2026-04-26: Halloween Cooking
- Log: 2026-04-26: Halloween Cooking
- Cast: Akihiko Sanada, Fuuka Yamagishi
- Where: Iwatodai Dormatory
- OOC Date: April 26, 2026
- IC Date: October 31, 2012
- Summary: Akihiko and Fuuka meet up by coincidence during Halloween and talk together about cooking.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
It's Halloween, and Iwatodai Dormitory is decorated accordingly. It's really strange to Akihiko actually. With all of the new blood, the vibe in SEES has been dramatic. Hell, even last year was spent largely waiting for the Dark Hour to arrive, (or was that just Akihiko's own memory of it?)
It's definitely a welcome change. He's been watching the younger comrades set up costumes, talk about plans, the excitement is palpable. It's a rare treat.
In a change from his regular, reckless self, Akihiko had volunteered to hold down the fort. Handle trick or treaters and he should be able to provide a headcount by the Dark Hour. It's a responsibility he's admittedly pretty excited for.
At the moment however, he is in the tiny little kitchen, working on meal prep for tomorrow. His poor, bland chicken breasts with protein powder... Enjoying listening to life in the dormitory from a distance.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka likes the idea of Halloween. Putting on a costume and becoming someone else for a bit is fun, it turns out. ...However, her social battery is still running a little dry following the convention(nevermind that it wasn't even a week ago), so her plans today mostly involve sticking around the dorm.
That isn't to say she's not still festive. Her outfit today is a black witch's robe with green accents. It's pretty cozy, actually, especially as the days grow colder. She has a pointy hat to go with it, too... but that she leaves on the table as she steps into the kitchen to see if she can scare up some food.
When she arrives, though, someone is already here and hard at work.
"Oh, hello, Sanada-senpai." Fuuka greets. "I hope I'm not interrupting..."
...She is a little curious, though, because it's hard for her to identify.
"...What are you working on?" She asks.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko looks up as Fuuka comes into the kitchen. "Yo, Yamagishi-san!" He raises a hand in welcome. He's leaning up against the back counter, and isn't in costume just yet... Or, he's going as Gekkoukan's Undefeated Boxing Champ for the fourth time in a row? It's unclear.
Still! He gives Fuuka a once over and offers an encouraging nod. "Lookin' good, Yamagishi-san." Akihiko shakes his head. "Not at all! I was just doing some meal prep for tomorrow."
One burner is being used on his chicken breasts for tomorrow. The pale pink rawness of the breasts poking out beneath white protein power. It's almost like what Shinji does for Koromaru when he's feeling especially kind. "Don't mind me, do what you need to do." A beat. Might as well make some conversations, right? "Are you heading out tonight too, Yamagishi-san?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"Oh, thank you." Fuuka replies politely as he comments on her costume. She turns her attention to the stovetop as he explains that he's doing some meal prep. She looks impressed. He sounds confident enough - he must know what he's doing... "Oh, I see... I didn't know you cooked."
Then again, didn't she hear something about that...? ...It's probably fine.
She nods as he says not to mind him and approaches the fridge, taking stock of what's available. Right now, it's probably best to find something low effort... She looks up, though, as he asks her.
"Oh, no... I don't think I'm quite ready for another event." Fuuka admits a bit sheepishly with a shake of her head. "I was thinking I'd stay home tonight."
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She considers him for a moment.
"You were staying tonight too, right, Sanada-senpai? Do you need a hand?" She asks. She figures she might as well offer.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
'I didn't know you cooked.'
"I don't, really." Akihiko scratches the back of his head. "I just know how to cook what I need for body building." Describing him as 'someone who can cook'... Well, it sort of sounds like stolen valour, doesn't it?
"Honestly, I was considering making a cake for everyone, but the day arrived in a blink of an eye." He admits. "It's probably a bit too late now..."
"Another?" He prompts, interested. "What was the first event? ...Did something happen then?"
"Sure am." Akihiko says on staying home tonight. "Oh, I doubt it'll be anything too serious. Though, a navigator would help making sure everyone came home in time..." He nods, but has to shakes his head out of 'tactical thinking' mode. "I was planning on staying outside with Koromaru, for trick or treaters. You're more than welcome to join me."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"That makes sense..." Fuuka replies with a thoughtful nod. If he needs something specific, he'd have to learn how to make it himself. He admits, then, that he was considering making a cake for everyone.
"...I can understand the feeling. I've been thinking about things I can do for everyone, too." She comments. "I think they'd appreciate the gesture, even if it's late..."
Akihiko asks about the event, though, and Fuuka pauses. ...How is she going to explain a doujinshi convention to him? ...Maybe she's underestimating him and he already knows what that is, but she has to wonder.
"Oh, um... I went to an art convention the other day. Nothing specific happened, it's just... there were a lot of people there, so I'm a little low on energy." Fuuka explains. ...That's a good compromise, she thinks.
"That's true..." She considers, as he comments that a navigator would be helpful. ...It's easy for her to slip into 'tactics-mode', too. She gets it. She considers the invitation, though. Staying outside for trick or treaters...
"...I think I can manage that. Sure, I'd be glad to." She replies with a smile. It does sound fun... and hanging out with Koromaru is always a good bonus.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"Heh. Maybe we could work on something while everyone's out then." Akihiko says, not totally intending Fuuka to take the offer. Though, she's a girl, right? She should be a decent baker at least!
Hehe talks about wanting to do more for everyone, and Akihiko nods in agreement. "Same here. I've been trying to figure out what I can offer to everyone. More than just my fists." He lets out a little sigh, and flips his cooking chicken breasts. "Training, treats, protection... I don't really know."
Fuuka's initial assumption is absolutely correct. Low on energy, from an activity the other day is almost entirely unknown to him. It's more of a matter of will, isn't it? What he does latch onto, though... "Oh! I didn't know you were in the art club, Yamagishi-san?" He must've missed seeing the poster, probably. "Was it like, a museum type deal?" As expected, it's completely outside of his range of understanding.
"It'll be fun then." He smiles as Fuuka accepts his offer. "I did this last year, too. It's nice to see the kid's costumes, and their joy. It reminds me a bit of the orphanage, actually."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka pauses. She feels like she's been caught... She hesitates for a moment, before nodding.
"Um... Sure. Though, um... I've never made a cake before." Fuuka admits.
Still... she can sympathise with that, too. She doesn't want to be just everyone's navigator. She nods.
"It's difficult, isn't it? Thinking of what would be most helpful to everyone..." She comments. She wishes there were an easy answer. But if there were, surely she would've figured it out by now.
He asks about art club, though - it takes Fuuka a second, but that is the logical conclusion, isn't it? It isn't a wrong one, either.
"Oh, yes, I am." Fuuka confirms with a nod. She has long since shut the fridge, nothing within catching her eye at the moment. "A few of us here in the dorm attend, actually..."
As for the convention, though, she shakes her head. How to explain it without giving away that it's totally a nerd thing...
"Not quite. It's, um... artists get together to show off what they're currently working on and sell copies of their old work, and fans come to see all of it." Fuuka explains.
She smiles, too, as he comments on how he did this last year. And as he continues, bringing up the orphanage...
"It does?" Fuuka asks, curious. "Still, it does sound nice... I've never done this before, myself. So... I'm sure it'll be fun."
It's nice to see this side of him, she thinks. They haven't had much opportunity to talk, so it's nice to be able to learn more.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"It couldn't be that tough, right?" Akihiko says, cluelessly. "I mean, it's just following a recipe. Easy!
"My thoughts exactly." It's difficult to get out of your niche, huh? Even Fuuka feels similarly, when she's so capable in the field... "Honestly, I'm surprised to hear that from you, Yamagishi-san. You do a great job out there. Everyone comes back home safe, in part because of you."
The incorrect assumption was correct! Still, he nods. Hiding that it's a nerd thing happens to be correct choice though, because Akihiko just won't understand. "Oh, I see!"
The way Fuuka describes it makes Akihiko think of it like... "It's reminding me of my classes, actually." he explains. "My books have been describing 18th century Europe as a wonderland of art and culture... Is it sort of like that?" Huh, not just boxing is in that brain of his! "Or, is it more of the patronage system I've heard about?"
"Mm." He nods, confirming. "We didn't have much to go around then. But we'd try our best to put together a costume and do organized trick or treats around the neighborhood. I remember my sister would get so excited..." His voice softens considerably, from his usual 'cool senpai' voice. There's a lot of fondness there.
It's the same for Akihiko! They come from such different worlds, he thinks... It's strange, and really nice to connect with the softer, nerdier girl like this.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"Maybe not..." Fuuka considers, with an awkward laugh. Ah, following a recipe... Her greatest weakness.
He agrees, though - it is difficult.
"Oh, thank you, but..." She shakes her head. "It's a group effort. Lucia's specialty is support, so I couldn't do much without all of you, too."
She listens, then, as Akihiko considers what she said. The comparison is a surprise, at first... at least until she remembers his test scores. She 'hm's to herself for a moment, tilting her head to the side.
"More the former, I think..." She replies after a moment. 'Wonderland' is definitely a good word for it. "There's a focus on celebrating art, too."
He explains, then, what it was like during Halloweens at the orphanage. She can tell the memory means a lot to him. Fuuka laughs softly.
"It sounds like it was a wonderful time for everyone. I'm glad all of you had that for yourselves." She replies.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
It's basically just science! Basically!
Akihiko nods. "It is, but knowing that you have our back allows us to go all out." A beat. "At least it's that way for me..." He says with a laugh. Though, really he might go all out regardless...
In any case. It really is easy to forget that the lughead really is one of the top students at Gekkoukan! Also just that he's clever and logical, probably a detriment to his social skills.
"I see! That's quite interesting, huh?" Aki strokes his chin. "I'm surprised I haven't heard of an event like this. It might be nice to visit sometime." He would never understand it. Don't bother.
"I really hope so." He replies, a bit quieter this time. The image of a certain, sullen brown haired boy flashes in his mind. Goro Akechi...
Akihiko lets out a deep sigh, as he checks the fan fried chicken breasts. "Well, if you couldn't find anything for yourself, I'd be happy to share one of my breasts." Don't do it, Fuuka. Run!