[Cerealia] IC contact

[creepface]

"Hello. This is. Rasu. I can't answer sorry. Please leave a. Message.
If it's for the. Hospital please. Send me a text saying. SOS.
And I will call. You."

Comments

[creepface]

[ Anything can be surprising. People who doesn't eat vegan has never shown any interest in how to cook it before. ]

It's not so. Different.

[smokingspirit]

[ It's good that Hokuto isn't "people" then. ]

I guess not. What're you making?

[creepface]

[ Rasu counts him as 'people' most days, actually. ]

Co. Coconut curry.

[smokingspirit]

[ Yet he's not like everyone else. ]

Sounds nice.

[creepface]

It's really. Good.

[ He's made it before, but not here. He hasn't gotten the exact same things he usually uses, so he's a bit worried about how it's going to turn out. ]

You wanted to. He-help?

[ Just making sure. And he's not sure where to have him help if he is. ]

[smokingspirit]

[ He nods, but also shrugs. ]

If there's anything you need help with.

[creepface]

[ He doesn't really, but he appreciates it. ]

Then, maybe... Um. Cut the broccoli?

[smokingspirit]

[ They ought to do these sort of things together sometimes, anyway, right?

Hokuto nods. ]

Okay.

[ He can do that easily enough. So he finds the broccoli among the ingredients, and gets the tools he needs. Cutting goes smoothly and effortlessly. ]

[creepface]

[ After watching how it goes for him for a moment, Rasu starts to peel the onion, and cutting it... well, yes it's making him cry, what of it? ]

[smokingspirit]

[ ...Hokuto could do that, you know. And actually manage to not cry very much. But he's going to finish the broccoli that he was asked to handle. ]

[creepface]

[ He's not used to help in the kitchen, okay? But at least it could have been worse.

He sniffles and glances at Hokuto when he's done with the broccoli. ] Can you prepare the. Garlic?

[smokingspirit]

Yeah, sure. [ There's the garlic. ] How much? Is it supposed to be cut or crushed or how do you want it? [ Is he asking too many questions at once? If it was just him he would do whatever, and see if it turned out alright or not (actually, he would even if his dad had been supposed to eat it, too. They've given each other food poisoning before due to experimenting in the kitchen, so it's nothing he would be worried about normally. ]

[creepface]

Um, minced. [ Technically he finds that the flavour comes out better when it's crushed, but the recipe wants it minced, so he's going to follow that. ] Four cloves.

[smokingspirit]

[ Where is your sense of experimenting, Mr Nurse. ] Understood. [ This feels oddly familiar though. He stops himself from pausing in the middle of mincing the cloves. But he clutches the tool a bit tighter, and he puts a bit more fervor into his movements, to shake off thoughts he can't do anything about. ]

[creepface]

[ There is no room for that in cooking. Or, well, there is, but Rasu isn't confident enough to do that, and since he doesn't experiment in his work, it carries over into the kitchen as well.

He isn't an idiot. He's watched a lot of people try to keep things from Mother, and he knows how to tell if something's different, even if he misses it some times due to his nerves. But he does notice that there's something going on with Hokuto. So he stops for a moment, a bottle of coconut oil clutched in his hands. ]

U-um. What's. Wrong?

[smokingspirit]

[ He needs to relax more.

As does Hokuto, at the moment. He stops his motions, keeps his gaze on his hands. ]

Nothing, just... I came to think of my moron old man is all.

[creepface]

[ Not with cooking and caring. Also, what if he blows something up by not following the recipe! ]

The. principal? Why did you. Think about him. Just now?

[ He doesn't realize it might be snooping, he's just trying to get better at holding up a conversation. ]

[smokingspirit]

[ What's he going to add, gunpowder? ]

Because... When we had the time, we used to cook together. [ Among other things. ]

[creepface]

[ No, but it's like chemistry. ]

Oh. Um. I'm sorry?

[ It's his go-to when he's not sure of what to say. He doesn't really know how Hokuto feels since he never had a good relationship with either of his parents. Not with anyone in his family. ]

[smokingspirit]

[ He looks up at Easu, startled as well as confused. ]

...why?

[creepface]

You seemed... Not. Happy.

[ He fiddles with the cap of the oil bottle. ]

I d-don't. Understand fa-family but. But ma-maybe you. Miss. Him...?

[smokingspirit]

Yeah, I'm just... [ That sounds like he hit the mark. ] Yeah... I mean, I live with him in Sheol, I see him every day both at work and at home, of course I'd miss him.

[creepface]

So I'm. I'm sorry if I. Made you s-sad.

[smokingspirit]

No, it's no problem, it's not your fault.

[ He's just going to focus on his hands. ]

[creepface]

B-but it's. Because of m-me that you. Thought. About it.