cheerioquinnyfab

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finnhudsun​:

Finn smiled at Quinn’s reaction to the sauce, glad that they appeared to be going in the right direction with all of this. “Maybe we should practice the sauce sometime soon when my mom is at work late. That way we know we have all of the elements ready for her. What do you think?” He was pretty sure it was a good idea, but it never hurt to hear Quinn’s opinion as well. 

Finn was a bit nervous about the cooking the chicken portion of this meal. It was the most important part and he really didn’t want to screw it up. He knew he would never be a five-star chef, but he hoped that he’d be able to become a passable enough cook to be able to help feed his girlfriend and their kid when the baby was old enough to eat actual food. “Yeah? Cool.”

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“I think that’s a really good idea.  There’s no sense in us doing all the work to make this for her only to mess up the sauce recipe because we’ve never tried it for real.  That’d just be a waste for all of us,” Quinn nodded.  “It doesn’t look too complicated at least, so not much to learn once we know all this.”

Doing anything for the first time, especially something as complicated as cooking, could be scary and she wanted to give Finn as much confidence as could possibly be imbued.  “Definitely, you’re doing great - once the white gets about halfway up the chicken you can flip it over.”

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finnhudsun​:

cheerioquinnyfab​:

Quinn was definitely anticipating the moment they could taste their creation, because Bump was apparently very hungry, but she did her best to focus on the instructions.  Warming the pre-made sauce, she added the vegetables and hummed with satisfaction as she stirred them together.  “Homemade sauce sounds really good,” she admitted to Finn.  “Want a taste of what we’ve got so far, though?”  Offering him a bit on the wooden spoon in her hand, her smile was bright and warm - had she ever been so happy and comfortable before?

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“Mmm, while that is super tempting, I think I just want to enjoy the whole thing together this time. Does that make sense?” Finn asked. “Thank you though…and you should definitely have a taste, let me know how delicious it is.” 

The instructor soon told them to begin heating up their pan to cook the chicken and Finn went about that process as carefully as he could. He didn’t want to burn himself and he also didn’t want to burn the meal.

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Quinn was surprised, but not unpleasantly so, only nodding.  “It does make sense, no worries.”  She sipped the sauce gently from the end of the spoon and hummed delightedly, nodding.  “Perfect.  Once we get this on the chicken it’s going to be fantastic.”

The next part, the chicken itself, was going to be likely the most difficult step - so easy to burn, so easy to undercook.  Despite her need for control, though, she didn’t step in as Finn began.  He could do this, and the best way that she could help him was to stay out of his way unless she saw something going wrong.  “Looking good,” she murmured, softly enough that only he would hear.

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finnhudsun​:

He rolled his eyes when Quinn called him a teacher’s pet. It certainly wasn’t a title that had been attributed to him many times in his life. It felt strange, but not really in a bad way; just different. The smells in the room were really getting to him now, his stomach just almost at the point of rumbling. “Next, add the onions and parsley to the pre-made sauce. It will not taste as good as the homemade stuff, but don’t you worry. I’ll send you home with a really great sauce recipe.” Finn just chuckled softly, and nodded in approval. Homemade stuff always tasted better.

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Quinn was definitely anticipating the moment they could taste their creation, because Bump was apparently very hungry, but she did her best to focus on the instructions.  Warming the pre-made sauce, she added the vegetables and hummed with satisfaction as she stirred them together.  “Homemade sauce sounds really good,” she admitted to Finn.  “Want a taste of what we’ve got so far, though?”  Offering him a bit on the wooden spoon in her hand, her smile was bright and warm - had she ever been so happy and comfortable before?

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finnhudsun​:

“Thanks. Your onions and parsley look great too.” He offered, squeezing her hands gently. 

The instructor informed everyone to add their veggies to the pot with some oil to start the cooking process on them before they would add the red sauce to the mixture. Finn had never been all that good at cooking onions without somehow burning them so he hoped his girlfriend had more success with it than he did.

He was then led through the breading process for the chicken, something he went through a few times to ensure that each piece of chicken was coated nicely in the mixture that had been created. None of this seemed to be the most difficult, but he was glad that he seemed to be following the instructions properly; even getting an approving nod from the instructor as she walked around to examine everyone’s stations.

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“Aw thank you,” Quinn smiled, the gentle touch making her incredibly happy.  She caught the instruction and nodded, fairly comfortable with what she was being asked to do.  As Finn as led through the breading process she added some oil to the pot and waited for it to heat before sliding the onion and parsley from the cutting board into the hot oil, which immediately began to pop and sizzle.

As she stirred infrequently she watched Finn, feeling an ache in her chest as she realized that some day in the not too distant future they’d be having moments like this at home, cooking for themselves and their daughter.  “Nice work, teacher’s pet,” she teased gently, turning the pot down to a simmer to await their next instructions now that the onions had turned translucent.

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finnhudsun​:

“Sure thing, babe. Not a problem at all.” He assured the blonde with a smile; one reserved only for her. They were still working on their relationship, would probably be doing so for a long time, but it was worth it to him. Not only just for him and Quinn but for Bump too. Going back to school, getting back into the swing of their schedules and reality would be a test for them he was sure, but his plan was just to take it day by day.

He stepped up toward the counter, switching spots with Quinn and glancing up at the instructor as she began to go through the steps. He followed each word to the letter, making sure that measurements were right and turning to Quinn for help when necessary. He was feeling more and more confident as they went through the steps, an easy grin forming on his lips.

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His smile warmed her from head to toe, because she knew more than anyone how different it was from the smile he showed the world.  It was one more special thing shared between them, and one more that she treasured each time she was lucky enough to see it.  They weren’t okay, not yet, but they were taking steps and working towards it at their own pace, and that was all she could ask from him.

Switching spots, she picked up the provided knife and began to coarsely chop the parsley.  Vegetables had been one of her assigned tasks when helping her mother with dinner - a thought that still produced a pained feeling in her chest - and she liked to think she was pretty good.  The onion came next, making her eyes water, and in between dicing it she helped Finn when he needed her assistance.  With the bowls ready and onion diced, Quinn set her knife down and got up on her toes to kiss Finn’s cheek.

“Good job,” she praised softly.

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finnhudsun​:

Finn grabbed three bowls and set them up on their counter, placing each item that the instructor had mentioned behind each bowl so that Quinn had easy access to them. “Now while one of you is going through the bowls with me, I’d like the other to cut up some onions and some parsley to add to our sauce to help enhance the flavor.” At that mention, Finn glanced at Quinn. “Which of the tasks would you like?” He would be paying attention to both of the tasks so that either way he knew what he had to do, but it was important to him that Quinn got to partake in the parts that she wanted to do more than anything.

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Quinn looked between the bowls and the vegetables, quickly gesturing to the veggies with a smile.  “I can take the onions and parsley if that works for you, I know how to do that part.”  Not to mention that she trusted Finn’s concentration better than her own, because as she was discovering pregnancy brain was a very real thing.  “But if you need a hand with the bowls, just let me know, okay?”

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finnhudsun​:

It didn’t take long for Finn to finish evening out the chicken breast to the size that the instructor had suggested. “Hey, babe. Mind turning on the water for me to wash my hands?” Finn questioned. Once she’d done so, he washed them well and then moved to slip an arm around Quinn’s waist as they waited for everyone to finish so that they could be given the next item on their to do list.

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, letting his free hand rest on her bump for just a moment to say hello. He found himself being drawn to doing so whenever they were standing together and since she hadn’t told him not to or said she didn’t like it, he continued doing so. It felt like a small connection with the baby, in the only way he currently could.

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“Of course,” Quinn smiled, turning the water on and testing the temperature with her wrist, something she’d picked up in one of the parenting articles and was already unconsciously doing.  “There you go,” she gestured, squirting some soap into his hands once they were under the water and offering a towel when he was done.  His arm around her waist left her feeling safe and warm, and the smile on her face grew even wider with the kiss and the way his hand rested on bump. She was incredibly protective of their baby, and the only people she would allow a touch like that were Finn and Carole - she shied away from anyone else, even people she’d known for a long time, and simply shrugged off any complaints.  It was her body and their baby, and she wouldn’t brook any argument.

“Now,” the instructor spoke up, “if everyone’s done, let’s set up your breading stations.  You’ll need three bowls - one for your spices, one for your egg mixture, and one for your flour.  Get your bowls set up, and we’ll go through each one.”

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finnhudsun​:

He nodded in agreement when Quinn said that she was already hungry. “Oh, me too. And it’s only gonna get worse when everyone starts cooking and this place is filled with good smells.” Or what he hoped would be good smells if people didn’t truly mess up. “Maybe if we do well with this recipe, we can make it for my mom for her birthday.” Carole’s birthday was coming up and he wanted to do something nice for her that also wouldn’t be too much effort on Quinn’s part. He’d been noticing that she was getting tired more easily and he wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

When the instructor first said that they needed to pound the chicken into an even thickness, Finn rolled up his sleeves. “I’ve got this one, if you want to get the next instruction.” He offered, cleaning his hands in the sink that they had before opening the package of chicken. He brought the chicken to one of the cutting boards and then began to hammer it out.

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“Oh you’re right,” she agreed softly, hoping that they did a good enough job to eat their final product - it was either that or she’d need to stop for food on the way home.  “That would be really wonderful, I’d like if we could do that for her.”  Not only had Carole done a tremendous amount for her already, but they were going to be part of each other’s lives for a very long time and it was important to her that they be on great terms.  On top of that, it would be exactly the sort of sweet gesture Finn was capable of.

Nodding, Quinn took a few steps back and waited.  “Thank you, Finn.”  The pounding of the hammer made her head hurt, but it was definitely better than trying to do it herself and getting tired before they’d even begun.

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finnhudsun​:

He glanced at Quinn and smirked. “Such a nerd.” He teased, shooting her a wink. He was actually really impressed, because he hadn’t had any clue where it had originated. All he knew was that the dish was delicious. “Good job though.” He whispered, before turning his attention back to the instructor.

As she began to discuss the ingredients and explain why each one was a component in the dish, Finn tried to pay as much attention as possible; but she was explaining things in very fine detail that didn’t seem super important to him. But he guessed she was just really passionate about it all; it reminded him of how Kurt was with fashion or Rachel was with Broadway. 

Being told to take the box off of the ingredients, he followed the instructions and set it to the side. The ingredients looked delicious and he couldn’t wait to eat.

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Quinn stuck her tongue out playfully, laughing as quietly as possible to avoid interrupting their teacher for the night.  She really only knew the answer from all the cooking shows she’d been binging at the Hudson household, but if it got her a couple of brownie points that wasn’t such a bad thing in her books.

While Finn’s attention wavered hers focused in.  It was the style of learning she found easiest no matter the subject, drilling down on each individual piece of something to explain how it contributed to a larger whole.  With their ingredients uncovered she pointed to each in turn, emphasizing in her mind what they were and what purpose they’d serve in the dish.

“I’m already hungry,” she murmured.

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finnhudsun​:

“Definitely.” He said with a smile, appreciating the redness coloring his girlfriend’s cheeks. He leaned down and kissed her cheek gently. “That would be great. Thank you, Q.” He turned to allow Quinn to tie the apron around him, turning around and shimmying slightly. “Looks awesome, right? I’m the most good looking I’ve ever been.” He joked softly, looking to the front when the instructor asked for their attention.

His biggest hope for the date was that it didn’t end up feeling like school. But at least he had Quinn next to him and that was already better than most of the classes that he had at McKinley. 

“Today we’re going to be making chicken parmesan. If you all follow my directions, this should turn out great. If you do not…we could be in trouble.”

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The slight reddish tinge in her cheeks bloomed slightly deeper at the kiss, and her smile was beaming.  With ease she found the right length for his apron strings, tying them in a large bow that he could easily undo himself if he wanted to when they were done.  Finn’s little shimmy made her laugh a bit too loudly, and she patted his arm.  “You look like a master chef already.”  The instructor calling for attention caught hers, and she turned to face them.

Chicken parmesan actually sounded amazing, and Quinn knew that between the two of them they’d be able to follow instructions without making too bad a mess of things - and if they didn’t, that was okay too.  It was part of learning.

“So,” the instructor went on.  “Can anyone tell me where this dish originated?”

Quinn actually could, and she quickly shot her hand up.  “It’s an Italian American dish.  Likely originated in Boston or New York.”

“Very good!  Now, let’s talk about ingredients...”

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finnhudsun​:

They’d had a nice date night together the night before; an evening at the movies, some pizza in the car at the park, before they headed back home for the rest of the evening. They’d ended the night with a quick game of Yahtzee and then had retired to bed. It had been their first actual date since they’d gotten back together and it felt like a step in the right direction for them both. 

Now, they were at their second date of the week, one that Finn had set up for them after they’d decided together to learn how to cook better. It seemed important with a baby on the way to know what to do.

Standing in front of their cooking station, Finn took a quick look around and noted that everyone was quite a bit older than them both, before shrugging it off. They were young, but that couldn’t be held against them. His attention was drawn to the blonde next to him as she tied an apron around herself and he smiled. “You look cute in an apron.”

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Quinn Fabray wasn’t used to the sensation of happiness.  She’d been without it for a long period of her life, and even the glimpses she’d had were fleeting and difficult to hold onto.  But on a simple date night with Finn, with new life inside of her, she’d been startled by the realization that she was happy after all.  Life was never going to be easy, but maybe it wasn’t supposed to be - maybe it was just supposed to be shared.

The cooking class was shaping up to be another really good date, and one whose skills she planned on taking home and practicing - they had a child on the way, and they needed to be able to look after her in all possible ways.

“Yeah?” she blushed a little, tucking blonde hair behind her ear.  “Maybe I was a diner waitress in another life.  Want me to tie yours for you?”  He was more than capable, but she offered all the same in case he’d rather have the help.

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finnhudsun​:

“Help would be great. It just makes zero sense to me. And I also don’t understand why I need to take geography. I’m not going to do anything for work that requires that. But here I am anyway.” He yawned again, and let out a laugh. “It’s only just after midnight and I’m so tired. That’s so lame. Look at what being a dad has done to me.” He joked. He tilted Quinn’s head up and pressed a kiss to her lips before laying down as best as he could on the couch.

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“There’s a lot of things that we have to learn that we probably won’t use for work.  But Geography does actually tie into things like how to read a map, which is good if you’re driving somewhere new,” she smiled.  “Aw, next thing you know you’ll be making terrible dad jokes and wanting to go use the barbecue,” she teased.  After one more kiss she lay down as well, nuzzling into Finn and shutting her eyes.  He was incredibly comfortable.

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finnhudsun​:

“Oh yeah? You cuddling with lots of people when you nap?” He teased softly, squeezing her arm. “Awesome. Let’s do it. Mario Kart, chores, and whatever else we feel tomorrow.” Finn stated, yawning again. “That’d be fun. We could make it a date every so often to learn a new recipe. Maybe we can look something up tomorrow. I think it’d be good to start like planning dates on my days off.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got Geography this term which I’m really not looking forward to. But I’ve also got gym which is sweet. What do you have this term?” 

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Quinn laughed, gently tapping his leg.  “Only one, but he’s very good at napping,” she joked.  “Perfect - that’s an agenda for the day that I can get behind.”  An excited smile brightened her face at the idea of scheduled dates, especially ones where they could cook together.  “That would be so great!  I’d love it if we could schedule them, so the time doesn’t slip away on us.”  Her brain wouldn’t cough up the information for a few seconds, but it came back.  “I’ve got home ec, which should be super boring, but English should be great.  If you need help with Geography I’ll always try.”

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finnhudsun​:

“I might have to take a nap tomorrow too. Get all the chores done and then curl up and nap.” He paused and then perked up a bit. “We should play Mario Kart tomorrow while we wait for the laundry. My mom would have fun playing and just watching so I think it’d be a good way to include her and stay awake.” He found a baking show and turned it on, setting the remote aside and getting a bit more comfortable, drawing Quinn in close to rest her head on his chest. “I’d like to learn some cooking stuff as well.”

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“I think you should.  You’ve been working hard, getting through school, and I know you must be tired.  Plus I know I always nap better with someone next to me,” she suggested with a cheeky smile.  “That sounds like so much fun, I’d love that.  I want her to feel as involved as we can make her, so whether she plays or watches I think it’d be fun.”  Nestling against him, Quinn let her breathing start to even out.  “Oh yeah?  Maybe we could take some classes together - I know there’s couples cooking classes.”

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finnhudsun​:

“We’ll make and have breakfast and then you can nap. Not like we have anything to do or anywhere to be tomorrow. Feels good to not have any school work for a little bit. And I’m looking forward to new subject next semester. At least it will be different.” He mused, kissing her head again. “I’ve gotta do some laundry and should probably clean up my room a bit. And if you have any laundry I can help you with that. But other than that we can just relax.”

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“Oh that’s true,” she agreed with a smile.  “Which is good, because I’ve become a very big fan of napping since I got pregnant,” she smiled.  “The first few days of new subjects are always so exciting, aren’t they? Sure they get dull over time, but it’s so neat to learn new things.”  Another yawn interrupted her thoughts.  “I definitely have some laundry, we can take care of that together.  And maybe watch more cooking shows - that’s something I want to do more of when the baby’s here, learning to cook for them.  And for you.”

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finnhudsun​:

“It’ll be great.” He smiled. “Awesome. That’s perfect. I’ll set an alarm for…7 if that works for you? Then we can get up and cook some breakfast for mom.” He grabbed his phone, double checking that his battery was still okay before setting an alarm and then setting it aside. “I love you. And I’m glad we’re trying again. Thank you for being patient. And for continuing to be patient.” 

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“Seven sounds good to me,” she agreed.  It would feel early, but the prospect of getting up to make breakfast for a woman who’d done so much for her and her baby.  “We’re going to make a really awesome breakfast.”  Quinn’s smile was impossibly bright.  “I love you too.  I will always be patient, I promise you that.  And thank you for giving me another chance.  Letting me try to earn back your trust.  I won’t let you down.”

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finnhudsun​:

His lips curled upward slightly at Qiunn’s words and he nodded firmly. “It’s perfect. That’s exactly the first movie that we’re going to watch with her. And now I absolutely need to get her a Stitch stuffie. That’s also something I’m going to look for when we go shopping on the second.” He pressed his lips to the top of her head, a soft yawn falling from her lips. “Want to watch a cooking show? Maybe one of the holiday ones? Something simple and fun. Something I can fall asleep to and not feel bad.” He ended with a joke.

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Quinn was proud of herself for thinking of it in the moment, because it was absolutely the right first movie for their child to see.  “Oh my gosh, yes - we have to, I want Stitch to be her first Disney mascot.”  Finn’s yawn prompted one from her as well, and she nodded.  “That’s perfect.  Maybe the cake one, those always make me hungry and their holiday cakes are beautiful.  We can both fall asleep to it.”