Sticky Honey Roast (Aether x Amber)

Sticky Honey Roast

The sun was hanging low in the sky, and the hunters of Springvale, Monstadt were already going home. With each passing minute, the forest got quieter and quieter, until only the sound of crackling flames and sizzling meat could be heard. In the clearing, a young man with blonde hair was standing at the cooking pot, eyeing its contents with a determined expression. The flames reflected off of the beads of sweat on his forehead as he worked.

Floating over the shoulder of the young man was a small, fairy-like creature. Her eyes were as blue as the lake just east of them. Her hair was as silver as the moon, and she wore strange pink clothes.

"Aether, that smells really good!" Said the fairy.

"Thanks, Paimon! I think I finally got it down," the young man replied. "The secret was cooking the sauce separately and then setting it aside. Then, I'm supposed to sautee the carrots until they're soft, and then add the meat. When the meat becomes juicy and tender, that's when I plate it and add the sauce. I had it all wrong this entire time!"

"Mm, I don't know anything about what you just said, but it sounds delicious!" Paimon cheered.

Once he was finished cooking, Aether removed the cooking pot from its place and set atop a tree stump. With a pair of wooden tongs, he carefully removed the meat and carrots from the pot and put it on a wooden dish. To top it off, he added the sweet honey sauce he'd set aside.

"Hey, Paimon," Aether turned to his companion. "Mind taste testing?"

"Sure!" Paimon agreed and came to his side. With a fork and knife, Aether sliced a small portion of meat, coated it with the sauce, and pierced a piece of carrot with it before handing it over to Paimon.

The fairy carefully takes the fork from his hand, leaning forward to sniff the steaming morsel. Then, without further ado, she blows on it and wolfs it down in a single bite.

"...Mmm! This is shoo good!" Paimon beamed. "It's perfect! It's so much better than all of your last attempts!"

"Well of course!" Aether smiled. "All of those times were just practice. This is the real deal, and I'm glad you like it!"

"Mhm!" Paimon patted her tummy as she floated happily. "Amber's gonna love this!"

"I hope so. Shh! There she is!"

In the distance, a woman with chestnut hair was approaching them. She was clad in red outrider's clothing, as well as her signature red bow that looked like a pair of cute little bunny ears. A warm smile formed on Aether's face when he saw her. That relentless pep in her step, even after a brutal day's work under the sun, was just one of the many things he admired about her.

"Hey, guys!" Amber called out to them as she got close. Although it wasn't long before she caught a whiff of the delicious dinner that Aether had just cooked up.

"Oooh, what's that smell?" Amber asked. Without even knowing it, she already had a drooling smile on her face.

"Thanks for coming, Amber," Aether greeted her with a smile. "I made your favorite"

"Wait!" Amber gasped. "Is that... Sticky Honey Roast!? Did you make that!?"

"Haha, yup! I've already set the table, so dig in!"

They took their seats around the table beside the campfire and had a hearty meal as the sun dipped below the mountains.

"Ahh, that was so nice," Amber gushed as she leaned back on her chair. She looked up at the violet-orange sky and took a deep breath, relishing the cool, crisp air of twilight. "It's almost as good as Good Hunter's."