LtCmdr Jovenan – Honey, it’s not yet the time for the desserts!
Jovenan
((Sadar-Aqila quarters, Deck 6, USS Artemis))
Jovenan: ::looking at Silveira across the table:: It can be scary to try and form a romantic relationship with a friend, though. ::smiles:: But it can be rewarding. The best partner is both a lover and a friend, and when you love a friend, you’ve found him.
It was obvious that she wasn’t talking about Doctor Sadar and Gnai – or whomever else Gila may have got together with – but rather herself and her boyfriend across the table. To be more precise, the fact was obvious to her and him. His smile widened, and he raised his hand, almost reaching Jovenan but stopped. After all, they were not alone, on a romantic date on a holodeck or an actual restaurant, rather, on a dinner with a mutual friend, in the said friend’s home, with the said friend standing next to them and likely utterly confused.
Silveira: I couldn’t have said it better myself… ::he kept staring at Nan but managed to smile at Sada:: I am sorry Sada, I was teasing. You know me, I hope you didn’t take it personally.
Sadar: What? ::blinks:: Oh! I-I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t- I mean, that’s something that warrants research, I’m not- Wait, what were we?
Pity flashed in Jovenan’s eyes, looking at the confused and terrified Doctor Sadar. The shy and anxious Doctor had been unusually nervous this evening, and while the two of them had shared a covert romantic gesture with each other, they had also played a less than nice joke on the poor Doctor. Jovenan wanted to get the dinner back on track, after all, it had been Sadar who had invited them there and who may have had a personal reason to do so.
Jovenan: Sorry, Doctor. But you can tell us if there is something you want to tell us or if anything is troubling you. And it’s okay if you wanted to just have dinner with us. I love that!
When she said “I love that”, she made a side-eye gaze at Vitor, but returned her eyes to Doctor Sadar immediately. Inside jokes at other people’s expense were cruel; insider references they didn’t catch and that didn’t involve them had no such awful property.
Sadar: W-Well, yes, uhh... N-Nothing new has occurred that warrants a sense of excitement or trouble, s-so... J-Just a dinner party with friends?
Jovenan nodded. They didn’t need a reason to gather in a place to enjoy each other’s company. And if Doctor Sadar had nothing on her heart, there was no reason why not to enjoy the evening of being served a fanciful dinner in good company… although Jovenan felt a bit awkward by the fact that they were making their friend and host of the evening do all the work when they were all friends with each others. Out-of-uniform, without the rank pips, they were equal in all aspects, and she didn’t want Doctor Sadar to think otherwise.
Silveira: Then you don’t need to be nervous.
Jovenan: Are you sure you don’t want help with the foods? I don’t want to make you to serve us, we don’t have to be so formal about the dinner, do we?
Sadar: N-Nonsense, Lt. Commander! You are my guests, and I believe that this comes with a set list of requirements of me as a host. C-Certainly, having you help with the cooking is not allowed.
Looking at Vitor for support, Jovenan shrugged. It was peculiar that the Doctor wanted to go through with the dinner this way, even when it obviously made her uncomfortable. Causing discomfort to others was a taboo with the Edo Jovenan had not quite yet learned out of even when necessary – she couldn’t imagine reprimanding anyone – but if Doctor Sadar was absolutely certain it was okay, she couldn’t object to it. She would have even asked Doctor Sadar to stop addressing her with her rank constantly, but she suspected that would have only managed in making their host more uncomfortable.
Silveira: Fine. But please calm down. The only thing we will be biting is the food.
Jovenan: That’s right. Speaking of which, may we know what you have prepared for us today?
Sadar: Of course! Uhh…
Doctor Sadar rushed to retrieve a heavy-looking pot. After she opened it, a pleasant scent was released into the air. Jovenan leaned in closer to sniff the smell and to look at the orange soup with what looked like pedals. She wondered if she should have studied the Mizarian cuisine first so that she could better appreciate what the Doctor was offering to them, or if it was the first reaction that Gila found more sincere.
Sadar: F-For the appetizer, uhh, I-I’m serving slow-simmered coral-leaf soup. ::counts on her fingers:: The m-main course is Mizragavi - it’s, uhh, cheese and fried vegetables in boiled oyster shells - along with a salad with nuts and honey gel. Dessert is quillfruit pudding with salt and nutmeg.
A soup, seafood, a salad, a sweet and salty dessert. Doctor Sadar was indulging them with amazing delicacies if the food as even half as appetizing as the descriptions implied. There were the oysters, which didn’t fully fit in with the vegetarian diet Jovenan often observed out of cultural norms, but she didn’t think she’d need to feel bad of it on this occasion, after all, Doctor Sadar must have worked hard for it, and it did sound heavenly.
Silveira: Sounds amazing to me.
Jovenan: Even the names sound delicious! Are you serving each of them with a suitable drink as well?
Sadar: I-I, uhh, I’m not... I-I’ll be having Bimai. I-It’s, uhh, similar in taste to cow milk, only thinner and more sour? I finally got the replicator to make it to specifications. B-But I’ll replicate whatever you wish to drink, of course!
Vitor tilted his head, and Jovenan looked at him for an opinion. He was, as did Doctor Sadar appear to be, a masterful chef and a food connoisseur, while Jovenan was merely dabbling in the field. It was probably for the best that she had found herself a boyfriend like that, in the hopes that he might rescue her from the fate of irregular meals of replicated Edo salads and desserts on the daily basis.
Silveira: I'll try that as well, Sada. After all we are trying your cuisine, it will good to have the full experience.
Jovenan: Then I’ll have that as well, please!
While Doctor Sadar was serving them the appetizers and the drinks, Jovenan turned to Vitor, who tipped his head to her. She responded with a smile; they were just having dinner with a friend, but the two of them could still consider it a date, after all, what was more of a couple thing (and an adult thing) than dressing up and dining with their family friend.
Silveira: Thank you Sada. I have to say you're doing a remarkable job so far.
Sadar: Response
Jovenan: You are! There’s no need for anything elaborate when the results speak of the hard work you’ve done. ::pause:: Are we ready to begin?
Vitor raised his spoon. He looked to be eager to try out the dish.
Silveira: I have a feeling this tastes as good as it smells.
Jovenan: It certainly smells amazing!
Sadar: Response
Jovenan took her spoon, but instead of charging right away to the soup, she stopped to observe while Vitor tried it out. Curious, she waited for his reaction after he brought the spoon to his mouth – and tried not to swoon over his obvious expression of pleasure afterwards.
Silveira: This is amazing Sada… I have eaten fish and seafood all my life but this is one of the best soups I tried. ::He took another spoonful, closing his eyes as he tasted it. He smiled at Nan before speaking again:: Honey you have to try it, it's phenomenal.
Instead of the food, Jovenan had focused on watching her boyfriend eat. His expression hid nothing of the delight he found in the every spoonful; closing his eyes, the hand gesture, the smile… He was fascinatingly adorable to watch. She didn’t even catch him referring to her as “honey” in front of Doctor Sadar. The only honey was in the dessert as far as their friend was concerned.
Jovenan: Oh, I must! ::takes a spoonful but doesn’t eat it all:: Ooh, sorry, hot!
Sadar/Silveira: Response
She drank some of the Bimai milk to cool down her mouth. Not having drunk milk often, she found the taste and consistency of the drink somewhat unfamiliar to her; not bad, but not something she would order with every meal. Still, she didn’t voice her opinion, after all, if it was a traditional Mizarian drink to enjoy with a meal like this, then it was a part of the authentic experience.
Jovenan: I should have been more careful! Let me try again. ::takes a spoonful, blows, eats:: Mmh! You’re right, sweetie, it’s amazing!
Sadar/Silveira: Response
Jovenan: May I ask, are all these foods traditional Mizarian dishes, or did you experiment on them?
Sadar/Silveira: Response
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11