smashacademy | [013] - Audio/Video

[~~Absolutely blackjack and hookers.~~

She was probably right. But Sonny was omnivorous by nature. He couldn't help it, really. Chances were high that with his metabolism he'd have serious health issues if he tried to follow in Vinnie's footsteps.

...still. He could set that aside for this evening. It wasn't like he couldn't eat a ham or two when he got back to school.

The waitress came back with the wine and two glasses. What would they like to order, if they'd decided?]

I'm going to have the pumpkin ravioli.

[Her eyebrows shot up when he placed his order, but she decided to wait before she addressed it. Turning her attention onto the waitress, she folded up her menu and offered it over as she spoke up.]

The Waldorf salad, light on the walnuts, and replace the raisins with cranberries, please. If it's not too much trouble.

[And it probably was. A little. But alas, Voile and her finicky tastes.]

[If the Waitresses nod was any indication, it wasn't so much trouble as warranted mention. She wrote down the orders, uncorked the bottle and poured a small amount of wine into each glass before gliding away.]

Well, she seems nice! Not very talkative, but probably she's busy.

[Voile gave a slow nod, rather attentive on the waitress.]

There are more than a few theories that can be given to someone who's not very talkative. Not saying they'd be right, but it'd hard to pin down one or two. She didn't stay long enough for me to personally pry, which is probably for the best. But you're probably right.

Working in a restaurant seems to have employees on the go-go-go. Like when I was working for Seth at the host club. I was always kept busy. It seems sort of unforgiving. I hope she makes what she deserves to.

I'll make sure to give her a nice tip on the check.

[Well. Nice by his own standards - he probably couldn't do 20% on this particular tab. But he'd write a nice note on the receipt and shoot for 15%. Hopefully that would be OK.]

I bet you were busy doing those! I hope it was at least a lot of fun for you. I don't think I move fast enough to do something like that really well? I think I'll stick to enjoying it from this side.

I think that would be nice. [At the very least. Although as she was thinking about it, she imagined she could weasel through her coin purse and help with tip. In fact, she was going to anyway, and most likely at a moment when Sonny wasn't paying attention.]

I did like working the host clubs. [Voile nodded and she reached over for her glass of wine and marveled at the deep colour.] I'd meant to be holding some for the seasons, but I almost feel like there's some lingering bitterness. Considering, after all, it was Seth who was running them. After what he was doing, people might think the host clubs always have an ulterior motive.

But mark me, I will put together another one. Maybe another joint with the contest hall.

I don't think anyone could think that about you though! Maybe Seth, sure. I mean, I met him a couple times and he seemed so nice? I was really surprised when I found out what sort of things he was doing. But everyone knows you wouldn't be mixed up in things that way. I wouldn't worry about it, OK?

[He picked up his own wine glass, took a sip, and found he quite liked it. Mmm!]

I hope you DO make one some time soon. Maybe your new one would help people forget about their feelings to do with Seth? Then, they could just think of the fun they had at those host clubs instead of associating it with the bad stuff.

[Anytime someone spoke badly of Seth, Voile tensed up. There remained with her a lot of denial where the Persian was concerned. Even though she saw it all. Even though there was really no way to refute it. Seth certainly had done some less than good things.

But maybe the intents were good. He'd seemed like such a wonderful man.

A little uncomfortable by the notion, she dipped her head to eye her glass of wine.]

Seth may have done some questionable things, but he knew how to run a host club. I can't make one as wonderful as his were, but I can still make something more than worthy. I think, anyway.

[Strangely enough, and if Voile was trying to sense it, Sonny's levels of ill-will towards Seth were fairly low. Of course he was upset at the idea of a drug dealing, false identity having, shadow bug injecting guy who would throw a little kid off of a roof. That wasn't cool on any level. But he was aggravated by the idea of all this more than he was aggravated by the actual person. As he'd said, the few times he'd interacted with Seth, he'd actually quite liked him. He'd seemed to be a nice roomie for Bulba, a good conversationalist, pleasant and kind. It was hard to think all of that was an act, even when it so obviously was.]

I think you could make one just as wonderful. You're really smart, and you know a lot about that stuff. I think you could do anything you set your mind to - And there's plenty of people who would love to help you, too! Remember when you put together Bulba's surprise Birthday party? It's not quite a host club, but it was still pretty great!

[He'd been on Balloon Duty. His lungs had never gotten quite so strenuous a workout as that day.]

I do know a lot about that stuff. [Again, with thanks to Seth. The man had never been lacking with information when it came to situations like that.] And yes, I do remember Bulba's potluck as well. I'm not really the same person I was back then.

But on the other hand, I don't know unless I try. I'll find the time to put something together. Thank you, for being so confident in me, Sonny.

[She offered over to him a smile.]

[He was always smiling at her. There's barely any point where he isn't offering her a smile and more usually, a full on grin.]

I always believe in you. You don't have to thank me. And I think I still am the same person who helped at Bulba's potluck, but that's OK. I have less time than you to have changed. I mean, you had a whole extra year, after all.

[It almost stung to hear him bring up the year gap once more. Most of the time she tried to pretend it didn't exist. But fact of the matter was that it did. So eying him with some silent reverence for older days and wistful nostalgia, she finally nodded.]

I suppose I'd best not disappoint you, or my other loyal fans then. I'll give it some thought.

[He often thought about that year long distance between them. Every so often, he'd lay awake at night wondering if it came down to it and he had the option to do it all over again, knowing what he did now, would he have even taken Chika home? Or let her go by herself. What kind of man did he want to be? A good Boyfriend, or a good Brother and did picking one necessarily mean he wasn't the other?

And when something is keeping a Snorlax awake at night.... well, you know for a fact it is some heavy, industrial grade, titanium coated, double reinforced Issue Type Stuff.]

I'm glad you will. Don't forget to let me know if you need help setting things up, OK? Or doing any cooking - I've gotten a LOT better at cooking since the last host club.

[She'd expected his offer. And as much as the independent part of her wanted to turn it down, she didn't protest or reject it. In fact, she simply nodded along.]

Yes. Of course, Sonny. If I need anything at all, I'll speak up. Provided it's something I can't do myself.

[And considering Knuckles had taken his leave with Goombella, she realised Sonny could be useful for heavy lifting. And knowing him, he'd be thrilled just to be practical to her.]

[Or even impractical. He'd be thrilled just to be around.]

OK! That sounds really good!

[It was the time they'd been waiting for - salad and ravioli came out on a large tray held by the waitress from before.]

Woohoo!

[....though, the portions weren't quite so substantial as they might be in other restaurants in the city. Sonny had kind of expected this - fancy food in fancy places like this was served in sparing portions for whatever reason. Still, there was nothing to say he couldn't order a few pizzas later, and Voile wasn't a big eater so this was probably perfect for her, he reasoned.]

[He was too enthused, she decided. But it was Sonny and he was almost always excited about food. In fact, anytime he wasn't was a general indication that something was very, very wrong. To Voile, it was just food and she could go with or without it.

But he was right on the money. It was a little more than she wanted, even. After all, if she overate she wouldn't be able to keep such a keen eye on her figure. The way she looked right then and there, not too top heavy, and a nice in turn of the waist, and a seemingly satisfactory rear... All of those could be spoiled by the wrong kind of food or too much food.

(To be fair there was probably too much in turn of the waist—not that Voile ever would have admitted to it.)]

It looks good. I thank you again, Sonny, for bringing me here. If the food's as good as they say, I suppose that means I'll have to come again.

Would you like to try my raviolis before you get stuck into your salad?

[He placed his hands on either side of the warm plate in anticipation of her saying yes. She was right - he was always enthused when it came to food. It was just who he was. But at least he was equally enthused about sharing that food as he was about eating it himself, right?]

[She eyed his ravioli for many moments and then as carefully and as daintily as she could manage—which was no great feat considering her very demeanour—she reached over and with her fork, untainted by salad, she stabbed one of his raviolis. What followed after was a small bite, to which she quietly chewed with scrutiny of taste.]

Hm...
You prefer your vegetables and fruits to be cooked, I take it. Like, I wouldn't turn down a slice of pumpkin or cherry pie, but I have to be honest and admit that I like fresh food more than cooked.

I like both! But I guess if I'm going to a restaurant, I usually order something cooked.

[He felt like there was just more involved in it than assembling fresh ingredients into a salad. The chef had to put more time into prepping something that was intended to be cooked, so, you got to experience more of their work.]

Is it good anyway?

I think it's okay.

[And it really was, even if it wasn't her preferred.]

I'm sure you'll love it, Sonny. Not that you've ever been hard to please where food's concerned. I guess in retrospect nothing could be better, all things considered.

[After all, he could have been as finicky as her. That would have been a shame.]

[If Sonny was as picky as Voile, chances are very high that he would be dead.

He started to tuck into it with his fork, spearing the raviolis with gusto and chomping them down. They weren't just OK in his eyes - they were wonderful. It might not be lobster, but there was an added sweetness to them in knowing that they probably weren't making her feel uncomfortable like lobster apparently might.

The poor pasta didn't stand a chance. It was gone very, very fast.]

How's your salad?

[And she was right. He seemed happy as could be munching away. And who was she to tell him not to?

She was about as picky with her salad as she was with anything else she ate. Which meant, eating little and moving stuff around her plate a lot. At the end of it all, she had the habit groomed well and always looked like she had eaten more than she actually had. That was the trick, after all. Rearrange things and maybe only the most observant eye would catch onto what she was doing.]

I think it's good. I mean, I'm enjoying it. It's a pleasant salad.

[No really. How the fuck was she supposed to talk about salad? She wasn't prepared for that pop quiz, okay.]

[You just be all like 'this lettuce is amazing' or 'they put in too many goddamn walnuts - this is a waldorf salad not a bargain basement pecan pie for chrissakes.']

Good! It would be pretty awful if you didn't like it. I guess it's kind of hard to mess up a salad, though!

[Well, now that he was down to nothing on his plate, he decided he could go for another glass of wine. He poured it for himself and then offered her a top-up?]

Actually, there are plenty of ways to ruin it. There are all kinds of different lettuces, and other vegetables, and sometimes the flavours just don't work well together. If you use a base lettuce that isn't compatible with anything else you put in, or even one thing that doesn't work, it can ruin the whole salad.

[She spoke so matter-of-factly, even as she offered her glass over to him.]

It's just like anything else with cooking. One thing can spoil it, so it's really important to be conscious and aware of what you're making. Sometimes a higher priced food isn't you paying for quality. Sometimes it's just paying to be eating something under a brand name. And sometimes the prettiest looking food can taste awful, while the ugliest unappetising looking dish can taste amazing.

[Voile tilted her head.] But... I... guess a lot of that wouldn't matter to Snorlaxes. Maybe that's too human a thought for a Pokémon to have.

Probably you have to worry about that less if it's a salad with a proper recipe. I don't think at a place like this they would just put different things together for fun like I do sometimes.

[Sonny was a competent cook. Goron Ramsey? He was certainly not.]

[013] - Audio/Video

Exactly! Home sweet stomach.

Om nom nom. I'm drinking red moscato tonight, thanks to you.

I am happy to have been a part of a positive choice for you!

You are part of many positive choices for me. :>

A-Aww! X)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)