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autistichwsamerica · 3 years

Text

Day 3 - Culture

Ship: RusViet

Word Count: 588

@aphrarepairweek2021

Rain was coming down in torrents; Vietnam exchanged a look with Russia. It looked like they’d be staying indoors for today. The world meeting--being held in London--had let out early on account of nearly everyone showing up hungover due to irresponsible drinking the previous night.

As she considered what they could do, something occurred to her.

“Vanya? You said you wanted to try a drink from my place, didn’t you?” she said.

Russia brightened.

“Oh, yes!” he said. “And if you want to try one of my drinks, Liên, then we can make one for each other!”

Vietnam considered her boyfriend’s idea; while she had had Russian cuisine before, it was mainly in hotels or in restaurants when she visited him. It would be different to have something made by Russia himself.

Besides, not only was cultural sharing important to relations, she was just as interested in Russia’s culture as he was interested in hers. And after lunch--bún măng vịt for her and shchi for Russia--she could go for something to drink. Vietnam nodded.

“Alright,” she said. “How does cà phê đá sound?”

“I’m sure anything you make will be delicious, Liên,” Russia said.

Vietnam blinked, slightly taken aback, and she felt herself lightly blushing. Russia was always kind to her, of course, but she wasn’t known for her cuisine like France or Italy or China were.

“What?” Russia said innocently, tilting his head as he frowned in confusion. “Was it something I said?”

“No, it’s nothing,” Vietnam said, and Russia’s smile returned to his face. “Just--thank you, Vanya.”

Vietnam got to work on the ingredients; behind her, she heard Russia doing the same.

After she finished the drink and put the last touches on the iced coffee, she brought both to the table. The room they were staying in had a kitchenette and a small table. She took a seat, and a few moments later, Russia came over and placed a glass filled with a dark purple liquid in front of her.

“Sbiten,” Russia told her. “It’s based on honey mixed with water, spices, and jam.”

Vietnam took a sip of the sbiten; sweetness exploded over her tongue.

“Cà phê đá is iced coffee,” Vietnam said. “Coffee got its start in my country when a coffee plant was brought into the north.”

She watched as Russia took a drink.

“It’s sweet,” he said. “And tastes a little like chocolate!”

“It has a lot of condensed milk in it,” Vietnam said. “And cacao is sometimes added during the roasting process. How do you like it?”

“It’s very good,” Russia said. “I don’t drink a lot of coffee, but I like this a lot!”

“Thank you,” she said.

“And you?” Russia said. “How do you like sbiten?”

“It’s very sweet,” Vietnam said. Apparently it was a day for sweet drinks. “I like it. And it’s good for a rainy day like this.”

“Yes, it’s always been a drink for the winter months,” Russia said. “It gets cold at my house, you know.”

Something in his expression seemed to shift at that; Vietnam knew Russia didn’t like talking about his own colder weather, because it was part of the reason why he felt so isolated and alone a lot of the time.

After a moment, she spoke up again.

“Maybe you could tell me about me Palekh miniatures,” she suggested. “And if you want, I can tell you about Đông Hồ woodcut painting.”

Russia’s face brightened with a smile.

They spent the rest of the afternoon together, teaching the other about their own art forms.

Notes:

Bún măng vịt - Vietnamese duck noodle soup with bamboo shoots

Shchi - Russian cabbage soup

Cà phê đá - Vietnamese iced coffee

Sbiten - Traditional Russian drink based on honey, water, spices, and jam

Palekh miniatures - Russian folk art handicraft of a miniature painting that orignated in Palekh, done with tempura paints on varnished articles made of papier-mâché

Đông Hồ woodcut painting - Vietnamese folk paitning originating in Đông Hồ

#hetalia #rusviet #otp #vietrus #hws vietnam #hws russia #ivan braginsky #my fic #my writing #my fanfiction #my fanfic #fanfic #fic #fanfiction #aphrarepairweek2021

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