#( but she also :') doesn't know how bad solomon's cooking is rip )

[xamassed]

good food. ( inspired by @demonsofdevildom )

She had almost forgotten about it. After many hours spent slogging through mathematics, seductive speechcraft, illusions, potions and the handful of other classes she barely paid attention to, it was understandable that a small memory from early in the morning would fade into obscurity somewhere in the back of her already clouded mind.

Sadly, once lunchtime rolled in, the famished demon couldn’t ignore the small, plastic container sitting at the bottom of her bag. Spotting it wedged between her books, her dread swelled to uncomfortable proportions.

❝I forgot you were in there. . .❞

She pulled the container out and lifted it high, eyes peering through the clear portion. There, stuck to the bottom and sweating, was a large piece of charred meat. Deer, she recalled. The hunt from that weekend had been a fruitful one, and she had been glad for it. No jobs and no menial chores to breeze through meant no grimm, and no grimm meant no cafeteria lunches — at least for a little while. She didn’t mind. If she wanted to keep her senses keen and sharp, she needed to wander the wilds of the Devildom and hunt the way she had when she was nothing more than a simple bear. Only difference now was that her beastly form as faster, stronger and ten times more fun to be in.

No amount of hunting and the thrill of remembering could make what she had cooked up that morning taste any better, unfortunately.

❝Why am I so bad at cooking? It’s not that hard.❞ Anita peeled the lid off the container and was immediately hit with the tongue-drying scent of ash. Her nose wrinkled at the stench, but she knew that it was all she had to eat between classes. Either she gnashed and tore her way through the leathery piece of meat to satisfy her hunger, or she went without and risked becoming grumpy for the rest of the day.

The former option was best, she knew this. 

As she was about to yank a portion off with her teeth, however, she realized with a start that she wasn’t alone. Sitting across from her, perched on a similar-looking stone bench, was a vaguely familiar figure. Hair the shade of sand after the waves rolled past, eyes bright and blue despite sitting in a stony expression, and clothes so elegant and white they made her feel soiled just by glimpsing them. His name eluded her, but she recalled two important facts: he was new, and he was an angel.

Sitting with someone in the courtyard wasn’t an issue, and neither was it the first time. She could have gone on to eat her sad excuse for a lunch and ignored him, except he seemed strangely intent on watching her. It was unnerving, having a glare as steely as his trained on her.

❝You good, dude?❞

He didn’t answer, but his gaze remained firm. It made her uneasy, but that unease began to creep into irritation. Any longer, and it was sure to morph into unreasonable rage. ❝Seriously, what’s your deal?❞

❝What is that?❞ He finally spoke, tone flat as he pointed towards the container in her lap.

❝Oh.❞ She sucked in a calming breath, willed herself not to fly into a rage over something as silly as staring, and lifted the hunk of meat with her fork. ❝Venison. No, wait. It used to be venison.❞

❝Deer meat?❞

❝Mhmm. Dunno what I’d call it now ‘cause I messed up cooking it this morning.❞ She shrugged, as if that fact didn’t disappoint her. Somewhere, deep down, it did.

❝It looks fine to me.❞

Anita gaped, earthen eyes flicking between the angel and the meat that looked more like the sole of a shoe. ❝You’re kidding me.❞

❝I don’t kid.❞ He gathered up his own mess and made a solid beeline for her. With a spot open on the bench, he welcomed himself into her space. Old habits and preconceptions made her shudder at the proximity. He was a pure and enlightened being, and the thought of being near one always made her chest fill with small, disgusting bubbles — not because she disliked angels, but because she didn’t want to sully them.

❝What did you come over here for?❞ There was no room to inch away, so she settled for leaning in the opposite direction.

❝Can I try it?❞ He made the request so clearly and concisely that it prompted a bark of laughter from the onikuma.

❝No! Look at it, it’ll take your puny little jaw ten years to chew through this!❞

❝I doubt that.❞ He paused, observed the hunk of meat in silence, then tried again. ❝Please.❞

❝You’re serious?❞ Anita knew she was already on thin ice with her awful grades, fluctuating attendance and spotty behavioral record. The last thing she needed was a murder of an angel on her hands. ❝You might get sick.❞

❝Do you assume all angels have weak constitutions?❞ He arched one, thick brow and held his hand out. Anita felt her own stomach pinch, partially out of guilt and mostly out of apprehension. This felt like a horribly moronic idea, but he seemed certain that her awful cooking wouldn’t mean his demise.

❝Fine. Here.❞ She held the fork out, and he took it without hesitation. The next second, his blunt teeth sank into the tough meat with little resistance. He yanked, the portion tearing away effortlessly. Flecks of blackened skin and muscle fell away, staining his lower lip as he chewed, chewed, chewed.

He didn’t gag, he didn’t spit the bite out. He swallowed it, let out a considerate hum, then tore another chunk away.

Anita watched with her jaw slack, her horror slowly shifting to confusion, to concern.

❝How are you eating that?❞

❝It’s good. I like it.❞ An easily given answer for an easy question. ❝I don’t know why you were hesitating to eat it.❞

❝I burned it,❞ breathed the demon in awe, ❝and I’m pretty sure I added too many spices. Are you already sick? Did you get dropped on your head a lot, or what?❞

The angel blinked and slowly shook his head. ❝No, not that I remember.❞

Anita snorted and passed her now empty container over, giving him something to catch the loose pieces of meat in as he feasted. ❝Alright, whatever. I’m out a lunch, but I guess if someone liked it, that’s fine.❞

❝Was this all you had?❞ A flicker of guilt melted away the stoicism in his eyes.

❝Don’t worry about it. I have more at home.❞ She waved away the sudden wash of concern, but her reassurance did nothing to ease his guilt.

❝If I’d known——❞

❝Seriously, you’re fine. I know for a fact that it’s bad, but you said something nice about it, so it’s worth it. Relax.❞

The angel frowned deeply for a moment, thoughts taking him elsewhere before he let out a grunt and chowed down again. Around a smaller mouthful, he grumbled. ❝Come to Purgatory Hall after school. You can have dinner with us, as thanks for letting me eat this.❞

❝I don’t think I’m allowed there.❞ She wasn’t a stickler for the rules, obviously, but those bone-deep thoughts that made her assume she was dirty kept her from going anywhere near the dormitory where she knew the angels lived.

❝I’ll ask Simeon and Solomon. I’m sure they’ll agree that it’s only right I offer you something in return.❞ Another flicker of vibrant glee touched at the crystal blue of his eyes. ❝You can try Solomon’s cooking!❞

❝Yeah? Is he good?❞

❝He’s amazing. Simeon and Luke are good too, but there’s something about Solomon’s cooking that I can’t quite get enough of.❞ His excitement was contagious, even if it only lasted for a singular, fleeting moment. ❝You’ll come?❞

❝I feel like I’m gonna look like a total ass if I don’t, so — yeah. Sure.❞ Free food was free food, and she wasn’t all that inclined to reject the offer now that he insisted. ❝After school?❞

❝I might be a little late getting there myself, but I’ll let them know you’re coming. If they don’t get my messages, tell them Raphael sent you.❞ He licked his lips clean, closed the fork inside the container, then popped the lid back on. It was returned to Anita’s hand, her stomach growling at the reminder that she had now skipped lunch. ❝Thank you.❞

❝Raphael? Anita. Uh, yeah. No problem. Still think you’re a little weird, but at least it didn’t go to waste.❞ She wouldn’t mention then, or even years from now, that he had brightened her mood. Hunger pains would have driven her to grouchiness, but the shamelessness with which he ate her horrid cooking and his sincerity had made up for it.

Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t a bad idea to spend a little more time around angels.