#sansgout

WHILE HAVING A MEAL FIRST was certainly tempting, the professor was quick to reprimand himself for it. Telling himself not to get distracted by FOOD, not when he had come down here to share his SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH with this man who had shown him nothing but RESPECT and KINDNESS. This man who had not just treated him as a valued patron to his restaurant, but as someone who was more than just some... blob to be gawked and laughed at.

Admittedly, Sherman had initially felt nervous around the man. But then again, that itself wasn't exactly anything new. Due to his own lack of confidence, Sherman found himself uncertain around most people, even his own students...

But when Vincent had so readily come to his defence that one fateful day, his nervousness would soon quickly turn to ADMIRATION. For there was just after all just so much to be admired about the master chef. From the way he carried himself, to of course his knack at cooking-- he was many things that the professor himself wished he could be.

Well, aside for ONE THING... this one thing that had brought him down here today, as a matter of fact.

"Oh... maybe after this." He would say with a chuckle, for who was he kidding? He would be a fool to NOT have a lil' something something before he left later. Perhaps, it could be a way to celebrate too afterwards, if-- no, when the FORMULA he had brought down today worked its magic on Vincent. "You know I can't resist COQ AU VIN~"

"Oh, e-errm..." He would then falter, having not taken this into consideration. Just how much of this man's time did he need, actually? While it didn't seem like much time would be needed to simply CONSUME something-- it was only right that Sherman properly explained it all to him first, and gave him the time to think it over too... No, this would not be a waste of the man's time at all. So don't feel bad now about something like that, Klump! "Just... just an hour, maybe two hours."

    –––– just a little bit more. After this last customer, this is over.

    With his fingers grazing the bills, a morbid realization dawned on Rody – the only thing right now holding him away from picking a few of them would be his own moral compass. Maybe no one would notice, from where he was standing, it seemed like the chef he worked under doesn't count pennies with how well he lived in the lap of luxury, not that he cared if that bloke went broke.

    There were times he was really tempted to take more than he share, sure, but he never actually done it. But there was a first for everything and one little harmless, victimless crime wouldn't lead him to a life of corruption.

    Hoisting some of the gold-colored cash into his pocket, hands sweating as he tried not to panic – and failing, eyes darting back and fro as he hoped no one would catch him; but hope is much more fickle than he realized.

The other man's biting remarks towards the world's nosy "do-gooders" earned a fuller laugh that reverberated down the alley. "Oh, that's a good one! I'm going to have to remember that." Good to hear they were on the same page about it—not that Ken had stopped to think how awkward this may have gotten if that hadn't been the case.

And not that he was surprised by it, either. Judging from the few professional chefs he knew personally, they tended not to suffer fools lightly. The other's mysterious response didn't provide much context, leading Ken to arch a brow. Shocking to hear, considering his job, but...maybe there was something else about this particular chef that made others bite their tongues. At least Ken's conversation seemed to be welcomed enough.

"No, no, not to worry—your dishes have been nothing short of immaculate, chef." Grinning around his cigarette, he delivered the title with the same lilt as the other had used to call him sir: a customer-service voice, if he'd ever heard one. But Ken's was more playful, looser around the edges. "It's everything that came beforehand that's driving me to this."

A rapid plume of smoke rushed from his lips as he sighed. "Surely you can tell I'm from across the water. Unfortunately, I'm here for business and not for pleasure." Just the thought of the insufferable idiots back home who'd kept him in a conference call all damn day made him roll his eyes. That was exactly why they weren't here themselves right now. They didn't have Ken's knack for negotiation, nor his talent for bouncing back and pushing the day's frustrations aside.

@sansgout : "it's good to be aware the world is blatantly unfair."

when stepping out for a smoke break after a luxurious meal, leandros did not anticipate finding out of the chefs out back, enjoying a cigarette as well. he said nothing of it--who was he to judge, after all? if anything, he got the impression that this man was not just another staff member. not with the way he held himself, and even how he took drags off of his cigarette.

in the distance, a woman, in fierce and furious french, threw a bouquet of flowers in the face of a man. leandros was somewhat out of practice with his french, especially given his spurn-of-the-moment choice to take a trip to france, but he understood enough of what she sobbed.

how dare you go back to her--how can i trust you or anyone after this?

his smoking companion spoke up as both of them watched her storm off, followed in hot pursuit by her spurned lover. dumb bastard was better off cutting his losses. anyone with a brain knew he'd resume his patterns.

glancing back, a groomed eye brow arched.

" not a fan of true love and its beauty, are you? "

his voice was dry, and smoke plumed up from his lips as he exhaled and spoke, glancing back in the direction of his nameless companion.

" i think the lesson truly learned is that men are pigs. "

taking in the scenery before him ; surprised expression, towel gently being placed down 'pon kitchen table - success, within the fabric of this night - yet, patience was a virtue that would act as an anchor for the doctor.

a smile as fingers dance gracefully across his palms - how fun this game can be, truly. the electricity floating between them, a hung wire that consumed all that it touched

" ah - " the doctor murmurs as his hand clasps the others, bringing him close, gently but not far from commanding -

" only those who take a bite out of my invitations, " hand moves towards vincent's lower back,

" which, i'm afraid, has only been you, come follow my lead, ah - you will be a NATURAL , I can already sense it. " there is a gleam to his eye - an inside joke perhaps? one that hannibal would soon, share with vincent.

MUNDAY ASKS // accepting!

FAVORITE SWEETS... i love homemade rice krispie treats, the store bought garbage is Horrible. but i also love swedish pancakes and lefse, which were sugary pancakes essentially my family made when i was growing up. i haven't had lefse in years though--it was made special by particular family members who had the ~*training*~ and also the specific equipment used in making lefse. my dad is one of those ppl and he has all the stuff needed, but i have some... mild trauma from trying to learn to make lefse and havent tried again :') SO YEAH (the trauma specifically was around something that happened during the lefse making period, not the lefse making itself GDSLGKD)

     I don't think you could grow a sense of humour even if your life depended on it, musing to himself so Vincent's mention of violence wouldn't turn into a self fulfilling prophecy, Jay tried to truly see if he could maybe change his mind – after all, it wasn't everyday he was sharing his 'trade secrets' of survival while being a jackass of all insults, maybe if the chef felt oh so compelled to be kind back, maybe he could share how his apathetic essence didn't deter him from getting far in such a cutthroat industry where everyone was brandishing a honed knife to prove themselves – both figuratively & literally. But that was likely overreaching on the office clerk's part...

     ❝Think about it this way – if something said is outrageously mean spirited, people usually deny that someone could just be so genuinely cruel & laugh it off. And I laugh right at them without anyone knowing & my ass stays safe,❞ maybe this was a moment of oversharing he didn't count on, but hearing Vincent actually try to be funny in a backwards way was sure to be entertaining, ❝why don't you try it yourself?❞ The bright side is that you can't get any more malicious than you are right now.