[RP] Of dandelions and sunflowers

[lionheartedchef]

{ PSL birthed from here. }

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Confessions

[lionheartedchef]

[ It never seemed as if moments could just write themselves into perfection. It was either another topic got their attention, or their thoughts took a detour to unwittingly avoid a certain destination. It was either the wrong place and time, or someone just happened to walk in.

This was one of those moments. Cooking with Rapunzel was often unintentional, but Hunk would readily admit that wanting to spend time with, or just be around Rapunzel was very much intentional.

The latest planetary liberation came with its special dose of stressors, which was why Hunk had made an immediate beeline towards the kitchens right after giving Yellow mental hugs and putting him on repair mode, changing out of his Paladin armor, and washing away the bad taste of having to deal with particularly unpleasant personalities.

When he had found the kitchen empty, he realized he was disappointed. Not that he expected Rapunzel to be at the kitchen or even wait for him -- she had become their resident medic after all, leaving Coran to focus on the operations and upkeep of the Castle of Lions. He started on his work nonetheless.

Apple pie sounded good. ]

[worthit]

[ Being tasked with acting as the resident medic had been good for Rapunzel's spirits as it left her feeling like she was now a contributing member of Team Voltron. True, she didn't pilot a lion. She didn't handle any of the repairs on the ship, like Coran, nor could she power the ship and issue commands to it, like Allura. She'd always helped with little chores such as cleaning, but she didn't have any assigned tasks until recently. Now being looked to for something specific, she felt like she was pulling her weight.

It was stupid, really, and she knew she was being at least a little bit silly thinking like that. They'd already welcomed her, and not a single person on board made her feel unwelcome, or told her she HAD to earn any sort of keep. Having spent nearly two decades doing just so in the tower, though, it felt good to have something to make her own again.

Once everyone had been healed and advised to get some rest she made straight for the kitchen. She could hear Hunk moving around in there and assumed one of a few things had happened:

1: They'd encountered some new ingredient and despite the hectic nature of the mission he'd managed to grab some, wanted to try it out.

2: He'd gotten sick during the mission and now his body was looking to make up for it.

3: He was feeling anxious.

Rapunzel paused at the doorway to look in and see what he was up to, besides the obvious. He seemed pensive... His body language was telling, not moving about with his usual energetic gusto, but more purpose. His usual relaxed movements were missing, more methodical and straight forward than usual. Part of why she loved watching Hunk in the kitchen was his care free way of moving around the room, completely relaxed as if he owned the place. For all intent and purpose he might as well have. Rapunzel was lucky if she could operate the food dispensers without making a mess, still learning the in's and out's of the castle's more advanced technology. Not Hunk, though. Even though they assured her the castle was more advanced than anything Earth had (and Pidge and Hunk constantly reinforced this, especially Pidge with her fangirling) they'd all adapted quickly, Pidge and Hunk most easily of all. Seeing him move around the kitchen reminded her of how she felt navigating the tower: Perfectly at home, in his element. Something had to be up if he was moving around like THAT in his element... ]

Hunk?

[ She asks, preceded by a soft rap of knuckles against the wall. She stepped inside brushing down her dress skirt a bit. Wide, green eyes were watching him with quiet concern, trying to keep her tone casual. If something HAD happened she trusted he would tell her when asked. ]

Everything okay...?

[lionheartedchef]

[ Part of what Hunk loved about cooking was that it provided him with both science and art, and that it allowed him to make something good in the face of the bad things happening around them. After a string of unpredictables, Hunk craved the ritual precision of making apple pie -- how the pieces apple should be should just be so, so that each bite would have the ideal ratio of apple and crust; that the dough should be spread out that the crust will hold at the edges and at the bottom, and the the weaved to crust should be even so no part of the pie will feel like it's just all dough...

Rapunzel would be right in her observation -- Hunk was practically getting lost in rolling out the bottom crust and making sure that the distance between fork holes were evenly distributed. He hadn't answered at his name, but he did look up at the following question. ]

Oh-- hey, Rapunzel. [ Lance was the better actor. Hunk tried to smile, but it did not quite reach his eyes. If this was happening when Rapunzel was still new, he'd have the face to smile brightly and to give a little white lie, even if he had to scramble for a distraction. But he wouldn't lie to Rapunzel. He did consider it, glancing at his crust-in-the-making, and then back at Rapunzel. ] Not-- well, it'll be okay. I think I just-- [ need a moment; need a hug ] need to get this done.

[ He took one long breath, inwardly debating if he hadn't sounded dismissive. He had been looking for her, after all -- ] Care to join me? [ His smile turned a little bashful. ] I'd-- like some company.

[worthit]

[ She waited as patiently as she could for him to finish his answer, not because she was the impatient sort, but because she didn't know if that answer would be a dismissal or a welcome. If something WAS bothering him she hoped he'd be comfortable enough with her to confide in her about it, but she knew it was hopeful thinking, wishful, that he might not.

When he initially told her he just needed to finish his task she did worry he was telling her to give him space, but if he'd left it at that she would have done her best to respect it. Before it came to that, though, he was inviting her in, and while she wasn't exactly happy to hear that something was bothering him she WAS relieved that he wanted her around to either talk it over, help him through it, or even just take his mind off it for a while. That relief bled over a bit into the smile she returned to him as she stepped inside. ]

You're baking an apple pie? Want some help?

[ She asked, maybe just a touch excited at the idea (it's a dish that reminds her of the good times back home, few as those might have seemed), gesturing with one hand towards the ingredients set out, including the dough he was rolling out.

She joined him at the counter, directly beside him- close enough to be very much aware of one another's proximity, but leaving room for them to work. She looks to see what he had finished already and where she might be able to jump in to help. Maybe cutting the strips for the top, or seasoning the apple filling? ]

Did something happen out there...?

[ It's a tentative question as she looks over and up at him, hoping she isn't pressuring him to jump right into it, but it's not really in her to beat around the bush, not when someone she cares about is upset. ]

[lionheartedchef]

[ Soon as Rapunzel accepted his invitation, Hunk's smile softened, and whet off the some of the edges of the tense air around him. When she approached, he moved just enough to give her space, but more than that, he just wanted her close -- close enough that he could imagine her hair lighting up his space and her warm presence chasing away the cold winds howling in his mind. ]

Yeah! Yeah, that'd be great, thanks! Um-- I haven't started working on the apples yet.

[ Indeed the "apples" were still whole in a bowl. He didn't want cutting them too soon and have them turning brown. At Rapunzel's question, however, his brows knit together. The sooner he got it off his chest, the better, right? ]

That planet we just left, Rigel, it's-- it's gonna tear itself apart. [ He paused in his dough-working, afraid of using too much pressure. ] It was almost like the Olkari, where their king was secretly working with the Galra; except this time, it's an entire ruling class that's under Galra influence that are enslaving their own people. How do you-- how do you solve that?

[ The mission had ended on a stalemate. Even Allura judged that they had to take a step back and see where Voltron could help the Rigellians best. They came in with the intention to bring down the Galra base but turned out they had the support of the more powerful class of that planet. They had gone on with the pattern of liberating planets from Galra, but this wasn't just Galra. ]