Week 1: Tino/Gilbert

The Finn was relieved Gilbert didn't seem to mind his indecision, and leaned his cheek against his shoulder. He had a feeling the man was a great deal more patient than most people he dealt with. Perhaps he was just as interested as Tino was. Gilbert seemed to understand how he felt better than the average bear. They both seemed to want something more from a relationship than sex. Perhaps Tino was a bit jaded, but his life was not satisfying. He wasn't sure if it ever had been.

Tino tugged Gilbert down a side street and to a small, plain, out-of-the-way sort of place. "Here we are."

Gilbert smiled at the contact from Tino. It confused him a bit, but he appreciated the the touch none-the-less. It was a bit surprising that such a seemingly independent young man would press his cheek to his shoulder. He was pretty sure that Tino was lonely. That was alright.

Gilbert looked around at the small place where they would be dining. It was casual and intimate. "Nice choice."

The Finn pulled Gilbert along a little more forcefully across the street and skipped up the curb.

"Well, we'll see what you think once you try the food."

Gilbert was pulled into a small building by the young man. He was lead into a small waiting area with a host. Gilbert looked to Tino, wo was still attached to him.

"Two then?"

"Two indeed." Tino struck up a brief conversation with the host in Finnish and the other man nodded, smiling at the pair.

"This way, please." The host wandered off, and Tino slipped one finger through Gilbert's before following. The restaurant was dim and small, but it had a warm vibe, with softly glowing lamps and intimate little tables. Once they arrived at a booth, the host set down menus and took his leave. Tino slid onto a seat and made himself comfortable, browsing menu items. His uncertainty from before had rolled off his back, and he was back to his cheerful self.

(I wasn't quite sure how to do the restaurant thing and got tripped up, so sorry if it's a bit confusing. And sorry for the delayed response!)

Gilbert followed Tino through the place, once again being pulled along. He enjoyed it. The natural positive attitude he seemed to have rubbed off, and the albino smiled. He sat across from the blond and picked up a menu. He glanced it over, then his eyes drifted up to look above the booklet.

After a few minutes of watching Tino, Gilbert remembered that he was supposed to be picking out something to eat. Hmmm food...He made his selections, ready for the waiter when he showed up.


(It's fine. I understand being busy. )

Tino sat toying with the pages of the menu, absently glancing to the candle on the table. He watched the little flame flickering up happily, set his menu down and started tearing open sugar packets from a little box next to the salt and pepper. The sugar was left in a small pile on the table and the sugar packets were fed carefully into the fire.

"I love the colour these make..." The Finn stared into the green and blue-edged flame on the sugar packet.

Gilbert snorted, but with good humor. It was really very innocent. He wondered how many people got to see Tino like this. For all he knew, everyone. But, he doubted it.

He took a small pack of pepper and dumped its contents into his palm. He held his fingers over the flame when Tino had finished lighting up packs and allowed the pepper to trickle from his finger tips and into the flame. Sparks flew up as the spice caught before falling, alighting in air.

He smiled and sat back, crossing his arms over his chest.

A quiet laugh escaped the Finn. "Show-off."

"Sorry about that. It really is a bad habit. One day I'll burn a restaurant to the ground by accident, all because I'm a sugar-packet-pyromaniac..." Tino swept the scattered bits of the sugar into a little crystalline mound on the table, shaping it perfectly, and collected the blackened remains of the packets..

Gilbert snorted as he watched the other male clean up. "Nothing wrong with a little fire." He red eyes smirked at the man across the table.

He leaned over to grab up his menu as he watched the waiter come around. Gilbert ordered a German beer and a meat and pasta dish, then handed his menu back to the waiter. He grinned at Tino.

"Just water, and five-cheese manicotti, please," Tino ordered, relinquishing his menu. He gave the waiter a little smile before returning his attentions to Gilbert.

"What's your view on leftovers?" The Finn questioned idly. "Good or bad sign on a date?"

Gilbert looked at the strange young man for a moment, then nearly choked on laughter. "You mean to ask me if I feel you should eat like a bird or a pig, don't you?" He snorted.

"I feel that people should eat until they are done eating. If there is some left over, then there was too much food. If everything was finished, then there was just enough or too little. Pretty simple." He smiled as he leaned on the table. "Now, if you are wondering how I feel about reheating leftovers after possible sex with said date...well that's just awesome."

He grinned and cocked his eyebrow; sure that Tino would get the joke.

"I hope you don't mind me eating like a pig. I'm a bottomless pit," the Finn told Gilbert with a faint blush.

Tino blinked at Gilbert with wide, clueless violet eyes and tipped his head a little to one side. Every bit a deer in the headlights. "Am I missing something?" He put on a thoughtful expression.

Gilbert blinked at the blonde across the table. There was no way after the sauna, and the walk, no way Tino could be that innocent to have missed the most blatant sexual joke all evening. He swallowed tightly and looked down at the table. Was he playing something? Toying with Gilbert in some way? That would be...disappointing on a level beyond sex.

He looked at the male across from him as he folded his pale hands onto the table. Perhaps Tino wasn't as a mentally sexual as he seemed. Perhaps he could flick that part of his brain on when he needed to, but was otherwise a fairly innocent thinker. Gilbert wrinkled his nose in thought. Why would someone do that? It would make one seem more sexual than he was. It was like how Gilbert would turn on his more serious side in battle. It wasn’t him but it was part of his job—

He stopped in his line of thought, locking eyes with Tino.

Oh.

Tino stared back at Gilbert with puzzled violet eyes, then blushed when their eyes met. "Never mind then."

The Finn slipped his hair behind his ear and looked down at the tablecloth, still with the feeling that he was missing something, but he deciding he'd rather not ask. Sometimes, when he wasn't in the right mindset, things flew right over his head. Some people found it endearing. He just found it irritating. It made him seem unintelligent or naïve. Slow in the uptake. Gilbert was obviously a sharp individual, and he was embarrassed to show how simple his mind could be.

Gilbert thought he knew why Tino's relationships failed in the past. Particularly the big one. He sighed as he took it all in. Tino was probably a prostitute. Tino probably did business in town. Tino might want paid--

But no. The young man hadn't mentioned anything about payment. And in fact, he'd avoided speaking of his profession in depth. Tino was actually out on a date with Gilbert. This realization made him feel much better. He would hate to think he'd been emotionally taken in by someone who was only doing his job. And Gilbert--though not often--had slept with his share of sex workers. He knew when someone was faking interest. Tino hadn't faked interest in the street. And this...place wasn't the place one would probably take a client.

Gilbert slid his hand across the table and snatched one of Tino's. He held it tenderly. He didn't know what to say, though he wished he could explain that it was okay. As long as he wasn't getting played it was okay. As long as what Tino did with him was honest, they'd be okay.

Tino jumped when Gilbert took hold of his slender hand, then relaxed with a shy smile. The guy really was sweet. His hands were warmer than one would imagine from their pale complexion, large and a little rough, like he used them a lot for his work. But the grip on his hand was gentle, and it was easy to tell from the way he looked at Tino that he was probably more intuitive than the blonde had given him credit for.

And the Finn really wasn't worth his time. Tino continued examining the hands distantly, smoothing his fingertips across the back.

Gilbert watched the other man explore his pale hands. The knuckles were so that if he were to clench his fist, one could plainly see the small blue veins. Especially in the creases. He often wondered what his coloring would be were he owner of some melanin. He shrugged slightly and decided to think on it later. He wrapped his fingers more intimately around Tino's, enjoying the soft skin.

Their food was brought then, so Gilbert had to pull his hands away regretfully.

Tino sighed quietly when the food came and Gilbert pulled away, but he gave the waiter a polite thank-you before setting into his food. He was a bit embarrassed when he began snarfing food down like a pig, but he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Please excuse me," he mumbled to Gilbert. "I'm kind of hungry. It's been a long day."

Gilbert watched for the briefest of moments, then with a grin he shoveled a huge forkful between his lips. He winked as he chewed gluttonously, exaggerating his jaw movements. After he'd managed to chew through the huge wad of food, he swallowed, then wiped his lips neatly with a napkin.

"It's cool." He chuckled at Tino.



(Sorry, I had finals. My life halted for a bit.)

Tino giggled a little and tried not to snort or choke or spit food out across the table.

"I feel kind of ridiculous," he muttered once he'd swallowed. He cleaned his mouth carefully with a napkin to remove any potentially embarrassing smears of his dinner. "How is it?"

(That's cool. I haven't even had time to go on the computer lately...)

"It's pretty great. Seasoned a bit differently than you'd think, but that's part of the beauty." He eyes trailed over to a small table tent, noticing an adversitment for a drink.

"Hey Tino," Gilbert pulled the piece of plastic toward him, looking it over. "Have you ever had 'Mexican hot chocolate?'"

"Yeah. I love this place. Nowhere else like it." Tino smiled and continued cleaning up his plate.

"Mexican hot chocolate? No, never heard of it... What is it?" He narrowed his eyes at Gilbert in suspicion. "Sounds like something that would give me heartburn..."

Gilbert snorted, holding back a laugh with his hand.

"I-I doubt it. It's hot chocolate made with Mexican chocolate--which has vanilla and almonds-- with cinnamon and just a bit of chili powder. It's sort of like what the spices do for chai tea, but with chocolate." He licked his lips as he thought about it.

"And marshmallows...there are almost always marshmallows."

"Hm..." Tino thought about it. "Sounds delicious, certainly better than I had thought at first... And I don't think that it could give me heartburn... I think I'll try one. Yeah. I will."