how could i ever forget // outside the morning was cool and wet

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's not often Ajax finds himself getting his head slammed down onto the hood of a car, least of all a cop car. Usually it's him doing the slamming.

But today the young man finds himself denting the hood, the sound of metal caving in under his head ringing in his ears. Not exactly the ideal situation he was hoping for, but he figured sooner or later he'd have a run in with the cops due to the sensitive nature of his profession, but that doesn't mean he has to like how inconsiderate they are with him as they cuff him and throw him in the back of the paddy wagon. Not that he was considerate to them when he was discovered, as evidenced by the blood all over his clothing and knuckles from the fight he'd gotten into with them. How he managed to avoid getting shot is beyond him- plenty of shots were fired, but that hadn't stopped him from knocking a few of them out.

It's just too bad he'd been instructed that he couldn't kill anyone, or else he'd of gotten out of there without being caught.

The lights of the police station are bright, almost too bright from the contrast of how dark it was outside. Ajax squints as he's dragged inside, held tightly by two cops who hurry him through the station, but not fast enough that he doesn't catch a glimpse of the secretary behind the desk as they come in. Pretty, blonde, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. Gorgeous eyes, ones that catch his attention almost immediately as he's being shoved towards the back, shining with a radiance that captures him instantly. His eyes lock with hers, feeling something silent yet powerful surge through him from this tiny, insignificant interaction. He doesn't even have a moment to think further on it, before he's so rudely interrupted.

Get moving.

The curt voice of the bigger cop on his right cuts through the moment, anger welling up in Ajax's chest and something dark stirs in his core. If he wasn't cuffed and being restrained, he'd turn that guy's face into a new work of art, something so abstract some insane art collector would gladly pay millions for it.

No sooner had Ajax been ushered in, he disappears from sight as he's taken back into an interrogation room, the mysterious blonde no longer in his sights, now getting shoved into a corner of a room.]

What's with this? Don't you even have the courtesy of giving me a chair to sit in, at least?

[From outside of the room, muffled noises of a scuffle as the cops lay into Ajax can be heard, the loudest of which is a thud of a body slamming into a wall, accompanied by a groan from the ginger kid. Though little do any of them know, their real problems haven't arrived just yet, waking from their slumber right outside of the city...]

Comments

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax doesn't respond right away, letting silence fill the room so they can focus on each other rather than letting despair get the better of either of them. He rubs her arm, taking a few minutes to just be with her in solidarity, before finally breaking the silence to try to cheer her up a little.]

Let's not dwell too much on it tonight. Worrying will do you no good, and you mustn't let these petty threats get to you. That's what they want, so we should do everything in our power to fight back.

[He'll do the worrying, and he's already formulating plans to get back at those assholes. Yoimiya might not realize, but Ajax has resources he can access to take care of messes like these.]

Do you want to come make some dinner with me in the kitchen? I can teach you a simple Snezhnayan recipe to make a tasty meal anytime you want. We'll do it together, it'll be nice and relaxing.

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya doesn't say anything for a solid minute. Maybe she's letting stress get the better of her but how could she not worry about an awful letter being sent her way? These threats don't feel petty at all, they come across as dangerous. She gets that Ajax is trying to cheer her up but unfortunately, it will be practically next to impossible to not dwell on this. With her eyes darted to the ground, she was too shaken to react to the gentle rub on her arm, which was as sweet as it was. ]

... Okay.

[ It's rare for her not to say much but she truly is just that scared. Without another word, she slowly removes herself from the couch and goes to the kitchen while trying to steady her shaky legs. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[He knows some flowery words isn't going to instantly make her feel better. In fact, he doubts she's going to feel better at all the rest of the night, but he's determined to at least alleviate some of it. Ajax follows her into the kitchen, taking out a mixing bowl, some ingredients, and the proper utensils.

Gently, he directs her over to it, so she's standing in front of the bowl as he presses his chest to her back, arms wrapped around her middle to comfort and also be ready to help and show her how to make it.]

Here, we're going to make something called blini. It's a favorite of mine, too.

[He keeps his tone even and soothing, craning his head forward so he can press the side of it to her own.]

We're just going to mix all of this into this bowl, and stir it until it a nice batter.

[niwabi]

[ Although it's hard to go back to her usual chipper self for the rest of the evening, she's determined to at least try to maintain her composure for Ajax's sake. Learning how to cook one of his favorite foods certainly helps, and even though she's pretty down in the dumps, she memorizes each and every ingredient he brings out. The amount of joy she'll feel knowing her cooking made him full and happy will be immeasurable.

But for now, she'll take solace in Ajax's warm body pressed against her back. His strong arms are like an anchor and with him around, she feels safe from the evil forces that keep coming after them. It's easy for her to relish in his hold as she carefully listens to his instructions. ]

Like this...?

[ Stirring should be simple enough, even if she's not in the right state of mind at the moment. Her small hand carefully mixes the ingredients together, stirring until the mixture combines and melts into a white batter. ]

By the way, what's a blini?

[monoceroscaeli]

Just like that.

[He lets her stir it, hoping that just the action alone gets her mind to shift in a different direction than one of gloom. If it takes her mind off of worrying and feeling unsafe, that's all that matters to him, as he keeps his voice in that soothing tone.]

A blini is a sort of pancake from my homeland. It's much thinner than what you might be used to, and it can be big or small, depending on how you'd like to make it. We'll make small ones today, and I can show you all the different kinds of toppings you can put on it.

[He gives her a nice kiss to the side of her head as he breaks away from her momentarily, to get a skillet out. Turning on the stovetop to heat it, he comes back to wrap his arms around her again, nuzzling the side of her head before he plants another kiss to it.]

While that heats up, why don't you let me take care of the batter from here. It takes a real pro to get it just right.

[Of course, it doesn't take a pro at all- but he winks at her anyway ;)]

[niwabi]

[ A real pro, huh? What a dork but it's working. For the first time since she's come home, Yoimiya manages to crack the faintest hint of a smile. The wink only adds to this man being silly. She lets out a loving sigh at the kiss to her cheek and even tilts her head to the side to give him more access. A telltale sign that his distraction is doing wonders to soothe her nerves. ]

Alright, show me your pro skills. After all, I'm a newbie to preparing blini so I gotta learn only from the best.

[ She lets go at his request, allowing him to take over the stirring while she watches with intrigue. ]

Is there anything else I can do to help? I feel bad if I just stood here looking pretty.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He'll be more than happy to take advantage of Yoimiya tilting her head just so, just so he can plant more slow, loving kisses from her head and down her neck. Get her to focus on him, and not the terrible threat she received at the office.]

I'll let you pour a couple, but just watch me first.

[With one last kiss administered to her skin, he breaks to take the bowl with the batter and pour small, thin circles into the skillet. Ajax pours about six or seven before he quickly gets a spatula so he can flip them, the batter cooking quickly due to how thin it was.]

See? Don't pour too much or they'll get too thick. Then it'll be closer to synriki than anything else.

[niwabi]

[ Ooh ♥︎ The kisses to her neck feel like a little slice of heaven and just what she needs to forgo her worries. Happy purrs slip from her lips as she keeps her stare glued to Ajax's hand to memorize his blini technique. There are about six or seven but they sure cook fast! Having been more used to jiggly, fluffy pancakes, her eyes widen in amazement. They already look so good... she swears her mouth is watering just staring at them. ]

I see! Don't pour too much... okay! That's easy to remember.

[ Since it's a dish from Ajax's home country, she's determined to perfect it to impress him. Once the pancakes finish cooking, Yoimiya quickly mimics him as she pours about 5 small circles onto the skillet. A few seconds later they're ready to flip! With her spatula in hand, she carefully starts to flip the lil golden brown delicacies. ]

Blini was it? Is this a favorite of your siblings too?

[monoceroscaeli]

[He hums happily as Yoimiya starts her own batch, moving to the fridge to take out some creme fraiche and some smoked salmon he'd picked up from the grocery store the other day. He also grabs some sour cream and some jam...can't go wrong with that, either.]

It sure is. Teucer gets very excited when I make him blini at home on my return trips. Sometimes I'll make him tiny ones like this, and sometimes I'll make giant ones, depending on the meal.

[Everything is set out, and he walks over to see how she's doing.]

Not bad. You're catching on quickly. I burnt the first blini I ever made pretty badly, haha.

[niwabi]

[ Cute... the mental image of Teucer getting all starry-eyed whenever Ajax returns to visit home melts her heart. It almost makes her forget about the horrible letter she received and the impending dread that comes along with it, reminding her of a much happier time before everything went haywire.

If only they had met under more peaceful circumstances, maybe she could have gone to Snezhnaya with him to meet his family instead of feeling like she's in constant fear about a looming threat. ]

Really? I'm surprised since you're such a good cook but I guess we all have to start somewhere.

[ Once Yoimiya sees that they're ready, she scoops them off the pan to plate them. ]

And now look at you. You've become an expert at blini and are now showing me the ropes.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He looks at her with an almost bashful smile tugging at his lips, just for a second, at the compliment. Not for a lack of confidence, but rather that the compliment is coming from Yoimiya. He feels flattered, and to try to hide it, he makes himself busy with putting the toppings on the blini now that they're plated. A few get crema fraiche and salmon, a few get sour cream and jam.]

Well, I'd hope by now I'd be somewhat good at it- I have been doing it for a long time now.

[And they're done! Everything's looking very nice, but now it just needs the right drink. And since it's been a stressful day for Yoimiya, he's got just the thing in mind.]

Care to set the plates on the table? I'm going to pour us some drinks to go with it.

[niwabi]

[ Oh! She never would have guessed that Mr. Blini expert himself had a bashful bone in his body. The smile on her face grows wider and for the first time since returning home, a giggle spills from her lips. Ajax has already put her at ease just by himself, and all the pampering and sweet talk is simply the cherry on top. Though the situation is dire, she wouldn't change her chance meeting with Ajax for the world.

Being with him is worth everything they've weathered together. ]

Will do! I'll also bring out an Inazuman dish that I think will pair well with our dinner.

[ She gives him a small peck on the cheek before trotting off. There's a small pep in her step as she takes the plates and sets them alongside a few utensils on the table. With that done, she makes a quick trip to the fridge to pull out a container of candied sweet potatoes. And now that everything is place, she sits down at the table to wait for Ajax to join her. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[He supposes whatever part of this cooking lesson made Yoimiya a bit more cheery is worth being thankful for. Maybe she's not totally fine yet, but at least it's given her enough to seem like she's feeling at least marginally better, if her cute little trot off to set the table with the food is any indication. He watches her intently, making sure he's not mistaken in his assumptions here- before he goes to whisk out some champagne he'd tucked away for something a bit more celebratory...but it pairs well with blini, so that's what he's going with tonight.

Out he comes with the glasses, setting them down in front of each of their plates, putting the bottle off to the side, but still within arm's reach.]

Here we go, [he says, taking a seat and looking at how good all their food looks.]

I must say, you did a lovely job for your first time. Let's eat, sit down afterwards, and watch a movie. What do you say? I think taking a night off and relaxing is just what we need.

[niwabi]

[ Here he comes with glasses and a bottle of camphange! Yoimiya beams when he makes his entrance, her nose immediately picks up the smell of their homemade blini and she can't wait to sink her teeth in them. ]

Hehe, has anyone told you that you sure know how to spoil a lady?

[ For that, he's rewarded with a sweet kiss to the cheek but rest assured, there's more where that came from. WINKS

He truly went above and beyond to help her feel better and Yoimiya couldn't be any more thankful. If she was handling this on her own, she would have had a breakdown but thanks to him, she gets to enjoy blini, good alcohol, and enjoy the best company she could ask for. ]

A movie sounds wonderful. There's actually one I've been wanting to watch with you. It's called Twilight and it's a love story between a vampire and human.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's definitely open and willing to whatever more there might be for the rest of the night. Feeling a little down due to death threats and all isn't stopping him from showing Yoimiya a good time and getting her to forget about all her worries (๑>؂•̀๑)]

I've heard of it. Can't say I'm completely familiar with it though...all I've heard is that lonely middle-aged women really love the protagonist of the movie.

[The tease in his voice is unmistakable...are you a lonely, middle-aged woman, Yoimiya?]

[niwabi]

[ This brat....

She might be giving him a bit of a stink eye but that tease is just what she needs to take her mind off this terrible situation. ]

Oh? Is that what you think of me? A lonely middle-aged woman?

[ Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Making fun of a girl's age is just asking for trouble. But she knows this man well enough, he enjoys a slice of trouble just like her. And since he asked, she's happy to give it to him. ]

Well, I haven't actually seen it for myself but who knows, maybe I'll fall for the protagonist just like all those lonely middle-aged ladies. He might even be hotter and way more charming than you.

[ Maybe she will be on Team Edward out spite. ( • ̀ω•́ )✧ ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[He laughs to himself, listening to her try to goad him into being jealous. With his elbow coming up to rest on the table, he lets his head rest in one hand, matching her own smirk.]

Perhaps, but unfortunately for you...he's not real. All you're left with is me at the end of the day, and I can make you feel things that no pretend vampire could ever make you feel...

[Ajax licks his lips at her, before sitting back in his chair so he can enjoy the blini they've made. He takes one, dips it in sour cream, and chomps down on it to savor the salmon against the blini itself.]

Mmmmmmmm...this tastes wonderful.

[niwabi]

[ Ughhhhhhh, even though she wants to wipe that smug smirk right off his face, there's no denying he's right. No matter how hot that fictional vampire is, Ajax is still more so her type, and he's shown her a world of pleasure far beyond any guy ever has.

And gosh darn it, does he have to lick his lips like that? >:c Sure the blini tastes good, but she can think of something else that would taste even better. STILL!!!!!!! She isn't about to give in to the whims of a brat, not when he called her a lonely middle-aged lady. So thus, she's able to stay vigilant as she also dips a blini into the sour cream and slides it into her mouth. She might be a bit huffy at him but his cooking really is out of this world, the luxurious salmon practically melts in her mouth. Once it's consumed, she makes a show of licking the remnants of sour cream off her fingers nice and slow. ]

Mmmm, you're right. This tastes really good. I can see why you enjoy your own cooking so much. But if I know you well enough, I can think of something else you'd like a taste of even more.

[ She winks at him just before picking up her plate to take with her to the living room all the while deliberately wiggling her cute yoibutt at him. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Leave it to Yoimiya to match him tit-for-tat on this one. He makes no secret of staring while she licks her fingers clean, enjoying the thought of where her tongue and mouth could also be at some point tonight. But the game is more fun if they continue it, so he makes sure he gets an eyeful of her ass before taking another small blini and popping it in his mouth.]

Oh? What could that possibly be?

[Adding a few more pieces of blini to his plate, he picks that up and follows her into the living room.]

You can't keep it from me, that would be just cruel.

[niwabi]

[ As soon as she hears the sounds of his feet shuffling across the floor, Yoimiya knows she hooked herself an Ajaxfish. She's forced to bite down her lip to prevent any impish giggles from spilling out as she trots to the hallway with her butt popping out at at him the whole walk there.

Since this is Yoimiya and she is a brat, she doesn't intend to make things easy on him. And it shows when she deliberately bends down to turn on the TV, ensuring that he gets an even more tasteful view of her ass as she sets their movie of choice up. ]

Haven't you heard of the saying "good things come to those who wait"? I thought we were going to watch a movie together.

[ Sometimes wearing a short skirt pays off... but maybe not for Ajax. :') ]

Surely you can wait till after the movie.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's got a feeling this is going to be a lot more than just watching a movie. Right now he's watching that prime view of her ass when she bends down, wanting to walk over and put his hands all over it. This girl means to torture him for as long as possible, and it's not hard to turn him on when she's looking this cute and being this much of a tease.]

Oh, so you're just trying to test my patience, I see.

[Well, two can play at that game. Ajax rounds the couch, sitting himself down so they can 'watch' the movie, waiting for her to patiently join him.]

If you think you're going to break me, you've got another thing coming. I just so happen to have a lot of patience. What I'd like to know...is if you have the patience as well.

[Smirking, he takes another blini and eats it, leaning against the arm of the couch. His competitive girlfriend has lit up his own fighting spirit, so tonight looks like it's going to be promising.]

[niwabi]

[ Maybe the real Twilight: New Moon was Yoimiya's ass this entire time.........

But if it's a game he wants, a game he shall receive. Ajax has already proven himself to be the most interesting man she's ever been involved with, and he continues to drive that point home by rising to any challenge thrown at him.

And honestly? Teasing and testing his resolve is just the kind of distraction she needs after receiving that awful letter. A night of tantalizing fun sounds like the best way to forget about her troubles. ]

You just so happen to be patient? Oh please, I remember the way you pounced on me the moment I spread my legs on your couch. Maybe you are a patient man in in other endeavors but I know you're willing to throw that all out the door for my body.

[ Just for good measure, she wiggles her butt at him one last time for good measure before joining him on the couch. She snuggles up closer to him with her own blini in hand, taking a small, cute bite out of it. ]

I guess we'll see who breaks first. I've always appreciated a man who doesn't back down from a challenge.

[ And with her challenge issued, she presses play to begin the movie and it starts with a rather interesting quote:

"I've never given much thought to how I will die." ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Okay, that's true. He did sort of give in and immediately had sex with her the moment the opportunity presented itself. He doesn't see why he had any reason to say no, she was inviting it and it's not his fault she's gorgeous. Even now, he can feel a little blood rushing downwards, enjoying the nice view she continues to give him of her cute lil' butt.

Ajax's arm drapes around her as she snuggles up to him, he has to fight the urge to lean down and start kissing her neck and playing with her ears...]

Don't think I'll make this easy on you.

[It's the last thing he gets out before the movie starts. It's got an interesting line to start, and it hits maybe a little too close to home for the moment. But past that, he finds it a little boring to start, so his other arm snakes around her middle and he pulls her a little closer into him, slipping his hand just under her shirt and into her skirt enough to let his fingers press into the soft skin of her hip.]

[niwabi]

[ "Don't think I'll make this easy on you."

That's exactly what she likes to hear and boy, does he know how to make it difficult for her. She feels his hand slipping into her skirt just enough for his fingers to dig into the skin of her hips. Those fingers are tantalizing, that brief touch is enough to tempt her into his whims. But unfortunately for him, she's not a quitter.

So if that's what he wants, she's happy to do the honors of scooting closer and inviting him to touch to his heart's content. ]

Are you sure you're making this difficult on me? This seems more like a double-eged sword.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Look at this little temptress scooting in closer. What she says is true, it is a double-edged sword, but it was always going to be like that. It won't stop him from tempting her further, making sure she gets all the attention and access to his body that she wants.]

Shhhhh, I'm trying to watch.

[He's really not.

Instead, he's letting the other arm and hand that had originally draped over her shoulder to dip down and idly play with her breast, fingers gliding over the fabric of her top to spin around the nipple as he gropes her lightly. His eyes are watching the movie, but his attention is on her body and how she'll react to his touch, silently hoping it sparks a little arousal in her that she can't ignore for much longer.]