Over Pickles and Twix

i.

"Hey guys, today on it's alive, we're gonna be making pickles," Harry leans against the countertop on one hand. "You know, just your regular dill pickles, you can put them in the fridge, keep 'em there for a week, two weeks. You can do them crinkle cut style, you can leave 'em whole, do whatever you like!" He outstretches his arms, clearing his throat. "Anyway, let's get goin'! Jeffrey, why are you looking at me like that?" Harry frowns at Jeff behind the camera but his face is overcome with a smile shortly after. "You like pickles? I mean, I love 'em with some things. But a good pickle is never a bad thing, is it? With a nice sandwich, on some sourdough bread, delicious!"

It's some time later when Harry pulls out a ready jar of pickles that has been in the reach-in for a few days. "I don't like when pickles are too sour," Harry looks at the camera after he fishes a pickle out of the jar. "You know what I mean? It's not nice to eat, it's all, kind of like bitter on the outside. A good balance between the sweetness and sourness is key," he bites into the pickle nodding. "Good, not bad. I could've left it in there for a day, two longer but it's good. You want a taste, Jeffrey?" Harry nearly bends over the table trying to force the pickle to Jeff but Jeff only takes a few steps back from the station. "Impossible," Harry shakes his head and turns around. "I need someone else to taste it. Who is here? The kitchen's deserted. Oh, wait," frantically, Harry fishes out a new pickle from the jar. "Hey, Zayn, come here! I need you to taste something for me."

The camera zooms in on Zayn, who turns to Harry with more than a startled expression. "I'm kinda in the middle of something, Harry."

"Jesus Christ," Harry rolls his eyes and walks over to the stove where Zayn is melting something, the fork with the pickle still in hand. "Tell me you're not tempering chocolate again. You're firing through the chocolate reserves of the world."

"No, I only temper chocolate if I'm forced to on gourmet makes," Zayn chuckles. "I'm developing a brownie recipe, actually."

"Oh my god," Harry groans. "You have to leave me some."

"Okay, sure, there's gonna be plenty," Zayn smiles. "What did you want me to taste?"

"Oh," Harry remembers the fork with the pickle in his hand. He holds it in front of Zayn's face, nearly hitting his nose with it. "Take a bite." Kind of reluctantly, Zayn takes a bite and the pickle manages not to fall. Harry looks at him intently, "Good? Is it sour enough? Too sour?"

"No, it's just okay," Zayn says as he finishes chewing. He's still whisking the chocolatey concoction in front of him. "Crunchy. I like it."

"Good," Harry nods once, taking a step back. "That's what I was aiming for, you know? You don't want a soggy, soft pickle, do you?"

"Definitely not," Zayn says, a small smile playing on his lips. "How long are you staying in the test kitchen tonight?"

Harry whistles, his brows furrowed. "Me and Jeffrey are gonna wrap this up and probably go. Yeah, something like that."

"Oh, okay," Zayn nods. His ability to stir a part of brownie batter over a double boiler and simultaneously keeping eye contact while talking is certainly admirable. "I was just trying to see if you'll be here for the brownies or if I should leave you some for tomorrow."

"Oh," Harry drawls. "I mean, um, yeah, I wasn't gonna stay but, ehm, brownies, yeah?" Harry leans against the stove and minutely pulls away like he was burned. He probably was. His cheeks are a bright pink colour. "I'll stay for those. Yeah, sure I'll stay for those. Who doesn't like brownies?"

"I'll finish the batter and they should be done in like, thirty minutes?" Zayn says, already turning off the gas and taking his mixture to his station. "See you then."

"Alright," Harry blinks, walking away. He nearly trips over nothing as he walks backwards, watching Zayn crack an egg in one hand and drop the insides into the bowl. He gives Jeff a look once he turns around and regains his balance. The corners of his lips are pulling up in a smile. "What's so funny, Jeffrey?"

"Nothing at all, Harry," Jeff says, smiling behind the camera. His voice won't make it into the video but Harry's blushing and fumbling sure will.