mininori

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

Routine.

The most efficient thing to getting the man consistently back into his normal mindset was always to throw himself into his daily routine. He did the same thing, the same motions and actions, for perhaps no reason more than to simply keep his mind busy of anything else. Though the only time that this tactic had ever not worked that well, was on his days off. 

On his days off the man never had anything he did concrete every time, thus no consistent schedule to follow. Though with the particularly difficult work schedule this week, staying late on many of the nights he spent at the bar, he was exhausted. Not to mention the … events that happened the weekend prior.

When Chase had returned back to his home after that long and exhausting trip, both Yolanda and Maya had visited his home with prepped thanks of him taking on the cooking competition. Yolanda conveniently better.  Chase had snapped, his amethyst eyes still dark with the confusing whirlwind of emotions he was going through, and he hadn’t been quite as polite as one should be to their boss and their boss’ granddaughter.

Though if anyone knew anything about Maya, it’s that she doesn’t really know how to read anyone’s feelings. She had been bugging him all week. Even when the man attempted to return to work unphased, as if nothing had happened. The plucky young girl visited him constantly, almost convinced by his outward show of emotions that he was sick. And she had somehow convinced herself that she would be able to cure him.

That being said, with the added extras of everything possibly going on, Chase was exhausted. He’d gotten dressed and already been out for the morning, but when he returned home with not much to do but sit with his own thoughts, he decided to sleep it off instead. He had collapsed onto the couch without much of a second thought at the time, and quite quickly had knocked out into a deep sleep.

That sleep, not being disturbed, until the knock at the door came. 

The man groaned at first in response, attempting to ignore it and go back to the blissful ignorance that was his sleep. However, when it continued, he groaned again, realizing that he perhaps wouldn’t be able to simply ignore the problem.

Then, suddenly, he heard the window next to his door open, prepared to hear the shrill squeal and call of his name from that bane of his existence annoyance. So, instead he decided to beat her too the punch. 

“Maya,” The voice that tried to be pleasant, came out with almost a growl. “For the love of the Goddess, what on earth do you think you’re—”

Chase had sat up from his position on the couch, brushing a hair through his strawberry blond hair, before taking notice of the brunette that was attempting to get herself through his window instead.

His eyebrow cocked.

“Minori?” His voice spoke with a sense of absolute confusion.  “What— What the hell are you doing?”

Despite their last encounter together, and the way he had left the mood between them, here she was again. Damn this girl was like a boomarang. One of many in his life apparently. “Stop,” He said in a surprisingly soft tone, though still sharp, rising from his position on the couch to meet her at the window. His hand rested on her shoulder, as a way to cease any wiggling forward she could try in order to shimmy her way through the window. Instead, he lifted the pane of the window higher, giving her more room. 

With his right hand, he unlocked the deadbolt on the door and opened it, sighing quite openly (and exhaustedly) before returning to his spot back on the coach. “At least use the door.”

Another long sigh, before he looked to her with a tilt of his head and his arms crossed over his chest. “Did you see me leave your house with your bra? Why do you think I’d have it here?” His brow furrowed, debating on how to adjust his tone going forward. There was a part of him that felt guilt after their last encounter, a part of him that couldn’t let him be so aggressively rude to her. “Is that what you’re here for? Well I don’t have it.”

Minori stared back at Chase, a huff coming out as she tried to pull herself into his clean house. “I’m clearly here for a reason! To see you! Find my bra!” She grunted as she tried to move her leg to the window, kicking the side of the tiny house with her heels. “But not just my bra! And I brought you vegetables and spices that I bought from Reagar or grew at my farm and-” Another grunt as she tried to bring her leg back around to help pull herself in. Why did she have to wear such a tight skirt?! Why? “Cause I know you’re mad so I wanted you not to be mad at me anymore!”

Okay, maybe she shouldn’t have listened to that part of her brain.

This, in hindsight, was incredibly illogical.

Yet, she could have gone on and on and on. Complaining about everything, every little thing, all the small things that had gone wrong since they last saw each other. Really, nothing had gone wrong. But when Chase asked her to stop, so soft. In a tone that she had never heard him speak in before, soft like the early morning sun without the warmth. His hands, reaching onto her, only made Minori look at him with big, hazel eyes full of confusion.

Why was he being so nice after he left her in her bedroom, in only a robe and a cat who whined for more pets from the orange haired chef minutes after he left, after a not so bad, one night stand?

Why did she care that he touched her so gently? Why did she care that Chase spoke to her in such a soft tone?

“Your door was locked and you never answered.” She quietly complained with a small pout on her face. The small frown would look cute to anyone who probably hadn’t slept with her days before, with her brows furrowed into a tiny angry look. “I just put my basket by your door cause I thought.... okay, I didn’t think a lot. I just thought you maybe had found my bra somewhere and maybe you had it and didn’t want to give it back.” She half lied. Great, two lies in one day Mimi. Two, bad lies no one would completely believe.

There was a long silence as the brunette stared into amethyst eyes, unblinking and unmoving. Silently, staring at the man who just minutes ago she was screaming at for her missing bra, that seconds ago she was talking to. She looked behind her, noticing how far off she was from the ground, finally putting two and two together on how to get out of this sticky situation.

“Chase, I don’t want you to scream at me like you did when you left my house but I’m stuck and I need you help? Please? Pretty please?” Minori turned her small pout into a puppy dog look; pleading, nearly begging for the chef to help her. “I’m wearing a skirt and heels and this is not a good combo for getting down from a window!”

Let Me In!!!!! [Chase/Minori]

[mininori]

Let Me In!!!!! [Chase/Minori]

One voice in Minori’s head was telling her this was a bad idea. That showing up, on purpose, to see Chase who for sure hated her and probably never wanted to see her face ever again. Reminding the brunette farmer that in a logical sense, she should just text him asking if they could talk about that night. Maybe she could apologize for her past actions.

The other voice in her head edged her on. That showing up at his work would be completely fine! Not weird at all! And totally logical as well!

Oh, come on Mimi, the voice whispered to her, louder than reasonable. He can’t be be mad at you! He was just shocked he slept with such a cutie like you!

Guess which voice she listened to. Come on, guess. Okay, time’s up. It’s clear which one she went with, especially now that she stood outside the Castanet restaurant with a basket full of vegetables and spices, in a short burnt orange skirt, black shirt, and thigh high boots. She probably looked some weirdo, standing outside and staring at the sign with her head right by . 

Closed on Sunday’s.

Of course. Of course she would impulsively show up at his work the one day that he wasn’t there. Maybe she should have called- not Chase, but the bar- to make sure they were open at least on her way over. But that was the least of her worries, because where in the Goddess name did Chase even live in this stupid town-

“Are you lost?”

Minori turned her head to the side, seeing a little old lady. A part of just seeing her, a grandmother like woman (she didn’t even know if she was a grandmother, but Minori just believed she was). The brunette quickly put on her best face, a sweet smile as she held the basket of goodies close to her. “Uh- no! Not really! I’m actually looking for someone- the chef? Bartender? Chase-” Oh goddess, she was probably coming across as a weirdo. Or a stalker. Or a killer. Quick Mimi, make an excuse. “I’m a farmer from Oak Tree Town and he ordered some vegetables but he didn’t give me his address, just his work address! So I’m not sure where I can take these. He’s suppose to give me a recipe book of his so I’m not sure.”

Great lie, Mimi. She clearly wasn’t telling the truth, but a sweet smile could hide any lie. 

The twin tailed grandmother (Mimi was just gonna call her grandma- why didn’t she even say her name; who was SHE) didn’t say anything. Instead, she just pointed away. “Chase lives up there.” The dusty pink haired woman said matter of factly. “Next to Marimba fields, you can’t miss it.” Minori quickly thanked her, before rushing off with a run (NOTE: DO NOT RUN IN THIGH HIGHS) towards the pathway. 

The walk to the strawberry blonde’s house wasn’t long, but Minori couldn’t help but start to overthink. Would he actually want her to see her? Probably not. Seeing how the last time he saw her, they had been naked in her bed. Chase could claim hundreds of times that he didn’t like people, but Minori was starting to think that was untrue. At least, it kind of was for her. Chase acted like he was dark, that he was the night sky besides looking like the midday sun. 

Minori didn’t know that he could be so warm until that night.

But, he stormed out of her house that early, rainy morning with anger in his eyes and venomous words. She would never admit it, not to Iris, not to Lillie, never to Johnny, and definitely not to herself.... but that morning, watching him leave with what Minori believed as resentment towards her or the situation only left the brunette with a feeling of emptiness in her heart.

She didn’t cry when he left- she didn’t feel anything when he did. Maybe fear that someone would see him and make the assumption of what the pair had done the previous night... but what hurt her was the coldness he left her with. The cold air, the harsh words, the hatred in his eyes.

Why did it bother her so much? Minori didn’t even know- if it was anyone else she would bitch to them to their face right away but with Chase... it had taken awhile. 

 Huh, weird. His door was locked. 

Minori knocked on the door. No answer. 

Her fist hit the door again, just a tad louder. Again, no answer.

“Goddess!” The brunette huffed as she set the filled basket by the front door. Was he even home? The lady said he was- she even gave her his address so why would he not answer? Okay, but he had to be home since Chase wasn’t the most friendly person... Minori couldn’t imagine him spending his day off out with people, people who he may have to deal with drunk. 

There he was. His place was, from what Minori could see, clean. Not in a sense that it was tidy, but the colors, the design. It felt... clean. His kitchen was so bright, compared to the chef that was barely bright. 

“HEY! CHASE!” She yelled, pulling half her body into the window. Her legs hung barely off the ground, moving back and forth as she tried to bring herself into the house. Goddess, why were his windows so high off the ground too?! Like his house was made for a normal person! The farmer let out a grunt, more from her own exhaustion of trying to climb into his window with a short skirt and thigh high boots that were killing the heels of her feet. “Where’s! My! Bra?!”

[mininori]

[Text:] Ah, of course. Hi Mimi, [Next text:] Was that better? Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow?????

/Text:/ HMMMM Nope!!! Be nicer to me pls, Im fragileeee :)

/Text, literally five minutes later:/ nothing, Why and what do you want me to do lmafo 

[mininori]

[Text:] I need a favor. [Another text, 10 seconds later:] like a massive huge immense incredible favor!! It's not bad, I promise!

/Sitting on top of her made bed with Bambi besides her, a face mask on and a glass of wine on her bedside table as she scrolls through her phone on several different websites/ Hm, not cute enough. I need something that screams I’m cute- Bambi is this outfit cute? /Shoves her phone in front of her cat’s face with a sweet meow in response/ I can’t understand cat, Bambi-

/Her confusion dies down when she hears that familiar chime and turns the phone back to her. Noticing the name, the texts, the brunette gasps and quickly types up a response within twenty seconds/

/Text:/ A hi Mimi would be a nicer way to start BUT WHATS THE FAVOR PHILLY!!!! :D But if it’s actually really really really bad I’m stealing Mint for again!!!!!! 

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

Hazel eyes were on him as he spoke, however when her eyes dropped to his neck and her laughter ensued, his own eyes widened in realization. Eyebrows raising in surprise, he turned to a vanity she had to look at himself in the mirror. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” He looked back to her now, which was a damn mistake because she’d just decided to drop the blanket like he wasn’t even there. He covered his eyes, frankly just over seeing this girl without any clothes on. “What are you a damn wolverine? What did you do to my neck?” 

“Also can you please just get dressed.” He spoke flatly before continuing. “And of course this isn’t my day to day life. I got to work, I go home, and I do the same exact thing the next day every day. I don’t do this. I don’t do whatever this is.” And he sure wish he didn’t, he didn’t know why on earth he did this. 

“Okay well I’m leaving. Doesn’t matter if it’s hours before I have to go to work, wouldn’t even matter if I had today off, I just frankly would love to be absolutely anywhere but here right now.” 

He grabbed his over shirt that was hanging over the edge of the vanity, another piece of clothing that was just thrown to the side. Clothing he didn’t even remember getting out of last night. Jeez what a mess.

As he began buttoning it he made his way out of the bedroom, not even bothering to make much other comment besides that.

When he was at the door he slipped on his shoes, groaning when the girl called back to him. “What?” He spat in response to the girl calling his name. “How many times do I have to convey to you, I have no idea where your bra it!” He cursed. “Now good luck finding it, hope you don’t quite frankly. I’m leaving.”

Minori couldn’t help but hide her giggles behind the armhole of her long robe. “It’s not that it’s funny-” she started with a singsong tone. “it’s just that I didn’t think I’d do that! Also it is kinda funny, they’re dark.” What had she done last night while they laid in her bed together? What had she done to him, in places where only drunk Minori had seen? What had he done to her, in places that only existed still in a drunk man’s memory? “You can just put some concealer on it! Blend it out, powder it, then no one could tell that you have hickeys and won’t ask questions like how you seem to want.”

“Or you could just leave-”

Oh Goddess. Minori spoke too soon.

Just as she said that, shrugging her shoulders, the strawberry blonde was no longer in her sight of vision, She whipped her head around, brown hair hitting her head. With a mouthful of her hair (she was gonna need to shower soon, dammit), the brunette ‘pff’ out her hair. “You can’t just leave now!”

She sounded like a girlfriend, or like some crazy girl who just wanted him to spend the day with her doing that some more but really....

It was just that Johnny could know and then if Johnny didn’t see some half asleep guy walking in the rain from her farmhouse, than Fritz would definitely see because Fritz would be out doing something stupid in the rain at this time. And if Fritz did learn..... Minori would be screwed in another really, really, bad way. Like last night probably!

“Can you just-!” She griped onto his hand, harshly. Long forgotten was the gentle touches of her hand, yet the softness still remained. “Can you just go a different way than just right down the road! Like! I don’t know put how to get back to the hotel in a GPS or something and then say don’t walk straight through the other farms unless you want someone like Fritz to ask you why you’re coming from my way!”

She dropped her hand to her side, leaving his hand empty as well. Her voice turned soft as her eyes left his face, hazel orbs looking down at the floor next to them. “I know you don’t want anyone thinking we slept together, I know you’re mad at me and mad at everything so can you just be careful and avoid everyone and everything? Please? Just so they don’t ask you what happened and they don’t ask me later. Please, Chase?”

Every Kiss Ends with S || Chase/Minori

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

This was ridiculous. Just plain, outright, fucking ridiculous.

“Why do you think I’m mad?” Why was he mad? Or is it more like how he couldn’t he be mad? This was just such a weird situation, one he really had never been in before. How was he supposed to react? Was he supposed to be upset? Was this a normal thing to do? He really just wasn’t sure.

Chase didn’t really pay attention to Minori’s tantrum on his wording, still much to lost in his own thoughts in recalling what happened the night previous. Though when he did listen to her, he just hummed an assumptions ‘mhm’ in response to her words. “You’re the one that invited me to your house, and I don’t know what you do in your day to day life. You just don’t seem very surprised!” A roll of his eyes as he picked up his shirt that was thrown idly to the side. “How am I supposed to know you’ve only ever slept with one person in your life— well I guess two now.” He slipped his simple white shirt over his head and scoffed openly. 

“How the hell would I be using you?” He groaned once again, trying to attempt the cynical type of personality he usually chided her with, but frankly he just wasn’t in the mood. “I literally have nothing to gain from sleeping you, what am I supposed to do? Ask you now for a box of vegetables to take home since we slept together now? That’s idiotic!”

He was getting really frustrated at this point; her accusations, the confusion, it was just overwhelming.

“Whatever. It was a mistake and it’s not like either of us meant anything by it. What time is it anyway?” He asked, trying to cool himself down and trying to be casual, but his words really not coming out as such. “I’ve got to go home and shower before I get ready for work.”

Why did she happen to open her big mouth and tell Chase a full story?

Minori bit her lip as Chase threw angry words back at her. Oh there he went, off on her for being a fool. Then again, he was a fool last night for just happening to come into bed with her. She glance at him again, hazel eyes looking at his neck where small purple bruises stained the lower portion of his neck. The brunette let out a snort, cause, well.... How did he not notice any of these?

“Well I don’t know what you do in your day to day life!” She tried to keep the laughter inside as she stomped her feet. Walking away from Chase, she opened her closet door and dropped the blanket, exposing her backside. “What if this was your day to day life?” The farmer asked as she grabbed a long, white cotton robe and tied it around herself. She’d get dressed for good.... later... Once he was gone. 

“I don’t know! I think you’re being weird though!” She called him out, putting her hands across her chest. “Anyway It’s like, probably eight so it’s not like you’re gonna have to be ready for work and -” Minori stopped herself as she glance at the clock on her wall. Eight am. On a weekday. Where is was raining. That meant that....

That meant Johnny was probably doing some yard work at his farm down the way.

Was the Goddess just mocking her? Or was it drunk Mimi’s bad decisions that was causing sober Mimi to have to deal with them? What the hell drunk Mimi? Why was she the worst?

Quickly, she blurted out as she watched him try to leave the bedroom door. She yelled the only think she thought could make him stay for even an hour longer because if Johnny saw him leaving, it would be the end of Minori. “Chase! Where is my bra? Help me find it!”

Every Kiss Ends with S || Chase/Minori

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

“Yes!” The peachy haired man scoffed in frustration. “Very happy thank you very much.” 

Oh this was a nightmare. He actually woke up in his own personal hell. Doing something incredibly stupid while drunk and now having to deal with the actions of his past self. Chase wasn’t even that much of a drinker, well okay … most of the time he drank was a drink or two at the bar or more heavily in the comfort of his own home. Lesson learned, he can now never drink anywhere but the safety of his own home because apparently he makes stupid ass decisions when he gets drunk elsewhere.

They slept together. How the fuck did they sleep together!?

Chase snapped back from his thoughts to only see the absolutely ridiculous motions that the woman was doing with her fingers to convey the puzzle pieces she was trying to clue into his memory. “Can you not?” The man asked simply, almost desperately, while using his own hand to push hers down into the blankets to get her to just stop doing that idiotic motion. “I get that part of what happened, but I guess the part I just don’t get is—” No he got it. He got everything. He got drunk and made some bad decisions. Great.

The man couldn’t help the role of his eyes as the woman still seemed more fixated on her bra. “How are you not freaking out more over the fact that we— well you know! Did the hand motion thing.” He looked to her in a bewildered manner. “You seem … weirdly okay with this.” His brow furrowed in immediate suspicion. “Do you do this often? Is this common?”

“H-Hey!” The man spoke in irritation as she lifted the sheets, still much too intent on looking for her bra. “I can’t deal with this.” Thank the Goddess his boxers and pants were pretty close to the side of the bed, and he threw a throw blanket over the woman beside him to even give him just a second of privacy with himself and his thoughts as he slipped his jeans back on.

“This is ridiculous.” He stated again as he slipped the loop of his belt and buckled it accordingly. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

What in the Goddess’ name was his problem?!

Sure, Minori’s memory of last night was hazy. She remembered drinking, a few glasses of some wine that Chase had brought over, and then they chatted on her couch, and then....

She kissed him.

Memories of her vaguely kissing Chase, how soft his lips truly were for a guy who seemed like he didn’t care about his appearance, how cold his hands were on her skin, how he....

Oh. 

Yeah.

Yeah, okay, now it was all coming back to her.

And yeah, okay, that was not one of her best drunk ideas. But it does take two to tango, soooooo-

The loud frustration from Chase brought her back to staring right at him, out of her mind, as she tilted her head. “Why are you acting so...” Pause. “mad?” It would have been logical for her to go back to the holy shit what are you doing in my bed mindset, but her mind was preoccupied with other stuff. Stuff that right now, seemed more important. Stuff that in two to three days she’d text him about, in the same panic that he was going through. But for now, there was more to be done. 

“NO! It’s not common for me to sleep with weird guys!” She jumped out of the bed, keeping the throw blanket still on top of the front part of her exposed body, and walked up close to the strawberry blond man as he changed into boxers and pants. “Do you think I’m some kind of girl who sleeps with whatever guy brings me wine! Cause I’m not! I’ve only slept with one other person and he was an ex boyfriend and I didn’t even do that often and he never slept in my bed so I don’t know why you think I’m some little idiot who does this-” she pointed back to her messy bed, “often!”

“Besides,” the brunette continued with a huff. “it’s not like I’m some kind of weirdo! Like I said, I don’t do this often!” The anger was rising into her throat, as she felt a burning to scream, to blurt out whatever nonsense that was ready to come out without her thinking it through. She poked Chase’s still bare chest, holding the blanket with one hand. “You can’t just think I’m some kind of weirdo cause we did that stuff! I should be asking you that too! Do you just go around sleeping with farmers? Is that why you’re a chef? Cause you sleep with farmers and use that time to get the freshest produce when you’re with them! I bet your ‘I hate people’ stunt was an act!”

Minori, you’re going to regret all of what came out of your loud, little mouth.

Every Kiss Ends with S || Chase/Minori

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

Chase sat up with more of a start, poor Bambi hopping off his chest as the man adjusted. A hand flew to his forehead as he attempted to recall the events of the evening past. Amethyst eyes blinked in a vast amount of confusion as, well, the memory just didn’t come back to him.

Why the hell was she here? Well, more like why the hell was he here? 

This wasn’t his room, this wasn’t his house. This was her room, this was her house. Well I guess that made sense why she was here. But again, why was he here?

That same hand ran through his hair, bobby pins gone and his strawberry blonde hair was in a bit of ruffled mess. He really couldn’t apprehend anything that was going on, or anything that happened, and that part was frankly terrifying. The often so cynical and analytical man was lost in a long drawn out frustration of memory loss. His hand gripped his hair, gripping to any pieces of his memory he could remember.

Which frankly just wasn’t much.

He looked to the woman next to him now, who seemed for a moment just as surprised and perplexed by the situation as he was. Finally. Hopefully she could supply some sort of answers that he couldn’t remember. “What the fuck happened—” And then she asked, frankly, the most idiotic questions he’s ever heard. 

“Really!?” He snapped with the frustration and confusion evident in his tone. “I have no fucking idea where your bra is! Why am I here? What the hell is even going on?” The man’s brow furrowed in irritation as he groaned and grabbed one of the plush pillows from behind him and shoved it into her arms. “Goddess, cover yourself with the sheets or something would you? What the hell happened last night?! I mean, I— Why the hell?”

Jeez his brain hurt, he couldn’t even really fathom anything. “Do you know .. what happened last night?” The man spoke in more of a calm manner, trying to keep any grasp he had on his emotions under control. “I really just don’t recall any of this …” He looked at the girl, then looked away, finding this whole idea of just casually talking to a naked girl next to him really unsettling. “this.”

There were hundreds of questions now in Minori’s head. None logical though. Most were like “hey how come my comforter isn’t in my bed” and “did you leave the door open or did I” and “no really where did you toss my bra”. 

Minori just fell onto her back again, staring up at the naked (usually, people didn’t wake up naked beside a half closed person and Minori wasn’t someone who slept naked ever so this clearly wasn’t usual), peach pale chef. She didn’t have time to react, or say anything when the angry words left Chase’s mouth, filled with confusion and stress over the mistakes they had made the night before.

And yet, she couldn’t understand why. What caused something like this to fire up in Chase’s throat that he just snapped to her? Barely a minute into being awake, and sure, it was a holy shit why are you naked in my bed moment, but also.... What had she done last night that made him, well, so frustrated with the brunette laying beside him on the thin, pink sheets. 

“What-” She started, before being interrupted by a pillow being thrown on top of her body. Great. Minori let out a huff as she put the pillow in front of her breasts. “Now it’s covered! Are you happy!” She asked with a roll of her hazel eyes. Goddess, this man was gonna be the death of her. Why did drunk Mimi even decide to sleep with him-

Oh.

Oh.

Okay.

She stopped herself and an embraced grimace came on her face as she sat back up. “Well clearly we did, you know-!” Quickly, she motioned her hands to describe the act they taken part in last night. Two fingers on her left hand became a circle and her pointer finger entered in and out of.... the action. But the rest of his problems weren’t her issue. “Anyway, where’s my bra? It was really expensive-” The plush pillow dropped beside her, separating the two not really friends, pulling up the sheets to look underneath. “Nope, you didn’t toss it into my bed!”

Every Kiss Ends with S || Chase/Minori

[mininori]

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

Chase didn’t have any dreams that night.

It was peaceful, for seemingly once in his life, rather than being tormented by the nightmares that haunted him so often. That is to say, it was definitely the best night’s sleep he’s had in a good while.

Most people are awoken by the morning light shining in through the window, or even alarm clock, but instead Chase was lulled from his sleep from a weird feeling. A really weird … suddenly painful feeling? What the hell? 

A groan escaped from the man’s throat as he ran a hand through his hair as he gradually came back to the land of the living, lifting his head and one eye openly slightly to see none other than Miss Bambi sitting atop his bare chest and kneading into the thin sheet. A more exhausted groan left him as he rested his head back against the pillow and raised a hand to pet the top of the small creatures head; she whom purred happily in response.  

Though the really weird thing about this moment was, he didn’t have a cat.

Suddenly Chase felt more alert then he did prior, his eyes flashing open as the unfamiliarity of where he was and why there was a cat sitting on top of him hitting him all at once. He blinked out of pure confusion, only then did he notice the brunette sleeping against his shoulder. Minori?

And then one realization came after another; Minori, realizing he didn’t remember getting home last night, going over to her house, and of course the realization that neither of them had on any clothes. He sat up further, trying his best not to wake the girl next to him, but frankly being so out of his element and confused that it he sat up with a bit of a start.

What the fuck happened last night?

Warmth.

That’s all Minori could feel that rainy, cold fall morning. Warmth. The warmth of a heated blanket, next to her body. It was as hot as a furnace, steaming as she squirmed closer to it. Stealing it’s heat. Taking all the warmth away from it. 

But then, the warmth escaped her grasp, leaving her to be only surrounded in the cold. 

At the sudden lost of her source of heat, Minori slowly woke up. The brunette opened her eyes, and as they still adjusted to the dim bedroom. A body, seated next to her, upright. In between sleepy town express and the land of the living, her mind went to one thing “Ho-” her voice quietly began to drag out as her face fell into the pillow, one hazel eye still looking up to the man in her bed.

She was about to finish calling her name, the pet name she called her ex boyfriend, when she realized dark brown hair had been replaced with hair that glowed like a sunset. The muscles replaced with a slender body, skinny legs and arm. The warmth was because of-

“-lY SHIT.”

Minori was definitely awake now, finally realizing two separate, but major things. 1. Chase was in her bed, and 2. They were definitely naked and definitely had done some stuff last night. Some stuff they hadn’t even cleaned up from. The farmer quickly sat up beside Chase, not bothering to cover up her exposed breasts (hey, he already saw the twins last night, he would be fine looking at some tiddies for a hot second). There were millions of questions she wanted to ramble on, like hey, how come you’re in my bed, and where are your pants Chase and why did you let my cat into my bedroom when we’re both naked, but only one thought could escape her mouth. One thought turned into one, incredibly, stupid question. One that she asked with her mouth opened and her brows raised high;

“Hey, where’s my bra?”

Every Kiss Ends with S || Chase/Minori

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

People generally say whenever you’re kissing someone, your mind tends to go blank. In Chase’s case, well this wasn’t exactly true. Instead he felt as if is head was running at a thousand miles a minute; his logical side of his brain contemplating just exactly what the fuck was going on, while his tispy (okay probably drunk at this point) side was still wondering how the hell the girl thought kissing him was going to make him hate people less. All in all, you could say the man was a bit confused.

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Only a smile could appear on Minori’s face after he spoke those words, so breathy, so commanding to her.

In all honesty, it was kind of hot.

If she was sober, she’d make him take her on maybe five dates and a few dinners before laying in her bed together. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

And when a really attractive guy gets drunk and you get drunk and you make out with him on your couch for some good minutes, you let him spend the night if you’re both feeling up to it. After that make-out session, she was feeling up to  taking him to bed and letting him spend the night. And boy, could she feel Chase feeling up to it too.

“Bedroom it is. Give me five minutes and you can come meet me in there,” she whispered back as her other hand twirled around unruly piece. One final tug of his strawberry hair and she got up from his lap, leaving the space unoccupied for the time being. Which was fine, she’d be back there in just a few minutes. “It’s the door on the left down the hallway. You can’t miss it.” She sang out, pulling her black shirt down to cover the exposed skin that Chase had rilled up. Minori ran (even as she tripped over her own feet a few times while rushing away) to her bedroom, almost mirroring the same movements from those few months ago when she left to go back upstairs at the inn. 

“And don’t keep me waiting too long, Chase! I have a new bra and panty set that I wanna show off ❤️”

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

As the conversation continued, Chase found himself finding it harder and harder to focus on the girls words. As she talked about her passed mentor, he nodded in understanding, but he could definitely feel the alcohol hitting him harder and harder. Delayed responses and an overwhelming light attitude than he was accustomed to, made him realize he didn’t quite know how much wine he had been drinking … in such a short amount of time. Oh well, no use worrying about that anymore— now what did she say? Jeez she’s talking so fast.

The man blinked as Minori bursted out her long drawn out ‘shuuuut up’. His eyes brows rose in surprise before he genuinely let out his laughter. “So I was right! You are single then, jeez and that was just a guess!” He waved her off almost playfully as she kicked his leg, laughing as he followed suit on putting his wine glass on the hardwood floor below them. “Not my fault you make it obvious. Though I guess I should have guessed from you inviting me, some guy you’ve met a couple times, into your house. No boyfriend would be real happy about that.”

Gone was his usual drunken personality, which you may be surprised but is often more depressing than his usual self. Many nights he’s spent awake in his living room getting drunk just to feel better, or feel nothing at all, but right now felt different. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was how … openly light and goofy the young woman was, but Chase couldn’t stop his gentle laughter. 

His hand was covering his mouth in an attempt to stifle it as the brunette came up with her idea. “Hm, and how do think I’ll like being around someone? I hate people, so good luck with that.”

The smile on her face was cat like, as if she has something she was up to. As Chase leaned back against the coach he couldn’t help the grin on his face, leaning into his hand slightly in an attempt to hide it. Though when she moved closer to him, it dropped. Violet eyes blinked in suspicion as his eyebrow rose while keeping his gaze locked with her’s. Instead of recoiling as she moved closer, Chase kept where he was. He didn’t move, he didn’t shift, instead he took the time to study her face much more closely then he’d ever bothered to before.

What did she call herself? … Oh, cute! Nah, she wasn’t cute per say. At least not Luna cute, or whatever that girl brags about being. No the brunette was much more along the lines of … pretty. Like stereotypical type of pretty, big eyes and sweet features. Something he’d never noticed before, probably because he never cared enough to pay attention. But now, now she had caught his attention and he couldn’t deny it. 

He was about to question her, but when he breathed in the scent of Jasmine his thinking got even more blurred. Was that from her? Why did she smell so good?

Chase was lost in this thought when she leaned forward to press her lips against his. Now if the chef was in his right wits, who knows how he would have reacted. But he wasn’t. The soft fog that the wine had lulled him into sent him to almost a dream like state. A state where he didn’t hate it. A state where it felt nice, where he wouldn’t mind if it lasted for longer. 

The kiss was soft, almost delicate and her lips tasted like sugar. 

When she pulled away, Chase was left in a bit of a drunken confused state, but it still felt so light and so much like air that he didn’t even care. “Uh,” He started when she inquired with such a sly smile turned up on her lips, the only action he could manage was lifting his hand to wipe his bottom lip from the gloss she had left behind. Ah, that’s what tasted so much like sugar. It was so sweet, how did she do that? With so much that his brain was trying to process, his brow knit as his mind tried to put it all together and make sense of it. But the one thing that kept interrupting his thought process was that taste of sugar.

“No,” He breathed in an incredibly unsure manner, not even sure himself of what he was saying. Instead he shifted his position on the couch, having his one arm support underneath him while the other reached forward to touch her cheek, before fully leaning forward to press his lips against hers once again.

Yep. They definitely taste like sugar.

Minori imagined that Chase would say ‘yes, that kiss made me think people were okay. Wow Minori, you’re such a good friend’. 

She imagined that Chase would laugh it off, with that same chuckle he let out just minutes ago when she told him to shut up and kick him. She imagined he would think nothing of it. It wasn’t a kiss to push him, to punish him. It was just a kiss.

But watching Chase, drunken and confused, try to make sense of her drunken and confusing action just made her giggle. “What’s wrong?” She asked, her hands finally leaving his face. Instead, they found their home Chase’s chest, balancing the drunk farmer as she smiled back at him. Yet before she could tease him, ask him another question, or even just make sure he wasn’t about to kill her, he kissed her back.

His lips tasted better the second time.

So soft, almost like honey, she melted under his touch. Hazel eyes stayed open for just a moment, long enough for her to notice how long his lashes were. How small his pores were. How... pretty he was. His strawberry hair, his curls, his face. He was so different looking than the other men around her age here in Oak Tree Town. He didn’t have dirt under his fingernails from working in the field, he didn’t have a farmer’s tan from even just walking around in the sun. And his lips. Again. His lips, oh the Goddess, they were so soft. They tasted like sugar now- and she wasn’t sure if it was her gloss from the kiss earlier or if he really did taste like sugar. 

Finally closing her eyes slowly, she melted into the kiss. She kissed back, harder, with more passion. Her hands left his chest, only to find their way to the back of his hair. Delicate and small fingers ran through the strawberry blonde hair. Minori hoisted herself up, sitting instead in laying in the middle of his body.

This wasn’t the usual for her. Never had she really made out with a stranger, nether less made out with someone she barely knew. But between Chase’s warm body against her and his lips, oh how his lips just made her feel like she was back on the ground from all the wine, it was okay. Kissing him was okay. Kissing him on her couch, playing with the curls of his strawberry blonde locks in between her tender fingers as the kiss became more passionate.

There was something different about kissing Chase now then before. He started it. He was the one with his marked hands on her delicate face. He was the one who started it. And honestly, Minori was thriving. She was loving it. Being the attention, being the one to be kissed instead of having to initiate the affection. 

Their lips moved from one another, at times, it was almost as the other was fighting for dominance against the others lips. Minori’d let him win that fight if he wanted it, badly. She would. She would. Even with the messy kisses, the hands moving from one place to another, she had to stop herself. She had to contain the two of them somehow. She pulled away from him, leaving the tender kiss for a moment of a peace. She held a finger up to Chase’s lips (and how soft they were, even just against her finger), and whispered into his ear with half lidded eyes, “do you want to continue this here or come meet me in my bedroom in five minutes?”

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

As Minori spoke of her boss who passed, Chase just looked to her and nodded in understanding as he took the empty bottle into his hands to dispose of.  There was something that made the man curious, maybe the wine or perhaps just the fact that he’s never seen the girl without that large goofy grin plastered on her face. “Ah, that’s gotta be tough. How long did you work under her?”

Though when the girl retorted with her onslaught of questions, Chase paused and awkwardly fumbled around his wording. “I wouldn’t say I loooove her,” he spoke while mimicking her spoken emphasis as he sat the empty wine bottle on the counter. After popping the cork to the rosè bottle, he looked back to her and continued. “but I respect her, more than I have anyone in my whole life.” The chef began grabbing everything he needed to plate up for them both; the plates, silverware. “She’s tough, honest and doesn’t take ‘I can’t do it’ for an answer.”

The light and fuzzy feeling that left his mind beginning to swim, cause the man to have to be extremely focused on plating the food, only continuing once he was finished. “Plus really good at cooking, let’s the food speak for itself rather than using words.” There was more to the story, but even the haze of alcohol didn’t cloud his ability to talk anything deeper than that. “What made you looove your boss so much? She had to have been a good lady.”

As he came back into the living room he handed the girl a plate, paella with the lobster on it as instructed, before sitting back beside her and filling his own wine glass. “But the real shit thing is that Maya, crazy psychotic girl, is her granddaughter. So I’m stuck dealing with that incessant girl in more ways than one.”

“Bambi?” The man repeated, glancing down at the cat who seemed rather upset she was being ignored. He leaned down to offer his hand once again, a chuckle escaping his throat as she happily rubbed against it. “Got it, no lobster for Bambi then.”

The girl was beginning to start the giddy giggling and slur of her words, and he was sent back to the first night they met for a moment. Obnoxious was the first thing he thought of her, but now her drunken words were pretty humorous. He’s really had too much wine, that’s for damn sure. That being said, he took a drink of the rosé freshly poured into his glass. Hm, much better than the chardonnay. “I guess I don’t find the need to smile like you do?” The words came out with a mass amount of uncertainty in his voice. At her next inquiry he sat for a moment and mused, beginning to find cohesive sentences a difficulty to put together. He shrugged. “Cooking to a point. I guess I haven’t found the thing that makes me happy and smile and like being around people all the time.”

“You smile because you think you’re cute?” The man scoffed into his drink, thought shifting into more of a laugh a moment later. “Rather narcissistic of you, but why am I not surprised that would be the reason. You seem like someone very concerned with your outward appearance.” Another sip of the rosè, yep this was definitely much better. Though with the added alcohol, came his added forward chattiness. “Why? I mean are you that concerned with how people see you? I mean let me guess; you love attention, but you’re single.” His brow cocked. “Or maybe you were broken up with, and the facade is the way to make someone jealous.”

"Not even a year.” She placed her head on the top of the couch, watching him pace back and forth in the kitchen. “She died the December of my first year here. She was a nice little old lady- like my grandma but also not like my grandma because my grandma once chased my brother down the street for breaking some family heirloom.” Pause. “Nicer than my grandma!”

Falling back onto the couch, she let out a sigh as her back landed on the decorative pillow. Chase talked a lot for a guy who hated people, or so he said. That was for sure. She took the plate from him, but didn’t eat. For some reason, the food didn’t look appetizing at the moment. Too much wine. Really too much. She sat the plate on the coffee table, carefully, as to not ruin any of the paella from dropping it in a drunken state. “So you love her like a grandma then?” She asked with a tilt of her eyebrow. “CAUSEEE I understand that! I don’t understand anything else! Ever! She’s like your guardian angel and boss and mentor and all that in one, huh?” 

“Yet,” she continued. “You’re a chef and deal with people and don’t smile?” She frowned a little at him, confused. How could he always be so sad looking? Or bitchy? “Is cooking just your happy place or something and that’s all you care about? Really?” Pause. “Okay!” 

“Shuuuuuut up!” She screeched, setting the now empty wine glass on the wooded flooring. “You don’t need to call me out like that, you don’t know the reason I’m single!” Minori kicked the strawberry’s blonde skinny leg with a huff. How much of her actions and words were from the wine, she wasn’t sure. But what she was sure that wine drunk Mimi spoke better than tequila drunk Mimi who screamed and wanted to party. Wine drunk Mimi was elegant; like Iris. Maybe Iris was wine drunk all the time, that’s why she was so confident, so beautiful, so elegant. Minori was cute though, Chase couldn’t take that away from her. And that’s when the wine gave her the dumbest idea she had ever thought. Maybe the fourth most impulsive decision that she would ever act on.

“But, I know something that’ll make you like being around someone! Like me! And also you’ll shut up.” she smiled at him, bouncing to her knees. She moved closer, closer, and closer as their foreheads were just inches from touching. The former makeup artist took the plate out of Chase’s hand and placed it on the coffee table, next to her uneaten plate. Maybe the wine was laced with something, like dumb juice. But that didn’t matter, she grazed his face with her hand, feeling the smoothness of his face in every finger. Closed those hazel eyes, tilted her head, and kissed him on the lips. 

She kissed him. Right there. Under the shitty lighting in her living room, on her white couch as the whole world fell silent. She kissed him.

The kiss was gentle, she wasn’t attacking his lips like a drunken fool. Her hands fondly were placed onto Chase’s cheeks, as everything about Chase came to her senses. Like how soft his lips were against hers was or how he smelled. He smelled like fresh bread, with a hint of some kind of baking spice the longer she was pressed against him. Different than the scent of cologne that her nose was so used to smelling; masculine with wood scents. Like some fire wood or cedar or something. But no, Chase smelled like baked goods and nutmeg. Was that nutmeg? The brunette couldn’t tell. 

But what she could tell was that kissing Chase was actually pretty nice. Enjoyable, almost.

It felt like forever until she let go of his lips, let go of the kiss and the soft lips that she had grazed just seconds ago. The farmer opened her hazel eyes, sunking down to lay on top of the chef’s slender body. His lips were stained with just a tad of the gloss she had been “How was that?” She asked, a mischievous smile appearing on her face. “Do you like people now?”

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

As the girl began her fit of giggling, Chase couldn’t help the faint smile that appeared on his lips as the only response he could muster was a role of the eyes an a simple. “You’re right, why am I here again?”

“Ugh Maya.” The man than groaned openly. “This has been a nice vacation from babysitting her, so I guess I have to be thankful for some things.” Though when the topic of conversation continued down the road of bosses, the evident sadness that settled upon Minori’s features were obvious. Chase bit the inside of his cheek as his gaze dropped to the wine that was still in his glass, swirling it absentmindedly while he thought. 

When the brunette mentioned that her late boss had passed, the man’s eyes flickered back up to meet her gaze. A gentle, yet sympathetic ‘hmm’ escaped him in understanding.

“I can tell by your expression she meant a lot to you.” Light and airy or not, death was always awkward to talk about. “My boss means a lot to me, so it’s not too easy for me to say no to her when she requests something of me.” He shrugged his shoulders, wondering if he should say anything else. What else was there to say? Instead, Chase simply leaned forward to refill the girl’s glass with the last of the Chardonnay in the bottle. The next second she ushered the conversation along, much to the man’s relief.

The woman swapped back to her sweet and cocky personality, Chase scoffing in a teasing manner in response to her comments. “Right. Wine first, the priority.” As she continued, purple eyes looked at her with a risen eyebrow and a smug smile. “I don’t think I can make paella better than you.” A pause. “I know I can. It’s different.” Though as she pushed him to go grab it, he couldn’t help but want to take her up on that offer.

“Fine.” He rose from the couch, his head spinning slightly in a way that made him blink in surprise. Note to self, maybe not so fast on that wine, shitty day or not. “I’m guessing the plates are in the cabinet, yeah? And you said you had rosè in the fridge right? I’ll grab that too.”

As he was about to head back down the hallway, her question made him turn to look at her over his shoulder. “Uh,” His brow knit. “I usually get asked why I always have the pissed off look on my face all the time, I gotta tell you sad is a new one that’s for sure.” To actually answer the question, Chase just shrugged his shoulders. “Why is anyone sad? Life’s tough I guess.”

Feeling the need to battle back, Chase’s eyebrow cocked as he inquired. “And why are you so happy all the time?”

Minori couldn’t help but feel better as Chase bitched and complained about the baker back home. A smile came back onto her face, as the light came back to her eyes. He barely knew her, and she barely still knew him. Were they friends? Were they just acquaintances? He helped her when she was drunk, he came over to try her paella. He brought wine for the Goddess sake! Were they friends now? Was that okay to call him her friend and confine into him about a passing? About sharing their hardest moments and his trauma?

“It’s okay. She died almost two years ago... old age, ya know?” There were two things Minori never wanted to discuss; Eda’s death and any of the heartbreak she’d been through. A naive upbringing left behind a shattered heart; a shattered heart that was healed now. “But, I’m happy I got to spend time with her!” A smile came onto her face as he filled her empty glass with a fourth drink. Goddess help her and her hangover tomorrow. “What’s your boss like? You talk about her like aaaall the time. So, what’s she like exactly? What makes you looooveee her?”

Minori let out a loud “mhm!” in response, still sitting on the couch. Not bothering to move and help him out. “I think I have another rosè in my little wine holder on the left of my counter. Or maybe it’s a pinot noir? Oh! And don’t forget the lobster tail! I covered it but you can put a lobster tail on top of your paella if you want! But don’t give Bambi a piece of lobster! Once she smells that, she’s gonna start acting really cute and whine but the vet said no fishies for the baby!” 

Minori swirled her glass around. “Yeah, but not everyone looks like they’re sad all the time! I’ve seen you smile like, I don’t know, maybe three times?” She turned around, sitting her knees as she watched Chase maneuver around her kitchen, the ragdoll cat following him not too far away. It was kind of funny, watching him, listening to him talk. Okay, yeah, wine was definitely hitting her now. Oh, that was strong; the lightness to her body, how little impulse control she was having now (she could just jump off the couch and follow him but it felt soooo comfy. Why didn’t she ever sleep on this? Forget her bed and hundreds of pillows).  “But why? What would make you happy and smile and like being around people?”

She took a sip of the wine, finishing it off. Holding it up, she grinned at him again. “Cause I’m cuter when I’m smiling~ I don’t look cute when I get all moody and sad like someone with hair he can’t control very well here.”

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

“I’d rather kill myself than subject myself to being anywhere within 200 feet of Kasey’s house let’s make that clear. And you, well,” Chase paused, holding the wine glass to his lips while he gazed over at her. A long moment of silence, before the man shrugged and took another drink. “Well you’ve got wine.”

The lighter feeling was beginning to settle in, that warm sunlight against your skin type of feeling. Hm, that was fast. Maybe this wine isn’t as terrible as he was making it out to be. While Minori continued his chiding of him, still not in a nagging way, but rather in a … pushing sort of way. Like she was trying to test him, push his buttons on purpose. “Well excuse me miss, I work on a farm all by myself and don’t have someone to tell me what to do’, like you said she’s my boss.” Yet again, Chase found himself rolling his eyes at the girl, practically in disbelief of how off the wall idiotic she could be. “When your boss asks you to do something you do it. No time to evaluate your ego and decide ‘hm, do I really want to do it or not?’ No. You do it because you were told to do it. End of story.”

For a minute, it came back to him. Why the fuck was he here? To get ragged on by some farmer? He just didn’t care anymore. He didn’t have the energy to care anymore. Every single person today being completely nice, joyful to his face just to talk shit about him behind his back, in and obvious and downright loud manner. He heard the speculation plenty of times today, why was he there? Wasn’t he just an apprentice? Where was the real judge? Ugh. 

He just didn’t care anymore.

With a deep inhale Chase finished the rest of his second glass, basking in the more powerful warmth that settled in his chest. His eyes were shut for a lingering second, breathing slowed, before he returned to the conversation. “Honestly, I’ll take Gordon Ramsey as a compliment. The guys a hardass, and his entire restaurant empire is based around being honest with people that make shitty food. The guy’s living my dream.”

A ‘tsk’ escaped him, looking to the girl with a cocked, judging eyebrow as he refilled his wine glass. “Oh you’re sure one to talk. ‘You sound like you’re bragging or something’— meanwhile the whole reason I’m even here is because you couldn’t live down the thought I could ever possibly think that you couldn’t make paella.”

With the checkmate acquired in this game of chess he seemed to have gotten himself in to, Chase clinked his wine glass against hers, a smug smile appearing on his face. “And as far as I’m concerned, you still can’t make it.”

Minori held her own wine glass up to her lips, taking a sip as he complained about the unfortunate farmer he had the displeasure living nearby. “Well, you did bring this wine~” She giggled. “So I really don’t see why you’re still here just for the wine.”

Maybe the wine was finally taking a hold of her; was Chardonnay suppose to be strong? Was it meant to be make someone giggle so much, feel so light in the air... Or was this just some strong wine that was mislabeled? Could this actually be some kind of moonshine, made by some weirdo farmer with zero expertise in winery? Or was it just so strong against her empty stomach?

Minori finished off her second drink, feeling lighter and happier at the empty glass. Pouring a third drink into her wine glass (STOP Mimi, her brain was telling her. No Mimi, her tastebuds were crying. Keep going! The wine taste good now!), she let out another giggle. High pitched, yet cute. Sounding like something a silly. “Yeah but you can still tell her that you’re way better than judging some cooking contest where the people may cook the same as.... Maya? Was that the girl’s name you said before? Can’t you just say no one time? I do it all the time- no!” Yeah, he knew Minori. 

 At the point of the boss, Minori’s heart ache. For the first time in what felt like so long, how she had gotten over Eda’s passing and him, it hurt.“I kinda had a boss one time.” Minori looked at the fireplace, her eyes turning downwards onto a frame picture of when she first arrived in Oak Tree Town. She remembered that day, that day the picture was taken. How Eda had invited her and Johnny to lunch to check on the new farmers to see how they were doing, listening inventively as Minori childishly complained about the heat, the smell of farm animals, how she couldn’t find any hair dye yet to dye her hair back to brown because she was not going to let her roots come through. 

Eda.

It felt like not too long ago that Mrs. Eda was here as a guide to her. Her guide into this new and different world. So long were the days of comfort once she moved here. Now wasn’t the time to get glassy eyed over her lost, now wasn’t the time to cry in front of someone like Chase who would just mock her and drink the rest of the wine. She sniffed, rubbing her eyes with the edge of her homely sweater. “She died.” She whispered as she stared at the white wine, gulping down her third glass in less than thirty minutes. Quickly, she noticed the sadness she was bringing around, the upset energy that was being put into the room. Changing her tone of voice and putting the smile back onto her face, the brunette added, “But anyway, let’s move along!”

She pulled her knees up to her chest, laying back on one of the soft pillows of her couch. It really did feel like she was floating, or beginning to with how much wine she consumed in a short time. A laugh escaped her mouth again as Chase clicked the wine glasses together. “Well we gotta have wine first! You think you can make a better paella then me? I’d like to see you try- my mom gave me this recipe and she’s crazy but she knows how to make it!” How far gone was the wine now? “Beside if you really want paella, go grab it from the kitchen or something. Go eat, I don’t care-”

Again, for maybe the third time this day, she stopped herself. Looking at Chase so intensively, she just blurted out with a slight slur, “how come you’re looking so sad all the time?” 

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

“Idiots. To put it simply.” When the girl inquired about which of the farmer’s he hated more, Chase laughed lightly in response at the question. “You seem pretty high and mighty thinking of yourself, knowing just how much you annoy me. But that’s an easy question,” Another drink. “Kasey’s the worst, then you, then Kevin. So sadly you don’t get a win in either categories, you’re not the worst nor the most tolerable.”

When Minori began to chide him, almost in a way that Kathy did, but surprisingly less naggy, Chase just grunted in response. “Need I remind you I was brought on to be a judge, to judge the food they made for the contest. That doesn’t mean praising and patting them on the back for understanding how to put two pieces of bread together and something in the middle.” Another drink. “That means critiquing, not gushing about someone’s simple abilities but being surprised when they actually think outside the box.”

When the girl leaned toward him, poking him in the best, he scoffed. “I was told to come here. I didn’t sign up to be a judge. I didn’t plead and beg anyone to put me in a position that was over everyone else. I was asked to be here because of my job.” Another drink, and with her leaning in so close he placed his own index finger against her forehead, pushing it slightly away from him, encouraging her to get out of his personal space. “It was what my job asked me to do so I did it. I’m not higher up on the totem pole than anyone else.”

Her chipper, almost way too eager version of her personality returned full force. With a sigh, he rose from his chair, only noticing the meowing coming from below him. He looked down and the cat, before smiling and following after the brunette. “Better not risk the fire hazard.” He called after her.

“Sure … I start shit talking and you call me a big shot. So doesn’t sound like you enjoy my version of shit talking. Which frankly is just honestly talking.”

When he sat down on the couch next to her, he took the bottle from her hand, filling his own glass again before replying. “It was pretty much exactly how I expected it to be. Terrible.” A cough came from him as he took another sip, noting that maybe he was drinking a little too fast. Oh well, the day sucked. “Terrible just like their wine.” 

The farmer held the glass up to her face, smiling behind the white wine. “Really? So I’m not the worst or the best?” She asked, giggling again. “I thought I would be the most annoying one, but then again, you’re in my house, wanting to eat my paella, and you’re not their’s and ready to eat paella right now sooo~! Maybe you don’t think I’m that bad!”

There was something about Chase’s laugh that she wasn’t able to exactly put a finger on. Even the last time they talked, his laugh wasn’t the worst thing she dealt with that day between her awful hangover and well, Chase being Chase. It was light, like it was flowing through the air like a feather. It was genuine, not like he laughed to hide something. Not like he was laughing because she was laughing. He laughed freely, lightly, because he found something funny...? Was that it?

Wow, your brain is working Minori. Good job.

Minori just shook her head again, setting the wine down on her table as she took her brown hair out of the bun. “Nope, nope, nope.” She replied, brown hair flying onto her shoulders, a part of her hair coming in front of her eyes as she brushed it back with her fingers, carefully. “You’re a judge but you don’t have to be some Gordon Ramsey and call people an idiot sandwich. Like, it’s good to be honest but sometimes I think your honesty is just cause you wanna say something.” The kettle called the pot black, great job again Minori.

The brunette listened as the strawberry blonde went on and on about how he wasn’t suppose to be a judge, how he was suppose to do his job, yadda yadda yadda. “You act like you are though!” Maybe it was because she lived here, because she saw everyone daily, that she felt defensive about his honesty. It was different when she was being blunt and honest to everyone, than when some strawberry, purple eyed, skinny guy came in and started going on and on about stuff like this. “Did you even have to come here to take over your boss’ spot? Couldn’t you have just said no? Forgotten it and stayed home in your restaurant or-” As a finger pressed onto her forehead, her hazel eyes glared up at him. “Not funny.” She grabbed her drink again, leaving his space, leaving him alone for a good, oh 5 seconds. 

“Honestly, you sounded more like bragging or something,” she rolled her eyes at him, yet a smile still stayed onto her face. 

She sipped the rest of her drink. And by sip, that means she chugged down the harsh Chadonnay and drank it all. “Mhmm,” she mused, nodding her head as her tastebuds reacted poorly to the wine. Her face turned into a frown as she stared at her empty wine glass, and then to Chase’s She poured more wine into her glass, before pouring a bit more into the chef’s as well. “It’s not that bad! It has some alcohol in it so I think that’s okay right?” She took another sip of the drink, and yeah, no, he was right. Terrible. 

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }

[mininori]

chase-to-the-finish‌:

“A winery would be a really strong word for it.” Chase groaned at the mere thought of the nightmare of farming neighbors he had. “And no guarantees they wouldn’t make you sick.”

Chase took the wine glass that was offered to him, only then taking notice of the incessant meowing that was trying to get his attention. As the ragdoll looked up at him, expectantly with her large blue eyes, the man only blinked briefly in response. He continued listening to the brunette talk, and as he dead he leaned over in his chair lowering his hand to motion the cat forward. Chase couldn’t help his slight smile as the cat seemed gracious for the attention as he scratched underneath her chin. While his attention was fixated on Bambi, he responded to Minori’s words.

“Raegar. Knew it was a stupid name.” The smile grew a bit wider on his face as a motorboat like purrr escaped from the cat at the petting. “And nah— I don’t think he was trying to kill you. He over seasons the hell out of his cooking, makes me wonder if he even tastes the damn thing first.” He shrugged at the thought. “Call me a snob, but the whole point of cooking something isn’t to make the seasoning the main aspect of the dish, but use the seasoning to enhance the flavor of whatever the main aspect of the food is.”

A sigh escaped him at the thought, what a pain the day had been. “But apparently no one gave a damn about my opinion on the matter, so who cares.” Finally his attention turned back to the girl before him. “Actually I think your friend … Johnny you said right? The blond? I think his dish was my favorite. It was pasta, but with a comfort food handmade flair, so it was pretty good.”

The man finally took a sip of the wine he had been handed. Ugh. Cheap. Though he couldn’t say he was surprised by something he swiped from the leftover pile. Whatever, it would at least get him through the rest of … whatever this night was.

“Up to you,” He responded, taking a bigger gulp of the wine this time. “We might as well wait a second, and I can’t argue that the idea proposal to just keep drinking sounds pretty nice.”

Minori swished her Chardonnay around in the glass cup. “What’s so wrong with them?” She asked. “I mean, are they as bad as me? Like that one you can’t stand- who can you stand less? Him or me? Which one?”

A smile came onto Minori’s own face. The brunette grabbed a kitchen towel, picking up the hot skillet as she moved to off the hot stove, turning off the burner so that it could chill on the one that hadn’t turned on. “I’m pretty sure he does taste his food!” She replied back. “He wouldn’t have his own place here if he wasn’t good at least- But that’s good Johnny was your favorite!! He’s pretty good at cooking! Last time I was really sad, he brought me this lasagna and I’m not a big eater but that was really nice!” She smiled, thinking back to that time just months ago. How Johnny cooked something so warm, despite it being hours after he finished. How every bit felt warm on her tongue, how every tear made it taste sweeter, better.

“How come you’re being so mean on everyone’s cooking? Are you like those celebrity chefs on tv who just go on and on about how bad a dish is that is like, actually okay?” She asked, tongue in cheek, one of her hands landed on her hip. The way he spoke about food, like he was the creator or he did something about it to make food really good, made him seem like one. Who knew, maybe he secretly was. Maybe every chef had a secret- like she was sure Raegar was a part of the mafia despite him telling her he was NOT Italian, nor was he part of any mafia as nicely as he could. “Cause you-” She moved closer to Chase, poking him in the chest, “are acting like some big shot!”

“Let’s drink then!” Minori cheered, grabbing the bottle of wine off the counter. She took a sip of her own white wine, a bigger gulp just like Chase. “Come on, let’s go drink! Let’s go to the couch because honestly if I’m in this kitchen any longer I’m gonna start another fire!” She yelled as she fell onto her white soft couch. She threw Chase a smile, again, before continuing, “come on! Let’s shit talk or something! Or get drunk! You wanna get drunk because the whole contest wasn’t what you thought it would be like?”

Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Pies { Chase & Minori }