If my love is your love

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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.

Comments

[itmeanstruth]

“Need? No matter what I say, my stomach’s probably gonna growl and give it away. I was so nervous getting ready, I kinda skipped lunch.”

This time, though, he was laughing away the nerves. Ziggy’s happiness would definitely be infectious, but Minoru had plenty of his own now to share in return.

“How about love?” He suggested, picking up the chilled glass. “In all its different forms, however it’s felt, for all the special people in our lives.”

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"You might eat as much as I do tonight." Ziggy knows that is unlikely but it sounds funny.


"To love, in all its forms." Ziggy agreed, clinking glasses and giggling. "And to the boy sweet enough to make Ziggy Stardust give up sex for love." It's a tease but it has a very serious note to it. Ziggy is physical in his expression of love. It says something about their bond that he could forego his usual love language and find other ways.

[itmeanstruth]

Definitely unlikely, as even a hungry Minoru was still a human. But he was definitely going to have his share of everything, save the tuna.

“Don’t forget about the star shining bright enough to guide even an absolute beginner through these oceans of crazy emotions.” He teased right back. But Minoru was honestly still learning his own love language in terms of romantic attraction. Or even what a love language was.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy sipped his wine and then very quietly sang.
As long as we're together
The rest can go to hell
Because I absolutely love you.


He can see the salads and the cheese a pickled Anthean vegetable tray coming. It was going to be a many course meal and he was looking forward to just being here with Minoru.

"You're beautiful, especially when you're happy."

[itmeanstruth]

Minoru closed his eyes as he felt Ziggy’s familiar emotional warmth wash over him. A mix between a hum and a gentle giggle escaped his lips, and he smiled into his wine glass. He took a small sip as well, and whispered the next couple of lines to what had become his favorite Ziggy Stardust song.

But we're absolute beginners
With eyes completely open
But nervous all the same...

His voice was nowhere near as melodic, and he spoke them more than he sang them. But the sentiment was there. The theme was so relatable. The song felt as though it could have been written about tonight.

Minoru managed to sneak in a hug in before the salad, cheese and vegetable selections arrived.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"I'm not nervous." He teases as he strokes Minoru's cheek. "You don't have to be either."

Ziggy grins as he sips his wine and looked over the food they are setting on the table. He asks for them to bring the fondue out too because that was good finger food.

"Think of it this way, neither of us have to stress about how far we're going after our date." The amusement is clear in this voice as he sets the wine aside. "Though, I would like to sleep with you tonight."

The wink is there and the knowledge of the inside joke. He really just wanted to cuddle up with his partner. Even if sex was off the table, the desire to have him spend the night is still there.

[itmeanstruth]

Minoru smiled. “I’m not nervous either. Well, not anymore. Okay, maybe still a tiny bit...”

While there would be no added stress of post-date intimacy, there was still the matter of Minoru’s surprises. He’d been planning just as much as Ziggy had been.

“I was going to wait until after dinner to give this to you. But if we’re making those kind of plans...” he fished around in his coat pocket for that little box.

Inside, Ziggy would find a key to the twins’ apartment. Tied on the end of it was a handwritten invitation, in Japanese, to “Uchiwa Sento and Minshuku.” The calligraphy was fancy enough to assume Isamu had helped with the final version. But the sentiment was definitely Minoru’s.

“You took care of dinner. So you get to be my guest tonight.” He blushed a little. And then added with a bit of nervous laughter, “Oh! I’m gonna need the key part back when we’re done, though. I’ve already lost all our spares.”

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"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.

[itmeanstruth]

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.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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."

[itmeanstruth]

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.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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.

[itmeanstruth]

“...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.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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.

[itmeanstruth]

“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.)

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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.

[itmeanstruth]

“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.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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.

[itmeanstruth]

“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.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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."

[itmeanstruth]

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.”

[ziggyplayedguitar]

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."

[itmeanstruth]

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?

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"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."

[itmeanstruth]

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.”