[ ... Oh. Yes, come to think of it he had mentioned something about borrowing tastebuds... which had been pretty ominous, more than anything.
That sure is food. But why does he need to be the one to taste it? ]
... Is there a reason why?
[ He's not? Ungrateful? Food is food and he 100 per cent hasn't eaten in too long, so he will happily accept. But it seems like an odd request, especially when it involves showing up out of the blue at his house in order to fulfil it. ]
[Sanji's answer is... silence, mostly, the man standing stiff and abruptly quiet, one hand frozen on the top of the bento. The pause stretches into awkward territory before:]
I was in the shitty area, alright?
[Mmmmmmmmmmmmhm. That sure is the truth. He shrugs, ducks his head by an inch, returns to his fussing over the bento sections]
But perhaps it just hasn't been a topic that she'd deemed worth discussing. There were other things happening in his mother's life right now - like her projects and upcoming exhibition works. Maybe it hadn't been what she wanted to discuss with him at the time. ]
That is a lot of extra.
[ More than just a doggy bag to take away... hang on, he's just going to go and grab a couple of essentials from the drawer. Chopsticks, and a dish for soy sauce at the very least. ]
Were they looking for word-of-mouth custom? [ He's just gonna. Grab one of those tamagoyaki, hold up - eatin' time. ]
[A vague, muttered hum is all the answer Yusuke gets at the moment, what with Sanji watching the other's movements like a hawk. And while he doesn't go as far as to hover right over the artist's shoulder, he fidgets and stares and otherwise stews in his own impatience while he waits for the verdict]
Longer than he's going to admit out loud, honestly. ]
...
[ Hm. ]
It's good. [ There's a pause, while he glances over at Sanji. ] I'm not exactly a food critic, so I'm not going to pick out nuances if that's what they're looking for. But it tastes like what I would expect from Japanese food, yes.
The tamagoyaki isn't as sweet as I'd usually expect, but that's not necessarily a critique.
[ He's grabbing another one as he's talking, so obviously he doesn't have any problem with them. ]
[With a hum, he knocks his knuckles against his chin, then eyes the tamagoyaki with a narrowed stare. FIne, he'll do better next ti-- goddamn THE CAFE WILL DO BETTER NEXT TIME]
[An exaggerated pause, and honestly, Sanji doesn't know why he's so attached to his dumb lie, Yusuke's not gonna take the plastic bag and choke him to death if Sanji reveals the truth, but knowing that fact doesn't stop him from grinning weakly in the other guy's direction, rubbing sheepishly at the nape of his neck.]
Kinda... vanished, y'know? Like how some of the other buildings did last month.
[Just poof. Gone. Forever. Like it never existed in the first place. +_+]
[ Yusuke just kinda... stop what he was doing - breaking apart a bit of that salmon with his chopsticks, fyi - and just kinda stares at Sanji for a moment. Something about that sounds off, somehow?
But he's fairly sure that Haru had had an incident with shops vanishing and merging - something like the florists she'd worked at had merged with another? He can't say it's not true. ]
It completely vanished? That's a shame. I don't think there's such a thing as too many Japanese restaurants.
[ Maybe he should be saving some of this, if the place had just up and vanished...? ]
[ He's literally not stopped eating for more than ten seconds, Sanji?? Fishing for compliments makes you look desperate. But the... oddly intense stare hasn't gone under the radar, so he's answering truthfully: ]
You asked my opinion. If it was bad, I would have said so.
[ C'mon. Yusuke doesn't sugar coat what he thinks, this has been very well established by now. ]
[Yusuke he knows you haven't eaten since this morning, you might be starving and would eat dog treats if someone put a garnish on it--]
Mmm, true, you're not that lying sort of bastard.
[-- but Yusuke's firm reaction seems to have settled Sanji's reservations, even if he offers the crudest sort of agreement. Ah well, he wouldn't be Sanji otherwise.]
[ You'd be heckin' right m'dude. But he can be probably stop himself eating literally everything in sight if Sanji wanted to eat something as well? Except the chicken. That's his. ]
I'm not so hungry that I'd stab you with a chopstick if you were planning to eat as well.
[A snort. Sanji really hadn't planned on eating anything (though he hadn't been lying about accidentally making way too much; his hands are accustomed to making food for nine).
He also figures he might catch some flak if he turns down the invitation, so.]
Alright. How about...
[The spicy pork, if there's any left of that. He'll steal a fork from somewhere before scooping a modest amount, rolling the flavor over his tongue]
... Tch. Overdid it with the garlic. [A little. It's passable.]
[A moment's bemusement doesn't change Sanji's opinion, though his expression eventually relaxes. It's a subtle difference, to be honest, not enough to ruin the dish, but a steadier hand would've turned the dish into something more respectable.]
[ Good job Sanji, Yusuke's just... eyeballing him now. Tapping his chopsticks almost absently against his mouth and he does, until he realises what he's doing and what he could be doing with the chopsticks instead. At which point he immediately goes back to FoOd, and grabs a piece of pumpkin. ]
So, uh--! Anyway. Which one's your favorite so far?
[The attempt to steer this conversation back on the train tracks wouldn't be so painful if Sanij weren't so obviously hamming it up now, just beaming with the overblown sincerity of a child whose about to get caught for writing on the walls.]
[ Mmhmm. There's nothing that Sanji wants to share with the class, then? Nothing at all? ]
... [ After a second, Yusuke goes to motion where the chicken is but, uh. It's more a case of where the chicken was at this point, so he ends up just doing a sort of midair circle with the chopsticks. ]
The chicken was good; and the pumpkin. I'd say those, so far.
[ Clearly, acting lessons were never part of Sanji's journey to Discover A Creative Outlet. ]
[He leans over with an appreciative hum at how gone that chicken is, just a beautiful blank spot in the bento box.] If I'd known you'd take to that one, would've--
[...]
... Bought more.
[Yes. "Bought" instead of "made". Well done, Sanji, you're still incognito.]
[ How does he handle being this much of a smooth operator? ]
It was good. [ IN HIS DEFENCE. ] Sometimes people add too much ginger to dishes like that, and it's too overwhelming. That was just enough.
[ ... Yes. "Bought". He's not going to pry if Sanji isn't up for discussing exactly where this food magically came from, but... his look is a little flat, regardless. ]
[Flat looks are only gonna encourage him, Yusuke. He's been caught as far as he can tell, but seeing as he hasn't been verbally called out on his bullshit --
The game continues.
If you can call this shit a game. Whatever, Sanji's having fun.]
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fabrefactions) wrote2017-08-26 12:53 pm
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That sure is food. But why does he need to be the one to taste it? ]
... Is there a reason why?
[ He's not? Ungrateful? Food is food and he 100 per cent hasn't eaten in too long, so he will happily accept. But it seems like an odd request, especially when it involves showing up out of the blue at his house in order to fulfil it. ]
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I was in the shitty area, alright?
[Mmmmmmmmmmmmhm. That sure is the truth. He shrugs, ducks his head by an inch, returns to his fussing over the bento sections]
Got it from nearby café, newly opened... and you're Japanese, right? Thought maybe you'd know how it's supposed to taste.
[Because there sure weren't any other Japanese men who know swordsmanship that Sanji could've asked for help. Regardless, by the time he's finished setting the individual sections out in front of Yusuke, a warm scent is slowly encasing the kitchen. Everything is obviously freshly made, from the salmon that's been baked with a layer of miso mayo, the pumpkin slices marinated in a spicy honey sauce, the mustard soy sauce-flavored pork paired with scrambled egg, and finally a more traditional helping of tamagoyaki wrapped with spinach, furikake-flavored rice, and chicken bites that had been fried in ginger oil.
...]
Café made a lot, they gave me extra.
[INDEED]
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Yes... I have an idea of how Japanese food would traditionally taste.
[ He watches as all the food is set out - the smells are familiar; the ginger, the scent of soy so if this "café" is looking for a positive review, it's off to a good start. Although, come to think of it, he hasn't heard of a new café opening up. There is something of an expat community in the area, so surely he would've heard about a Japanese restaurant opening up from his mother.
But perhaps it just hasn't been a topic that she'd deemed worth discussing. There were other things happening in his mother's life right now - like her projects and upcoming exhibition works. Maybe it hadn't been what she wanted to discuss with him at the time. ]
That is a lot of extra.
[ More than just a doggy bag to take away... hang on, he's just going to go and grab a couple of essentials from the drawer. Chopsticks, and a dish for soy sauce at the very least. ]
Were they looking for word-of-mouth custom? [ He's just gonna. Grab one of those tamagoyaki, hold up - eatin' time. ]
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... So? Is it any good?
[It is just good? Phenomenal? Out of this world? Too much salt in the tamagoyaki? He -- uh, he means, the café tried not to fuck that up, but was too nervous to taste-test, so they don't got a shitty clue what the final product is like--]
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Longer than he's going to admit out loud, honestly. ]
...
[ Hm. ]
It's good. [ There's a pause, while he glances over at Sanji. ] I'm not exactly a food critic, so I'm not going to pick out nuances if that's what they're looking for. But it tastes like what I would expect from Japanese food, yes.
The tamagoyaki isn't as sweet as I'd usually expect, but that's not necessarily a critique.
[ He's grabbing another one as he's talking, so obviously he doesn't have any problem with them. ]
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Hm...
Well, Sanji stirs back to life at the comment, his initial grin having settled into a thoughtful frown. Maybe too much soy sauce then? He's finding himself to be a little heavy handed with that particular ingredient because it goes good with nearly everything, plus this is what he gets for not trying the food himsel-- er, excuse him, this is what the café gets for not trying the food themselves.]
Not sweet enough, gotcha.
[With a hum, he knocks his knuckles against his chin, then eyes the tamagoyaki with a narrowed stare. FIne, he'll do better next ti-- goddamn THE CAFE WILL DO BETTER NEXT TIME]
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Still, he can't help but notice that Sanji seems very ... invested in his thoughts on this café's food. Maybe he knows someone who works there, or someone with a role in how it runs? ]
Where did you say this café was? If the full extent of their menu is like this, I would be interested in having a look myself.
1/2
Ooooooooh.
... He did not think this through.]
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[An exaggerated pause, and honestly, Sanji doesn't know why he's so attached to his dumb lie, Yusuke's not gonna take the plastic bag and choke him to death if Sanji reveals the truth, but knowing that fact doesn't stop him from grinning weakly in the other guy's direction, rubbing sheepishly at the nape of his neck.]
Kinda... vanished, y'know? Like how some of the other buildings did last month.
[Just poof. Gone. Forever. Like it never existed in the first place. +_+]
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But he's fairly sure that Haru had had an incident with shops vanishing and merging - something like the florists she'd worked at had merged with another? He can't say it's not true. ]
It completely vanished? That's a shame. I don't think there's such a thing as too many Japanese restaurants.
[ Maybe he should be saving some of this, if the place had just up and vanished...? ]
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[His gaze bounces between the chopsticks, the food, Yusuke's face, staring at all three like he's sniffing for lies. It's back again, that strange investment in a café Sanji's only just discovered (and apparently lost sight of, if his statements are to be believed).
But he's hanging on Yusuke's word again, and pins the other with a glance that holds weight to it.]
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You asked my opinion. If it was bad, I would have said so.
[ C'mon. Yusuke doesn't sugar coat what he thinks, this has been very well established by now. ]
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Mmm, true, you're not that lying sort of bastard.
[-- but Yusuke's firm reaction seems to have settled Sanji's reservations, even if he offers the crudest sort of agreement. Ah well, he wouldn't be Sanji otherwise.]
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[ Hey, he stopped eating for a second there. The part about him not eating since the morning is, unfortunately, true.
Come to think of it. ]
Have you tried any of this? Or did you eat enough at the cafe when you were there?
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[... It's something that slips out more than anything, but Sanji decides in the moment he might as well commit to some level of honesty here.]
Didn't get a chance to.
[...]
Figured you hadn't eaten, so...
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I'm not so hungry that I'd stab you with a chopstick if you were planning to eat as well.
[ As a ... side note? Point? ]
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He also figures he might catch some flak if he turns down the invitation, so.]
Alright. How about...
[The spicy pork, if there's any left of that. He'll steal a fork from somewhere before scooping a modest amount, rolling the flavor over his tongue]
... Tch. Overdid it with the garlic. [A little. It's passable.]
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...
... only then does he lean over, pluck a piece from the box and try it. ]
It tastes fine to me.
[ If there is too much garlic in the dish, he can't taste it at all.
... ...
... Interesting. ]
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[A moment's bemusement doesn't change Sanji's opinion, though his expression eventually relaxes. It's a subtle difference, to be honest, not enough to ruin the dish, but a steadier hand would've turned the dish into something more respectable.]
Well. Whatever.
S'alright for a--
[a first try
....]
For takeout.
[NICE SAVE]
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Yes. For a takeout, this is very good.
[ tAkEoUt, yes. ]
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He fucked it up, didn't he.]
So, uh--! Anyway. Which one's your favorite so far?
[The attempt to steer this conversation back on the train tracks wouldn't be so painful if Sanij weren't so obviously hamming it up now, just beaming with the overblown sincerity of a child whose about to get caught for writing on the walls.]
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... [ After a second, Yusuke goes to motion where the chicken is but, uh. It's more a case of where the chicken was at this point, so he ends up just doing a sort of midair circle with the chopsticks. ]
The chicken was good; and the pumpkin. I'd say those, so far.
[ Clearly, acting lessons were never part of Sanji's journey to Discover A Creative Outlet. ]
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[He leans over with an appreciative hum at how gone that chicken is, just a beautiful blank spot in the bento box.] If I'd known you'd take to that one, would've--
[...]
... Bought more.
[Yes. "Bought" instead of "made". Well done, Sanji, you're still incognito.]
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It was good. [ IN HIS DEFENCE. ] Sometimes people add too much ginger to dishes like that, and it's too overwhelming. That was just enough.
[ ... Yes. "Bought". He's not going to pry if Sanji isn't up for discussing exactly where this food magically came from, but... his look is a little flat, regardless. ]
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The game continues.
If you can call this shit a game. Whatever, Sanji's having fun.]
Wanna place an order for next time? If this shitty café ever pops up again.
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WHOOPS how did I miss this
the email alert curse!
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