'a little wisdom never hurt anyone', tell that to socrates!

[implying]

Date & Time: Backdated to late March, evening
Location: Room 503
Characters: Adrasteius & Vanadi
Summary: vanadi conned a date (NO IT TOTALLY IS A DATE SHH) out of being yelled at, now it is time to reap the rewards
Warnings: elves and pseudoelves B(

[ He'd gotten dinner started, but took care not to have it too far advanced by the time seven o'clock rolls around. It can be tricky inviting over a fellow chef, but he figures it's best to leave it mostly open ended—so there are a few pots sizzling, but more waiting to be begun.

And speaking of seven, there's the knock. Maskless, as promised (although still covered from neck to toe otherwise), Vanadi hurries to the door to pull it open, already prepared with a smile. ]

Comments

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra's holding a covered tray in his hands, and frowns over it at Vanadi as he steps across the threshold. That's his face? He makes a dismissive gesture.]

I have to admit, I was expecting something more dramatic.

[implying]

[ He grins, not looking particularly bothered, and steps aside to allow Adra entrence. ]

Hello to you as well, my dear!

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra rolls his eyes; stomps in.]

I mean, really. You look perfectly ordinary! Do you understand how many people in Azeroth barely even have a face?

[implying]

Oh, do you think it's for the scar?

[ It would have made him flinch to say that half a year ago. Now it's casual, lighthearted as he leads the way to the kitchen. ]

Really, that would be dramatic! I'm afraid the truth of it is significantly more mundane.

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra follows after, setting the tray down as soon as he sees a counter. It's not really that heavy, but he already looks a little worn out by the effort.]

Well, enlighten me.

[implying]

It's cultural. I didn't abide by it when I was younger, as you saw, but we consider it impolite to go about in public with a bare face.

[ A lie smoothly told, even if he busies himself with one of the pots as he tells it. ]

Now — I've a roast marinating, but the rest of it is rather open to suggestion. What are you hungry for?

[bloodspeaker]

You don't really expect me to buy that, do you?

[he frowns at the roast and shrugs.]

I'm a vegetarian.

[implying]

[ He pauses to hear that, frowning a little. ]

Ah. Well, then the roast is incidental and for my roommates to enjoy later, and our options are even more open than before. [ And a beat behind: ] And it's true. Why would I care to lie about that?

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra starts peeling the foil off of his tray, shaking his head as he does so.]

Please! Your younger self found that mask repulsive. And went about bare-faced for the entire time he was here, besides. You're full of shit, Vanadi.

[shrug.] Not that I didn't already fucking know that.

[implying]

[ right, okay, so lying to Adra is a bad idea. Or at least, lying to him with an admittedly flimsy cover story. He's silent for a moment, unwilling to admit to his lie, but unable to reinforce it. The silence stretches out, and Vanadi decides it will serve as well as anything else for an answer.

After a moment, still busied elsewhere: ] What do you say to pasta tonight?

[bloodspeaker]

Is it really that hard to just tell the truth?

[He finishes with the foil and sets it aside, revealing a tray of glistening, delicate fruit tarts, each perfectly composed of fresh blueberries and flaky pastry.]

Pasta is fine. I'll make the sauce, if you've got some tomatoes and herbs handy.

[implying]

I do. [ Did he just ignore that question? Surely not. ] You'll find tomatoes in the basket to the other side of the refrigerator, while herbs are in the upper cupboard to your right.

[ no wait he totally did ]

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra's gathering the ingredients, but his long ears are folded back, pressed against either side of his head. Because he is pressed.]

Stop evading me. If I didn't want to know you, I wouldn't have come here, so just say something real, god damn it.

[implying]

[ He's quiet a few minutes more, stirring pasta into heating water, but eventually he pauses. He turns, gestures to himself. Not just his face, but the entire body. ]

Anything you would see here, or learn about me, is terribly old news. It shouldn't concern anyone here, let alone someone who, while admittedly of enjoyable company, hardly knows me.

[ There, at least his reluctance is real, right?? ]

[bloodspeaker]

Ah, a glimpse into an actual fucking person! Amazing! Was that so hard?

[He's briskly slicing up the tomatoes now. He makes a little gesture with his hand and another knife animates itself; it then begins tending to the garlic and other herbs.]

[implying]

Excruciating, my dear! [ The cheery smile is right back to fake again, which is the point, and he turns to resume his work. ]

But what of you, then? I'm not the only one that changed.

[bloodspeaker]

[He shrugs.]

What of me? You just said those things don't matter. And, trust me, if your history is old news, mine is a part of antiquity.

[he heaps garlic, onions, sea salt, and basil leaves into a pot, then douses everything with some olive oil. Another twist of the wrist, and the mix begins to simmer, as though imbued with low heat.]

[implying]

Then we're in agreement, wonderful!

[ A few more finishing touches to one of the side dishes, and he turns his attention next to pouring two glasses of wine. He sips from one, and holds the other out for Adra as he approaches.

With eyes on the pot: ]

That must be some form of cheating, my dear.

[bloodspeaker]

[He just rolls his eyes as he takes the wine.]

You're fucking ridiculous.

[He sips from the glass with one hand while the other dumps a fresh paste of tomatoes into his pot.]

And it's not cheating. It's a lot of work to direct all this magic.

[implying]

I'm sure it must be.

[ He doesn't sound convinced, but he is willing to humor it. He leans back against the counter, watching thoughtfully. ]

What else can you do with it?

[bloodspeaker]

[He shrugs. What can't you do with magic? That said, he does look a little rough around the edges, and there are some tiny beads of perspiration on his neck and forehead.]

The possibilities are literally endless. I can teleport across this room. I can understand languages that I've never learned. I can make idiots more intelligent, temporarily.

[implying]

Endless, mm? [ lookin more and more interested, here. ] I'll admit, I was never particularily interested in magic, but it's beginning to look more appealing. Are there any more intimiate tricks you have?

[bloodspeaker]

[he hisses, stirring his pot with rather more energy than is strictly required.]

What the hell are you talking about?

[implying]

Oh, you know. [ He shrugs, entirely casual and easy. ] Little spells to heighten the bedroom experience. There must be something.

[bloodspeaker]

You're disgusting!

[His ears are folded back again, and his tattoos are turning bright red. Of course, there are spells like that. There are spells for everything.]

[implying]

Thank you, but I prefer opportunistic.

[ He grins, and promptly is leaning in for a better look at those visible tattoos. ]

Oh, that's lovely. Does red indicate embarrassment? Anger? I suppose it could be arousal, but in that case you're quite good at hiding it otherwise.

[bloodspeaker]

[He aggressively adds salt to his pot, his scowl deepening.]

It's aggravation.

[implying]

Is it! [ he looks basically delighted to learn this. aren't you glad you asked for maskless Vanadi so you could have the full effect, Adra. ] And what color is arousal, then?

[bloodspeaker]

[SO GLAD. He huffs, shaking his head.]

That's not your concern.

[he adds a few sprigs of fresh parsley to his sauce, then dismisses the heat.]

This is ready, by the way.

[implying]

Lovely, so is the pasta.

[ He sways away again, back to the other counter, and slides a bowl down Adra's way. ]

And my thanks for the help!

[bloodspeaker]

[He ladles just a little sauce into the bowl and then mixes it up with his fork, a frown still fixed on his face.]

Right. Any time.

[Ahh, he did well with the sauce, though. It's nice and savory, with just the barest complementing hint of sweetness.

He has to admit that the pasta is pretty firm, too.]

[implying]

[ The pasta has all sorts of......things in it to make it wonderful, okay, and this garlic bread is super delicious. Wow, that garlic bread. Vanadi grabs the side of bread, the salad he'd had readied and confined to the fridge, and settles them both down on a small table just outide the kitchen.

As he goes: ] Any time, truly? Do you mean that?

[bloodspeaker]

[YES, IT'S GOOD. IT'S ALL VERY GOOD. Damn it. Adra doesn't like that at all. He eats, begrudgingly content, and nods.]

I like to cook. It's mostly what I do when I'm not overseeing the clinic.

[implying]

[ He settles at the seat across from him, following suit. ]

Perhaps we ought to make a habit of this, then.

[bloodspeaker]

[Adra lifts a fork and shakes it at Vanadi.]

Yes. We can cook. That's it.

[implying]

Of course, of course. [ He takes a bite, chews thoughtfully, and adds: ] But, perhaps for more than just the two of us?

[bloodspeaker]

Hmm, you mean, cook for the building?

[He could be on board with that.]

[implying]

[ He nods, thoughtful starting to shift over to enthusiasm. ]

I do! Surely we could put together something better than the feast the Initiative threw out a few times for the newcomers, hmm? And it would certainly outshine Jesse's cookies.

[bloodspeaker]

[He doesn't know nothin' about any cookies, but he certainly agrees about the Initiative's 'feast'. He nods emphatically.]

Yes--those people have no idea how to transform an ingredient. And some of these ingredients need a lot of transformation.

[He smacks his fist into palm, his own food now forgotten.]

Let's do it. At least once a month.

[implying]

[ That gets a grin, pleased both at the idea and at Adra's willingness to help. ]

We're going to need a larger kitchen.

[bloodspeaker]

That's true ... they must have one, don't you think? In the Hold. For making their sorry excuse of a meal.

[implying]

Oh, it's not all so bad... mm, but that said, they must! I'm sure it will be no issue at all to ask to borrow it.