Title- Cooking Lesson
Disclaimer- I don't own it.
Summary- Fujimoto gives Rin a cooking list
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Fujimoto peered at the thermometer. "39 degrees, yep you're sick." He patted Yukio's head, then pulled the covers up to Yukio's chin.
"Told you I wasn't faking." Yukio gave his twin the stink eye since Rin had been loudly protesting Yukio getting out of chores. Rin glared back.
"Come on, Rin." Fujimoto put a hand on Rin's back, steering him out of the room. "Let your brother sleep."
Rin didn't protest, and when Fujimoto shut the bedroom door behind them, he said, "He needs something to feel better."
The brothers might squabble as brothers did, but no one was more protective than Rin. Fujimoto smiled. "He needs sleep. It's probably the flu that's going round," he said, and Rin's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "But we can make him Okayu."
"I want to help."
Fujimoto thought about the request. It sounded like an excellent idea. Rin could use all the structure he could get. It might be good for him, give him a sense of price in his achievements. Since he often had such a hard time, it would be a good thing to give him confidence.
"Of course, come on."
Fujimoto led him into the kitchen and got out his cook pot and the other simple ingredients for the rice porridge. He set the scallions on the chopping block.
"I wanna cut the onions!" Rin bounced on his heels.
Fujimoto could imagine a million ways that could go wrong. "When you're older. Here, you can rinse the rice."
Rin huffed in disappointment, but he stood on the chair Fujimoto had pulled up to the sink. Fujimoto put the measure of rice into the strainer, and let Rin rinse it to death while he made quick work of the onions before Rin got it into his head as soon as Fujimoto's attention was on the boiling pot.
Once he got the rice boiling, Fujimoto patted the kitchen table and sat down at it. "It'll be a while before it's ready."
"Yukio always gets sick." Rin frowned as he sat down. "I never do."
"Give it time. You could get the flu, too." Fujimoto wasn't sure of that. Rin's demonic heritage to made Rin strong.
Rin thought for a moment. "Don't want it."
"Good call. Why don't you get your books? We can work on some homework while we're waiting on the rice."
"Ugh, now I feel sick." Rin held his stomach.
Fujimoto rolled his eyes. "Not buying it."
Rin dragged out of the room and was slow about returning. Still, they got a little work in before the rice was ready. "You can put the umeboshi in the bowl, Rin."
Rin popped two of the pickled plums into the bowl for his brother. "I liked cooking with you, Father."
"It was fun, wasn't it?"
"Except for the homework."
Fujimoto ruffled Rin's hair. "Let's go give this to your brother."
"It'll make him feel better." Rin beamed.
"I'm sure it will." Fujimoto smiled back. He might not be these boys father, but at times like this, they felt like his. He was grateful for every moment with them.