Garlic Breath

Minestrone

The first thing Takumi thinks of is last night, of course. Souma walking away to be exact; so convicted, so immovable. And how much Takumi had wanted him to turn around and say all this, what he's just said. But this sudden one eighty—

Takumi frowns at the cup.

Isn't Souma's stubbornness the whole reason why he'd gone through all the trouble this morning?

Wait, maybe that's why Takumi's so bothered by this decision? Is he so desperate to be the hero, he can't stomach the fact that Souma wants to rescue himself on his own?

No, he tries to reason with himself. This is very ideal! This makes things a lot easier.

And the fact that this is all for Takumi, Souma is choosing to cook for Takumi? Last night it was all he wanted, the stuff of dreams, the proof that he needed to know Souma does in fact like him actually and—

It doesn't feel good.

It doesn't feel right. This only adds to Takumi's frustration because even though he knows he should be happy, he isn't.

"You cooked this?" Takumi asks, swishing the cup. "Because of what I said last night?"

Souma rolls back and forth on his heels. "Try it."

Something about his countenance is starting to look a little nervous and apprehensive, so Takumi bites his words back. He opens the cup's lid. The pleasing, faint aroma of seasonal vegetables in broth touches his nose, and he breathes it in, recognising it immediately before he even looks. Yep.

Minestrone D'orzo.

Maybe that's why Souma's so nervous. Getting this wrong won't mean just one snide little remark. But now why is Takumi almost scared himself to taste it himself?

Sensing Souma's anxiety mounting the more he stares down at it however, Takumi quickly lifts the cup up and takes a sip. And the moment of truth is:

It's... not that bad.

Still Takumi takes his time, keeping his expression neutral as he rolls it around his mouth, debating what he's going to say.

Because well, it's not that good either.

Something about this moment feels fragile though, calls for sensitivity. Something, he's suddenly ashamed to realise, he hadn't practised at all last night. Not when he was judging Souma's earlier creations and certainly not after... when Takumi had yelled at him.

But tact, Takumi does not know. When it comes to judging food, he can only be honest.

He swallows.

"Okay."

The effect is instantaneous. Souma's face immediately falls. "Oh."

Shit.

"No. I mean, it's okay!" Takumi bites his lip. "Well, it's.... it's edible."

"Edible?" Souma winces. "Really?"

"It is edible," Takumi says, helplessly.

Souma shrinks and shrinks. "That's literally the bare minimum."

"Well considering the last stuff you've made, that is a good thing!"

He knows it's the worst thing he could have possibly said, as soon as he says it.

Souma immediately looks abashed, making Takumi feel like he's the most horrible person on the planet. He instantly finds himself wanting to move closer, to reach out and touch Souma, to get close to him like he'd been allowed to before, but now Takumi's not even sure if that's welcome anymore.