[ Somewhere between Allen getting his own ingredients and pans out Shouto has somehow ended up with... making custards instead of cookies? A crème brûlée at that? He's little baffled when he looks over and asks what recipe he went with, and on one hand... isn't that rather advanced? he wants to ask. But it's Christmas and you know, what's the worst that could happen, so he doesn't. All desserts are welcome in Allen's book anyway. Who cares if it's not really traditional.
He absolutely sneaks out those few eggshells when Shouto's back is turned though. And looks quite crestfallen when he's reprimanded for trying to sneak a taste. He's careful, he wasn't going to burn his mouth.... much, probably. What little bit he does manage to sneak has him blinking with surprise though. It's... actually kind of good? Mostly like how it's supposed to taste?
Tim choosing to alight on not Allen's shoulder but his has Allen briefly pause a little too, going very still too and blinking like an unseen finger just ran along his spine. He shakes it off quickly though, laughing a touch sheepishly when Shouto looks helplessly at him and shrugging a little with a "He does that with people he likes." Shouto was already quiet before that and a little disconnected, so he doesn't think too much of his tight and rigid demeanor even if it does make mental flags go off. Maybe he's just very focused on baking after all, he can be quite serious like that. It makes Allen try to compensate by filling the silence with gentle conversational observations, hoping to maybe set Shouto a little more at ease when he seems so stiff, as he continues with the very monotonous process of dropping the little rice flour dumplings into his pot of boiling water... waiting... fishing them out... repeating the process over and over as yes, he is making that much dango. The noodles are sitting to the side and just waiting to be cooked at the last minute.
When he pulls the tray out and still looks so uncomfortably stiff, Allen stops and looks back at him. At Tim still sitting squatly on his shoulder and swishing his tail back and forth a little. A skewer of dumplings freshly pan-seared (a little charred) he'd been about to add to a pile of the same held aloft as suddenly, finally, something clicks. ]
Shouto—
[ He tips his head thoughtfully. No judgment here, just faintly surprised curiosity. ]
...is Tim making you nervous?
[ Tim leans in real close to peer curiously at him too. ]
i'm WHEEZING
He absolutely sneaks out those few eggshells when Shouto's back is turned though. And looks quite crestfallen when he's reprimanded for trying to sneak a taste. He's careful, he wasn't going to burn his mouth.... much, probably. What little bit he does manage to sneak has him blinking with surprise though. It's... actually kind of good? Mostly like how it's supposed to taste?
Tim choosing to alight on not Allen's shoulder but his has Allen briefly pause a little too, going very still too and blinking like an unseen finger just ran along his spine. He shakes it off quickly though, laughing a touch sheepishly when Shouto looks helplessly at him and shrugging a little with a "He does that with people he likes." Shouto was already quiet before that and a little disconnected, so he doesn't think too much of his tight and rigid demeanor even if it does make mental flags go off. Maybe he's just very focused on baking after all, he can be quite serious like that. It makes Allen try to compensate by filling the silence with gentle conversational observations, hoping to maybe set Shouto a little more at ease when he seems so stiff, as he continues with the very monotonous process of dropping the little rice flour dumplings into his pot of boiling water... waiting... fishing them out... repeating the process over and over as yes, he is making that much dango. The noodles are sitting to the side and just waiting to be cooked at the last minute.
When he pulls the tray out and still looks so uncomfortably stiff, Allen stops and looks back at him. At Tim still sitting squatly on his shoulder and swishing his tail back and forth a little. A skewer of dumplings freshly pan-seared (a little charred) he'd been about to add to a pile of the same held aloft as suddenly, finally, something clicks. ]
Shouto—
[ He tips his head thoughtfully. No judgment here, just faintly surprised curiosity. ]
...is Tim making you nervous?
[ Tim leans in real close to peer curiously at him too. ]