personavelvetroomdr | [MINGLE] chocolate and roses

Boyfriends and girlfriends.

Wow, that must be nice. The most he ever managed to score was dating Goro and Sumire in one timeline and of course as always, things never went according to plan.

Still this meant she was the perfect bait for his carefully crafted chocolate.

And hence he silently watched, up until Hamuko actually ate the chocolate and his grin widened. A devil's advocate through and through-

Only for her to-

What the hell did she just?? Eat that??

He finds Corvus staring at him.

"Well I DIDN'T say I was wishing you guys a happy belated Valentine's Day."

He shot Corvus a quick smirk, fingers angling against his chin. "Only the red chocolates may have a surprise. Yours is normal. Call it...revenge for Singles’ Awareness Day. Nothing lethal, of course, but let’s just say curry might be involved." He gave a theatrical shrug, all innocence. "I’m doing my civic duty, really. Keeping things interesting."

"But damn that was...not the reaction I was expecting." He sounds very disappointed.

It definitely was spicy - one could tell by the way she fanned her own face, and was trying not to salivate too hard.

But the combination of curry and chocolate flavors itself...!!!

"Did you put curry powder in here? Oh! Or any other spices? Chili flakes? I wanna make some... maybe with a more fruity hot pepper...!"

Kou cannot believe this shit.

"You actually like this?" he asks, dubiously. "Seriously?"

He sighs, and takes a good, deep drag of his cigarette. God, something about her really did have that Ren- Amamiya vibe, and this only confirmed it further.

"De gusta non disputandum est..." he exhales, shaking his head, frowning at Kira. "You're lucky she actually liked that, dumbass."

Kira’s eyebrow twitched—barely visible beneath the frame of his sunglasses, but enough to betray how utterly baffled he was. She liked the prank chocolates? No—loved them? And now she was asking for his ingredient list?!

Kira blinked once, then twice. “...Well, I do make my own curry powder,” he muttered, still processing. He rubbed the back of his neck, considering her suggestion. He’d tried to turn curry-flavored chocolates into a surprise disaster. But now… fruity hot pepper? That sounded oddly gourmet.

Grumbling under his breath, he reached into the basket and grabbed one of the red hearts, unwrapping it with a frown. Was she just a really good actor? Only one way to find out. He popped a small piece into his mouth and nibbled, slowly.

His brows lifted. The combination of the dark chocolate’s bitterness and the warm, lingering heat of the curry?

…It wasn’t bad. It was actually good.

“Huh. What the hell. I kind of like it,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone. He’d reverse-engineered these chocolates specifically to ruin people’s day, but now he was thinking about keeping a stash for himself.

When Kou would turn to him he would see a rather interesting or insane image of Akira liking his own trap chocolates.

Kira looked up at Kou, now casually munching on the spicy chocolate. “No, you’re right. I was a dumbass,” he deadpanned. “These chocolates are...whew.” He smirked a little. “I mean, the whole plan was to make it unbearable, but I might’ve just discovered my new favorite snack.”

Then, Kou’s reaction clicked something in Kira’s brain. He remembered his Goro—the way he’d always hated anything remotely spicy. Maybe… this Akechi did too?

That thought stayed with him as he leveled a careful look at Kou. His grin crept back into place as he said, “Whatever sentence you just spewed early, I’m just going to assume it meant you’d LOVE to try this chocolate. I’m curious now.”

He shot Hamuko a quick glance, snickering. “...Unless Corvus can’t stomach spicy food.” His grin widened into something teasing and mischievous. “Can't... handle a little heat?”

"Don't get be wrong, this IS something with a lot of heat! But I don't know... are you the kind of person to appreciate mapo tofu, Corvus? This might be too much for you otherwise..."

Hamuko grinned, matching Kira's challenging energy completely.

He looks between Hamuko and Kira, his feathers clearly ruffled. For a moment, it looks like he might face their challenge head-on...

... but then, he deflates, rolling his eyes while he takes another drag of his cigarette. He gives them a tired glare.

"Unlike you morons, I haven't completely destroyed my tastebuds," he says, "and I'm the smoker here, so that's saying something."

And as if to emphasize his point further, while he talks, he lets the inhaled smoke leak from his mouth.

"So no, sue me for not wanting to burn my mouth and digestive tracts."

Kira couldn’t help it—he snickered. “I don’t know… maybe you’re just very chicken, Corvus-kun.” His grin was all teeth, teasing but not entirely unkind. “And hey, for the record, smoking is like spicy food, but way more tragic.”

Still, he reached back into the basket and pulled out a yellow-wrapped chocolate for Hamuko, holding it out like a peace offering. “Here. No traps this time. Consider it compensation."

Kira sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a slight low hum. "Maybe I should have added more pickles," he mused aloud.

Then he quickly raised both hands. "I’m kidding! No pickles. I’m not a monster."

"Hahah! Now pickles and chocolate would've been SUPER gross. Or you could've picked out unsweetened cocoa, and see people's eyes water from how strongly bitter it was," she giggled, gratefully taking another chocolate.

"The backfire is fine, though, because I'm getting all kinds of ideas I wanna try out! Maybe something just a little spicy in some hot chocolate? The milk would make it bearable even for Corvus' fragile palette..."

"Coffee will do, thanks," he deadpans. "Don't use me as your guinea pig for you weird food ideas."

Nevermind that his diet consists mostly of instant meals, or the occasional curry from Frog, Trickster or Wild. Mostly Frog. No offense to Trickster or Wild, but they're too much like... well, Amamiya. And considering his last encounter with the guy...

Nevermind.

"You two can continue destroying your tastebuds," he snorts, "I'll be over here not doing that."

He says, smoking his cigarette, and destroying his tastebuds.

"Oh my god you're right! Unsweetened cocoa! I feel so stupid now," he makes a loud groaning sound at Hamuko's suggestion. Still, he will take some consolation at the fact that his prank atleast caught her off guard which is nothing in comparison to how his Akechi would have reacted.

"Coffee with milk I bet," he would say as Corvus would offer his two cents on how perhaps the two of them were talking about him right in front of him.

He has the slightest urge to nab that cigarette away from him but he knows better than to try and force his hands so all he does is snorts.

Releasing a dramatic sigh, he stretches one arm as if stretching out the bore in his entire body. "Says the guy who repeatedly destroys his tastebuds."

"And its not even savoury-! Unlike yours truly gourmet-style desserts."

"But capsaicin is a much more fun and healthy way to lose your taste buds! Plus, endorphins! And all the health benefits from spicy food, too - good for your heart, good for dealing with all kinds of inflammation, good for your metabolism...!"

She giggled. She wouldn't really force Corvus, that just isn't her style, but a little teasing and hyping up wasn't a big deal.

"Also, I take my coffee with a little bit of milk too!! It's really nice on the texture... makes it feel a little silkier and that's so nice."

"Good for getting a chronic upset stomach, you mean," he snorts. "No idea how you people's guts haven't escaped in fear yet."

Listen, spicy food fucking sucks, in his humble opinion. He'll eat it if there's no other option, but otherwise? No thank you. It's not like he cares that much about his health, but he'd rather just... not.

"... I guess mild spice is okay," he grumbles, blowing out some smoke, "and coffee... it depends on my mood." Usually he gets it black, but with some milk and sugar is nice, too.

Mostly he doesn't care. He'd prefer good coffee (and lord knows he's been spoiled thanks to Leblanc), but any old coffee-like sludge will do, when he needs a boost.

Edited 2025-02-20 17:14 (UTC)

“I like my coffee black,” he declared, raising a hand as if he were delivering an important speech. “But I get the appeal of milk and sugar. It makes it silky smooth, sure. Though...” He scrunched up his face.

A little too much sugar and—ugh. My teeth practically cry. But,” he grinned at Hamuko, “a bit of sweet never hurt anyone.”

His gaze slid over to Corvus, eyes narrowing playfully as a memory sparked. “Though, if we’re talking food appreciation...I can back him on the mild spicy part. Remember the shrimp tempura with curry sauce?” His grin widened as he leaned forward. “Come on, you tasted it, didn’t you? And you didn’t die! That was one of my little experiments.”

He leaned back, clearly enjoying himself. “You even finished it."

“Anyway,” Kira quickly added before Corvus could protest. “If you guys are up for it and don’t have anything else to do, I could brew us some coffee."

Edited 2025-02-20 20:56 (UTC)

"Ooh, that sounds nice! I can pick your brains, too, get to know you guys better! Let's do it, that sounds fun!" Hamuko clapped, completely sold and excited.

"I suppose I did," he hums, inhaling the final bit of smoke before dropping his cigarette and grinding it out.

The tempura shrimp was pretty good, all things considered. He won't deny that. But also- he's not going to inflate Kira's ego any more than he needs to. He exhales with a shrug.

"Well, I suppose worst case scenario, we'll respawn in the Velvet Room," he says in a deadpan, but it's not nearly as cold as before.

Alas, it seems Kou's demeanour will be thoroughly drowned. For the first time in a while, Kira's grin felt real to him- seeing someone as surreal as Hamuko was well- something.

He missed having that sort of energy back in his own world. Somehow.

"To the nearest cafe we shall go and raid-!" He proudly proclaimed. "If they don't have the kind of coffee machine I like I might grab mine from my place then. All according to plan."

Kou's deadpan statement does make him snort though.

"Oh hell no, I hate going there," he shook his head. "Dying sucks man and then you see that long-nosed keeper just stare at you all smiling and grinning? Hell no."

He takes a look at his basket and frowns for a moment. "Actually- Igor probably...doesn't have a Valentine, right? Might still give him the red one."

"Hah! Man... there really isn't much fondness for old Igor going around, is there?" Hamuko laughed a little, shaking her head, willing to follow the other two. Sounds like Akira has the direction for the moment!

"Maaaaybe I'm biased I guess, he's only ever been extremely helpful to me."

Despite his grumbling, Kou follows, already fishing out another cigarette... man, he's really chainsmoking them today, isn't he?

"The only thing I know about him is that he was a fake for the most part back home," he mutters, "the one here doesn't exactly convince me of his benevolence either."

Considering he plopped Kou in the middle of a sea of people who share his brother's name and face, but not him, actually.

"Said old Igor always looks at you like he just caught you stealing his drugs," Akira comments- not exactly catching why should there be any bit of fondness being subjected to Igor after the whole shitshow with the tapes. "Mweheheh welcome to my velvet room~ No thanks-!"

Of course it was far worse then that. He doesn't know an Igor from back home and he doesn't think he wants to meet one ever.

Still Kou's smoking made Kira huff as he pulled out his phone- navigating to his maps. He shares a look with Hamuko, saying something along the lines of Why is he just inhaling cigarettes at this point?

"Anyways enough about Igor- this isn't about him. I think we have got enough sour things in our mouth as is."

"Ooh, okay there's a cafe right across." He holds out his phone as he shows off the map. "Let's just hope its not too crowded. Or filled with kissing couples. I just saw one yesterday making out in the hotel reception. Ruined my whole day, I swear."

Even in defense of Igor, she can't defend how crazy his eyes are - Hamuko laughs at the impression anyway. He's something far beyond human, he probably wouldn't have his feelings hurt by getting laughed at for looking silly.

The other comment just has her laughing a little more. "Aww, so spiteful! I think it's sweet."

"Gross," Kou agrees with Kira, shaking his head at Hamuko. "They should at least be a little more modest in public."

... Maybe his perspective is a bit colored from his experiences in life, but sue him. Seeing happy couples managed to sour his mood in the past, and nowadays, it only sours his mood more. Do these cognitions have to act like that? They're not even real people, and they don't have real emotions, either.

He wrinkles his nose, inhaling smoke.

"You two go in. I'm gonna finish..." he holds up his cigarette, "... this first."

"Eyyy you get me. Atleast the hotel I live in have sound-proof walls," he fingerguns Kou then throws a twitching smile at Hamuko, as if he couldn’t help himself. "You really are a romantic at heart, aren't you?"

He remembers hearing the same words from his own Akechi and he might have even agreed in a heartbeat back then.

Now?

He's pulled away by his thoughts through Corvus's voice. He blinks, staring away from Hamuko to look ahead at the cafe. Ah, yet again- he's going to see more couples.

"Fair enough," he shrugs. "Don't take too long brooding or we will just have to drag you back you in-! And coffee sucks when it just goes cold, I would know."

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