Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Evening

[pocketpretzels]

Having made the decision to do an actual Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, Watts was spending a significant portion of today repeatedly herding a cat out of the kitchen making some of the dishes ahead of time. Like the dinner rolls which were currently cooling on the counter.

Humming a song as he worked, he was currently chopping apples for tomorrow's dessert.

Though part of him was also wondering if perhaps some butter tarts might not go awry. He'd even found a vegan recipe. Was two desserts too many?

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"I see," Watts said, slowly making a chopping motion with the hand holding the knife to see how it felt.

[hasaknightjob]

"Good," Marc said. He then got a spare cutting board and put it in front of him so Watts could see that easily too. "Next up, we're not moving it much. We're going for a rocking motion where the knife stays in the same spot the whole time. Like this."

Marc demonstrated, showing how the knife he held stayed above the exact same spot on the cutting board even as it rocked up and down.

[pocketpretzels]

"That is not at all how I do it," Watts admitted. He usually lifted the knife all the way off the board with each cut.

[hasaknightjob]

"Most people don't," Marc told him. "But you see how this is safer? Less chance of you cutting yourself instead of the food. Also we're letting the blade do the work. Whatever you're doing, let the tools do the job as much as possible. That's what they're for."

[pocketpretzels]

"The logic there is- sound," Watts agreed.

[hasaknightjob]

"Kay, so the next part is the food," Marc said. "The food we move. We push it under the knife. But we're going to keep our fingers tucked under like this, see?"

Marc got one of the bigger pieces of apple that still needed slicing and demonstrated how he put his hand on it but with his fingers folded over. "That way if I accidentally get too close to the blade, I'm bumping my knuckles instead of cutting them off."

[pocketpretzels]

"I do still have all my fingers," Watts pointed out.

Probably more luck than skill, there.

[hasaknightjob]

"And we'd like to keep it that way," Marc replied. "Now watch. Push with the left, rock with the right, that's how I get a slice. See it?"

Marc kept demonstrating, making sure to go slowly so it was easy for Watts to observe whatever step he needed.

[pocketpretzels]

The positioning of his fingers- of both hands, really- felt awkward and out of place, but he took another apple piece and did his best to mimic Marc's motions. The result was- a slice that was a bit thicker than what he wanted, but at least it was of a uniform thickness.

[hasaknightjob]

"Good," Marc said. He wasn't worried about the final product at the moment, more the technique. "Try it again."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts was a little concerned about the technique, they only had a finite number of apples after all.

Another attempt, though this time the rocking motion wasn't exactly perpendicular, sliding a little to one side and resulting in an uneven slice.

[hasaknightjob]

"It's okay," Marc said. "Take your time. Muscle memory has to build."

Behind Marc, where Marc could not see but Watts might if he glanced past Marc's shoulder, Steven appeared in one of the kitchen's many reflective surfaces. He watched Marc and Watts with a look of quiet fondness on his face. If Watts did notice, Steven would motion him to not alert Marc to him being there.

[pocketpretzels]

And indeed, Watts did happen to be glancing up at just the right moment as he grabbed another apple slice.

The tiny, fleeting smile he offered Steven could easily be explained as one of satisfaction as this time he actually managed a slice that was within acceptable parameters, size-wise.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven's smile back was definitely one of showing how happy he was to see Marc and Watts together like this. The reflection then faced back into Marc's, but every so often there was a hint of movement which suggested Steven hadn't gone far.

"Don't worry about it not looking perfect," Marc said, oblivious to all this. "Everybody's gotta start somewhere. Better the apples are a little roughed up instead of you."

[pocketpretzels]

"I suppose," Watts acknowledged. "Still, it being aesthetically pleasing does add something to the dish."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm not knocking it," Marc said. "Just saying don't be so hard on yourself."

[pocketpretzels]

"I see," Watts said. "I shall endeavour not to be." Whether or not he'd succeed was something else entirely.

[hasaknightjob]

"Knife work takes skills," Marc said. "Practice. Even this kind."

Yanno, as opposed to the kind that put knives into people.

"Besides, Steven's gonna love it." Marc took in everything else in the kitchen. "Looks great so far."

[pocketpretzels]

“Thank you,” Watts said with an appreciative smile. “Making the rolls ahead of time was a risk, but Raphael has not yet managed to figure out how to open a sealed container, so I figure they will be safe enough overnight.”

He thought about reminding Marc he was welcome, but he didn’t want to push. So instead, he asked: “Have you ever tried butter tarts before?”

[hasaknightjob]

There was a pause as Marc tried to guess. Finally he gave up. "It's you so that's probably not a sex thing, right?"

[pocketpretzels]

Congratulations, Marc, you just managed to unlock what was typically a Steven achievement:

… Also not a sex thing. Just an amused, if somewhat startled laugh. “No, not a ‘sex thing’. A type of pastry. Dessert. And given that you had to ask I shall conclude the answer is no.”

[hasaknightjob]

Look, tart had a lot of meanings!

"Not ringing a bell," Marc said. "Is it a British thing? Steven might've had it if it's a British thing."

And vegan but Watts knew that part without saying.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts shook his head. “Canadian,” he told Marc.

[hasaknightjob]

"Then yeah, he's got no idea," Marc said. He pointed to the apples. "You want help with the rest of those or you want the practice?"

[pocketpretzels]

“I would welcome some assistance,” Watts admitted gratefully, touched by the offer. “It has taken me longer than I anticipated to get to even this point,” he continued. “I suspect there may be an apple pie or two in our future.”