[ he says flawlessly, heading in and taking all means of due politeness (including taking off his shoes). kitchens are generally all in the same place, and while he doesn't want to intrude, he's very aware of what he's here to do.
the bag gets set on the counter, but he goes in search of a proper rice-making pan before he unloads. ]
[ Catra and Adora's kitchen is... very, very poorly stocked. Ren may have to get creative in some instances to find what he needs, if he needs anything other than basics. Even when Faith lived here, none of them really did much cooking. There's exactly one set of el-cheapo crockery that someone bought in a set of four, that seems to get washed and re-used day in and day out. The cutlery is the same. There's some basic pots and pans, but nothing fancy. They definitely don't have a rice cooker. Probably the fanciest kitchen appliance is the toaster. The only good thing about their kitchen is that the knives at least are sharp.
Catra hops up on the bench beside him, her tail flicking with interest. ]
So do I get to know what you're making? Or is it a surprise?
[ he definitely can't say that he's impressed. of course, Akechi had supplied Ren with almost everything he needed to cook—mostly because he one of the ones that benefitted from it the most. that isn't to say that Ren doesn't choose his own knives, but that some things he does well without until Akechi shows up with it.
there's a pan that's acceptable, and he turns it between his fingers to make sure. it'll work for what he needs.
when he starts unpacking there definitely is fish and even some roe that he unpacks along with some crunchy vegetables. sushi takes a different skillset than curry, but he figures he can make a decent handroll without tainting the art. ]
You wouldn't guess even if I gave you a hint, so it can be a surprise.
[ he looks a little too satisfied to troll a little. ]
[ Catra searches around the mostly-empty drawers until she finally finds some measuring cups-- must have been Faith who bought them, because Catra mutters to herself-- ]
Huh. Didn't even know we had these...
[ But at least she manages to measure out the amount correctly. ]
[ it's good enough. the rice gets started, and while they wait, it's good enough time as any to start prepping the rest. so, Ren gets to it: chopping, rinsing and sorting vegetables and ingredients. ]
[ Catra's good mood evaporates with astonishing speed, and the room suddenly feels icy. It's not quite on the level of giving a wrong Confidant answer, but one could get the impression that maybe they were standing on the precipice of one. Catra frowns, and one gets the distinct impression that her guard is suddenly way, way up. ]
... No. Why?
[ It's said in the petulant tone of voice that implies, tread carefully. ]
[ he's never one to avoid the hard topics, either. there's not a good way to go about approaching this. despite how the mood seems to sour, Ren takes it in stride. ]
I wanted to ask you what happened.
[ part of his focus is on cutting something in front of her. it is her decision, how much she wants to divulge, and he's not going to press, but she also deserves the same opportunity to tell her side of it. ]
[ Because she knows deep down that "her part of it" doesn't make her look particularly good, either. ]
What's there to tell? You were there, weren't you? And that stupid video's been floating around the internet too. I'm not stupid. People won't shut up about it.
[ that's generally how the rumors worked. while they died down at Shujin eventually, he still carried that stigma around with him of his so-called "criminal record." it was one of the refreshing things coming to New Amsterdam. ]
It gets tiring, especially when it comes coming up.
[ Catra continues to sit on the kitchen bench, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them there. ]
Everyone here is so nosy. Back home you could deck someone and it'd be like "Nice work, Catra!"
Here if you so much as sneeze the wrong way everyone's up in your business. Telling you what to do. Who you can be friends with. How you can react to stuff.
Like the first week I got here, Rey was already up in my business! I was just running around New Beijing and she was like nooooo, you can't do that Catra and choking me out with her stupid powers or whatever.
[ Rey can't help that her powerset invokes in Catra a special sort of fear and feeling that Catra associates with Shadow Weaver and Hordak. Doesn't even know she's doing it. But the association is enough for Catra to loathe her from that very first interaction, knowing that Rey has the power to end her instantly, and what does Catra do when confronted with that? Throw herself against it aggressively, desperate to prove that she isn't afraid. ]
[ it feels like there's something that he's missing. while he knows that Rey's under distress, he knows that she won't do something for no reason. it means that Catra's leaving something out.
[ Catra's quiet for a moment, considering how to answer that. Finally, in a softer voice-- ]
... She's like all the bad parts of Adora, with Shadow Weaver's powers.
[ Belatedly, she frowns further as she seems to realise that this sounds like a weird thing to say-- given that Ren just spent several weeks with Adora and Catra in the same room being best friends. ]
[ so that's Catra and Adora, and then Rey in between. or rather, who put herself in between, as Adora's advocate, as far as he can tell.
(he also has no clue who Shadow Weaver is, but from experience he knows better than to go after that one right away. it'll come as Catra becomes comfortable.) ]
I have the time.
[ cuz he's fluffing up some warm rice so it cools off. also, there's something that he's tossing in?? anyway. ]
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no subject
Date: 2020-06-13 03:12 pm (UTC)[ he says flawlessly, heading in and taking all means of due politeness (including taking off his shoes). kitchens are generally all in the same place, and while he doesn't want to intrude, he's very aware of what he's here to do.
the bag gets set on the counter, but he goes in search of a proper rice-making pan before he unloads. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-13 03:25 pm (UTC)Catra hops up on the bench beside him, her tail flicking with interest. ]
So do I get to know what you're making? Or is it a surprise?
no subject
Date: 2020-06-13 06:27 pm (UTC)there's a pan that's acceptable, and he turns it between his fingers to make sure. it'll work for what he needs.
when he starts unpacking there definitely is fish and even some roe that he unpacks along with some crunchy vegetables. sushi takes a different skillset than curry, but he figures he can make a decent handroll without tainting the art. ]
You wouldn't guess even if I gave you a hint, so it can be a surprise.
[ he looks a little too satisfied to troll a little. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-14 02:57 am (UTC)Hey, that's fish! You got fish!
[ It might seem so obvious as to not be worth remarking upon to Ren, but fish is still a rarity for Catra. ]
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Date: 2020-06-14 03:06 am (UTC)It's better with fish.
[ he did say his friend was a cat, after all. there's a reason why Catra was perfect (she even had "cat" in her name).
there are several other steps to do before they can get to the good part, though. one includes polishing the rice. ]
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Date: 2020-06-14 03:20 am (UTC)What are you doing now?
no subject
Date: 2020-06-14 03:36 am (UTC)The rice has to be washed, or it gets gummy. Can you measure water out for me?
no subject
Date: 2020-06-14 03:39 am (UTC)[ News to her. ]
Sure, I guess. How much?
[ People who have never made rice: this girl. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-14 01:41 pm (UTC)Ah—yeah, there's starch on the outside. It makes it clump. Rice should be evenly cooked.
[ because that's definitely some milky water he's pouring out. ]
400 milliliters.
[ here's hoping she has something to measure. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 12:11 am (UTC)[ Catra searches around the mostly-empty drawers until she finally finds some measuring cups-- must have been Faith who bought them, because Catra mutters to herself-- ]
Huh. Didn't even know we had these...
[ But at least she manages to measure out the amount correctly. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 01:40 am (UTC)Have you been back to Red Wings?
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 02:08 am (UTC)... No. Why?
[ It's said in the petulant tone of voice that implies, tread carefully. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 04:41 pm (UTC)I wanted to ask you what happened.
[ part of his focus is on cutting something in front of her. it is her decision, how much she wants to divulge, and he's not going to press, but she also deserves the same opportunity to tell her side of it. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 11:39 pm (UTC)[ There's an emphasis on the word busybody that implies Ren is being the same, and she doesn't appreciate it. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 11:42 pm (UTC)You don't want to tell your part of it?
no subject
Date: 2020-06-15 11:46 pm (UTC)[ Because she knows deep down that "her part of it" doesn't make her look particularly good, either. ]
What's there to tell? You were there, weren't you? And that stupid video's been floating around the internet too. I'm not stupid. People won't shut up about it.
no subject
Date: 2020-06-16 01:09 pm (UTC)People talk. [ he says it with a little edge of exhaustion, but it doesn't keep. ] I know how that is.
no subject
Date: 2020-06-16 02:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-06-16 02:29 pm (UTC)It gets tiring, especially when it comes coming up.
no subject
Date: 2020-06-16 03:03 pm (UTC)[ Catra continues to sit on the kitchen bench, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them there. ]
Everyone here is so nosy. Back home you could deck someone and it'd be like "Nice work, Catra!"
Here if you so much as sneeze the wrong way everyone's up in your business. Telling you what to do. Who you can be friends with. How you can react to stuff.
no subject
Date: 2020-06-17 01:58 am (UTC)maybe he's just a little bit of an airhead.
(he is.) ]
What do you mean?
[ he's turning the rice off, but leave it where it is for the moment. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-17 02:33 am (UTC)[ Rey can't help that her powerset invokes in Catra a special sort of fear and feeling that Catra associates with Shadow Weaver and Hordak. Doesn't even know she's doing it. But the association is enough for Catra to loathe her from that very first interaction, knowing that Rey has the power to end her instantly, and what does Catra do when confronted with that? Throw herself against it aggressively, desperate to prove that she isn't afraid. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-17 02:48 pm (UTC)it doesn't actually add up. ]
It sounds like something started between you two.
[ that this went deeper. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-06-17 02:58 pm (UTC)... She's like all the bad parts of Adora, with Shadow Weaver's powers.
[ Belatedly, she frowns further as she seems to realise that this sounds like a weird thing to say-- given that Ren just spent several weeks with Adora and Catra in the same room being best friends. ]
Adora and I-- it's. Complicated.
no subject
Date: 2020-06-17 03:27 pm (UTC)(he also has no clue who Shadow Weaver is, but from experience he knows better than to go after that one right away. it'll come as Catra becomes comfortable.) ]
I have the time.
[ cuz he's fluffing up some warm rice so it cools off. also, there's something that he's tossing in?? anyway. ]
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