1. Bitter

Finnel claimed she cooked a special surprise for Aoto. When Aoto inquired what exactly the 'special surprise' was, Finnel remained tight-lipped. Aoto scratched his head, then he shrugged his shoulders. Let Finnel do whatever she pleased. Still, Aoto hoped Finnel wouldn't hurt herself; Finnel was notorious for her clumsiness, though Aoto admitted it was rather endearing. Tomboyish Finnel who charged ahead without thinking, clumsy Finnel who had no sense of direction or the quiet grace Saki had, crybaby Finnel who hated herself for being weak and acted tough when she was falling apart. As Aoto delved through several layers of her Cosmosphere, he experienced an intimacy that was almost like sex, and a knee-shivering arousal and comfortable bond formed between them as Aoto tirelessly fixed the cracks in her Cosmosphere.

While Aoto reminisced about those moments together, Aoto nestled in the cozy bungalow in the Cosmosphere Finnel created for the two of them, in the little L-Shaped Kitchen nook displayed a small island with soft-plush lined stools for comfort. Aoto settled in on the stool and watched Finnel fumble in the kitchen, with all its pots and pans and spatulas and state-of-the-art refrigerator with all the sweet, savory, and spicy ingredients you can ask for. Among the silverware and place mats set on the table, she set a fine porcelain china before him, with a dome-shaped lid hiding the contents. Aoto sniffed once, twice, and realized a funny smell wafted through his nose.

A surprised outburst died upon his lips when he noticed Finnel nervously fidgeting with her left sleeve's ribbon, her gaze downcast. A pale pink blush streaked her cheeks. Aoto gazed from Finnel to the covered plate. Was this the 'special surprise' Finnel prepared for him? For a moment, Aoto imagined Finnel crashing around the kitchen, tripping over silverware or cutting herself while chopping vegetables and tearing up when she cut into the onions or splashing some oil on the cabinets while mixing leafy greens together in a mixing bowl, though he pushed those thoughts aside when Finnel finally spoke, "T-They say that the way to a man's stomach is through their heart. I mean, the way to a man's heart is through their stomach. I um, I worked really hard on this. I-I'm not a good cook like Saki, but…I thought…"

Aoto reached over and tilted Finnel's chin so she looked directly at him. "Thanks, Finnel. I'm looking forward to the meal. Itadakimasu!"

Her eyes widened with a sparkle that glittered "R-Really? Well, eat up, 'cause there's more where that came from. Ta-da!"

Finnel clapped her hands together. She murmured a small prayer of grace for the meal Aoto was about to partake in, then removed the cover from the plate with a magician's flourish. He heard her sleeve swish while she undid the cover, her twintails bouncing with vigor after Finnel's fair face became animated with a spark of adoration and tenderness. A charred crisp burned into something unrecognizable lay on the plate. Aoto poked at a stringy piece of the questionably edible stuff with his fork, trying to determine what it was. He stabbed into it with a knife, struggling to cut a smaller section and taste a sample. He cautiously poked his tongue out to lick an edge. He peeked towards Finnel again, who was gazing at him rather expectantly.

Aoto swallowed.

Even if she burned the meal, Aoto could stomach it down. He ate things far worse and more questionable than this. Aoto shoveled the food down his gullet so his tastebuds couldn't determine the flavor (charred)-the food had a rather crunchy texture, and if he ignored the smell, it wasn't so bad. After all, Finnel prepared a hot meal for him.

Once he swallowed the last gulps, Aoto leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head and giving Finnel a great grin. "Not bad. I can tell you put a lot of work into it."

"I-It really wasn't that good, huh?" Finnel said,, her twin tails drooping along with her expression. "It was supposed to be chicken, rice, and vegetables."

When he thought about it, he supposed he got the faint aftertaste of chicken—if you ignored the burnt texture and crispiness. The effort and love was evident in the cooking—Finnel must've broke her back balancing the temperature and mixing the ingredients into something that resembled food. Somehow, despite it not being the best thing he ever tasted, Aoto could taste people's emotions in the food they made, and Finnel's kind love enriched her first efforts with warmth. Aoto didn't begrudge someone who made an honest try at something they weren't good at. He imagined her breading the chicken with savory crumbs and cutting into the meat with a knife to make sure it was cooked and not a hint of pink remained in the tender meat and Aoto chuckled. Finnel's widened eyes took in his laughter and her shoulders visibly drooped. Even the ribbons on her dress seemed to sag with depression. She must've thought he was making fun of her.

"It was a good try," Aoto said earnestly. "Could it be better? Sure. But you know what, I'm glad that you cooked for me, Finnel. The effort is appreciated."

"it's not good like Saki's though, is it?" Finnel's eyes narrowed towards his.

Aoto weighed his words carefully here.

"Everyone's gotta start somewhere," Aoto said, "Tell ya what, how 'bout you make me a nice hot meal every Tuesday. It'll give you some time to practice. B'sides, we'll practically be husband and wife! Though, in your case, it would be master and servant."

Finnel puffed out her cheeks, "Jeez, Aoto, you're so mean sometimes. But I guess it can't be helped. I'll make you meals every day. I can't lose to Saki-chan, no matter what!"

"Yeah, yeah," A mischievous smile overtook his lips. "Though I have a better idea of what I'd like for dinner."

Finnel blushed a deep shade of red. She continued fidgeting with her ribbon as Aoto approached her, planting one hand against the wall and trapping Finnel against it. There was no room for escape; Finnel had no choice but to submit as he closed the distance with a searing kiss.

Notes: Editing Pass Number 1 – November 4, 2020