[ closed ]

[allinvein]

Who: Anthony (scramasax) and John (allinvein)
What: Cooking and baking for monsters people who don't normally cook.
Where: John's apartment.
When: Tuesday, September 3rd, evening.

[It isn't that John can't cook. No, not at all! He's learned how to feed himself over the years, even if it can't really be said that he feeds himself well. His scrambled eggs come out pretty well, he can make a mean baked potato, and his grilled cheese sandwiches are boss. Oh, and John is a master chef with the microwave, if things that come out of the microwave can actually be considered cuisine.

Anyway, this? This entire idea of trying to cook real, proper food is actually Nick's fault.

It had started with cookies: he was going to make some cookies, and somehow, it just escalated from there. (He's already volunteered to bring the food for the next monster movie night at Alex's.) After work today, John had gone to the supermarket and stuffed his fridge until the door was barely shutting. On the kitchen counter, there's a giant stack of cook books that he's borrowed from the library, and well, the most important part of his plan is here, too: Anthony.

John turns a thousand watt smile on his roommate and rubs his hands together.]

Ready?

Comments

[scramasax]

[It doesn't even occur to Anthony to smile back - his brows elevate and he stands somewhat straighter as he nods in something more along the lines of a called-out, earnest "Yes, sir!"]

Ready.

[He's still standing just within the limits of the kitchen at the point. A couple of uncertain blinks and with a glance at the floor it strikes him that that's a cue - head on over to the space in which they can actually get to work! And so he does, proceeding over - slowing down and lingering the closer he gets, finally pausing and lingering at the stack of cookbooks on the counter - starting to crouch just a tad to minimize necessity of bending his back in case it hastens worsening his posture as he peeks at the text on the spines.]

[allinvein]

[He chews on his lower lip as Anthony slowly but surely heads closer, and by the time he's looking at the cookbooks, John's rocking back and forth on his feet in anticipation. To say the least, he's very excited about all of this, and there's a pretty good chance that he's overdone everything in his eagerness.

And the sad part? John's not actually going to do any cooking.

Oh, he'll help out with anything Anthony needs--washing, cutting, plating--but John's staying away from the stove and oven proper.]

I... wasn't really sure what you wanted to try, so I got a book for everything.

[He smiles a bit sheepishly, briefly trying to hide his grin behind his hand; it grows too large, though, and he ends up closing his fingers around the edge of the counter instead.]

Does anything catch your interest?

[scramasax]

[Anthony looks up in place. He was only perusing on his own there out of curiosity!]

Nn -- I uhm. [Half-look back at the books and back at John.] -- There wasn't anything that - you - particularly -- wanted -- ...?

[He would have completed that to a longer sentence but trips flat on a tangle. This is supposed to part of him earning his keep, isn't it - his decision oughtn't be the one that goes first!]

[allinvein]

[John has totally missed the part about this being an exercise in Anthony trying to earn his keep, and he just sort of blinks at him for a moment, grin still firmly in place.]

Oh. Oh, me?

[He points at himself and laughs before scrubbing a hand through his hair. Well, if Anthony is asking...]

I've a friend whom I told I would bake him cookies as part of an on-going joke between us. [He grabs the appropriate cook book and sets it aside.] But we could also try to figure out something for the next movie night?

[scramasax]

[What's the hesitation, John? And the laughing!

...Unless that was a test. Of some nature. In which case Anthony has just failed the first one - but fine then drat and moving on!

He rises as John pulls aside the cookbook to follow, and dips his head in a nod at the answer with the attitude of an acceptingly browbeaten bow and a sheepish little smile that's a smile nonetheless.

Puts a hand on the counter to lean over the book to idly examine the cover, throws his focus from it back to John.] Er -- which should we do first?

[Does this mean that they're doing both? If they're doing both, then, well, so help him consider the challenge risen to!]

[allinvein]

[The idea of trying to make something for both requests sounds pretty good--a practice round for movie night is probably a necessity. That said, he doesn't actually have any plans for the party just yet, so maybe they should work on the cookies first. That seems more straight forward.]

Let's try some baking first. What's your favorite type of cookie?

[Because while he's hoping that Nick will eventually see these cookies (or perhaps a future batch), John wants them to both enjoy this venture together.]

I think I've got ingredients for most of the really common ones already...

[scramasax]

[The opinion of one whose metabolism is halfway fallen to a stop ought to have as much weight in decision as a dice roll. And besides - ] -- Lemon meringue - ... [Quickly-said one tone above a mumble with a glimpse thrown aside - really not exciting, or likely a very manly choice for that matter but the way they crack is pleasing - and besides it's meringue - how is meringue supposed to go? He is not ready for meringue.]

-- Did -- [Diagonal look at the counter again, stuffs that question down - if John knew what type the friend in question would prefer they'd not likely be deciding now - rephrase.] -- But uhmm - I'll -- ...be happy to try anything! -- John... [Tone still dialed-back, and a bit airy. The "John" was swapped in for a "sir".]

[allinvein]

[John has this urge to ruffle Anthony's hair. It's a very strong urge, and he's had it since the kid moved in. He's managed to refrain thus far (and he's not entirely sure how well people turning into zombies take to being touched anyway), but Jesus, he has to take a moment to tamp down the urge again right now.

He definitely catches that lemon meringue that gets mumbled out, and while he does let Anthony finish trying to redirect his attention to another sort of cookie, John is set. (So what if it's above their current baking abilities? It'll be fun!) Making a soft considering noise, he pulls the recipe book closer to him and flips to the table of contents, making a show of looking at all there is to offer.]

Well, if you're happy to try anything... [He quickly flips over to the page for the lemon meringue.] Let's go ahead and try this.

[They've totally got this. Totally!]

[scramasax]

[Do they?

Let's go ahead and try which thing now?

Anthony leans in closer to examine the page, reads - and is abruptly freshly tentative and in some knee-jerk, silly reflexive reaction a little abashed and faintly, also-silly self-amusedly rueful. Feeling silly, all the same - and honestly not all in a way he finds much urge not to let pass, but this is a task, in a project - it's not to be sillied-up!

Swinging a brows-lifted look back up at John - ] -- Do you think it would -- be... better to... do -- something -- simpler - ? [Distracted into letting his voice slip up to a high edge on the end - as his eyes cast back to the book to take glance over the details, in spite of himself.]

[allinvein]

[John claps Anthony on the shoulder (a little more gently than he would someone else) and just beams down at him. He's going to be confident enough about this endeavor for the both of them if necessary!]

We'll be fine!

[He says this in a bit of a sing-song sort of voice, and without really waiting for any response from Anthony, he reads over the ingredient list and starts to rummage for everything they'll need.

Going slow? What's that</>? Nope. John is going full speed ahead. Here's to hoping that his cooking partner in crime can keep up!]

[scramasax]

[Looks up at the gesture again - caught with his guard down, but far from unpleasantly - and feels a little humbled on the beaming.

In fact at that he gives up the ghost and concedes. Holds his tongue - stays put and lets his eyes follow John as he looks over the ingredients and gets on the move - and then something strikes him acutely and he winces a split second while wheeling around - just a little hastily with his stiffness, not comfortable, but nothing to slow him down! - to lean over the counter, pour over the book, fling a look over to what John's in position to cover, another to one side of the kitchen and then the other blinking all the while - picks a spot to commence what rummaging he can.

Oh, he will keep up now - as well as he can keep track of the course!]

[allinvein]

[John chances a quick look over his shoulder to see Anthony getting in on the action as well, and a smile lights up his face when he sees that his actions have spurred the other to begin as well. He finishes grabbing stuff from the fridge and ends up (carefully) dumping it on the counter before reaching for a mixing bowl and a baking sheet.

All of it is depressingly unused, but he's got a good feeling that after they're done that those things will have made up for lost time.]

How about you get started on getting those ingredients together, yeah? I'll... [--try to stay out of the way and not accidentally knock any unwanted ingredients into the mixture.] ...get the oven ready.

[John really wasn't all that much of a disaster in the kitchen, but still! They didn't seriously need two people hovering over a mixing bowl, right?

[scramasax]

Yes, John -- [Quick glance over to reassure of bearings - and then he goes feeling his way along the counter for the most obvious and intuitive of the ingredients first. Grabs a bag of sugar - drags it off to a clearer space, within arm's length of the mixing bowl.

After that comes - the eggs, probably, but rats how many eggs again...

Spots the book again, falls over to lean over it again, peering hard to memorize the ingredients on the fly - and some of the procedure, too, but then some odd phantom sense of tightening pressure edges him back into motion.

Four eggs, it is - he grabs four eggs, sets them by the bag of sugar, a lemon, the salt - all hasty shuffles and reaching, but assembly of the ingredients is quick!

Enough that he pulls himself aside to peer over the book yet again, skims the list - is that really everything? Looks back over the skim through and check off the ingredients assembled. Compares to the list in the book again. Repeats. It seems as if it is, indeed, right -

And in that case he's wasting time again! Look back at John - mostly around a hunched back and over his shoulder.] -- Should I get the rest of the utensils -- ? - Also...? Another hasty drift up to a high, cracked edge.]

[allinvein]

[He hears Anthony shuffling about behind him doing... well, whatever it is that he's doing, but for his part, he is actually quite focused on getting the oven ready. John's one of those odd people who actually stores stuff in the oven when it's not in use--nothing flammable, of course, but he does go on to remove a variety of baking pans, pots, and a few muffin trays from the space. As with most of his cooking ware, they all look... disturbingly unused.

It's only when Anthony speaks that he stops and looks over at the other, eyes raised slightly.]

It's fine! [Arms full of various cooking things, he wanders off to deposit the stuff on his fold-out table before coming back a moment later.] I'll take care of it unless there was something you needed right now?

[He tilts his head, curious.]

Or is there something else you need me to do?