This fic was inspired by a beautiful piece of fanart I found while browsing Japanese fan sites. Unfortunately I cannot remember which site...
Sorry for ary inaccuracies with any foods mentioned. I really wanted to use one of Raven's favourited which are sushi, sashimi and fish with miso... I know nothing of Japanese food and research proved them all a bit complicated for me to write. It's not a big deal since sushi is actually barely mentioned in this story but it took me a while to figure which to pick and I re-wrote the part when I changed my mind;;
Tasting the love is a reference to the skit "Yuri's secret ingredient" and the pokerface comment is in the skit "Eye Candy".
All characters mentioned (c) Bamco.
"Open up."
Raven snorted. "Ya don' haft--- mmm."
"Well?"
"Mhn, lemme shee…" he swallowed. "Estelle's."
"Huh. Well whaddya know. But how about… this?"
During the pause Yuri kept, Raven could only guess that he was reaching for another dish from the low table next to the men. The older one shrugged. An innocent claim of being able to tell apart all of the party members' cooking had led to a full-scale tasting test. Yuri seemed to just love to try and prove him wrong, but this was a bit outrageous for him. Why do I fall for the sadistic ones, Raven thought, half-serious.
So as to not let the outlook of the dishes affect the results (Estelle's food was always nicely plated while Yuri just threw his finalized cooking together), Raven had been blindfolded. Yuri was feeding him the samples and judging the results, and while the older man couldn't see the long-haired lad, he was sure Yuri was grinning like mad. Yuri would never admit it but Raven doing silly things amused him, the blindfolded man could tell by experience. As opposed to his usual cold act towards the man, now that they were alone, the youth even let out a little laugh when he saw Raven's reaction to the current dish.
"Uggh… the hell, this tastes like…" Raven coughed and was about to say "dog food" but paused. He remembered how they had once tried to have the dog cook. "Repede?!" Yuri burst out laughing. "Ahaha, yeah. Sorry, I just couldn't resist…" he sneered, and the older man heard him switch plates. "Ahh… Okay let's get on with this." Raven shrugged again and opened his mouth. "Mm… Judy-darlin's", he answered after chewing on the tiny rice ball, excellent in both taste and texture as usual for Judith's cooking, to get rid of the foul taste of the dog food. "Just say Judy's", Yuri told him and Raven heard not only the previous plate being placed on the table but a tiny change in the swordsman's tone. He instantly took his chance to poke fun at his companion.
"Ohh, jealous, are ya?" he beamed. Yuri snorted. "Like hell I am." Raven wasn't surprised Yuri kept his cool. He'd claimed himself to have a great poker face. The older man wanted to try and get a reaction out of him. "Aww, ya don' hafta be. I can call ya darlin' too", Raven suggested softly. "Don't. Or I might get… upset", Yuri threatened and Raven heard him grab his sword. "Uh… We'll go as it's been then, eh, okays? Let's… move on", the archer tried to sound like he was laughing, but his slight nervousness shone through his innocent act. Yuri placed his sword back on the floor. Raven wondered if the long-haired man ever left his weapon for even a second. I ever saw a chance like that, I'd jump him and--- hmm. Mite be why he's always careful to have it nearby.
Yuri had been waiting for a while. "Hey, old man. You still here?" he called out as Raven sat silent. The man twitched. "Nn-- eh? Oh, yea", he answered and shook his head. Yuri seemed to take a pause, then showed the fork with a piece of a multi-layered sandwich into Raven's mouth. "Thif unorifinal?! Shammiches ar sho Rita", he said while still chewing and wondered if Yuri had found out his imagination had wandered off. "Yeah, well, Rita really likes sandwiches. And you know how her other dishes can wound up, having been violently Fireballed…" the swordsman answered. Perhaps he hadn't.
"Ya think I could have a drink now?" Raven suddenly asked. "Huh? 'Course", Yuri said and picked up a glass of water. "Think I could manage to drink myself? ", the archer laughed and reached his hand towards Yuri they would pass the glass over, but misjudged the distance and his hand met with the man's chest. As they'd both taken off their vest and jacket respectively, the relatively thin fabric of which Yuri's shirt was made offered little to separate their skins. Yuri seemed to stop dead at Raven's touch, from which the man deducted he'd read Raven's thoughts of "jumping Yuri and---" right from his face. The archer immediately drew his hand back. They were "together" on some levels, more or less, but Yuri still didn't like being touched for no reason and without being asked first. Not like he usually lets me even if I did ask 'im first. Raven was nervous again. Damn, did I ruin his less-murderous-than-usual-towards-ol'-Raven-mood? He waited for Yuri's reaction, almost forgetting to breath.
Then he felt the glass at his fingertips. "Here." Raven took the glass. He's not angry? We are alone, but that usually don't make this kinda difference in his conscious act… Somethin's up, the man thought and took a sip. "Water? Don't ol' Raven even get alcohol these days", he whined of the beverage. "Maybe afterwards", he head Yuri tell him. Somethin's definitely up. Raven decided he had to push his luck even further to get anything out of his companion; Yuri might tell him himself later, but chances were the older man might never learn what caused Yuri to be so tolerant. "I been wondering 'bout somethin'. What're ya feedin' me for? Ya know I'm perfectly fine ta do it meself." He had thought it strange for Yuri, who usually wasn't into being real close or doing anything special for him, but had just enjoyed the little lovey-dovey time. But that added to everything was just too out of the ordinary.
While Raven knew Yuri never blushed, his voice sounded like he might have, and the older man imagined it for his own amusement. "Wh—what, for judging purposes. Obviously. You know. Knowing you, old man, you just might cheat just to prove you can do this", Yuri was quick to answer. Damn his fast thinkin'. The youth shrugged. Raven's suspicions were only strengthened as Yuri continued, slightly flustered, "just… shut up. Let's get on with this." He's still gonna go through with this? Well I s'pose I can wait to find out more till he stops being this cute… "Awight. Let's have the next one!" he grinned and seductively opened his mouth. Yuri snorted, but the archer soon had a new sample to taste. His expression went from delighted to disgruntled. "Ugh, so sweet… Karol's", Raven said. "He really should try somethin' else than sugary desserts…" "Why? I like sweet foods", Yuri pointed out, sounding happier again. The bastard really likes to see me suffer. "Yeah, I know ya do---", Raven answered before thinking it through. The long-haired man was silent for a moment, keeping Raven in suspense of his reaction. "And I know what you don't like", he smirked. Raven was a little taken aback; he'd forgotten how he and Yuri had used to throw playful comments back and forth. After becoming aware of his feelings and sharing them with the other man, Yuri had greatly restricted that type of behavior towards Raven. The older man was glad if Yuri was finally truly accepting their relationship and wasn't that reluctant to let others know. Not like Judy-darlin' and Rita hadn't already noticed, though.
"Hey, old man. Here comes the next one…" Yuri said, and the archer thought his imagination had to be overworking itself as the younger man had almost sounded flirty. Raven obeyed, and sighed in delight as the taste kicked in. "Mm, this is yers... Can't miss all the exquisite flavors and… the love", he joked. Yuri laughed a little which also boosted Raven's good feeling about their relationship. "I make a joke once and hear of it for the rest of my life", the swordsman pretended to whine and leaned closer to the older man. "Ya just felt like sushi or didja remember it's one of ol' Raven's favorites?" Raven grinned and also leaned forward, unaware that his companion had also done the same. "Does it make a difference?" Yuri remarked and took advantage of Raven not being able to see him, watching closely as the man licked the last bits of rice from his lips. "Mm. Not really if ya don't mind me comin' to my own conclusion 'bout it. Any case, your cookin' just mite be the best thing I ever tasted", the blindfolded man flattered the skilled swordsman. "Really? Better than… this?" Yuri suddenly said and leaned way forward before the other man could react in any way. Raven was completely taken aback by the sudden soft touch on his lips before he could grasp that Yuri was kissing him.
Raven gently pressed his lips even closer together with the youth's so as to let him know the kiss was desired on his part too. So close to Yuri, the man could scent that peculiar aroma Yuri had about him. Raven could never exactly name what was the scent, but he knew he loved it, it drove him crazy and made him want to never let go. Yuri was all he wanted. He could feel the younger man softly pulling away but an almost non-existent distance and then feel Raven's more experienced lips once again. Just as the archer was going to lean in deeper, to reach Yuri's back and pull him close, the long-haired man broke the kiss and fell back. Raven could only guess, but he was almost sure Yuri wasn't looking straight at him, as a natural result of such a display of emotion even though the older man couldn't see him. It wasn't their first kiss, but both of them still felt very self-conscious. He waited for Yuri to say something first.
"I don't want any stupid comments, okay?" was his first, flustered line. "I just… felt like being a little… romantic, I suppose. You have any idea how stupid I felt when you just started asking why I was doing stuff like this?" Yuri continued, and Raven caught himself smiling so wide it almost hurt. As the swordsman kept a pause, the older man reached behind his head and under the messy ponytail, and undid the blindfold. He squinted slightly as he'd been in the dark for a while, but the first thing he saw was Yuri looking at him, blushing a tad and with en expression the tiniest bit pouty as he expected Raven to somehow make fun of him. Raven was so glad the younger man shared his emotions, and the archer smiled at him like he was in heaven and slowly leaned closer.
Raven gently placed his hand under Yuri's left ear and along the base of his jaw line, and said, softly, "I always feel like bein' a little romantic with ya. It's just natural ta want ta be with the one ya like." As Yuri clearly showed he didn't mind being touched, though he would never have admitted he actually liked it, Raven caressed the soft skin behind his ear and went so close he could feel the swordsman's even breathing. "Ya know I tease ya 'cause I love ya", he whispered and gently kissed Yuri on the lips. "Mmm…" the long-haired man mumbled his very faint objections into the kiss, but as he felt Raven's tongue gently asking for entrance, he couldn't help but part his lips and allow him in. Yuri groaned as the man found his sensitive spots, and the older man felt waves of pleasure run across him with each sound the swordsman involuntarily made. Raven felt his body getting hotter; he wanted more of Yuri, to have Yuri completely for himself… The archer rose onto his knees and leaned forward on his left hand and moved his right onto the younger man's arm into a tight-ish grab, trying to push the younger man down while still kissing him with newfound passion.
But Yuri drew the line there. Almost instinctively he gathered his strength in the heat and pushed Raven away. As the older man inhaled sharply and stared at Yuri with a look of surprise and disappointment at being so suddenly interrupted, the swordsman snapped at him; "Just because I let you close doesn't mean you can do anything you want, old man." Raven sighed and closed his eyes. While he was ashamed of letting himself get so carried away, he would so the same again. The moment of closeness had been so wonderful, so full of true emotion… I betta apologize to him though or I mite have ta say goodbye to kissin' him for a long while, even if he ain't that angry… "Yuri? I'm sorry, I got kinda carried away. Any way ya could find it in ya ta let ol' Raven try an' behave one more time?" he said, with the best repentant face he could manage. He heard Yuri snort at him. "Humph. I suppose. And just a pointer for future reference… I will be on top." Aww, just as I thou--- wait. What was that last---? Raven stared at his companion wide-eyed and couldn't form a coherent sentence in his usually quick-witted mind. Did he just kinda promise we'll--- "Hey, old man. You think we could still spend a nice rest of the evening? Just… hanging out and maybe enjoying these…" Yuri interrupted his thinking and dug out two liquor bottles of Raven's favorite brand from behind the table the tasting foods were on. He smiled at the ponytailed man's delighted expression. "I'd be glad ta", Raven grinned at him heartily. The swordsman handed one of the bottles to him. Raven took it and decided to take one more chance and moved closer to Yuri, right to his side and leaned on the younger man, placing his head on the wide shoulder. Yuri snorted but didn't try to drive him away. I'm in heaven.
