The next morning Rockman was up with Laika and Searchman at dawn. Rockman watched in silence as Laika went through a series of stretches, warm ups and various combat poses that were obviously part of a training regimen of some kind. After Laika was done he changed into a pair of lost, pale brown pants and a loose green sleeveless hoodie pulled over a black long sleeved shirt. "Well Searchman, any new orders?" he asked.

Searchman shook his head, "Not yet Laika-san. All infected teams are asked to remain in their dorms until further notice."

"So you have the day off then?" Rockman asked.

Laika sighed and walked into the small kitchen. "So it would seem."

"You don't like having days off?" Rockman guessed.

Laika shook his head, "No, it's just that I like to be busy."

Rockman laughed. "Completely opposite from Netto-kun."

Laika gave Rockman a half smile as he put a pan on the stove and turned it on. "I'm well aware of that, Rockman."

"Laika-san, is there anything you wish for me to do?" Searchman asked.

Laika sighed, "Well, I'd like to receive some orders or maybe do something about this," he said while greasing the pan, "But we were told by the general to stay put, so that's what we'll do for now."

"All right, Laika-san," Searchman said.

"You like to be busy too?" Rockman asked Searchman quietly.

Searchman nodded, "I want to do something about this, I don't like being told to wait."

Rockman patted his shoulder, "It's all right, I'm sure something will happen soon."

"But what?" Searchman asked.

Rockman shrugged, "Can't really get any worse then this, can it?" he said. "Only way to go is up."

"You're gonna jinx us," Netto said quietly to Rockman through his PET.

"Netto-kun!" Rockman exclaimed. "What are you doing up so early?"

Netto came out of the room rubbing his eyes, "I couldn't sleep," he admitted.

"Uncomfortable?" Laika asked.

Netto smiled sheepishly, "Kinda."

Laika cracked another egg into a large porcelain bowl.

"What are you doing?" Netto asked while looking over Laika's shoulder.

"Making breakfast," Laika answered while beating the eggs.

"Making what?" Netto asked.

"Pancakes," Laika said.

"You can cook?" Netto said in a surprised voice.

Laika looked a little irritated, "Yes Netto, I can cook. I have to know how to cook because I live alone."

Netto's ears dipped a little and he looked put out. "Oh," he said.

Laika sighed and got out the flour.

"Can I help?" Netto asked.

"No," Laika said quickly.

"Awww, please?" Netto asked.

"Netto, no, you can't help. I can make pancakes by my self perfectly fine," Laika said.

Netto glared at him and went into his room to change. Rockman followed and Searchman went into the monitor by the kitchen. "Laika-san, don't you think you may have been a bit…" Searchman paused, "harsh?"

"No," Laika said while putting the flour into the bowl.

"He just wanted to help," Searchman pointed out.

Laika shrugged and set the bag of flour to the side. Then he felt his nose itch, he tried to stop but ended up sneezing into the flour mound sending it all over the place.

Netto came out of his room and saw Laika standing over the bowl, covered in flour, and looking very surprised. It took Netto about three seconds of absorbing the scene before he started to laugh. Laika shot him a withering look that Netto ignored, "It's not funny," he said.

Netto continued to laugh, "S-sorry Laika but you…" he burst into another fit of giggles.

Laika looked extremely irritated at that point and even Searchman wasn't quite sure what to say. Netto stopped laughing and walked into the kitchen to help Laika. "Here," he said.

"Netto, be caref…" Laika warned but it came too late. Netto slipped on the fine white powder that dusted the floor and he fell down raising the flour into the air. It settled over Netto and he made a face in an attempt not to sneeze himself, even though it did him no good.

Laika stared at Netto who was lying on the floor, his ears bent down and his tail puffed out in surprise from the fall. He was as covered if not more so then Laika in flour and when he sneezed it was the last thing it took to set Laika off.

Netto's ears pricked up at the new sound in the air. He looked up to see Laika laughing? "L-laika…" he said in a stunned voice.

It wasn't a loud laugh but it was a laugh and it was coming from Laika. That was enough to send anyone into a speechless shock. Laika coughed and stopped laughing, "I tried to warn you," he said with a very amused look on his face.

Netto gave a vain attempt in dusting himself off but it was really no use. The powder wasn't going to come off with a few swipes of his hand. Laika pulled a cloth out of a drawer and soaked it in the sink. He wrung it out and helped Netto up, then he started to get some of the flour off of his friend.

Netto's ears went back and he shut his eyes tightly. "What's wrong?" Laika asked.

"I… don't know," Netto said.

Laika looked at the wet cloth then at Netto, then it dawned on him. "Cat's are afraid of water," he murmured.

"What?" Netto asked.

"N-nothing," Laika said. He looked at his mess of a kitchen and sighed. "Why don't you go clean yourself up and I'll try and finish the pancakes."

Netto nodded sending little bits of flour into the air. "All right," he said and went back into his room.

Laika sighed and washed out the porcelain bowl. "Laika-san?" Searchman asked.

"Yes, Searchman?"

"Are you still going to make pancakes?" Searchman wondered.

Laika nodded, "Yes, Searchman," he said and proceeded to start over.

By the time Netto had finished cleaning himself off and becoming quite acquainted with his new fear of water Laika had finished mixing the batter. "Need help?" Netto asked.

Laika looked at Netto who looked back hopefully. Laika sighed, "Do you know how to flip pancakes?"

Netto shook his head, and nervously scratched the back of his head, "Last time I made pancakes I uhh…" Netto blushed, "I ended up setting it on fire…" he said in a small voice.

Laika looked at the batter, "Okay then. Well…" Laika thought, "Can you just… wait?" he asked.

"Yeup!" Rockman answered for him. /Netto-kun, leave Laika alone, I think he's a little stressed./

/A-all right…/ Netto said and he left the kitchen.

Laika gave a quiet sigh of relief and re-greased the pan. Then he put the first round dollop of batter on it and waited for it to bubble.

In the other room Netto had lain down on the couch. He smelled the air and grinned, "He really can cook," he said quietly.

"Netto-kun!" Rockman reprimanded his friend silently.

"Well would you think Laika could cook?" Netto asked.

"No…" Rockman admitted slowly.

"My point exactly," Netto said.

Back in the kitchen Laika successfully fought down the urge to sneeze.

He flipped over the pancake and the other side exposed it's self to be a golden brown. He sighed as the other side hissed loudly. It was only 8 in the morning and he was already exhausted.

After about ten minutes Laika finished making the pancakes. He put the bowl into the sink and filled it up with water, then he carried the pan cakes to the two person table in the kitchen. "Netto?" he called out. The younger boy had been awfully quiet.

Netto came into the still flour covered kitchen. "Yes?"

"Want some?" Laika asked, gesturing to the pile of pancakes.

Netto looked at them and nodded, "Yeah, they look great!" he grinned.

Laika handed him and plate and Netto got a pancake. He took a bite and his ears went up, "This is delicious!" he said.

Laika blushed slightly and took a bite himself, "They're just pancakes," he muttered.

"But they're really good pancakes," Netto said.

"Whatever," Laika said.

Netto grinned and they finished their breakfast in silence.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Laika… so fluff resistant… but! I managed it! Fear the cooking prowess of doom!

Hope you liked it :3