EreJean Week, Day 6: Cooking
(Two more to go!) Sorry it's so short - this one kind of snuck up on me, I've been busy, and sick so... But tomorrow's will be longer!
It shouldn't have been that hard to follow the recipe, really, it shouldn't have. Though somehow Eren had taken a wrong turn in the direction-following. Or maybe it was the fact that he had let the dog, Nitro, distract him. Either way, the bread was burned, the noodles had clumped into some rock-hard mess, and the sauce tasted like something one would expect from an inexperienced cook with no guidance and a confusing-as-hell recipe to follow: shit.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…" Eren frantically waved at the air in a futile attempt to shoo the reek of burned food out the window he had thrown open. Thankfully, by some small miracle, the smoke detector hadn't gone off despite the small cloud of black smoke, but Eren didn't care. He was more concerned about the fact that he had less than ten minutes before Jean came home to find a shitty anniversary meal cooked and royally screwed up by a loving but cooking-challenged boyfriend.
Eren glared at Nitro as the dog gnawed on a bone, looking pleased as could be and completely oblivious to the glare as well as the chaos in the kitchen. "This is your fault, you freaking dog… Distracting me with those stupid cute eyes of yours… Agh! I shouldn't have bothered with this, I shouldn't have. Holy shit, this is bad." He dragged his attention away from the dog long enough to shut off the stove to keep the damage to whatever level it was. Despite the futility of it all, Eren still drained the pasta and dropped it back into the pot with a solid thunk - too solid to be good. It never sounded like that when Jean made it. It came up as one chunk when he took a stab at it with a fork. "Oh hell…"
He turned to the bread next, chunks of black that vaguely resembled the slices he had popped in fifteen minutes before. It was a struggle to get them off. Eren gave up after he managed to pry one off only to send it hurtling across the room to hit the couch and leave a nice ashy black smear on the fabric. The sauce, he didn't even touch. Considering how well he had done with the other two parts of the meal, Eren didn't have much hope for it being even close to edible. Hell, it was probably toxic on levels that would require a hazmat suit and God knew what else to dispose of it.
Eren sank against the kitchen counter, the plastic top cool against his forehead. "The one time I actually needed to cook at least somewhat decently, everything goes to hell… dammit. I really should have paid attention and let Mom teach me… Ugh, the one thing I needed to know!"
The only warning he had was a familiar jangle of keys before the front door flew open and Jean strolled in, arms behind his back and a grin on his lips. Well, until he spotted Eren peering up at him from where he was slumped on the counter and noticed not only the chaos of the kitchen, but the reek of burnt bread. Dark brows arched up in a questioning move as the smile faded, a concerned gleam replacing the excitement in his eyes. "Eren… dare I ask?"
The brunette groaned and buried his face into his arms. "I'd rather you not… I really did try to not fuck up!"
Something rustled as it settled on the table, the soft thump of shoes grew closer, and then long, strong arms pulled him up into a solid chest and a warm embrace. Jean's chin settled on his shoulder as he pressed their bodies close. "Eren, you really didn't have to. I wouldn't have minded cooking. Honestly, I like cooking for your dumb, culinary-challenged ass."
"I know, I know, but… you always cook. And it's our anniversary! I just wanted to do something nice for my majestic stallion." He didn't have to lean back to know that Jean had rolled his eyes at the last comment - he always did.
Jean pulled back and thumped his shoulder lightly. "Idiot. We both know that your cooking isn't exactly fit for human consumption. But… thank you for trying." Jean smiled, a small twitch of his lips that slowly spread into a large, wide grin that flaunted white teeth and made his amber eyes glow. That smile made it all worth it, made the burned bread and the solid mass of noodles not seem so bad anymore. Eren bumped their foreheads together, both of them smiling and swaying to their own rhythm and song as they stood in a messy kitchen that reeked of burned break and some doubtlessly toxic concoction. "Well, we can always go out to eat."
"Yeah… probably safer. I don't think anything I made is exactly edible."
"Is it ever?"
"Oh shut up and let's go get Thai."
"You read my mind, Yeager Bombastic."
"Oh my God, Jean, really? That was like, so ninth grade."
Jean grinned as their palms met and fingers slipped together. "I know, but I also know you still like it. Don't even bother denying it. Everytime I say it all I can think of is how your ears would perk up and tail would start to wag if you were a dog." Eren hip-checked Jean, though the grin somewhat ruined the effect. He couldn't help it, not really. He did enjoy it, even if it was dumb and had a rather embarrassing origin.
"Oh, shit, I almost forgot."
Jean's hand slipped from his as the ashen-haired man rushed over to the kitchen table. When he spun around once more, there was a small, tender smile on his lips and a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Tiny blue and purple flowers greeted Eren, their five tiny, delicate petals leading into yellow centers with little spikes of white around them. White daisies were interspersed, dwarfing the in size, though the lesser in number. Eren allowed them to be pressed gently into his hands and stared at the beautiful blooms as Jean's hands wrapped over his. It was sappy. It was cliche. It was absolutely breath taking and it sent his heart spinning out of control. "They're so beautiful…"
"Not as beautiful as you."
His cheeks didn't heat up at that. Nope, not at all. They definitely weren't flaming about doubtlessly brick red. Oh fuck it, I'm so freaking red. Cool lips skimmed his cheek and pulled his gaze from the bouquet to Jean's face. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, you crazy bastard."
Eren grinned as his arms twined around Jean's neck. He pressed close and leaned a little on his toes, bumping their noses together, plastic from the bouquet wrap crinkling as it bumped Jean's back. Their lips met, patient and warm, something Eren wouldn't have minded drowning in at any given moment, especially when he was walking on a cloud of happiness. Jean pulled back after a few moments, his mouth curved up into a smile.
"C'mon. Let's go get some food."
"Ah, shit, right. Lemme just find a vase real quick."He managed to find one within a few minutes, fairly lucky since it had been a while since he had even thought of where the vases might be. It was simple - unridged and clear with a square bottom that curved in before swooping out only to close back in - but it was his mother's and the bouquet looked good in it. Well, good to Eren at least. He was certain Mikasa would have something to say about it, some kind of adjustment to make. That was the price of having a home designer for a sister.
With the bouquet settled and watered, their hands slipped together once more. As they walked, Eren's hand wandered to his back pocket where a small box was tucked snug into the denim confines. I absolutely refuse to propose to his dumb ass at a Thai restaurant. Dammit, I'll do it when we get home. Oh man… I really do love him...