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31_days2007-02-05 10:04 pm
sodzilla.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2007-02-05 10:04 pm
[February 5th][Pumpkin Scissors] Fruitful
Title: Fruitful
Day/Theme: February 5/ the golden apple
Series: Pumpkin Scissors
Character/Pairing: Randel, Alice
Rating: G
Randel had long ago given up on trying to trace some red thread in his own life, some overarcing purpose, but there were some chains of causality he could follow to the end. For example, going on missions meant (usually) being injured. Being injured meant the hospital. And the hospital, these days, meant fruit.
It had become a tradition after that first time. Actually, Randel hadn't been sure then, because the basket of exotic goodness had appeared on his bedside table several days after Alice had told him she wouldn't visit him any more, but then she'd brought him a bunch of bananas after he'd been shot storming that country estate and after that he considered the mystery solved.
It wasn't that he wouldn't have looked forward to Alice's visits even without the treats, of course. But they were amazing; a literal taste of a world he might never have known, because frankly he wouldn't have guessed most of these things existed until Alice brought them to him.
Such as the thing he was holding right now. "What is this? Sir?" It was a little smaller than his clenched fist, and the exact color of Alice's uniform, and round...
"It's a Cathay apple. I think they call them... oranges, in Loderia." Alice smiled down at her own fruit, held in her cupped hands. "My grandfather used to get them for me and my sisters, when we were small, but I haven't had any in years. I saw it in the marketplace and just had to buy a couple."
Randel felt a little guilty at that. If even Alice couldn't get this fruit whenever she wanted, it must be really expensive... and she'd bought it for him, instead of bringing it home to her family...
"It's just the right season for it, too. They should be nice and juicy."
"Thank you, sir," Randel said politely, raising the... orange... to his mouth. If she was sharing something so special with him, he was determined to appreciate it properly.
The first bite robbed him of that determination. The thing tasted vile, bitter and sharp like Dr. Kauplan's chemicals, and it was tough besides. He couldn't get it out of his mouth fast enough, or keep himself from grimacing.
Alice stared at him for a second, just long enough for Randel to get nervous - he'd offended her - and then she doubled over giggling.
"Sir?" Was this some kind of joke?!
"I'm... sorry," she wheezed, straightening up and wiping at her face. "It's just... the look on your face..."
Randel was about to start apologizing, but then she reached out and plucked the chewed-up fruit from his hand. "You're supposed to peel it."
"Oh." There didn't seem to be much more to say, so he just watched while Alice took off her gloves and attacked the orange with her fingernails, deftly removing the tough outer layer and unveiling something altogether more appetizing.
"Here." She broke off a piece - apparently the thing divided into cloves, like garlic? - and held it up to his mouth. "It'll take the bad taste away."
Randel had to agree. The taste was still a little sour, but sweet too, and tangy, and the juice just rushed into his mouth. This time when his mouth curled it made a smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Corporal," Alice said softly. Randel blinked. She wasn't smiling any more, or not much, but she looked at him in a strange way. Very... attentively.
"...sir? Something wrong?"
"It's nothing. Just... the look on your face."
Day/Theme: February 5/ the golden apple
Series: Pumpkin Scissors
Character/Pairing: Randel, Alice
Rating: G
Randel had long ago given up on trying to trace some red thread in his own life, some overarcing purpose, but there were some chains of causality he could follow to the end. For example, going on missions meant (usually) being injured. Being injured meant the hospital. And the hospital, these days, meant fruit.
It had become a tradition after that first time. Actually, Randel hadn't been sure then, because the basket of exotic goodness had appeared on his bedside table several days after Alice had told him she wouldn't visit him any more, but then she'd brought him a bunch of bananas after he'd been shot storming that country estate and after that he considered the mystery solved.
It wasn't that he wouldn't have looked forward to Alice's visits even without the treats, of course. But they were amazing; a literal taste of a world he might never have known, because frankly he wouldn't have guessed most of these things existed until Alice brought them to him.
Such as the thing he was holding right now. "What is this? Sir?" It was a little smaller than his clenched fist, and the exact color of Alice's uniform, and round...
"It's a Cathay apple. I think they call them... oranges, in Loderia." Alice smiled down at her own fruit, held in her cupped hands. "My grandfather used to get them for me and my sisters, when we were small, but I haven't had any in years. I saw it in the marketplace and just had to buy a couple."
Randel felt a little guilty at that. If even Alice couldn't get this fruit whenever she wanted, it must be really expensive... and she'd bought it for him, instead of bringing it home to her family...
"It's just the right season for it, too. They should be nice and juicy."
"Thank you, sir," Randel said politely, raising the... orange... to his mouth. If she was sharing something so special with him, he was determined to appreciate it properly.
The first bite robbed him of that determination. The thing tasted vile, bitter and sharp like Dr. Kauplan's chemicals, and it was tough besides. He couldn't get it out of his mouth fast enough, or keep himself from grimacing.
Alice stared at him for a second, just long enough for Randel to get nervous - he'd offended her - and then she doubled over giggling.
"Sir?" Was this some kind of joke?!
"I'm... sorry," she wheezed, straightening up and wiping at her face. "It's just... the look on your face..."
Randel was about to start apologizing, but then she reached out and plucked the chewed-up fruit from his hand. "You're supposed to peel it."
"Oh." There didn't seem to be much more to say, so he just watched while Alice took off her gloves and attacked the orange with her fingernails, deftly removing the tough outer layer and unveiling something altogether more appetizing.
"Here." She broke off a piece - apparently the thing divided into cloves, like garlic? - and held it up to his mouth. "It'll take the bad taste away."
Randel had to agree. The taste was still a little sour, but sweet too, and tangy, and the juice just rushed into his mouth. This time when his mouth curled it made a smile. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Corporal," Alice said softly. Randel blinked. She wasn't smiling any more, or not much, but she looked at him in a strange way. Very... attentively.
"...sir? Something wrong?"
"It's nothing. Just... the look on your face."