"Hey Mami," you say. "We'll cook something?"
"We should!" Mami beams at you, and then Homura. "Homura, again, make yourself at home. Feel free to watch the television, if you like?"
Homura nods, and quietly settles herself on the sofa.
"Maybe something Italian?" you suggest to Mami.
"Good idea," Mami agrees, her face darkening a little. "Homura definitely liked the pasta, back when... well."
"Hmm, yeah," you say. You reach for the cupboard, hunting for the pasta. "Spaghetti?"
"Well, it's not too late yet, so we have time for something a little more elaborate..." Mami notes. "Lasagne?"
"Ooh, sounds good," you agree. The blonde gives you a warm smile. "We should have some of the lasagne sheets somewhere."
"You know," you comment to Mami as rummage through the cupboards, hunting for the lasagne. "Homura is- Aha, found them. Homura's..." You sketch a figure in the air, and then hold up the box of lasagne noodle and your free palm, rather close together to demonstrate. "Too thin.
Noodly, I might say."
Mami giggles as she starts the oven, for preheating. "She is, a little."
"We should do something about that," you grin at her, raising your eyebrows.
"That is...
so, so...
you." She gives you a soft smile.
You shrug. "So it's agreed then? By the way, garlic? Onions?"
"Agreed," Mami smiles. "And yes to both."
"Hear that, Homura?" you call into the living room. "You're too thin; we're going to fatten you up a bit."
"What?"
"Too thin! Fattening!" you repeat.
"What." Homura appears at the doorway, giving you and Mami unamused looks.
"You're too thin, and we're going to fatten you up," you repeat patiently. "Oh, right!" You reach into your pocket, glancing at Mami while she rinses the chopping board. Your questing fingers find first the bulbous spiked form of a Grief Seed, and then your mobile phone. You pull it out and wave it at Mami. "Hey Mami, what's your phone number? Homura, stay there for a moment."
"Hmm? Oh," Mami says, looking up from the sink. You thumb type her number into your phone, and spend a minute to fiddle with the settings, trying to see if you can set a custom ring tone. You
can, it looks like, and you grin. You know what you're going to set for Mami, though you're going to have to remember to record it later...
"Right, Homura," you say, glancing at the time traveller. Amethyst eyes give you a curious look. "What's your phone number? And do you have Madoka's and Sayaka's?"
"Yes, I do," Homura says.
"Right, do you mind?" you lob your phone at her, and she reflexively snatches it out of the air. Meanwhile, you gently steal the chopping board from Mami, and begin chopping up some garlic and onions. She gives you a fondly exasperated look, and instead pulls open the freezer to locate some minced beef.
"Done," Homura says. "I'll leave the phone here?"
"Heh, sure," you nod. "And thanks! By the way, just curious, do you cook?"
"Yes, a little," Homura replies.
"Oh? What do you like to cook?" Mami asks curiously, perking up a little.
"Food," the time traveller says unhelpfully. You give her a Look. "Simple dishes. Noodles, and rice. Explosives."
"Ah, I see," Mami says, before her brain catches up to her mouth. "Wait, what?"
"No, wait," you inject into the converation. "Homura, there's no way you're
that clueless. Are you... telling a joke?"
A blank face stares back at you, a tiny,
tiny smile tugging at her lips.
... huh.
Behind you, Mami giggles at the sheer
absurdity as she begins sauteeing the minced beef.
Homura nods regally, and
sweeps back off into the living room.
Mami's giggle becomes a full blown laugh, and you join her.
"
So anyway," you say telepathically to Mami as the two of you stand side by side, beginning to layer tomato, beef, cheese, and the lasagne noodle into a pan. "
How're you holding up, Mami?"
"
I'm fine," she replies, and bumps her shoulder against yours. "
With you at my side, how could I not
be?"
"
Mmm," you say.
The lasagne takes half an hour to bake, the savoury smells of cheese and beef permeating the apartment as the three of you wait outside on the sofa, watching the news. Nothing much seems to be happening. Homura sends occasional, casual glances at the kitchen, and then at Mami and you.
When it's done, the three of you sit down to steaming golden slices of lasagne. Homura barely takes a moment to say the traditional thanks before digging in, her knife and fork moving with alacrity while you and Mami start in a little more sedately.
"This is delicious," Homura volunteers, out of the blue.
You give the girl a startled glance, mirrored by Mami. The blonde recovers first, and smiles. "Thank you, Homura!"
"Mmm." You savour your own lasagne. "This
is good, Mami," you smile at her. "You could easily be a professional cook if you wanted to! Don't you think so, Homura?"
Homura nods, mouth full again.
Mami blushes a little. "I'm not that good," she disagrees.
"Yes you are," you say. "You really are."
"Mmmm," Homura mumbles around a mouthful of gooey cheese and beef.
"See?" you gesture at the time traveller. "Homura agrees with me."
"... thanks," Mami says.
[] Further conversation?
[] What next, after dinner?
[] Write-in
=====
Soon.