Rice cooker

[onifukuchou]

[There is a new rice cooker in the apartment. The previous (ancient) one had met it's demise in a fizzle of sparks from the cord and much swearing, and had summarily been replaced. The new one is very white, very shiny, and has roughly three times the buttons on it that the old one had.

Hijikata has decided, in honor of this, he will actually cook dinner at home. Dinner that isn't half from a box.

Unfortunately, the rice cooker is proving to be A Problem]

Comments

[mumyo_ken]

[Poking his head around to watch]

It looks good.

[onifukuchou]

It's just tanindon. And you live off of instant ramen anyway.

[But he looks a little pleased at the compliment]

[mumyo_ken]

I do not.

[Okay, maybe. But only because that was what he could afford.]

[onifukuchou]

You do. You probably haven't had homemade food since the last time you visited your sister, am I right?

[mumyo_ken]

I cook real food sometimes!

[Miso counted, right?]

[onifukuchou]

If it comes in a box, it doesn't count.

[Not that... he cooks from scratch much. Other than rice.

The eggs go into the pan, and he glances over at Souji and the rice cooker]

Dish that out when it's done. The bowls are over the sink.

[mumyo_ken]

It doesn't!

[Over the sink... over the sink... Who kept their bowls all the way up there? People taller than him, clearly. Cue Souji clamoring up onto the edge of the sink to pull them down. Wheee.]

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata looks vaguely worried at that for a moment, before he switches to annoyed.]

You could have just said they were too high.

[mumyo_ken]

[He wobbles a little but catches himself]

Or you could keep them somewhere less silly.

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata sighs, and leaves the stove for a minute to go and reach over Souji's head for the bowls]

It's not that silly.

[mumyo_ken]

I was going to get them!

[But now he's been thwarted, so he's just going to sulk about it.]

It is silly to put things where no one else can reach.

[onifukuchou]

[And Hijikata will do his best to ignore it :| though he makes a mental note to move the everyday stuff down to more reachable locations]

I don't have people over often.

[mumyo_ken]

That's because you're always off working too hard.

[onifukuchou]

[He huffs a little]

It's work that needs to be done.

[mumyo_ken]

That doesn't mean you have to be the one to do it...

[onifukuchou]

[He shrugs a little]

It'll get done faster that way. Kondou needs the help.

[mumyo_ken]

You just don't trust anyone else.

[But now the rice is done, so he's going to go ahead and scoop that into the bowls]

[onifukuchou]

I trust them. I can do it faster, though.

[He takes the pan off the stove, and starts dividing up the cooked beef, egg, and onion.

...Souji's bowl may have a bit more than his]

[mumyo_ken]

They can't get any faster if you never let them do their jobs, you know.

[He sees what you did there, Hijikata]

[onifukuchou]

Hn.

[Which means you're right, Souji, he just doesn't want to admit it.

And you need more food >|]

[mumyo_ken]

[That gets a laugh out of him, because he knows he's got Hijikata, there. And then he points at the bowls]

Are you sure you have enough?

[Given Hijikata's the one doing all the hard work all day...]

[onifukuchou]

This is plenty for me.

[Yeah, well, Souji's the one that looks like a strong wind might knock him over]

[mumyo_ken]

Are you sure?

[Because, really. He doesn't need that much.]

[onifukuchou]

Very sure.

[Don't make him get pushy here. Well, pushier.]

[mumyo_ken]

If you say so...

[But he'll feel bad if Hijikata is hungry later. ;A;]