[Hypnosis Mic] Cooking Together

Chankonabe

Dice was waiting outside the door to a certain tucked-away encampment, having just barely skirted around the snares and traps along the way. Getting to Riou's place was fun, a bit thrilling trying to avoid the obstacles, but the stakes were too low for it to be that entertaining. If he got caught, he'd be found by Riou in the morning and get breakfast. Not much of a rush.

The door cracked open. "Yo! Riou-san!" he called out.

"Ah. Arisugawa-kun. Come in. We were just about to have dinner." He held the door open, showing Dice into his fortified home.

"Sweet! I've been- wait, we? Who else is here?" He was briefly scared that he'd unknowingly intruded on a Mad Trigger Crew meeting. The actual situation, he realized as he stepped into the main room, was far less exciting. "Oh. What're you doing here, office drone? Shouldn't you be out at a diner with your boyfriend?"

Doppo Kannonzaka was seated meekly at the low table. "B-Busujima-san was teaching me some cooking, and he invited me to stay. Did you two have plans? I'm sorry for interrupting, I-I can leave--"

Riou cut him off. "No plans. You can still stay. I've prepared more than enough for three." He disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the two rivals alone.

Dice sighed melodramatically. "I guess even a corporate slave has to get his kicks somehow." He dropped down across from Doppo, legs inelegantly crossed, head resting on a hand propped up on the table. "Eating wacko survival cooking must be the only thrill in your life outside of division battles."

"Huh? Is Busujima-san's cooking that weird? Sure, the ingredient choice is different, but..."

The fact that someone who could go eat somewhere else still chose to take advantage of Riou's hospitality really ticked Dice off. Everything about Doppo ticked him off. He thought about just up and leaving, but... food.

Riou reentered the room holding various dishes. At the sight of him -- and more importantly, the meal he was holding -- Dice perked up. "Woohoo! Thanks so much, Riou-san!"

"Thanks for your hospitality," Doppo said in turn.

"You're welcome." He set the dishes across the table. "I caught a whole flock of sparrows this morning, so the main dish is a ground sparrow and vegetable soup. I collected various mushrooms and herbs for the sides. I hope you enjoy them."

Dice was ignoring the explanation and scarfing down his food. Better to not think about the source.

Doppo apparently didn't feel the same way. "Sparrows? I've heard they're a delicacy in France..." He took a heaping spoonful. "Oh! The meat is... crunchy?"

"Keeping the bones in allows for a stronger broth," Riou explained.

Doppo nodded. "I see. It can't be easy to debone them, anyways." He kept eating.

Dice had never seen anyone except himself continue to eat Riou's food once they knew what was in it.