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[whatsamada]

I know this is an odd request considering everything that has been happening. But do you think that anyone can help me cook?

...Just to see if it tastes good or not.

[Because local 13 year old boy needs help.]

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[whatsamada]

[Ah yes. Now that was the answer he was waiting for.]

Or you could have just asked to give you some ingredients. I'm sure he would have understand.

[opheliac]

Yeah, like they would just give me the stuff if I asked 'em like a cutesy lil' girl.

( she rolls her eyes at the completely outrageous alternative, swinging the sack back over her shoulder. )

Gimme a break, Short stuff. As if they do handouts for free. Everyone knows nothing is free AND they'll lose business that way. Your joke could use some work, by the way. I'll rate it a four outta ten.

( jinx should rate it lower due to it not giving her a single giggle, but it got a reaction out of her and that takes effort. )

[whatsamada]

[He had to admit, he walked right into that one. Scratching the back of his head, he really should have known better when they were in prison.]

I suppose not but that was me being optimistic

[He said before shaking his head.]

But anyway, weren't you going to show me how to cook?

[opheliac]

Yeah, I'm following you, Sport...! Where are all the dishes and junk?

( because they are going to need some pots, knives, cutting board, and all of those goodies to make what they're going to make. sure, she could probably snoop around herself to gather whatever materials, but letting ken being in charge of that may be a little faster. )

[whatsamada]

[As he made his way to the cabinets and the various cupboards, he got out some dishes and pans. Once he did so, he manages to get some of the utensils for her. However....]

And you are sure you're going to be okay with this?

[Was he really willing to trust her with a knife a farmhouse that wasn't even his?]

cw: innuendo cause im stupid.

[opheliac]

( as he goes to the cabinets to retrieve all the things, jinx finally hoists the sack onto the counter to dig out the ingredients. his questioning has her grinning and wanting to snort out a laugh, but she holds it in for now: )

Sure, I'm sure!

( her gaze dart to the utensils, the knife specifically. )

I'm more into gunplay than knifeplay. ( she casually shrugs a shoulder as she sets the items on the table, one by one. ) — But I know my way around it enough.

How lovely

[whatsamada]

[It was a good thing that Ken was very well aware of what she was trying to say. As he was trying to bring up that he was still a child he knew that he could probably keep his mouth shut. Instead, he'll just continue shaking his head.

This was a very odd friendship, indeed. As he gave her a knife, he was still questioning her.]

...If you say so....?

[He said before ever so slowly backing away.]

[opheliac]

( it's a good thing he is backing away because the first thing she does when the knife is in her possession is twirling it between her fingers. )

Right! So first...! ( she ceases the spinning then points the blade at the jar of mayo then the seafood seasoning. )

Mix that with that in a bowl and I'll get the choppin'.

( the one way to teach anyone anything is to have them learn hands-on than just sprouting out instructions to watch. with the cutting board in place and the crabmeat out of the package, jinx gets to chopping the meat down into little pieces of itself. )

[whatsamada]

[As soon as he got said jar of mayo, he walked back and saw what she was doing. For as strange as she was, he had to admit, it seemed like she knew what to do. Chopping up the various bits of meat and seeing how she managed to cut them into perfect pieces?

He had to stare in awe.]

That's really amazing, when did you learn to do that?

[He said while attempting to mix the mayo with the seasoning. Granted, he didn't just how much he was supposed to add but he'll just make a guess. Now, if he was right in that amount was another.]

[opheliac]

Well when ya lived in The Lanes like me, you gotta learn how to do this as a young age.

( once the meat is chopped up nicely, she reaches for the celery next to slice in miniature pieces. what's going to blow after she does the celery will be the onion. and here she is without a mask to cover herself from the stench either. oh well, she thinks. it's not like she'll be actually sad when it makes her cry. )

— A lotta us didn't had parents so... fending for yourself was the norm.

[whatsamada]

[And see that? There was a wince on his end as he looked at the meat she chopped down and the sauce he made. For a moment, he briefly glanced at the ground before giving a small sigh.]

...Which makes me wonder how the people in your world managed to survive as much as you did. Especially when there isn't anyone giving you that support.

[Not that he knew that or anything. Not at all!]

[opheliac]

Loyalty goes a long way, kid.

( finishing chopping up the celery, she smears off any excess off the blade. she scoots the pieces in a neat little pile that is completely unnecessary to do, but jinx enjoys making things look presentable when it comes to meals. )

— Not all of 'em were good eggs, but a good chunk of 'em didn't mind lending a helping hand as long it was beneficial somehow.

[whatsamada]

[Again, Ken didn't really know what else to say. On the one hand, he was lucky. While his family gave him some support, it was mostly a distance. Even then, they barely talked to him. He was force to realize that not everyone wanted to help a little kid but...]

That's not too surprising. I have heard that's now some people who work in gangs operate too sometimes.

[Pause] No wonder you had to learn so many things so quickly.

[opheliac]

( jinx lifts up the cutting board then pours the celery bits into the bowl ken's been mixing in. )

Mix again.

( it seems she is putting him in the stirring duty, hopefully he'll be okay with that. and now comes the onion in which she braces herself as she starts chopping. and with each slice, the stench of vegetable lingers in the air and straight to her nose and eyes. the teen blinks a few times to bat away her pink tears with a light sniffle. )

And now you're learning how to cook. I hope you've been paying attention.

[whatsamada]

[Indeed he has he's been watching her cut everything up. The more he looks at it, the more impressed that he was. The last thing he really seen someone making food like this was with Shinjiro and even then, it was mostly for Fuuka's sake.]

Mhhmm, I have. Thank you for that, I really won't forget how to do this.

[He said before mixing said celery into the sauce.]

Just be careful, don't go too far if it's bothering you that much.

[opheliac]

Pffffbbtt!! — Nothing bothers me...! I can handle pretty much whatever gets thrown at me. Especially when I just throw it right back at 'em, ha ha!

( and chopping finished! like with the celery, she slides the excess off the blade, put them in a neat pile, then dumps it in the bowl while ken is in mid-stirring. it's obvious what his next task is now that she put that in. GET TO MORE MIXING!! while he does that, she'll put out the bread and begins to cup them in halves. )

[whatsamada]

Which is still amazing to me since I know not everyone can bounce back so easily.

[Takes one to know one, right? Either way, as she kept chopping away, he had to take a few mental notes. There were a few techniques that seemed similar to a certain someone....]

You know, how you cook reminds me a little of someone I know here. I assume the name Shinjiro doesn't sound familiar to you?

[opheliac]

( a slight quirk of an eyebrow from her over the name as she thinks back. she has a nickname for almost everyone she comes across, but she doesn't recall someone by the name of shinjiro. especially with it being a bit of a mouth full to say. )

Never heard of the guy.

( and finally the main course! she takes the crabmeat and just like everything else, she chops them into pieces too. let's pretend the cooks back at the seafood shack already cooked these babies because the player doesn't feel like adding extra steps. )

— Guess the head honchos gave him the boot?

[whatsamada]

No, not really...

[Or at least, at the time of when he said it. Of course, he would come to regret saying those words later now that he knew was gone. But until then, he shook his head before giving a sigh.]

I just figured since the both of you seemed to be really good cooks. But I'm not surprised, he isn't one to talk to people.

[Pause]

...And he's not really one to be too friendly.

[opheliac]

He sounds like my kinda guy.

( do de do, more chopping up the meat in tiny pieces. )

Alright, kid. We're almost done with this dinner. Once I cut this up, we'll slap it in the bowl, more mixing and then spread it on the bread. Easy peasy, right?

[whatsamada]

Is that really it?

[Which was he just stared at her at then back at the bread.]

...Cooking was a lot easier than I though. I always thought that cooking was a very intensive process.

[opheliac]

Well, yeah if you wanna cook a huge smorgasbord for everyone here in Aldrip, you'll be done for and they'll eat ya alive.

( what a way to show she has any faith in him or giving him a boost of confidence. especially when she says this with a smile spreading across her face. )

But if it's just you and a half full of people, you don't have to be fancy with it. There are simpler meals out there. Just like there are simpler ways to build an invention. You just gotta use your brain.