Beverage Date - Kenshin/Koryuu
2207.03.
Matins isn't quite over when Kenshin catches his older brother looking forlorn, laying on the common room floor, a pillow hugged to his chest. A quick glance out the glass-paneled doors and Kenshin knows why; the fields and pathways that had begun to melt are being covered by a new layer of falling snow.
As he watches, a gust of wind blows a burst of white off the roof, briefly obscuring the world with innumerable flakes.
Koryuu sighs again, and sinks into his pillow.
Kenshin kneels down at his side, hands folded in his lap.
“Koryuu-nii-san,” he says. “What’s wrong?”
Koryuu mumbles something into the pillow. Kenshin stabs a finger into his shoulder.
“Ow!” Koryuu says, sitting up and rubbing his shoulder. “That actually hurt!”
“Well, I am a sword,” Kenshin replies placidly. He knows it didn’t hurt that much. “You’re moping, Koryuu-nii-san.”
Koryuu sighs again, and Kenshin wonders if another finger stab would do the trick. But Koryuu answers without it.
“I was looking forward to the snow melting,” he admits. “And this snowfall will set us back a bit from that.” He gives Kenshin a lopsided grin, showing his short fangs. “Sorry. You’re right that I shouldn’t mope about something like that, especially where the master can see me. I was just excited about spring, and having something to do outside again.”
“You can always shovel,” Kenshin says.
Koryuu makes a face.
“Or you can always try to get Daihannya-nii-san to shovel.”
“Hah! Now, that might be a good way to spice up the day. Though, you could probably just bribe him with alcohol. That would defeat the purpose of making it fun…”
Koryuu looks back at the windows, eyes on the snow.
Kenshin tilts his head, an idea coming to him, and he pokes Koryuu’s arm again.
“Ow! I wasn’t moping that time, I promise!”
“Come with me, Nii-san,” Kenshin says.
He gets up, ignoring Koryuu’s grumblings as he rubs his arm. The tachi follows suit, though, which is all Kenshin cares about.
“Where are we going?” Koryuu asks as he follows Kenshin into the hall. His tone is mild - he’s already agreed to whatever Kenshin will put him up to, and now is simply curious.
Kenshin doesn’t let his serious expression relax. Not yet.
“To do something best done on snowy days,” he replies.
The end of matins is the start of the morning meal. The main kitchen will be nearly empty, as Shokudaikiri, Azuki, and the others would be out serving and eating - at least until more food is needed. So Kenshin - and Koryuu - will have the main kitchen to themselves for a while.
Kenshin scurries about, pulling together the items he’ll need. A large stainless steel bowl, a whisk, a tin pot, a wooden spoon. And then the ingredients.
Koryuu hangs off to the side. He’s not used to being in the kitchen - not that he doesn’t help, it’s just that he’s usually in the scullery, doing the rougher work of preparing fresh vegetables or meat - and he looks uncharacteristically uncertain of himself.
Kenshin pours a measure of cream into the metal bowl, and for a moment debates what else to add. It feels like it will need something, but he’s mindful of the end product, as well - and the fact that he likes things sweeter than Koryuu does.
In the end, he decides on a pinch of cinnamon. He adds it to the cream, then hands the bowl and whisk over to Koryuu.
“Stir this,” he says.
“Yes, General!” Koryuu replies with a grin.
Kenshin elects to ignore him, and turns over to the other part of the project.
He trades the pitcher of cream for one of milk, puts it on the counter, and fetches his other ingredients as the kitchen fills with the sound of metal on metal as Koryuu starts whisking. Kenshin listens for a moment, making sure Koryuu is working at the right speed, then gets out a stool and drags it to a stove. Carefully, he pours the milk into the pot, then lights the heat, adding handfuls of other ingredients as he deems fit, stirring all the while.
It doesn’t take long before the air around the stove has turned sweet. Koryuu comes in close, sticking his nose over the pot, still whisking.
“Smells good,” he says. “Though, I knew it would.”
Kenshin finds himself standing a little straighter at the praise.
“Thank you,” he says. “And your whisking is excellent.”
“I had a good teacher,” Koryuu replies.
They’re quiet a moment, except for the sound of the whisk against the bowl and the flickering stove-top sounds, focused on their tasks. Then Koryuu speaks again.
“Kenshin,” he says. “Did you give me the harder task?”
“Of course I did,” Kenshin replies, giving the pot another stir. “You wanted something useful to do, didn’t you?”
Koryuu sighs. “Can’t argue with that one, I guess.”
Kenshin has to fight to keep his victorious smile to himself.
When everything is almost ready, Kenshin hops down from the stool to fetch a pair of mugs from the glass-faced tableware cabinet that takes up much of one wall. He brings the mugs to the stove, then busies himself returning ingredients to their proper places. Except for one, which he takes back to the stove. He carefully lifts up the pot of steaming drink.
“Are you sure you’ve got that?” Koryuu says. “I can do it if it’s too heavy.”
“I’ve got it,” Kenshin replies. The pot is heavy, yes, but not so heavy a sword warrior would have trouble with it, even one as small as Kenshin. Besides, it’s the sort of thing he should practice as often as possible.
He fills one mug, then returns the pot to the stove. Koryuu comes nosing in again, and this time Kenshin elbows him away.
“Finish whisking first,” he says.
He adds a shake of the final ingredient, stirs until he’s sure it’s dissolved, then pours the second cup. The cream is fully whisked by now, so they add a dollop of it on top of each cup. Kenshin finishes off the one meant for Koryuu with another shake of the small container in his hand, then returns it to its shelf. They leave the dishes soaking in the skin. Kenshin will be back to clean them. Or make Koryuu clean them. He hasn’t decided yet.
They take their drinks back to the common room, where they can watch the snow falling outside, hot chocolates still gently steaming in their hands.
Koryuu breathes in the sweet scent, and smiles.
“Not bad,” he says. His eyes are soft.
“Good enough to make up for a spring snow storm?”
“I’ll have to try it, first.” He takes a sip, the snow cream obscuring his nose, and his eyebrows raise. “It’s spicy!”
“I thought you would like that more than if it was just sweet,” Kenshin says. He takes a sip of his own hot chocolate, and it’s only sweet. Just the way Kenshin likes it.
“Delicious,” he says with a sigh.
“We make a good team,” Koryuu agrees. Then he leans over, and kisses the corner of Kenshin’s mouth.
Kenshin feels his body warm over, and not just from their drinks. He feels the brush of Koryuu’s tongue, nose tickling with the scent of spices, and knows his face has turned red.
“You had some whipped cream on your cheek,” Koryuu says when he pulls away. But he doesn’t go far. “Thank you, little brother. This makes me feel a lot better.”
Kenshin leans over, and kisses Koryuu’s mouth.
“Anytime,” he says softly to Koryuu’s widened eyes.
Then he turns back to his drink, and watches the snow fall.