Casual Culinary Soiree (for h_hollister )

[sumarusfinest]

Katsuya's had a field day with the recipes Hippolyta printed off for him from the Great British Bake Off. The Crossroads Cafe has been full of all manner of European desserts, rolls, pies, and breads while the officer has tried his hand at as many things as he could reasonably make in the time since Hips had shown him the show.

Sadly, he's unable to watch it since. Sumaru, Japan is still at least a decade behind in video streaming services or even the invention of the concept. He really hopes after dinner and dessert Hippolyta lets him watch more of it tonight. Katsuya's got a bag of ingredients in hand (and a couple more issues of that manga for Frankie to read) when he rings the doorbell at the agreed upon time.

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[sumarusfinest]

The small moment of reprieve has Katsuya sighing slightly and touching at his chest once more just to make sure Helios is alright. It's not normal for his persona to react like that, but there's no danger here. He just has to remind himself of that and--

"His what?" Katsuya hadn't expected the quiet boy to speak up and turns to give him the officer's full attention. "No, no. Sammy's been nothing but a delight. Both of you boys are. I'm fine really. Helios...it's just going to take some time to adjust is all. I've done a lot of fighting over the years, there's bound to be some crossed wires affecting my and my Persona's reflexes occasionally."

He doesn't view Samual as a threat. Katsuya doesn't. Helios reacting like that...Katsuya doesn't know what to make of it. His frown is more worried than he knows.

"I do truly enjoy looking over you two."

[h_hollister]

Frankie is still peering at him owlishly, and he tilts his head a little.

"I believe you may have misunderstood my intentions," he says, still in that same, soft voice. "I know you like us both. We like you, too. I'm questioning whether or not the particular sonic frequency that plaga song occupies might be inimical to your Resonance. If that's the case, I can tell Sammy to, ah. Put a sock in it."

And that makes the little alien boy smile ever so slightly, a sly sort of twinkle in his eyes.

[sumarusfinest]

They do? They believe him?

For a man used to his every action being judged and called into suspicion, Frankie's quiet admission startles Katsuya. He's not used to affection being given so freely. The smile that flits across his face is uncertain of himself but he nods.

"It might have been what affected me, yes. I didn't know what it was. But I don't want him to worry about upsetting me, either. You're both...thank you. You're both very kind. All of you are. Your mother too." Making him feel welcome in a home that isn't his own is so unheard of. He's not even welcome in his own home, not really.

It means so much to him.

[h_hollister]

Welcome to Castle Salazar, where the woman who's raising these children is determined to give them the sort of love that her own childhood lacked. Hence both of these boys understanding empathy and morality at a startlingly young age. Hips was always telling them the one lesson that had shaped her own moral awakening.

People are more important than being right. No matter what shape or size or color those people came in.

Frankie's blinking again, as part of the puzzle that is Katsuya Suou slots into place. Ah. That makes sense.

"It's alright," he says, stepping up and gently taking Katsuya's hand and leading him toward the kitchen. His green fingers are thick, even at his young age. He's his bio-dad in miniature, after all. At least physically. Temperamentally, he couldn't be more different if he tried.

"What are you making for us for dessert? Or is it a surprise?"

Hips is just stepping out of the doorway with a glass in hand, and there's almost a comedic collision, but she stops herself in time.

"Good question!" she asks, handing over the glass and pretending not to notice that Frankie has Katsuya by the hand. "What are we making?"

[sumarusfinest]

There's such warmth in Katsuya's smile at being led back into the kitchen by Frankie. Hearing the smaller boy speak more than he has ever before even. He feels as though he's been gifted something precious and he's determined to appreciate it for what it is.

A gift.

He startles slightly at Hippolyta's sudden re-entry but the smile doesn't leave his face. If anything it's only grown a bit wider. He thanks her for the glass and peers around her to where Sammy is drying off his hands.

"Ah, well. I hope you all like chocolate. I thought I'd try my hand at one of the recipes Hippolyta looked up for me and have us make chocolate cannolis. It's an Italian dessert and not something I've had back home. I tried a few at shops in the Nexus to get an idea of what they were like but I thought that chocolate might be better than coffee in flavor for you boys."

[h_hollister]

"...Oh, we are ambitious."

Hips' eyes get super wide for a second, as she ponders the necessary things needed for that sort of dessert. Mainly a big pot, a thermometer, and lots of frying oil. Lots more than she has immediately on-hand, anyway. Unless Katsuya managed to smuggle in an entire gallon of canola oil under his suit, somehow. Which she rather doubts. (But is funny to picture.)

"Um. Should I PINpoint to the store and get the oil?"

Frankie's eyes are similarly wide. He knows that having his mother and brother around boiling oil is not the best idea in the world.

Sammy's oblivious.

"I love chocolate everything!" he proclaimed, giving Katsuya two thumbs up.

[sumarusfinest]

"Actually..."

Katsuya gives Hippolyta a quick reassuring gaze before pulling out a shoebox sized tupperware container from his bag and opening it on the counter. There's two layers of shells already made sitting between sheets of wax paper.

"I already made them at home. I didn't think you all wanted to wait half the evening just to eat dessert, so we're just making the filling to put in them tonight."

And if there were any worries about children and hot oil, well, Katsuya isn't going to confirm or deny it. They're only a couple of hours old after all. He doesn't think it will affect the flavor any.