Now And Then
Omg I wrote a fic! Save your breath. It's shameless fluff... Rp-verse Teacher Dan/Kovacs. For Rin. <3
"Oh, for chrissake," Dan complains loudly, rolling his eyes and turning his back to his partner. "Seriously, wherever you get the nerve to complain about what I put in my fridge, I'd really like to know."
"Tofu is not food, Daniel," Kovacs complains in return. "Ridiculous."
Dan huffs, his face turning red. He turns back to look at him. "Neither are Spaghettios but you've got twenty-some cans in your cupboard! I've seen them!"
"Walter likes them," the ruffled ginger protests, his voice hitching a touch lower. He likes them too, but the point will be met with more sympathy if they're for the other.
Dan doesn't look a bit mollified by this, so Kovacs throws up his hands. "Asked if I wanted to help you cook. Apologies for asserting an opinion." About tofu, cabbage, dates, this spice or that, fish, mushrooms, hummus, jello, and so on.
With a sigh and a firm pinch to the bridge of his nose, Dan replaces his glasses and steps towards his partner. "Alright, alright, fine." He reaches out and puts his hands on the shorter man's shoulders and rubs down his arms. "Then why don't we go grocery shopping? I'm about due to refill my pantry anyway."
"No."
--
With a bit of pestering that borders on nagging, a few playful kisses, and some outright pleading, Kovacs agrees, not to accompany Dan to the grocer, but to allow himself to be brought there by him.
"God forbid we do anything domestic together like grocery shopping," Dan teases as he picks up a basket and unfurls the list from his pocket. Kovacs gives him a look to remind him that being seen together as a couple in public is serious business, grocery shopping or not. So Dan gives him a cheeky smile and makes him hold the basket while he leads the way with the list, pulling Kovacs along by his shirt sleeve as he goes.
Milk, bread, potatoes. Kovacs argues about someone's heritage when he moves to buy ham and someone shoves his hands in his pockets to keep from smacking the disagreeable redhead for his political incorrectness. A few more items are thrown into the basket, some by Kovacs' own hand, some that Dan can argue in turn.
They continue to quibble over their items as they stand in the check out line. Kovacs grows silent as he looks over the various racks by the register, undoubtedly picking out what sort of candy he wants to get before they leave. Dan watches as he reaches down and picks up a long string of individually packaged candies and puts them into the basket. He opens his mouth to say something, to protest or tease about ruining his dinner.
But the way that Kovacs avoids looking at him as he does it, even though it's Dan's money they're spending... Well, it seems a bit final and inarguable. So Dan stays silent and simply pulls out his wallet to pay while his partner puts their items on the conveyor belt.
--
The candy is forgotten until later, when they stand alone in Dan's kitchen, putting their groceries away. Dan stands behind his partner, peering over his shoulder, and finally thinks to ask what they are.
"Zotz," Kovacs replies.
"Thanks. Y'know, I can read the label." He reaches out to take a strip of the candy but the smaller man swats his hands away and takes the candy back from him.
Dan watches as hard but deft fingers peel two of the small packets open without a hitch. He parts his lips as one of the hard candies is delivered to his mouth, then watches as Kovacs puts one piece in his own mouth and smiles when he looks up at him.
Ordinary hard candy. Shaped like a cough drop. Flavored like grape soda. Kovacs munches down on his and eyes Dan expectantly, telling him to bite down when he doesn't follow suit. Dan obeys and Kovacs grins a wide, crooked grin when the taller man's brown eyes grow wide behind his glasses. "Jesus, what the hell! That's horrible!" Dan complains, finally grabbing the packet to look at it, trying to find the ingredients.
"Don't like it?" Kovacs asks Dan with a frown to match Dan's confused, almost nauseated look.
"I-I dunno. It's just so... Different. Sugar, corn syrup, malic acid, sodium bicarbonate... Well, hell, no wonder."
Kovacs shrugs. He can feel the familiar sour fizz fill up his mouth and make his hair stand on end. He quickly chews up the rest of his piece of candy to bring out the best of its flavor, feeling the bubbling in his throat and stomach. Dan perks a brow as Kovacs opens more, another flavor: apple this time. He gives his partner a wary look but opens his mouth anyway.
"Don't bite this time," Kovacs tells him. "Taste better if you don't bite down. But I always do. Like tradition or something. Years and years old. Haven't had these for very long time. Fifteen years at least. Used to love theme as a kid. Cheap and... Just--" He bites down on his regardless. "Just ridiculous." The best part of his childhood.
"And not food," Dan whispers with a small smile, his arms wrapping around Kovacs' waist. "Like tofu and Spaghettios."
Kovacs shifts against him restlessly, turns his head and receives a kiss that is altogether much too ironic and apple flavored, fizzy and ridiculous. The best part of now.
"Oh, for chrissake," Dan complains loudly, rolling his eyes and turning his back to his partner. "Seriously, wherever you get the nerve to complain about what I put in my fridge, I'd really like to know."
"Tofu is not food, Daniel," Kovacs complains in return. "Ridiculous."
Dan huffs, his face turning red. He turns back to look at him. "Neither are Spaghettios but you've got twenty-some cans in your cupboard! I've seen them!"
"Walter likes them," the ruffled ginger protests, his voice hitching a touch lower. He likes them too, but the point will be met with more sympathy if they're for the other.
Dan doesn't look a bit mollified by this, so Kovacs throws up his hands. "Asked if I wanted to help you cook. Apologies for asserting an opinion." About tofu, cabbage, dates, this spice or that, fish, mushrooms, hummus, jello, and so on.
With a sigh and a firm pinch to the bridge of his nose, Dan replaces his glasses and steps towards his partner. "Alright, alright, fine." He reaches out and puts his hands on the shorter man's shoulders and rubs down his arms. "Then why don't we go grocery shopping? I'm about due to refill my pantry anyway."
"No."
--
With a bit of pestering that borders on nagging, a few playful kisses, and some outright pleading, Kovacs agrees, not to accompany Dan to the grocer, but to allow himself to be brought there by him.
"God forbid we do anything domestic together like grocery shopping," Dan teases as he picks up a basket and unfurls the list from his pocket. Kovacs gives him a look to remind him that being seen together as a couple in public is serious business, grocery shopping or not. So Dan gives him a cheeky smile and makes him hold the basket while he leads the way with the list, pulling Kovacs along by his shirt sleeve as he goes.
Milk, bread, potatoes. Kovacs argues about someone's heritage when he moves to buy ham and someone shoves his hands in his pockets to keep from smacking the disagreeable redhead for his political incorrectness. A few more items are thrown into the basket, some by Kovacs' own hand, some that Dan can argue in turn.
They continue to quibble over their items as they stand in the check out line. Kovacs grows silent as he looks over the various racks by the register, undoubtedly picking out what sort of candy he wants to get before they leave. Dan watches as he reaches down and picks up a long string of individually packaged candies and puts them into the basket. He opens his mouth to say something, to protest or tease about ruining his dinner.
But the way that Kovacs avoids looking at him as he does it, even though it's Dan's money they're spending... Well, it seems a bit final and inarguable. So Dan stays silent and simply pulls out his wallet to pay while his partner puts their items on the conveyor belt.
--
The candy is forgotten until later, when they stand alone in Dan's kitchen, putting their groceries away. Dan stands behind his partner, peering over his shoulder, and finally thinks to ask what they are.
"Zotz," Kovacs replies.
"Thanks. Y'know, I can read the label." He reaches out to take a strip of the candy but the smaller man swats his hands away and takes the candy back from him.
Dan watches as hard but deft fingers peel two of the small packets open without a hitch. He parts his lips as one of the hard candies is delivered to his mouth, then watches as Kovacs puts one piece in his own mouth and smiles when he looks up at him.
Ordinary hard candy. Shaped like a cough drop. Flavored like grape soda. Kovacs munches down on his and eyes Dan expectantly, telling him to bite down when he doesn't follow suit. Dan obeys and Kovacs grins a wide, crooked grin when the taller man's brown eyes grow wide behind his glasses. "Jesus, what the hell! That's horrible!" Dan complains, finally grabbing the packet to look at it, trying to find the ingredients.
"Don't like it?" Kovacs asks Dan with a frown to match Dan's confused, almost nauseated look.
"I-I dunno. It's just so... Different. Sugar, corn syrup, malic acid, sodium bicarbonate... Well, hell, no wonder."
Kovacs shrugs. He can feel the familiar sour fizz fill up his mouth and make his hair stand on end. He quickly chews up the rest of his piece of candy to bring out the best of its flavor, feeling the bubbling in his throat and stomach. Dan perks a brow as Kovacs opens more, another flavor: apple this time. He gives his partner a wary look but opens his mouth anyway.
"Don't bite this time," Kovacs tells him. "Taste better if you don't bite down. But I always do. Like tradition or something. Years and years old. Haven't had these for very long time. Fifteen years at least. Used to love theme as a kid. Cheap and... Just--" He bites down on his regardless. "Just ridiculous." The best part of his childhood.
"And not food," Dan whispers with a small smile, his arms wrapping around Kovacs' waist. "Like tofu and Spaghettios."
Kovacs shifts against him restlessly, turns his head and receives a kiss that is altogether much too ironic and apple flavored, fizzy and ridiculous. The best part of now.