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Dottore and Pantalone are always together for lunch, even though they have been busy with missions and each other's duties lately. They sometimes have lunch with other Harbingers in Palace's cafeteria, but they prefer to enjoy their free time with each other alone.
They both agreed to meet in the Forest Park near the Mura River, because their usual seat in the cafeteria of the Zapolyarny Palace was too crowded with Fatuus. The ribbon-like stream of clear freshwater still remained solid frozen after the wintry period. Every Snezhnayan used this moment to go ice-skating or simply to relax themselves with the cozy chilly breeze of the change of season into the warm spring.
"...You are late again, Dottore." Pantalone, who was just tossing a few cracked corns to the woodpeckers circling near his feet, glared at the man in the white coat who was casually approaching him, while he waved his hand.
"I'm just a minute late. Come on, there is no need to get so upset." Dottore sat down next to Pantalone and piled up three steel boxes between them. "Here's your lunch for today."
Pantalone rolled his eyes at him as he took the box of lunch. "Thank you. Please keep in mind that time is money. We need to use our free time as effectively as possible, since we are busy these days."
"Yeah, I know. And I know money is important to you. Where's mine anyway?" Dottore looked around in search of his lunch from Pantalone, who was just carrying a bottle of half-empty cracked corn.
"You still haven't apologized properly, dear doctor." Pantalone threw another cracked corn to feed the woodpeckers as a curt smile was given at his lover.
Dottore groans as he scratches his neck. "...I'm sorry, okay? Lately I've been struggling to get my projects done without my Segments assistance. And to apologize, I've made you your favorite snack. A special one for you."
The cowlick on Pantalone's raven hair bounced. His amethyst irises peered through half-opened eyelids. "What sort of flavor are you making for me today?"
"This Ghraybe made with a mixture of Cardamom and Tulsi, and I have also decorated them." Dottore reveals a plastic bag containing biscuits in the shape of aranaras with gold, white and green decorations.
"Hm, that's a new mixture. I take it that you have poisoned this again, yes?"
"Rudee! I know you're tired from overwork. I made this to relieve your fatigue and increase your physical stamina."
"It's still the truth, then. Your malicious grin seriously suggested something more than that, Dottore."
The Doctor cackled. "Did I? Without me telling you, you already know what my other intention is."
"No, not that again. Tonight you should sleep outside if that is what you intend to do, my hips are still sore and so are yours." Pantalone picked up the food basket, wrapped in a red silk cloth, that had been hidden under his Harbinger's coat.
Dottore clucks his tongue, it's somehow true that he does feel worn out more than usual due to the overnight work. Still, he never gets bored or tired of having a night of fun with his dearest banker during their short break. In fact, it is the very thing that motivates him to do his best work even harder.
"Okay! I get it! We won't do it today, but..."
Pantalone's smile grew wider as he put the lunch for Dottore behind him again. "Sir II Dottore, my dear Doctor, Zandik. Please, for the sake of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, don't try to test my anger right now."
"Hey, I haven't said a word yet."
"That's because I already knew you were planning a trade with me."
"And yet you had as much fun as I did in our beneficial exchange."
"Enough with your flattery. What is it that you want to do to me this time?"
"All I wanted tonight was a nice cuddle, and only that, alright?"
Pantalone nearly dropped the lunch boxes he had been carrying. He looked around the park to make sure that no one else could hear them. "Yeah, we can do that. On one condition, you need to get a good night's sleep."
"All right, but I'd like you to stay with me tonight. Let's just go and skip our work for this time, I bet the Tsaritsa or Jester won't mind if we take a break from our hectic schedules."
Once again, the lunch boxes almost fell over. His lover is indeed a free-spirited man, however, what he said it's the fact, Pantalone is really in need of a good rest, but the overwhelming workload is hindering him to at least enjoy his very own leisure time. "Well, I suppose it's okay if only once...promise me, after that, you'll work really hard so we can spend more time together."
Dottore laughed, "Such bashful words from your pretty mouth, I like it when you act so needy sometimes. I promise I will. Oh, anyway, when we're done with everything we've been working on, can we do it again—"
Pantalone pushed the basket of food for Dottore right in front of his body. "No, and keep your mouth shut for a damned second, please. Let's eat before the food gets cold and our break is over, rather than making obvious innuendos."
"Okay okay, my wife's really grumpy, huh..." Dottore muttered as he opened his lunch basket. Inside the lacquer bowl were two soft steamed buns, but one of them had a green snowflake branded on the top.
"Please don't call me your wife here, everyone's eyes are on us." Pantalone pours hot chocolate and milk into a clear glass, then stirs them together until they are well mixed. "Here, your chocolate milk."
Dottore picked it up and took a sip. The sweet and bitter taste of chocolate and milk, the warmth soothing his mind and body. "But you're my wife, yeah? We've been married for a few months. Everyone here knows you're my wife."
"I'm aware of that, but please shut up, I'd rather you didn't talk about it now. Because you are going to tease me again nonstop." Pantalone opened his lunch box with a little bit of red on his ears.
It contained two flatbread sandwiches filled with meat and vegetables, a green salad and a mini tomato on the side as garnish. "This is Arayes, isn't it?"
"Yes, at your request, I've made them spicy enough to suit your taste." Dottore took one of the steamed buns while inspecting it. "So you have made baozi for me today, I wonder what kind of stuffing is inside."
When Dottore split it open, a crisp as new, freshly picked vegetable that gave off a fresh and refreshing aroma greeted his nose. He grumbled to himself. "Not the vegetables again... I thought it was going to be something sweet. You're not hiding any apples in there, are you? "
"Hmm... probably not? Please don't complain too much about it, you'd better have a taste first." Pantalone said and took another bite of Dottore's handmade Ayares.
The warm grilled pita bread was crunchy. The spicy taste of the savory mixture of lamb and beef had been seasoned to perfection with a variety of spices.
After sniffing the green and brown filling, Dottore took a small bite of the steamed bun. His sensorial senses are invaded by a citrus scent with a hint of sweetness and the flavor of salt and herbs. The flaky and fluffy crust, the sweet taste of fermented yeast in the bun is so light to swallow. There is a subtle scent of fresh bamboo too.
"Huh. That's surprising. There really isn't any apple in there this time, but it's too early to be a judge of that." Dottore picked up the steamed bun with the light green snowflake mark after finishing the bok choy and mushroom stuffed baozi. "This one...really intrigued me, it seems a little different. Do you want to take a bite of it too?"
"No, thank you. I made it just for you. Ah, but as for your ayares, it's a bit overdone, but the taste is great enough." Pantalone commented with a satisfied smile and then sipped the warm tea brewed by Dottore, who was remarkably skillful at brewing and baking after being able to cook properly 'well...he still made mistakes when he cooked a meal though'.
The strong and sweet infusion of gunpowder leaves, fresh mint and sugar give it an intoxicating taste. An intriguing aroma of a floral heart of lime blossom, lavender, blackcurrant and sparkling ginger brings the warm breeze, inviting him to a pleasant spring reverie.
The Maghrebian mint tea tastes wonderful. But Pantalone prefers to serve it with three glasses of unique tea flavors. The first glass is as sweet as life, the second as strong as love and the third as bitter as death. However, to make such a tea requires a complex traditional method, and for this reason Dottore simply makes an usual one.
"Sorry, I forgot to take it out when it's cooked because I'm busy mixing the ghraybe." To surprise himself, Dottore takes a bite out of one or another baozi without tearing it in half.
Inside his mouth burst with the melting bittersweetness of dark chocolate. Dottore's red eyes behind the raven-beak mask widened, then narrowed when he tasted a familiar sour caramelization of red fruit.
"From the frown on your face, you must have already tasted the surprise ingredient. How do you like it so far, my dear doctor?" Pantalone smiled amusingly, not bothering Dottore's sharp glare that peered at him under his mask.
"Yes, if you don't add apples, your baozi should be a perfect meal. So, end of verdict, you get nine out of ten." Dottore continued to eat the half-eaten baozi with a sour grin. He doesn't want to admit that he doesn't like the delicious taste of the dish.
"Oh dear, nine? That is still a very high score, thank you very much. Your lunch and this mint tea are wonderful as well. My rating for today's lunch is... 8 out of 10."
"Only an eight? Can't you get it up to nine? So it's fair game."
"No, as your cooking mentor, I believe that is the best you're going to get. Please keep up your hard work until you get the perfect score, Zandik." Pantalone's amethyst eyes peered with ruthlessness, while a sly smile of self-satisfaction was painted on his lips.
"So ruthless, don't blame me if I want an extra reward for my hard work later on."
The banker chuckles gleefully. "Well, if you can do that up to my satisfaction. I will look forward to it."
Dottore and Pantalone laughed heartily together in anticipation of the tricks and surprises that were in store for them in the future. After they finished their lunch, they rested comfortably on the bench for a little while.
"This may be a little too off-topic and ridiculous for us, Harbingers, but I'm curious. What are your plans for life when we finally get retired?" Pantalone asked while putting the empty lunch boxes between them.
"I don't really have one. I think it's impossible for us to stay alive until that point." Dottore took off his vicious raven beaked mask as he continued. "But if I could be alive longer than I already am, spending the rest of my time with you would be all I need."
Pantalone coughed and almost spilled his tea, but he tried to pretend that he hadn't been acting careless at that moment. "Ahem, pardon me. For myself, I would like to open an inn, or perhaps a pub, a place where we and others can come to relax and rest."
"Ohoho? That's unexpected, I thought you'd spend your life in your luxurious humble abode, with your stupendous fortune." Dottore's crimson eyes stared intently at his dearest banker. "A place where a person can relax themselves, huh...? It's an intriguing plan for the future. I bet you'll attract a lot of customers with your delicious dishes and exceptional service."
"But there is one thing I need to be able to do this, I need you."
Dottore dropped his raven-beak mask on the colorful marble path of the park, then picked it up with an awkward laugh. "Of course, of course, of course, you needed me! But for what purpose? I don't want to be your employee anyway."
"In exchange for your cooperation with me, I thought that your skilled baking and brewing methods would be useful to my plan. If you are in agreement, we can share the income, and you can only prepare desserts and drinks as your job. Seems very beneficial for us, don't you think?"
"Hmm, I think so. So it's a promise?" Dottore asked back.
"Incorrect, it is a 'deal'." Pantalone answered.
"Heheh... a 'contract' to be exact."
"Doctor, are you in agreement?"
"Naturally. Without you having to ask me twice, I'm willing to do anything for you, Regrator."
"Then, until that time comes, please stay alive. Don't act in such a reckless way again as you do with your segments."
"The same goes for you, Ruìshī. Unlike me, you're just a mortal and can die at any time...do you want me to immortalize you so that you live longer?" the Doctor offered with a big grin on his face.
"No, thank you. I want to stay like this as much as possible until I die, but I don't mind having you protect me if I need to later.” the Banker replied politely, remain calm despite the dangers of death that always lingering beneath his very shadows.
"That would be an easy task for me. I won't let you die at someone else's hands, no one else ."
"That is considerate of you, Zandik. However, your obsession towards me frightens the children over there..." Pantalone smiled awkwardly as he tried to reassure them that Dottore was only joking, at the children who had been watching them all this time, standing in horror on the frozen lake.
"Oops, I didn't mean it like that. Sorry about that, kids! I'm just rehearsing my face for my kid's upcoming horror school play." Dottore takes Pantalone by the hand, and the latter literally gives him a wide-eyed glare. "Let's go back to my place, our kid must have been waiting for too long."
"Hm? Eh? What? Huh? Excuse me?! What do you mean our child? Dottore? Zandik? We never even had a—"
"Have a lot of fun skating on the ice, kids! Be careful not to catch cold! Or this Doctor will treat your flu with a good shot from my syringe... hehe haha hoho..."
In an instant, the children ran away screaming for their parents. Some of them kept slipping on the icy lake and almost fell into a small cold pond. Dottore laughed triumphantly. But in a second he was stopped by a strong grip on his shirt collar.
"Zandik, please explain what you just said."
"Of what? Skipping out on our working hours?" the tug grew tighter as his face drew closer.
"It is not the right time for a joke, my dear doctor. What the hell are you thinking? Saying we have a child? I have no recollection of the fact that we have a child and, as we are well aware, I can't have a child."
Dottore gripped Pantalone's wrist tightly, his crimson gaze capable of piercing any soul that dared stare back at him. "If we don't have one, we could do it now. After all, we have plenty of time until tomorrow, and an artificial womb would be a great help in that regard."
"No, still no, Zandik. You gave me your word."
"I have? Well, maybe next time, when we're all done working, we can make them as many as we want."
Pantalone could feel his body tense. His ears and face grew redder at the thought of them having a child, especially when he saw himself carrying their baby. "Will you please shut up? I don't want to hear any more of your ridiculous ideas!"
Another Dottore's manic laughter scares Snezhnayan locals around the Park, who merely wanted to have a fun holiday. "Okay, okay, let's just stroll around in the forest before we head back to the Palace. Enjoying some nice scenery and a cool breeze won't scare anyone."
"Good idea, just don't do anything weird with me again."
"Oh? You expect me to do things to you? You are naughty, I see."
"No! Stop making such false accusations!"
Dottore laughed until his abdomen began to ache, it is really fun to tease his dearest banker. Their fingers intertwined tightly as they held each other's hands. The dim sunlight behind the leafy trees melts their snowy path. The beds of colorful flowers bloom as their footsteps lead them into the deep heart of the snow white woods.