004M action; [CLOSED]

[toobig]

Who: Bertholdt Fubar toobig and Ryan Brown schild
What: Their Definitely-A-Date Date Night
Where: Bertholdt's Apartment
When: Friday, August 23rd
Warnings: Gay boyfriend things ITT

[Bertholdt had been waiting nervously ever since Ryan had told him he had off this evening and was coming over to his apartment to make them dinner. He almost felt bad, having Ryan cook... but he had offered. So he had spent most of the day tidying up his cluttered apartment, making it look nice, before showering and dressing in something besides sweatpants. His usual attire wasn't much better, still a comfy pair of slacks and a button down shirt with a chunky sweater thrown over it. He just hoped Ryan never expected anything fancy from him... He was too set in his ways to worry about that. Fancy things didn't suit his gawky frame anyway.]

[Still thinking about that, putting away his current manuscript folder, he heard the intercom buzz and blushed automatically, running to hit the button as sweat rolled down his face.]

Uh, Ryan? You can... uh... just come up. 

Comments

[schild]

[ Ryan had been looking forward to this all week. After Bertholdt helped him clear up things with his last echo, Ryan knew he had to make this special. Bertl's got a condition after all, so he spent most of his time off during the week googling recipes and trying them out for himself. Fish was good, vegetables and avocado... that sort of thing. Ryan had the perfect dinner in mind and even went grocery shopping on his way home from work. He was dedicated, dammit. ]

[ Ryan arrives with an armful of groceries, buzzing himself in and making his way up to Bertholdt's apartment. He'd memorized the address down to the area code. It was cuter than it was pathetic, right? ]

Hey, it's Ryan! My hands are kinda full, can you hold the door?

[toobig]

R-right! Coming!

[He adjusted his sleeves a little before walking to the door and opening it up. His apartment isn't much, but it's nice and open, with bookshelves lining the whole back wall behind his work desk set up in the living area. He takes one of Ryan's grocery bags automatically and comes into the kitchen area, setting it on the counter.]

H-hey...

[schild]

Hey to you. [ Ryan drops the other grocery bag on the counter, going around the tiny island to snake an arm around Bertholdt's waist. He may or may not lean in for a kiss. ]

How've you been?

[toobig]

[Bertholdt kisses him back, avoiding a tragic nosebump like the last time. It's quick and makes him smile, blush twinging the top of his cheeks.]

I've been all right. Did you find it easily?

[schild]

Yep, no problem. I googled it.

[ Ryan smiles, walking back to the groceries and emptying out the bags onto the table. He should probably have a look around first, sure, but he has some fish to refrigerate. ]

You don't mind if I just make myself at home, do you? I've got a few things planned. Hope you like avocados.

[toobig]

No... no, go right ahead.

[He nods, stepping back from the counter.]

I, uh... made coffee, if you want any?

[Bertholdt, coffee is bad for your condition....]

[schild]

I'm good. But thanks for the offer.

[ Ryan smiles-- he's looked it up, and yeah, coffee is indeed bad for Bertholdt's condition... but it sounded like he likes it a lot... Maybe he can just be subtle about it. ]

So I looked it up online and I found a couple recipes that'll help keep your thyroid levels down. Hope that's okay.

[ Though honestly Ryan could probably make Bertl a steak and it'd be better than the crap Bertl eats, huh. ]

[toobig]

O-oh... that's...

Thank you.

[No one's ever bothered doing that for him before, not even his own mother.]

[schild]

No problem.

[ Ryan just pats a hand on Bertl's back, resting it on his shoulder. Touching is nice... ]

You wanna help? I'm making brown rice with tomatoes and guacamole.

[toobig]

That sounds good...

[He smiles down at him, pushing his glasses back up his nose.]

What can I do?

[schild]

Help me cut the avocados? I can start the rice.

[ Ryan looks around for a pot and starts filling it with water. He's certainly making himself at home... Yeah, this is gonna be a weekly thing, isn't it. ]

I got cherry tomatoes, so we won't have to cut those. The avocados are in the brown bag.

[ You know Ryan is the type of guy who has those reusable grocery bags... ]

[toobig]

Yeah... I-I can do that.

[He's pretty clumsy, and his hands shake a little, but he's not bad enough to cut himself with a knife... Right? He takes out the avocados, cutting them in half carefully to take the pits out.]

[schild]

Thanks. I've got some lime juice and olive oil too...

[ For a big guy, Ryan sure seems to know his way around the kitchen. Once the rice is boiling, he moves on to the next thing. ]

Can you mash up half of the avocados, then set aside the other half into slices? I can help if you want.

[toobig]

I... I can cut them...

[He smashes up the halves for the guacamole.]

I don't... uh, cook very much but... I know how to do some things...

[schild]

That's great. This'll be no problem then.

[ Ryan never thought you didn't, Bertl. Cooking together is just so... nice. He pulls out the rest of the ingredients from the bag, setting them on the counter. ]

Hmm. I pre-seasoned the fish, so it should just be a matter of popping it in the oven...

[ We can handwave the cooking if you want to just skip to them eating together c': ]

[toobig]

[IT'S TOO LATE I GOT AN ECHO ACCEPTED LET US COMMENCE:]

[Bertholdt just kind of hums in affirmation, starting to cut up the rest of the avocado and tries to be careful with the knife... But still ends up with shaky hands, nervous and ...excited about their date, and manages to slice his left index finger pretty badly. He hisses in pain, lifting his hand away from the food quickly, and then shock as the wound begins to steam.]

Wh-what...?

[schild]

Woah, are you-- [ Just as Ryan is about to ask, he looks over, watching as the steam rises from Bertholdt's cut. A normal person would freak out about this, but Ryan... ]

Oh, awesome! You've got it too!

[toobig]

It's... it's gone.

[He stares at his finger when the steam clears, nothing but a small white line left over when it's gone, lifting his other hand to rub over it. It had hurt, cutting into himself like that, but now...]

Th-that's so weird...

[schild]

Yeah... It takes some getting used to.

[ Ryan slips his fingers around Bertholdt's wrist, just to get a closer look at where the cut had been. He has a medical eye despite it all-- he is a firefighter, after all. ]

Good as new. Just like me.

[toobig]

[When he puts his hand around his wrist, Ryan's sure to notice how thin he is. For his size, Bertholdt's limbs shouldn't be that bony, for sure, and he feels pretty fragile. He's still staring at where the cut should have been, thoroughly shaken by all of this. It was really happening...]

I-I...

[schild]

[ Aw, you're all bony, Bertl. Now's not the time for Ryan to say anything about that, though. He looked it up, so he knows Bertl's condition would make it hard to gain weight... ]

Looks like it's all gone. Which is lucky, it looks like the cut was pretty deep.

[ Just judging by the blood, anyway. Ryan grabs a paper towel to wipe away any mess, but he keeps his hand on Bertholdt, hoping to ground him. ]

Hey, it's okay, y'know? It's a little freaky at first, but you're okay.

[toobig]

I-I know it's okay... I-I just...

[He lets out a soft little sigh, slowly relaxing in Ryan's grip, watching him wipe the blood away.]

I didn't think... anything like this would ever happen to someone like... me...

[schild]

[ Ryan strokes Bertholdt's wrist, leaning in easy. ]

Yep. Even cute guys like you aren't exempt.

[toobig]

[C-cute...... Bertholdt blushes brightly, looking down at him with the shiest look in his eyes, before leaning in to kiss him.]

I guess... we were both doomed from the start, then...

[schild]

Heh, right. Guess that's another echo, huh?

[ Ryan leans into the kiss, happy to melt in his arms. Too bad dinner is still going on, so he has to break away after a timer starts to beep. ]

Ah, the rice--! One sec.