extent | duplicitynet

i thought i'd put the kitchen at the apartment to use

right, it does have a kitchen doesn't it.

sounds like a date ;)

that is the intention, yes

oh
really?

should i iron my shirt

if you must, but i don't expect you'll be wearing it for long.

if you keep that up you'll make me blush.
what time do you want me over?

two hours, i'll have dinner ready by then

two hours, i'll be there.
do you want me to like bring anything? like wine or something

bring me flowers

ok, see you in a bit 💛

( nick hasn't agonised over what he's going to wear for a night out ever, so this is a bit of a new experience for him — and ultimately wasted time, when nick ends up in a cleaner version of the jeans and shirt combo that he wears every other day.

despite insisting on getting himself there over portal nonsense, nick isn't late. which is a miracle in and of itself, scraping at just over the two hour mark when he knocks on the door. it's just dinner, dinner with ragnor, dinner with ragnor in this apartment, but the whole thing feels very different. a little--anticipatory, or something like that. the flowers he went with in the end come on the form of a dirt-filled mug, the flowers sprouting from it looking a little more like someone's half-remembered version of peonies than the real thing. )

[ ragnor is wearing a dress shirt and a tie under his ridiculous kiss the cook apron. he has a cheeseboard, eggplant parmesan, and tiny veggie pot pies.

he also has cupcakes for dessert because he is a ridiculous person who doesn't know how to be reasonable.

the table is set for two, there's even a candle and everything. ragnor is very thorough. ]

You brought me flowers.

[ he leans down to kiss nick first. ]

I didn't buy them, is that cheating?

( this is a date — which he already knew, but it's a little different actually seeing the evidence laid out like this. ragnor is wearing a tie. there's a candle. it has nick visibly flustered and he's not doing a very good job of hiding it, something an awful lot like a blush creeping into his cheeks as he pushes up to meet the kiss halfway, with a hand touched to ragnor's cheek.

he just doesn't really do this much at all, is the thing. nick isn't really the guy that gets taken on dates. he can count how many on one hand actually, all bar one here in this city, and all of those with the one person. for all nick is good with people, this is a whole area he really doesn't have much experience in at all. )

You look good. You didn't have to do all this.

( yes, even the apron. )

[ it's been centuries since ragnor's last serious relationship, but he still knows how it goes, and if he can't go full possessive asshole on nick, he can at least set a very high bar for his other partners. ]

I did have to.

[ he takes the flowers and sends them floating to the coffee table. ]

Would you like a drink?

[ he has wine, which is why he didn't ask nick to bring any. ragnor is very good at planning ahead. ]

Mm, yes, I do. But hang on. First—

( with his hands free, it makes it easier to wind his arms around ragnor's neck and pull him into a kiss that's a little slower and more indulgent. nick still isn't used to that, that it's a thing that they can just do.

he's grinning when he pulls back. for all nick is flustered, he's clearly very, very pleased. he steps around ragnor, a hand on his arm as he passes him, heading over to the table to get a better look at this fancy set up. )

I didn't know you were such a romantic.

[ ragnor lingers in the kiss, a little embarrassed himself. and then he just watches as nick walks past him. ]

I wouldn't call myself a romantic. Old-fashioned, maybe.

I don't know, it's pretty romantic. If I didn't know better I'd think you were going to ask me to go steady.

( said with a wink and a grin tossed over his shoulder, of course.

nick put a lot of work into creating flowers that look very beautiful, even if they look a little more like spin-offs of existing flowers than the actual things, but when he comes up to the table he still pokes a finger at one of the stems, brings them a little taller and brightens them up a bit. just to make sure they're perfect. )

Come on then, show me what you've made.

[ ragnor smiles at nick fixing up the flowers. it's an uncommon skill, ragnor knows nick developed it to grow pot, but he loves him for it. ]

I have a cheeseboard to start, eggplant parmesan, veggie pot pies, and cupcakes. Strawberry, vanilla and chocolate.

[ the cheeseboard is already on the table, while the rest is at the kitchen. but the apartment is small so nick can see all of it easily. ragnor takes off the apron and takes it to the kitchen, it's a waste to use magic in such a small space. ]

( nick sits at the table while he watches ragnor walk back into the kitchen, tugging a foot up onto the chair and taking a better look at the spread on offer. he snags a bit of cheese, eyebrow raised as he stretches his neck up a little, peers over at what's on offer in the kitchen as well. )

You could keep the apron on, it's very cute. I like this... ( he gestures vaguely at ragnor's chest — the clothes, specifically. ) formal look though. I don't think I've seen you in a tie before.

[ it's true he's not big on fashion. suits are easy enough, but jeans and t-shirts are even easier and he doesn't have to worry about his reputation in this place. ]

Ties are fun to take off.

[ he hooks a finger over the knot to loosen it a little around his neck, just to make a point. ]

They're good leverage too.

( he looks awfully innocent as he says it, butter wouldn't melt expression firmly in place as nick props a chin in the palm of his hand as he watches, making a point not to let his expression tug up into a smirk. )

I should put you in a suit, even out the playing field.

[ he sits down across from nick and takes a piece of cheese. nick would look good in a suit. ]

Should've come to the opening. I started in one.

( nick actually thinks ragnor probably would have had a horrible time on the peripheries watching him get steadily more and more out of his mind on the products he'd supplied the place, but that is hardly the point. )

I might have a picture, if you play your cards right.

I'd rather see what you ended up wearing.

[ nothing, he assumes, and he doesn't like thinking about what nick got up to at the party. he's sure he'll work past it, eventually, but at the moment he has no interest in thinking about nick getting drunk and having sex with strangers. ]

And I imagine I'll get you there later.

( this is--the most interesting development, honestly. nick hadn't expected the casual flirtiness, or that it would be this easy. not that he's complaining, at all, he's clearly very pleased with how the conversation is going. )

I think we can recreate it. Maybe less glitter, it was very messy.

I do sleep with Magnus, glitter bothers me less than it used to.

[ he's perfected a spell to get rid of it.

he pulls up a chair for nick so he can try some cheese. ]

Tell me what you've been up to.

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