Work Text:
Yi Sang has always been a fan of both coffee and tea, while Sinclair preferred the latter. Although offered to her many, many a time, Don Quixote had always preferred the various forms of juice (as well as the reliable water) as her drinks of choice. The only downside to her preferences is that these drinks come cold, so a craving for something warm cannot be satisfied by them. This plight brought her to the figurative doorstep of those companions Yi Sang and Sinclair, in order to find some tea for Don Quixote to enjoy for herself.
Being unfamiliar with the medium, the two tea drinkers decided to start her off with one that Yi Sang enjoys, a nice English Breakfast, complete with a splash of milk as intended. Presented in a cute cup to Don Quixote, she went to take a sip, but first smelled the drink.
"..hm. Hark, this scent is a most strange one, I must admit."
"Is that so? I personally find it to be a sensation most soothing."
"That's probably because you like the taste, isn't it?" Sinclair softly giggled.
Don Quixote took a breath in and out, then put the drink to her mouth.
"MMPHPH..!!!!!"
Sinclair jumped, startled by the sound. "Oh jeez, was it still too hot for you?"
"Haaah... I'm afraid so, Young Sinclair... My mouth remains safe from scalding burns, but 'twas much hotter than I had been earnestly expecting..." She moved the cup away from her mouth. Too hot to drink, but not too hot to hold.
"Ah, as someone used to drinking hot drinks, I figured the temperature was fine... I'll take this into account for future samplings." Yi Sang tilted his head down in shame.
"Fret not, Yi Sang! Perturbed I am not! However, I do find this taste most displeasant..."
"Hmm. Sinclair, would you not agree Orange Pecoe is too similar a taste to next prepare? Also, I will gladly finish your tea for you, since you seem to have no wish to finish it."
Sinclair turned to him. "Oh? Yeah, it probably is a bit too close. How about something with lemon?"
"I do believe I have a blend with lemon and ginger laying around somewhere."
"Thank you, Yi Sang, for taking it upon thyself to complete my failed mission. I am most willing to try this next flavor!" Don Quixote triumphantly declared.
Sinclair went to prepare the next tea, Yi Sang drank the unfinished cup, and Don Quixote waited, kicking her legs. Once the mug was brought to her and plenty cooled, she held it up to her face and smelled it. She said nothing, but slightly shifted her face at the scent.
"Does it smell bad?"
"Nay, I shall still taste it nonetheless, just a mere sniff cannot shake my will!"
"So it does..." Sinclair timidly smiled.
Don Quixote blew on the tea's surface, and took a sip. She closed her eyes, lowered the mug immediately, scrunched her nose, and covered her face with her hand.
"A failure, it seems." Yi Sang softly shook his head.
"Lemon... all I taste is that repugnant sour flavor... fie, such a frightful taste hath been thrust upon me! I shan't take another mouthful, of fear that mine death may be nigh...!!"
"I don't mind drinking this one, then..." Sinclair reached over and grabbed the mug from where Don Quixote had placed it.
"Young Sinclair... so brave and kind... I send my utmost of prayers towards thy tastebuds..."
"Can I suggest my favorite chai? I have a bunch of kinds because I've been looking for the best one, so it's not like I'll miss this little of it." Sinclair got up as he said this, prepared to head back to the shelf of tea.
"Indubitably, I'm most certain anything beyond will taste better than... this... supposed tea..."
The process repeats. Sinclair brews tea, Yi Sang continues to finish off English Breakfast, Don Quixote kicks her feet.
"I must extend my gratitude towards thee for thine expending of time towards mineself, Yi Sang!"
Yi Sang, caught off guard, looked up from the tea, almost spilling it in the process. "Ack, no worries.... it's no problem. Not at all."
"I'm back! Here, your tea."
Don Quixote blew quite aggressively on the tea, quite excited to sample it.
"Hmm.. a scent much familiar! Although, I cannot place it..."
"Cinnamon, most likely. I cannot imagine you to be familiar with the permeating scents of cardamom, masala, or any of the other included spices."
She flinched a bit as she took a sip, presumably from the heat. "It... tastes the same as the smell. This tea hearkens my senses to that of a cinnamon taste." She looked at the two across from her with wide eyes. "I remain undecided on my liking of such fullll-lavors, but I may finish this on my own!"
Yi Sang grinned. "An outcome most ideal. A tea at least somewhat to your preferences has been identified."
Amongst idle chatter, mint tea was the next to be tasted by Don Quixote, but first, they all finished what they had. Sinclair enjoyed his lemon and ginger tea, Don Quixote drank all of the carefully selected chai, and Yi Sang drank the last of the (now gone cold) liquid in his cup.
Mint tea later in hand, Don Quixote held it up to her face.
"This smells the same as that first tea that Yi Sang had to finish for me, I'm afraid... is this not tea of a peppermint flavor? Such as that of... toothpaste?" Don Quixote's face contorted to one of confusion as she looked at Sinclair.
"Well, you know what mint tastes like, no? It's mixed with green tea, it says so on the box, but it should still have the flavor... right, Yi Sang?"
"We share not the same palette, so I cannot attest to what she will taste upon consumption, but there is most certainly mint contained as a large portion of the tea's contents, yes."
Don Quixote took a sip of the tea, and sighed.
"I fear I have let it sit for too long, for it runs colder than hoped... but aside, it doth seem of a similar leafy tastefulness," she solemnly looked at Yi Sang, "and thus it remains not in my favor."
Yi Sang gave a gentle smile in return. "I understand what this look means... and do not worry, I mind not finishing this tea as well."
"If I may perhaps propose a bit of a prompture..." Don Quixote started, drawing the attention of both other Sinners, "I have indeed heard goings-around of a tea known as, ahem.... Earl Grey?"
Sinclair raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yeah, Earl Grey, I think I've got some that's new if I remember correctly. Wanna try it? I can't tell if it's good or not, since I haven't gotten around to trying it yet myself, but..."
"Most certainly! I am devoted to the ways of steeping and brewery, and am most utterly determined to find a combination of flavors that bring me great glee!" Don Quixote exclaimed, unaware of her raised voice.
Yi Sang took Sinclair's place this time, ridding himself of his cup at the same time as preparing the next one for Don Quixote's tasting.
"Ah! I must extend my sheer gratitude towards thee as well, Sinclair! Forsooth, thy time and effort is most commendable!"
Sinclair lightly flushed, just the slightest dusting of pink covering his cheeks. "Oh, it's really nothing at all... thank you for sticking through all of this."
"I see no reason to leave such an excursion half-done! I've gained much knowledge hitherto, and will thusforth be able to indulge in the glory of warm and toasty drinks!" Don Quixote beamed.
"Your tea, still hot." Yi Sang gently put it in front of her.
"Aghhh, such pity! I do truly wish to sample sooner than later... Hie! Cool thyself, my mighty glass!" She shouted at the mug, as if it would be compelled to be less hot by her voice alone.
"It's made of ceramic, not glass, if you thought it was..." Yi Sang chose to chime in.
"Hie!!!! My mighty ceramic!!!! ...I suppose I must steel myself, rather, than my noble ceramic steel itself. I shall indulge! Effective this moment!" She picked up the still heated mug, "Ooooh! A smell different than those unpleasant teas! Almost... like soap."
"S-soap? Really?" Sinclair tilted his head.
"Mhm! Most certain! A perfume-like sensation wafting its way!" She took a sip after gently blowing on it.
"...strange. It tastes the same way, thus I deign that perhaps it 'twas not a soapy scent. 'Tis a smell and taste I'm quite conversant with, regardless."
"Interesting. I know not of the different ingredients that combine to its profile, and cannot conclude what you may be smelling or tasting."
"Perhaps I need not concede, and it remains simply a soap tea?"
Sinclair lightly exhaled, a playful tone in his voice. "Sure. I'll keep that in mind when I give it a try, Don Quixote's officially named soap tea."
"The last tea I know of that we possess at the moment would be chamomile and lemongrass." Yi Sang turned towards the girl, hands in his lap.
Don Quixote frowned. "Forsooth? My escapades shall come to an end? Woe, I had wished to try the fabled Oolong, or perhaps the mystical Darjeeling tea mentioned in a magazine I had once read!"
"I've had oolong before, it tasted like dirt..." Sinclair puts a hand near his mouth in recollection.
"If this isn't to your liking, we could always purchase tea together some time? I don't believe there is much to stop you from drinking more tea another day."
"....hmmm.... I suppose this idea tickles my fancy, yes! We shall indulge at the suuuperrr-markets tea aisles a day soon! I shan't remain without a delicious drink of mine own forever!" Don Quixote regained the cheerful tone in her voice.
"Ah, there's also always hot chocolate too!"
"Hm, I've thought much of the beverage, but I've sampled it prior, and find the chocolate taste overbearing when comprising sips."
Sinclair perked up with an idea. "Oh, since this is the last one, why not come yourself?"
Don Quixote shot up. "What a wonderful idea, yes!!! I'll come posthaste!!"
The three of them gathered around the same cup, while Don Quixote carefully prepared the tea. Don't spill the water, take out the teabags and dispose of them after steeping, add the right amount of sugar, refrain from the milk, carry to seat.
"Alas, the moment of truth hath arrived!" Don Quixote excitedly blew on the tea, the last kind of the day. "A scent most warm indeed..." She slowly tilted the cup, unsure of the temperature... "Hot."
"Mm, patience is important, and you cannot rush through everything," Yi Sang calmly remarked, "perhaps a couple minutes longer may help?"
Don Quixote sighed, and impatiently sat watching her cup. Those minutes passed, and she took another slow, slow sip. "Less hot!"
She proceeded to take a full sip of the tea. "....huh? It tastes.."
The other two waited with bated breath.
"...like water?"
"Eh? Did we let it steep for too long?"
"Perhaps, but I doubt so."
Taking another sip to confirm the flavor, she began again. "..yes, water but warmer and with a slight flavor I seem to be uncomfortable with, considering I feel my face twist for its assailing unto my tastebuds."
The shoulders of Yi Sang and Sinclair drop.
"Sorry that we couldn't find something you liked more than chai, Don Quixote...."
She shook her head fervently. "Nay, 'tis but a conquest to resume later! Hast thee not said so thyself, Yi Sang?!"
He placed a hand on Sinclair's shoulder. "Precisely. There's no reason to worry, for we have time and determination, and that's all we could possibly need."
"Right, we always have another day, and more flavors at the store, like that, uh..." Sinclair blanked.
"Darjeeling!" Don Quixote completed.
"Yes, that darjeeling you mentioned. I'm sure there'll be a flavor handmade for you out there."
Don Quixote shouted. "Of course, of course! None shall stop noble hearts such as ours! Say, Sinclair, are you up for a game of chess!?"
He placed his hands on his head in dismay. "Ahhh, you're only saying that because Yi Sang is here to help you cheat! I won't stand for this!"
"I see your fighting spirit has returned." Yi Sang laughed.
"C'mon now, don't act like you're innocent, you're directly complicit in all of her chess crimes!!!"