milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

It is still cold outside, still snowy, the ground still rock-hard.

And Wei Wuxian is still training.

Out by the lake, on the flattened training ground, the cultivator in black and red is moving fluidly through his forms - they're still so far below what he could once do, with a blade much less powerful than his much-missed Suibian, but...

But it's progress.

And he's so pleased it's ridiculous.

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"The fastest way to one's heart is through their stomach," she chuckles, wry, "or that's what they say, anyway."

Personally, she usually uses the notch at the bottom of the breastbone as a roadmap, going in and up past that.

"He must really like them, to specifically ask for the recipe I have never previously shared with anyone, including family."

Previously, of course. She is not a monster.

"... What is an apple pie, anyway?" Wei Ying finally asks, since it's evidently a tasty foodstuff. Wei Ying is all about the tasty foodstuffs.

Sunshine's steps go all wrong as she forgets the form and looks at him in surprise.

"I have been a bad friend, Wei Wuxian," she says, apologetic and surprised at her own oversight. "I should introduce you."

"Apples are tree-fruit, thin-skinned with firm, crisp flesh, and depending on the variety can range from honey-sweet to outright tart and everything in between."

Edited 2022-03-12 06:55 (UTC)

Wei Ying laughs, holding up his hands in surrender.

"I know what apples are, my donkey eats enough of them." He protests, "I just don't know what an apple pie is."

Sunshine laughs. "Sorry, sorry. I never know if I'm taking for granted if folks already know something, here, but I admit that might've been a bit overboard."

One day he might offer her a loquat and be met with a blank look.

"But apple pie," she adds, with an arch air of one imparting a secret, "is a pie made from apples."

Rae is well-aware that she is being silly, so she goes on, "It's more of something to be experienced than explained. Peeled and sliced apples, sugar and spices, baked in a round, flaky pastry shell, served sliced into wedges, sometimes with ice cream on top."

Edited 2022-03-12 22:53 (UTC)

"That does sound like it could be good." Wei Ying agrees, after giving her such a look for her initial description of 'apple pie'. It's not too early in the year for swimming, you know.

His terrible student is unrepentant, grinning back at him.

"Kenny's a pretty smart boy, though, to choose my apple pie - most folks back home have had apple pie and can tell a good apple pie from a mediocre one, and my recipe is a very good one," she says without a hint of boastfulness. "I've asked Mel to deliver one of the secret ingredients, though, since Kenny is still underage."

The boy has no gift for keeping a low profile, and would likely get in trouble if he tried to purchase it himself.

Wei Ying can only really think of one thing that has a hard age restriction, and...

"Ew?" Never mind, he doesn't want pie. That's nasty, Sunshine.

Sunshine looks over her shoulder at him, confused.

"I thought you liked alcohol."

Edited 2022-03-13 06:01 (UTC)

"Oh, alcohol, that's different." Wei Ying laughs, relieved.

Sunshine lowers her practice sword.

"What were you thinking I meant?"

"... Not alcohol." Wei Ying reports, unrepentantly. He said age restricted! What was he supposed to think? Alcohol isn't age-restricted!

Otherwise he couldn't have any, because often-times Xianxian is three.

"That much is obvious." Still looking at him expectantly.

"You honestly thought I put anything gross in one of my recipes?"

"You started it. What was I supposed to think, anyway? Bleh." Wei Ying snorts, settling back into start position.

"Not whatever you did think," she retorts. "Nothing gross here but whatever was in your head."

"The secret ingredient in question is applejack, in the pie. It infuses apple flavor into the pastry crust and keeps it flakey. Kenny couldn't purchase it on his own without lying about being older than he is, so Mel's going to smuggle it onto the school's campus for him."

"... Your world is odd." The boy is old enough to be on his own, providing for himself, trying to have a romantic conquest or two, and he can't have alcohol?

So weird.

"Oh, definitely," she'll admit that readily, "but generally for other reasons than not letting kids have alcohol."

Little brothers are always kids, no matter their age.

"He's in his first year of college and the dorm admin do apparently check the rooms for things like alcohol and drugs."

Reasons number eleven and twelve why she would never have made it through college, even if she had applied and a school had accepted her.

Wow, is her brother going to school in Cloud Recesses too?

"And he is studying law?" He asks as he starts through his routine again, slowly building the muscle memory that might one day save his life.

"Yes - he wants to make the world a better place," she replies, wry, as she takes up her practice sword once more and begins going through the routine as well. "I'd love for him to pick a little less volatile field of study than Other Law, but the little idiot seems determined." Her little brother cares deeply, and despite her words, Sunshine couldn't be prouder.

"Ah, what are little siblings for if not to make you worry?" Wei Ying asks, the voice of Experience. "Otherwise life would be just too quiet."

"Ugh, is that why they do it?" She chuckles, mock-disgusted. "If that's so, my little brothers are the most dutiful younger siblings ever. Kenny is at least settling into himself a bit in college, but Billy is - damn, Billy's almost fifteen now, and I don't know if he'll ever slow down."

"My shidi is a clan leader now, so he doesn't need my guidance anymore." Which is good, considering, you know.

That he's been dead for most of said clan leader's reign. And because said clan leader kinda wants to kill him now, it seems. Definitely wants to threaten him with dogs. Maybe worse, hard to say. He's not, you know, wrong, or anything, it's just kinda violent right now.

Sunshine chuckles, wondering how she'll feel when Kenny - or, god's forbid, Billy - is an adult and doesn't need his big sis any more.

"Kenny has already told - more like warned - me it's inappropriate for a lawyer's family to cheer for them from the audience in court," she says, dry. Speaking of law-related things that should change. "Even if it's their first case."

"He's still getting a cake when he passes the bar exam, though. There's no stopping that."

"... Your lawyers examine bars?" Wei Ying asks, with a dose of confused side-eye. Maybe that's just a lawyer-ly job in her world! It's... weird, though.

"Wha-?" Sunshine is put off her stride in surprise but recovers valiantly. "Oh! No, the bar exam is a famously difficult test that lawyers must pass to be allowed to practice law. I... don't really know how it got its name, just that it's the big moment-of-truth for any would-be lawyer. Passing it is something to celebrate."

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