whitehairedprettyboy

[With all the hustle and bustle taking place in the city thanks to the shopping season, (which confused Raikov as it was far too early for New Years) Raikov decided to do a bit of shopping himself and his Pokemon: Snacks, winter clothes, and supplies just in case he felt like continuing his exploration of Johto. One item on particular was a quaint little tea set. It had been forever since he last had a good cup of tea and now was the perfect time for one with the weather, now back to normal, and quickly getting colder.

He returned to his recently purchased apartment, which he shared with a certain Englishman, put the rest of the stuff away, then set up the kitchen table with a plate of crackers, an assortment of different flavored tea bags, and two tea cups. (Just in case his roommate wished to join him.

After filling the tea kettle, Raikov set it on the stove then went to sit at the table and read the newspaper while he waited for the water to boil. Katya, who was currently showing off the adorable scarf she'd gotten, scuttled across the table and helped herself to a cracker.]

[ At first, Valmont thinks he's probably dreaming. It can't have been the whistle of a teakettle that he just heard. They don't even own a teakettle. But there one is, happily boiling away on the stove. He hasn't had a decent cup of tea in months. The sight is absolutely beautiful. He stops, transfixed, in the doorway to the kitchen, barely even making to shoo away his Stunky as she scurries over to wind around his leg. ]

You made tea?

[He figured the whistling would bring Valmont ~~to the yard~~, so he folds the newspaper and motions at the other cup.

Katya chirps at the other man, which ends up getting more crumbs everywhere... Such a messy eater.]

I did. Care to join me?

[He gets up and goes to retrieve the kettle. Then he transfers the water to the tea pot (complete with a cosy), sets the kettle aside, grabs a few other things like sugar and milk, and sits back down.]

They were having a sale in the department store and I found this.

[ Without a word, Valmont crosses the room to where Raikov is sitting, grabs him by the shoulders and kisses him hard. He then straightens his tie and calmly sits down across from Raikov as though nothing had happened.

He inspects the tea bags, at length selecting one. Oh god, it's all proper black tea, too. He could cry. ]

Mm. Acceptable.

[ His Stunky, who's followed him over to the table, chitters at Katya. Throw her down a cracker, friend? ]

[O-oh. He hadn't been expecting that kind of a response. He licks his lips afterwards and smirks.]

Just "acceptable," huh?

[Ask and ye shall receive. Katya tosses down a couple crackers for the Stunky.]

... Don't eat all of them, Katya.

[Oh. Sorry. As penance, the Joltik carries one over to Raikov, which earns her a head scratch.]

Thank you, dear.

Acceptable.

[ He merely repeats the word, but the look on his face says it's a little bit more than that. Slowly, he places the tea bag in his teacup and pours the water over it, getting it to just the right level. His first cup of tea in months, and by god, he's going to savor it.

He doesn't notice the crumbs that his Stunky is getting all over the floor as she happily chews away, but he does register that Katya is skittering all over the table. It strikes him as somewhat improper. ]

Er. Should she really be on the table? I mean... [ She's a bloody great bug, is what he means, but doesn't say. He knows better than that. ] Isn't that a bit unsanitary?

[The duo look at each other in unison, then to Valmont with an unimpressed expression.]

Are you saying my Pokemon are dirty?

[Because he certainly doesn't think so, and he proves this point by eating the cracker she just carried over to him in her mouth.]

I - no! Of course not! [ He backtracks hastily, repressing a shudder at the idea of sharing food with an animal. Mental note: wait for Raikov to brush his teeth before kissing him again. ] I was merely asking!

[ He becomes very interested in watching his tea steep. ]

[Oh please, Valmont. It's not like she has diseases.]

You generally don't "just ask." There's always a reason with you.

[He prepares a cup for himself and says something to the Joltik in Russian. She chirps in approval and skitters on to Raikov's shoulder. You're now getting the stink eye from a tiny yellow fuzzball, V.]

[ Well, how is he supposed to know what diseases she doesn't have? You've got to assume the worst with these things. ]

I just thought - well, animals on the table, it doesn't seem proper, you know? [ He gestures vaguely towards his Stunky, who has finished her cracker and is once again making sweet love to his leg, but who at least has remained on the floor. ] But I certainly didn't mean to imply that she or you were particularly unsanitary - could you tell her not to look at me like that? [ Please don't electrocute him, Katya. He hasn't even drunk his tea yet. ]

[Raikov joins in on the stink eye at that statement.]

My dear Niles... You really should learn to watch what you say.

[Katya makes a sound that can easily be identified as "yeah, ya jerk!"]

[ Using his first name. That's cheating. Reluctantly, he opens his mouth. ]

I...

[ You can do it, Valmont. That thing. The one you've been practicing when no one was listening. You got this. ]

I... apologize. [ His mouth twists as the words come out, but at least they're clear, and apparently sincerely meant. Now, was that so hard? (Yes. It was.) ]

[About damn time he apologized for something. Raikov's expression softens and he nonchalantly goes to pour some milk into his tea. Katya remains crabby though.]

You're forgiven. I assume you won't be eating any biscuits?

Edited 2014-11-23 02:44 (UTC)

[ He's trying. He really is. ]

Not if the two of you eat them all, anyway.

[ He carefully levers out the tea bag, then measures out the precise right amount of milk and sugar, determined from years of experience. Inhaling deeply, he lifts the teacup to his lips and -

Okay. This isn't working. ]

Can you get her to stop glaring at me, please? [ All those eyes. It's rather unnerving. And he does not like to be unnerved whilst drinking tea. It rather defeats the purpose. ]

[He rolls his eyes]

Go and play with Stunky.

[ONE LAST GLARE before she disappears down his back and on to the floor to complain to Val's pokemon.]

That better?

[ In reply, he takes a sip of his tea.

Aaahhh. That is absolutely heavenly. He is never going to abandon tea again. If it were a choice between giving up tea and giving up sex with Raikov... Well, Ivan old chap, it's been fun. ]

Much.

[ Meanwhile, Stunky curls her tail consolingly around Katya. Her trainer's a good person! Really! Otherwise he wouldn't be her trainer! But she's sorry he was mean to her! Being mean is a thing he does sometimes! ]

[He shouldn't be mean though! Papa isn't mean to us.

Raikov, meanwhile, tries to study Valmont's expression.]

I'm glad you're enjoying your tea.

[He stirs his a bit before taking a sip as well. Ahh. Perfect... Just like everything he does.]

[ I know! I try to get him to be nice but I don't think he listens to me! He doesn't like it when I'm nice to him either! But other than being mean he really is a good person! ]

"Enjoying" may not be a strong enough word.

[ His expression is about as blissed-out as he lets it get outside the bedroom. It might be time for you to start getting jealous of tea, Raikov. ]

[If you say so... She's still skeptical. Then again, anyone who is mean to Raikov is generally on her bad side.

And he's quite the opposite of jealous right now. Raikov grins, thoroughly amused by Valmont's positive response.]

You're welcome, by the way.

[ Katya's right to be skeptical. Stunky's a good kid, but you can trust anything she says about her trainer to be about 200 times more positive than the truth. She wants to believe in him. She wants to believe so hard.

That being said, Valmont actually is trying to be nice to Raikov these days. Whether he's succeeding or not is a little more up for debate. ]

What? Oh, yes. Thank you, and all that. [ Sorry. He's a little distracted. ] However did you come by a proper appreciation of tea?

[Aren't all pokemon that way about their trainers?

And Raikov appreciates it. V has his moments but he is getting a little better. ... Just a little though.]

Would you believe you English aren't the only ones who love tea?

[ All of V's are, anyway. Though given the way he treats them, they really shouldn't be. Poor things.

Look, he did a real apology. With words and everything. He doesn't know what else you want from him. ]

You'll forgive my assumption, then. America has soured me on the idea that any other country might know how to produce a decent cup of tea. [ The horrors he's seen. Iced tea, really. ] But it seems the Russians have an idea of what they're doing, if you're any indication, Ivan. [ He takes another sip. God, that's good. ]

Of course.

[Smug smug smug. Then his expression temporarily changes to one of disgust.]

But I still don't understand why you went to America.

[Why would anyone want to go there willingly?]

I've told you, it was for my work. Believe me, given the choice I would have preferred to stay in England, but that just wasn't feasible.

[ After all, it's hard enough to transport a giant sentient dragon statue within the country. ]

[Raikov rubs his chin in thought.]

You know, you never did tell me what you do for a living aside from collecting artifacts.

Tea Time! - November 21st

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