Why Blaze Should Not Cook

"I have something for you at home..." she chewed her lip "It's probably rather awful but I tried my best!"

Alastair raised a brow at her. It’s probably rather awful?" he repeated with an amused expression "Did you attempt to cook?" he teased, based on her wording it sounded like that. She nodded with a wince "Like I said it's likely rather awful" she touched at the counter in a shy fidgety way but was on verge of laughing.

"Well what did you try and make? Something easy I hope? Like a sandwich?" he tried to coax more information from her. For a second she looked rather dismayed "I think I could manage a sandwich" she said stubbornly then looked worried "But no...It’s a erm...pie, pumpkin pie" already regretting it.
"Pumpkin pie!? So you found a pumpkin and cooked it up first and eveything? Made the crust and all?"

Blaze nodded still wincing slightly. If he looked carefully he might see a floury streak across her cheek she's tried to wipe free with back of her hand in frustration whilst burning her fingers at the stove, having pastry refuse to stick together, sugar burning and getting herself in an unorganised mess though she had painstakingly cleared up afterwards, only leaving to find him once pie was left cooling, eyeing it in scrutiny, unable to leave until she'd broken off the charred crust edges and angled it to look its most presentable though it still looked made by a four year old. "I tried my best" she repeated thinking of her shouting at the complicated recipe she'd been following and ended up hurling at the wall when it condescendingly told her she appeared to be doing it all wrong.

Alastair grinned at her and kissed at her lips gently "Well it’s the thought that counts, so if it tastes like the abyss Ill still appreciate it" he chuckled "Shall we go home then? Or did you have some chores here to do first?" She nodded "Just hope I don't poison you with it" she said glumly but had to smile, fully prepared for it to taste awful. I'm done here, only came to look for you initially anyway"

And for that he laughed at her "Eleni! Even if you messed it up beyond repair, you cannot poison me with it, unless you accidently grabbed wolfsbane instead of cloves! But then I don’t think we keep the dangerous stuff with the cooking ingredients." he patted her affectionately on the head "we can go to my sail boat; I have it docked by the pier." She swatted him away with a grin "alright, let's go home and put that to the test then"

"I don’t know now I’m worried" he laughed again but headed out the door at her swatting.

~~~~

"Should I write out my will first? Encase this pie eating goes horribly wrong?" he chuckled as he stepped up behind Blaze and gave her bum a small slap. Eyeing that pie on the table with a sigh, she gave him a 'look' at his comment and caught at his hand "might be a good idea" she mused looking slightly bewildered "Why did I do this again?" Oh yes to cheer you up...what was I thinking?!"

"I’m just teasing Blaze, I can’t see how anyone can go wrong with pumpkin and sugar, and unless you burned it black but you haven’t so I’m sure it will taste fine." he moved over toward the pie, looking at it. Smelled alright as far as he could tell. He pulled a small utility dagger from his belt to cut him a slice "are you trying any of this too?" he asked her while sitting down.

Blaze looked from the pie over to the massacred pumpkin shell discarded against the wall "Not sure I could stomach it after the amount of grief that thing gave me" He nodded expecting such to be the answer. He looked at the pumpkin pieces on the wall and raised a brow "well I can tell you love went into this" he smirked and then brought the pie to his lips "Here goes nothing" he said and then took a bite.

Watching with a winced expression she nibbled on her lower lip again, she'd done good job of making it look good once all the burnt bits were broken off and extra sugar thrown over the top to hide to overdone texture. She had a feeling this was a big mistake but at least would prove she really really couldn't cook even when she tired her damned hardest.

The texture seemed alright, it was smooth and soft just like the pumpkin pies he was use to, but on mashing it up with tooth and tongue there was an odd flavour that came out of the background of overly spiced pumpkin pulp...he might have been able to handle the overdose of cloves and cinnamon, but whatever else it was nasty. He tried to pin point what she did.. Maybe the pumpkin wasn't ripe? Something bitter was in there assaulting his taste buds and threatening to make his eyes water. It was on the verge of something rotten, if she used year old flour maybe that was it. He wondered if she even bothered to check for flour worms. He did his best to chew it... nodding subtly "hmm, mhmm" he mumbled doing his best not to give away how horrible it was. Forcing himself to eat the first piece. He prayed the spirits he kept a straight face and not a sour one.

Blaze folded her arms over her waist, though she knew she was awful she still had a little pride and was not overly convinced by his act. She sighed and touched nervously at the table dropping her other hand to her side where it balled in her skirts "It's awful isn't it?" she asked with heart sinking expression though a grim acceptance. "No.. not at all..." he said with shake of head whilst reaching for some cold tea to wash it down "It's not bad at all for your first pie Eleni" he smiled trying to be encouraging, he didn't want her to never try and cook again. "You have all the right spices in here it tastes like" he pointed, and not commented that it was a bit too much spice. "Good consistency to it...good color"

She watched him with a creeping smile as he reached for the tea. She came to the opposite seat and slipped into it facing him leaning across "Really?" she asked eyes wide and hopeful "But I burnt the sugar and the top flew off one of the spice jars....and....I'm sure I mixed the flour all wrong, had the heat up too high" she sighed and shook her head "It's really not that bad?"

"Not that bad at all" he lied once more but gave her a supportive smile. " I mean I can taste some subtle thing a bit different about it, but nothing you can’t perfect" he reassured "But that's the way with everything in life, you need to keep it up to further perfect your skill" She rest her elbow on the table and slipped her chin onto her palm "So it wasn't a waste of my time?" she pushed the pie dish towards him "Glad I made a big one now!" she gave him fanged grin eyes twinkling naughtily "So you can stuff your face!"

Alastair looked at the pie with a sort of blank expression as she pushed it toward him. He looked up at her and gave an awkward smile "Right.. but best not had too much pie at once, need a main course that's how it goes..." he said and then cut into the rest of his slice using the small knife as his force and started to force himself to finish at least what he cut, or else all he said nice about it would be for nothing. He opted to only chew once or twice and just swallowing as much as he could of it whole to keep the unsavoury flavour from building to strong.

Blaze turned her head a little coyly looking back at him sidelong "that's not the Alastair I know...one who eats a whole tray of muffins in one sitting or makes himself sick on chocolate" she watched him trying to force it down "Oh well you can have some later then...probably enough there for a few days yet" she said happily corners of her lips twitching.

"Right, well..I did eat a bit last night I brought myself some food when I went to work. Drank a few ales at the tavern.. But don’t worry I'll finished this treat up in the next day or so I’m sure of it" he said while thinking of ways to be rid of it without her knowing he didn’t eat it.. Though if he wanted to be legit and not lie to much, he could eat the whole thing in one go much more easily in wolf form, they he could say he did eat it for real.

Slipping out from her seat she came around to his side, by now unable to hide her grin, devilish playfulness to her eyes that felt good after their week from hell and all thanks to a truly hideous pumpkin pie. "You sure...no second helping now?" she murmured, slipping an arm around his neck and leaning down to kiss against his shoulder, reaching across to draw the pie dish closer and waft it before him with a suppressed chuckle.

He felt his stomach turn at the sight of it, but he looked up to Blaze with a boyish smile, seeing how pleased she was to believe her pie came out satisfactory. "Well I guess I can’t resist one more piece" he agreed though inside winced dramatically. He took his dagger and cut another slice.. Pulling it from the pan and holding it in his palm carefully. Maybe if he held his breath while eating it would help. He took the first few bites quickly, making fast work of the pie, swallowing it back before chewing too much. Bearing the awful taste to please her.. Until he was down to just the pie crust which was a relief.

Blaze stood straight and had been about to protest but he ate it so quick, almost strangely eagerly to her eyes that she almost wondered whether it was alright after all...yet she knew him to well. The big brooding moody and aggressive lycan elf that almost everyone feared or despised, so few knew this sweeter side that would willingly eat down something so disgusting just to make his wife smile. "You know what I think..." she whispered taking the remaining crust out of his hand and tossing it back into the dish "There is something even more delicious I could have waiting for you after a hard days toil"

Alastair looked up at her with a slightly furrowed brow as she took the pie from him, or what was left of it anyway.”This is delicious" he lied again but trying to keep up the act to make her believe she did a good job. "Did you make more things?" he asked her then, a bit wary she had and none too keen to try more of her cooking experiments right then. She chuckled "I think I'll leave the cooking to you...come here..." tugging on his hand to pull him out his seat to face her, would lean up and brush her lips to his, offering him a taste she knew he adored.

He moved from his seat as she willed him to do so, legs slipping over the bench and standing to face her, having to lean slightly to accommodate their heights as he saw she was offering him something indeed sweeter. He kissed back subtly though, not wanting her to get any hints or tastes of her horrible pie, because then she could taste for herself that he was lying. He did enjoy the gesture and took opportunity to let his hands sweep over her hips to rest at her behind.

"I know it's awful" she whispered "But I love you for pretending otherwise" lingering close to him still "Now how about I dump that poisonous pie where it belongs and get you a stiff drink, then I can make it up to you properly" she chuckled "Though could send rest of it anonymously to StrongHaven's tavern to be served" she grinned stepping back from him.