お誕生日おめでとう~!

[sumarusfinest]

A day planner laid out on Katsuya's kitchen counter has a big red circle over the date.

October first.

The officer wipes his glasses clean with a cloth and removes the apron he'd been wearing until moments ago. Changes back into his suit and tie and resolves that his kitchen will just have to be cleaned when he gets home.

He has gifts for a very special someone to go deliver. He scoops up the cake box and his keys and leaves his apartment for the Nexus. A certain magi's tower in the Nexus, to be exact. He does have the courtesy to text her to let her know he's on his way.

Still feels weird to announce 'I'm here to see Miss Verity Willis' to a wall of solid crystal though. Would it still open if he spoke in Japanese? Experiments for another time.

"Verity?"

Comments

We have a naval presence in North Dakota?!

[brave_heart_verity]

So long as he doesn't tell anyone. If her brothers find out she will never live it down.

It would be better if they didn't delve too deeply into the philosophy of leftovers. Hers has been a life of leftovers: time, affection, attention... and pretty soon she's going to be the ultimate leftover. Her cold coffee gets a frown and is set down.

"Is that why you won't let me cook for you? Are you worried it'll all be leftovers and American convenience foods?" Mostly she's joking. Half. Maybe half.

A secret one underground. (My folks are from there, post divorce living)

[sumarusfinest]

He does not know her brothers well and is pretty sure he does not like one of them. There is little to worry about there.

"What?" Katsuya chokes on his coffee. "Not at all why..." Okay, MAYBE the first time they talked recipes. But not since he's known her seriously. "I don't let you cook for me because I'm usually busy trying to cook for you. You don't have to worry if it's 'good enough' Verity. Everything you've made me has been lovely."

:O

[brave_heart_verity]

Why can't her family just get along?! Sure one of them is her new racist grandpa and all of them are dealing with trauma but still.

"I'd like to get to be the one deciding what we cook sometimes," she points out quietly, once he's recovered. Take heart that she's assuming it'll be a joint effort. She's not greedy about these things. She won't hold it against him for the first time, they didn't know each other yet. But it's starting to become a habit that's making her feel not quite good enough.

He's had a few cookies and a bite of a scone. He'd feel terrible if she avoided his cooking like that.

Re: :O

[sumarusfinest]

These things take time, Verity. They all like you, and that's a start!

That's not true! She made him miso soup and helped with the dinner they had in his apartment before. Still, Katsuya nods along while she talks. Also, there have been some awfully bad timing of events and Verity's home made foods. That scone was pretty awesome until subject matter made him lose track.

"That's entirely fair. With everything that's been going on with you I--" He pauses then, and gives a nervous chuckle. "Cooking for people is all I know how to do to make them feel better sometimes. A wanted to spoil you a bit, is all."

[brave_heart_verity]

That's true. She's not good at being patient.

And it's fair that she got to cook his food sometimes, but that's not quite the same thing is it? But the important thing isn't keeping tabs, it's working things out so they can both be happy.

"Getting to spend time with you is spoiling me," she points out with a smile and a faint blush. "And it makes me feel better. I know it's not an exciting sort of date, but... I loved cooking with you and sometimes I want to share my favorite things with you too. We can take turns, right?"

[sumarusfinest]

"Absolutely." Katsuya nods in agreement.

"I really liked cooking with you, too." And maybe someday a ,gasp!, baking date! Dare he think about such a thing? So romantic.

"I believe it's your turn next then."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thank you." She's quite pleased with how easily this went. They need to try this 'communicating' thing more often. Maybe they're not so bad at it after all.

They can absolutely have a baking date soon. They could even do it at her place, since Naugus likes both Katsuya and baked goods. But there's no electricity so it's all by hand.

"Good. I'm thinking, potato chip casserole with Velveeta, and a 7-up cake. Only the best for you." She is joking about every single word of that, including 'with' and 'and'.

[sumarusfinest]

Katsuya doesn't know what a 'Velveeta' is, but the rest of it makes him pause.

You agreed to this, Suou.

"Sounds...uhm. Interesting." Yeah, that's a word that isn't a lie. Go with that.

It's delicious is what it is!

[brave_heart_verity]

He's blessed to not need to know what fake cheese is.

"Honey, I was joking. You're supposed to laugh, not get scared." She's really starting to wonder what she's doing wrong. People are supposed to laugh at jokes.

"Sorry. It was stupid."

I like velveeta mac and cheese?

[sumarusfinest]

Blink.

"Oh! I..uhm...Sorry." He flushes deep red with embarrassment and looks down. "I didn't know what most of that was. No, it's my...it's my fault. Ahaha..."

Get it together Katsuya.

"That would be similar if I offered to treat you to natto right?" He tries to build the communications bridge back up. "Something that is widely thought of as an 'acquired taste' at best?"

Me too. Sometimes we just need those old-fashioned comfort foods.

[brave_heart_verity]

She clearly has no idea what natto is. But this everybody feels bad thing isn't working for her, so she'll move her chair around the table so she can sit next to him and lean her head on his shoulder. "I don't know what that is, but I'll try just about anything once. I was just trying to make a joke about bad American cooking with fake food-like products."

[sumarusfinest]

Don't feel bad Verity. Sometimes cultural differences happen. Frankly it's a wonder they haven't happened much more often between them!

"Fake food. I see." He nods along and shifts so she can better lean against him.

"You're certainly brave when it comes to food."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Food-like products," she corrects quietly. "It's not really food anymore."

This cuddling would be much nicer on his couch, in private. She'll mention that soon. "It's easy to be brave when I always know if something's safe to eat. My dad was really particular about that..."

[sumarusfinest]

"Even more reason to avoid it." He nods in agreement. "You can detect like...poisons in food?" Katsuya looks impressed. "I didn't know your powers worked that way..."

She may be the only person in the world who could safely eat blowfish. She'd know if it was bad. That's a neat side effect of her gifts.

"Are you done playing with the kittens?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Kind of?" Faerie food is like poison, right? Not that she knows why it would matter. Her dad was not good at explaining things.

"Never. But we can go now. I've got chao in my backyard if I need a fix of cute." She gives his shoulder a little nuzzle before she sits up. "This was nice. Thank you."

[sumarusfinest]

"That is true." Katsuya will sit there with her for another moment or two before gently disengaging so he can take care of their bill.

He holds the door for Verity when they leave and extends a hand for her to take should she wish to.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really worried you'd refuse to go."

[brave_heart_verity]

He is not left in doubt of her delight in hand-holding for long. She is herself somewhat cat-like: easily irritated and extremely affectionate with the people she deems as hers.

"Why would I refuse to go?"

[sumarusfinest]

"Because I was fairly certain I'd mentioned my allergies before." Katsuya gives a nervous laugh as they head back toward the Konan district Whether its to the Nexus door or his home is impossible to tell just yet as both are in that district.

"Or perhaps you didn't like the idea of animals in a food service location even though they follow all the sanitary codes."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Okay, I have to admit, it's not something I would have chosen to do because of your allergies. But you're an adult, and if you're willing to risk it it's not my place to say 'no'." She pauses to look around for a moment because she always tries to keep track of where they're going. "It's probably time for you to go home and wash off all the allergens. And I don't want to track fur all over your apartment."

And there's why she's looking a little grumpy now. They get so little time together and she doesn't want it to be over.

[sumarusfinest]

"...Well." Katsuya ponders this while they walk for a bit, giving her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "I could go back with you and we could spend some time in the Nexus. That wouldn't get my apartment covered in fur."

[brave_heart_verity]

"You'll be okay?" She'd like that, but, she has to ask. "Maybe we should leave some spare clothes with each other. For emergencies. Getting caught in the rain, or... surprise cats."

She's bad at this.

[sumarusfinest]

"I'll be fine." He doesn't ask her to stop worrying, knowing that he'd do exactly the same in her position. So many things he has to remind himself that he would act accordingly if it were him.

Another reason he thinks this has worked out so well.

"Heh. At that rate, we might as well just buy new clothes and leave them with each other." It would save a lot of time and effort of remembering to pack spares.

"I'm certain the nexus has a clothing store or two."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Okay." Well then, how'd he like to learn to walk with an arm around her shoulders? Because she'd like that so much.

"We could do that," she admits. "I do need to get a new coat."

Oh no. Sad thoughts.

[sumarusfinest]

He seems confused when she lifts the arm they're holding hands with but smiles a bit more when she loops it around her shoulders. If she needs a bit of personal contact he is shyly happy to oblige.

"Do you really need a new coat or do you intend to burrow into mine while we walk places?" He..he's trying to tease?

[brave_heart_verity]

It's a good effort and she will go along with it. "Tempting, but I should probably have my own for when you're at work." It is really tempting. "Otherwise you'd worry. Besides, you're too skinny for me to borrow your clothes."