Mene
Menahem was equal parts excited and nervous about this "date" with all three of them. He was excited to bring Rho and Tirzah into his realm of cooking, and was excited to use some of the herbs he'd planted with Tirzah, but he was used to cooking alone or with coworkers. This would be a new situation for them. What if he snapped at someone? That would just be terrible. He wanted them to see why cooking brought him so much joy, what if he ruined it?
In the days leading up to their date, they'd planned a menu together, and had divided up the tasks of procuring everything they'd need. They had planned a main course of a cheesy grain with a wild mushroom and parsnip ragout over it, which should be hearty enough to satisfy while remaining vegetarian. Mena was particularly excited about the roasted hazelnut garnish on that one. Similarly, they'd planned a side dish of chickpeas and kale in a spicy tomato sauce, a roasted eggplant drizzled with oil and herbs, and for dessert a strawberry rhubarb galette, served with whipped cream.
Mena had taken the task of sourcing the more difficult ingredients, which he had been able to do successfully. Now he was waiting in the kitchen for Rho and Tirzah to come back from dropping the kids with Faelon and Vendimia for the evening. He couldn't seem to be still, so he fussed with the ingredients on the countertops, sorting them so that they were in groups pertaining to the three dishes.
Tirzah, walking back toward their alcove holding hands with Rho, was chatting about this or that. Talking about how excited she was for this, hadn't it been so long since they'd had good time together for the three of them, a cheeky allusion to what might go on after dinner.
After a brief pause, her tone turned slightly more serious, though still happy and casual. "I think it'll be good for Mena to be sort of 'in charge' for this," she said. "He's always sort of going along with whatever. I think it'll be good for him to do some leading."
In the days leading up to their date, they'd planned a menu together, and had divided up the tasks of procuring everything they'd need. They had planned a main course of a cheesy grain with a wild mushroom and parsnip ragout over it, which should be hearty enough to satisfy while remaining vegetarian. Mena was particularly excited about the roasted hazelnut garnish on that one. Similarly, they'd planned a side dish of chickpeas and kale in a spicy tomato sauce, a roasted eggplant drizzled with oil and herbs, and for dessert a strawberry rhubarb galette, served with whipped cream.
Mena had taken the task of sourcing the more difficult ingredients, which he had been able to do successfully. Now he was waiting in the kitchen for Rho and Tirzah to come back from dropping the kids with Faelon and Vendimia for the evening. He couldn't seem to be still, so he fussed with the ingredients on the countertops, sorting them so that they were in groups pertaining to the three dishes.
Tirzah, walking back toward their alcove holding hands with Rho, was chatting about this or that. Talking about how excited she was for this, hadn't it been so long since they'd had good time together for the three of them, a cheeky allusion to what might go on after dinner.
After a brief pause, her tone turned slightly more serious, though still happy and casual. "I think it'll be good for Mena to be sort of 'in charge' for this," she said. "He's always sort of going along with whatever. I think it'll be good for him to do some leading."
Dai
Rho had very much been enjoying their transition away from focusing just on the children and back to themselves recently. He was back to lifting regularly (with and without Mena), they were settling into a decent rythmn of one-on-one time, and they'd settled back into their regular shifts at their respective workplaces. Life was pretty good.
As was his current conversation with Tirzah on this and that. He did, however, raise a brow as her mom-voice kicked on. "Hey, you really think I would just take over and--" he stopped himself as her expression said it all, to which he pouted lightly. "C'mon, I don't -always- have to be in charge..."
As was his current conversation with Tirzah on this and that. He did, however, raise a brow as her mom-voice kicked on. "Hey, you really think I would just take over and--" he stopped himself as her expression said it all, to which he pouted lightly. "C'mon, I don't -always- have to be in charge..."
Mene
Tirzah smiled inwardly. An accidental moment of self-awareness from Rho. She decided, probably wisely, not to call attention to it. "I just know it's sort of your natural state," she responded, giving his arm a little hug. "And I didn't mean to imply anything about you, beloved, just that I'm happy to support our Mena to be a little more assertive." As they arrived at their alcove door, she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss.
Mena straightened up and visibly brightened when Rho and Tirzah came back in. "Oh good! All's well with the kids?"
Tirzah nodded with a cheerful smile. "We should have several hours," she said. "Until nightfall, I think? Anyway, let's get cooking, I've been thinking about this mushroom thing all day." She bounced on her hooves excitedly.
Mena nodded in response. "Yeah, so before we get started I've got a quick, er, note? It's just that in the kitchen it's best if one chef is sort of the 'head chef' that calls most of the shots. Food tends to turn out better that way, and it's safer in a tight space."
Tirzah nodded in agreement. "You know, Rho and I were just talking on the way here about how you ought to take the lead," she said with a little wink at Rho. "You being much more experienced. And I would like our dinner to turn out," she added with a giggle.
Mena straightened up and visibly brightened when Rho and Tirzah came back in. "Oh good! All's well with the kids?"
Tirzah nodded with a cheerful smile. "We should have several hours," she said. "Until nightfall, I think? Anyway, let's get cooking, I've been thinking about this mushroom thing all day." She bounced on her hooves excitedly.
Mena nodded in response. "Yeah, so before we get started I've got a quick, er, note? It's just that in the kitchen it's best if one chef is sort of the 'head chef' that calls most of the shots. Food tends to turn out better that way, and it's safer in a tight space."
Tirzah nodded in agreement. "You know, Rho and I were just talking on the way here about how you ought to take the lead," she said with a little wink at Rho. "You being much more experienced. And I would like our dinner to turn out," she added with a giggle.
Dai
Mmm... She did have a point, per usual, which itself could at times be a bit annoying, but also wasn't something he could argue with. Or, well, be could, but it would be hella dumb and he'd lose the argument.
He raised his free hand with a "Yo!" upon returning with Tirzah, and followed up with, "Mom had some wild idea for some sort of arts and craft session, so be ready for them to bring some stuff of questionable quality back."
At Tirzah's unintentional needling, Rho gave a slight chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, no worries. I'll stay in my lane... Probably." He let go of Tirzah's hand to move on from this particular point and playfully flexed. "So Chef, what's first?"
He raised his free hand with a "Yo!" upon returning with Tirzah, and followed up with, "Mom had some wild idea for some sort of arts and craft session, so be ready for them to bring some stuff of questionable quality back."
At Tirzah's unintentional needling, Rho gave a slight chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, no worries. I'll stay in my lane... Probably." He let go of Tirzah's hand to move on from this particular point and playfully flexed. "So Chef, what's first?"
Mene
Mena, somehow, had expected some pushback on this, something about them all being on equal footing, so he was rather pleased at their easy(ish) acceptance of this principle, which really was a real thing in the kitchen. "Great!" he practically chirped. "First thing's to wash up, and then..." he pulled out a small stack of folded fabric with a flourish. "I, er, called in a favor. They're aprons! An investment toward dinner dates of the future." He turned a bit pink, clearly pleased with himself. He set them down and unfolded them, revealing thick fabric aprons which had been embroidered on the front pocket with each of their names and a little motif. Leaves for Tirzah, wings for Rho, and cooking implements like spoons and knives for Mena. He put his on and modeled it. "It's important to keep stuff off your fur, and does offer some protection from heat, for example."
Tirzah, who had already made it to the sink and started washing her hands, could hardly contain her delight. "Mena!" she squealed. "This is so fun and thoughtful!" She put hers over her head, but then turned her back to Rho to tie it for her while she finished washing up, which she figured he'd enjoy~
Mena was practically beaming by this point, and offered Rho's apron to him.
Tirzah, who had already made it to the sink and started washing her hands, could hardly contain her delight. "Mena!" she squealed. "This is so fun and thoughtful!" She put hers over her head, but then turned her back to Rho to tie it for her while she finished washing up, which she figured he'd enjoy~
Mena was practically beaming by this point, and offered Rho's apron to him.
Dai
Geh... He had to wash his hands for -this-? But they weren't even dirty... He'd opened his mouth to say as such, but caught a well-timed look from Tirzah and just shut up to do what he was told... even if it -was- rewashing perfectly-clean hands like a moron.
Oh by Earthmother's... Rho could feel himself dying of cringe from looking at the matching apron set. Even if he knew Mena's heart was in the right place, it was just so absolutely embarrassing. He could just die right here. Right now. He'd opened his mouth to ask if they were -really- necessary, but caught another well-timed look from Tirzah as she turned for him to tie hers on. Ugh. UGH. FINE. He bit his lip and tried his damndest to push down his thoughts as he got hers nice and snug (it did look cute on her, especially with those gainz of hers).
He placed his best attempt at a natural smile as he took the apron from Mena with as enthusiastic of a, "Thanks bro..." as he could muster before sliding it on and reaching to loosely tie it behind himself.
Moving on. The faster they got to cooking, the faster he could take this wonderfully kind gift off and place it in a cupboard. "Okay, they're on. So cooking..."
Oh by Earthmother's... Rho could feel himself dying of cringe from looking at the matching apron set. Even if he knew Mena's heart was in the right place, it was just so absolutely embarrassing. He could just die right here. Right now. He'd opened his mouth to ask if they were -really- necessary, but caught another well-timed look from Tirzah as she turned for him to tie hers on. Ugh. UGH. FINE. He bit his lip and tried his damndest to push down his thoughts as he got hers nice and snug (it did look cute on her, especially with those gainz of hers).
He placed his best attempt at a natural smile as he took the apron from Mena with as enthusiastic of a, "Thanks bro..." as he could muster before sliding it on and reaching to loosely tie it behind himself.
Moving on. The faster they got to cooking, the faster he could take this wonderfully kind gift off and place it in a cupboard. "Okay, they're on. So cooking..."