personavelvetroomdr | [MINGLE] chocolate and roses

"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."

"Yeah! Only that last one, Corvus, or you're gonna sound like a gravely old grandpa and you won't get to appreciate the coffee, chocolate or cookies!" Hamuko joined in the teasing, pointing at where he'd held onto his goodies.

But with that, she turned to Kira, grinning in amusement. "I'll just have to be your date for now!"

"You've clearly never had iced coffee. It's nice enough," Kou snorts. Mostly, he's saying this to rile Kira up... he knows how coffee enthusiasts feel about iced coffee. Not like he wouldn't drink any slop that passes for coffee if it means an energy boost. He purposely drops his voice a little for his next words; "And don't you worry, Hamuko-san, I'm already there."

He's always happily eaten everything. Enjoyment has always been secondary, as well, though obviously he'd rather go for something he enjoys better.

Though he does wrinkle his nose at Hamuko's comment.

"Ugh, don't. He doesn't need an ego boost," he teases- actually teases, taking a drag of his cigarette with the hint of a barely-hidden smile of amusement.

Edited 2025-02-26 18:55 (UTC)

Kira made a sharp tsk with his tongue, narrowing his eyes at Kou with an exaggerated look of betrayal. "Oh, I see what you’re doing," he accused, pointing a finger as if Kou had just committed a grave sin. Trying to bait him into a long-winded rant about how most iced coffee tastes like factory-produced garbage—because it does—and how the moment you add sugar, it turns into some sickly-sweet abomination that’s neither coffee nor a milkshake, but something much, much worse.

His glare was playful but intense, like a man holding himself back from launching into a passionate TED Talk. He took a deep breath. "But I won’t fall for it. Not today."

What he does fall for is Hamuko's comment as he turns to throw her a very coy smirk. “Oh?” he mused, tapping a finger against his chin. “My date, huh? My, my, what a lucky man I am.” His tone was all teasing, but the grin on his face had a mischievous little edge to it.

Then came Corvus’ quip, and Kira, as if on instinct, had a perfect Wildcard Moment™. One he wasn't even aware of. He turned on his heel, eyes gleaming, and leveled Kou with an infuriatingly amused look.

"Wait a minute," he said, slowly, like he was unraveling a grand conspiracy. “Are you... jealous, Corvus?”

The words dripped with playful challenge, but Kira didn’t stop there. No, he leaned in slightly, his grin widening into something downright devilish.

“Don’t be shy,” he added, wiggling his fingers playfully. "I have two hands.”

"You could also take mine, if you're so inclined," Hamuko shamelessly winked, laughed, then looped an arm through Kira's to drag him off.

"Come on, let's get a good seat before they're all taken!"

Kou gives them both a neutral stare, slowly blinking. Then, he goes to take a drag of his cigarette...

... only to lean forward, breathe out a firm, "not a chance," and sending a puff of smoke their way.

Then, he leans back, and gives them a far-too-pleasant smile.

"Enjoy your coffee."

Kira grinned ear to ear as Hamuko fully leaned into his little ploy- in a true Valentine's day fashion swooping in to steal Kou's heart.

He shook his head at the little puff of smoke and blows a raspberry at him.

One day...

"Cool, yea we totally should-" he didn't dissuade Hamuko’s hold as he throws Kou a two fingered salute. "Roger that. I will wait it out and brew you a good one too."

A silent promise, the same earnest smile. Even if he was a little spiteful, he was- so goddamn tired of being alone here.

And with that, he allowed Hamuko to drag him in. Phew-! She sure had the energy, huh?

And this place did too. He clicked his tongue, watching the crowd of cognitions walking around. God. Couples, man.

"I kinda miss my cat," he mutters. "Didn't exactly talk to me like the other universes but he knew me really well. I would have told him to harass Corvus just in case he had an idea of leaving or changing his mind."

"Wait-- other yous can talk to their cats? Amazing!! I guess my friends and I were lucky that Aigis could understand our dog, Koromaru... but being able to talk directly sounds amazing."

She would ADORE that...

"Okay okay-- claiming a booth before we lose a chance. I'm off!"

Meanwhile, Kou sighs, leaning against the wall outside the cafe, cigarette still dangling from his mouth. His face isn't visible to the other two from this angle, but to anyone passing by he looks... pensive.

... Seems he isn't quite done smoking yet.

"Right? Maybe I would finally understand what my Morgana kept meowing about when shoving my face into my pillow. Swear I thought he was trying to kill me at some point," his expression droops with a mock bitterness- like he was recounting one of the more traumatic memories in his life.

As soon as she's off, Akira follows quickly- glancing at the counter. This was still one of the more rundown cafes, thankfully which meant that there was still plenty of space to weave around one of the cognition-being?? baristas?? and brew a few cups to steadfast their day forward. Should they find an open booth, Akira's lips would quirk up, commenting- "Also do you know you can just shoo off any of the cognitions here to get the seat that you want? Maybe shooing is a bit harsh, they just part like the Red Sea honestly."

"I don't know if I can handle that yet...... it still feels too rude," Hamuko laughed awkwardly, settling in and relaxing for the moment. The atmosphere at the cafe was pretty busy... but it was warm, pleasant enough.

Edited 2025-03-05 17:22 (UTC)

Taking his final drag, Kou crushes his cigarette under his heel, exhaling. He glances inside, feeling the impulse to leave for a moment.

Sigh. No, no, Kira saved his life. The least he can do is show the bare minimum of respect, and sit with them for a bit. So, he pushes open the door, quickly spotting the duo.

"No coffee yet? Hm, how slow..." he comments, settling across Hamuko.

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1/2

2/2 (i am sorry for this little troll)

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