The title is more or less explanatory. The outcome perhaps less obvious. The second piece I've written but the first to be uploaded. So be a dear and give me some feedback, pretty please.


Inui was in the club house emptying the contents of two shopping bags onto the table and sorting the ingredients by vegetable.

He rinsed, peeled and cut the vegetables into chunks and tossed them into his blender. He added two oranges peeled into boats and decided to add a spoonful of honey as well after sampling one of the wedges and finding it somewhat sour. Maybe some sweetness would make this batch more palatable for the regulars.

He really couldn't understand why they all treated his brews with the contempt they displayed – or the dislike – and even less the fear it also seemed they regarded them with.

He always chose the best vegetables, unblemished, fresh, ripe, – and he tested the combinations himself numerous times, aiming for a perfect harmonious blend of taste. He painstakingly perfected his juices with regards to texture and colour and nutritional value.

And what did he get for all his efforts? Exclamations of distaste, looks of horror, all sorts of attempts at avoiding the concoctions. None of his team mates seemed to appreciate the hard work and effort he put into the health drinks. Even Ryuuzaki-sensei seemed to avoid sampling his work.

No, that was not quite true. Fuji seemed to appreciate his drinks, if not outright enjoy them.

Inui switched on the blender and watched the blades churn the lumps into a frothy liquid. It was fascinating how quickly the consistency of vegetables could change so much. He listened for the change in the sound that told him it would not liquidize any further and then turned it off.

The sound of steps behind him made him turn around. It was Fuji who smiled at him.

"Ah! You're making a new Inui juice! I hope I am not intruding."

"No. Not at all. I'm just about ready to sample it."

"Mmmm. Do you have a name for it yet?"

Inui shook his head, poured himself a glassful and drank it. He breathed in heavily with the first sip, sucking in the smell, took a small sip and sloshed it gently around his mouth, letting it fill his mouth and then focused on the sensations coming from his taste buds as the juice flowed over his tongue.

He had been correct in his assessment of the oranges – they were on the sour side – but that one spoonful of honey neatly balanced them out with its sweetness, without becoming cloying. And it seemed that there would be no need to adjust anything about this recipe before presenting it to the other regulars.

Fuji stood by and watched him empty the glass. He wondered if Inui himself was aware of how fascinating he looked, tasting the vegetable drink in the same way that a connoisseur of wine would do. The only difference really was that he didn't spit it out but downed it all after seemingly having completed his assessment.

"Well Inui. Is it any good?"

Inui started. He had forgotten about Fuji in the thrill of the sampling.

He nodded. "It is a success. The balance between the flavours is perfect!"

"Ah! That is good. Though I wonder whether our team mates will see it in the same way," Fuji replied.

Inui frowned at that and sighed. He cast a sideways glance at Fuji. "I have my doubts. They never seem to care for them, no matter how hard I try." He pointed to the tray with glasses. "Would you like to try it?"

Fuji's smile grew wider. "If I might be allowed."

Inui nodded and poured some into a glass and handed it to Fuji, then poured more for himself.

They lifted the glasses in a silent cheers and drank. Inui kept his eye on Fuji, looking for a reaction though expecting none.

Fuji savoured the first mouthful, then took a second and swirled that around. Inui looked at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"Hmm. It is rather good." There was a slight hesitation.

"But…?" Inui prompted.

"Something seems to be missing," Fuji completed.

Inui looked distraught. "What?" He tasted it again, wondering what could possibly be missing. He could not taste anything wrong with it.

Fuji took another sip. He smacked his mouth and the tip of his tongue ran over his lips.

"Ah! I think I know!"

Inui swallowed fast. "What? What is it missing?"

Fuji filled Inui's glass with some more. "Here. Take another sip."

Inui obliged, and started swirling it around again, closing his eyes to better focus his senses on tasting alone.

Suddenly his senses were thrust into overdrive with the presence of something strange and soft, yet firm moving in and around his mouth and caressing his tongue. He opened his eyes at the same time as he felt someone, felt Fuji, pressing himself against him, holding him; realising in the same split second that Fuji was kissing him, had penetrated his mouth with his tongue and was sucking and savouring the juice in Inui's mouth.

When Fuji broke away from him, he smacked his mouth again and ran his tongue over his lips in a tasting, almost predatory way.

"Hmm. That was better! Much better!" Fuji remarked cheerfully. With no further comment he glanced into the by now empty blender, shrugged his shoulders in disappointment, left the glass on the table and turned around to leave.

"Do let me now the next time you make this! I'll be wanting some more!" he said and walked off, leaving Inui standing in a daze, wondering whether he ever would make another batch using this recipe.