Summary: A hungry ayakashi comes to Moonflower late at night.
A/N: Hey there! I'm just quickly popping up in this fandom to create a little gift for my dear friend.
Happy Birthday Cstorm86!
Beta: Fawn_Eyed_Girl
Master In The Kitchen
It was good to be home.
It was a notion that was, at the same time, both soothingly warming and strange. As a human, Aoi shouldn't have found herself so much at home in the world of ayakashi; she shouldn't have thought of her little quaint restaurant within the bounds of the great inn as her home. As a human she shouldn't have had so many inhuman friends that came by today to greet her after her return from the South, along with all the employees who had gone to help Orio-ya with the fireworks.
Some of them had tried to conceal their joy at her sight with snide comments, but she'd only smiled, knowing by the spark in their eyes and their fleeting smiles that they had missed her. The kitchen at Moonflower was spotless, and she was sure many an ayakashi was responsible for keeping her restaurant clean.
They all had enjoyed a little party in the Moonflower, some staff members staying longer, some shorter, depending on their free time and duties at the main building. But now, hours after her arrival, the restaurant was empty of guests and tidied up for tomorrow.
Aoi should be asleep, resting before the new day of work (gods forbid the Moonflower wouldn't make any income for the master coin-counter Byakuya to add to the tally!), but she couldn't go to bed, not yet. She double-checked if everything was orderly around the restaurant, made sure no pranksters did anything to the immediate exterior of the building; then, she stood in the doorway and looked at the dark sky littered with specks of stars.
She let go of a long sigh, her body relaxing as she took in the fragrant scents of the night flowers that lingered in the air. The whole ordeal in the South had been a taxing experience, but it all had ended well. Aoi smiled, thinking of her new friends that lived in Orio-ya. They were going to meet again; she was sure of it.
She was about to turn around and go into the kitchen to check if there was anything fit to be a midnight snack, but a subtle play of shadows made her pause. She blinked as she looked at the area under the trees, where she caught some movement. Her heart pumped frantically when she realized that someone was approaching her. Was it one of the guardians of the establishment? No, the approaching figure had a rice straw hat on their head; they never wore these. But an ill-willed ayakashi wouldn't allow her to see them from afar, she told herself, trying to soothe her anxiety. And she was sure the guards wouldn't let anyone suspicious walk around Tenjin-ya. Maybe it was a weary stranger that saw the light inside?
Aoi wasn't sure if she wanted to have a guest so late, but she wasn't going to tell a probably hungry inhuman being to go away. Her grandfather had taught her to always offer food to ayakashi, no matter how late at night they appeared. It was far better than the alternative.
But before she could say anything, the ayakashi stepped into the circle of light cast by the lantern, halting behind her and illuminating the front door.
In the light, his simple clothing and straw sandals looked familiar. So did the basket he carried on his back. Even the mask he wore was familiar to her.
"I'm hungry," he informed her bluntly, and Aoi was hard-pressed not to smirk at that and tell him to go get someone from the still-working main kitchen to make him something.
But on the other hand, it wasn't an everyday occurrence that the Master Innkeeper came to eat in her restaurant. It wouldn't be wise to send her boss off.
"And what would you want to eat, Master?" she asked, bending a bit to the side, smiling at the man, who looked at her from under his straw hat and removed his mask to reveal his handsome face.
"A virgin's marrow would be perfect," he said with that tiny smile, his eyes glinting.
"Not gonna happen." She shook her head. "But if you want to step inside, I think we can find out what's in the kitchen and whip out something for us. Does it sound appealing?"
""Hm," he confirmed and walked inside behind her, discarding his basket and hat next to the door. "You should be sleeping, Aoi."
"And you shouldn't be slinking around dressed up as a fisherman from the South, Master," the girl smiled as she looked back at him while they walked past the tables to the kitchen door.
"I'm incognito," he said loftly, and that only made her giggle.
She couldn't lie; back then it had been so heartwarming and encouraging to have him nearby, to spend these short whiles with him, to have him support and look out for her from the shadows. He had been more approachable back then. Now, she guessed, he was going to once again be this dignified lord innkeeper.
But right now, maybe for this one night of their return, he decided to play this disguise game again.
And she would've lied if she said she didn't like it.
"That's wonderful; I can make you help me and it won't be offending the Master Innkeeper." She winked at him and reached for her apron hanging next to the kitchen door. She gestured for the man to follow her there. "I presume you're not planning to pay for your snack, so the most you can do is to help me make it." She went to the sink to wash her hands, a small smile on her face.
"What makes you so certain I will be any good help around here?" the man asked as he stepped in her kingdom. Aoi was already opening cabinets and cupboards, gathering bowls and other tools on the counter.
"Put the spare apron on and wash your hands," she said. "I will keep in mind to give you easy tasks. You are going to help or you won't eat anything."
He scowled at her, but when she pointed to the apron hanging next to where her own had been, he took it from the rack.
"It has been centuries since I worked in the kitchen," he remarked.
She couldn't imagine this handsome, silently powerful ogre working around the kitchen. What kind of work had he been doing? Nowadays he was walking around in regal clothing, doing all kinds of things related to managing the best inn in the hidden realm. It was hard to imagine him doing something else.
"Ah, and what did you do?" she asked, grabbing a bottle of milk from its place to put it on the table.
"I ground human bones so we could make our bread from them," he smirked.
"You're terrible," she muttered.
"I'm an ogre," he almost chuckled and she just shook her head. What did she expect him to say?
"I know, all ayakashi have a terrible sense of humor," Aoi pouted and went through cabinets and cupboards, piling up ingredients and utensils on the table top. Since the day she'd started the restaurant in the hidden realm, she'd always had Ginji come to accompany her in the kitchen, often sharing his ideas about new items in the menu, sometimes helping her cook. But almost all the time she'd spent in the South, he had been away, and it was the Master who had come daily in the morning to meet her. She hoped she could spend more time with Ginji again, now when he was free from his duties to his old home, but she didn't mind spending time with the Master that much.
"What do you need me to do?" A deep, masculine voice brought her back from her musings, and she smiled up at the ayakashi who easily towered over her.
"Here," she picked two bowls and put them in front of him. Then she pushed the box of eggs towards him. "Can you separate the whites from the yolk?"
"As you wish." He reached for the first egg and she turned to pour some milk into her pot. She carried the pot to the stove and then returned to grab a small box of something she'd requested for the restaurant before her departure South. Now, finally, she was going to try out the recipe and get the feedback of the Master. If he liked this dish, it was going to make a fine addition to the menu. She felt a surge of excitement at the thought of trying something new. And, she was going to get the Master's opinion straight from him, precious data for a cook. With any luck, he wasn't going to compare the dish to brain matter or some other gross thing she was certain no decent ayakashi ate.
She added some of the ingredients from the box to the milk and grabbed a spatula to stir it. When she heard the soft sound of egg shell cracking, she looked back to see the ayakashi noble bending over a bowl, carefully separating the delicate yolk from the white. She felt a tad guilty, this was a task that required deft hands and some experience, but it looked like he had a good handle on it.
The tiny furrow of his brow and a fang biting at his bottom lip made the usually dignified and aloof man look that much more welcoming and, well, normal. He usually was so guarded about his expressions and gestures that often he looked like he wore a mask.
Still, sometimes that mask slipped just a tiny bit, showing a glimpse of his kindness and true nature. Sure, he was an ogre, but he was not a cruel monster many would think an ogre to be.
As if sensing her gaze on him, he glanced up at her and Aoi quickly turned around to stir her pot, making sure the ingredients didn't stick to the bottom of it.
"I enjoy cooking with you, Master," she said, honestly and thought about not too long ago, when they had cooked together snacks for their trip to get the mermaid's scale. It sure was nice to have some company in the kitchen.
So, what did you add there?" he asked.
"Tapioca," she smiled and pointed at the box standing where she'd put it on the counter next to the stove. "It comes in a variety of shades and even as flour. You can add it to dishes when you need to thicken them and it is gluten-free. It also won't mess up with the taste of any dish you put it in."
"I've never heard of it," he noted and she smiled brightly while still stirring the milk. It was heating up.
"Oh, it's quite an exotic thing, it comes from South America, I think," she explained. "I only know how to make this one dish, so I hope it will be good. I might want to experiment with tapioca, but first I have to see if it's to ayakashi liking."
"So, I'm your test subject."
"Something like that," she giggled. "Now, can you whisk the whites to soft peaks? I will take care of the rest."
"Of course." He picked the whisking wand ang raised an eyebrow at her. "Anything for my bride."
Aoi just shook her head. She didn't deny his words, because a part of her wasn't as opposed to that prospect anymore. It sure wouldn't be a terrible thing to be an ogre bride. Still, she wasn't about to admit to that, not yet. If she married anyone, she'd do it on her own terms and by her own choice. And not because of her grandfather's debt.
She turned to face him and made quick work of adding three spoons of sugar to his egg whites. Then she added an equal amount to the yolks. She cast a smile at the ogre lord dutifully whisking the whites, then went to add the mixture to the warm milk and tapioca. She took it off the stove and went to the fruit basket in the cool corner.
"Shouldn't it be cooking?" the Master asked her, steadily beating the whites. Aoi glanced at him over her shoulder, feeling a pang of envy. Whipping anything was always the worst part; it took forever to do it by hand and her wrists would tire after a few minutes.
"Oh, I have to let the tapioca soften a bit before I can cook it," she informed him. "I already altered the recipe by heating up the milk; I hope it will speed up the process. Would you prefer peachers or berries?"
"Berries," he decided after a moment of thinking, his head tilted to the side.
"Berries it is then." Aoi picked up the little basket with berries and put some of them in two lovely bowls she had prepared earlier. She was going to feed this hungry ayakashi, but it didn't mean she wasn't going to try the dish herself, especially because it was the first time she was making it.
Then she went to the pot and started cooking the mix on a moderate heat, stirring slowly. The Master picked his bowl and walked to stand closer to her, watching her cook, his hand moving in a monotone motion of whipping the egg whites. He glanced at the still-opened container with tapioca pearls.
"The tapioca can also be used to thicken soups and sauces," she informed him. "If we find a way to obtain it in bigger quantities, then maybe the master cook could use it in his dishes."
"Are you joking? He rarely changes his trademark dishes," the Master smirked. "But, if you recommend it to him and show him some samples of what he can do with it, maybe he will entertain adding a few more items on his side menu. You already introduced many of the dishes from the apparent world to our staff members and customers, so I think it might be an additional appeal to the inn."
They talked a bit more, nothing too serious, as they waited for the pot to boil. The Master's eyes were drifting to the mixture inside with curiosity akin to a person wanting to unpack a secret gift. With the smell rising from the pot Aoi couldn't fault him; after all, he was hungry and he always seemed to enjoy her cooking.
It was just like their morning meetings before the festival in the South. Back then, they often shared a simple meal, but it had always felt so nice, so soothing to share these moments with him. She wondered if they could continue that here. At least here he didn't have to hide his identity and pretend to be a fisherman.
Soon it was the time to take the pot off of the heat, the mixture bubbling as it boiled. The master handed her the bowl with already whipped up whites and Aoi carefully stirred them into the mix, making it fluffy and adding into cooking the whole dish a bit. Then she added some vanilla and stirred a bit more to make the dish even.
"It smells lovely. What now?" the man asked, peering over her shoulder at the pot.
"Now," she replied, putting her spatula aside. "We tidy up and let it cook."
"But I'm hungry now, Aoi," He almost pouted when he said that, and she couldn't stop a giggle from escaping her.
"It won't take long, especially if you give me a hand."
Together they washed the bowls and put the leftover ingredients back in their places. Then it was the time to pour the pudding into their bowls and adorn it with a few more berries on top.
With a happy, excited smile, Aoi pointed him to the nearest table.
"I can't wait to try it," he said as they sat down, each with a bowl and a spoon in hand.
"Me too. Tell me how it tastes, and if it needs anything, or if you think it isn't good for the restaurant," she warned him, trying to sound professional, but with her eyes glued to the pudding in front of her.
She glanced up when she heard him sigh. He had that soft smile on his face, his eyes looking at her. There was a bit of pudding on his spoon, indicating he had taken his first bite before her. He looked pleased with the taste, but it seemed he wanted to sample some more before giving her his opinion. He took his job of taster very seriously and it made her glad.
Without waiting any longer, she put a spoonful in her mouth. The pudding was fluffy and smooth, the tapioca gooey, and the texture of the dish surprisingly entertaining. The taste of vanilla complimented the berries; the sweetness was definitely ayakashi-friendly. Still, it was her own look, she had a real ayakashi to say what he thought. She watched the Master carefully as he ate, his eyes closing as he chewed and swallowed.
"It's glorious," he decided after a few more bites. "Definitely something that other ayakashi would approve of. Especially if you serve it warm on the autumn mornings."
"Really? I'm so glad!" She clapped her hands.
"But to be honest..." he looked at her again, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "I wish that this could remain our secret treat when we spend time together."
She hid her faint blush behind her bowl of pudding, but she couldn't help the happy smile that spread over her lips. "That would be nice."
Sharing things with people you care for is always a wonderful experience. Doing things together, spending time around friends, talking about idle topics, and creating things that you can enjoy together creates and supports bonds of affection and comradery. Sharing food that you made with a person that you like and care for more than you are ready to admit to, is as important as confessing these feelings. Often it's much more important, for actions speak a lot truer than words ever could in many cases.
Seeing the smile on the Master's face made Aoi feel a flutter of joy and warmth inside her, one not related to her warm meal. Knowing that he wished to share something only with her was heartwarming and endearing.
She didn't know if he was the mysterious ayakashi who had saved her from hunger and loneliness all these years ago, but did it really matter?
No, she decided, savoring the next spoonful of her pudding, it didn't. What mattered was this quiet, private moment when she and the Master shared the meal they had prepared together.