To An Angel Falls from Lunar Geography ♥
Title: Fine Dining
Author: lunargeography
Recipient: anangelfalls
Series: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles
Characters/Pairing: Fai/Kurogane
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes/Warnings [if any]: Beware of TWT (probably set between the Ashura/Yasha world and Acid Tokyo) & my sense of humor. Thanks to badmovie for the beta and word chopping assistance.
The maitre d' knew they were trouble the moment he saw them.
L'Espalier was the premier restaurant on Ile de Coeur; a bastion of high culture, offering the most elegant French dining experience to be found one thousand miles from France. It was a constant struggle to maintain the elegance required of a 5 star restaurant on a man-made island ubiquitously advertised as "Romantic Getaway Destination of Choice for Adults!" Every window in L'Espalier overlooked the sea; not just for the breathtaking view, but because the neighboring establishments ran the gauntlet from eye-poppingly pornographic to downright tacky.
Yes, L'Espalier was all about atmosphere, and it was a fact of life that certain patrons were simply incompatible with the desired atmosphere.
Patrons like the oddly dressed trio - trio! -- who had just violated his domain. A tall man in close-fitting black clothes, carrying a girl bridal-style, and an androgynous blond person.
"I'm sorry, we're terribly busy tonight. Perhaps the... gentlemen and the... lady would prefer to dine elsewhere this evening?" He infused his tone with every bit of ironic superiority of which he was capable.
"Awww," cooed the blond. "That's not nice at all. You're going to hurt someone's feelings."
"Is that so?"
"But my princess has her heart set on this place..."
If 'princess' was old enough to be legal, he'd eat his cufflinks. "Your party would prefer to dine elsewhere, I'm sure. Lolita's Luau, perhaps? I'm told it's just down the beach."
"You waste too much time with your damn talking. Here." The black-clothed man passed the girl over to the blond and placed his hand on the maitre d's shoulder.
The maitre d' let out a whimper and his eyes grew very wide, not resisting as he was pulled aside. A moment later, he squeaked out his last line of defense. "This establishment is black-tie only!"
The tall one grunted. "I'm wearing black. Give me your tie, and no one gets hurt."
~***~
The sommelier thought they were breathtakingly bohemian, and wondered if they might be persuaded to expand their little menage a trois for a single night of daring experimentation. (Though the lovely lady shouldn't drink if she had no head for it; she was slumped forward, her delicate features almost entirely obscured by her hair. Such a pity, although the blond was almost as pretty. Just his type.)
"I'd like to welcome all of you to L'Espalier," he told them, wishing he were brave enough to add a flirtatious wink. But the blond was outgoing and happy to talk about their relationship, even if the dark-haired man just sat and silently glowered, and the girl had apparently passed out.
"...I'm certain it was fate that brought us together..."
That wasn't promising at all.
"Oh, we've been living together for quite some time. But our work requires a great deal of traveling..."
So maybe there was a chance.
"... But I suppose I'd have to say this is our first date."
The dark man glowered.
"Well, really, Kuro-chan, I can't call anything else we've done together a date, can you? We're just not... romantic."
Now that really was promising! The sommelier brushed his hip against the blond's shoulder, as he addressed the scowling man. "Goodness! That doesn't sound like a lovely-dovey arrangement. Someone might think you were just with them for sex!"
The man surged out of his seat. "I am not with them for sex!"
The entire room was staring at their table.
"I think we'll have the Riesling," said the blond.
~***~
The busboy had never been so glad to see anyone in his life. It was his first night on the job, and if he had any say about it, it would be his last.
"...can't stand this much longer! The women keep pinching my --" The busboy broke off his quietly-hissed tirade to glance at the sleeping Sakura. He blushed. "Posterior. And some men, too! And the things they're doing under the tables!"
"That's very nice, Syaoran-kun," said Fai. "But have you or Mokona seen the feather?"
"Nice! What do you mean, nice?"
"Well, you wouldn't want them to think you - and your posterior -- were unattractive, would you?"
Fuzzy white ears and big eyes peeked over the rim of Syaoran's bin. "Mokona has seen the feather! It's not always here, though. Sometimes, when people kiss, it appears between them."
"I haven't been close enough to grab it," admitted Syaoran. "And... it would be... rude just to reach in, wouldn't it?"
"Probably!" agreed Fai cheerfully. "So it likes kisses?"
"Not all kisses," said Mokona. "None of the people pinching Syaoran get the feather when they kiss. Mokona thinks it only appears when the people kissing have loving feelings for each other!"
"Does it? Hmmm.... I think Syaoran-kun might be in for an interesting time when Sakura-chan gets this back."
Syaoran turned red and choked for a moment as he tried to sort out his breathing.
With Syaoran suitably distracted, Fai darted a glance at Kurogane from beneath lowered lashes. Kuro-tan had his arms crossed over his chest and was frowning. When he turned and met Fai's secretive appraisal full-on, Fai lowered his head to stare at the table a moment, lips thinning and twisting at one corner.
When Fai looked up again, he was smiling broadly. "I'm afraid we may have to wait for Sakura-chan to wake up to get this feather - unless we want poor Syaoran-kun to have to stalk loving couples and jump into the middle of their kisses. When she wakes up, they can --"
Syaoran made a choked little noise, and stared plaintively at Kurogane, silently begging his sword sensei to save him.
Kurogane sighed, and stood. One large hand wrapped around Fai's chin and tilted his face up. "You're a damn idiot." He kissed Fai thoroughly. When the feather appeared, he caught it and pushed toward Sakura.
Just with him for sex, indeed.
Author: lunargeography
Recipient: anangelfalls
Series: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles
Characters/Pairing: Fai/Kurogane
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes/Warnings [if any]: Beware of TWT (probably set between the Ashura/Yasha world and Acid Tokyo) & my sense of humor. Thanks to badmovie for the beta and word chopping assistance.
The maitre d' knew they were trouble the moment he saw them.
L'Espalier was the premier restaurant on Ile de Coeur; a bastion of high culture, offering the most elegant French dining experience to be found one thousand miles from France. It was a constant struggle to maintain the elegance required of a 5 star restaurant on a man-made island ubiquitously advertised as "Romantic Getaway Destination of Choice for Adults!" Every window in L'Espalier overlooked the sea; not just for the breathtaking view, but because the neighboring establishments ran the gauntlet from eye-poppingly pornographic to downright tacky.
Yes, L'Espalier was all about atmosphere, and it was a fact of life that certain patrons were simply incompatible with the desired atmosphere.
Patrons like the oddly dressed trio - trio! -- who had just violated his domain. A tall man in close-fitting black clothes, carrying a girl bridal-style, and an androgynous blond person.
"I'm sorry, we're terribly busy tonight. Perhaps the... gentlemen and the... lady would prefer to dine elsewhere this evening?" He infused his tone with every bit of ironic superiority of which he was capable.
"Awww," cooed the blond. "That's not nice at all. You're going to hurt someone's feelings."
"Is that so?"
"But my princess has her heart set on this place..."
If 'princess' was old enough to be legal, he'd eat his cufflinks. "Your party would prefer to dine elsewhere, I'm sure. Lolita's Luau, perhaps? I'm told it's just down the beach."
"You waste too much time with your damn talking. Here." The black-clothed man passed the girl over to the blond and placed his hand on the maitre d's shoulder.
The maitre d' let out a whimper and his eyes grew very wide, not resisting as he was pulled aside. A moment later, he squeaked out his last line of defense. "This establishment is black-tie only!"
The tall one grunted. "I'm wearing black. Give me your tie, and no one gets hurt."
~***~
The sommelier thought they were breathtakingly bohemian, and wondered if they might be persuaded to expand their little menage a trois for a single night of daring experimentation. (Though the lovely lady shouldn't drink if she had no head for it; she was slumped forward, her delicate features almost entirely obscured by her hair. Such a pity, although the blond was almost as pretty. Just his type.)
"I'd like to welcome all of you to L'Espalier," he told them, wishing he were brave enough to add a flirtatious wink. But the blond was outgoing and happy to talk about their relationship, even if the dark-haired man just sat and silently glowered, and the girl had apparently passed out.
"...I'm certain it was fate that brought us together..."
That wasn't promising at all.
"Oh, we've been living together for quite some time. But our work requires a great deal of traveling..."
So maybe there was a chance.
"... But I suppose I'd have to say this is our first date."
The dark man glowered.
"Well, really, Kuro-chan, I can't call anything else we've done together a date, can you? We're just not... romantic."
Now that really was promising! The sommelier brushed his hip against the blond's shoulder, as he addressed the scowling man. "Goodness! That doesn't sound like a lovely-dovey arrangement. Someone might think you were just with them for sex!"
The man surged out of his seat. "I am not with them for sex!"
The entire room was staring at their table.
"I think we'll have the Riesling," said the blond.
~***~
The busboy had never been so glad to see anyone in his life. It was his first night on the job, and if he had any say about it, it would be his last.
"...can't stand this much longer! The women keep pinching my --" The busboy broke off his quietly-hissed tirade to glance at the sleeping Sakura. He blushed. "Posterior. And some men, too! And the things they're doing under the tables!"
"That's very nice, Syaoran-kun," said Fai. "But have you or Mokona seen the feather?"
"Nice! What do you mean, nice?"
"Well, you wouldn't want them to think you - and your posterior -- were unattractive, would you?"
Fuzzy white ears and big eyes peeked over the rim of Syaoran's bin. "Mokona has seen the feather! It's not always here, though. Sometimes, when people kiss, it appears between them."
"I haven't been close enough to grab it," admitted Syaoran. "And... it would be... rude just to reach in, wouldn't it?"
"Probably!" agreed Fai cheerfully. "So it likes kisses?"
"Not all kisses," said Mokona. "None of the people pinching Syaoran get the feather when they kiss. Mokona thinks it only appears when the people kissing have loving feelings for each other!"
"Does it? Hmmm.... I think Syaoran-kun might be in for an interesting time when Sakura-chan gets this back."
Syaoran turned red and choked for a moment as he tried to sort out his breathing.
With Syaoran suitably distracted, Fai darted a glance at Kurogane from beneath lowered lashes. Kuro-tan had his arms crossed over his chest and was frowning. When he turned and met Fai's secretive appraisal full-on, Fai lowered his head to stare at the table a moment, lips thinning and twisting at one corner.
When Fai looked up again, he was smiling broadly. "I'm afraid we may have to wait for Sakura-chan to wake up to get this feather - unless we want poor Syaoran-kun to have to stalk loving couples and jump into the middle of their kisses. When she wakes up, they can --"
Syaoran made a choked little noise, and stared plaintively at Kurogane, silently begging his sword sensei to save him.
Kurogane sighed, and stood. One large hand wrapped around Fai's chin and tilted his face up. "You're a damn idiot." He kissed Fai thoroughly. When the feather appeared, he caught it and pushed toward Sakura.
Just with him for sex, indeed.