fandomtownies | Community Center Class: Baked Baking [Tuesday 3/21]

Community Center Class: Baked Baking [Tuesday 3/21]

Was there a reason both instructors were smirking faintly at the assorted containers of Cup Noodle(™) set out today? Of course there was. There was always a reason for their behavior even if that reason was ridiculous.

"My sincerest apologies to Ignis ~~IF he even SHOWED UP, GOD~~," said Summer, who knew he couldn't see her smirk, but trust that he could hear it…hell, he could probably even smell it now that all his other senses were, like, superhuman or whatever, "but I've been thinking about Cup Noodle a little bit lately, and, you know what? Instant ramen is a solid food for when you're baked."

“I’ve been told it’s a good food choice at all times,” Stark said. “It does taste very good when you’re hungry. I only tried it recently when it was offered by a friend,” he said, hesitating almost imperceptibly on that last word. “But I liked it. It can be good by itself or you can add many things to it. We have some items here you can add, if you like.” He waved his hand at the assorted (and moddable) add-ins arrayed before him on the counter.

"Points for creativity," Summer added with a decisive nod, "of course. Make me proud."

And give her fodder to either impress and/or horrify (both could be effective in their own right) someone who this class was definitely not inspired by, how dare.

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With noods?

Ignis Scientia

Connor Temple

Shane Gooseman

Wonder what hold these noodles seem to have over an increasing number of people on the island.

Oh, Ignis was here, alright.

And very much wishing he wasn't, right about now.

Noodles? Consider Connor intrigued with this.

Goose had actually managed to be here for class this week, even though he was a lot more distracted than usual otherwise he would have been a lot more enthusiastic about noodles.

Of course, there are suggestions on what you could do to really amp up that ULTIMATE FLAVOR EXPERIENCE, but of course, available ingredients are widely varied and completely moddable if you want to dress your ramen up to impress or just….put water in it, or something, sure, if you want to be lame.

Obviously, Ignis knew of many ways to take a container of Cup Noodles^TM and elevate it into something that might even be considered in the same breath as something nearly gourmet. He'd elevated the Cup Noodle^TM to an art form over nearly a decade and a half.

But this wasn't about that. He didn't need to prove anything in that area, because he'd done that already with the only person he'd care to bother debasing his talents to that level with.

So he felt around for a moment, until he located a waste bin, and, once he'd done that, he'd made a masterful sweep of his arm to send the small tower of Cup Noodles^TM into that bin.

"Now that that's out of the way," he said, "someone help me find some noodles, and we're make some real ramen, how about that?"

Well, now Summer was just getting Visions of Wayne, and sighed as she went over to Ignis' station to start fishing the Cup Noodles containers out.

"What is it with people throwing food in the trash in my classes?" she opined. "Don't you all know that there are people trying to solve world hunger out there??"

It’s probably best if you don’t ask why they keep grinning to themselves when looking at the noodles.

Clearly, it's just all the sodium in these things making everyone so thirsty.

Maybe it was the sodium making them thirsty. Maybe they were just thirsty often.

"I didn't know you liked these noodles," Stark said.

"I didn't know you did, either!"

Summer, for her part, knew that her inspiration for this week's class was entirely ridiculous and shameless and transparent, but she had to admit to feeling a little....surprised? Disappointed?...that Stark had jumped onto it as...happily? as he did.

Like, not even one look of disappointment or regret! Obviously, she'd done much worse before, this was downright tame for her standards, but still!

So she was maybe hoarding all the shrimp flavored ones right now. And looking for a bottle of strawberry syrup. No reason.

"I didn't know I did until last month," Stark said, ducking his head a little. "I hadn't had them before then. But I liked them. They did taste good and I was very hungry that day."

And thirsty, but that should have gone without saying.

"They do tend to taste best when you're really hungry," Summer mused. "And, you know, versatile, obviously," she gestured, generally, toward the class as a whole, "if you're looking at them for more than just a quick snack."

"Gladio seemed very fond of them when he fed me that day," Stark said. "And he made sure it was more than a quick snack."

That Gladio was a giver, wasn't he?

Summer squinted at Stark, just a little. She knew she had some pretty bad Amicitia brain right now, but she couldn't help thinking that that almost sounded like they'd stopped talking about noodles a while ago.

(Maybe they never had been to begin with).

"Stark," she said, "saying Gladio is fond of Cup Noodles is like saying I dabble in geletan."

What? They were just talking about hot and delicious noodles served up by someone who also fit those descriptors.

"He was very eager to have me try them," Stark said, grinning just a little. "But not nearly as eager as you are to do strange things to jello. But yes. You're right. Nearly the same sort of thing."

"I do like doing strange things to jello," Summer admitted, sighing like some deep, unknown confession, her passion for such things easily overtaking any additional dwelling on that hint of a grin there. "....maybe I should do ramen shots again tomorrow. Maybe I should swing by the Nest on my way home, see if they still have more of that Cup Noodle soda..."

"I didn't mean to suggest any ideas," Stark said with a soft sigh.

"Please don't make me eat noodles in jello. And... they have noodle soda at the other bar?"

He had very foolishly not mentioned anything about consuming the soda.

"I'm not going to make you eat noodles in jello, Stark," Summer assured him, sounding a little fond about it, with a soft smile to match it. "But, yeah, they definitely had it at some point, so I'll have to see if they still do. I got a bunch off of Eric one time, and Gladio's a regular there, so maybe they still keep some around."

"And you'll turn that into jello, too?"

On purpose, Summer?

"I've never ordered noodle soda there. Usually just something strong." Or someone bitey. Or both. "But I don't go there very often."

"Neither do I," Summer admitted. "I made a real ass of myself in there back in the days when I was young and stupid," you know, practically centuries ago. "so I don't go in much, except on Annie's night or one of Lucifer's."

And the rare occasion when she was feeling a little spicy and wanted to annoy Eric in particular.

"And I'd hate to let a good theme die too early."

"I went in some, last month."

That vague 'last month' period that could mean anything!

"And a couple of weeks ago."
To sulk.

"I don't think you're ever in danger of letting a theme die too early. I like your themes."

A beat and a quick grin.

"Even the gross ones."

"More like," said Summer, catching that grin and meeting it, tenfold, "especially the gross ones."

Speaking of which, don't mind her, as she finally cracked open on of those shrimp flavored ones and that strawberry syrup.

"...Strawberry?" Summer, why. Why would you do that.

"I thought that went on ice cream, not noodles. Maybe I don't like the gross ones so much."

That was a blatant lie. He liked that they made her happy.

And how did he feel, when that happiness seemed to come in the form of maintaining steady eye contact with him while she upended the bottle of strawberry syrup and started squeezing it into the cup?

"Shrimp is pink," she pointed out. "So's strawberry. It's just another theme, Stark."

And hadn't he been the one on such a big pink kick these days?

Well, first off he was going to duck his head yet again because that much eye contact was A Lot.

"They are both pink," Stark allowed. "You're not wrong for that." Maybe wrong for pouring that whole bottle into the noodles though.

"And I do like pink. Jane gave me a drink with beets in it yesterday. I still don't think I want strawberry flavored shrimp with my noodles."

He was on a big pink kick. He'd be happy with more pink in his life!

It wasn't the whole bottle, though! Clearly! As now that she was finished adding it to the noodles, Summer was just going to squeeze a little bit of the strawberry syrup onto the thumb and look back at Stark (or the top of his head, anyway) as she licked it off.

And here she thought she'd moved on from that stage of the relationship grieving process. Whoops.

"I had that yesterday, too," she noted. "Some of that Asgardian mead, too. I stopped by after work; I guess we must have missed each other. This syrup's pretty good on its own, though."

She tilted the bottle his way.

"Wanna try?"

"I'm sorry I missed you," Stark managed to say while trying not to stare at Summer's thumb or mouth and failing. He either hadn't ducked his head enough or he'd ducked it exactly the correct amount.

"I... yes. I would. Like to try it."

He was trying very hard not to think about any food usage that might have necessitated a shower this time last week as he held out his hand for the bottle.

Stark. Stark. Summer wasn't about to just hand you the bottle. But she was going to turn it over again and squeeze some of it onto your fingertips.

And, for a crazy moment, which didn't even work for the premise of him trying it, thought about just licking it right off his fingers herself.

But. They were in class. He was going to have to just take care of it himself this time.

They were in class and that was unfortunate because it appeared both parties were having ideas about licking.

Stark let out a very soft noise that was not entirely class-appropriate and lifted his head before raising his hand to his mouth to very carefully remove all of the syrup.

"I like it," he said softly.

"Good," said Summer, who unlike other parties involved in this egregious display, had no problem at all watching Stark take care of the sudden strawberry syrup predicament he'd found himself in, "right?"

And now, to ruin in all, in one fell swoop, by grabbing the syrup-laden Cup Noodle and reaching for the kettle of hot water all ready to go.

"So let's see how it works with the shrimp now!"

"The strawberry is very good," Stark said, making sure to get the last little drop of syrup off his thumb.

"I'm not certain about the shrimp."

"Only one way to find out," Summer noted, as she poured the hot water into the cup and then reached for a pair of chopsticks conveniently nearby to sort of poke at it and stir it in a little bit before folding the lid back over it.

"In about three to five minutes."

"Are you really going to eat that?"

He'd thought about saying 'put that in your mouth' but no. That was a bad idea.

There was a pause, a consideration for her refusal to eat most of the things she foisted upon others, and then a recognition of the kind of day she'd had so far.

"I think I actually might," she admitted. "Aren't you at least a little curious?"

"I'm always curious about what your creations taste like. Just not curious enough to try them. Usually."

Except those occasions when Stark felt like he had to. Or that trying it might lead to something interesting.

"I think," said Summer, "you could probably stand to be a little more curious, then, Stark."

And a lot more bold and confident and reckless...

...but she was working on it.

"What happens if I'm more curious?" Stark asked. "Besides eating strange things?"

Summer just shrugged her shoulders, with a nonchalance that didn't quite translate well with the grin on her face, as she peeled back the lid on the cup to poke at the noodles with her chopsticks. "Guess you'll find out," she said, "when you're more curious."

With that, she peeled the lid completely off and, after another swirl to get everything all mixed up, worked the sticks to catch a little bit of the noodles. She drew in a bolstering breath, which meant breathing in the odd combination of tart strawberry and fishy shrimp, and then leaned in to move them into her mouth...

...and...

Her brows lifted a little, she chewed it around thoughtfully, wrinkled her nose in disgust for a moment but it seemed to smooth out into a little bit of...accepting surprise? Definitely a bit stranger than the raspberry and beets from yesterday, but...

Not sure what to make of it, she set the chopsticks back in the container and nudged it toward Stark, with a little nod of goading for him to try it.

Not technically telling him to, but...

"I'm curious now what happens if I'm more curious," Stark admitted. "And...a little curious to see how this will taste."

More curious after he watched Summer's reaction carefully.

"I'll try it." The 'for you' was unspoken but it was there.

He picked up the container, took a breath, and then took a bite.

"It's...odd."

"I think I may have added too much strawberry," Summer noted, with a faint smile that went a little crooked with a small laugh. "Or not nearly enough."

"I think the strawberry is better on its own," Stark said with his own slightly crooked smile.

"And the noodles are better when they're salty, not sweet. But...you've made much worse things. This wasn't too gross."

Maybe they just both like noodles. Nice, hot noodles. Large servings of noodles.

that moment when Regis puts his hand on the Cup Noodle^TM gets me EVERY FUCKING TIME.

"WALK TALL....MY SOUP."

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Community Center Class: Baked Baking [Tuesday 3/21]

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