Could y'all imagine adult Jason todd if he had a significant other that likes to bake especially when stressed or sad or whatever and one night he comes home and finds her absolutely devastated in the middle of the kitchen floor just sitting in the middle hysterically upset over a tray of cookies that just did not cookie (totally not based on something that has happened to me lol) anyways here's how I think that would go..
Jason stepping into the main living area notices a beeping noise coming from the kitchen along with the scent of smoke and what he could only assume was burning chocolate chips? He really wasn't entirely sure though of course he slowly made his way into the kitchen only to find the love of his life curled up in a ball on the floor crying over a tray of what he assumed was some sort of baked good maybe an attempt at cookies... He's quiet as he takes in the situation and tries to assess exactly what happened but after a moment or so if tanaajdng in the walkway he walks over to her and gently lifts her into his arms with one hand wrapped tightly around her and his face partially buried in her hair, he gingerly reaches down and picks up the trayy off the floor.
She said something like "Came full it's pot", which he knew she meant careful it's hot but still he couldn't help but chuckle.
The rumble of his chest made it a bit easier to breathe and relax but still she spent all day on those cookies and it's all she wanted after seeing all the awful things on social media that involved the government and the constant fear mongering on the news, plus with her period all she wanted was a sweet treat and maybe to surprise Jay and they were fucking ruined, she didn't understand the dough acted like cookie dough in the mixing process the oven was at the right temperature why was it such a fucking disaster why was she..
Gingerly Jason placed the tray on the stove still keeping a firm grip on his girl taking care to not drop her nor burn her by mistake he shuts off the timer to the stove and turns that off too, he could feel her overthinking, and gingerly he reached over and broke off a piece of the crispy chunks on the tray and began to munch on it despite it tasting of burned chocolate and a strange salty bitterness, there was also a nice sweetness to it as well, honestly he could see these being really good cookies.
"hey it's alright love, it happens to the best of us, honestly it's not bad they just need a bit of tlc, how about we take a break from the kitchen just for tonight, and tomorrow we'll try again together, no need to beat yourself up over baked goods, ya know even Alfred messes up from time to time".
While she appreciated his attempt she just couldn't find a way to smile gingerly Jason walked back out towards the living room with her in arm and gently placed her on the couch, her eyes were big and a tad bit puffy, he could tell she's had an especially hard day, he wasn't normally one for many words but tonight he felt like for her he had all of them.
"hey love I promise you it's alright what's got you so upset over these cookies, I know your the best baker around even better then Alfred, you make amazing things all the time tonight was just , a flook its not a reflection of you or your worth, messing up a batch of cookies doesn't make you worth any less, I'll love you always regardless of any kitchen mishaps and shenanigans come on we all have kitchen blunders, you remember that time I tried to pressure cook spaghetti and it turned into paste?! And you and Alfred tried your best to at least try it but I just would not let you anywhere near it because even i knew it was awful."
At that she finally did crack a small smile, but it was a bit short lived tears began to well up in her eyes she tried to hide it she hated her emotions more then anything she still struggled to be vulnerable with him, the way she grew up emotions were dangerous he couldn't blame her for her reactions or how she felt about things it's why he always treated her with extra care.
Gingerly he reached out and brushed the tears from her face and gingerly turned her head to face him eye to eye, he noticed the slight red flush that seemed to creep up her neck and it's like he could almost see the anxiety working through her he wasn't quite sure of how he could tell but now he thinks he figured out why she was so upset and heartbroken over the cookies.
"love is it the fact that it feels like you wasted ingredients or food, cause you don't have to worry about that anymore I'm more then capable of providing for you, for us, I know you're also independent but it's alright it was a mistake I'm sure this type of thing happens all the time".
Slowly she nodded her head the redness was still there but slowly she found herself speaking but it was hard because she couldn't fully grasp her thoughts verbally speaking was not something she was good at and her emotions god that was the worst it made her anxious when she tried to open her mouth all she could do was just sit there and cry which made her feel that much more worthless first the cookies now she was soaking her boyfriends shirt with her tears and he probably already had a really long night.
She felt the warmth of his arms wrap around her and vaguely she felt herself getting lifted into the air with a gently muttered command if wrap your legs around me she complied and honestly it was nice to feel his warmth and listening to the steady rhythm of his heart beat, yet even still it was hard to find any real joy when she peaked out from over his shoulder she found he was headed to the kitchen again towards the pan of nightmares, she felt him shift her weight just slightly, it made her a little uneasy but out of all the years she's been with him he's never once dropped her.
Soon there was a scraping noise to be heard of metal on metal when she looked again she could see through slightly blurred vision that he was scraping the burnt mess that was her cookies off the pan and onto a.. plate?!
As he did this one handed he began humming a soft lullaby in Arabic, in a way it was soothing listening to him hum she felt her eyes getting just a tad bit heavy she felt herself relaxing in his grip she knew she was safe when he was here, even from her own thoughts she slowly found herself feeling as though she were drifting and maybe she was in a way she felt weightless and free...
CRUNCH.. CRUNCH..
Her heavy eyes snapped open only to blurrily make out the shape of jay eating some sort of snack off a plate it took a few moments of squinting to realize that's the monstrosity from the tray of doom she wanted to reach over and stop him, what if it made him sick surely eating that much burnt chocolate would make him ill, when she reached out towards him he gently swatted her away and instead pulled her closer to his side wrapped her up in his arms.
"they're delicious I've never tasted anything better, and they're that much better because you made them no one I know can bake like you do, now relax and sleep, don't worry about me I grew up on the streets remember this isn't nearly the worst thing I've eaten in fact it's the best thing I've had in years maybe we could put this on rotation for snacks every few weeks," .slowly he picked up another burnt clump and chomped it despite herself she found herself smiling at him, though still she couldn't fight back the tears that threatened to come down, and she didn't because this was the first time all day today that she wasn't crying from despair or anxiety but because in this moment she knew what real love was and that it existed only with him she found herself pressing herself into his chest nestling herself there taking comfort in the sounds of his quiet crunching somehow she felt better and as though the sun existed again. She began to drift off and the next day she awoke to find Jay by her side with his arms wrapped around her and when she looked towards the kitchen there seemed to be a pile of new groceries on the stove and various boxes that looked like they housed recipe cards.
When she looked over back at Jay she found that he was watching her with his lazy smile and shining eyes.
"I see you've noticed the surprise, today if your up to it we'll bake together Alfred put together a bunch of recipe cards he found in his old families storage and some recipes from Martha and Thomas Wayne, he gave us full access to them and Bruce also gave his blessing, so whenever your ready I'd love to help you in the kitchen and this time I'll ensure nothing goes wrong and if it does regardless it'll get eaten, he said this last part with a playful lazy smile and she found she felt incredibly light and actually happy
...
