Chapter Text
The kitchen was on fire. The oven was smoking, food slowly charring to ashes inside. The world was going to burn and die.
Okay, Inumaki might be exaggerating a little bit. He had only left the cookies in for an extra five, maaaaybe ten minutes longer than they were supposed to. In his defense, they looked really mushy. However, the kitchen definitely smelled like smoke and the cookies were 100% charred.
Inumaki waved his hands aggravatedly at the recipe book. Useless thing! I followed your instructions perfectly and now I have a kitchen full of burning cookies! He yawned, tired of crashing out, and coughed unexpectedly. Right. He had forgotten that he wasn’t wearing his mask, mainly because he wanted to taste the batter while he made the food, but also because it was 2:00a in the dorm kitchens and no reasonable person would be around to see him.
Why was he in the dorm kitchens at 2:00a? It’s because he had forgotten about the picnic with his new friends, which had been scheduled for the past week, and needed to contribute some food to the group. Thus, the cookie disaster.
He sat down on the cold tile floor, slumped against the cabinets, and sighed. How the hell am I supposed to make a full batch of cookies if I can’t even work the oven? Maybe I should ask for help…
He fumbled his phone off the counter, and opened up his contacts app. Fushiguro was sleeping, so that was an immediate no. He didn’t want to make his roommate grumpier at him than he was already. He didn’t know Itadori or Kugisaki well enough, and girls weren’t allowed in the boys dorms past 22:00 anyways, so… that also eliminated Maki. Which left Okkotsu. Honestly, Inumaki had no clue if Okkotsu knew how to bake. He was a barista, so he must have some knowledge? Right?
He tapped out a quick message to Okkotsu.
Okkotsu ⭐
i almost burnt down the kitchen :Inumaki
are u awake :Inumaki
i don’t want the fire alarm to go off :Inumaki
Okkotsu responded almost immediately.
Okkotsu ⭐: Inumaki-kun are you okay
yeah but the cookies arent :Inumaki
Okkotsu ⭐: Goodness gracious
Okkotsu ⭐: I’m on my way
Inumaki put his phone facedown on the floor next to him and leaned his head back on the cabinets. The dim kitchen lighting reflected off the worn floor tiles as the smell of smoke drifted through the air. Moonlight shone through the windows, illuminating the cabinets on the opposite side of the kitchen. A gust of wind blew through the open window above the sink, the cold air making Inumaki shiver in his pajamas. He wore a loose grey T shirt, black sweatpants, and purple fuzzy slippers. Unfortunately, his sweater lay abandoned on his bed, due to him not anticipating that he’d need to open the window into the cold spring air to clear out the smoke.
Soon, he heard rapid footsteps coming down the hall, and then the kitchen door opened, its hinges creaking quietly. Inumaki looked up and was greeted by the sight of a very out-of-breath Okkotsu.
“Inumaki-kun!” Okkotsu walked over to him, his pace contrasting the one he had arrived at. “What are you doing in the kitchen at two in the morning?”
Failing at baking cookies, he answered with a dismal expression. Help me up, please?
Okkotsu extended a hand, and Inumaki grasped it tightly. Okkotsu tugged, and Inumaki felt like he had just gotten launched off the floor. Dang, Okkotsu’s strong. Unfortunately, being launched off the ground was not very good for his low blood pressure. His vision went fuzzy, and he lost his balance. He reached for the counter to steady himself, but grasped air. Then, he felt a sturdy pair of hands land on his body; one on his shoulder, and the other loosely just above his waist. He steadied himself and his vision unclouded, revealing Okkotsu. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern and his lips were pursed tightly.
“You okay?” Okkotsu slowly released Inumaki, perhaps fearing that he would suddenly almost-collapse again.
Yeah, Inumaki signed. Just low blood pressure, nothing to worry about.
Okkotsu frowned. “I didn’t realise it was that bad.”
It gets worse when I’m tired, dehydrated, or have been sitting in the same spot for a while, Inumaki replied.
“Got it.” Okkotsu nodded, storing the information away for next time. “So why are you baking cookies at—” He glanced at his watch. “ —02:08 in the morning?”
‘Cause I wanna make cookies for the picnic tomorrow… today? Inumaki shrugged.
“Fantastic idea, making them now instead of at a reasonable hour,” Okkotsu deadpanned.
Inumaki laughed. It wasn’t a loud, cheery laugh. Just a quiet snicker that escaped his mouth that was usually bound by silence. Okkotsu’s eyes widened.
“You can make noise?” Okkotsu asked, astonished. Realising how rude he sounded, he quickly apologised. “Inumaki-kun I’m so sorry that sounded really rude I— I didn’t know if you—”
Inumaki interrupted him, a small smile on his face. Don’t worry, Okkotsu. I don’t mind—I know you didn’t mean any harm in it. Okkotsu relaxed slightly, though still looked anxious. Since laughing is a natural bodily reaction, it still happens to me. My vocal chords aren’t completely destroyed, so in theory I could like, say one or two words if I was ever in an emergency. Then I’d cough up blood or something afterwards maybe. Don’t worry about it!
Okkotsu looked very worried about it. “Are you okay now? Are you going to cough up blood from laughing?”
Nah, I’m probably fine. Not wanting Okkotsu to worry anymore, he decided to change the subject. Can you help me make the cookies, pretty please? I don’t want to set anything else on fire today…
“Yes, of course— FIRE?” Okkotsu looked around, as if expecting the oven to spontaneously burst into flames. “Inumaki-kun how do you even—” He paused and sighed, composing himself. “Please let me help you.”
Alright, Mr. Helper Chef Extraordinaire, let’s do this. Inumaki turned happily towards the counter, before realising that he had no clue where he put his phone/the recipe. Okkotsu, have you seen my phone? It has the recipe on it.
“You mean the phone you’re about to step on…?”
Yeah, that one, Inumaki replied. Okkotsu bent down and picked up the phone, handing it to Inumaki. Why’d you do that?
“You have really low blood pressure,” he answered. “I figured there was a chance you’d get dizzy or something bending down and picking your head back up that quickly.”
Ding-ding-ding, Inumaki signed. You’re a fast learner, Okkotsu!
“Aw, thanks.” Okkotsu blushed, a mild pink creeping up the back of his neck. Inumaki raised his eyebrow and grinned at him, face fully on display, no longer hidden behind his usual mask. Okkotsu coughed into his arm.
As a final tease, Inumaki stuck out his tongue, and then busied himself with the recipe on his phone. I hope I didn’t tease him too much. He doesn’t seem to be weirded out, only… red and coughing for some reason? Dunno why.
After Okkotsu had recovered, he stepped behind Inumaki, peering over his shoulder at the recipe. “Okay.” He clapped his hands together. “Let’s start by measuring everything out!”
Inumaki gave him a thumbs up and then looked around confusedly. Where are the measuring cups?
“Uhh,” Okkotsu replied, “weren’t you using them to make the previous batch? They should be wherever you left them.”
I didn’t use measuring cups, Inumaki signed guiltily.
Okkotsu facepalmed. “No wonder things went… weirdly.”
I think they’re in here. Inumaki rummaged through the cabinets for a few seconds and pulled out a stack of measuring cups and spoons with a triumphant look on his face. I found them!
“Woohoo!” Okkotsu exclaimed, a delighted smile on his face.
Inumaki felt his ears warm and patted his silvery-white hair in an attempt to cover them.
Okkotsu, seemingly not noticing, started instructing Inumaki on how to measure out the ingredients for the recipe. He walked Inumaki through the steps, reading everything out from Inumaki’s phone, which he had snatched from the countertop.
•••
Thirty minutes and one minor flour spill later, the cookies were ready for the oven. As Inumaki slid the sheets of cookies into the oven, Okkotsu started a 9 minute timer on Inumaki’s phone.
“Great job!” Okkotsu offered a high-five to Inumaki, who accepted. “Now let’s clean up before the cookies get out of the oven.”
The boys cleaned side by side in silence, and the nine minutes were up before they knew it.
“Be careful when you take the cookies out of the oven,” Okkotsu commented.
Inumaki frowned. Can you take them out? I burnt my hand last time.
“Oh sure, no worries.” Okkotsu donned the oven mitts, and carefully extracted the perfectly baked cookies from the oven. “Mmm, these smell delicious!” He placed the cookie tray on the stovetop.
Inumaki immediately reached for a cookie, only to have his hand swatted away by a blue-and-white striped oven mitt. “Nuh-uh. You’re gonna burn your hand again if you don’t wait for them to cool down, Inumaki-kun.” He reluctantly lowered his hand, gazing wistfully at the burning hot cookies.
If I’m denied lovely delicious fresh warm cookies until they cool down, can we go sit on the couch to wait? Inumaki asked. My legs are getting tired from standing up for so long.
Okkotsu agreed, and the two sat on the small sage green fake-leather couch in the corner of the kitchen. It was quite the odd piece of furniture, with bronze clawed feet, pink flower embroidery on a cloth patch on one of the armrests, and an adjoining off-white minifridge. However, it was very comfortable. As soon as he settled on the couch, clothed leg brushing Okkotsu’s, he felt his eyes start to droop. I’ll only close my eyes for a minute… Okkotsu will wake me when the cookies have cooled…