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 Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:40 pm
  This is a private roleplay between Jianyu [Kuro-Mizuki] and Yue Lao [Face Your Demons].
Setting:
Yue Lao's home.
Chishio has invited Jianyu's parents over for dinner, but Yowai is also on the guest list. Yue Lao and Jianyu will be preparing dinner for them, and hopefully the two families will be able to meet more joyously this time.
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:45 pm
It was only early afternoon, and Chishio was cleaning everything furiously. There wasn't really anything to clean, and yet she was finding things to worry over. Yowai sat on one of the cushions at the low table, trying to scrawl instructions for her latest grapes; she had acquired a new crop, and had to write down how they needed to be cared for, in case she forgot at a later date, or managed to remember incorrectly. She was finding it extremely difficult, however, as Chishio kept racing by, complaining about having no help. Yowai sighed, set her inking tool down, and rose to her feet. She walked towards Chishio and held tight to her, brushing her hand down her hair, shushing. "My love, you will worry yourself to death. Why don't you have some tea with me?"
"I can't! There is so much to do, so much cleaning. Ehuang and Liwei have never visited before, and we haven't had company in..." Chichi trailed off. They hadn't ever had company as a family. Yue, however, had assured them that Liwei and Ehuang were understanding, intelligent Lunarians. Chichi had met them, and she believed this to be true, but she could not help but worry for Yowai's safety. "What if--"
Yowai, knowing her love too well, placed a finger against her lips and silenced her doubts. "Our daughter is smart, and she has never trusted anyone enough to bring them home before. If she trusts them, it will be fine, my love. Take a deep breath, and come sit with me, lest they arrive and you have worried yourself into fainting," Yowai said, smiling. Her voice was warm, soft, soothing; she poured over Chishio's worry like honey might, sweetening her mood, easing her stress. Yowai brushed the side of Chishio's cheek and stepped away, smiling. She walked back to her table to finish the last of the instructions quickly, while Chishio tried to calm herself down, and set the kettle on.
At that moment, Yue Lao burst in through the back door, her arms full of vegetables. "Is Jianyu here yet?" She exclaimed, walking over to the counter and dumping all the produce down. She had already filled a tub with water that morning for all the washing, and began to clean the dirt off the vegetables, using a thin-bladed bone knife to peel them. The room was empty except for Chichi and Yowai, so she answered her own question. "Don't stare, I'll cut myself if I keep trying to pay attention to your worrying," Yue said, without looking up. Chishio had been watching her peel them with worry. She was anxious for Jianyu to get there, and she wasn't really sure what she was doing. Yue wasn't... exactly the best cook.
Chichi looked over at Yowai and frowned, communicating silently. She wondered if she should be preparing a backup dish in case dinner failed miserably, but perhaps she could flit around and sneak seasoning into the food without Yue Lao noticing. Stir things, move things, adjust the fire. Chichi worried too much. Yowai smiled and shook her head. Yue had been learning to cook these specific dishes for days, practicing endlessly. She really wanted to prepare it right, and Yowai would make sure she had the opportunity to cook with Jianyu, without Chishio's interference. If their daughter succeeded, it would be on her own steam. If not, she could always hope Jianyu's skills were better.
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:54 pm
"Mother," Jianyu said for the fourth time. "For Lunaria's sake, please stop fussing so much. We are going to be late."
Ehuang clicked her tongue at her son, smoothing down the front of his the midnight blue and gold cheongsam he wore. "We have to look just right," she tsked, and yanked out a stray thread with quick, nimble fingers. "After all, Yue's mother was kind enough to invite us over for dinner; the least we can do is provide them with something respectable to look at."
"Mother!" Jianyu sputtered, somewhat aghast, but there was a mischievous smile on Ehuang's face.
"Now now, love, do not tease our son." Liwei said from where he was standing, next to the front door. "He obviously does not understand that it is our duty as honored guests to be presentable for viewing."
"For Lunaria's sake," Jianyu started to say.
"Our son is so sheltered." Ehuang said, sounding forlorn. "How did we come to have such an unknowing son?"
Liwei slipped an arm around his wife's shoulders, nodding solemnly. "It seems we did not do as good a job as raising him as we thought." he said, in an equally somber voice.
Jianyu threw up his hands in exasperation. "I give up on you two. And I am also disinheriting myself from this family."
His parents were both laughing. "Let's go," Liwei said cheerfully, nudging them out the door. "We do not want to be late, do we?"
The walk to Yue's house did not talk very long. Though he had been over several times since the time that Yue had taught him to make wine, each time he marveled at just how cozy and small her house was, just how comfortable it made him feel. Standing outside of her door this beautiful evening, he felt much the same, with the exception that he was slightly worried as to how his parents might react to Yue's living situation. He had assured Yue that his parents would not be offended by the fact that she lived with two women who shared a romantic relationship; after all, Ehuang and Liwei had encouraged him in his relationship with Bataar. He did not doubt that his parents would not be disgusted by them, but he was a little worried that things would be awkward, and he did not wish for that.
"Be good." Jianyu said, shooting a glance at his parents who looked back at him with mock-innocent expressions and knocked on the door.
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:32 pm
Chishio had finally been persuaded to sit down, when someone knocked on the door. Yowai remained seated, sipping her tea, and smoothed some of her loose, dark hair aside; it had fallen out of its clasp, and she did not have the time nor energy to replace it. Yue Lao sucked in a breath, and turned suddenly, slicing her thumb on the knife. She muttered something under her breath and dipped a cloth into the bucket of water, bringing it out to nurse the cut.
In that time, Chishio had risen to the door. She was surprised Yue hadn't actively moved to open it, though perhaps the cut had detained her. Chishio slid the door open, beaming with delight. "Welcome, dear friends! Ehuang, Liwei, Jianyu; we are so pleased you could join us for dinner. My dear Jianyu, I am especially glad you are here," Chishio said.
She was about to explain herself, when Yowai chimed in, "She fears our daughter can not cook, and thus hopes your talented son will be able to salvage dinner." With that, the shoji door wide open still, Yowai stood to greet the family inside. She inclined her head in greeting as she approached them, and bowed once she was closer.
Temporarily silenced, her cut thumb in her mouth, Yue removed it to protest. "Mother! Other-mother! You two are terrible," Yue complained, pursing her lips. Her eyes sparkled with joy, though, that she was able to say these things around others. That, in front of Jianyu's parents, she was finally able to share the truth of her full family.
"Ehuang, Liwei, this is the third member of our family," Chichi said, taking Yowai's hand in hers, "Yowai Hone; she has raised Yue with me, though... for reasons I hope you will understand, we're hesitant to show it." Chishio looked at Yowai with a smile. Yowai had always been patient, always understanding. She had always known that because of the nature of their relationship, they couldn't be a couple like she might have wanted. Yowai, in all her gentle wisdom, remained in the shadows, always there, but never demanding attention.
So for Chishio to be able to reveal Yowai like this, as the one she loved, immediately changed the atmosphere of the house. Yowai beamed, like the embers of a fire, and squeezed Chishio's hand. "I have heard so much about your family," Yowai finally said. "As I may have already told your son." Yowai surveyed Jianyu, smiling at him still. Her eyes pierced in a way that Yue's might, if she had more years to practice. Yowai had a different element to her, though. Yue resisted love, denied it and shunned it. Yue could never look at anyone with the intensity that Yowai displayed; she saw through to the heart of people, because she understood its workings. Yowai was wise in a way that her daughter could not manage. Yue saw the mind, saw action and decision. She saw nothing of the tender secrets one might hide. Yue was too brash for that.
In this way, Yowai's intense gaze communicated more to Jianyu than her words might have. She wondered what he felt, being there, with his family. What secrets the boy kept. Yue, for her part, kept everything secret. Yowai was amazed that Yue Lao had offered even that much of herself up to her best friend. Friendship like that was worth protecting. Finally, Yowai broke her gaze, and turned to Yue, who stood shyly by the kettle. Her finger had stopped bleeding long ago; it was just a small cut.
"Thank you for coming, all of you," Yue said. She looked strange, for a moment; almost out of place. And then her familiar smile slipped back in and she didn't miss a beat. She swaggered over to Jianyu and clasped him in a friendly embrace quickly, her ear against his chest to listen to just a beat or two of his heart, before she greeted his parents. "It's a lot nicer to see you here!" Yue Lao said, "Than at Mayu's..." She pursed her lips and thought for a moment. "Would any of you like some tea or rice wine? I've begun preparing the vegetables, but there's still the meat and the sauce... Not to mention the rice!"
Yue's gaze wandered over to Jianyu. She beamed at him and stuck the tip of her tongue out. She seemed more reserved, but likely she was just a little nervous at having to cook. Beneath that, however, she had made decisions recently, about herself. She couldn't be a burden on Jianyu. She couldn't allow herself to be troublesome. Her feelings, her actions; if they imposed on him, that would be criminal.
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Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2010 2:49 pm
Jianyu kept Yowai's gaze, his face serious, almost intense. He didn't smile, nor did he frown, but through his eyes he let a bit of himself out for Yowai to see; his slight anxiety, the worry for Yue's safety that was constantly there, the respect and adoration he held for his parents. Once Yowai broke their connection, Jianyu glanced over at Yue, their eyes meeting. He gave a small, almost nervous nod to her, although he was never nervous. It was more of a slightly worried look as his parents were introduced to Yue's "othermother," and his gaze slid back to his mother and father, waiting to see what their reactions would be.
Please do not let me have misjudged my own parents... he thought, his fingers clenching and unclenching slightly on the bag he held. Please let them understand...
A smile broke out across Ehuang's face, and she took both of Chishio's hands, leaning forward, to press a warm kiss to both of her cheeks in greeting. She did the same to Yowai, her expression calm and completely relaxed.
"Thank you for inviting us here tonight." Ehuang said easily, turning to flash a contented expression at her husband. "We are truly honored to be in your presence."
Liwei stepped forward, bowing his head in a gesture of respect. "We are very pleased to make your acquaintance, Yowai Hone." he said, smiling and slipping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "We are pleased to see that the Yue has two mothers who obviously care a great deal about their daughter, and who also share a happy relationship with one another."
Jianyu released a breath he had not realized he was holding, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. He should never have doubted his parents' reactions; after all, he had grown up feeling their love and support for whatever it was that he decided to do, and tonight was no exception. Encouraged by their relaxed dispositions, Jianyu stepped forward, kissing Chichi, Yowai, and Yue's cheeks in greeting, holding up the bag he held.
"Some fruit from my mother's garden." he said. "As thanks for tonight."
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Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:08 am
It was reassuring, that which Jianyu allowed Yowai to see through his eyes. She smiled, though she was looking off to the side of the room; it was a smile born out of contentment and acknowledgement that her daughter was safe with a friendship that strong. He was sincere, and his nerves made him somehow endearing to Yowai. It meant he was alive, thinking, invested in the present. Too often, Yue Lao failed to live in the present, because she was so set on the future. Perhaps that was why patience was easy for her daughter; the future was where she was, already, in her mind. Waiting to get there simply made sense. Yue was surprised by Jianyu's worried look, though she offered him a confident smile in return.
She watched his fingers clench and unclench, felt the weight of silence, just the few missed beats while she dragged time on in her mind. Would Ehuang and Liwei receive them well? Then Ehuang smiled, and Yue Lao was at ease, immediately. Of course they were accepting; Jianyu's parents were wonderful, smart Lunarians. Yue Lao felt ridiculous for having worried. Yue's mothers returned the greeting gesture Ehuang offered them. It was Chishio that spoke, though she seemed so overjoyed that she might burst into happy tears at any moment. "It is our pleasure, truly," she said, her face chaos of relief, joy and hope. Not having to hide from his family was so liberating that, for a moment, Chishio forgot why they had even hid their family in the first place. Not everyone was as understanding as Jianyu, or his parents.
"Ah, a happy relationship, that is hopefully accurate," Yowai smiled at Jianyu's parents, and looked at her significant other. Chishio was blushing. They were never open about the nature of their relationship, so to acknowledge it aloud, in front of others... Chichi was both embarassed and relieved. "In any case, I am so very pleased to meet you both, especially so honestly. I can see how your son was raised so well, with guidance from parents with such harmony," Yowai bowed her head to Liwei in respect as well, smiled at Ehuang and nodded in turn.
It was Yue who accepted the bundle in excitement, a quick bow to Ehuang, "You spoil us! Thank you so much for the fruit; I'm sure by now you know what I'm going to use it for, Yu," Yue laughed, wiggling her eyebrows at Jianyu. She swaggered off into the kitchen. She did, however, cut up one or two of the nicest ones, fruits she would not use for brewing, and put them on a soft wooden plate, bringing it over to the low table for everyone. She had also placed some of her mother's grapes on the plate. The grapes didn't have a very long shelf life, because they were meant to be harvested and then brewed immediately after. However, Yue had only just picked these, with the blessing of her othermother. She set the snacks out on the table, along with a bottle of the rice wine and the kettle of tea.
"Ah, come, come! Don't let us keep you standing here," Chishio said, welcoming them into the house proper, offering them seats. She would be happy to talk with Liwei and Ehuang. Yowai had already poured her significant other some of the rice wine, though she took tea for herself.
"May I serve either of you something to drink?" Yowai smiled. Her eyes glittered the same way Yue's did, half-slit.
Yue Lao, for her part, had gravitated back towards Jianyu, to grin up at him. She had missed him, and now that the stress of their parents meeting was over, she wanted to be near him. Just like the sun, standing next to him warmed her. "So did you still want to help me cook, or did you want to sit with our parents?" Yue offered. She laughed, and added, "If you're afraid of being set on fire, you might want to stick with them. Although I don't see why a fierce warrior like you should be afraid of a little thing like me...!" Yue grinned, wild, and winked at Jianyu.
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Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:45 pm
"Ah, we appreciate your compliments." Ehuang said, laughing as she leaned against her husband, who smiled down at her. "We are very proud of who our son has grown to be, and we are happy that he has become friends with a truly lovely young lady."
Jianyu let Yue take the bag from his fingers, smiling at her as she made her way into the kitchen. He stayed behind, listening as his parents spoke with Yue's, and then the five of them moved towards the living area. Ehuang and Liwei sat down on the chairs offered to them, but Jianyu stayed standing, one hand resting on his hip.
"Ah, yes." Liwei answered to Yowai, tilting his head upwards to look at her. "My wife and I would be much obliged if you would be so kind as to get us each a drink. Tea is perfectly fine for the both of us."
Yue came back out with the snacks, and then stood next to Jianyu. He nodded to her question and then followed her into the kitchen, leaving their parents to speak among themselves as he went to help prepare dinner.
"I am afraid I am not a particularly good cook." Jianyu said, with a small laugh. "I have had to have help each time, but I will do my best to assist you.
"However, I would much appreciate it if you did not set the house on fire." he added, pushing up his sleeves.
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Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 4:42 pm
Chishio was the only one drinking the rice wine, but she sipped it so sparingly that Yowai knew she would never be intoxicated. Not for the first time, Yowai looked at her with tenderness, as she reached for the kettle to pour tea for Jianyu's parents. Yowai wished she could call Chishio her wife, much as Liwei was able to call Ehuang his wife. However, as much as she called Chichi "wife" in her mind, she never spoke it aloud. "So," Yowai began, resting the kettle on its woven cloth and sitting next to Chishio,
"My daughter was telling me about your tattoo artistry, but I fear she is rather chaotic and difficult to follow. I am very curious, all the same," Yowai said, sipping her tea carefully as if to punctuate her thought. Art of any kind fascinated Yowai, much as it did Yue Lao. Yue Lao and Yowai loved brewing, and considered it their art, so hearing about the unique crafts of other skilled artisans excited them both. Yue, in particular, had been discussing the possibility of a tattoo with her mothers. Chishio remained quiet for the time being, simply enjoying the company, and trying not to fret over her daughter's cooking skills-- or lack thereof.
In the kitchen area, Yue Lao occupied herself with staring at the vegetables while she tried to remember what step was next. She turned to look at Jianyu, and grinned over his admission. "Yu, we're in the same boat...! I can hardly make rice," she said sheepishly, pressing her palm to her cheek, smiling."Maybe our two halves of skill will equate to a full meal?..." she suggested, hopeful.
"I would never set the house on fire! Well, at least, I hope not. It doesn't seem like something I can choose not to do," she said. "Just keep an eye on me," she winked at him. She stretched, sighed and said, "Alright, well. If we ever want to eat, I guess we should get started."
Yue set the water to boil, and took the sliced meat out of the pot she had placed it in just before Jianyu had arrived. It was to be fried in a lemon sauce, after being dipped in egg and a special kind of rice mix, which would make the chicken golden and crispy. In previous attempts, the chicken had burnt on one side, and been raw on the other. Yue seemed to be dismal at remembering to check on it and flip it in time, and by that time the meat was so burnt she would panic and take it out before the other side was even fully cooked. Tonight, she was hellbent on one of them getting it right. "Yu, do you want the meat or the vegetables?" Yue asked. "I don't know whether we should stirfry them with the meat after the batter has set, or... You know, I really hope this goes well. I practiced, but, well, it's me," she gave him a half-smile, sighing. Whatever she touched seemed to be chaotic. Even her wines had a touch of chaos to them, which was perhaps what made them so promising. Everything she did had a taste of her in it. Perhaps that was why, then, she had so little of herself to offer to others; all was spent on her art, on living.
With the meat ready for preparation, and the water over the heat steaming the rice packets in their leaves, Yue paused for a moment. She tilted her head, and looked Jianyu once over, a smile spreading across her face. No matter how she had felt about him, how she felt still, he was her best friend; that fact was reassuring, somehow. Loving him or not loving him didn't change the Lunarian he was. So long as she could retain their friendship, she decided the rest didn't matter. Yue closed the small gap between them, and took his hand in hers quickly, to press a kiss to his palm. "I forgot to do that earlier," she said, with a wicked grin, and stepped back, clasping her hands behind her.
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Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:43 am
Leaving his parents to converse with Chishio and Yowai, Jianyu stood in the kitchen area with Yue, his arms folded across his chest as he turned to arch one dark eyebrow at her.
"You do recall the last time you tried to teach me to make something, don't you?" he asked as he cocked his head to the side. "I was washing grape juice out of my hair for a week."
Jianyu glanced out over the food sitting on the counter. There was some sliced meat, although it was still uncooked; still raw and pink. Next to it was some rice, and beside that was a pile of vegetables; carrots, wild onions, broccoli, potatoes, and various spices, such as thyme and cilantro, though they had not been washed, nor cut.
He was somewhat startled out of his reverie by Yue taking his hand, but Jianyu smiled down at her, reaching out to rifle her hair playfully.
"Now get to work, little one!" he said with a mock stern tone, his expression one of faux seriousness as he turned back to the countertop. Jianyu decided to start on the vegetables, reaching around Yue to drag out the heavy wooden cutting board and setting it in front of him. Rummaging around in the kitchen drawers, he managed to secure himself a knife, and got to work. Dipping a carrot into the basin of water beside him, Jianyu scrubbed at it for a few moments before setting it on his cutting board.
"What exactly am I doing with these vegetables once they are all cut?" he asked, picking up a finished pile of carrot cuts and dropping them into a bowl.
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Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 12:35 am
"Only a week? I guess my attack wasn't as successful as I had hoped!" Yue Lao tsked at herself and shook her head, grinning at the vegetables, while trying to appear solemn when she looked up at Jianyu.
When Jianyu ruffled her hair, she grinned and stuck the tip of her tongue out at him. "You first, old man! I can hear your bones creaking from disuse," she retorted, poking him in the side as he turned back to the countertop.
All the food laid out in front of her seemed so intimidating. What was she going to do with all the ingredients? They seemed to shift and move before her, rearranging themselves in order. She had been practicing, but... with so many different foods to choose from, which one was the right one? How much? Yue pursed her lips and pushed her hands against her hips, as if about to chastise the vegetables and meat into action. She was interrupted by Jianyu asking her a question, and she was grateful for the distraction.
"Well, at least you're quick!" Yue grinned. "I guess... the vegetables we can stir-fry... for that we need..." Yue pursed her lips, thinking, her eyes cast upward. "Honey! Parsley... and coriander. Lemon juice...beancurd... cornflour... Why did I pick a recipe with so many ingredients?" Yue huffed, scrunching her nose up and staring at the cutting board again. "Well, I'll just figure it out. For now, a stirfry! I'll put the beancurd mixture together so it's ready," Yue finished, with a decisive nod, followed by a sheepish smile. She was trying to act like she was certain, but she was pretty sure Jianyu would be able to tell she had next to no real conviction. Yue set to washing and preparing the coriander and parsley in the meantime, mixing it in with the bean curd and honey.
The meat, sliced chicken, she would prepare next. She mixed some cornflour and a couple other ingredients in a wooden bowl, washed her hands again, and cracked a few eggs into a second bowl. Then, she dipped the chicken first into the egg, then into the cornflour mixture, rolling the chicken around. She'd have to fry it afterwards, so that it was crispy. "Maybe we should just bread you, instead; I bet it would be tastier than whatever we would otherwise make," Yue suggested, turning to Jianyu, wiggling her eyebrows. She giggled, and cast a glance over at their parents, out of earshot.
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Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 11:33 pm
"A week was long enough, Stargazer." Jianyu said sternly, giving her a Look. "And if I am old, then Chishio, Yowai, and my parents must be ancient. You may have the pleasure of telling them that."
Finished with the carrots, Jianyu moved onto the broccoli now, which was significantly more difficult to cut into small pieces. He frowned as he worked, mostly chopping it into jagged, miscellaneous sized pieces before dumping most of it into the bowl with the carrots. He was, perhaps, not the best candidate to be cooking, but Yue was there and she was a cheerful energy within the room, reminding him of why exactly he was there - to have a calm, relaxing evening with his best friend and their parents.
"Er," he said, eying the meat. "I am not exactly certain as to how stirfry is meant to be cooked. It is not exactly a specialty of mine, so I feel as if I should leave the particulars to you."
Jianyu gave up on the broccoli, cutting it as best he could and then pushing the remnants aside, moving towards the onions now. They were much smaller, and therefore much easier to cook, though now his eyes were stinging slightly.
He let out a snorting laugh, shaking his head as he reached up, rubbing his eye. "I'm certain I would not taste quite as good." he said, with as much dignity as he could muster. "After all, I am not quite as tender as the chicken you are dipping in."
The onions were really getting to him now. Jianyu shut his eyes briefly, stepping back momentarily to let out a sneeze, shaking his head. "Dear Lunaria," he swore, rubbing his face. "This is more difficult than I would have thought. How is it that people can cook without being overcome by that scent and sting?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 12:08 am
"You're only old because you act like it," she retorted, wrinkling her nose, a smile shimmering in her eyes. She turned to stare at him and made an exaggeratedly gaunt face. "You're such an old maaaaaan," she said, wobbling a little, before her smile broke through and she straightened herself up, giggling. "Your parents, however, are youthful, and mine are positively sprightly." Yowai actually appeared quite young. It was difficult to tell, though; she was beautiful, and had clearly put a lot of work into keeping herself that way; her skin seemed far too smooth to match Chishio's age.
Yue, for her part, had managed to turn the herbs into a sort of soggy mess. She shook them at the counter, spraying water droplets everywhere, getting them all over herself somehow in the process. On the bright side, the herbs looked a lot less despondent. She snuck a peek at the vegetables Jianyu was cutting. He seemed to have cut them almost at random. Yue really would have to take cooking classes, if she ever intended to make a good meal for someone, and it looked like maybe Jianyu could use some as well. Not that she was any judge of skill, per se, standing there trying to chop her herbs up.
"Yu, I have no specialties," she said, snorting. She returned to the mixture for the vegetable stirfry, adding honey, the chopped herbs, a couple of the other sauces, and stirring it all together. She let it sit, and turned to look at him again. "You know, if we're comparing your natural flavour to the potential flavour of my breaded, fried meat and this stirfry... I think that you would definitely taste better. Although you could always let me test my theory!..." Yue winked at him, grinned in her wolfish way, and then laughed when he had to step back to sneeze.
"I pretend I'm experiencing something really dramatic when I have to cook onions. It adds a certain flare. You know, something like 'Why, oh spirits of my ancestors, have you forsaken me in my hour of need!?' and then the onions kick in and I have tears trickling down my cheeks. Very dramatic." Yue pursed her lips and grinned at Jianyu, "It does kind of sting though, doesn't it?" Yue offered to cut the rest of the onion for him. She waited for his response, followed through, and then proceeded to light the fire beneath the cooking surface, preparing to heat the wok.
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Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:46 pm
"I beg to differ, little child." Jianyu said, trying to sound aloof, but the sneeze he let out rather ruined his attempt. The onions were really getting to him, and he resisted the urge to reach up and rub at his eyes; a lesson he had learned of something not to do, from his mother.
At least one thing had stuck. Jianyu smiled at Yue. "My dear Stargazer, your specialty is being the truly delightful human being you are right now." he said grandly, waving around his knife extravagantly before eyeing the rather pathetic looking herbs. "However, if we are judging skill on how well this dinner is turning out to be, well, then, I suppose we are both out of our elements."
The kitchen at least smelled good; like spices and onions. Jianyu could hear his parents and Yue's in the other room; Ehuang's laugh was light, contagious, while Liwei's was lower, more rumbling. Yowai said something and Jianyu head Chishio's voice chime in. It was really rather pleasant, hearing them all get along so well. Jianyu felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips before he turned back to their...rather disastrous looking dinner.
"My natural flavor is that of tough rawhide, I'm afraid." Jianyu said, attempting to be serious. "It is not exactly a pleasant flavor, filled with harsh spices and the like."
He let out a snorting laugh at her words, shaking his head as he took a step back, away from the onions. His eyes were still watering, although he had yet to actually cry - and he hoped he would not get to that point, as it was somewhat embarrassing anyway. Jianyu reached into the bowl of cut carrots, sticking one in his mouth and chewing on it slowly. He glanced at the fire somewhat warily.
"I am not certain as to how to cook meat, exactly." he said. "Although it should not be too hard, right?"
A small urge to repeat the events of their "wine fight" several weeks previous popped into Jianyu's mind, but he smiled, shaking his head. No, not this time, he told himself. This is a chance for all of us to be together, in a nice respectful dinner. No childish antics.
...except when necessary, of course.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 11:57 pm
Instead of responding to his attempt at what sounded to Yue like an insult, she just giggled, listening to him sneeze. "Rinse your eyes our or something?" Yue suggested. She didn't add the thing she was thinking of, which was that he was probably too 'manly' to shed tears, even if they would relieve some of his discomfort. She didn't have a lot of practical advice, because she didn't cook a lot. She picked up a piece of carrot and nibbled at it.
"...that seems like a poor excuse for a specialty, Yu," Yue said, bursting into laughter. "Flatterer! I should be careful I don't fall for your charms, shouldn't I?" She said, through her laughter, shaking her head. Once she had finally managed to stifle her laughter, she added, "Hey! It might still taste good. It's just not a lot to look at," she admitted. Her smile turned kind of wry, and she rubbed the back of her neck, getting honey and water all over it, grimacing.
"Great, now I'm going to be sticky all night," she complained, puffing her cheeks out and huffing in exasperation. She smiled, though, and listened to the voices of their families talking. It was nice, really. To have friends like this, to be able to enjoy a nice night with them. Even if she was going to have to throw herself at her guests' feet and apologize for dinner being so eccentric. What had even possessed Yue to try cooking? It was a foreign desire, certainly. She did, though, and there she was, staring at herbs and meat and vegetables. Yue, after spreading some oil in the wok, turned to Jianyu and peered around him, looking at what he was doing. She gently reached in, slowly, so she didn't make him hurt himself, tried to wait for an opening where he wasn't cutting or preparing. She took his hand, and just as slowly, brought it over to her mouth, feigning as though she intended to bite it. "I highly doubt you taste like rawhide. I'm an expert on rawhide, so I should know," she said, her voice and face grave. She laughed, of course, after a pause. She let his hand go gently and shrugged, winking. "I'd better not injure your hand before we're done cooking, though."
She took a step away and returned to the wok, raising it with little difficulty. She remembered when she was little, and her mothers wouldn't let her handle the wok. Now, her arms were strong, testaments to her training. She was growing stronger, however slowly, though she lacked the experience of her best friend, and was nowhere near capable of what he was. Still, she was strong enough to life the wok quite comfortably. She looked back at Yu. "Don't worry about the meat! It may be the only thing I practiced enough," she joked, staring at the wok. It was hot enough; the oil evidenced that, when she dropped a piece of carrot in, watching it sizzle. "All done with your vegetables, oh fierce vegetable vanquisher?" Yue asked, smiling at him, placing the wok back down.
Yue stared at the soggy pile of herbs, and remembered their battle with wine grapes. She sighed, pursing her lips. What she wouldn't give to just pelt Jianyu with vegetables and call it a night. However, there were four adults in the other room who likely wanted food, and Yue would have plenty of time to harass Jianyu later. She turned her head, hiding the smile that grew there. She was someone who could generally predict the future of others. Not in exactitude, but how someone dealt with the present said a lot about their capacity for success in the future. With Jianyu, she was never sure: not how much time she'd have, not how often she might see him in the future, not for how long. While she had him, he was cherished. Without a doubt.
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Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:04 am
"Rinsing my eyes out would be too difficult a task." Jianyu said, suppressing another sneeze with great effort. He stepped further away from the offending onions and after a few seconds the irritation in his eyes began to dissipate. "And I beg to differ, Stargazer; it is a perfectly good specialty. After all, no one else can be you, and I do believe that no one would want anyone else to be you. You are too unique and one-of-a-kind."
The vegetables looked quite pitiful. Jianyu folded his arms across his chest, eyeing them as though they had caused him a great offense by not looking perfect like they were supposed to. He didn't notice that Yue had taken his hand until she spoke, and then he turned to her, arching one dark eyebrow.
"An expert on rawhide, are you?" he said with some amusement when she let go of his fingers. "Somehow I doubt that that is true, considering you are more of a wine critic than a meat one." He waved a hand, setting down the knife. "However, one never knows these things, I suppose."
The herbs were getting more wilted by the second. Jianyu stepped forward again, scooping them up and dumping them into an empty bowl before pouring them all into the vegetable pan. There was a hiss as steam billowed out, but it did not burn, and soon the air was heavy with the scent of cilantro, peppers, and other spices and vegetables. Jianyu breathed it in, carefully stirring around the ingredients in his pan with a pair of chopsticks, attempting to make sure that it didn't burn.
"Almost done?" he asked Yue, with a sidelong glance at her and then said with a wry smile "I feel as if our parents have waited long enough for a meal that is probably somewhat less than they expected."
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