// vomit warning towards the last third
it's a bit short and kind of vague(?), but i thought i'd still mention
~
I entered the kitchen and took a moment to look around in thought. I tried to think of a meal off of the top of my head Zane and I could work on together. I didn't want to pick anything too difficult and foreign.
Eventually, I searched for my recipe book and flipped around for something simple. It was a type of soup or porridge, others have called it. It was a bit rich, but it wasn't as heavy as something I'd make for dinner.
Morro always said it was good for lunch.
"Did you have an idea of what to make?"
I turned to Zane. "I think so," I said. Even if he couldn't read it, I showed Zane the page I was on. There were a couple of drawings. "I don't think I'll make the bread today, but it should still be good with what we have."
Zane offered a nod. "What will we need?"
I read off the list of ingredients. Flour, sugar, milk, and either sour cream or heavy cream. I usually used heavy cream, as sour cream was a greater challenge to get. Zane easily searched for the ingredients while I went to find a small pot.
I had to stop myself from moving into auto pilot before turning to Zane. "Do you... want to start?" I don't think I've cooked with someone before, so I wasn't sure how to offer to let someone help. Morro and I never really cooked together, as he wasn't someone that enjoyed cooking.
"Of course," Zane nodded. "What would you like me to do?"
I glanced at the recipe book before taking the heavy cream. "We start by heating some of this in a pot."
Our cooking session went by quickly. Zane was already an amazing cook, but he was also able to follow my directions almost perfectly. He had hesitated a few times, as some of the instructions he said he had never done before and wasn't sure, but I did my best to tell him that I've made this dish before, and people loved it then.
Faster than ever, the soup was done. I couldn't help but smile as I plated a trio of small bowls. On a plate, I set a few slices of bread and a couple of spoons. Zane carried two bowls while I took the third bowl and the plate to the dining room.
Jay was already excitedly waiting for lunch. I couldn't stop my smile as I offered him his bowl of soup
Lunch went and passed, and soon Jay and Zane headed back outside. I stuck around in the kitchen to store the leftovers for my father and whoever he brings back. Once done, I headed for the exit.
I heard the monastery's main doors open, and I paused in surprise as I listened.
Immediately, Jay called out. "Oh, hey! Are you the new guy? You guys got here quick!"
I couldn't hear the newcomer's voice at first. "...all the way up here?" I barely caught.
"Crazy, isn't it?" Jay exclaimed. "I'm Jay! Hope you're a fan of cooking, 'cause everyone else here is!"
"Of course," The newcomer eventually responded. "It's my favourite pastime..." A short pause. "So... This is it? There's not a lot here."
"There's a secret training course right underneath!" Jay explained. "We ended up putting it away since (Y/n) made lunch. Oh, if you're hungry, we've got some leftovers. I don't know what it is, but it's insanely good."
I barely laughed. It was hard to keep my smile down.
"Speaking of them," Zane spoke up, "where did (Y/n) go?"
I took that as my cue to enter. I reached for the door and slid it out of the way. I barely ducked through the doorway and stood upon the deck.
I didn't get a single word out before the newcomer let out a shout and jumped back.
I turned to the newcomer in surprise. He was very different from Jay and Zane, with black hair that seemed fluffy and curled at its edges. He didn't have a shirt on, which I found to be weird. He held a large backpack before himself like a shield as he frightfully stared at me.
Slowly, I raised a hand. "Hi...?"
The new student didn't lower his guard. "What are you?!"
I offered a shrug. "I don't know," I answered. "My name's (Y/n), though."
"They're perfectly safe, dude!" Jay moved to stand next to me. "They're a crazy good chef and amazing at training! They taught me and Zane all we know!"
"I didn't teach you everything," I protested. "You wouldn't let me help when I hurt my leg."
"That was serious!" Jay argued.
"Not to me." I held back a frustrated laugh.
"Either way, you're still a great chef!" Jay confidently spoke. "That soup you made was amazing!"
The newcomer had barely lowered his bag, though when I turned to look he raised it again.
He was genuinely terrified of me.
It was a strange feeling to have. Sure, others had been scared of me, but the other students outgrew their fear and began hating me. Morro was terrified, but he never showed it. It wasn't until weeks into our friendship did he share that he was scared, and by then it didn't bother me.
This was new.
"Zane, perhaps you could show Cole to one of our empty rooms," Sensei stated.
I moved to the side, and the newcomer, Cole, hesitantly passed me to follow Zane inside.
Once they were most likely out of earshot, Jay let out a sigh. "He seems terrified of you!"
I offered a small nod. "...I don't really blame him."
"Really?" Jay stared in shock. "You're not upset?"
"I'm trying not to be," I said with a small smile. "Other people were scared of me before." I wasn't sure if I should share that Cole's reaction was the worst by far, so I kept it to myself.
"On our travel, he shared that he wasn't afraid of anything in this world," My father shared. "I had asked about dragons, though he fearfully claimed that they weren't from this world."
"Oh, great!" Jay sarcastically exclaimed. "He's afraid of (Y/n)! All because they're not from here?"
"Don't be upset," I tried to calm Jay down. "I think I'd be scared if I saw a monster."
"You're not a monster!"
"But he might think that," I shrugged.
Jay let out a sigh. "Well, uh, he's gonna have to learn how to deal with it! He's gonna be a new ninja here, right?"
"I am certain that with time, he will learn to overcome his fear," My father spoke. "Until then, acknowledge his fear and take it one step at a time."
I held a small, uncertain smile. I wasn't sure how I would be able to help Cole if he couldn't stand being near me, but I was willing to try.
I can only hope he won't hate me once he gets over his fear.
~ ~ ~
It had only been a day, yet Cole seemed to be doing his best.
Of course, Cole still refuses to be in the same room with me without both Jay and Zane being present, but Cole hadn't attempted to use anything as a shield since our meeting.
I've been doing my best to try and give Cole some space, though it is difficult with Jay constantly dragging me outside to try and "show Cole how a professional runs through the course." I've heard Jay argue with Cole about how I'm not someone to be afraid of, and I've had to tell Jay to not push someone to face something they're afraid of so hard a few times already.
I sat at the dining table patiently. Jay and Zane both sat nearby, with Jay across from me and Zane taking the seat beside me. Today was Cole's first turn in cooking.
I couldn't help but fidget with my hands as Cole cooked. I could smell it from here, and it didn't seem the best. Something smelled like it was burnt. It was a light smell, one that neither Zane nor Jay commented on yet, but it still had me just a bit worried.
Eventually, Cole quickly entered the dining room, a large tray within his grasp. A deep pan, a stack of plates, and a bundle of silverware sat atop the tray. He set the tray on the table with a great smile. "Done!"
I glanced at the dish inside the deep pan. A layer of what seemed like burnt cheese sat at the top.
"What is it?" Curiously, I asked. I don't think I've seen a dish like this yet.
Cole looked surprised. "Lasagna?"
"That's lasagna...?" I barely heard Jay speak.
Cole let out a scoff. Seemed he heard Jay, too. "The first time I cook, and you guys make fun of it?"
"I wasn't," I said. "I haven't seen this dish before."
Cole seemed confused before he let out a sigh. "...Well," He offered a forced smile. "Dig in."
Plates and silverware were passed around. A large spatula sat next to the deep pan, and I lifted it and cut into the lasagna.
The first thing I realised was how hard it was to start cutting. When the surface cracked, my spatula sunk faster than I was comfortable with. I cut out a small square and moved it onto my plate.
The slice of lasagna began to sink as the sauce inside spilled out. I did my best to push my worries aside as I picked up my fork.
Jay hesitantly got himself a small piece as I cut a piece and lifted the fork to my mouth. I took a bite.
I couldn't help but flinch. The top was crunchy, but the rest was squishy and very runny. The mix of spices that hit my mouth was too much, and there was an underlying taste of something simply gross.
I barely shook as I looked at Cole. "How did you make this."
Cole looked upset. "Is it... not good?"
I didn't know what to say. I wanted to be honest, but the way Cole looked at me with only sadness made me hesitate. For once, he didn't seem scared of me.
I didn't want to say something that would only make me hate him.
My silence spoke for me, however, and Cole let out a sigh. "Could you at least tell me what's wrong?"
"It appears to be burnt," Zane spoke up. "Perhaps you had left it in the oven for too long."
"Too long? More like not long enough!" Jay interjected. "You see how fast it's falling apart! The inside doesn't even look cooked at all!"
"Don't be mean, Jay," I tried to intervene.
"How'd you cook it?" Jay, ignoring me, turned to Cole.
Cole hesitantly told Jay the oven's temperature and its time.
Jay was shocked into silence.
"You put it in the oven at double the temperature for half the time?" Zane quietly asked.
"I- I thought it'd cook faster?" Cole barely spoke.
Jay held his head in his hands in disappointment. This was the longest Jay had been quiet, and it was starting to scare me.
"...Sorry, Cole," I set down the fork and pushed the plate away.
Cole barely shook his head. "It's... It's fine," He said. "I'll clean this up."
"Shall I make something else?" Zane questioned.
Jay sat upright. "I think that'd be better," He tried to offer a grin, though still seemed very annoyed.
Cole cleaned up the table. Zane offered some help, and the two soon left the dining room. Not long later, Cole returned, seating himself diagonally from me before setting his head on the table in sadness.
I felt awful. I wanted to say something, but I didn't want to test my luck. Cole probably didn't want to hear anything out of me, right now.
Jay eventually managed to start a conversation with me, and he and I spoke for a short while. There was still an air of anxiety and uneasiness, and I was trying my best not to let it show.
Still, I'm sure Jay knew.
Eventually, Zane returned with a small, traditional meal. A bowl was placed before me, and as much as Zane's food looked amazing, I felt like I couldn't eat.
Still, I pushed myself. Zane's cooking was good enough to push my uneasiness aside, and I ate a good portion of food before deciding to finish.
I helped clean up the plates. While in the kitchen, I poured myself a bottle of water. I headed out onto the monastery's courtyard and took a small breath.
I still felt awful, but it wasn't an emotional feeling, anymore.
I took a drink of water as Jay left the monastery. "Ready to knock some socks off?!"
"...Just give me a minute," I said.
"Take your time!" Jay said. "I'm gonna go for a new record!"
I stood back and watched as Jay ran through the course yet again. I could only hold a small smile as Jay continued to progress. He was getting better fast.
Zane entered the courtyard, and the two trained together. I sat on the monastery's front deck, trying to see if this terrible feeling would go away.
It doesn't.
Instead, my nausea grew. I felt sick, and it was only getting worse.
I stood from the deck and made my way inside. I tried to keep my pace even and normal, though once I was out of sight of both Zane and Jay, I began to speed towards the bathroom. The door was cracked open, and I pushed the door aside before throwing it shut behind me.
Not long later, and my body was sore. My stomach twisted as I leaned against the toilet in agony. I could only feel upset.
Zane's food went to waste.
The door gently opened, and I could only turn away in shame. Even if he knew what to do, I still hated when my father saw me sick or injured. Though he's been less strict the past few months, my father still refused to let me do much whenever I was ill. I was waiting to be asked what was wrong.
Instead, though, a hand gently rubbed against my back.
I shook my confusion aside and focused on steadying my breathing. The worst of it was gone. I spent a long while collecting myself, and with one, final breath, I turned.
Cole jolted back in surprise.
"...Sorry," I quietly spoke. "And thanks."
Cole only offered a quiet noise back.
I looked down to find my water bottle. I brought it in with me, despite the chaos. I took a long drink before turning back to Cole. He had yet to leave.
"...Don't tell my dad about this," I mentioned.
Cole looked at me with confusion.
"He's... kind of strict whenever I get sick," I explained. "Even if I feel better, he still makes me rest, most of the time."
"Was my food that bad?"
I looked at Cole in surprise. I offered a shrug. "Food tasting bad shouldn't do this." I thought for a moment before asking, "What ingredients did you use?"
"Nothing different..." Cole hesitantly said. "Though the tomatoes were a bit squishy, now that I think about it." Realisation dawned on Cole, and he looked at me in horror. "Oh, they went bad..."
I offered a weak smile and waved Cole off. "Don't worry. I made that mistake before, too."
"...You have?" Cole asked. "I thought Jay said you were a good cook."
"I learned a lot by trying and seeing what happens," I said. "A lot of the things I cook aren't from Ninjago. I see them in dreams, and I try to make them on my own." I let out a dry laugh. "I usually didn't ask anyone for help, so I didn't know the milk was spoiled until I tried it."
Cole let out a chuckle, one that helped lift my spirits. "Well... glad to hear I'm not the only one."
Even if my story was embarrassing, I couldn't help but smile. "It happens. It just makes us learn to be a bit more careful."
Cole offered a nod. "...If, uh... it's fine with you," He took a breath, "maybe you could teach me a bit about cooking?"
I glanced at Cole. "You don't have to if you're afraid of me."
"I- I'm not..." Cole stopped his lie. He sighed. "Okay, I'm still a bit afraid of you. But I want to try. Jay has been constantly running his mouth about how cool of a person you are, and I feel bad about being afraid of you."
I paused for a moment to think. Jay talks about me that much? "You... don't have to feel bad about being scared of me," I said. "I get it. Besides, I've been through worse."
Cole seemed surprise. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," I quietly laughed. "Other people get angry instead of scared, and they make fun of me instead." I offered a shrug. "Some past students were like that."
Cole slowly shook his head. "That's awful."
"'Tell me about it,'" I said. I could only hope I used that phrase right. I've heard Jay use it a couple of times already.
Silence returned, but it was almost comforting. In under two days, Cole was beside me without the others around. He sincerely was trying his best to conquer his fear.
And all it took was a painful stomachache.
I took another drink of my water before feeling ready to head back out. I steadily got up from the ground and washed up. Cole accompanied me back to the kitchen, though he did put some space between us.
He's trying, I remind myself.
Just like I always am.
~
been gone a bit lol
just some life and existential problems
and also procrastination i've been gaming too much lol
(also yeah i mostly copied my excuse from my other book if anyone reads that one lol)