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 Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 10:16 am
”” Sweet Treats (5) : There’s no shortage of holiday themed popup shops and specials at your local places, and after a long day there’s nothing better than a nice treat for yourself. Maybe you decided to try something new, maybe it was a gift, maybe you got one of the coupons in the mail to try the place out–however you wound up with this drink, you’re in for a good time. No matter what your preferences are, the drink is delicious. Hot, cold, sweet, bitter–there’s a version of it for everyone. But, the flavor isn’t what makes the drink so special–it’s how good it makes you feel. There’s no alcohol in it, but drinking it can leave someone feeling tipsy, warm, and in a general good mood. Inhibitions aren’t lowered and there’s no negative repercussions for having the drink; it might make children more hyper, but the drink just has the ability to put someone in a pleasant mood.
Hiring an uber to bring them there, since he wasn’t going to walk that far and he didn’t own a car, Ian held the door open for Sasha so he could get out. “This is the city's holiday market, a lot of the products are hand crafted rather than mass produced. If you see anything you like let me know. There'll be some food and drink products as well, things to take home, and things to have now.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 10:17 am
Sasha sat in the back seat with Ian and looked out at all the blinking lights as they passed. It was like the thing they’d brought him in when they’d found him months back. It was called an uber apparently but he stayed quiet even if he had that little disguise pin to make his antennas go away. It was something he had to use when he was out with Ian where other people were and he didn’t quite like it but he didn’t like the idea of people trying to tug at his antennae either.
Stepping out of the car, he looked around at all the little places with people and things. It reminded him of one of the games he played on that handheld but these were actual humans so he stuck close to Ian. There was a lot going on and he found it hard to keep his eyes on any one place as he tried to take it all in. The mention of food sounded nice, something warm against the cold and he nodded. “Hot food.”
It was hard to find that sort of thing with what he ate though but maybe something new might not disagree with him. At least when Xander had talked with Ian, there was a bit more understanding from both of them of what he could and probably couldn’t eat without getting sick.
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 10:17 am
“Yes, we can grab food and we’ll check each stall, one at a time.” Since he was rather certain this was a lot for the other, and they were trying to take it all in at once, Ian felt like Sasha was going to drive himself a bit crazy trying to take in everything.
“I’ll take you around to the food and drink stalls, pick whatever smells good to you. We’ll grab food and you can sit and eat. I want you to take it easy, go slow, we have all night. This market we can visit all the way till the new year when it closes.” It would be open past Christmas, since its goods weren’t just for Christmas but for winter time in general. It would remain open till the new year selling it’s goods and providing entertainment and social interactions for the people of the city.
“They have a lot of markets like this in Europe, or so I’ve read.” He’d seen them online, read up on them and watched videos, to see one here in Destiny City was nice. Though there was still something lacking, maybe the old world feel which Europe had? The old fashioned buildings surrounding the area? Europe had a charm to it, one he’d not seen in person, he did wonder if Sasha might not like something like that though.
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 10:53 am
Staying close to Ian, he looked around at the stalls momentarily. Already he could smell lots of good things. Listening to the other as they mentioned going slow and taking time to look it all over on top of the fact they could come back made it easier to settle down and really think.
"Oh! Europe!." Piping up as he remembered that was part of the story Ian had told about where he was supposed to be from which was why he was different than others around here. But if it was a place to read about that meant he could find out more here and there like they'd been explaining other things to him.
Moving towards one of the stalls that smelled of apples and cinnamon Sasha looked at the steaming cups being given out. Looking back towards Ian, he pointed at the stall. "Can I?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 11:04 am
It was easier to explain Sasha's sudden appearence as being someone he'd met online, and that they were from Europe. It was a lot to explain, and lie about, but he really wasn't good at figuring these things out in a rush. He also couldn't tell his mother the truth of things, so he'd gone with a rather big story, it would explain some of what Sasha didn't know or understand though not all of it. "Yes, Europe." He was planning to get him looking into Europe more, learning about the continent, but for now this was a good start in a way.
Following at the others side, letting the other lead the way, Ian took a moment to nod his head." Ask for two, I'll pay." Because the other didn't have money, not that Ian minded, but he wanted to get Sasha used to asking for things and buying things. It was a bit slow going but he was working him into it. "Unless you want to pay." Offering the other his bank card so he could do it, if he wanted to.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 5:54 pm
Looking at the card that was offered, Sasha had seen Ian pay for things a few times now so he had an idea of how it worked. Running his fingers over the raised bumps on it, he walked up to the stall as the merchant waved.
"Two, please. " He looked at the cups of warm cider as they steamed in the cold air. A little screen lit up on the counter, and he touched the piece of plastic in his hand to it until it beeped happily and lit up green. It made him a bit nervous since he still didn't quite understand it, but when they handed over the cider, he accepted it and hurried back to Ian.
Offering one of the cups, as well as the plastic card, he sipped at his own and smiled. It was really warm, maybe a bit too warm to take a bigger sip but it tasted of apples and something that made him feel nice. "Good..." Nodding at Ian, he looked to see what they thought of it.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 6:35 pm
Taking his bank card back Ian slipped it into his wallet, and his wallet into his pocket, before he took his own drink. "I'm glad you like it. Now, lead the way." Since this was for Sasha more than himself, he'd been to these markets before over the years, he wanted to the other toi decide where they went and how fast they moved about the rows of stalls.
Ian kept to the others side, so they didn't get seperated, the dark haired male sipped at his drink while he glanced about. The place was packed, no surprise there, it was warm from allt he bodies and the cooking which filled the market. It was pleasent, comfortable even, not that he'd go taking his coat off but it was almost warm enough that he thought he could. There was something magical and warm about this market, and he was sure it was similar with the ones in Europe, it was the holiday season and it wasn't as commercial as the malls. It was something more traditional feeling and less about consuming and more about being together, abotu food and talking and socalizing. He didn't socialize much but he had a lot of people around here to watch, and he did that typically, but this year was different. Sasha was here this year.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 7:05 pm
Taking small pauses to sip at his cider, not wanting to spill it while drinking while walking, Sasha went to the next stall and looked over all the food. A lot of it smelled warm and maybe with some sort of spice, but he wasn't sure what it was. None of it looked like plants or fruit aside from a very potent-smelling square-looking bread that had cherries in it.
"What is that?" Keeping his voice quiet as he looked over at Ian, he didn't want to have the stall runner coming over yet but he wanted to know more. At least Ian knew why he was clueless and it was awkward around a lot of the other humans when he was trying to figure things out otherwise.
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Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 10:30 pm
Standing next to Sasha the darker haired male leaned in close, leaning down a lot, in order to whisper into the others ear what the various foods were. He knew Sasha would have questions, ones he didn't want the avberage person to hear, so Ian was keeping close so he could whisper to the other. It would be very odd if people heard some of the thigns Sasha asked, as some were rather common sense on this planet, so Ian had learned to keep close so he could whisper answers so attention wasn't on them and the odd questions.
"We can get the bread if you like, we can bring some home and you can have some now." Offering silently, after he'd finished explaining what everything on offer here was. There were other stalls, a lot of other stalls, with food offerings so they could certainly bring things home to try later. "Anything you want we can get and bring home, we don't need to buy things which we plan to eat right here and now."
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2025 6:41 pm
Nodding with each explanation, Sasha felt a bit better about things and grabbed a few of the breads that smelled sweet. It wasn't a lot just yet because there were a lot more stalls to stop at but he felt less nervous with them running interference.
Once he'd gotten to the merchant and let Ian pay, he nibbled on the one bread that smelled of bananas. It was mostly soft but then he made a noise as he bit into something hard. Tilting his head in confusion, he realized it had nuts in it and then went along snacking after tearing off some for Ian.
"Good surprise inside." Between that and his cider, he felt much better about all the humans around. Really getting to see how they all interacted and busied themselves with the holiday that was coming up. It was one that had a different meaning than Halloween but he had an idea that humans really liked their holidays.
His home had been different, celebrations were small and related to the harvest or health of the community, maybe a bit more like the older way things were here apparently. Thinking about it, he wondered when would be the time to celebrate his birth, time was different here so maybe math would be needed to figure it out but he liked the idea of celebrating that little holiday here too. At least with Ian and Xander's family.
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2025 9:03 pm
"You like the nuts I take it?" He questioned the other, wallet slipping back into his pocket after paying. Taking the offered bit of bread fro mthe other to nibble at, it wasn't his favorite but he didn't dislike it either, it helped that it was warm. "I'll let you pay at the next stall, I want you getting used to it." Which meant letting Sasha use his card more often, as he wanted to get him used to taking care of himself a bit more. He wanted to get him shopping with him...and than on his own perhaps.It was all a matter of small baby steps in order to help the other in getting some more independance on this planet.
Ian felt it would be helpful and build some more confidence, he just hoped the other saw it the same way, he didn't want Sasha thinking he was pushing him out the door or that he planned to leave him on his own without any support. Ian wasn't going to leave someone who was new to this planet, and had been alone for such a long time, to survive on their own. That was cruel.
"And you can get thigns too, not just food and drinks, if you see anythign else you find interesting let me know. I can explain thigns to you and you can purchase what you like." He really didn't mind, it was almost like having a child here for the first time. He was enjoying this, more than he thought he would have.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 3:34 pm
"It's good." Nodding slightly as he finished his part of the bread. He was glad they liked it too as he moved on to the next stall. Sharing food while they were sharing the thing called money, he was getting the hang of it, at least the concept of it, but he still didn't know how he might earn it himself. They did work on that computer, even if he didn't understand it.
But as he saw all the different food things, he wondered if maybe he might be able to do something along that vein maybe to help out. The small army of plants he was allowed to grow might help with it and once spring came back around he could see about flowers maybe.
Thinking for a moment, he gently grabbed their hand. "Good with you..." Mumbling more than speaking, he hoped this would happen more. It wasn't as scary with them around, even with all these other people who kept pulling his attention here and there.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 5:11 pm
While they walked, and passed food stalls, Ian stopped by another one to get something to eat. This one had german potatoe salad with small little desert forks made of plastic to use for eating. Takign the small container he paid, pulling out his wallet so he could get to his bank card, and once his wallet was away Ian was opening the small container to take a bite. German potatoe salad did not use mayo in it, despite what some might think, and it was good.
"Try this?" He questioend, heading them towards a group of benches for a moment. He didn't want toi risk making a mess and he had grabbed a bag from the food stall, so they could put all their food purchases into it. "It's really good, especiallyt if you like potatoes." Which he did, he really did like them so long as no cheesr or sour cream was involved.
"Good with me?" Surprised he focused his green eyeson the others eyes for a moemnt. "You mean you like my company out here?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:55 pm
Watching the container with the little fork thing, it smelled savory so something different than the sweets he'd had so far. "Okay." Taking the little container and fork as the other grabbed a bag to put everything in, it wasn't something he'd had something to compare to but it wasn't bad. Potatoes, that was the brown things that got put into stew or soup so if they were like this too maybe that was good too.
He'd had a few more bites before Ian spoke and looked at him. His brows furrowed as he looked at them with a bit of confusion as if their question didn't make sense. It wasn't that he didn't understand what they were saying though this time.
"Like being with you." Another firmer nod as he offered back the container of food. "Yummy." He'd maybe eaten a bit more of it than he'd intended while they'd packed things up so he smiled a bit sheepishly. Then he wondered something as he looked around at all the other pairs of humans. So many of them were close or holding hands and sticking together. It reminded him of the past even though he'd pushed all that aside when he'd set up the memorial on his world.
"Do you like me?" It came out quieter than normal as he curled his hands in the fabric of the borrowed hoodie he was wearing under his open coat.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 8:56 pm
"I'm glad you like spending time with me." Because it made thigns easier for them both, especially Sasha. If the other didn't like him, or spending time with him, it would make getting used to this world and keeping safe so much harder for the other. This was not an easy world to survive on for someone like Sasha who was, in Ian's opinion, far too innocent for his own good. He was too innocent for this city and the dangerous which filled this city, the Negaverse was a prime example of this.
"I can find a recipie, or a few, and we can make these potatoes at home in the future." Seeing as the other found them yummy, and had eaten a good amoutn of the potatoes, it was another food to add to the growing list of things which Sasha liked. Ian had been working on that, finding new things the other liked, most of the items listed were just fruits and veggies but actual dishes were needed.
"Like you. Yeah, I like you." Perhaps Ian wasn't aware how the other meant it, perhaps he did, but to be honest Ian wasn't sure how Sasha meant it. He figured Sasha wanted to know if he liked him in general. Looking around them though, while he zipped his drink, he paused for a moment before looking back to Sasha. "Do you mean...like you...like the people around us?" s**t, did Sasha mean like him like that? Like dating?
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