metalogs | (closed) | good old fashioned romance

Entry tags:

(closed) | good old fashioned romance

Who: Balthier

portolan and David

helpdesk_hero
What: a series of dates following the Love Potion #9 event
When: Feb 9, 12
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: N/A

Tabbard Winery

[ The Tabbard Winery sits in an old 19th-century building in Central City. The walls are rich wooden panels imported from Europe and the furniture is heavily tufted leather. Oil paintings and chandeliers decorate the space, punctuated with antiques and exquisite plants. It reminds Balthier of some of the modern luxury spaces at home, and he remembered that David mentioned an affinity for wood panels.

He's seated in a big leather chair in a back corner near a multi-paned window that looks onto a snowy patio. He's dressed more modestly today -- an admittedly pirate-esque white shirt and fitted black pants.

He doesn't quite have the habit of checking his phone obsessively yet, but he's doing the mental equivalent, spinning the ring on his little finger. While he has his gaze fixed on a painting across the room, his head tilts involuntarily every time he hears the door open.

Scions he's giddy and nervous as a schoolboy. He chooses a bottle of wine, though he doesn't recognize the makes or locations. He asks for something full-body, for David's coffee tastes. Given three options, he chooses the one that has a ship on the label. Everyone here seems to think that's what pirate means. He finds that amusing. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I like anything good, and a good deal that’s not, regardless of classification. It’s one of my moral and mental failings, according to my schooling, my father, and most of the aristocracy.

[ He grins. David has of course thought about every detail of the evening. ]

I take it you have one in mind?

I expect your aristocracy would find me to be low brow as well.

[David grins and nods, then gives Balthier the wireless mouse, directing him to plug in the USB. With that a knock comes at the door, and David nods for Balthier to head back to the couch.]

I'll get it. My order, my tip.

[With that he goes to the door to answer it. Soon he's coming back with two brown bags of food that he starts to arrange the cartons on the table. And of course the soy sauce and fortune cookies go on the side too.]

Let's serve up and I'll show you how to access the external. We'll get things ready and watch our operetta.

They never were good judges of anything meaningful. I think their disapproval may be the best endorsement you could receive. Though I would be delighted to have you on my arm at one of those parties.

[ Balthier returns to the couch and helps unwrap things as much as he can. ]

This smells divine. I suppose I should have gotten more serving spoons.

Oh god, high class parties are not my most fun idea, unless it's for a charity or fundraiser. I don't like the little 'you are only valuable for elbow rubbing' mood. It displeases me. I am worth so much more than that.

[David smirks and reaches into the take out bag for the plastic forks.]

I suppose these will have to do. Tah-dah! Plastic. Hane of the world, and also very useful.

[ Balthier grins at that protest, because there’s something endearing about seeing David adamantly against something, and because he deeply understands that feeling. ]

To be clear we would be crashing. As pirates. Or maybe I’d plant myself in the room and you could come steal me away. After we destroy some sensibilities and swipe some treasure.

[ But his hand finds David’s shoulder. Of course he’s worth more than that. ]

Ah yes a question I still desire an answer on. Plastic etymologically means malleable but I’m sensing it’s a hard material used for a variety of shapes — highly moldable. And nonporous so good for containers. You say bane — something is problematic about it. Dirty to produce? Unethical ingredients?

Crashing I would be down for. And I do like the idea of stealing you away and scandalizing people. That sounds like the right kind of eyes on us.

[Damn but Balthier makes leaps so quickly. David is just beaming. This is why the man compels him so. He bet if he left bread crumbs the man would chase them down so quickly. What a wonder.]

Yes, highly moldable, nonporous. In fact, it's more than all of that. There's lots of colors for it, it's sort of cheap, you can make multiple versions, some of it is recyclable. But the process of making it is dirty, the origin of it is destructive, the processes related to plastics creation are highly unethical and dirty and horrible. And slowly destroying our planet. And, on top of it all, it's lasting. Paper, wood, they break down. Stone, metal, whatever if they're in the wild. PLastic? It doesn't go away.

[ Balthier will be occupied with that fantasy when he’s replaying tonight later this week. Right now he is absolutely basking in David’s grin at his plastic commentary. ]

Sounds like my father and his friends would have loved the stuff. What a horrific way to be immortal. I’ll have to amend my desire for infamous legacy to “does not destroy the planet in the process.”

[ Actually that had probably been on there since the destruction from the nethecite. ]

[Maybe they should find a charity fundraiser to crash, for after David gets some dresses.]

You're a wiser man than your world seems to give you credit for. Some people are trying to engineer bacteria that can eat plastics, to try and make them biodegradable. Which is, you know, scary in its own way.

[ Balthier can get a cape and appear in a window. And probably win some points with the guild. That would be very fun. As would be seeing David show off his dress. ]

It’s certainly a nice change to have someone who appreciates my talents. Ah, David, your mind is just as intoxicating as your heroically good looks. I’m still in disbelief ive has this much good conversation in the span of a week.

[Oh dear, wouldn't that be a scene? David would love the romance of the moment. Maybe one of these days they should arrange a nice little play where they both look better in the eyes of their guilds. But that would be in the future.]

See, I can't even imagine why you're complimenting my mind when yours is sharp as a razor.

[Yeah, compliments are just the way they seem to show affection, so that's a value for both of them. A lot of value actually.]

Your talents keep making me smile and making me feel like I'm not alone in the world.

[ That</> would be an enjoyable con.

At David’s deflection and additional admission, Balthier reaches over to cup the side of his face. He pulls David’s head toward him, kissing his forehead. ]

Good. Now what are we eating?

[Oh. Oh that's nice. David closes his eyes in contentment for a moment, enjoying the contact. It's... It's heaven.]

I think we should start with appetizers. Mostly, I want you to try a little of everything. When you're socializing with natives or other people that you want to hide your arrival status from, being able to make confident orders and enjoy your meals when doing different types of take out is important. So I figured we'd share things. And, when we've had a little bit of everything, you can go back for what you liked the taste of. So first, we're sharing a spring roll.

[David fetches one out and cuts it in half, putting one half on each plate. Along with it goes a packet of the spicy mustard to try, and the sweet and sour sauce. Then he settles out small portions of other appetizers.]

Alright. Here's the starting sampler.

I didn’t realize this was part of the business meeting. I’ll have to be a good study.

[ The amount David has thought about Balthier is starting to sink in and nearly gets him a second kiss.

Balthier picks up the egg roll, examining it carefully. ]

What happens if I don’t obey the rules?

What rules are you thinking of not obeying?

[David asks this while opening a packet of spicy mustard and spreads it over the end of his spring roll.]

Because I mean, there are no rules between us. Just an attempt to educate.

[ Balthier laughs, as much at himself as anything else. ]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't tease. You've done a beautiful job, and this was very kind. What else am I eating right now. And what are the sauces?

Oh, there was a tease there? Strange, I couldn't find it.

[But he smiled and pointed out each item in turn. Spring roll, pork roll, crab Rangoon, a number of other options too.]

There are three sauces. The yellow is spicy yellow mustard. It packs some heat. The orange is a sweet and sour sauce. I don't know why they call it 'and sour'. Tastes more tangy to me. The dark brown that is very thin is soy sauce. It is savory and very salty and should be used sparingly until you have a good understanding of it.

[ The thorough and methodical nature with which David organizes and explains information makes Balthier smile. It's clear his mind works a mile a minute, and there's an intimacy to seeing a peak into how it works.

He tries each item, and does not regret David's suggestion of trying a little of everything. ]

The mustard is strong, but I see the appeal. I've had something like the spring rolls and pork buns, but not the crab rangoon. The textures are excellent.

[ He uses too much soy sauce on something and coughs. ]

Alright, yes, very salty.

[It's nice, watching Balthier try things and make his own decisions about it. That has him smiling at the other, considering him and his tastes. The things he reacts well to David makes a mental note of, so he can make sure he offers good things along those lines in the future. And, perhaps, some of it is being set aside for the year of cooking.]

I'm glad you're liking stuff before, though I did warn you on the soy. Typically it goes with rice dishes, to add a bit more flavor to them.

[ Balthier is aware he's being watched. Normally that's a feeling that either leaves him feeling judged, or puts him into work mode, but tonight -- this is pleasant. It's a kind of being seen that wants to understand, not exploit. ]

Alright now that I've tried them myself, which of these is your favorite?

[ Because he's absolutely also building a sense of how to better take David on dates. And deeper than that, there's a quiet thrill of learning more about the man, regardless of how small. Maybe because of how small. Like extracting the tiniest, most delicate pearls of treasure. Except all of these he'll keep close to himself. ]

[Understanding is something important to David. Understanding people could of course allow one to manipulate them. But it also meant that it was easier to offer someone what they need. It was, in his opinion, a core part of being with someone.

But he's smiling, and gestures to the crab rangoon.]

It's a guilty pleasure actually. Just something deep friend wrapped around cream cheese? Some places actually do include crab in it, but these don't. And they are good dipped in the sweet and sour. Horrible for you, thus the guilty part. If I can, I'll get away with an order of it. Though when I order with a number of people I tend to only get one and just about everyone else has the rest. It's okay though.

[ Balthier reaches across David for the crab rangoon, depositing two or three on David's plate. ]

Well clearly these are yours then. And I think I reject the concept of food guilt. What are we trying next?

Hey, I work really hard to stay fit and ready for a fight. So I watch my diet carefully.

[BUt he doesn't move the rangoon away. It's a nice thing for Balthier to do when he said he'd liked them as well. But, with the other man filling his plate some, David grins and starts serving small bits of different side dishes set up.]

From here I'm going to turn on the thing I hoped you might enjoy watching. We can punt, that means stop watching and move on to something else, at any time.

[ The general concept of watching food doesn't entirely make sense to Balthier yet, as he's from a world without preservatives and added sugar. But he's still going to respect David's preferences. ]

I can certainly tell from those marvelous tights -- leggings, you said?

[ He sits back to let David lay out the plates, watching with interest how he arranges or layers different things.

And then there's that check again, that statement to make sure he's comfortable. ]

I'm sure whatever you've chosen is more than suitable. I try not to walk out of a show if I can't help it, although, I will say student productions of sub-par quality with all the interesting bits censored can be enough to bore you to tears. Those I was mostly in and not watching.

Leggings, yes. Tights are thinner, gauzy material. These...

[David considers and then takes one of Balthier's hands. He guides it back to his leg and encourages the man to pinch at the material to see how much thicker it is. Very nice, right?]

This is leggings. Some people wear them as pants. Though there's this stupid idea, derived heavily from how society treats boys versus girls and fails to teach responsible behavior, that leggings distract guys. Like, they act like seeing a woman in leggings will make it impossible for them to look away. Nope, they have to oggle. It's horrible. So most women in leggings are either objectified, or expected to wear sweaters like these, that are longer to cover the butt.

As for the show, I assure you the quality will be good. I checked a few versions.

[With that he reaches for the wireless mouse and narrates his steps of accessing the external and how he had the files laid out. Then he opened the Pirates of Penzance.]

This was made by the famed opera writing duo Gilbert and Sullivan. It's slightly comedic, following a young man who is apprenticed to pirates until his twenty-first birthday. Part of the reason we're watching this is, yes, the pirate element, but also because one of the songs in it, Major-General's Song, is extremely often parodied, and even when people don't know the origin of the song that is being parodied, they do tend to recognize it. It's a good cultural touchstone.

[ David guiding his hand back to his leg affirms for Balthier that the earlier touch was very much well-received. It brings back that quieter, dreamier smile he only gets with David. He deeply enjoys this exchange of gentle touch and the back and forth of who guides who. There's a trust in it, and an attentiveness. He follows the prompt to feel the fabric -- which is nice -- but also takes the opportunity to splay his hand on David's very fit thigh.

At the explanation, though, he sighs and briefly shakes his head. ]

Sorry to hear our worlds share that kind of thinking. Though, I will say, you are very distracting regardless of what you're wearing.

[ He gives David's leg a playful squeeze and runs his hand up his high as he pulls his hand back to keep eating and watch the instructions. ]

You're going to make me blush with how much thought and energy you put into this evening.

[ He's grinning again. Part of him had wondered, after the first poem, if that had been it, the end of the game. It was part of why he hadn't reached back out, not that David hadn't been on his mind. He was relieved and delighted to realize David had been as preoccupied with their previous engagements as he had been, and moved that he'd acted on it so thoroughly. It was beautiful, to have someone manifest thinking about him that way. He'd wondered if he was being a fool for wanting to invest that energy in David; now he feels more confident that that energy won't be wasted or taken for granted. ]

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