Title: French toast
Rating: G
Fandom: Tokyo Xanadu
Relationship: Hiiragi Asuka/Kurashiki Shiori
Wordcount: 556
Short summary: Shiori makes breakfast for herself and Asuka.
Shiori hums to herself as she flips the last piece of French toast from the pan onto the plate. It’s been a while since Asuka has been able to enjoy a morning at home with Shiori, so Shiori went all out to make one of her favorite breakfast dishes. She’s just about done with adding the cream topping when Asuka enters the kitchen.
“It smells good,” Asuka says from the doorway. She takes a seat at the table and her eyes widen. “Oh, French toast?”
Shiori smiles as she places the finished plate in front of Asuka. “It’s Kou’s favorite.”
“Oh, that’s surprising.” Asuka picks up her knife but otherwise waits for Shiori to take her seat opposite with her own plate of French toast. “He doesn’t seem particularly into sweets.”
They quickly say thanks for the food before beginning to dig in. Shiori had made sure the better cooked of the two pieces of French toast had been given to Asuka, although there is nothing wrong with the one she’s eating. She just likes to give Asuka the best she can.
“I made it for him pretty often that year when he lived alone,” Shiori explains as she watches Asuka put a piece of toast in her mouth. Ah, Asuka didn’t add any extra syrup to her toast. It seems the cream and macadamia nuts were enough flavor? “Though not quite as fancy as this.” When Shiori made French toast for Kou, he usually just got cinnamon and syrup.
Asuka laughs. “At least he’s no longer so useless in the mornings.”
“Thanks to Takahata.”
The best result from Kou and Shio’s relationship, at least for Shiori, is the fact that Kou can now take care of himself domestically. Of course Shiori had to spend months helping Shio teach Kou how to cook, but at least she doesn’t have to worry about Kou starving to death because he can’t make any food or Kou solely surviving on junk food. If Kou had stayed with her, she’d probably have continued to coddle him… Oh well, that was part of the past. The number one person on her mind nowadays is Asuka, and Shiori is more than happy with that.
“Though to be honest, I’d probably be useless too if I had you to take care of me every morning like this.” Asuka had been eating the French toast so quickly Shiori could barely catch her reactions, so it must mean she likes it, right? Asuka’s next words make that clear. “This is so good, Shiori.”
Shiori blushes. “Thanks.”
“I mean it.” Asuka motions with her fork and Shiori sees that every last crumb has been consumed off her plate. “I have had lots of different styles of French toast, but yours might be the best.”
“Really?” This surprises Shiori. French toast is a popular food in America, right? Surely Shiori’s version couldn’t…
“I guess when we go to America we’ll just enjoy waffles or pancakes instead,” Asuka says with a laugh.
Shiori smiles. “I look forward to that.”
Shiori doesn’t actually care whether it’s French toast, waffles, pancakes, or leftovers from the day before. She just wants to enjoy breakfast with Asuka whenever she can. If that means making French toast more often, Shiori will happily do so, as long as it keeps Asuka laughing and smiling.