Lessons in self sufficiency | Action [Closed to Temari]

[isadragon]

Who: Temari and Ryuuji Takasu
What: Let's Cook!
When: July 12th, Afternoon
Where: Ryuuji's & Roommates Kitchen
Warning: Potential fluff? Temari being a warning in of itself.

This wasn't the first time that Ryuuji was bringing Temari through the basics of cooking. Ever since he started making meals for them, she had taken interest in helping provide for their group. Though her group had since dwindled, Ryuuji thought it was important that she should know how to cook for herself or any new roommates still. Plus cooking seemed like a good distraction to get her mind off such depressing things, and he was determined to help in whatever way he could.

Hopefully she would arrive soon!

Comments

[tessenjounin]

She would have brought something lightly alcoholic, but she wasn't sure if it would pair well with the food. So instead, she bought a couple of tins of tea for them to brew with the food. Ryuuji was kind enough to invite her to a meal. In fact, he was kind enough to provide for them often. She was wrong to doubt his intentions back when they first met. But she was glad he understood that it was all for Gaara's safety.

She stood there in front of Ryuuji's apartment and paused for a while before she knocked. "Good evening. It is Temari at the door!"

[isadragon]

Ryuuji had set out everything so it was ready to be prepped. Coupled with ingredients necessary to cook, and there was a lot, he wore an apron to prevent dirtying his clothes. When the teen heard a knock at the door, and the sound of Temari, he left his station to go to the front and let her in. Ryuuji opened the door and stood off to the side for her.

"Was it hard to find?"

[tessenjounin]

Temari pushed the bags of tin containers to Ryuuji and gave him a respectful bow before entering his home. "Not at all. You're directions were precise.", she said with another nod.

"I simply had certain matters to attend to before coming over."

[isadragon]

Without much thought, the teen took the containers. He would have matched her bow with one of his own, but now he couldn't while holding her tea awkwardly. It was good to see her acting a little more normally compared to her mood before. Ryuuji hoped she didn't feel alone. Because she wasn't.

"When do you want to start?" He asked timidly. Choosing to not ask what said matters were since they probably weren't any of his business.

[tessenjounin]

"I would hope now. Since that was the reason you invited me over in the first place, yes", she said matter-of-factly. Her eyes still betrayed all those sleepless nights and tears, but she still tried to look at Ryuuji as if nothing was really wrong. As if it was like any other day. Or at least, she hoped she appeared that way.

[isadragon]

He paused for a moment. She was right, it was what she was invited for. The teen walked over to kitchen, knowing she would probably follow. (TIME SKIPPING THEM WASHING HANDS.) He started it off explaining what he was doing, prepping the ingredients. Like how to cut the vegetables. After doing one as an example, he set the knife down and stepped off to the side.

"Why don't you try?"

[tessenjounin]

When he showed her some of his slicing techniques, Temari just smirked. She had better knife skills - at least in battle.

So when she had the chance at the knife, instead of inefficient strips, she diced the pieces of meat completely. "See. This will cook faster, right?"

[isadragon]

"Yeah, and it gives the meat a different flavor than if were to just marinate it. Try the vegetables now." He had already cleaned them off for her.

[tessenjounin]

"Okay", she said nodding. He made it seem so easy. So she took the vegetables on hand, and did the same thing. She minced all of the veggies with a proud smile on her face.

[isadragon]

She was rather talented with a blade, and definitely had the potential to be a good cook if she applied herself. Ryuuji had faith that she would do well.

"You're pretty good at this." He mentioned in an honest tone. The teen slid over some of the flavorings and seasonings necessary for the meal. Ryuuji even went as far as demonstrating how to set up the pan necessary for the dish.

"After this, it won't take very long to prepare."

[tessenjounin]

Chopping, she was good. But perhaps, that's where her skills as a cook ends. She chuckled proudly when she received a compliment from Ryuuji. "You're a good teacher! And besides, all I'm doing is just cutting, you're still mentoring me", she grinned.

"Okay", she said looking at Ryuuji intently - anticipating every move.

[isadragon]

"I-I wouldn't say I am.." Him being modest. He was just trying to help her and nothing more.

He flustered a bit before spacing away from her in embarrassment. Ryuuji still wasn't that good around girls, and like it or not, Temari was an attractive woman.

"S-so we use this to cook the dish, with these seasonings. They're strong, so you don't need to add too much of them." He demonstrated with the first one with a dash of one. Ryuuji shifted the rest toward her.

"This one you need a pinch at most. With this you need a little more than that."

[tessenjounin]

Temari just blinks as she looks at Ryuuji. A small smile dawning on her features. "Hey. Are you trying to be humble, just now?", she said before taking a short pause. "Don't be. You should be proud of your skills. You're good at something, flaunt it. It's your asset"

Then when he started cooking, she sat on the countertop beside the stove and listened to his every instruction. "You're very good at this..."

[isadragon]

"I picked up cooking because my mother did know how, and she spends a lot of time working so we could have a place to live. She was always too tired when she got home..." He started, as he helped set things up and handed her the occasional seasonings she might need for the dish.

"I guess I got better at it over the years." Not that it was really hard for him to begin with.

[tessenjounin]

At the mention of 'mother', Temari fell silent. Would she have learned how to cook had their mother been alive? She was certainly caring and warm, and everyone knows how each of them wanted their mother alive. Losing their mother so early was just so horrible. "Your mother must be very proud of you", Temari said softly as she stirred the dish.