Chiana

[amusebouche]

Despite being short of many supplies (Bert had not yet delivered the requested goods), Andras had managed to make a meal worthy of his name. Being the ship's chef often meant he had to cook great quantities and in a limited amount of time. He made meals. There was hardly ever a moment to make dinner a performance.

He was grateful for the time off when they docked. People went to visit the planet and there was much less need for dining in the ship's kitchen.

He had therefore been able to make a full three course meal for two. He was proud of his efforts and knew the result would be appreciated.

There was a knock on the door and he straightened his waistcoat to open the door to greet his guest.

Comments

[nebaritralk]

Chiana had made her own preparations for the evening. There was a bottle of wine that had been part of a case procured for her bar - she knew for a fact that it was good wine, spicy and deeply flavoured and heady, and this one bottle was left. It was a sign that it was meant for tonight's dinner, and she took it to her quarters to change into something more appropriate. She chose one of her favourite corsets, one that let her move while still doing amazing things to her cleavage, something in a dark grey that matched her eyeshadow. Her pants were as skin-tight, and comfortable, as usual, closer to leggings than pants, and her boots were both alluring and practical. That was the best descriptor for her outfit as a whole, if you asked her.

"Andras," she greeted the chef when he opened his door to her. She had the bottle tucked under one arm, and she switched it to her hand and held it out. "Here's to hoping it fits what you had planned for tonight." She stepped forward, into his space unless he moved out to make space for her to enter, and tilted her head to look up at him. "Or we can keep it for after dinner drinks."

[amusebouche]

Andras knew better wines to suit the meal, but he was happy to serve the wine she had chosen. It was a good wine and a good year; he appreciated that.

He also appreciated her chosen outfit. It stood in stark contrast with his own, more classic look, but it suited her and she wore it well. He couldn't imagine her in a classical dress, but this had its own alien elegance.

"Chiana, do come in," he said with a smile. "This will do perfectly with dinner. I'll open it now so it can breathe before we taste it. Sit down, make yourself comfortable."

[nebaritralk]

"I'm not sure you would like my way of making myself comfortable," Chiana retorted with a wicked smile, and moved into his apartments, watching out for every tiny detail of personal decoration. She was thirsty for anything to do with Andras.

She turned back to him once she was a few steps in. "Want me to open it?" She'd relinquished the bottle to him upon walking in, but she would gladly do the honours.

[amusebouche]

" Please, if you like," Andras replied, having taken her comment on making herself comfortable with a silent and polite smile. " Dinner's ready, but it can hold a few more minutes."

[nebaritralk]

Chiana followed him to get the bottle back from him, and the corkscrew he'd just grabbed. She made short work of opening the bottle, with the practiced ease of someone who did that all day. "You got a decanter?"

She might not be fancy like he was, but she'd learned a lot about alcohol in general these past few years. And a lot about wine, some of it from him.

[amusebouche]

Andras appreciated her adaptability. Well, she wasn't going to drink it straight from the bottle, which was a good thing. He walked to the shelves that made up his cupboard and took the crystal decanter. It reminded him of something, but he wasn't quite sure what. Perhaps a shop he had once visited, a house he had once called home.

He passed her the decanter and smiled. "You look beautiful," he remarked. "I feel very honoured you made the effort."

[nebaritralk]

"You like it?" Chiana grinned, but remained focused on pouring the wine in the decanter for now. Once she was done, she stepped over towards Andras to hand him the empty bottle (and stand in his personal space while she was at it). The fingers of her free hand stroked over her ribs, down one of the corset bones. "It's one of my favourites."

[amusebouche]

"It looks very good on you," Andras said, mildly, though his eyes followed her free hand. He took the empty bottle from her, but didn't step back yet. "And your perfume is exquisite."

[nebaritralk]

"You said you liked it once," Chiana confirmed, looking all the way up at him with a smile, shifting her body slightly. Of course, with him being this tall and them standing so close, her cleavage was even better than usual. And she had dabbed perfume between her breasts, too; who did you take her for.

[amusebouche]

As his eyes followed her hand, he did look straight into the cleavage so obviously put in front of him. It was harder, in the privacy of his own room, to maintain some distance between them. "I like it better now," he confessed, and only then took a step back.

[nebaritralk]

Chiana almost stepped forward and asked if he liked her better now, but held back at the last second. A little wine, a little food, they couldn't hurt. She relaxed back into herself, another shift of her body. "Then we should do this more often," she simply answered, instead, with a close-mouthed smile.

[amusebouche]

"We should," Andras agreed. "What took us so long?" He mused, a little flirtatiously himself. He took two glasses and held them out, leaving the honour of pouring the wine to her.

[nebaritralk]

"No. Idea," Chiana playfully replied, as she grabbed the decanter again to pour the glasses. She was a little less at ease with it than she had been with the bottle, since the shape and balance were so different, but she still pulled it off nicely, without a drop of wine running down the outside of the decanter when she righted it. "What are we drinking to?" she asked as she set it down, and took her glass from him, brushing her fingers against his as she did.

[amusebouche]

"To today," Andras suggested. "The future's uncertain, the past is in the past. Neither matter if today is a good day," he explained, and then thought of his words. "To tonight - good food and beautiful company."

[nebaritralk]

"Good food, and beautiful company," Chiana echoed with a delighted smile, tipping her glass against Andras before taking a sip, all the while holding his gaze. Ah, she loved that wine; the clear pleasure she drew from the drink was not faked at all.

[amusebouche]

Andras saw her pleasure and was pleased she valued the taste of wine. He smiled at her. "It's always amazed me that despite the obvious differences between our species, our pallet is mostly overlapping," he remarked.

[nebaritralk]

Chiana clucked her tongue in denial a few times, shaking her head as she shifted her hips, upper body following. "Pallets can be taught. You meet a Nebari that's never left the homeworld, you'd be surprised."

[amusebouche]

"I would like to be," Andras admitted. "I'm very much in favour of getting to know new flavours and new ingredients. And if there's something you like, I'd be happy to prepare it for you."

[nebaritralk]

"I ever get my hands on what I'd need, I'll cook for you," Chiana retorted, and took another sip from the glass, turning away from him to go back to studying his living arrangements.

[amusebouche]

"I'll look forward to it," Andras said. She turned away from him then, and he couldn't help staring a little. The back of her was somehow less aggressive, less feral, possibly because she was less aware of it. It was elegant instead; a beautiful female shape, helped by a corset and an impossibly tight suit. Somehow Andras was reminded of a lesson in anatomy, a drawing he had once seen that had a woman's back opened up, displaying skin and muscles as though they were wings. He didn't know why; she just had a beautiful back.

"Shall we start?"

[nebaritralk]

Chiana turned back around to him with a sharp smile. "Yes," she agreed, the s a little more sibilant than needed. "Can I help with anything?"

She wasn't used to being waited on.

[amusebouche]

"No," Andras assured. "You are my guest. Please, sit."

He took the first course from the table, where it was kept warm. "Pork tongue a la ravigote, inspired by Pascal Aussignac, slightly altered for lack of tarragon, cloves and... quite a few other ingredients."

[nebaritralk]

Chiana lowered herself into one of the chairs at the table, putting the glass down on the table. The translator microbes couldn't do much for her when it came to foodstuff she had no clue about, and Andras's words meant very little to her. "Who's Pascal Aussignac?" she asked, instead, watching the dish Andras was bringing over.

[amusebouche]

"A renowned chef on Earth," Andras explained. "I draw inspiration from books and menu's."

"Tongue is a slightly exotic dish where I come from. I don't know how it is on your home planet, but I assure you that you will like it's taste."

2013/11/21 nebaritralk - DW Comment dw_null@dreamwidth.org

[nebaritralk]

"I got nothing against tongue," Chiana assured him with a quick, sharp smile, as she picked up her fork and knife. While she intended it as yet another sexual innuendo, she meant it literally, as well. When you had travelled to the places she had, any animal body parts were good to eat.

As long as you hadn't given that animal a name that she knew of, anyway.

She cut off a first bite, making sure not to lose the greenery on top of the muscle as she balanced it on her fork, then had her first bite. As usual with Andras's dishes, her lips curled into a pleased smile even as she chew. It wouldn't occur to her to try and hide how much she appreciated it.

[amusebouche]

Andras watched her take that first bite, enjoying her enjoyment, taking her smile as approval, and only then taking a bite himself. "I hardly have use for tongue in the kitchen, so I store them for finer enjoyment. I'm glad you like it."

[nebaritralk]

"I'm enjoying it just fine," Chiana confirmed with one of her more genuine smiles, dark eyes twinkling happy confirmation of that fact. "Is it complicated to cook?"

She was interested in the process, yes, and just as interested in listening to Andras talk about it. He loved it so much.

[amusebouche]

"The tongue is easy to procure, the process of cooking it is slightly more complex. It's a delicate piece of meat. Patience is the key. It has to boil slowly for abour four hours, stand, peeled. It's a process that requires care, a certain amount of delicacy - respect, almost. People often forget that," Andras explained. "If you think you can muster the patience, I could teach you."

2013/11/22 nebaritralk - DW Comment dw_null@dreamwidth.org

[nebaritralk]

"Patience isn't exactly my forte," Chiana retorted with a doubtful, brief purse of her lips. "Not unless you make it really worth my while."

[amusebouche]

A little flirtation in return. "I would," he assured. "I always would."

[nebaritralk]

Chiana smiled at that, close-lipped, and swallowed the next bite before replying. "Oh yeah? What kind of incentive did you have in mind?"

Not that she really expected him to; it had been months and months. If he wanted to frel, he would've taken her up on her offer by now.

[amusebouche]

Andras smiled. It was not that he didn't like Chiana. It was that her methods in seduction were a bit crude. He didn't think of it as 'frelling', he preferred the term 'to make love', and there was wine and music involved. He didn't think it should be shallow, a scratch on the bedpost.

So their relation remained teasingly flirtatious. But he was a man, and lust was not unknown to him. He could merely compose himself quite well.

"Whatever you would like; a slow roast, a luscious dessert..."

[nebaritralk]

"Whatever I would like?" Chiana echoed with a widening smile.

[amusebouche]

"Of course," he said, talking of food, naturally.