jikan_rpg | January catch-all

He probably would never get over the way Riley gushed. More than likely because of what happened earlier in the month. But truly, he was happy that they were both okay. "Hello. It's truly nice to see you both outside of your manor." He didn't want to bring more bad memories from that moment in time--it brought many of his own thoughts to light. He doesn't want to think about how everyone seemed to be in a state of mourning. How it was too similar to supporting others while they stopped and the world continued on. He'd only been privy to that experience a scant handful of times and each time he was supported, still believed that he shouldn't have been.

Making some effort to push the dark thoughts out of his head, he forced a smile, looking at both of them. "I'm well....and you both look well, too. It is a good thing to see." A very good thing.

"Shall we go inside before Will gets too cold?" It's a soft tease. Cheng isn't thrilled about the cold either, coming from warmer climates.

To be honest, Will's a little surprised he had the presence of mind to contact anyone at all while Riley was unconscious. But, he was also grateful that Wanyin showed up for them. It reinforced the thought that their read on him had been right: he's a good and caring person under his prickly exterior. And it only made Will's affection for him grow.

"Yes, please!" he quipped eagerly. Just for show, he shivered and clung tighter to Riley's arm as if he could stay warmer like that. Then he smiled to Riley. "I want to see how Wanyin likes Italian food!"

Reaching out for Wanyin's arm, he made sure he had a boy on each arm of his as he pulled them inside. It was nice and warm in there but Riley was busy paying attention to something else. Namely...flagging down someone to seat them! Grinning as he got someone, he requested a booth if possible then encouraged Wanyin to sit between them there.

Snuggling in close, he got the menu open so he could look through it with Wanyin. After all he'd never had Italian before!

"Italian food can often have lots of different kinds of noodles in it. So most of everything on the menu? It'll have that. But we can point you to spicy options of those if you want!"

Cheng allowed himself to be sandwiched between the two, enjoying the warmth in that. The menu was a ... it was different. He read the words but everything still seemed foreign to him. "Different kinds of noodles? Like rice, soba, egg different?"

As he waited for an explanation, he wound an arm around Will just to make certain the other knew he was still included. It was a hesitant gesture, and kept out of sight from the other patrons. This is what happened on dates, right?

"They're mostly made from the same thing -- dough and eggs -- but in different shapes." Will shimmied a little closer so he could point to a few things on the menu. "This one, fettuccini? It's a long flat noodle. But this one here, rotini, is more like a spiral shape. They taste the same but change the texture of whatever sauces you get on them."

"For Italian food it's mostly what you put them in that changes the flavor of what you're eating. The sauces and meats for flavor, the pasta to help change the texture of what you're experiencing." Thinking about it, he pondered a moment. "Do you like thicker or thinner noodles best, Wanyin?"

Then he could narrow down some dishes for him based on that.

Cheng never really considered the subtle contexts of texture and thickness before. Sauces and meats and vegetables, sure, but the noodle itself? "Thinner," he answered after a moment. "But, how do they make the noodles into different shapes like that?" One of them looked like ties, another like lotus root when sliced, or squid rings! So many shapes instead of just noodle shape!

The question earned a shrug from Will. He didn't know a thing about the magic behind pasta-making. Did he enjoy food? Yes! Did he know a lick about cooking it? Not really. It was laughable, really. In all his years wandering around with humans, he'd gotten so accustomed to letting other people make food for him, he barely knew much about cooking at all.

"Maybe you'll like angel hair. It's a very thin, long noodle."

Meanwhile Riley wasn't the biggest chef but he'd helped his mom out in the kitchen as a kid and she loved to do literally everything from scratch. Including pasta. "They cut it that way! Or there are really neat tools you can by to press or roll it to make the really pretty shapes. Will's right thought, Wanyin. I think that you'd love the angel air a lot."

He glanced down the menu then found some selections with that. Humming, he read through them then pointed. "Oh this one will have spicy sausages in them if you want to try that."

"Like that glass noodle," Cheng mused, nodding. He knew it by a different name because glass in his time wasn't the same as what others knew here. He looked over to what Riley pointed at and nodded. "Okay. I'll try that, then."

He was in the Fae's world of things and would trust their recommendations of things. He looked back up at both of them and smiled a bit. "What other foods have you tried here in Nippon?"

Will's face looked a little disappointed at the question. He's tried a lot of sweets, but not much outside of their own experience in LA. "Nipponese food is a lot like Japanese food where we come from. And there's a neighborhood that serves typical American food, too." He looks a little wistful thinking about the things they could be missing out on, then he turns and clasped one of Jiang Cheng's hands. "We can try some new things together!"

"Lots of things here in Nippon. And P'Vegas makes super good Thai food. That can get super spicy so you should come around sometime and try some more of it. And there's the American stuff that Will mentioned..." His face went distant for a moment. "I've had some good Chinese food..."

But he didn't want to think about those painful memories right now. So he shook his head and plastered a smile on his face as he leaned his head on Wanyin's shoulder.

"Hmmm...I think I'll have...a chicken pesto pasta."

There is an indulgent smile on Cheng's face and he curled his fingers around Will's in return. "I think I'd like that. Trying out all the future foods around here." He wasn't a 'foodie' as he heard some people toss that term around, but it would be a new experience.

"I've had what Vegas made," Cheng agreed. "It does remind me of home. It was good." Was it as good as his sister's cooking? He was probably extremely biased if he said no. But it was up there! At the way Riley wilted a bit, Cheng's lips pursed and he leaned up against Riley a little more. He had come to learn here that people considered Cheng and others in his time as this Chinese. "My sister's cooking is better and I will have to take you both to her place to eat. It's better than Chinese food because this Chinese is the decedent of what she can cook."

Before he could say anything else, the waiter was there to take their orders. Cheng fumbled a bit with his order as he was having a problem trying to figure out how to say 'Nduja' for the sausage.

"Oh! I want to try your sister's cooking!" Will practically bounced in his seat. Of course Jiang Cheng would think it good because he's a good brother. But Will didn't think him the sort prone to exaggeration, either. So it must be good!

"Bolognese~" Will chirped to the server. "We can all have a little bite or two of each other's food." He wasn't suggesting. He was absolutely going to be eating from Riley's and Wanyin's dishes. Sorry, not sorry.

Leaning over, Riley whispered what Wanyin wanted into his ear so that way he'd better be able to order it for himself. He didn't want to squash the man's pride just because this was new for him. And then he ordered his own food and went to take one of Wanyin's hands in his own.

"That's a good idea. That way you can try some other flavors too. Besides there's going to be a lot of food even with just three dishes so there's going to be plenty for sharing."

With that said... "I'd like to try your sister's cooking sometime though. I want to try anything you recommend..."

Errrrrrrrr... "Unless it's bitter! Not if it's bitter!"

Celestial heavens, these two were progressive! Eating from each others' plates? Next they were going to say they would eat off each other's utensils! But he finds he easily lets Riley take his hand as he looked over to Will, then Riley with a soft smile on his face. "No, not bitter. But it can be very spicy, if you're not used to it."

So this was all very new to him but he's learning that it's not so bad. After being in Nippon, he tried not to do too many different things just because it always warred with is own senses of propriety but today, he allowed himself to flow like water with whatever the Fae decided to throw at him. He didn't seem to mind it at all.

"My sister is famous for her soup. She would make it all the time back home and it's a carefully guarded secret. I've come close to being able to make it, but it's never the same."

Will can't help laughing at Riley's amendment about bitter things. He won't mention it right now, but he not-so-secretly loves the way Riley teases him for loving coffee. Instead, he just gives Wanyin a grin and said, "I'm less picky."

Mentioning soup, though? In this weather? You'd think this poor Fae was freezing even though it's actually pretty mild where they are. "I love soup! What kind of soup does she make?"

"I can do spicy. My mom made sure I tried all kinds of food growing up and I like spicy food."

Feeling that hand accepting of his touch made him smile and he gave it a little squeeze. Wanyin was a man he loved to spend time with he found. And get affection from. Sure they'd only just started to get to know each other but that was okay. This was really nice.

"By the way, you should always give Will things that keep him really warm. He doesn't do well in the cold."

At the mention of needing things to keep really warm, his gaze slides back over to Will. A few things come to mind about keeping warm and of course, not all of them were... chaste. But he smiles and nods.

"Will would like another blanket then. Because Riley and the animals are still not enough?"

No worries, Wanyin. Not a single idea Will had was chaste either!

A slow smile spread over his face and nestled in closer against Jiang Cheng's side. "If my new blanket is you, I'll accept."

"I'm usually Will's blanket until the morning when he wakes me up," he said as the water was brought over to them, taking his and sipping at it while his thumb stroked over Wanyin's hand.

"But I don't mind being a sandwich between two very attractive men. So you can sign me up for this."

Cheng didn't dare drink water for fear he would choke. These two were so bold! He likes it. He isn't sure that he should like it, though. He could feel his face heat up and they hadn't even started eating!

"Both of you are shameless," he resorted to, flustering just a little. Part of him wondered what they would do when they found the fur on his back. And it startled himself some. He thought when and not if. "You don't have enough blankets and must resort to using each other. Very resourceful."

Truly, Jiang Cheng was too cute! Will smiled at him and nodded in agreement with Riley. They were definitely a shameless pair, that's for sure. And though they teased, they respect Wanyin's boundaries. They're not going to be too put out if he doesn't want to fall into bed with them immediately after one date.

"Body heat is best for keeping warm. And I'm always cold! I'm very much a summer creature. Does it get very cold where you come from?"

"We actually have loooots of blankets. So we burrow under them then cling to each other so Will can stay warm. We are definitely shameless though. I don't think I've ever felt shame the way people like to describe the most."

Riley grinned at him. And then he realized something very important that had nothing to do with their conversation. "Oh! Let me know when you need your hand by the way. You should be able to eat and drink freely!"

"Sometimes it snows but it doesn't stay. The lakes are too warm. But more inland, it can. My lands are warmer than colder. If it's cold enough to frost, the waterways can ice over, but nothing is ever thick enough compared to here. Boats just crush through it and it looks like very thin crystal."

At Riley's reminder, Cheng smiles a bit, squeezing his hand. "Thank you. That's very thoughtful." But their meals hadn't arrived so he was content to have his hand held. "How do you hold morals if you don't feel shame?" Wuxian was fairly shameless but even he had morals. These two were pretty free in their opinions and feelings and he was curious to know how they managed to get through the day like that. Some times, he felt like he was screwing everything up all the time, all at once.

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