After coming back from the graveyard, Kotetsu feels like he should do something nice for Yuri. Maybe that's why he asks what his favorite food is - not that just being told sugar does much to help…
Really, he's best at making fried rice so he was kinda hoping for that. But hey, he could work with this. All he had to do was make sweet fried rice, something possible and normal to want to make when using things like marshmallows and chocolate syrup.
"Dad, are you sure about this?" Kaede asks from the table, frowning. "Maybe I should just help you bake some cookies, instead."
"No, no cookies!" He still can't help but feel they upset Yuri before… Maybe he just doesn't like cookies even if he likes sugar? Then again, those criminals…
He decides not to think about the tin of cookies that seemed similar to the ones Anju and Kaede made to celebrate Kotetsu's return. Not right now, at least. He'll just ask his mom to not make those kind of cookies for a while later.
"This still seems like a bad idea," Kaede says, pulling him from his thoughts. "Rice with chocolate syrup sounds gross, dad. Isn't there a better way to make sweet fried rice?"
"Maybe, but he said sugar, not sweet!" Kotetsu replies. "And this is a surefire way to make sure sugar is involved, right?"
Kaede gives him a look. "You're crazy."
"So are you, since you're agreeing to taste-test it," Kotetsu points out.
"I get it from you," she huffs, crossing her arms. "If I get a stomachache, I'm telling Grandma it's your fault."
"Sometimes I can't tell if you're really on my side or against me," he whines, clearly just teasing. "How is Daddy supposed to tell, Kaede?"
"Figure it out, Dad! You're an adult," she says. "You should be able to."
"But," Kotetsu plates the horrible thing he's hoping will somehow taste better than it looks or smells. "I'm also old, I need some help to really understand the youth."
Kaede snorts. "You did not just say the youth, dad. Just say kids!"
"Well, I'm so old I wouldn't know I should just say that," he teases, placing it in front of her. "Now dig in."
She hesitates for a moment, and Kotetsu just watches. All his hope is sitting on this - if Kaede doesn't like it, he's wasted a bunch of ingredients and time all for nothing. She looks at him, he looks back at her and nods.
Swallowing hard, Kaede takes a bite. Chews thoughtfully…
And spits it out, wiping her mouth and going for the glass of milk Kotetsu had poured for her. She spits and gags even after taking a gulp and Kotetsu finds himself fretting. He wasn't expecting it to be good at this point, but…
"That bad?" He rubs her back, trying not to let his disappointment show in his voice.
"Probably the worst thing I've ever tasted," she makes a face. "Stick to making your usual, Dad. Even if it's not Mr. Yuri's favorite he'll probably enjoy it more than whatever this is."
Kotetsu pouts. "Well, that was a waste."
"You should have just let me help you bake some cookies," Kaede says, sounding a lot like Tomoe used to when she told him so. "But no, don't listen to the kid who knows what she's doing because she's a kid."
"You know that's not it," Kotetsu replies as he starts scraping what remains into the bin. "I'm just stubborn, you had to get it from someone, right?"
"I guess so," Kaede gives him a small smile and stands, helping him with the scraping. "Make sure you take the bag right out after you do the dishes, it stinks!"
"I know, I know-"
"Ah, so you two made that smell happen," Yuri's voice makes Kotetsu's blood run cold. Why now, of all times? "Do you not cook often, Kotetsu?"
Kotetsu turns to look at him, placing the pan in the sink. "Well, I cook sometimes, and when I know how to cook it turns out great! This… wasn't something I knew how to cook."
Yuri snorts, and in any other circumstance, Kotetsu would be excited. But right now? He feels like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and Yuri found it hilarious. Not exactly a great feeling, if you asked him.
"Perhaps you should take some cooking lessons while doing your other studying," Yuri finally says, teasing at the edge of his voice. "It could do you some good."
"It could do all of us some good," Kaede places the plate in the sink. "When Dad messes up it always ends up stinking!"
"Kaede-"
"I know, I know," Kaede waves a hand in the air. "I won't embarrass you in front of him anymore, good luck with the rest of the clean up."
And with that, she excuses herself. Kotetsu turns to the sink and starts the hot water, soap soon joining it. He tries to ignore the way Yuri looks over his shoulder, clearly trying to figure out what he'd been cooking.
"Was it for me?" He asks after a moment.
"What?" Kotetsu does his best to not be thrown off by him noticing. "What makes you think that?"
Yuri sighs. "You asked me what my favorite food is, Kotetsu. Did you expect me to not catch on?"
Kotetsu flushes. "I guess that's a good point… Yeah, it was for you, but it was a bust, so don't worry about it."
Yuri looks into the trashcan and Kotetsu nearly breaks the plate he's holding in his hand. "...Is that fried rice with chocolate syrup ?"
"And marshmallows, and candy," Kotetsu mumbles. "I thought I could make it work."
Yuri chuckles again, though this leans closer to a full laugh than the last one. It still embarrasses Kotetsu in a way he doesn't want to admit. He decides against looking at Yuri's expression right now.
"You are a strange one, Kotetsu T. Kaburagi," he finally says. "I never know what to think when you're around."
"Well, you get used to it," Kotetsu says. At least Barnaby did. "So look forward to that!"
"We'll see if that's what happens," Yuri heads back towards the hall. "Oh, but I wish you luck with all that, Kotetsu."
For some reason, Kotetsu feels like he's still being teased.
