder, after all. He lifts his right hand to make a slight gesture towards Nick. "My friend doing the dishes is Nick, and I am Lin Yaozu," he offers, by way of making introductions.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Holding the spray nozzle, Nick reaches his other free hand to grab the remaining pot. There is a thunk as he tilts it slightly to allow for an easier spray in. Hearing his name being used in introductions, Nick lowers the nozzle to look over to the other two. "Good evening." He greets Shen, lifting up a now sudsy hand in a wave.

He looks over to Yao. "Getting ready to spray again." He warns the owlish companion this time around, turning back towards the pot. Suds hand reaches over, tugging a bit more hose in place. The trigger is pulled causing for water to shoot into the pot.

Shen Wei has posed:
Shen Wei shakes his head and lifts a finger to point toward the exit. "Freezer things are still on shuttle." His accent is decidedly odd. Just as odd as that language he'd been speaking with whoever the other be-goggled fellow was. "Xie Yun is bringing them." Tucking his hands into his pockets, Shen Wei steps away from the walk-in and over toward the other things. He retrieves his hands from his pockets when he arrives, and settles in to help put things away in the pantry.

He pauses and glances between the two. "Shen Wei," he offers. He ducks his head in a sort of nod of greeting in response to the sudsy wave. He turns back to the task at hand. A few seconds after all the groceries are put away, the aforementioned Xie Yun strides into the kitchen with a pair of bags held in each hand. "Where is freezer?" His accent is similar to Shen Wei's.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Given the retractable talons that he has essentially at his fingertips, it's likely no great surprise that Yaozu is careful with the dried goods. It wouldn't do to puncture any of them, after all. The sound of the pot thunking against the sink manages not to startle him, a sound that's more expected given the progress with the pots. He looks to Nick at the advanced warning about the spraying water, and he slightly bows to him. "Xiexie ni," he says softly, a grateful note to his voice. That sound, when it comes, gets much less of a reaction this time than what it had the first time.

His gaze shifts to Shen Wei, and he tilts his head to one side. "Is there help needed, to bring the rest of the things inside?" he asks, curiosity within his tone. He continues to help with getting the dry goods put away. His gaze lowers a touch as he slightly bows to Shen Wei. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Shen Wei," he says softly. His attention shifts over to the other be-goggled fellow as he returns laden with bags. "It is this way," he says. He takes a moment to put away the can he had in hand first (he was being nosy and reading the label) before he steps past the closed door of the walk-in fridge to reach the door for the freezer, which he pulls open. And a waft of cold air comes out.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Bu- keqi." Considering the discussion from earlier, now seemed like a good time to practice the response to Yaozu's statement. It's not quie smooth but there is effort to say what Nick heard before.

The water travels along the curve of the cookware, sploshing around. The suds that sought refuge inside find the attempt all for naught as they are soon washed out in the cascade of liquid of the tilting pot. The spray nozzle cuts off. Setting thed hose aside, Nick turns the pot upside down to get the last of the water out. Task completed he carries the pot over to the drying area.

Shen Wei has posed:
The labels are all good quality, but not necessarily the best around. Nothing unhealthy, either. It's a good mix of goods. Shen Wei steps further away from the freezer, shivering at that waft of cold air. Nope. That's a big fat note. He's not going to have anything to do with that!

Xie Yun lets out a quiet laugh and shakes his head. Not nearly as bothered by the cold as his boss is, the also slightly taller be-goggled man carries the bags through the newly opened door. He's within for a few moments, depositing things. He then emerges, tucking bags into various pockets as he does so. He looks a lot like some sort of dude from a biker gang. All black leather and silver chains. He pulls a receipt from a pocket and hands it, or tries to hand it, to Yaozu. "A list of what /he/ insisted we bring," is said as Xie Yun hooks a finger over his shoulder in Shen Wei's direction.

Shen Wei doesn't say anything to refute the claim, or to deny it.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a smile that parts Yaozu's beak at Nick's response to him, and he gives a nod to him. He's pleased by the effort, and the words will become smoother with more practice. "Very good," he says softly. There's a look given towards the dishes, and he slightly ducks his head. "I will help more with them in just a moment," he adds. He does feel guilty for having left the man with the task whilst he puttered off to do other things. He's normally more focused.

Food labels are things that Yaozu checks out of habit. He doesn't know a lot about the quality of goods here versus those that would be available in China, since the brands are all different. He's learning that, among other things. His gaze follows Xie Yun as the fellow heads into the freezer, and once the fellow is out again then he pushes the door closed. As the receipt is offered to him, Yaozu accepts it without fuss, though he tilts his head a touch to one side before he gives a small nod. He gives the receipt only a brief glance before his attention lifts to the pair of men. "All donations are welcome, and it will all be put to good use in upcoming meals. Thank you, both, for your generosity. I can take the receipt to the office and give it to the secretary so that a tax receipt can be done for you," he offers. He isn't overly familiar with such things but he knows that they're important to some people!

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick cracks a smile at the offer to help more with the dishes in a bit. "Take your time." He replies back, shifting back to the sink to grab a dirty pan to start back with.

Shen Wei has posed:
"No need," comes Shen Wei's voice. He doesn't pay taxes to start with, so a tax receipt is entirely unnecessary! Xie Yun chuckles at his boss and turns with a waved hand to head back out to the main room. And from there, back to the ... had a 'shuttle' been mentioned? Whatever, Xie Yun is gone.

Shen Wei looks between the two men again, and then turns to make his own way out. Not much of a talker, that one, clearly! The question is.. is he gone, now, or will he return yet again?

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a nod that Yaozu gives to Nick at his comment in regards to the dishes. There are those who hate doing dishes and those who enjoy doing them, yet the avian has given no outward sign of being either of those sorts. Perhaps he simply accepts it as a task that needs doing.

His attention turns to Shen Wei, and he gives a small nod before folding up the receipt and tucking it into a folder slot on the wall beyond the working area of the kitchen. The secretary will collect it from there later and put it away. "Thank you, your kindness will go a long way," he says softly. He steps over to the sink then in order to go back to helping with washing up the dishes.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Considering shuttle services are a thing in the city, there's little reason to blink at the term. Nick glances to the departing Shen Wei and then over to Yaozu. "...Nice of them to drop off all that food." He manages...starting to scrub the pan. Being that these didn't deal with the potatoes, there's less build up on them which makes the washing aspect much easier. "Thanks for helping with the dishes by the way."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a slight adjustment made to his sleeves before Yaozu reaches for the scrubber and the next pot in the lineup. He glances over to Nick before giving a small nod. "Yes. It was very good of them to do. With the many visitors that come for each meal, I fear it will not stretch too far," he says softly, a thoughtful tone to his voice.

He's quiet for a moment, scrubbing at the bottom of the pot. "Mm. You are welcome, Nick. I am glad to be able to help here," he says, looking to him for a moment and giving a small nod before his attention returns to the pot. It's a useful thing for him to do in his spare time, as well as being something that he used to do at home in China.