Adventures of the Chestnut Clan
Chapter 3: Picky Eater
The sizzling of food on a frying pan could be heard throughout the kitchen as Eighteen handled the pan with one hand while whipping large beads of sweat off her forehead with the other. By skillfully flicking her wrist, she sent the vegetables and shrimps leaping through the air in a graceful arc. Slowly but surely, a delicious smell began to permeate the air, which was accompanied by the food ingredients taking on a more vibrant color.
Behind the busy blonde, a figure was tiptoeing toward her, his movements almost devoid of sound and he would've most likely succeeded in catching her by surprise had it not been the untimely growling of his stomach that not only halted his advance, but also interrupted her rhythmic wrist movements.
The next couple of seconds was completely silent except for the sound of oil bubbling against the food as neither uttered a sound. For the cyborg woman, withholding her chuckle was getting increasingly hard and she could hear this failure of a stealthy ninja squirming in their spot.
Now I know I've heard that familiar growling before, but who could it be? I know it's not Roshi's or Oolong's since theirs' are much more hectic and this certainly isn't from my little baby girl, meaning it could only be...
"Kril, is that you?" Eighteen finally asked in a playful tone and was greeted by a pair of arms gently wrapping around her waist.
"Yeah it's me babe, but how could you tell?" Krillin placed his head against her back and with a deep inhale, indulged himself with a different kind of scent he had come to love so much.
"Well let's just say I've learned how to differentiate different stomach growling sounds after surrounded by five hungry mouths for years,"
"You are just making that up aren't you Eighteen?"
Her no-none-sense side-glance and small grin was all the answer he needed.
"Oh uhh...very impressive babe haha..." the former monk chuckled somewhat awkwardly, his brain working overtime trying to come up with a better response or perhaps changing the subject all together. "But anyways by Sixteen does this smells good!"
"Me or the food?" she couldn't help but to tease him some more.
"Both!"
Eighteen's grin grew wider from the lack of hesitation in his firm voice, which would later turn into an o shape as she let out a barely audible gasp feeling Krillin planting a kiss on the back of her neck.
"Anyways just want to let you know I can't wait for lunch Eighteen. Now why don't I help you set up the table hon?"
"Sounds good Kril!"
"Can I help too mama papa?" a third voice joined them and the happy couple turned around to find an energetic blonde running toward them with her pigtails bouncing up and down.
"Sure thing Marron, just follow papa okay? Lunch will be ready shortly!" Eighteen replied, giving her daughter a wink and watched as her offspring began tugged at her father's shirt and asked him eagerly for some tasks.
"I will carry the plates firefly, they are too heavy and dangerous for you. Why don't you take the spoons instead?"
"Okay daddy!"
Stealing herself one last loving glance at her family, the cyborg woman forcefully pulled her attention back to the almost ready meal, her crystal blue eyes beaming with pride at her work. Although as a modified human sporting an infinite energy reactor she was blessed, or perhaps cursed she'd never have to consume any food unlike her loved ones, the delicious aroma still almost made her stomach growl much like her husband's. While she was sure they'd enjoy her work of love, part of her was afraid she wouldn't be able to come up with something they love despite having cooked for her family countless times already.
How do I know my taste buds function the same as theirs? What if they are just being polite when in reality my cooking isn't all that good?
Oh don't be silly Eighteen, of course they love it. It's not like Krillin and Marron would ever lie to you right?
By the time she carried out the dishes, Krillin had almost finished laying out the table with Marron standing beside him, handing her father spoons since she wasn't tall enough to reach the wooden surface yet. On another side of the table sat Roshi and Oolong, their mouths already watering from the sight of steamy food.
"My my this sure smells good!"
"Yeah no kidding, we sure are lucky Eighteen's cooking today!"
"I know right Master Roshi? And you guys were complaining a while ago Eighteen probably can't cook!" Krillin said as he lifted Marron onto her chair.
"Hey I'm not complaining now!" Oolong said leaving a pool of saliva on the table for keeping his mouth ajar for too long.
Lunch was carried out without anyone uttering so much a word as everyone's too busy filling their stomachs. Despite earlier reassurances from her other housemates, Eighteen still kept an observant eye on her family, carefully noting down how they reacted to each of her dishes, her heartbeat fluctuating depending on how they eat.
Her husband, as she noted, had no trouble eating anything she cooked as per usual, always wearing a smile on his face regardless of the taste. She could tell his smile was very genuine though, which was quite unlike the one he wore that fateful night two years ago when she experimented on a new recipe from Satan's Cookbook. To say it was a disaster was to put it lightly, since even Krillin was unable to hold back a few drops of tears from leaking out of his well shut eyes as he squeezed out a smile from his sour face.
"That was amazing Eighteen, thank you!"
He had told her very politely after finishing the whole plate, making sure not a scrap was left even when all her other housemates had left after only taken a bite and were now seeking refuge inside the bathroom busily brushing their teeth.
Thank goodness Marron wasn't old enough to try my cooking that day, how could I ever come up with stuff like that? Speaking of which...how's my little angel doing?
A brief glimpse over at her child's direction reassured the mother as Marron's cheerful face reflected on her crystal blue eyes; that was until she noticed the scraps of vegetable left inside her bowl.
Take it easy Eighteen, she'll probably come back to those vegetables afterwards...probably...
She knew better than trusting such wishful thinking; however, as the little girl skillfully avoided the greens with her spoon and selectively picked out the bright orange colored shrimps. To the younger blonde's credit, she did try to eat some of the better looking vegetables and when she did put food into her mouth, she never spit them out unlike some others Eighteen could think of, but when it came to dealing with those not so appealing scraps she would push them to one side of her bowl. If that wasn't disheartening enough, the eggplants Krillin had put on Marron's side plate remained untouched throughout the course and was even at one time slided out of the little girl's view by her chubby hands.
Apparently, the cyborg woman had been paying so much attention to her offspring she had completely frozen in her place, drawing worried looks from Krillin whose sight first landed on his wife before following her glance to his little girl.
"Marron, firefly, aren't you forgetting to eat your vegetables?" the former monk asked gently, only to be greeted by an unabashed sour look that made his years ago pale in comparison.
"But I don't want to daddy...they don't look good..." Marron's eyebrows were furrowed and her pouty mouth sticking out as she responded.
If it wasn't for how disheartened Eighteen was, she would've thought her daughter's reaction was adorable. Well, as adorable as a stubborn blonde imp refusing to eat her mama's cooking could be.
"Now now little Marron, some food may look less enticing but they are all still good food right?" Krillin cooed like the kind father he was and when his daughter refused to budge, he got up from his seat, picked up an eggplant with his chopsticks, and placed it near the kid's mouth.
Instead of trying the soggy looking purplish plant, she had turned her face away from the food.
"Marron..."
"It's alright Krillin, I don't mind," Eighteen's voice came out colder than she had intended and the entire room was plunged into a deathly silence by her icy tone. Immediately, the blonde woman regretted not keeping her temper in check feeling five pairs of eyes on her even if none dared to look her in the eyes.
Way to ruin the atmosphere Eighteen, and I was just trying to let my family know it's okay to not eat everything...even if sometimes I hope my little one acted more like her father...
Sensing her mother's displeasure, the young girl turned to look at the older blonde woman as two pairs of near identical crystal blue eyes met, with one somewhat remorseful but stern while the other a bit fearful yet stubbornly held onto the staring contest.
"Aww common girls, it's okay! Like what mama said you don't have to eat it if you don't want to!"
Krillin had interjected trying to ease the tension. Putting the not so appealing eggplant into his mouth, the former monk began to chew it and, to his spouse's delight, the corners of his mouth arched up from the rich taste.
"Very delicious! This is some great cooking here Eighteen!" his words reflected his feelings and the cook reciprocated with a radiant smile of her own.
"Yeah no kidding, this is some good stuff!" Oolong had chimed in after sampling the eggplants with hesitation at first but had since begun to shove them into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for years.
Roshi meanwhile gave a small approving nod as he chewed on the food silently as did turtle lying on the floor munching on the eggplants.
Little Marron looked at the other adults all sporting what looked like expressions of pure joy and her furrowed eyebrows began to loosen up wondering if it really was as good as they made it out to be. Gingerly, she gathered a spoonful of the strange looking substance, a behavior that garnered her mother's undivided attention who nodded her head slightly while her palms got all sweaty. Just as the little girl was about to put it into her open mouth though, her courage expired and dropped the food back into the bowl.
"I-I'm sorry mommy, but it looked too terrifying!" she said almost between tears. Hopping down from her seat, the pigtailed child made her way to her mother's seat and leapt onto her lap. "I'm sorry mama I can't do it!"
A defeated sigh escaped Eighteen and her tense expression softened. "It's alright my little angel, mommy understand. Maybe some other time okay?" she asked while stroking her hair.
"Okay mama!"
While her small family was playing on their private beach that afternoon, the cyborg woman was instead perched atop the red tiled roof, her hands clasping her cheek and her brain working overtime trying to find a solution to her dilemma. Part of her tried to downplay her emotion but if she was to be honest with herself, it hurt tremendously when someone she loved dearly refused to sample her cooking.
What am I to do? It's not like I can just force her to eat it and besides, Marron was already feeling very remorseful about this...
As she sat there buried by her troubles, Krillin would glance up her direction from time to time as if reading her mind. After a while, her companion finally decided to join her on the roof and left his daughter in the hands of his other housemates.
"What is it sweetie? Still thinking about our little girl refusing to eat your food?"
She merely nodded quietly.
"Hey I'm pretty sure all kids are like that, I've heard even half-Saiyans, with their insane appetite, can be very picky," as he talked, his hand travelled over to hers and their fingers intertwined with each other in a warm grasp.
"I know Kril, and I wasn't really upset with her, just a bit selfish and hoping Marron would at least give them a try..."
"Hey sweetie, as I said it's not your fault to desire someone savoring your stuff, we are all like that," he assured, flashing his trademark smile that never ceased to take away her troubles. "Besides, it's more than that isn't it? You want her diet to be more balanced."
"Yup, that's the idea Kril. You don't happen to know any method that can motivate her do you? I mean you appeared to be able to eat just about anything,"
Her semi-curious tone brought out a saddened look and for the second time of the day, Eighteen cursed herself mentally for being so careless around others.
"Hey it's not your fault babe, I was merely reminiscing about my past that's all," a peck on her face reassured her and gave the otherwise pale cheek a rosy shade much like his natural skin color. "When I was a monk in training, I had to eat pretty much anything given to me, since monks aren't supposed to be picky eaters. And when I refused to eat,"
Krillin paused a bit, taking a deep breath before continuing, his emotional brown orbs swaying somewhat, signs that the cyborg woman identified as someone trying to recall traumatic memories and her grasp on his hand tightened trying to let him know she's there for him. "Thanks bae, anyways, my seniors would beat me and literally force me to eat every time I refused. Thinking back, they probably added something funny into my food at times, since I had to hit the bathroom after ingesting some of that gross stuff. Maybe that's why I'm so good at eating just about anything babe!"
Her already piercing blue eyes took on a much more menacing look hearing his tale; the now arctic frosty glance into the distance scared the human fighter who began stroking her palm with his thumb.
"Eighteen, Eighteen babe, don't think about it alright? It's all in the past and if I really want to hunt down those bastards I very well can but then what's the point?" he quickly added.
By Dende I need to be careful with what I said to my wife! There's no telling what she'll do once agitated...
"Hey it's okay Kril, thanks for sharing and I promise I won't seek those assholes out," she reassured gently and smiled seeing her husband's face relaxed. "But if I ever see them on the street I won't hesitate to give them a piece of my mind!" her words took on an eerie tone and Krillin swallowed a gulp at the resolute woman in anger.
"Okay then honey...well let's just hope we never run into them in the future!"
"Hey don't worry Kril, I'll be sure not to beat them to death you have my promise," she said taking on the appearance of a lioness about to toy with her prey. "But anyhow enough about your stupid seniors, let's go back to talk about our darling girl shall we?"
And now she's just a concerned mother worrying about her child...
"Sure thing babe, so I've actually got a plan and I'm pretty sure it will work. Care to hear it?"
"Oh?" she asked eyeing him curiously before giving his head a playful flick. "Of course Kril, let's hear what that genius mind of yours got!"
The sounds of stomach growling signaled it was time for another meal as the inhabitants of Kame house gathered for dinner that very same day. Instead of the leftovers from lunch though, several delicious sandwiches piled onto a plate greeted them.
"Yay! Sandwiches!" Marron chirped as she ran toward the table and, with help from her father who lifted her to table height, grabbed one of them and took a bite without a hint of hesitation.
"Well how do you like it little angel?" Krillin asked, still holding onto his daughter's small body as he gave his wife a knowing grin.
"It is delicious daddy!" she cried happily but then tilted her head to the side as if trying to process some thoughts, making her parents tense up wondering what their child had to say. "But there's something inside I've never tasted before. What is it mama?"
Eighteen had to stop and think a bit at her question. "Well does it matter Marron? You liked it right?" she tried to let the question slid by and her housemates all gave her nervous looks.
"Yes I like it! But..."
"Then it's all good right Marron?"
Marron lowered her head as if in deep ponder before raising up to meet her mother's in a radiant smile much like her father's. "Yes mommy! Thank you mommy!"
"You are most welcome darling!"
While Eighteen was answering her daughter, she and her husband couldn't help but to exchange secret thumb-ups when their little girl wasn't looking. The rest of Kame house could only feel the cold sweats dripping down their cheeks as they comprehended what had happened.
For the next couple of days, the entire Kame household ate nothing but sandwiches or burgers that, unbeknownst to little child, contained all sorts of food she usually refused to eat. It was a week before Eighteen came up with something different, which turned out to be several plates of spaghetti that caused the little girl to pause before digging in like she had done days ago.
"Mama, what is that?" she asked quietly, her large blue eyes glued to the familiar looking small strips of purplish substance. Sure, the eggplants may have changed shape, but it was not enough to conceal their true identities from the inquisitive little girl. "I'm sorry mommy, but I don't think I'm ready to eat this yet."
For reasons unknown, her parents exchanged the oddest look ever that made the young blonde girl a bit uneasy.
"Papa mama, what's going on?"
"Oh nothing at all firefly, me and your mother just thought it's time to give poor eggplant another chance. Who knows, you might like it!" her father encouraged with eager eyes as did her mother.
"O-okay papa,"
Marron was expecting the sorry looking vegetables to be the worst thing she had ever tasted in her entire life and shuddered as she put the food into her mouth. Once her teeth cut into the surface though, a strangely familiar flavor filled her mouth and her eyes widened while her mouth moved on its own, unable to chewing.
"Daddy! Isn't this?" she exclaimed much to her parents delight.
"Yes firefly, you've been eating eggplants for the past several days! It tasted really good though yeah?"
"Yes but," her cheerful face took a steep dive into the unpleasant realm with her eyebrows furrowed in such an adorable way Eighteen couldn't help but to cover her mouth as she giggled.
"I...I like this daddy! Thank you papa and thank you mama!" she leapt down her chair and ran to her parents, giving them each a hug before resuming her meal.
From that day onward, little Marron never refused any food based on their appearance alone...unless the said food proved to be disgusting which she would shove them away mercilessly without a second thought.
A/N: Originally this one was supposed to be for prompt number 4: All about Marron. Since I couldn't think of anything good for this free-for-all week though, I've decided to submit this chapter now. Happy belated K18 day (September 18th) and I hope everyone's enjoying their favorite couple day.