Arlen smiled as he leaned his face on his right hand with an excited smile, "You do not have to worry about that. I am not picky. I will eat anything you choose for me."
Ravi looked at Arlen again. Why was he so damn excited! He looked down at the blue card in his hand so carefully, trailing down all the items on the card from appetizers to dessert.
Arlen's stomach rumbled, "I don't mean to hurry you but can you hurry up? I am about to dissipate."
Ravi did not rush to order, his hazel eyes still focused on their card, "Captain, good things take time." He said calmly.
"Gosh! You sound just like my big brother."
Ravi was not sure how to continue the conversation, he did not like commenting on one's family members but he could not help but imagine an older version of Arlen, he would have the same bright cheer as the Captain, their family must be those loving and kind ones that are normally in movies.
"We would have two pots of fish filet porridge, peppered liver, garlic green beans, and steamed milk egg pudding."
The food was served very quickly and soon their table was filled up. Arlen blue's eyes glittered as he pulled the small pot of fish filet porridge closer to himself.
The fish filet porridge was amazing. The smooth fresh fish slices melted in his tongue, making him shake his head with joy. The peppered liver was spicy and refreshing, waking him up faster than any cup of coffee would do.
He looked at the garlic green beans and ignored it, helping himself to a more peppered liver, he even placed some in his porridge and stirred them together.
"Didn't the Captain say that he was not picky? You have not touched the green beans since you started eating."
Arlen froze, he was not really picky but he did not like vegetables and in the group of vegetables that he disliked, green beans happened to be the one that he hated the most.
He lowered his head and perfunctorily replied, "I am saving it for the last."
Ravi raised a brow and pushed the plate of green beans closer to himself.
"I will eat it." Arlen said seriously, he was planning to eat it and then use the pudding to wash it down.
"No need. You don't like it."
Arlen frowned, "I said I would eat anything you choose for me."
Ravi looked at him calmly as he used the pair of metal chopsticks to pick one green bean and ate it, it was a bit sour but refreshing, he swallowed and said, "You don't like it, I know you do not like it, if I watch you eat it, it would just ruin my mood so what is the benefit of letting you eat it, Captain."
Arlen was speechless. It took a few minutes for him to pick up his spoon and let out a short chuckle, "Has anyone told you that you are rather blunt, Officer West?"
"I don't usually listen to what other people think of me." He watched as Arlen nodded, there was a hint of admiration in his eyes.
Why?
"Listen to me. This food is amazing. Definitely the top three porridge I have had all year and with this peppered liver, I can see myself coming back here every day. Well done, Officer West."
Ravi's lips curled into a small smile.
He did not always know how to cook. Back when he was in his original Earth, he had grown up in a government orphanage and they had two cooks who made food for the 900 children in the orphanage. When he had transmigrated to the Sentinel Realm, there were thousands of restaurants, you just needed to purchase what you wanted with your points and you could have luxurious spiritual meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
On this Earth, he had continued the habit that he carried over from the Sentinel Realm, buying food but soon, his account ran into the reds and he became broke. The next month, he bought a recipe book and began cleaning up the kitchen. He doesn't eat out as often but his months of surviving on restaurant foods had allowed Ravi to know the best eating spots for everything in Davenport.
The two of them enjoyed the dessert in silence, Ravi looked at that face that was completely concentrated on the Milk Pudding, taking a small spoonful of the sweet treat, his blue eyes gleaming in delight.
His excited eating made Ravi, who had Shawarma for breakfast and was not hungry, reach out for the Milk Pudding, not knowing when he finished it.
Arlen stood and Ravi pulled out a few notes knowing that he was about to pay the bill. Arlen looked down at him, "Officer West, you do not offer to pay when your boss takes you out to eat."
Ravi quirked an eyebrow, "But this is not budgeted under Work expense."
"Even though. Next time, you should try and swindle more from me. Order more expensive treats." Arlen hummed as he made his way to the counter.
Ravi watched that broad back, Ah! He said that this person was crazy. Who asked other people to swindle money from them.
He recalled the way those beautiful blue eyes narrowed in pleasure as he ate the desert and his fingers twitched. He suddenly wanted to paint. He reached for his pocket where there was a small sketchbook.
"Officer West!" Arlen stretched his hand, waving him to come over.
Ravi pulled his hand back from the pocket and walked to the counter, "Captain."
"Is there anyone in the office that does not eat spicy food?"
He was ordering food for those in the office. Why? He had ordered coffee for them yesterday. Ravi was sure that the Bureau did not have such a budget so why does he do such a thing? So they can accept him?
He had not been here one week and Lisa and Draco looked like they would go to war for his sake, it could not be that, right?
"Lisa can not eat spicy food. Draco is a vegan. The Sergeant does not like sweets and Officer Adams is lactose intolerant."
Those blue eyes were suddenly fixed on him in astonishment and Ravi raised a brow, "What?"
"Nothing."
Crazy Weirdo.