For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

(warnings: sexytimes. also, panic attacks, brutal violence, attempted murder, discussion of suicide and actual murder... )

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[formersurgeon]

"Right. Winging it it is." She watches him pour another pancake-sized pool of batter onto the pan. "Do we flip it without the spatula the first time too?"

[theodorelasso]

"Eh, let's maybe play it cool, I think the only reason that one was okay to flip was because I made it too small, and, well, it was already kind of burnt," Ted answers, staring doubtfully at the pan. These things seem pretty big and floppy. "I'd like to be able to properly eat some of these." On that note, he breaks off another piece of the pancake to eat. Half the fun of cooking is getting to snack in the meantime.

[formersurgeon]

"Okay, do it the regular way, got it."

She waits, watching as the batter begins to solidify. Once it looks set she slides the spatula underneath it and flips it over. It stays together and is a perfect golden brown.

"Yes!" she exhales in victory.

[theodorelasso]

"Heck yeah!" Ted agrees, offering her up a high five. He is all about celebrating the tiny victories! Especially when they're food based.

[formersurgeon]

She gives him that high five enthusiastically. This is fun!

She waits for a few moments, then flips the pancake again, making sure the bottom is cooked. It's perfect.

[theodorelasso]

"Amazing," he says, grabbing another plate for this pristine pancake, holding it out so she can slide it on over. "You wanna share this one, as a celebratory first successful pancake?"

[formersurgeon]

"Sure," she says as she slides the pancake onto the plate. "Do we need silverware or do we just want to tear it apart and eat it with our hands?"

The latter sounds really appealing at the moment.

[theodorelasso]

"Well, apparently you're supposed to roll it up, so I think eating with our hands will work nice even if we stuff it full of jam," he answers, opening the jar of jam. Even having snacked a little, the pancake is looking really appetizing right now.

[formersurgeon]

"That sounds perfect," she says. She opens the silverware drawer to fetch a clean spoon and offers it to him.

[theodorelasso]

"Thank you," he says, accepting it and then hands her the ladle. "Here, you keep making them in the meantime." That way they can have a constant supple of pancakes while eating. He spreads jam over the pancake (hopefully not so much that it will drip terribly), then rolls it up, and cuts it in half in the middle just using the spoon.

When Joan has a moment in between ladling and cooking, he offers her up her half. "Here you go, sweetie."

[formersurgeon]

She makes another one in the time he takes to prepare the roll-up, sliding it on the plate as he offers her half, and calls her sweetie. She blinks, taken aback for a split second, then smiles. It's actually really nice.

"Thanks, honey," she says, trying that on for size as she accepts the roll-up.

[theodorelasso]

The cute nickname had been almost instinctual, not something he put a lot of thought into, but when she reciprocates, it makes him feel real good. He actually glows a little.

"Alright, ready?" he asks, holding up his half up almost as a toast, before taking a big yummy bite of it, and immediately making a delighted sound of approval. "Hoo, that's good!" he says excitedly. "What am I doing making stuff from scratch when they come so yummy right out of the box?"

[formersurgeon]

He's glowing, and she feels it, right in the center of her being. What an amazing thing, being able to make this positive, optimistic, happy man even happier.

She smiles and holds up her half to toast him back, then takes a bite. "Mmm!" she hums as she chews. "It is good. I like yours better, though."

[theodorelasso]

"Well, you're morally obligated to say that," he answers with a warm chuckle. "Though I bet I could tweak this mix to really bring it to the next level."

Turns out these thin pancakes go down real quick, so it takes no time to finish, as he licks jam off his fingers.

[formersurgeon]

"Doesn't mean it's not true," she says with a smile, licking her fingers as well. She does sincerely prefer Ted's cooking, but this stuff is pretty good. She can see how he could add to the mix and make it incredible. "Mmm. How many of these should we make?"

[theodorelasso]

"I think I could gobble down two or three more of these, easy, so keep 'em coming," he answers, spreading jam on the second one. "Or I could take over, if you like."

[formersurgeon]

"I've got it," she says, pouring another ladle of the batter into the pan. "You can sit down if you like." It would probably be good to get him off that cast, and she'd like to take care of him a little.

[theodorelasso]

"Thanks," he says gratefully, giving her a one-armed hug and a kiss on the top of the head. Then he carefully limps back over to the bed, sitting down on top of the covers with a tired grunt, before digging into the second pancake.

[formersurgeon]

She leans into that hug, smiling at the kiss. Then she continues cooking the pancakes. Since the pancakes are thin they cook up quickly, so it's not long before she comes over with two plates with three pancakes each. She hands one to Ted and sits with the other.

[theodorelasso]

"Dinner in bed, what a luxury," he comments with a smile, accepting the plate and stacking it on top of his other now empty plate. "Oh, do we have something to drink? Sorry, should've asked before you sat down."

[formersurgeon]

"It's okay," she says, leaning in to kiss his cheek before getting up, carrying her plate with her. "I think we have milk and some cans of juice. Do you have a preference?"

[theodorelasso]

"Oh I'm good with either, but milk gives me the toots, so I think it's your preference we should be worried about," Ted quips with a smile.

[formersurgeon]

She laughs a little at that cute, folksy way to convey that bit of information. "Canned orange juice it is," she says, grabbing a couple and returning to the bed. "No apple juice, unfortunately," she says, handing him a can.

[theodorelasso]

He considers making a 'orange yous glad' joke, but decides against it.

"Don't think I've had either in a can before," he answers, opening it and taking a sip. Tastes the same but the experience is a little different. He sets it down then starts digging into the pancakes.

"You know, this place ain't so bad, but it could really benefit from some sort of home entertainment," he comments, looking around the boring mostly empty room.

[formersurgeon]

"It could," she agrees after taking a sip of her orange juice. "I think the argument was that it was important to use as little electricity as possible. This room doesn't exist in any official capacity, and the electricity is being taken from nearby sources. The fridge and the stove are necessities, but a TV is not."