ziggyplayedguitar | If my love is your love

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If my love is your love

Ziggy knew this was special on so many levels and for so many reasons. He was determined to make it perfect. That included calling weeks ahead to ensure the menu that came to their table was completely vegetarian and safe for his species. There were a lot of things someone could do as a rockstar that others couldn't. The restaurant was jackets required but had several seating areas and he eventually settled on a warm room with huge windows.

That had been awhile back now. The day was here and Ziggy was a whirlwind as he prepared. He started with starry make up and added petals around one eye for a little more drama. It was finally time for the outfit he had been hiding from Minoru as a surprise for weeks. Everything was in order and he checked several times before finishing everything off with a glamorous pair of earrings and plunging necklace.

Then he was out the door and to the limo. It was tradition for the masculine to pick up the feminine for something like this but Ziggy didn't care about these traditions. He pulled up in the red limo with wrist corsage Ziggy had made for Minoru, on the suggestion of his father who said this was traditional for first important dates. With flowers in hand he clopped up to their place in his heavy heels and then rang for the apartment. He had to admit some nerves, oddly on behalf of the human more than himself.

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"What is this?" Ziggy put down his glass of wine to take the small box. He can't help but tease. "You didn't sneak off and get me a ring did you?"

He winks because he knows full well that isn't what is inside. He still opens it with the same kind of care and laughs when he opens the box. He would kiss Minoru and almost forgets himself as he leans in. Instead he presses his forehead to Minoru's cheek.

"You're taking your girlfriend home tonight?" Ziggy's happiness would be easy to feel but he shakes his head at the key idea. "Why don't I send Robert out to make a few copies while you take me to bed tonight?"

The play on words, making everything sound sexual, was probably something that would stick in their relationship permanently now.

Minoru laughed sheepishly. “Yeah... I guess I am.”

Oh, Isamu would never let Minoru live that joke down. He wouldn’t be surprised if, in the morning, his brother turned it back on him. But replacing the missing copies wouldn’t hurt. (And if Ziggy happened to keep one for a little while to add to some of that weekend mischief, then Minoru would playfully feign ignorance...)

When the fondue arrived with its extra plates, Minoru served himself a little of the various salads and vegetables as well. It made it easier to share.

Ziggy giggle right along with Minoru. "I accept."

Then his eyes drift to all the food. He wasn't too hungry until he started smelling everything. "Antheans eat off a communal plate, usually with our hands."

Ziggy is well aware that hot fondue would need utensils but it also seemed like the perfect opportunity to teach Minoru a little about his culture. "Most things are communal for Antheans. We don't own so many things like humans do."

Given how he’d served himself, Minoru had slightly different customs when it came to communal dining. But he watched how Ziggy ate with respectful attention, set down his fork, and plucked one of the vegetable samosas he hadn’t already grabbed.

“Even what’s sticky or messy?” He asked, not just thinking about dipping vegetables into hot cheese, but also about weirdly-textured things like risotto or any dish that came with a sort of sauce. “And how do you share soup?”

It was different, but he was interested in learning.

Ziggy didn't expect Minoru to change but he had learned, because of Minoru, that sharing information was extremely important.

"Anthea has no water. We don't make soups or sauces the way humans do." He proceeded to pick up the long fondue fork to dip a piece of vegetable. He would have to wait for it to cool. "There were soups before the biodiversity collapsed and wooden eating tools but that was centuries ago."

Things had changed and Ziggy grew up without them, aside from the small pair his dad had in the capsule.

“...that makes sense.”

It was quite possible that things he thought might be sticky or messy, when prepared an Anthean way, actually wouldn’t be!

Minoru would still use his utensils for things that seemed to require them, especially things that were far more enjoyable to eat than they were to touch. But if it looked like it could even remotely be finger food, he’d try it the Anthean way tonight.

It might get some strange looks from the other patrons, but Minoru had pretty much forgotten they were there by this point. He was more preoccupied with trying a little bit of each of the different cheeses.

“Is the fondue too hot?”

And to add another one to the list, it was his first time having fondue as well.

Edited 2021-04-27 12:15 (UTC)

Ziggy didn't mind if he used utensils or not, whatever made Minoru comfortable. Even the Anthean used silverware now. The idea that it might unnerve the other patrons was not going to deter him from eating with his fingers.

Ziggy reached down and started trying the pickled vegetables. "I have to wait until it's room temperature or I'll burn my mouth."

Ziggy giggled and took a drink of wine. "You should try it warm. It smells fabulous."

He could smell the sharpness of the cheddar and some spices. He couldn't wait to taste it once it cooled.

“Okay!” Minoru grinned.

He took one of the fondue forks and dipped something into the cheese. He let it drip for a moment, so as not to make a mess and took a big bite.

“Ohh, that is good!” He exclaimed, mouth still partially full.

He immediately tried a few more of the vegetables, including some of the Anthean ones. (Though, not any of the pickled ones. He couldn’t imagine that being any good with cheese on top, even fancy cheese with spices.)

While waiting for the fondue to cool Ziggy picks at some of the pickled vegetables radiating happiness while he watches Minoru try so many new things.

"Does this mean I am going to get stuck cooking Anthean food for you more often?" It's a tease but, of course, Ziggy wouldn't mind cooking. It was something that brought him pleasure to do and was a legitimate excuse to get more of Minoru's time to himself, not that it was hard to get his attention if Ziggy wanted it.

“I’m no Isamu, but I don’t think ‘stuck’ is the right word.” He snickered.

It was probably helpful that their diets were already fairly similar. There was a lot of things they could both enjoy together, as the menu Ziggy had put together clearly showed.

Ziggy giggled and had to cover his mouth to finish chewing. "I like being stuck with you."

He might avoid sexual things with Minoru but flirting would never stop. He was way to cute for Ziggy to ever stop. Minoru's diet did fit well with the Anthean, mostly vegetarian, lifestyle. They could eat most things together except sushi which Ziggy was addicted to.

“I do too.” He blushed softly. “I like it a lot.”

Not eat sushi together? Hardly. Minoru knew his way around Japanese cuisine. He could even replicate a fair bit of it. (Though, by his own admission, Isamu was better at matching their mother’s traditional dishes.) A good sushi place had a lot of options. For every piece of hamachi or unagi nigiri, Minoru could find shiitake or nasu nigiri.

Ziggy looked at the food they were picking at slowly, including finally being able to try the fondue. It was heavenly.

"Should I have them bring out more food?" Ziggy laughed because he'd noticed how others were staring, be it their appearance or the sheer volume of food and wine they were consuming and would continue to consume. "I'll take you out to dinner more often if you want me to."

Minoru didn’t notice the stares. He was too busy enjoying himself. (Which, given how anxious he’d been for the last week at least, was such a relief!) He would absolutely love to go out again.

“That’s a good idea.” He laughed. With the way he’d been popping one of just about everything into the fondue, he’d almost forgotten there was more coming. “If you wait until we finish everything, I might not have room to try everything else you picked out.”

Ziggy not only ordered the rest of the food but also more wine. It was a date and he had a driver, he could drink as much as he wanted.

"We can take the rest with us after you've tried everything."

Minoru was still fine on his first glass, sipping on it occasionally. He had no qualms whatsoever about what or however much Ziggy wanted of anything on the table. They’d be spending the rest of the night together regardless.

“What makes this place one of your favorites?” He asked once the wait staff left. “You know, aside from them letting you bring in ingredients and creating your own menu for the night.”

Because, famous as he was, surely Ziggy couldn’t have done that when he first discovered the restaurant, right?

"The wine is always good. The head chef is as sarcastic as he is an artist, and the people are so stuck up and full of themselves here they either don't recognize me or think I'll corrupt their family if they look at me." The last part was said with far more humor than seriousness, though it was, in general, true.

He started picking at the other things, especially the raw tuna. "I make a point of befriending bar owners and chefs so I can retreat from people and still live a normal life."

That was a big part of it too. There were people who would let him rent out entire places for a night, even for just the four members of the band. That didn't come fast or cheap. "My dad comes here too and he can befriend anyone."

Only when he mentioned the other patrons did Minoru look up and around at the other tables again. A few of them were staring - namely at what amounted as an entire feast being brought out - but they weren’t anything like the crowd that swarmed Ziggy before the date. No one had come by the table asking for an autograph or wanting to take a picture.

He hadn’t really noticed the difference because the idea of being left alone was normal to him.

“It’ll probably be like this when you come with me to the Finals.” He offered, but quickly clarified, “not that the people will be stuck up. You might have a few that want to take a picture with you but it will because you look cool. Not because you’re famous. At most, they’d probably think you cosplay.”

He served himself some of the risotto, one of the few things that looked a bit difficult to eat Anthean-style.

“I hope you won’t think it’s too boring.”

For the moment, Ziggy is sticking to the tuna and pickled vegetables because he knows the raw tuna won't keep. Normal for a rockstar was definitely, sometimes, a world away from the expectations of the general public.

"I appreciate being left to myself." Ziggy would be glad to be left alone so he could focus on the competition. As Minoru continued Ziggy laughed and leaned in to his shoulder. "If the bands come nothing will be boring, not that your competition will be boring either."

His mind stays on the competition while he takes a couple more bites. "I'm going to have to make sure I don't accidently influence you with my telepathy while I watch."

If his nerves or worry wound up too much that was a very real possibility.

Minoru leaned in to Ziggy, laughing happily. “If that part’s boring, I’m doing something wrong!”

While the risotto was tasty, the miso-baked eggplant was quickly becoming a favorite dish - familiar, yet different all at the same time.

His smile faltered a little as he had to actually consider the possibility of Ziggy’s telepathy affecting his run. He nibbled on one of the tapas for a moment.

“It wouldn’t be just like the concerts?” He asked.

For all his trepidation about being affected by the empathy there, with solid boundaries in place and Minoru going for a good freerun before listening, it wasn’t really an issue. Better understanding the difference between this and that might help them think of a good solution. Minoru definitely wanted his koibito on the sidelines if at all possible.

Ziggy just laughs merrily while eating. He didn't think anything about the competition would be boring.

"I'm more worried about my nervousness effecting you than any high emotions." Ziggy admits, knowing that he can't hide it. "I might drink some before coming to dull my abilities."

Gin, lots of gin. That would probably help him as much as protect Minoru from anything accidental.

“Do you want me to ask Isamu to hug you periodically?” Minoru shrugged. It was the best suggestion he could come up with at the moment. “I mean, he put your baby sister to sleep.”

Even though Ziggy was already well-versed in self medicating among humans, Minoru still found himself adding, “Just not so much that you don’t wake up, okay?”

"I don't know." Ziggy wasn't sure what would help. "I wouldn't want to sleep."

He picked at the food and leaned into Minoru and hugged him. "I'm not suicidal. I won't drink more than I need to."

Minoru was quiet as he hugged Ziggy back, lingering there for just a moment. He didn’t want Ziggy to worry about him any more than Ziggy wanted Minoru to worry about him - and yet, they both engaged in activities the other perceived as more dangerous than they likely were.

No sense dwelling on it.

“We’ll figure something out.” Minoru smiled hopefully. He picked up one of the bite-sized tapas and offered it to Ziggy to lighten the mood back up.

“You know, my parents are pretty excited to meet you.”

How could they not be interested in meeting their youngest son’s first girlfriend? (Almost good decade after seeing Isamu and his date off to prom.)

"Now you're just being a tease." Ziggy laughs looking at the tapas. "No flirty lips on your finger tips or hand kisses after feeding me."

He has to flirt a little over this feeding thing from someone who hates the touch of damp lips. He has to stop the giggles he's holding in before he can actually take the bite.

"Do they know what to expect?" Ziggy asks after he's done chewing.

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