Drabbles: Food
Food drabbleprompt roundup. I have had food on the brain all. day. long.
Some of these contain spoilers; all are worksafe.
FFXII
For maho_kiwi, Basch, last meal. (warning for woe.)
He does not wish to, but when he smells the food his mouth floods, and his stomach lurches, and he knows that his control will not last. There is roast duck, spiced iska meat, tomatoes baked with garlic, chychia fruit poached in wine, and flagons of berry cider. His stomach is nearly concave, his limbs thin and wasted. He cannot resist.
"Eat well, brother," Gabranth says, his voice made strange by the echoing of his helm.
He knows he will be sick from it; he knows his stomach cannot abide the richness. But, at this extremity, it cannot truly matter.
***
For mariagoner, Drace grabbing a hasty lunch in the imperial nursery.
There were finer meals to be had in the Justicar's Wing, but Drace had hardly the time to stop for one; a bit of stewed venison in pastry crust, bought from a roadside stand, would have to do for her lunch as she guarded the Emperor's son.
His elder brothers had been full of boast and swagger; due perhaps to their bold mother. This one's mother was nigh fearful; but though her son was quiet he displayed no fear. No, Vayne's dark head bent over his book was nothing but thoughtful, and she could not say whether that was better.
***
For mithrigil, Ashe, just desserts
The last dish of the banquet is surprisingly spartan, after the luxuries that preceded it: fresh sliced peaches, layered with slivers of candied ginger, on layers of pastry so thin they flake and shatter at the touch of her fork. It is a moment for Ashe to realize that it seems ordinary to her because it is a Dalmascan dish.
"Ginger peaches?" she asks Basch, her ceremonial guard for this banquet.
"It is no coincidence," Basch says, drily. She glances up to the far end of the table, where Larsa raises his glass of sweet wine. She matches his salute.
***
For regicidaldwarf, Balthier, Happy Hour
It might have been a blow to another man's pride that Ba'gamnan could drink him under the table with ease, but Balthier was not so easily embarrassed. They all had their strengths.
"You humes," Ba'gamnan said. "Soft. No head for it." His tongue swept foam from his snout.
"You bangaa," Balthier retorted. "Expensive drunks."
Ba'gamnan laughed, and banged his mug. "Sorry you can't take advantage of me, eh?"
Balthier smiled into his beer.
An hour later, as he left the tavern, Ba'gamnan said, "...Next time you want to take advantage of me, hume, just ask."
"I'll remember that," Balthier said.
***
Kingdom Hearts
For ladycrysiana, Xehanort, snack time
There were doughnuts every day at ten, in between breakfast at eight and lunch at noon, brought warm in a basket by a village woman. Life in Ansem's castle was nothing if not orderly.
"Coffee?" Braig asked, waving the pot so that the scalding liquid sloshed wildly.
Xehanort declined; Elaeus accepted; Ienzo filled his mug so much that, when he went to dunk a piece of doughnut, it overflowed the saucer.
Even sniffed and bit his doughnut. "Principle of displace - "
"I know," Ienzo said, irritably, mopping at the spilled coffee. Dilan rolled his eyes; Xehanort couldn't help but smile.
***
For shunka_shuutou, Kairi, afternoon shack on the island
Kairi dug her fingernails into an orange peel and breathed the tart-sweet smell the fruit gave off. Riku's shoulder shifted against her back as he reached over to take a piece from her.
"Does it bore you?" she asked. "You never wanted to be stuck here."
"Not yet," Riku said calmly.
"You better not," Sora said, reaching over to take another piece of the orange. "I don't want to have to chase after you again."
"I'm not leaving without you again," Riku said. "I promise."
"Good." Kairi tilted her head back for a kiss. Riku leaned forward to meet her.
***
Crossovers
For white_aster, Digital Devil Saga/Kingdom Hearts crossover, Sora, breakfast in Muladhara
"Hungry, ja?" Cielo asked.
Sora hadn't thought about it, but at the question his stomach snarled. "...Yes," he said.
It took a long time to understand when Gale deposited the half-dead demon on the table. It had the body of a cat, the face of a woman -- and Sora was used to slaying monsters, but --
"You mean," he said, and choked.
"Yes," Gale said, even as Sora's body answered, limbs lengthening into steely bars bristling like key-shafts, a keyhole fanged like a mouth blossoming in his chest, hunger...
"I'm sorry," Argilla said.
***
For ponderosa121, Dragaera/FFVII crossover, Vlad longing for Valabar's
There aren't any Dragaerans on this plane, but this man - Shinra - walks like he thinks he's got the Orb 'round his head. But if he's that impressed by this restaurant's food, I don't think much of their cuisine. The chef cooks like a port wine reduction improves everything.
"I understand you are willing to do... certain tasks in exchange for compensation." Shinra looks like an Easterner trying to be a Phoenix, but he talks like a Yendi.
"Information," I say. "On the Jen - " What's the name they know them by?
Jenova, boss, Loiosh says.
"Jenova," I finish.
Shinra nods.
***
FFVII
For kawanee, Reno, breakfast too early in the morning
Reno waits by the window. It'll be time to go when the car sweeps up the street with lights off, dark on dark. Now he grabs breakfast, one hand wrist-deep in a box of cereal.
Elena can't eat before a mission - too much adrenaline. He tells her it's because she's a rookie, but really the nerves hit everyone differently. She gets sick; he gets hungry. He rests his forehead against the windowframe and crunches.
The car is nearly invisible, rounding the corner. He abandons the cereal box on the table and is out the door before it comes to a stop.
***
Discworld
For elanor_pam, Eric, midnight snack
Eric bent over his demonology books. "Pentagram," he said, "check, candles, check, salt, check, sacred chant, check, red chalk..."
"Eric!" his mother called up the stairs. "Are you hungry?"
"Mo-o-om," Eric wailed. "I'm busy." He fished around in a drawer. No chalk, no chalk, hmm.
"I made cheese sandwiches!" his mother persisted.
"Um," Eric said. He found a red... crayon. Maybe that would work. Could demons tell the difference between chalk and crayon? "...Sure. Cheese sandwich is fine."
"I'll bring it right up," his mother chirruped. Eric sighed, rolled his eyes, and hurried to throw a blanket over his pentagram.
***
Elfquest
For hareguizer, Pike, snack-time in Blue Mountain
Pike's never had food like this before. The mountain elves do funny things with food - like the... thing they've served him, made from thin layers of what almost looks like bread, soaked in... something, and sprinkled with nuts.
One of the gliders floats, chin propped on her folded hands, and watches him poke it with his forefinger. "What are you doing?"
"What is this?" he asks.
She giggles, drifts in a lazy circle. "Try it. You'll like it."
The first bite tastes of dreamberries - no, dreamberry wine -- and he swallows it so fast she laughs and says, "Don't choke!"
***
Some of these contain spoilers; all are worksafe.
FFXII
For maho_kiwi, Basch, last meal. (warning for woe.)
He does not wish to, but when he smells the food his mouth floods, and his stomach lurches, and he knows that his control will not last. There is roast duck, spiced iska meat, tomatoes baked with garlic, chychia fruit poached in wine, and flagons of berry cider. His stomach is nearly concave, his limbs thin and wasted. He cannot resist.
"Eat well, brother," Gabranth says, his voice made strange by the echoing of his helm.
He knows he will be sick from it; he knows his stomach cannot abide the richness. But, at this extremity, it cannot truly matter.
***
For mariagoner, Drace grabbing a hasty lunch in the imperial nursery.
There were finer meals to be had in the Justicar's Wing, but Drace had hardly the time to stop for one; a bit of stewed venison in pastry crust, bought from a roadside stand, would have to do for her lunch as she guarded the Emperor's son.
His elder brothers had been full of boast and swagger; due perhaps to their bold mother. This one's mother was nigh fearful; but though her son was quiet he displayed no fear. No, Vayne's dark head bent over his book was nothing but thoughtful, and she could not say whether that was better.
***
For mithrigil, Ashe, just desserts
The last dish of the banquet is surprisingly spartan, after the luxuries that preceded it: fresh sliced peaches, layered with slivers of candied ginger, on layers of pastry so thin they flake and shatter at the touch of her fork. It is a moment for Ashe to realize that it seems ordinary to her because it is a Dalmascan dish.
"Ginger peaches?" she asks Basch, her ceremonial guard for this banquet.
"It is no coincidence," Basch says, drily. She glances up to the far end of the table, where Larsa raises his glass of sweet wine. She matches his salute.
***
For regicidaldwarf, Balthier, Happy Hour
It might have been a blow to another man's pride that Ba'gamnan could drink him under the table with ease, but Balthier was not so easily embarrassed. They all had their strengths.
"You humes," Ba'gamnan said. "Soft. No head for it." His tongue swept foam from his snout.
"You bangaa," Balthier retorted. "Expensive drunks."
Ba'gamnan laughed, and banged his mug. "Sorry you can't take advantage of me, eh?"
Balthier smiled into his beer.
An hour later, as he left the tavern, Ba'gamnan said, "...Next time you want to take advantage of me, hume, just ask."
"I'll remember that," Balthier said.
***
Kingdom Hearts
For ladycrysiana, Xehanort, snack time
There were doughnuts every day at ten, in between breakfast at eight and lunch at noon, brought warm in a basket by a village woman. Life in Ansem's castle was nothing if not orderly.
"Coffee?" Braig asked, waving the pot so that the scalding liquid sloshed wildly.
Xehanort declined; Elaeus accepted; Ienzo filled his mug so much that, when he went to dunk a piece of doughnut, it overflowed the saucer.
Even sniffed and bit his doughnut. "Principle of displace - "
"I know," Ienzo said, irritably, mopping at the spilled coffee. Dilan rolled his eyes; Xehanort couldn't help but smile.
***
For shunka_shuutou, Kairi, afternoon shack on the island
Kairi dug her fingernails into an orange peel and breathed the tart-sweet smell the fruit gave off. Riku's shoulder shifted against her back as he reached over to take a piece from her.
"Does it bore you?" she asked. "You never wanted to be stuck here."
"Not yet," Riku said calmly.
"You better not," Sora said, reaching over to take another piece of the orange. "I don't want to have to chase after you again."
"I'm not leaving without you again," Riku said. "I promise."
"Good." Kairi tilted her head back for a kiss. Riku leaned forward to meet her.
***
Crossovers
For white_aster, Digital Devil Saga/Kingdom Hearts crossover, Sora, breakfast in Muladhara
"Hungry, ja?" Cielo asked.
Sora hadn't thought about it, but at the question his stomach snarled. "...Yes," he said.
It took a long time to understand when Gale deposited the half-dead demon on the table. It had the body of a cat, the face of a woman -- and Sora was used to slaying monsters, but --
"You mean," he said, and choked.
"Yes," Gale said, even as Sora's body answered, limbs lengthening into steely bars bristling like key-shafts, a keyhole fanged like a mouth blossoming in his chest, hunger...
"I'm sorry," Argilla said.
***
For ponderosa121, Dragaera/FFVII crossover, Vlad longing for Valabar's
There aren't any Dragaerans on this plane, but this man - Shinra - walks like he thinks he's got the Orb 'round his head. But if he's that impressed by this restaurant's food, I don't think much of their cuisine. The chef cooks like a port wine reduction improves everything.
"I understand you are willing to do... certain tasks in exchange for compensation." Shinra looks like an Easterner trying to be a Phoenix, but he talks like a Yendi.
"Information," I say. "On the Jen - " What's the name they know them by?
Jenova, boss, Loiosh says.
"Jenova," I finish.
Shinra nods.
***
FFVII
For kawanee, Reno, breakfast too early in the morning
Reno waits by the window. It'll be time to go when the car sweeps up the street with lights off, dark on dark. Now he grabs breakfast, one hand wrist-deep in a box of cereal.
Elena can't eat before a mission - too much adrenaline. He tells her it's because she's a rookie, but really the nerves hit everyone differently. She gets sick; he gets hungry. He rests his forehead against the windowframe and crunches.
The car is nearly invisible, rounding the corner. He abandons the cereal box on the table and is out the door before it comes to a stop.
***
Discworld
For elanor_pam, Eric, midnight snack
Eric bent over his demonology books. "Pentagram," he said, "check, candles, check, salt, check, sacred chant, check, red chalk..."
"Eric!" his mother called up the stairs. "Are you hungry?"
"Mo-o-om," Eric wailed. "I'm busy." He fished around in a drawer. No chalk, no chalk, hmm.
"I made cheese sandwiches!" his mother persisted.
"Um," Eric said. He found a red... crayon. Maybe that would work. Could demons tell the difference between chalk and crayon? "...Sure. Cheese sandwich is fine."
"I'll bring it right up," his mother chirruped. Eric sighed, rolled his eyes, and hurried to throw a blanket over his pentagram.
***
Elfquest
For hareguizer, Pike, snack-time in Blue Mountain
Pike's never had food like this before. The mountain elves do funny things with food - like the... thing they've served him, made from thin layers of what almost looks like bread, soaked in... something, and sprinkled with nuts.
One of the gliders floats, chin propped on her folded hands, and watches him poke it with his forefinger. "What are you doing?"
"What is this?" he asks.
She giggles, drifts in a lazy circle. "Try it. You'll like it."
The first bite tastes of dreamberries - no, dreamberry wine -- and he swallows it so fast she laughs and says, "Don't choke!"
***