Can You Smell What the Dragon Is Cooking? [Vanyel, Amaranta]

He knew that she was tougher than he was -- but, he didn't care. His house, his lessons, his rules. Even if she had already tasted the eggs, he was firm on his decision, a mindset born from his time in the streets -- to be grateful for what he had, and not to waste anything, especially now that he had the potential opportunity to be picky. Despite the near-crystalline beauty of his sky-blue eyes, they still held a fierce, fiery, and unwavering determination.

Thankfully, it didn't end up resulting in a fight. He didn't care about losing, he was more concerned about the potential collateral damage that would result from the two of them throwing hands. At first, she seemed annoyed, but, then he noticed the childish pout, causing him to roll his eyes. As she went to sit back down, Vanyel followed her, pulling out a chair across from her and sitting down, resting his head against an enclosed fist.

"I never said it was bad. It's good, just needs some adjustment and practice. As far as what you'd see on TV, those are also some of the most famous and critical chefs on the planet. If you got this annoyed at me, you'd probably end up killing someone if you were in front of those judges."

Sighing, Vanyel leaned back a little bit in his chair, rubbing his temples lightly.

"If you're gonna be learning in my house, you follow my rules, and one of those rules is no wasting food, period. Ya need to learn to be grateful for what you have. Even if it isn't top-quality, it's better than nothin' at all."

"Come on. I'm not that violent..."

Stubbornly denying his statement, undeniable as it was annoying, Amaranta groan in defeat, slumping against the chair. Grabbing a spoon, she carefully sampled her handiwork, spoonful by spoonful. He was reminded of a certain someone spouting all this nonsense about rules and adhering to them, someone from her distant past - a mentor, someone she considered a true friend within the endless depths of Hueco Mundo - a rare gem in her kind's land.

Exhaling softly, she replicated a similar motion to Vanyel, resting her cheek against an enclosed fist as she continued to analyze her meal. Again, much like he said, it was no masterpiece, but her haste led her astray. After all, these eggs would've benefitted from an inclusion of meat and a little more spice - perhaps even a small sprinkle of sauce.

"At any rate, I'm starting to see where I messed up now. I ended up in such a rush that I forgot to add the important ingredients I asked for. Ain't bad at all for a first result, but it could've benefitted from a little sprucing up. They also need to be a little fluffier. They don't melt in my mouth and feel a little too chewy for my tastes... Goddamit, now you've got me scrutinizing my work. Stupid Dragon."

"Yeah, sure you aren't, Ms. Door Destroyer. In any case, who gives a shit what some celebrities say? You like what you like, and if others do, that's all you need. Life's both too short and too long to be fussin' over pointless shit like that."

That was something that had become a lot more important in his life -- to live for himself, and not care too much about what others said about him. He'd do what he thought was right, try his best to live on, no matter what happened. He'd faced death and heartache too many times in his life to be bothered by it anymore.

Beyond anything else, he was grateful for his friends to have been able to allow him to reach that kind of mindset, partly through his return to humanity.

As Amaranta began to think more critically about her work, Vanyel gave her a smug grin, a small hint of teeth showing as she listed the things she forgot to do, or could do in the future. Taking a glance at the now empty plate, he slid his chair back and rose to his feet, taking a few preemptive steps back toward the kitchen.

"Well, now that you're done with your plate, whaddya say we get back to cookin'?"

"Shut up."

Shooting a defeated glare in his direction, she rolled her eyes as she finished eating her meal in full. Although she may have appeared dismissive at first, she could certainly relate to not caring about other people's opinions except, perhaps, those who she considered heartfelt companions. Of course, the moment she saw that smug grin forming along the corners of his mouth, she flipped him the middle finger as she stretched her arms.

He was handsome for a guy, but in moments like these, his face looked pretty damn punchable. Inwardly, she was excited for her second attempt. Now that she knew where she went wrong and analyzed those missteps for herself, the sky was the limit and the bronze woman was brimming with confidence.

Rising from her chair, she stepped behind him as she crossed her arms, radiating an aura of confidence as a wide grin played across her sunkissed features.

"Let's do it. I'll make sure my eggs pass the test."