Mapo Tofu
Author's Note: Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of Fighting Foodons.
Pairing: One-sided Chase x Albert.
Summary:
What's cooking? Could it be something spicy?
"How can you not handle spicy food, Albert? You call yourself a man of diverse tastes? I call you a liar with a sensitive palate!"
"It's not spicy food I can't handle! It's your spicy food, specifically! Stop dressing the facts, Chase! And while you're at it, stop dressing your dishes with mystery seasonings! You can't fool me! You've obviously added something not on the recipe!"
Chase whistled and looked away. It was a family secret. An extra extra hot chilli oil in the mapo tofu. The green droplets had been blended into and had blended in with the dark red sauce, camouflaging Chase's sinister Sichuan surprise.
One taste was enough to instantly block off Albert's throat: He coughed like he couldn't breathe (because he couldn't), drinking both their waters in quick gulps to avoid a trip to where Master Flambé, Slice, and Frenchy le Toast went, and even that didn't convince Albert he was still alive.
Taco 'bout stomach burn! Insane how such a teensy amount of chilli oil could give a plate of tofu such a souped-up flavour kick! A first pick if you were simmering up a Foodon and needed it to be fireproof or spit fire! Or if you just needed Chase's dad's irritable Tofurious on the battlefield in a pinch of salt!
"Throw a Meal Ticket before you serve your food! At least I'll know you're out to serve me my last meal, with a Foodon rushing at me!" Albert bellyached (still) and crabbed like Crab Quake.
"Hey, if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen! Can't kiss the cook if your tolerance for spicy food is so weak!" Chase winked half-jokingly.
"I don't recall ordering hummuscide as an appetizer!"
"Oh, you think my appetizer's spicy?" Chase poked Albert once in the chest. "Wait till you try the main course!"
"Are you two done?" Kayla physically separated them.
"Lunch?" Albert asked.
"No," she answered. "Flirting. Are you two done flirting? Maybe then you two can get back to making us lunch? Because Pie Tin and I are starving!"
"It wasn't like that, Kayla!" Albert defended himself.
"It wasn't?" Chase sounded outraged.
Kayla and Albert turned to him, stiff-necked and surprised.
"On second thought, you two take your time!" Kayla launched into a giddy getaway. "Princess Cupcake" was gone before Albert could beg her to stay.
I'm dead meat.
Chase was smiling over a pot of ominously redder liquid with a whole sliced carp floating inside, shaking an unmarked bottle of green chilli oil Albert didn't recognize. He had the mien of a cat ready to devour a mouse. More than Clawdia, and she was a cat!
"So! About that main course!"
Albert sweated at the smell of it. "This is wonton violence."
"No, it's hot and sour fish soup."