[Sam260]

Gio looked over at the crate and shook his head, a smile crossing his face "I don't have a problem with dogs, no." Gio said quietly as he walked in and bit his lip "Tylenol does sound good right about now..." Gio said as he sat down on a chair in the living room, keeping his back off the chair back.

He looked over at Sirius and inhaled deeply "So, what is it that you *do* know how to cook Sirius... Maybe we can cook together?"

[hockeypreg2]

Sirius let Misha out of her crate, squatting down to pick her up so her could snuggle her and let her kiss him hello. "Let me cook for you. You should relax. Obviously I am best at Greek food since that's what I've grown up making, but I can cook a bunch of things. I don't have Silas's talent, but my food is good. Is there anything you'd like?"

He brought the dog over to Gio. "This is Misha. She is absolutely spoiled rotten and knows it. She definitely runs the household."

[Sam260]

Gio nodded and smiled, reaching up to pet Misha behind the ears lightly. Misha leaned into it and yipped happily "Definitely spoiled." Gio teased as he scooped the pup from Sirius' arms and settled her in his lap.

"I want you to surprise me, since this is your idea of a first date - impressing me in the kitchen is a good way to go." Gio said with a grin as he looked up at Sirius; quite obviously still teasing the mountain man who could very likely snap him like a twig.

[hockeypreg2]

"Let me get you something to change into," Sirius said, licking his lips. "She has her pee pads in the kitchen so if she jumps down that's probably where she's going."

He turned and headed to his bedroom, looking for a pair of soft shorts for Gio. They would be big but they were definitely better than the tight jeans he had on. He came back out, holding them.

"Here you go. This should be more comfortable."

[Sam260]

Gio nodded and set Misha down on the ground. He stood up slowly and stripped off his jeans as slowly as possible, pulling his canvas sneakers off as well. Then he slipped into the shorts and drew the drawstring as tight as possible without irritating his freshly tattooed back "I'm thinking you just wanted me wearing your shorts..."

Gio looked down and shook his head - the shorts went *way* past the knee, almost making it look like he was wearing a skirt "Christ, Sirius... How long are your freaking legs?! I'm usually all leg and these are still long on me!!"

[hockeypreg2]

Sirius shrugged and cocked his hip. "I've got a lot of leg. Those come to about mid-thigh on me."

Misha went running into the kitchen, her tiny legs carrying her as fast as they could. Sirius watched her go before turning back to Gio. "Let me get you more comfortable as well." He led him over to the couch, settling Gio on his stomach with pillows under his arms and chest.

"Just relax. I'll bring you everything you need."

[Sam260]

Gio wasn't sure about all of the pampering from Sirius, but he supposed it wasn't such a bad thing - it was actually kind of nice. He snuggled into the pillows and sighed contently "I think dinner would be just nice... Still looking for a surprise, Sirius."

Gio smirked and licked his lips slowly, turning his head to the side so he could still see and speak with Sirius as the man headed toward the kitchen.

[hockeypreg2]

"Don't get used to all this," Sirius called out to him. "I'm doing this because of the tattoo. It can be overwhelming."

He pulled out some chicken and rice to get that started. The rest of the ingredients would take less time to make
He moved around the kitchen with ease, having grown up cooking just like Silas had.

Misha came running back to Gio, yipping at him and hopping on her back legs. "She wants to come up on the couch. She's too small to jump up."

[Sam260]

Gio sighed as he reached down to Misha and helped her to get up on the couch, he settled her on the couch cushion in front of him and smiled as he started gently scratching behind her ears and underneath her chin "Such a good girl, hm?" Gio cooed gently as he continued playing and petting the pup.

"I'm not going to get used to this, I don't expect you to cater to my every need, Sirius... It was just a tattoo, not back surgery!" Gio retorted and furrowed his brows as he looked over his shoulder at Sirius.

Gio was starting to get a bit warm in his shirt, and sighed as he shimmied out of it, exposing his muscular back and the large white bandage on his lower back "I can't wait until these bandages come off! I just want to look at it and stare in awe of how amazing Jess' artwork is... I have an amazing canvas."

[hockeypreg2]

Sirius laughed as he moved around the kitchen and worked on their meal. "You have to take care of it properly or else the artwork will be ruined. So don't get too antsy about uncovering it."

Sirius stuck his head out of the kitchen, admiring the picture that Gio made spread out on his couch half-dressed and relaxed. He sauntered over with a bottle of water, offering it to him. "Here you go. Do you drink at all?"

[Sam260]

Gio turned just enough to take the bottle of water and drink some without spilling on Sirius' couch "Drink?" he looked confused for a moment, glancing at the bottle of water and then Sirius.

His brain seemed to take a few seconds to click over and then he shrugged slightly "On occasion, I guess I'll drink a glass of wine or something... but I don't drink often or heavily."

[hockeypreg2]

"Okay," Sirius said easily enough. "I was thinking of opening a bottle of wine but I'm perfectly fine skipping it as well. I'm making an Asian dish so it's not something that lends itself to wine easily."

He trailed his fingers along Gio's spine as he walked past him to pet Misha. "I'm cooking some chicken for you, princess. Don't worry."

[Sam260]

Gio shuddered when those fingers trailed across his back, he bit his lip to suppress the moan that wanted to bubble up. He capped the bottle of water again and set it down. "Okay, so I can't just lay here..." Gio said as he slowly moved to stand up; he was very lucky that Sirius' shorts were long and baggy, because they easily hid the erection that was starting to grow.

"Wine and Asian definitely doesn't go well - although Sake does, but... yeah, drinking is not important." Gio said as he walked around in slow circles, the shorts falling down his hips a little lower because of how big they were, once again exposing his rounded globes a little - although this time unintentional.

[hockeypreg2]

"Come in here with me," Sirius suggested. "And bring Misha so she doesn't feel left out."

He started chopping up carrots into thin matchsticks, mushrooms, and bok choy set aside to chop next. Rice was in the cooker and chicken was sauteing in a pan.

"A crisp rose actually goes nicely with this meal. It cuts the rich broth," Sirius said when Gio came into the kitchen. "Of course, so does a sparkling water."

[Sam260]

Gio let Misha settle in his arms as he stood near the counter and watched Sirius cook - he definitely wasn't a professional, but he wasn't bad at it either. "Well, I'll let the chef decide what's best for dinner tonight. Maybe next time I can cook you something... but all I know by heart is Greek food..." Gio said with a light shrug.

He loved watching Sirius work in the kitchen, even if he wasn't a professional - it was better than the last serious relationship Gio was involved in, the man never once cooked a day in his life. Even if he wasn't in a relationship, or a serious one yet, with Sirius... It was nice to know that Sirius would cook, if Gio didn't feel up to it. "So, do you cook often, or are you just trying to show off?"

[hockeypreg2]

"I cook a few times a week, go out other nights. It can get boring cooking for one," Sirius admitted. "Sometimes I go over to Silas and Sidney's. Depends what's going on. I went over there a lot when Silas was on bed rest because it helped Sid to have an extra pair of hands."

Sirius slid the vegetables into the pan with the chicken, tossing everything together. "We were raised cooking so it's something that comes natural to me as well. I just didn't want to make it my career."

[Sam260]

Gio nodded and smiled lightly "I was born in a kitchen... Well..." he shrugged a little "Not in the kitchen, actually... I was born in the dining room, but, it is all the same - My mother went into labor with me and since I am the youngest of three older siblings, everything went very fast for her and she gave birth to me in our family restaurant back in Greece." Gio said, a light blush creeping across his cheeks and nose "So, I suppose you can say I was born for this."

Gio reached into the hot pan and pulled out a few vegetables and a chunk of chicken that had broken off, and popped the food into his mouth "Is very good, could use a little more salt and pepper though." Gio offered up with a smile, then squatted carefully to place Misha on the ground."

[hockeypreg2]

Sirius swatted at his hand. "I haven't finished yet. You can't taste it until I put it in the rice broth. Backseat cooks." He winked at him all the same. "If you want there is some chicken set aside for Misha that I cooked up for her. She likes to be hand fed best. If you don't want to do that, it's fine. I will feed her when I am done cooking."

[Sam260]

Gio rolled his eyes "You are supposed to taste every step of your cooking before you serve... Even if it is not completely assembled, yet." Gio said with a smile as he walked around Sirius, lightly bumping him in the rear as he made it past -- it could have looked accidental, but it wasn't, at all.

Gio lifted up the cooked chicken for Misha and shook his head "Your dog is spoiled, that is for sure." Gio said as he slowly crouched down and held a piece of chicken in his fingertips "Misha, c'mere girl." Gio made that clicking noise with his mouth to get the pups attention.

Misha ran over and happily started eating the chicken pieces from Gio's fingers as the man fed her.

[hockeypreg2]

"I'm extremely aware she's spoiled," Sirius said easily. "And I'm comfortable with that. I don't have kids so I have a very spoiled dog who gets all of my pent up parental love and affection."

He began to mix the rice and broth together, getting everything ready to eat. The vegetables and chicken went in next and he did taste everything, making sure he didn't need to add anything.

"Would you rather sit on the couch or at the table? I'm fine with either but you are the one with the sore ... back."