Work Text:
The kitchen was quiet. Too quiet.
Kai stood in the middle of it, a spatula in one hand, a bag of noodles in the other, and a look of intense concentration on his face. “Today… I will not burn anything,” he muttered.
Cole leaned against the counter, already halfway through a snack. “Bold claim.”
Jay bounced in place. “We believe in you, Kai. You got this!”
Kai glared at him. “Jay, please. I don’t need cheerleaders. I need focus.”
Nya appeared in the doorway. “Kai… maybe start with something simple. Boiling water is fine. Just water.”
Kai’s eyes narrowed. “Water is boring.” He tossed in a handful of noodles. The pot immediately overflowed.
Zane watched calmly. “Kai, the noodles are expanding beyond the vessel’s capacity. This is a physics problem.”
Kai waved him off. “Physics is for later!”
Five minutes later:
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The noodles were on fire.
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Smoke alarm was blaring.
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Cole was calmly eating crackers.
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Jay had tripped over a stray noodle.
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Lloyd was giving a motivational speech to the fire extinguisher.
Kai brandished the spatula like a sword. “This is not going according to plan!”
Nya grabbed a towel. “Step back, fire hazard!”
Kai froze. “…Okay maybe just a tiny bit going according to plan?”
Wu peeked in from the hallway. “Ah… the flames of creativity, I see.” He sipped his tea. “Yes… very educational.”
Kai groaned. “I just wanted lunch.”
Cole shrugged, nibbling a cracker. “You’re cooking… I think?”
Jay clutched a fire blanket. “We’re… surviving it. That counts.”
By the time the noodles were “done,” the kitchen was scorched, the noodles were blackened, and the smoke alarm was still screaming.
Kai frowned. “…Maybe takeout next time?”
Everyone nodded. In unison.
Wu raised his teacup. “And thus, balance is restored.”