I Can't Bake Take 2

DECEMBER 9th

They decided to try again. This time they went to Percy's house where Sally had said they'd be free to do some baking without distractions in her kitchen.

Will handed Nico an apron as he put one on himself. They tied each other's strings and pulled up the recipe onto the counter.

"Ok so first we need to-" standing next to him Nico had already began pouring out a large and most likely too much amount of flour into the bowl they'd got out. In a few seconds flat the kitchen side was coated in flour and the bowl full to the brim with the stuff.

Face palming, Will sighed. "First of all you're supposed to sift the flour in and second of all you need to weigh it out."

Nico faced him with a sarcastic look and put the flour packet back on the side.

"You do it then," he said.

So Will did. He got a different bowl out and put a sieve on top of it, then measured out the correct amount, sifted it in and was finished without making nearly as much mess as Nico.

"I'll tell you what to do and then you can do it," spoke Will which Nico thought made him sound quite bossy. Although he couldn't disagree that Will doing everything his way would probably work out better in the long run.

Will then passed Nico a teaspoon. "So what you wanna do," he paused giving the other boy a pointed look which told him to listen up or else, "is take this teaspoon I've just given you and measure out one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, one teaspoon of cinnamon and two teaspoons of ginger."

He watched carefully as Nico did exactly as he'd said placing the teaspoons of each of the items into the bowl. Nico smiled at him satisfied when he'd managed to do it correctly and with barely any mess.

"Next we need to add the butter."

With Wills help they weighed out the correct amount of butter and mixed it into the mixture making a breadcrumy sort of texture. Much to Will's surprise butter hand prints now covered the kitchen. He'd have to apologise to Sally later on though truthfully he was sure she wouldn't mind.

He then took it upon himself to measure the sugar out and mix that in as well.

Deciding he didn't want a repeat of what Percy told him happened last time, Will cracked the egg quickly and then let Nico stir it in along with the golden syrup he was now pouring in.

The surface they were using was already covered in flour from earlier on. Will put the mix onto the table and instructed Nico in how to knead it properly. The reason Will knew so much about cooking was because he and his mum had done it all the time when he was growing up. It made him really happy to teach these skills to someone else. Especially Nico.

Once the mixture had been kneaded together he wrapped it in cling film and put it in the fridge setting a timer for fifteen minutes. Whilst that was chilling along with Nico who sat playing with skull ring, Will got onto preheating the oven and lining the trays with baking paper.

In not long at all, the timer went off and Will took the batter out of the fridge. He rolled it out then grabbed up the biscuit cutters and handed them to Nico.

"Give it a go," Will smiled at him and Nico grinned back. He cut about six gingerbread men before they had to reroll it out. Will then cut some out and put them on the tray with Nico's. They did this until all the mixture was used up.

"Now we need to bake them for about fifteen minutes maybe less, hopefully we won't burn the kitchen down in the process."

The racks went into the oven and standing in front of it Nico became nice and toasty and warm. Will stood behind him staring at their creations. When Nico turned around to sit back down Will put his arms around him and hugged him. This surprised Nico who stood awkwardly for a few seconds before hugging back and relaxing onto Will.

"I forgot to ask," said Will who stepped back to eye Nico suspiciously, "what did you put or even do to the gingerbread men you made last time?"

"To be honest I have no clue," he chuckled.

A few or so minutes later the timer went off again. Will took the tray from the oven which made the room smell delicious.

"Mhm," was the only sound Nico made as he looked at the biscuits that had just come out of the oven, in awe.

They cooled down fairly quickly and the boys decorated them quite fast as well, wanting to eat them already.

Sally and Percy suddenly walked into the kitchen smiling at the two boys. Percy saw the biscuits on the plate fully decorated and beautiful and started to eat one before either of the other demigods could protest. He then ruffled Nico's hair affectionately.

"Hey!" complained Nico although he didn't do anything to move away from Percy.

"These taste good. I'm also glad I didn't get an egg yeeted at me again this time."

"That was once!"

"Well I'm glad you boys had funny," intercepted Sally before a war started out. She hugged both Percy and Nico at the same time and beckoned for Will to join them, "now who wants some hot chocolate with their biscuits."

"Me," said all the boys in synchronisation as they broke apart to sit around the table, content with each other's company.

A/N - Decided to do a little continuation I guess you'd call it of the previous chapter where Nico cooks on his own and trashes the whole kitchen in short. Hope you liked this one and thanks for reading. Whilst I'm on the topic, anyone else made gingerbread men or Christmas themed bakes yet? I made some gingerbread with my friend today and some of the ones I carved faces in honestly look dead lol. Anyway thanks for being here and I'll see you tomorrow/today 'cause it's kinda late.

~a-halfblood-with-attitude