Cooking with Matt

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa is discussing where she and Matt can take over the kitchen and the rats are moving out of the way. Her plan is fairly simple, everything they'll have will be baked in the end as that gives more time for cleaning afterwards.

Everything isn't prepped but a lot of things are as that means more time for the good parts of cooking. When she's sure that everything's set then she goes to the door to see if she can spot him.

Comments

[piwakawaka]

"Practically, yes, it is."

[semicharmed]

In between slice attempts, he sneaks a glance at Tiwa.

He guesses they haven't ... talked much today, except about cooking and movies.

But that's okay, right?

[piwakawaka]

She's beating whipped cream but feels the glance and looks up to give him a fleeting smile.

Talking is something she's unsure of how to do with him or with James as everything feels complicated and like it could break if pressed too hard.

[semicharmed]

It was easy-- relatively-- to pay Kiri and Devon back the energy he took, and call them done. Devon hasn't called or texted like he used to, and Matt's found another cafe to spend time in when he's not at work.

With Tiwa, it does feel a little like he's shattered a friendship and has to restart.

It's even worse than how he's shattered his relationship with Nita and has to restart.



"Um-- are these small enough?"

[piwakawaka]

"Yes, they should do fine. Now I need to make the custard and go pick out the kinds of sponge cake you want,"

She waves him towards an open cupboard as she doesn't know where they're going to end up. It hurt that when everything went wrong, he saw her as prey and she doesn't know how to get rid of that fear.

[semicharmed]

Obediently, Matt heads for the cupboard.

"There are kinds of sponge cake ...?"


But after a few moments, he holds up a plastic-wrapped packet for her approval.

(Maybe if they hung out with other people.

Which gets him envisioning Ambriel, Jordie, Rache and Tiwa all in the same room at the same time.)

[piwakawaka]

"Well, sort of then you need to figure out what syrup to soak it in. The recipe's on the table,"

Other people might work though it would be strange at first.

[semicharmed]

Matt crosses to the table, sets down the packet, and peers.

"... Is there a wrong syrup?"

[piwakawaka]

"Nope, it's just a matter of getting all the flavors to balance out. I'm keeping the custard pretty simple as mango has a lovely flavor."

[semicharmed]

"Huh," Matt says with a nod. "Makes sense."

Boy practices ritual magic, after all.

"So how do we balance with mango?"

[piwakawaka]

"Nothing too complex, um, let's do the raspberry syrup. That's always good and I saw some raspberries in the fridge. They'll add some color to things,"

She's found a really pretty bowl for the trifle and the pies are smelling good. Things will be tasty and with all the steps of the cooking, there isn't much time for awkward.

[semicharmed]

To the fridge!

Raspberry and mango, raspberry and mango ... has he ever tried raspberry and mango?

"This is inspired," he decides, emerging from the fridge.

[piwakawaka]

"Yeah, I guess it is," Inspired is a wonderful word.

[semicharmed]

Matt, who both knows how to read and is intrigued by the possibilities of raspberry, contents himself with puzzling out the syrup recipe.

"Only so wrong you can go, I guess. Fruit and sugar and cream is a pretty winning combination."

[piwakawaka]

"And cake to soak up all the good flavors and hold them."

[semicharmed]

"Right."

He spares the sponge cake an only demi-suspicious glance.

But it's cake! So clearly it'll work out.

[piwakawaka]

"We soak the cake in the syrup, and layer it in with the custard, fruit and whipped cream."