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You were not fibbing when you said you knew your way around the kitchen. "Holy fuck," Toji all but moans, tearing into another piece of tender meat with his canines. It was juicy and seasoned almost too much, just the way he likes it. He squints across the table, where you eat in tandem with much better manners than he could ever hope to have. "Who taught you how to cook like this?"
You shrug bashfully under his gawking, wiping your mouth with a dainty stroke of the napkin you had placed in your lap. "I traveled a lot in between semesters at college. Italy, France, Denmark..." You list a few more places that Toji wouldn't be able to point out on a map. "Those European countries do food so good, I guess it inspired me to give my best shot at it as well." Self taught, huh? Yeah, you seem like the type to succeed in everything you try.
The man nods, ultimately wishing he had more to add. He wishes he had just an ounce in common with you, a smidgen of relatability to offer. But he doesn't. Toji didn't finish school. He's never left Japan. He's never cooked a damn thing from scratch in his life. You must've caught on to his struggle and decided to show mercy by adding, "actually, right now we're eating steak au poivre."
"Steak au po–" He cut himself off before inevitably butchering the name. "What is that? French?"
You're nodding enthusiastically. "That's right. I happened upon this dish when I was staying in Bordeaux with a few college mates." There's a sweet smile tugging sheepishly at your lips as you recall the memory. "I fell in love with it the second I tried it, and asked the manager right then and there for the recipe."
