‘ i don’t like to think about it. ’
don’t starters . accepting
Wall Market was a peculiar place in all of Midgar – anywhere else, Sephiroth would probably be eventually recognized even if he did his best to dress down and blend in with the crowd. But in that part of the Sector 6 slums… There was just so much more going on that no one cared for a decorated war hero browsing the odd food cart around. The neon lights, the alluring promises of the clubs, the flowing alcohol… The distractions were varied and generous and it was difficult for anyone to pay attention to anything standing right under their noses.
That meant the 1st Class enjoyed some sense of anonymity there – and the madame made sure to introduce him to the small pleasures from the hidden joints frequented by locals only. The Honey Bee Inn was her pride and joy, of course – and also terribly public. It just wouldn’t do to bring him through the front door without several questions being asked. But in the middle of the narrow streets, buying takoyaki from an old man who had sold them at the same corner for as long as Melissa could remember… No one would look twice at the pair.
When the food was ready and exchanged hands, the woman bowed gracefully to the Wutain man opposite her and used the only word she knew in his native tongue to thank him, earning a smile in return from the vendor. At Sephiroth’s raised eyebrow, she grinned but shrugged her shoulders, finding a quieter spot near the food cart to share the food with the SOLDIER.
“I don’t actually know the language. Just a couple of words to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Sometimes that earns me one extra unit,” she winked, gently picking one of the octopus-filled delicacies with her chopsticks to taste it – and it never failed to leave her humming in approval and wanting more. She wordlessly motioned for Sephiroth to try one himself, encouraging him to try the exotic snack – and watched his face with unveiled interest to gauge his reaction to the food.
“Well?” she asked when she was done eating the first one, “Is it good enough?”
“I suppose,” the 1st Class replied slowly – he looked like to be truly experiencing the different flavors there – all the seasoning, the crust, the sauce added at the end – Sephiroth was very clearly impressed and his honesty about that was so very endearing, “I wouldn’t be able to compare with anything else.”
“Oh? I thought you had… Tried Wutain food before. During the war,” Melissa felt liked adding that last bit for clarification – she knew very little of the actual details of what a real war entailed, but she had always imagined that… Well, the soldiers needed to eat. And there was no way the would be able to pack Midgarian food for the entire time they were out there, on the field. She had just assumed…
“No – Shinra was always very careful about the food and we were not allowed to-“ he then stopped talking and something crossed his face: it was painful and dark, and the way his expression changed hurt the madame as if a sharp knife had been plunged between her shoulder blades. “My apologies - I don’t like to think about it.”
Of course not – who would like to remember the gruesome details about combat like that? Melissa suddenly felt like a fool for accidently evoking such memories, but there wasn’t a lot of time for the madame to contemplate her guilt – Sephiroth gently reached for her, patting her shoulder and then holding her gaze captive for a moment.
“You did nothing wrong. This food… I had never tasted it before. I like it,” he added with a small smile, and went for a second dumpling. The woman then smiled, letting out some air she had been holding without even realizing, “I don’t like to think about the war… But I do wish to understand the country. What else you like from their cuisine?”
The relief Melissa felt at his curiosity and renewed candor were impossible to describe in words – but there she felt warm and hopeful again, the dreadful sensation of a moment before long gone. This – this she could do. Despite the fact Sephiroth had been the one who had visited Wutai, she was the one who had befriended the local inmigrants and learned about their culture. Maybe she could help him build this bridge, after all.
“Well – what are your thoughts on raw fish? If you’re feeling brave, we could try sushi next time.”
