The Dinner Date

[Kala Leukos]

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27th of Glade, Year 125 Age of Steel

I can give it all on the first date.
I don't have to exist outside this place.
and, dear, know that I can change,
but if stars shouldn't shine by the very first time,
then, dear, it's fine—so fine—by me
'cause we can give it time—so much time—
with me.

"Took you long enough," Kala murmured as she straightened his collar, stood on her toes to brush out the fabric of his coat out along his shoulders so it fell smoothly over the rest of his hanbok. It was pure white, with clever white-on-white embroidery that gave it texture and an odd sort of draw to the eye. When his hands went up to his hair, she caught them, brought them down to his sides, and spun him around, giving him a little nudge toward the door.

"You will be late."

Kaus was not late, though, in the end. While he had first posited waiting a week, Timon had been too busy, and then Kaus had been absorbed with second and third thoughts. Eventually, they agreed to make it a season from his birthday before they had their date. Timon had three months to get accustomed to adulthood, and Kaus had three months to start seeing Timon as an adult. On the one hand, it wasn't difficult to accept; on a visceral level, though, the time had been helpful. He had been able to see Timon as a capable adult taking care of himself, even though he knew how Timon took care of Torin's business and a house and all.

Unexpectedly, Aurin answered the door when Kaus came knocking, and looked rather intimidating for a moment before cracking a grin and pulling him in. There was a moment where Aurin looked as though he were about to pull some shenanigan to embarrass Timon and Kaus, but when Torin tugged him from the room, he was distracted and followed. (Torin, dear reader, had offered to let Aurin do something entirely morally reprehensible to him if he went upstairs with him right then and there.) And so Kaus presented Timon with a posy of snow asters from Starfall; once he had put them in water, they left.

Kaus helped him into one of the tiny private airships the affluent used to skip from island to island in the Cloudhaven District. They flew up into that selfsame district, docking on the stone quay of a small island inhabited only by a small pagoda. Inside, the 'House of the Artisan' was a sort of work of art in itself, minimalist and elegant. A beautiful woman in a black hikizuri led them through the gate, through a small, manicured garden, and into a private dining room where they could hear the water from the outdoor fountain through the washi paper walls.

She made witty conversation until they were seated across from each other at a low table flanked with zabuton. After a few questions about food and drink preferences, she disappeared to prepare their drinks and such. They were left alone, faint shamisen music drifting in from the garden now. There was the wet plop of a fish jumping in the fountain.

It was only when he began to notice such little sensory details that Kaus realized he had fallen quite dumb after their server had left the room.

His head canted a bit to the side as he asked softly, affectionately, "Are you well so far?"

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[Torin Kilvin]

The time since his birthday had gone quickly, and he had been being perfectly honest when he had promised Kaus he would wait patiently a year, if need be. Contracts had been drawn up, with Torin, with House Leukos, with potential suppliers. Aurin had obliged him with quick trips to several other cities, a week here, a week there, to get a feel for the markets outside of Kalzasi.

Due to all of his teachers wanting time set side to train him, he hadn't received any of his requested runes yet either. Though he had begun Scrivening training with Kala amid their expanding lessons. He was beginning to get inklings of why Torin was so fascinated by world magic. On one of his trips, to Zaichaer, Aurin had introduced him to his Traversion teacher, Valencia, and the two had begun a tentative friendship. She was willing to do Aurin the favor of giving Timon some lessons, lessening the burden of time the information broker would have to spend in one place. It would also give Timon time with the Whispers, who he had missed ever since they had returned to their home. Zaicher, for all it had supposedly been destroyed only a few years before, was now a marvel of modern ingenuity. There was supposedly still repair work being done in the inner sanctum, but he had no reason to go there. The social atmosphere was very different than it was in Kalzasi, more repressed in some ways, but more connected as well. People seemed to care about each other and the welfare of the nation as a whole, with significantly less political in-fighting for power. That was likely caused by the lack of nobility, or at least, any that was officially recognized. Trading was being encouraged to return with grants and incentives, which made it an ideal place for him to begin his business, even without the added benefit of his friends and a very skilled teacher. He still wanted the rune from Aurin, but after that, he wouldn't mind spending the Searing season mostly in the reborn Brass City.

These were thoughts that he was using to distract himself, alone in his room, having insisted that neither Torin nor Aurin attempt to give him advice on his wardrobe, his hair, how to act on his date, or anything else for at least the rest of the day. His old master would have given heartfelt but useless advice on all of it, Aurin would have made suggestive comments poorly disguised as advice unless he was in one of his rare and weird sentimental moods, and either way have insisted that Timon carry both a weapons and prophylactics.

He dressed in pale green, a tone that fit both the season and his personal coloring well, setting off hair and carefully tousled hair alike. In truth, he wasn't that concerned about his appearance. He wanted to look good, but Kaus saw him several times a week, most weeks. If rejection based on his appearance had been in the cards, they would have already been played. Even still, it had been two weeks of traveling, deliberately, on his part, since they had met, and he did like the idea of impressing a little.

Strapping on his dagger, because he never went out without it, but no other concession to Aurin's insistence that his honor would need defending, he slipped out to wait in the front room with the two other men. Thankfully, it was only a few minutes before there was a knock at the door. Aurin was up and there before Timon could even properly stand, pulling Kaus inside. Torin immediately snagged his lover, changing the look of wickedness on his face to an entirely different look of wickedness as the two disappeared. Timon, deciding he would bake Torin's favorite treat upon his return, turned to his friend and looked him up and down appreciatively. Not lecherously.

The planning of the day he had left to Kaus, wanting the tone to be set by the one who was less sure of their feelings, so he could glean how to behave. This could turn into the two of them just enjoying a day together, and that would be nice too. The flight was comfortable, conversation about how they had spent their time apart filling it. When they arrived, Timon bowed to the hostess elegantly, as Kala had taught him years ago, and followed, engaging in the new conversation until they were seated and she departed.

They were quiet for a few moments, comfortable. At least, Timon was. He grinned at the question, showing that he was relaxed.

"This is nice, I wasn't sure what to expect. We could have gone sparring and I'd have been happy. I hope this wasn't much trouble."

[Kala Leukos]

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"No trouble," Kaus assured him brightly.

It had, in fact, been trouble.

The trouble hadn't been enough to make Kaus balk. Anything in the Cloudhaven district was discerning, although that could mean any number of things. But if House Leukos was not famous, it was known that his sister was likely to be the next Minister of Finance, and had weathered the change from Novalys leadership to Senue without a pause in her career. If they were not well-known, they were well-respected by those who did know them, and that was how they had always wanted it. Money, of course, was not an issue; he knew Timon would own a fortune probably sooner rather than later, but Kaus had been here once before and knew it would be a memorable experience and one they could share.

In his green, Timon looked as though he were a flower, the pale green of his clothes like leaves opening up to reveal a dewy bud. Fair cheeks flushed a bit; having taken a season to look upon Timon as an adult, he had begun to appreciate how quirks of boyhood had grown into handsome features. Timon was singular. He didn't think he had ever seen anyone who really looked like him, and there was a preciousness to the unique as well. Kaus tried not to think like a poet, but like a man on a date.

He cleared his throat slightly.

"The chef curates the meal," he said. The hostess had mentioned bits and pieces of what he shared, and she had promised that she would guide them through the experience. "There will be several small plates paired with different drinks, everything complementary and rather fine. A feast for the senses while we... ah, feast our eyes upon each other, I suppose." He paused. "That color suits you in the Glade of your life."

Leukos-kin were all winter: pale skin, pale eyes, pale hair. But while he was a creature of the Air, he had an inner warmth like the rest of his people.

"But they give us time to savor everything, and each other's company. We ought to be here almost three hours, I think." Suddenly, he grinned, and he was just Kaus for all the fine white silk that surely wouldn't have a spot on it even after several courses of food and drink. "Hopefully that isn't long enough for me to bore you."

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[Torin Kilvin]

The youth didn't really mind being made a bit of a fuss over, he'd gotten little enough of it for the first twelve years of his life. The culinary aspect of Kaus' choice, in particular, felt like a compliment to Timon's taste and an acknowledgement of one of his special interests. It felt specific to him, not just taking him to share a meal, as one might with any date, but taking him to a special meal where his knowledge of the culinary arts would be titillated and broadened.

If he was being honest, this was more the sort of thing he might have expected from Kala than from her rowdier brother. Maybe her hand was in it somewhere, but he wasn't going to assume so, preferring to give the credit to the Avialae sitting across from him. Timon was excited for the experience, and it showed. Kaus knew the look of interested anticipation on the young man's face well, having seen it in almost all of their sparring matches.

"That sounds amazing. Have you done this before?"

At such a place, each experience would be different, but he Kaus had more of an interest in specialty cuisine than Timon knew, it would be something they could share more often. The compliment made his smile turn a touch rakish, but he was obviously pleased, by both the words and the suggestion that he was allowed to look at Kaus as much as he wished.

"Leaning towards the Searing of my life, I hope." Leaning back on his cushion, he stretched with his hands supporting him, showing off the lean muscles he'd put on over the course of all their training together. Others had trained him too, but Kaus most often and most consistently.

"Surely your outfit doesn't imply you're entering the Frost of yours." He teased, "Maybe just a white-hot Searing."

Banter between them felt normal, a little flirting within that didn't take it outside the comfort zone they existed between them.

"If I get too bored with all the amazing new food," Teenage eyes rolled playfully at the idea, "We can always step outside and go a few rounds between courses. If I fall off the island, you'd catch me."

[Kala Leukos]

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"Yes," he said, "but also no..."

He was smiling, but there was a brief shadow, a touch of conflict, before his smile went back to normal—his normal smiles were like the sun breaking through the clouds.

"Aquilios came to visit not long after we successfully completed our Warren March," he explained. "Our mother was ill and wanted to come, but he came alone. He was also hunting for a wife." He laughed softly. "Anyway, it was winter four years ago so all the ingredients were different. I know you will enjoy it, but I don't know what's coming, not really. So we can both be surprised as well." He paused again, the shadow returning.

"I suppose... Well, mother wanted to take us here because it was where our father took her on their first date, so it's special to her." He reached out and put his hand over Timon's. "I wanted it to be special for me, too. Because you're special to me."

Kaus didn't flinch away when their hostess returned, flanked with similarly attired attendants: a young man and a young woman. He did let his fingers slide over Timon's hand as he slowly retreated back to his upright warrior's posture. Their hostess made a clever joke about touching hands as she offered them hot, wet towels to carefully clean their hands before they touched anything they would consume. While they hadn't been hiding the nature of their visit, she seemed to see far more than Kaus thought he was showing.

If he was flushed, it was more with pleasure than embarrassment.

She told them about the tea plantation from whence came the oolong she brewed there for them, and the distiller who had crafted the shōchū. Expertly combining them into little porcelain cups, she told them how they would please the palate, but also prepare it for the flavors to come; a the mild stimulation of the tea dancing with the diluted dreaminess of the spirit. The nuttiness of the shōchū paired well with the roasted spring nuts whose only garnishes were sprigs of herbs from the foothills of the Astralars and tiny dew drops of frozen roe from Udori.

"It's so beautiful," Kaus noted quietly. "A shame to take a spoon to it."

The presentation was indeed exquisite.

"All loveliness fades, my lord," she said quietly, bowing from where she knelt upon a zabuton. "And all meals ephemeral things." She turned to smile at Timon. It was flirtatious, but the sort of flirtation that was wit rather than any sort of advance. "Thank you for sharing this ephemeral beauty with us this evening."

She bowed to both of them, and then rose gracefully along with her young attendants, and they left as quietly as they had come.

"You think I'm white hot?" Kaus asked in the quiet left behind, as if he had been holding onto that question since he had heard it said.

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[Torin Kilvin]

Timon caught the brief cloud over Kaus' features, but let it pass without comment or question. It could be any number of things and it was preferable that they not dwell on anything negative for the day. If he ever wanted to talk about things that upset him, Timon hoped Kaus knew he could talk to him. If he didn't, he had lots of people who he trusted and could unburden himself to. The human wanted to be someone Kaus could go to, but not ever the only one.

"Leukos family tradition to come here seeking potential partners. Good sign for me."

He tilted his head, made eye contact, "Not knowing what's coming can be the best part. The familiar mixed with the new."

A hand twitched in his lap to reach out, to touch. They shared friendly touch often, but Timon wasn't sure what was wanted here and wasn't willing to push, yet. Kaus wasn't shy, but Timon had been the one to initiate most of their connection. That had felt safe when he was a child. Navigating the change felt huge in his head, and the last thing he wanted to do was fuck up the balance between eager and respectful. He also knew that he was probably being a bit of a boob about all of it and didn't need to be. This knowledge didn't stop the overthinking.

When Kaus took the hand left laying on the table, Timon turned it over to hold back. His throat conveniently closed over an attempt to blurt out that Kaus was the most important person to him. Maybe it was true, but it would have sounded childish. At least to Timon. Instead, he said,

"You make me feel special. You always have. I'm honored to be a part of your traditions and I hope we can make new ones, together."

Was he being too formal? Did that sound stupid coming from someone his age? How was he supposed to tell? When the hostess reappeared with the first course, he listened to her attentively while running his thumb lightly over Kaus' soft wrist until it was withdrawn. The joke about cleaning their hands before touching anything they consumed immediately caused a clever reply about wanting to consume Kaus into Timon's head due to spending far too much time with Aurin, but he kept it to himself. Maybe he would tell Kaus later.

The teasing of the hostess was fun, and when she thanked them for sharing 'this ephemeral beauty' with her, Timon did pipe up with,

"It would be a pity to keep him hidden away, wouldn't it?"

When the servers departed and the question popped out another joking answer came up, but he held it, took a sip of the tea mixture and then answered.

"How much of an answer do you want?" An eyebrow quirked above dancing eyes, suggestive but also a little vulnerable.

[Kala Leukos]

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"As much as you want to tell me," he said after a moment to consider. Neither of them had pounced upon the first course even though both of them were usually hungry; Timon because he was still growing, and Kaus because he was Avialae and those magical wings required quite a bit of energy to maintain.

"I have been honest with you from the beginning. Some answers I gave with what context I thought appropriate, but that did not mitigate their truth. Now you are a man and I can speak to you as a man, and you can speak to me as a man." He paused to sip as well. "I'm not like Kala. She knows things about people without them having to tell her. Not because of magic, but because of who she is. I need you to tell me things. I'm just too likely to miss more subtle cues, especially for something important. And... this is important, isn't it?

"I mean..." He colored a little. It wasn't even a blush, exactly, but merely more of his blood rushing to the surface in excitement. 'Arousal,' Kala had called it, though she said not all arousal was of the sexual kind.

"You should eat my nuts while they're still warm," he suggested, a flicker of play in his familiar gaze. After a beat sufficient to let the humor bloom, he nodded to the plate. After another beat, he reached out, carefully selected one with one shining bubble of roe upon it, a sprig of herb between his thumb and the treat, then rose on his knees to lean forward and offer it. Finger foods were the sort of things lovers shared, and while he could have used one of the tiny spoons they had brought, their hostess wasn't watching.

Perhaps Timon would behave like Torin, and take it in good faith. Perhaps he would take it like Aurin, and pull Kaus' finger into his mouth too.

But he was Timon. Timon was neither of those men, though raised by both. Kaus knew Timon, and yet he didn't know how he would react to such a gentle intimacy. It hadn't occurred to him that Timon might have fumbled with himself under his sheets imagining Kaus until quite recently.

There was already love between them, a bond no less real than the bonds he shared with his sister and the Silver Wings. How that love would evolve now that Timon was a man grown and had expressed an interest in more, they would have to see.

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[Torin Kilvin]

The boy bit his lip, looked down at the lovely food before him, then back up to the lovely man across from him.

"You're really hot, like..." He finished the sentence be widening his eyes to imply the intensity level of his feeling without having to come up with a word. "I started thinking about you like that a while ago, around the time you saved me from the snow storm. Not!" His expression grew afraid as he realized how that situation could be viewed poorly under the current circumstances.

"Not that that had anything to do with it. Except, well, you made me feel safe, like you'd always be there for me." The first sentence was too quick, the second slowing down as it went. Timon eyed Kaus and then his food, then took a bite, letting the simple yet exquisite flavor recenter his brain before continuing.

"Wow." He needed a minute to process the way the tea changed the flavors, taking a sip, then another bite, then another sip. "That's, yeah. I'm going to remember this combo. But, yeah, I, uh..."

Flushing but grinning, embarrassed but not uncomfortable,

"I had to take those feelings and tuck them away, because I wasn't ready for them. I didn't want to be out of my head every time you were anywhere near me. I guess I'm starting to unpack them now, but I still don't want to be stupid just because you smile."

A beat,

"Not too stupid, anyway. I kinda like it when my brain is quieter when you smile."

He wished they were at a taller table so he could hook his ankle around Kaus', contact that wouldn't stop them from eating or gesturing. Timon gestured when he spoke helplessly. If he was ever tied up, he might not be able to form a complete sentence.

[Kala Leukos]

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The spots of high color intensified upon his cheeks as Timon ate from his fingers and told him he was hot. But he merely nodded, listened, and took it all in. When Timon waxed prolix in his praise of the food, Kaus took the opportunity to focus on that so his mind could return to a more familiar sort of reality.

After making another perfect little bite—the masterful way they had laid out the plate made it easy—he placed it on his tongue and let his mouth close over it. His eyelids drifted downward as he tried to focus on taste and its auxiliary—smell—without the distraction of sight. He could still hear the splash of water through the washi paper walls, the specific timbre of bamboo gently striking bamboo as the water of the fountain filled it and made it tip over to pour out in the next pool.

"The chef really found a perfect balance between flavors... except..." he took a sip of his shōchū and oolong, then hummed briefly. "The umami brings out fruit notes from the shōchū. That's nice. But..."

His eyes opened and there was Timon still. He almost startled, as if he had forgotten that Timon had grown up, that Timon looked at him like that now.

"Delicious," he said. Then, "I think it's that they used roe for the salt rather than, well, salt. It isn't fishy like many types of roe, nor overpoweringly salty. There's almost a sweetness to it and... a sadness. As though it longs still for the sea." He paused. "Too much poetry for a bite of food?"

Platinum eyebrows rose and his shoulders relaxed on purpose, as if preparing himself to withstand a blow in the training ring. There were new walls around his heart since Solunarium. He was trying to break them down; they weren't useful in every situation, nor with every person.

"Anyway, you are the expert when it comes to cooking. I know how not to offend people with my manners at a state dinner, but most of the time, it's just fuel." He paused, and perhaps Timon was quiet because he was waiting for something or just because he was nervous. Nerves weren't bad, of course; they were just nerves. But Kaus tried to speak honestly and alleviate them all the same.

"You're a man now, Timon." He laughed. "I wondered how you would be when you grew into yourself, back when we first met, when I didn't know how much time we would spend together. Time is strange, and I oughtn't to be dumbfounded that you've grown. You've grown ever since we met, and your height isn't even the most important growth. I'm proud of you, you know? I was born with more than I needed, and expectations that I would work hard for the honor of my family and for the care of our people. You just took every opportunity life offered you and climbed your way to... well, to the House of the Artisan, floating high above Kalzasi proper.

"I respect who you were and who you are, and I am certain I will respect who you are yet to become. And I love all of those Timons, too. I don't know if it is the type of love you needed as a boy, as you want now, or as you will want in the future, but it is real and it is a good thing. But I will say that over the past few months, I have begun to recognize your charms as a man." He smirked just a little, but it softened quickly. That was the opposite of how Aurin's smiles worked. "You set your feelings aside to focus on your growth. I think that was wise. Now you embrace them once more, better equipped for it. I think we ought to pursue things with a similar wisdom. Let us take our time. There is no rush. And I might just be able to teach you one thing more... how pleasure deferred can be pleasure increased exponentially.

"Now, feed me from your hand. It's only fair to reciprocate."

He flashed one more smile, then leaned forward, lips parted. If Timon deigned to take up a perfect bite and feed him as he had done for the younger man, Kaus would enjoy the intimacy of it. He would also gently, but firmly, take Timon by the wrist so he could kiss the fingers that fed him, exploring a new sort of affection, but slowly.

Then he would do his best to defuse the situation so they could just enjoy each other's company and the six other small courses and accompanying drinks.

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[Torin Kilvin]

Listening to Kaus describe the food, understandably disjointed, processing it in real time was fascinating. Or maybe Kaus was just always fascinating. Or maybe Timon was just a teenager in love. Probably all of them. He nodded along, recalling the flavors as Kaus brought them up, determining to differentiate where each was coming from on his next taste.

"I'm going to have to start using you as a taste-taster. Torin just tells me that he likes something or doesn't. Aurin just likes things better when he can steal them." He made a wry face, rolling his eyes at the behavior of the older man who was, in some ways, more child than any of them.

Something was bothering Kaus, something other than nerves, and had been for months off and on. The Avialae kept his feelings out in the open for the most part, and Timon had learned to recognize the ones that were kept more under wraps. There was a pinch to his eyes sometimes, a sadness in his smile. The younger had figured it was something passing, only it hadn't.

When Kaus began to wax on Timon's new adulthood, the human wasn't sure how to take it. It sounded a fatherly, or at least older-brotherly, which felt odd under the circumstances. It was difficult for Timon not to lean into the little-brother aspect of his relationships as it was. He had been in that role for all of the time that he had felt safe and happy, his instincts were drawn towards it.

Taking a sip from his cup, he grimaced, trying to make it look like a smile, listening carefully for the conclusion that might tamp down his insecurity. The expression became more genuine at the mention of his manly charms. The idea of delaying was not new, so he nodded, accepting. What was there to do but accept? He could throw a fit, or beg, but he was too proud to do either, and this was all scary, so he wasn't sure he would even if he hadn't been.

Looking down at the table, he made his own perfect little bite, lifting it towards his mouth before Kaus' last words froze him. Dark eyes dropped from blue ones to the pink lips below, slick with tea and smiling. At him.

Lifting the bite with care, he brought it to those lips, felt them take it, felt his lower belly clench. It was one thing to fight to be mentally and emotionally mature, but there was nothing he could do about his body. All he could do was watch, unblinking, as Kaus caught his wrist and kissed his fingers. The urge to climb over the table, into Kaus' lap where they could kiss and... and he didn't know what else, but more bloomed through his whole body till everything felt too tight.

It took a moment to realize that the tightness in his chest was because he'd forgotten to breathe. Sucking in a deep breath cured this, but also made it obvious that he'd been entranced. Well, that had probably been obvious anyway. Damnation.

"Someday," He said, before he could lose his nerve, voice a little husky, "You're going to do that when we're alone and I'm going to climb you like a tree."

Then he sat back, willing his body to relax, and tried not to imagine how Kaus tasted while he finished his first small plate.