Content: 1.2k words. Asking for help baking this dish turns into trouble.
"Hey, Levi?" You call quietly, standing in the doorway.
He doesn't answer, too preoccupied with piles of paperwork, sitting at his desk in his workroom.
"Sweetheart? I could use your help." You aren't trying to be annoying, knowing he needs to get this done, but it's an emergency.
Levi puts his pen down and sighs. Damn you and that term.
He pushes away from the desk and comes to stand in front of you, eyebrow raised.
"Just, can you just help me cut into them?" You wait for it.
"I showed you how-" He starts.
"It's too hard!" You almost cry.
Levi rolls his eyes and takes you by the hand, leading the way to the kitchen.
"I don't know why I have to help with this." He grumbles.
"Because! Because we're all going and everyone is making a dish and this is ours."
"Yours." He corrects you while you pout.
For the holiday you are having a friendsgiving get together. Everyone started claiming the traditional dishes, Jean called the turkey, Armin the cranberry sauce, Connie a green bean casserole, Sasha the mashed potatoes, Erwin a stuffing, and so on. You saw this great idea for a squash casserole and without even thinking put that down.
Now however, you wish you hadn't. The dish needs pumpkin, acorn and butternut squash, and you forgot how hard it is cutting them open. In fact, you never tried again since the first time.
But you couldn't change your mind now. The others thought it sounded great and stores were running out of things anyway.
"Thank you." You say to Levi, who with barely any effort already has the pumpkin in half. You start scooping out the seeds while he works on the butternut, your worst enemy.
He finishes the task you give him before you even get through the entire pumpkin and without a word goes back to his office.
You get the squash into the oven and start pulling out measuring cups for sugar and maple syrup and things to mix in, and forty minutes later you are meekly knocking on the door again.
"Hey, Levi-"
"What do you need?" This time he interrupts you.
"Can you help me scoop? They're really hot."
"So wait until they're not." Obviously.
"Well, I know, but everything is set to go in and the oven is still on..." You trail off, listing reasons.
Levi not so gently slams his pen back down and is heading to the kitchen again.
He knows, that you know, that he wants these papers done so he can actually relax for a bit, but instead you're delaying it. However, he's always told you to come to him for help. Which includes now.
The three squash are now in a large bowl with the other ingredients and you are mixing while Levi is buttering a pan, then helps you pour the mixture in.
"Anything else?" He's a little irritated, but at least it's done.
"No, I can finish the topping myself." You step forward, right in front of him.
"Okay." He says as you wrap your arms around him.
"Thank you." You say softly, feeling his arms around you.
"You're welcome." Holding you like this always helps his mood, even if it was your fault to begin with.
Levi kisses your forehead and is going back to finish when you call to him again.
"Yes?" He turns around, unsuspecting.
You scoop out a spoonful of leftovers and fling it at him, hitting his chest and watching it fall in a mess onto the floor.
Levi stands there with his eyes shut, trying to figure out if he even believes what you just did.
You however can't stop giggling.
"Are you serious?" He wants to know, making you laugh harder.
"I'm sorry, I'll clean it." You wet a paper towel and do your best to fix his shirt.
"After I just stopped my work to help you." Did you forget already?
"Levi, it's fine." It's a harmless joke.
"This is the thanks I get?" There's something in his voice you're not sure of.
"It's not that bad." You say as you lean over to wipe up the floor.
"So you say." Your eyes widen, because in an instant he has shoved his whole hand into the bowl and has sent you running for cover.
Without any regard for the kitchen, he throws what he can at you, having it smack into your neck.
"Ugh! Stop!" This is so much worse than what you did.
"Stay still!" He insists, opening up a container.
"What are you doing?!" You exclaim, seeing what he has.
"You love brown sugar so much? Have some!" He's got a hold of your shirt and is smearing it all in your hair.
You are left in tears partially from laughing as you try to get him back and a bit because you really are crying at the mess he's making.
You end up sitting on the floor trying to figure out if there's more of a mess on you or all over the kitchen. Flour, oats and even maple syrup have been used as weapons as well, also leaving you wondering if there's enough for the topping. Levi isn't nearly as bad off.
"Clean this up." He tells you.
"What?"
"This is your mess. I'm going to go shower." He says, already taking his shirt off. You can just consider this payback for forcing him into this.
"Are you kidding me!?" Now you really are crying.
He actually leaves you there, trying to figure out how to clean everything.
You whine and pout to no one, forcing yourself up to make the topping and get the pan back into the hot oven to finish.
Fifteen minutes later you've barely gotten anywhere with the scrubbing.
"Stop your sniffling." Levi has reappeared, hair wet and towel around his waist.
"I don't deserve this!" You cross your arms, feeling defeated. You are a sticky train wreck of food.
You are horrified when Levi chuckles. "It's not that bad."
"How dare you!" Use those words against you when it is very much so that bad!
He takes the cloth from you and leads you out of the kitchen.
"It's not that bad, because after we wash the sugar out of your hair, I'll help you clean." He says with that soft smile you love so much.
Oh. Well that's different. "Really?" You aren't sure if he's messing with you.
"You didn't think I'd just leave you there, did you?" You should know him better than that.
"I, wasn't sure." It seemed like he was going to.
"Besides, I need your help with paperwork." You are going to help make up for lost time.
"Okay." You easily agree to this, thankful that he really is always willing to help you.
You, him and the kitchen are spick and span in no time, and before sundown the paperwork is done as well.
Even if Levi might complain, he's thankful that you get him away from his desk and that food fights don't happen often.
The next day at friendsgiving, your dish is a hit.
Levi pretends he didn't hear you say you'll be making it again.
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a/n-good luck if you're baking! If anyone messed with this dish I really would cry cause it takes some work, but is really yummy!
lozartist replied to your post:You tried! Gold star! Also they're still spoopy.
4.bp.blogspot.com/-IbZm… Try like these cuties. Also if your recipe doesn’t have it already, a tiny bit of cream of tartar helps egg whites hold the bubbles better.
I basically used the recipie for the macaron shells, just sans granulated sugar and almond meal. Also cooked them on a lower temp and let them slowly cool in the oven, so they actually still held their shape quite nice.
Though before my computer farted on me, I did see that it was calling for the cream of tartar. I was just a lazy sack of crap and didn't go out to get it. ouob
I'll be sure to try that the next time I make them... Which... might not be until next week or the week after. |D;
