Food for Thought
There were many clattering sounds coming from the kitchen on the Condor. The young navigator of the Storm Hawks, Piper, was making a new batch of her squadron's favourite snack, sandcakes.
The girl tucked a stray strand of midnight blue hair behind her ear impatiently as she placed a bag of flour on the table. She cocked an ear towards the door and heard faint splat noises. Satisfied, Piper continued heaving ingredients and equipment onto the table.
She had successfully convinced the guys to play 'Berry Blitz' – a game involving throwing berries at a cartoon picture of the Dark Ace and trying to hit his face as many times as possible in a row – in the hangar bay by taunting them with her undefeated title as 'Berry Blitz Champion'.
She wanted no one to get anywhere near the kitchen as she made her mouth-watering sandcakes, least of all Junko. As much as Piper loved the boys, she didn't trust them enough with a spatula and a frying pan.
It always spelled C-O-M-P-L-E-T-E D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R. If anyone but her cooked, they'd all be dead from food poisoning. Yes, it was that serious.
She glanced over her shoulder furtively before taking out milk, butter and few eggs from the fridge. So far so good, Piper thought to herself.
"What's up Piper?" A voice behind her asked curiously.
Piper jumped with a cry, sending the eggs flying into the air. Aerrow caught all three smoothly and placed them on the table.
"Oh, nothing! Nothing at all! I thought you were playing Berry Blitz." Piper blubbered nervously, quickly stepping in front of all the ingredients and acting a little too casual.
"I was just wondering where you were." He replied, surveying her with his bright, emerald green eyes, "What are you doing?"
Piper's stomach did a flip at the thought that Aerrow had been looking for her. She shook her head and reminded herself about the more pressing matter at hand.
"Oh me, I'm just putting this stuff away." She answered lamely, looking innocently back at him.
Aerrow grinned, undeceived and looked behind her at the food. "It looks like you're cooking…" He spotted the recipe propped against the counter, "Sandcakes!"
His face lit up at the word but changed to a confused expression.
"Why didn't you tell us you were making sandcakes? I've never seen you make them." Aerrow demanded of his first officer, staring into her uneasy, amber eyes.
He began to piece the information he knew together and it clicked.
His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he voiced his thoughts, "You made us all play Berry Blitz so we wouldn't come in while you made sandcakes. Come to think of it, whenever you're not there while the rest of the team is doing an activity, there's always a new batch of sandcakes! You're afraid we'll mess it up!"
Piper bit her lip, looking around frantically for an escape.
"That's not true!" She lied, turning her back on him and taking out a measuring cup, "You're free to help me anytime you want. It's probably just a coincidence that you guys are always doing something while I'm making sandcakes."
Aerrow rested his chin on her shoulder, grinning slyly, "Oh yeah? So why don't I help you right now?"
Piper sighed mentally, thinking of how to phrase that he was a terrible cook nicely. It wasn't helping that his tousled, red hair tickled her face and smelled really nice.
Aerrow read her hesitation and said, "Come on Pi! Give me a chance. The last time I cooked was ages ago so I've probably improved."
Piper seriously doubted that he had improved from blowing up the kitchen a few years ago without any practice.
Aerrow tried a different tack, "You know I only want to help you. You can teach me. Please?"
Piper shook her head at his attempt at flattery, placed her hands on his back and started pushing him out of the kitchen. If all else failed, Aerrow had one last trick up his sleeve.
He turned around and caught her hands, bringing out his best, sad, puppy-dog face. His lower lip trembled and his eyes were as wide and round as dinner plates. Piper couldn't believe someone's eyes could get so big. It was a truly heart-breaking expression. Piper softened up – how could she say no to such a sad face.
"Okay,"
Aerrow resumed his usual boyish grin abruptly and squeezed Piper's hands.
"Where do we start?"
Piper smiled and pried her right hand away from his to pick up the recipe. Her other hand remained locked into place within Aerrow's firm, warm grasp. She looked up at him questioningly but he just smiled dazzlingly back.
"Well, I've got all the ingredients out. We need to make the batter." Piper said, her voice wavering and her heart pounding at being at such close proximity to him.
She carefully avoided his eyes as she added. "Um, I kind of need both my hands Aerrow."
His cheeks turned pink as he dropped her hand and mumbled an apology. Aerrow looked away embarrassedly. He wanted to confess his feelings for her after he fell in love with her a couple of years ago when he first became a Sky Knight.
But he wanted to tell her in a special moment. Like if he rescued her from falling or if he took her for a ride at night on his skimmer. He wanted it to mean something important to her.
Aerrow was also worried that things would get awkward between them and it would break their friendship, something he treasured far more than being a Sky Knight. He was caught in this dilemma and he was very confused.
No, Aerrow told himself, our friendship is stronger than that! He watched Piper dutifully set up the table. She threw a white apron over his head and put hers on as well. Her slender body danced around the kitchen, pouring sugar and milk into a bowl.
She put an egg in his hands and waited expectantly, "Well you said you wanted to help, so crack the eggs."
She wore a challenging grin as she leant her elbow on the table and watched him intently. Aerrow fumbled with the egg, his cheeks burning again from her gaze. He had to prove he wasn't awful at cooking.
He gently tapped the egg on the rim of the bowl.
No crack.
He tried a little harder.
Not even a dent.
Finally he smashed the egg on the bowl, sending the yolk flying and hitting Piper's face. Piper frowned, not amused as she glared at a snickering Aerrow with yolk dripping from her face.
"You get an 'F' for cooking!" She cried, shoving a hand into the flour bag, grabbing a fistful of flour and throwing it into his hair.
"That's it. If you want a food fight, you're getting a food fight!" Aerrow declared, chucking the butter which hit Piper's shoulder.
She picked up the milk carton and unscrewed the lid.
"You wouldn't," Aerrow said, backing into a corner.
Piper smiled, her eyes glinting evilly, "Yes I would."
She stalked closer, lifting the carton over his head. She turned it upside-down and dumped all the contents on him. He blinked through the milk at her. He charged forwards, picking up the bag of flour. Piper shrieked as he emptied it on her. She grabbed a tomato sauce bottle and squirted it at his chest.
He growled and took a bottle of honey saying, "I think I need to repay you for that hair wash you gave me!"
Piper's eyes widened in horror as she pleaded, "No! Aerrow don't! Do you know how sticky that stuff is? I will take forever to get it out of my hair!"
When Aerrow seemed unperturbed by her pleadings, she ran away. As she made her escape, she slipped on the puddle of milk from earlier. Piper squealed and grabbed Aerrow's elbow as she fell, dragging him down with her.
Oof! They landed on the floor hard next to each other. They took one look at each other covered in milk, flour, honey, sauce and butter, and burst into laughter.
They laughed together for several minutes, making jokes about each others' new fashion trends. ("I'm going for the whole 'wet look'." Aerrow joked about his drenched hair).
Gradually the laughter died down and they stared contentedly at each other. Piper absent-mindedly ran her fingers through his hair and he closed his eyes, smiling.
"Piper?" Aerrow asked softly, opening his eyes to look at her.
"Hmm?" Piper replied, inattentive.
"Piper, I need to tell you something important." Aerrow said a little louder.
Piper's carnelian eyes shifted to his in full attention, "Yes?"
Aerrow's heart started beating a mile a minute at what he was going to say. His face showed turmoil and uncertainty. Piper took his hand calmly and gave him an encouraging smile.
Aerrow gained confidence and stared her straight in the eyes, whispering, "Piper you're really important to me and you know that. I think you're amazing. But the thing is…I like you more than a friend. I love you. I really do. I've loved you since we formed a squadron; probably long before that. You've always been there for me and I could never live without you."
Aerrow ducked his head quickly, staring at the floor. He knew he had messed it up. What girl would want to be told that their best friend loved them while they were on the floor covered in the contents of the fridge?
"Aerrow," Piper said quietly and he ignored her.
"Aerrow, look at me."
He slowly raised his head and was shocked to see Piper's eyes sparkling with silent tears. One rolled down her cheek like a diamond. What had he done? He had just made the love of his life cry. He was a monster.
"I'm sorry Piper. I shouldn't have said that."
Aerrow said, his heart breaking as he started to get up.
"Aerrow you bonehead!"
His heart turned to ice and a cold look entered his eyes. He looked down at the still crying Piper with disbelief. He didn't think Piper was so mean as to make insults after he made the biggest mistake of his life.
"You moron, come back down here!"
She laughed through tears. Aerrow sunk back down to the floor beside her, extremely confused.
"Are you sad?" He asked, puzzled as she shook her head.
"Then why are you crying?"
"You are denser than Finn! I'm crying because I'm happy!" Piper hiccoughed, wiping away her tears, "And I'm happy because you love me…and I love you."
Aerrow froze in shock, processing her words. Then he brought his lips to hers passionately. Their lips moved together in sync. He put his arms and her waist and she put hers around his neck. It was slow, tender and sweet. They broke apart and gazed at each other with happiness at what had changed between them.
"Gross! I am definitely not eating those sandcakes!" A loud voice interrupted.
Finn pretended to puke and called over his shoulder, "Stork! I think we have a case of the love bug here!"
Stork materialized in front of them and gasped in horror at the scene before him.
"We're all doomed! And I can't protect myself because you pinched my love bug repellant and used it on your eyebrows!" He screamed at Finn and began chasing him around the Condor.
Piper and Aerrow sighed exasperatedly and Aerrow gave her his special charming smile, "I guess we have to clean up this mess."
Piper looked around thoughtfully and said slyly, "You know, I haven't finished kicking your butt in the food fight!"
She squirted honey from the bottle, into his face. Aerrow growled playfully and tackled her around her waist. He kissed her forehead before sprinting away from a now soap-covered Piper. She chased after him, yelling,
"Hey! Soap is not a food!"