Closed [The Almond Blossom] People Practicing Potions (Orin)

[Aoren]

9th of Summer, 517 AV

Aoren could only shake his head at Fen’s antics. The man seemed completely uncomfortable in a social setting but that didn’t bother him. Fen’s disposition seemed generally pleasant if a bit guarded with cynicism touching its edges. Nevertheless, Aoren had received a very good impression of him from the start. After all, he’d met far stranger individuals. Tucking his book beneath his arm, the Drykas accompanied Fen to the front of the library.

“A moment, please.” Holding up the book that Fen had offered to him earlier he gave the chef a smile before going to the librarian and checking out the book. When he was finished he joined Fen within a few short strides.

“I will tell you what, I need to go collect some equipment to bring with me. I will meet you at The Almond Blossom in a bell. Don’t worry. I know my way around Riverfall, I promise not to get lost.” Bringing up a hand, Aoren gave Fen a leisurely wave and turned on his heel. Making his way through the streets of Riverfall, he contemplated on exactly what he was going to make for Orin. The chef seemed altogether hungry for knowledge. Whether that was something to encourage or something to be mindful of, Aoren did not yet know. He could tell that the process of introducing magic into philters had greatly interested the other man. Aoren had not seen any spark of magical activity within Fen’s aura but that didn’t mean anything. The Seer was not under the impression that his skill was by any means infallible. He knew well enough that there were wizards far older and far more powerful than he likely ever would be. Still, if Fen was interested in learning what magical secrets Aoren had to offer, the chef would soon find that he had none. He was in many respects an unusual wizard in that regard.

Turning down a street he made his way toward the Kulkukan Tavern where he was renting a room for the season until he could find more suitable living spaces. In short order he was passing through the entryway making his way up the stairs to his room. Once inside, Aoren set the book that he’d checked out from the library on the end of his bed. Quickly he grabbed his travel pack placing some parchment, ink and a few brushes into the pack as he did. Searching through his belongings he soon found the philterer’s kit that he’d purchased not too long ago. Tucking that under his arm he exited his room making his way down the stairs and out of the tavern toward the Zhongjie Warren market.

Stepping into the market, Aoren could only smile. There was something familiar about the call of merchants hackling with customers, speaking at length about their wares, and the general thrum of activity to be found at the market. It reminded him of Syliras. That thought brought with it a series of emotions some of which were good, some were not so much. As he was mulling over those thoughts something caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes. Glancing up he was frozen momentarily as he thought he saw a very familiar and long gone face from his past. Blinking, Aoren collected himself.

“You alright, sir?” Shaking away his thoughts, Aoren turned his attention to the voice that had called to him. A young woman with long brown hair, warm brown eyes and a round face smiled pleasantly at him. He returned her smile with a half-smile of his own. She stood in front of what appeared to be an herbal cart with various flowers and plants to be found.

“I’m fine. Actually, your cart is exactly the thing I am looking for. You wouldn’t happen to have Lillian root or mint would you?” The young woman’s smile brightened even further.

“I do. How much were you looking for?” Setting down his philterer’s kit, Aoren unslung his pack digging around for his coin pouch. He only carried so much on him but he didn’t expect such common herbs to be very expensive. He retrieved a few silvers and extended them to the young woman.

“However much that will get me.” She smiled and nodded going to her cart. He watched her pick up a small bundle of herbs wrapped in twine along with some dry mint leaves. Taking his coin, she placed the herbs in his hand.

“Anything else?”

“No, that is all. Thank you.” Gingerly, Aoren placed the herbs into his kit then gathered up his things. With a nod to the woman he meandered around the market for a while longer before heading to The Almond Blossom. Upon arriving at the establishment, Aoren wasn’t entirely certain that he should set foot inside. Given the rather upscale appearance he felt a little self-conscious at his drab brown leather pants, worn boots and plain vest. He had a mind to go back to the Kulkukan and change into more formal attire. He was pressed for time however and the last thing he wanted to do was start off on the wrong foot with a potential teacher. Exhaling heavily he eyed the exterior of the building one last time before passing through the door feeling like something of a vagabond what with the pack on his back and the kit tucked under his arm. He’d barely gotten past the doors when a pleasant musical voice greeted him.

“Welcome to The Almond Blossom, sir. How can I help you, today?” Aoren was met with a blonde haired Konti woman with glittering gold-brown eyes and a quiet but welcoming smile. He returned the smile with one of his own.

“Just here for a good meal and to meet with Chef Orin.” The woman quirked a brown though not unpleasantly.

“Oh? Is he expecting you?” Aoren nodded.

“Yes, ma’am.” With a polite nod of her head the woman gestured to the interior dining room.

“Then please, have a seat. I will let him know that you are here.” Giving the woman a half-bow, Aoren made his way over to a table next to one of the windows. Setting his pack onto the floor he opened his philterer’s kit taking quick assessment of the equipment he had available and making a mental list of some of the things he might need from the kitchen.

Herbs-2sm for herbs.

[Orin Fenix]

Orin and Sky made their way out of the library, stopping only for Sky to check out the book that Orin had pointed out. Orin found himself happy at the suggestion. Especially if Orin gave the other man a good grounding in the basics of cooking, assuming Sky didn’t already have one, that book would probably be useful in helping Sky continue his education when Orin was unavailable. They paused just outside the library, and Aoren explained that he had to pick up some supplies. Orin nodded. It made sense given that the kitchen wasn’t really equipped for more advanced potion-making that Aoren might have to gather a few items. “Sure. I’ll head over to The Almond Blossom and get everything set up for us. I’ll see you soon.” With that, the two men parted ways, Orin responding to Sky’s wave with one of his own.

While Sky went off to wherever he was picking up supplies, Orin turned and started making the by now very familiar walk to The Almond Blossom. As he went, the chef steeled himself for the upcoming confrontation with his co-workers. Although having guests over was definitely allowed, there were a few complications. First, and most importantly, Orin hadn’t really brought anyone to the kitchen for non-food related affairs. Admittedly, they would be doing some cooking, but the philtering would take a bit of explaining, especially if Sky was actually planning on using some magic. The second, slightly less difficult problem to tackle was that Dolmar and Korana had explicitly forbidden the chef to come back to the kitchen until he was healed. However, since his wrist was now functional again, even if using it hurt, Orin thought he could get away with hanging out and doing some small tasks as long as he promised to take it easy.

Soon enough, The Almond Blossom came into view, and Orin could feel the confidence from being on his own turf settle into his bones. Nowhere else really felt comfortable to the chef, not even his own apartment. Something about knowing that this territory was one where he could handle any challenge thrown his way did wonders for Orin’s self-esteem. As he entered through the kitchen door, Orin was already preparing for the barrage of questions and request that he’d have to give and answer to make the exchange of lessons with Sky possible. Dolmar and Korana shouldn’t be too hard to convince, but Orin rarely actually tried to persuade them of much so perhaps that wouldn’t be the case here.

Dolmar was already at work and Korana was at the desk in the corner they all occasionally used as an office. Luckily, none of the other staff were there yet, as it was still too early for customers. The Akalak and the blonde-haired woman both looked up as Orin came in and surprise registered on both of their faces. “Orin!” Korana exclaimed. “We weren’t expecting you back for a few more days.” She narrowed her eyes, slightly suspiciously. “In fact, I distinctly remember ordering you to rest. You work too hard and never take any days off. Celebrate your newfound Kuvan status while your injuries are still fresh.”

Orin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He and Korana had long ago agreed to disagree about Orin’s obsession with everything culinary related. She and Dolmar felt that Orin needed a life outside the kitchen, which was probably true, but which was beyond the chef’s capabilities right now. Orin was still just struggling to get out of bed each morning, and only the promise of cooking was enough to lure him out of his home on a regular basis. Still, he couldn’t tell her and Dolmar that, as the two of them were already overprotective and worried about Orin. Despite Orin being human, and despite Korana being oblivious of Dolmar’s affection, the two of them tended to act sort of like parents to the much younger Orin. Of course, seeing as Orin didn’t have any foundation to base his assumption on how parents normally acted, perhaps he was just reading too much into the situation.

Maybe Orin could use his lack of a social life to his advantage for once. “I know. I’m mostly better, I swear.” He held up his wrist and twisted it in a circle, careful not to let any sign of the pain show on his face. Luckily, he was an old hand at suppressing and ignoring both physical and emotional injuries. “I would’ve stayed away but, well, I ah….might have made a friend.” Orin tasted the word in his mouth. He couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d even thought of someone as his friend. Not since leaving Syliras, certainly. Korana and Dolmar were the closest Orin had come to befriending others, and they were co-workers first and foremost. Besides, they had their own special bond and Orin didn’t like to intrude.

The human kept talking, hoping not only that Korana would allow this in her kitchen, but also that he wasn’t telling a lie, and Sky might actually one day consider Orin to be a friend. Frankly, Orin didn’t know what he would bring to such a relationship, as Aoren seemed to have everything other than cooking skills. Still, if all it turned into was an occasional lesson, that would be more than Orin had before. “I met him in the library, actually, just this morning, and it turns out he wants to learn cooking and I want to learn more about philtering and he knows more about it than anyone else I’ve encountered.” Luckily, it helped that Orin was being honest. He wasn’t much of a liar, but he was very creative at stretching the truth. “Anyway, I told him it would be fine for us to meet up here to exchange knowledge. Of course, if it’s not, we can definitely relocate. But I promise to stay out of the way and not take up much space. And I can start any prep work for the meals you want me to.” Orin deliberately hesitated, even shifting his feet and hunching his shoulders, despite the pain in his ribs. It was time to play his trump card. “I…really think this might turn into a real friendship.” He made sure to lace his words with what he thought was just the right amount of plaintive hope.

Korana’s face, slightly neutral until that moment, softened. “Of course. Any friend of your is a friend of ours. Feel free to use anything you’d like in here, within reason of course.” Orin felt his face split into a grin. Relief coursed through him, more potent than he would’ve expected. Maybe he was investing too much in this potential relationship.

“Thank you!’ Orin replied. “I’ll just go clear out some space for the two of us.” The chef paused, realizing that there was one other fact that he ought to mention. “There ah….might be some magic involved. But he seemed to be quite a reasonable person and not at all crazy!” Orin held his breath. He’d never discussed magic with Dolmar and Korana, and Orin didn’t know how comfortable he’d be with magic in his kitchen.

The two of them exchanged a glance, an unspoken form of communication that came from many years together. Finally, Dolmar responded, in his deep booming voice, speaking for the first time. “If you vouch for him, and he agrees not to use anything too destructive, then that is fine with us. We’ll be keeping an eye on you two, of course.”

Orin nodded. “Of course. Thank you again, for everything. I really appreciate it.” With that, the three of them went off to their various tasks. Korana disappeared into the front room, Dolmar went back to his preparations, and Orin went to a currently empty stove. The human was already running through the ingredients he’d need. Eggs, peppers, onions, maybe cheese, and hmmmm sausage. Two frying pans, knives, oil. The chef couldn’t think of anything else he might need, but he’d ask Sky when the other man arrived. Orin darted to the pantry, grabbing one of the baskets they used to collect foodstuffs. He filled it with the items he’d thought of and brought them back to the stove. Next, Orin went to the board in the back to glance at the recipes of the day. He could see Dolmar preparing the sauces for the meat and fish dishes, but there didn’t seem to be bread baking rising quite yet. So Orin grabbed water, oil, flour, salt, and some sugar, along with yeast. The flour, sugar, salt and yeast went into a bowl. Next, Orin put the water in a pot, lit the stove, and placed the water on the stove, waiting for it to heat up. Once it was hot enough, Orin poured it, along with the oil, into the bowl. He mixed them together until the dough reached the correct sticky consistency. Then, he kneaded it for a few chimes, ignoring the twinges in his wrist, until it was smoother and stretchy. He put it back into the bowl, and left it in a warm corner covered in a damp cloth to rise.

He was about to check to see if there was anything else he could get started with, when Korana came into the kitchen. “Orin,” she shouted. “Your friend is here.”

“Thanks,” he called back, already hurrying into the dining room. “Sky! You made it!” Orin sounded just a bit too excited about it. He’d half expected the other man to abandon him. “Come on into the kitchen,” the chef suggested, holding the door open. “I don’t know what you needed, if anything, for the philtering, but I have everything we need for cooking set up, I think. I figured I’d show you how to make omelets. You can put basically anything you want into them, and they’re quick and easy once you know the general recipe. I have onions, peppers, eggs, and sausage, along with some cheese, which I didn’t know if you liked. We can add whatever else you might want.” Orin led the way to the station he’d set up. “I was thinking we’d get you fed first, before moving on to philtering? Or try and do them at the same time, whatever you want, really.” The chef took a breath, realizing that he was monopolizing the conversation. “It might help if I let you actually respond, wouldn’t it?”

[Aoren]

As he sat there at the table near the window, Aoren found himself staring out of it. Thoughts drifted to him as he reclined in his chair with arms folded over his chest. These thoughts had little to do with the philtering he would be teaching Orin here shortly but more to do with the life he intended to build for himself in Riverfall. It felt as though he were starting from square one all over again. That, however, wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. With a new beginning came a chance at a new direction. Idly he looked from the window back to the materials in front of him. An idea was taking shape in his head. He resolved to meditate on it further before stepping forth into waters that were unknown to him. Aoren was pulled from his thoughts by Fen’s excited exclamation. Turning his attention away from the window he gave the chef a smile.

“I might be a terrible navigator but I can at least find a restaurant, Fen.” He chuckled rising to his feet and collecting the philtering kit and his pack containing the rest of the materials he’d need to do the work ahead. In just a few strides he was standing beside Orin, the two of them making their way into the interior of the kitchen. As the man went on to explain the ingredients he’d gathered and his intent to teach him how to make an omelet, Aoren could only grow excited at the prospect.

“You’re making my stomach growl just thinking about it.” He rubbed his stomach for emphasis. Shaking his head he simply followed Fen to their corner of the kitchen. Finding himself some counter space that was out of the way of where he assumed the food preparation would be taking place, Aoren set the philtering kit onto the counter.

“I don’t need much. Most of the tools I need are here in my pack. A knife for cutting up some roots and an oven for drying out the herbs.” Reaching into his pack, Aoren retrieved the Lillian root and mint leaves. He set them on the counter next to the philtering kit. Setting his pack down, he opened the kit retrieving his mortar and pestle, a jar and a bottle. “This is not a full lab so I will have to improvise a few techniques but it shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

Tapping his chin in thought, Aoren went through a mental checklist of the steps and processes he would need to achieve his goal. The concept was rather straightforward. He need to dry out the mint leaves and roots in order to lightly grind them into something resembling tea leaves. While the roots and leaves were being dried out in an oven, Aoren would commence to painting a glyph on the outside of one of the jars that he’d brought with him. Rudimentary in form, it would simply retain the magic he intended to be released upon the consumption of the tea.

“But!” He clapped his hands together with a wide grin. “We can get to that momentarily. Since this is your domain, Master Chef, teach me your ways! I am a blank cutting board…err…well…you get the idea.”

Rubbing the back of his head with a smirk at his attempt at awkward humor, Aoren cleared his throat then looked at Orin attentively.

[Orin Fenix]

Sky seemed quite amused that Orin had questioned the other man’s ability to get around the city. “No that’s…that’s not what I meant. Never mind. It’s not important. I’m just happy you’re here, is all.” So many people had abandoned the chef over the years that when someone pulled through it was a pleasant surprise. It was odd. The chef tried his hardest to be optimistic about the future, and generally he succeeded. Orin tried to cling to the hope that what fate had in store for him would be better than what had happened in the past. However, the chef had indeed encountered quite a few unpleasant situations through the years, so though he hoped for the best, generally speaking he expected the worst.

“Well, luckily, I think we might just have the cure for what ails you here. So I suppose you’ve come to the right place.” The chef led the way to where they’d be working, nodding to Korana and Dolmar as he went. The two of them didn’t speak to Orin and Sky, but they were watching the proceedings carefully, shocked that Orin actually seemed to be getting along well with someone outside the world of cooking. Orin, for his part, was watching as Sky unpacked whatever bag the other man had brought with him. The chef didn’t want to miss a single detail.

It seemed that Sky had everything well in hand. Still Orin figured he’d offer to help out. “We’ve actually got all of that here. So I don’t know if you need anything to fill out your supplies but let me know and I can direct you to wherever you need to go. Or I can go find it myself, whichever seems more feasible.” As Aoren took out the plants that they’d apparently be using, Orin frowned. He recognized mint right away, as he used it often in his dishes, but though the other plant looked familiar, it eluded him for the moment. Still, Orin was stubborn and eventually the name came to him. “Isn’t that Lillian root? I thought it was just good for soothing headaches.” Orin didn’t doubt that Sky knew what he was doing, but the chef hadn’t heard of any additional uses for the plant. “Well, let me know if you need my help with any of that.

Sky’s eyes went distant, the same way Orin’s did when the chef was considering a recipe. Orin stayed silent, more than willing to wait until Sky was finished with wherever the other man’s thoughts had gone. The chef found himself zoning out slightly, which is why Sky’s clap startled him. Orin met Sky’s eager gaze with a wide-eyed surprise, before schooling himself into a more welcoming expression. Never let your pupil see that you’re scared or don’t know what you’re doing, Orin admonished himself. “Blank slate,” Orin replied absently, his mind having shot ahead to the first steps of cooking the omelet.

It wouldn’t due to make Sky wait for too long for instructions. Unfortunately, Orin hadn’t really been thinking too far ahead, and he hadn’t taught for a while, so the chef lacked a coherent plan for how to proceed. Next time, set out the steps in advance. It was much more likely that he’d forget something this way. “Right, well, I guess we should start with basics? I mean, let’s start with basics!” Already Orin wasn’t off to a great start. “So for cooking that would mean the ingredients. Before you start to do anything else, you have to make sure you have everything you need for the dish, because it’s too hard to go get something once you begin.” It had been a while since Orin had made that mistake, but he still remembered the shame.

“So we’re making an omelet, which isn’t that complicated.” Surveying the items before them, Orin realized that he’d forgotten something quite important. “You never answered my question about whether you wanted cheese. And before we start, as I mentioned, we’ve got sausages, peppers, and onions here. Omelets are fairly versatile, you can put pretty much anything in them, but try to keep it limited to a few ingredients otherwise they fall apart. Does that all sound good? We can change up what goes inside.” While Sky pondered that Orin started to walk towards the pantry. “I forgot the butter which we need to coat the pans, so I’ll be right back.” Grabbing the jar where they kept their butter, Orin hurried back to the other man. “So, to review, step one is to confirm you have all the ingredients, and then pick up anything you missed. Like I just got the butter. If you’re following a recipe off a page, it tends to be much easier.” There, let Sky think that Orin had forgotten the butter on purpose, as an object lesson. The truth was, the chef had to remember how to teach properly, as his talents in this realm were a bit rusty.

“One you’ve decided what to put in, we’ll move to the next step, which is, in this case, making sure that everything you want to go in the omelets is cooked if necessary. Luckily for you, the sausages are precooked.” Orin indicated that the meat was already cut up and nicely browned. Unfortunately, the omelets cooked quickly enough that the rest of the ingredients had to be ready for consumption before they were added, as they didn’t really cook further. Feeling like this was a good place for a check in, Orin paused. “Any questions so far?” There probably shouldn’t be, as they hadn’t really done anything yet.

As the chef waited for Sky’s response, he put a bowl in front of each of them. “Next step is going to be cracking and beating the eggs.” Orin placed half the eggs in front of Sky and the other half in front of himself. Orin was feeling a bit hungry, to be honest, so this would all work out nicely.

OOCLet me know if I'm going to quickly or too slowly.

[Aoren]

“Great. Then we have everything we need to create a simple philter with just a bit of magic infused into it.” Aoren glanced around taking note of the stove and some of the utensils that were available. He had to admit that he felt a little out of place. The kitchen was not a place that Aoren was intimately familiar with. Seeing all of the pans, the pots, the different instruments used for cooking it was a bit overwhelming. Breathing in deeply, he exhaled slowly before shrugging his shoulders to himself. Like all new beginnings it would take a while before he understood the workings of kitchen work to the point where he could function on his own. Nevertheless, Aoren was excited to learn something new. At the chef’s comment about the Lillian root, Aoren just nodded.

“You’d be surprised at what you can do with the simplest of ingredients after they’ve been philtered properly with other substances.” Looking from his tools to Orin, the Drykas shook his head. “I think we should focus on your cooking lesson first before we move on to my philtering. It can be a fairly involved process but the key is to not rush it.”

“Blank slate. Yes. That’s it.” Running a hand through his hair, Aoren shook his head at his inability to articulate the phrase properly. Stepping up to the counter, he inspected the things that Fen had assembled for the two of them to prepare. The sight of the food in front of him definitely made him hungry but the prospect of turning the various ingredients into something delicious was even better. Focused tasks were something that Aoren was good at. He could gleefully lose himself to the details of a project when given leave to do nothing more than just work on it without the need for anything else. It was a point of pride but it was also an aspect of himself that could lead him to neglect the people in his life. That fact was something he was keenly aware of. More than once it had led to an argument or the realization that he’d become absorbed in his work to the point where he was neglecting himself.

“Cheese sounds good. Honestly, it all sounds good. I am not exactly a picky eater. Growing up there wasn’t much room for being selective. I ate what I could when I could.” He listened carefully as Fen went through the steps of preparing for the meal. It made sense to have the ingredients and tools assembled before beginning the actual cooking. It was an easy concept to grasp. It was how Aoren began his philtering work. It was how he took on some of his training. If he did not have the proper tools, it made things more difficult which wasted time and energy.

“Assemble everything beforehand. Got it.” Following Orin’s movements with his eyes he furrowed his brow at the sausage. “So, cook the sausage before you begin getting things together for the omelet?”

Reaching up, the Drykas rubbed at the back of his head. He straightened up to his full height and sighed, exhaling a chuckle as he did so.

“You’re going to have to show me how to cook the sausage properly. I think the last time I tried to make sausage…well…even my dog didn’t want to eat it.” Laughing, he shook his head. Looking back on it, Aoren really was a terrible cook. When asked for more questions, he shook his head once more.

“No. It all seems rather straightforward so far. The principles make sense. It’s putting them into practice where I fall short.” Accepting the bowl that was placed in front of him, Aoren rest both hands on the counter on each side of it. He watched Fen closely, trying to glean as much as he could from simple observation as well as listening to the instructions that were being told to him. The last thing that Aoren wanted to do was blunder this attempt so horribly that Orin refused to teach him anything further. When the chef brought up the eggs, Aoren blinked at him awaiting the next bit of instruction before he realized the man was waiting for his input.

“Oh! Yes. Um…” He looked over the assembled ingredients once more. “Sausage, peppers and cheese sounds good.” He frowned at the onions. “I’ve never really been a big fan of onions. Or perhaps I’ve just not had them prepared correctly?”

Offering Orin a smile, the Seer watched the chef closely so that he could follow along step by step.

[Orin Fenix]

Orin was a bit taken aback that there wasn’t more specialized equipment required in order to work magic. “Really? That’s it?” It seemed that it should take more effort than what Sky was indicating, but seeing as the other man was the expert Orin decided that he should probably assume Sky knew what he was talking about. “Sorry. I’ll trust your judgment on this. I was just surprised, that’s all.” Sky was looking slightly uncomfortable and out of place as he surveyed the kitchen and Orin spared a moment to be amused at the role reversal the two of them were now experiencing. It was rare that the chef was ever felt in control of a situation and in command of an interaction, and basically every exception to that rule occurred in his kitchen. Still, he’d found that once people actually started working on whatever task that Orin set them to they were too busy to be worried. So the chef simply smiled gently at Sky, hoping to convey that everything was going to be fine and there was nothing to worry about. Reassurance, even if the other person wasn’t doing well, often did wonders for people’s self-esteem and tended to improve their performance.

“Interesting. I wouldn’t have expected it to have properties well beyond what I was taught, but, well, then again I’m really just beginning to learn how little I’ve actually learned in my life.” The chef grinned at Sky, inviting the other man in on the joke about Orin’s ignorance. Still, Orin wondered idly whether any philter could be infused with additional properties assuming one had the art, skill, and knowledge for it or if only specific philters were suitable for that. He’d ask later though, as apparently Sky wanted to proceed with cooking first, which Orin was more than happy about. “Works for me. Cooking can be an involved process as well, but I assume that mistakes are less problematic. And this particular recipe is simple enough.”

As Sky ran his hand through his hair, Orin smiled at the gesture. It was one the chef was well familiar with, as Orin had a similar habit when he was distracted or thinking or working hard on something. On Sky, though it looked endearing; Orin was sure that when he himself did it all it looked was simply looked awkward and gangly. Thankfully, there wasn’t time to dwell on it, as he had work to do. This was his one chance to impress Sky, and while Orin wasn’t sure why it mattered that much to him, he really wanted Sky to like him. Sky seemed quite attentive, at least, to Orin’s instructions, for which the chef was grateful. He’d worked with some rather arrogant people over the years, and they never failed to leave a bad taste in his mouth. It was a large part of the reason that he did his best to suppress any hint of an ego in him. That and the fact that outside the kitchen Orin was well aware of his inadequacies.

As Sky talked about his childhood, Orin flashed back to his own childhood. It was hardly a pleasant one, and from the sound of it the other man hadn’t exactly had it easy either. “I’m sorry to hear that. “I know the feeling. Making do with the little you had, that is.” Admittedly, Orin’s experience hadn’t necessarily had to do with material lack, although there had been plenty of that – farmers didn’t tend to be rich – but with a lack of opportunity. His father hadn’t wanted Orin, and he hadn’t wanted Orin embarrassing them, and the beatings and tongue-lashings he’d given his son had ensured that Orin even to this day didn’t think he could have anything good in his life.

The chef resolutely turned to the ingredients, not wanting Aoren to suddenly see the brightness of tears in his eyes. Orin had long practice losing himself in his work when his depression got the better of him and this was no exception. “That’s correct. The eggs cook too quickly usually for most ingredients.” Apparently Sky had missed the part about this particular sausage being precooked, but that was fine. Orin was happy to explain how to cook something as simply as sausage, although he and Sky might have different definitions of simple. “As I said, this particularly sausage was already cooked. I’ve noticed that cooking food tends to make it last slightly longer without, don’t really know why, just an observation I’ve made.” Still, that was beside the point and Orin moved back to the topic of sausages. “Anyway, if you have a stove or grill then you coat the sausages with a bit of oil and the pan as well, then throw the sausages on the pan. Cook them for somewhere between five to eight chimes and if they’re brown on the bottom, flip them over and leave them there for another five to eight chimes. It’s as simple as that really. There are other ways to cook them but that’s the easiest in my mind.” If Sky wanted to know other methods Orin was more than happy to provide them, but he wasn’t going to get sidetracked.

Focusing on the lesson intensely so he didn’t have to think about any of the myriad other topics currently bothering him, Orin nodded at Sky’s comment about practice versus theory. “Sure. You’ll get there. We all start somewhere. I’m sure once you see my philtering you’ll feel much better about your cooking.” Taking up one of the sausages and a knife, Orin placed it on the counter. “We’re going to want to cut all this up into pieces as small as we can manage.” Slicing the sausage at a slight angle from the table, Orin went at full speed about halfway down its length, before realizing that his technique was probably far too fast for Sky to follow. “Sorry! It’s been a while since I showed anyone else.” Slowing down to a speed that felt like he was moving through molasses, but which was probably at a much more reasonable pace, Orin showed Sky the slices he should strive for. “That’s what we’re looking for in terms of the sausages.” At Sky’s slightly sheepish admission regarding onions Orin grinned back. “That’s fine. How about we put onions in mine and then you can try a bite with them?” Orin quite enjoyed onions, but the strong taste wasn’t for everyone, he knew that.

Taking up one of the peppers, Orin cut off the top of it just below the stem where it curved slightly. “Here’s how we’re going to prepare the peppers.” He put the knife down, then slid his thumbs under the step and pushed outwards, popping the center out and setting the rest of the top off. He cut off the bottom as well, and then turned towards Sky. “We’re going to have to cut out this white stuff and remove the seeds from here as well. It’s not that safe for consumption, apparently. It’s a pretty easy process, but I just want to check to make sure you’re following everything so far.” Checking in with the student’s progress was something Orin didn’t do nearly often enough.