Welcome to the second chapter of the Hybrid AU one-shots!

Thanks so much for the votes and views so far I really appreciate it, feel free to suggest anything in the comments and if you see any grammar mistakes please let me know.

Chapter 2: Cooking with Cole

Summary: It's Cole's night to cook dinner, usually this means after an hour or two of mixing random substances Nya puts out a fire and they order pizza. However Zane has offered to help Cole cook a "decent" meal. It doesn't exactly go as they planned.

Cole was in the Kitchen putting on an apron and washing his hands as Zane strolled in casually. They wordlessly prepped the kitchen, wiping down counters taking out important ingredients and a cookbook.

"Alright Cole, since it is your night I will let you pick out the recipe." Zane said handing the open book to an eager Cole.

"Hmmmm..." Cole hummed as he flipped through the book. 'the spaghetti looks good... but so does the fried rice bowl...' He thought.

This is gonna be the meal that everyone will like, No fires, no burnt food, and no getting sick for a week afterwards. It has to be perfect... After a few more minutes of debating Cole picked the spaghetti, not just because last time he tried to pan-fry something he burnt off his eyebrows, but it would be easier and fitting for a practice meal.

"This one!" Cole said pointing to the page with the recipe in big bold letters saying "Tomato Based Spaghetti with Garlic and Fettuccine"

"Good choice!" Zane praised, already getting out the necessary ingredients to make the noodles and sauce.

Everything was going fairly well. Zane was letting Cole do most of the cooking, only budding in every so often to stop him from straying away from the recipe. So far the noodles were boiling and the ground beef was done cooking and was currently being mixed with the tomato paste.

"We should add something sweet to balance it out like sugar!" Cole said running to the cupard where the sugar was kept.

Luckily Zane reaching out to grab his arm stopping him from going any further. "Does the recipe call for sugar?" Zane asked.

"Well... No..." Cole said a bit awkwardly. His cheeks were tinted pink in embarrassment, and his ears flattened against his curly hair.

"Then do you think it's a good idea to add it?" Zane said with a hint of amusement.

"No..." Cole mumbled before returning to the pot of sauce to stir some more.

Zane chucked a bit before going back to the noodles, lifting the lid every so often to check on them.

It was quiet for a few minutes. Both not knowing how to further a conversation. They had been awkward around each other lately. Cole didn't mean to avoid Zane like he did, it's just Zane seemed like he felt uncomfortable around him lately. Cole would just strike up a conversation randomly and the blonde would jump at his touch, startled. Cole felt a little bad, he hadn't meant to scare the falcon hybrid. This went on for several weeks, Cole walks into a room and Zane would instantly stiffen or become jittery, a very not-Zane-like action.

Cole unknowingly was staring at said hybrid as he thought about their relationship recently. Zane was glancing his way every so often with flushed cheeks, checking if he had stopped the uncomfortable staring.

"Uh... everything okay?" Zane's voice shook Cole from his train of thought and realized what he was doing.

"Oh!" He jumped back from his current spot leaning on the counter. "Yeah! Yeah... I uh didn't mean to.. uhh..."

Zane started fidgeting which signaled to Cole that he was uncomfortable and nervous.

'Way to go Cole' He scolded himself 'The first real interaction you have had in weeks and you go and blow it'

Zane suddenly didn't want to be here. He couldn't explain it, but whenever he was around Cole he felt so... weird? He was lightheaded and he had butterflies in his stomach. Zane was never good at recognizing his emotions, they were like trying to understand a foreign language. So his solution to this weird feeling? Avoid the source. It was more of subconsciously, he would never try to avoid someone purposefully. That's just plain rude.

Cole needed to fix this. He didn't know what was going on but he wanted it to stop. Zane was his world. he would never admit to it, but he admired Zane very much. Just the way his icy blue eyes would light up whenever he was doing something he loved. The way his chocolate brown wings would ruffle every so often. Especially the way his song would fill the Bounty in the mornings. As a bird Zane had a prone to whistling or singing while he was doing his tasks, no body had a problem with this because of his beautiful voice. It was so smooth and relaxing, of course if anyone where to tell him this, Zane would turn as red as a tomato and deny it without question.

Cole looked over to see that Zane wasn't even paying attention and the water was boiling over. "Uhh... Zane?"

"Yes?" He snapped out of his daze and looked down at the pot that was dripping boiling water everywhere and the slightly over boiled noodles. He gave a startled noise that sounded a lot like a "Squaawww"

Zane immediately covered his mouth, face turning red at what ungodly noise he just made. Cole just stared for a second.. and then burst out laughing. Zane joined in too.

Cole hugged his aching chest and fell to the ground, as a dying Zane tried to turn off the stove, but could barely breathe. Cole continued to roll on the floor and Zane, eyes tearing up from laughter almost fell over to join him. Cole was almost surprised, he had never seen Zane laugh so hard in his life. At most the bird would give a hearty chuckle at something he thought was amusing, but this, full out laughing his lungs out was something entirely unheard of. The Bear didn't really care that much though because Zane was having a good time and he didn't want to interrupt that.

Zane finally managed to collect himself enough to stand up straight without completely falling over, and Cole's laughter was coming to an end. Honestly these were the best moments they have had in a couple of weeks (slight awkwardness aside). Zane wiped his teary eyes and turned to the stove to collect the fallen spices. Cole got himself off the ground and dusted himself off before turning to the slightly overcooked noodles.

A few moments of silence were ensured as they continued the task they had previously abandoned. Cole wanted to finally ask Zane what was up, they were finally talking to each other again and he didn't want to waste this time. The bear hybrid noticed the avoidance that he had been given. Perhaps Zane was mad at something he did, it wouldn't be the first time the bird didn't vocalize his thoughts. One time Zane had gotten so mad at Kai because he kept plucking Zane's feathers when he least expected it. Kinda like a scare game except instead of poking, you're just plucking out someones feathers that are literally attached to them. It had really annoyed Zane but he didn't want to confront Kai about it and it lead to Kai sneaking up on him during training and accidentally getting kicked in the face. Zane had broken Kai's nose and he felt so bad and apologized for weeks.

Cole finally worked up the courage to turn to Zane, "Hey Frosty?"

"Yes Cole?" The bird hybrid replied.

"Are you...mad... at me?" Cole said with hesitance, he immediately regretted starting this conversation.

Zane just stared blankly for a few seconds. "No? What would give you that impression?"

Cole was almost relieved, 'At least he's not mad at me...' He continued, "Well it's just... you've been a bit distant lately, I just feel like we haven't even talked to each other in a week..."

Zane stared again, it was kinda starting to creep Cole out. "oh." He replied with. Another few seconds of silence as they just stared at each other. "I did not realize i had been avoiding you, it was unintentional. I apologize" Zane looked away and poured the sauce mixture in with the noodles.

That confirmed it, something was up. If Cole knew one thing about Zane it's that he always keeps eye contact if he is speaking, the only reason he would look away is if he was embarrassed, ashamed, or he didn't want you to know something.

Cole narrowed his eyes as he watched Zane finish up the spaghetti, everyone was probably wondering why dinner was taking so long. They could wait though he needed to finish this conversation.

Zane reached up for the cabinets and brought down several plates, and got out silverware for the table. Cole still stared and watched, it was making the bird hybrid slightly uncomfortable again. (this conversation is just a roller coaster isn't it)

Zane exited the small kitchen area to go set the table in the connected dinning room. He was suspicious of the silence that remained in the kitchen as he set the table for dinner. The bird hybrid paused before entering the kitchen, it was still silent. He walked in and didn't see Cole anywhere. He looked around in a bit of a panic before something grabbed him from the back and pinned his arms to the side.

Zane was startled and let out a small scream, not loud enough for the entire ship to hear but definitely louder than Zane's usual tone.

The mystery person behind him chuckled a bit and The Blonde instantly knew who it was. Cole laughed a bit as Zane relaxed and let out a bit of a chuckle of his own.

"God Cole don't scare me like that." Zane laughed as Cole kept his grip around the smaller bird hybrid.

"Sorry Frosty, couldn't help myself" Cole spent a few moments in the bear hug he had around Zane (haha pun). "So you ready to tell me what's wrong?"

"You're not going to let me go until i do, are you." Zane said as a statement instead of a question.

"Not a chance." Cole laughed a bit as Zane did a face palm, well as best of a face palm you can do with your hands pinned to your side by an over-sized man-bear.

Zane ruffled his feathers and kept quiet, still refusing to give in just yet. They just stood there for several minutes, each refusing to give up.

The bird hybrid finally sighed and went slack in Cole's grip. "I really am fine, Cole. Its just... complicated" He mumbled in a low voice.

"Well I got time, explain it to me." Cole said in an urging tone trying to get the usually secluded ninja to open up. He released the bird and sat down on the floor patting the spot next to him for Zane to come sit down. Reluctantly, he did.

"Even I don't understand it completely, its just..." Zane hesitated before continuing. "I have a hard time coming to terms with my emotions and what I'm feeling... It's stupid really. I just haven't really felt myself recently... I've been more... reserved? I don't know..."

Cole listened intently as Zane poured out his feelings, the food was probably starting to get cold but he didn't care.

"I just feel... different when I'm with you..." Zane said and realized a second too late it sounded really creepy. "I mean like-"

Cole cut him off by placing a hand on the falcon hyrbid's shoulder. Cole's ears were perked up more and he seemed happy. "I get what you mean." He smiled.

They just stared at each other in understanding, no more words were needed between them.

"Hey is dinner ready ye-" Jay slams open the door and pauses when he looks at the bear and falcon hybrid just sitting on the floor with Cole's arm wrapped around him.

"..."

Jay slams the door shut and Cole immediately stands up to go after him. "WAIT NO JAY IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!"

Cole runs off and Zane is left alone in the messy kitchen with a pot of cold spaghetti. The falcon smiles and turns on the stove to heat the food up again before serving it to the rest of the ship.

Sure the simple spaghetti dinner didn't go as the blonde had planned, but in the end it turned out to be something better.