Chapter Text
“What did you do?” Nomura tried not to sound annoyed. She really put genuine effort into it. A voice in her head reminded her she was still learning and that Barbara understood. In the Janus Order, annoyance went a long way as a means of communication. Nothing ever got accomplished unless she used a tone that implied harsh consequences. But, this wasn’t the Janus Order and there was no need at all for such implications.
The only reason she’d even come close to using that tone today, the smoke alarm’s beeping intrusion into an otherwise peaceful afternoon, had her on edge. Not that it took much. Nomura was regularly on high alert. Watching. Waiting for the inevitable attack. There were rogue Janus Order agents still at large who would not take kindly to her switching sides. Despite her closeness to the Trollhunter’s team and the protection that provided, she knew they’d come for her sooner or later.
Yet, today was not that day, so she could relax. Or at least try to. Or just enter the kitchen to see what trouble Barbara had gotten into, which, once again, begged the question of why the woman still attempted cooking.
“I made pancakes.” Barbara explained sheepishly from where she stood by the stove. “But I forgot to put sugar in them. So they were more like bread-disks.” She held out the pan for Nomura’s inspection.
Nomura walked over to look at the latest of Barbara’s disasters. Her first thought was that pancakes didn’t require sugar. Her second was to remind herself that this was Barbara. Her third was curiosity on whether or not Barbara had actually made something right, if completely by accident.
“…so you made bread?” It didn’t look like bread of any kind (and she had seen numerous kinds over the centuries), but Nomura figured asking more questions to clarify what exactly she was looking at was a good strategy.
Barbara looked down at the pan’s contents, seemingly just as confused. “I just made…” An expression of realization dawned across her face. “Do you think pancakes are called pancakes because pan is bread in Spanish or because they’re made in pans?!”
Nomura blinked. She filed this outburst under Strange Human Things Barbara Does, which made her smile. Barbara’s quirks were oddly reassuring. Calming. Something she could genuinely say she liked, even if she was still getting used to that feeling of sort of, kind of, hard to describe affection. That she never was sure how to express vocally.
There were, however, easier methods available. Nomura went over to Barbara and took the pan out of her hands. “I think you need a lesson in cooking.”
“Ok, fair. But-”
Nomura kissed her, cutting off whatever else she may say. Easier methods indeed. If perhaps just a bit more satisfying.
“That always happens.” Barbara breathed when they broke apart.
“Are you complaining?”
“Well, no.”
“Good.” Nomura leaned in for another kiss and Barbara met her.