#Cod Roe

[kawaii-foodie]

___guu.8

[buffetlicious]

Also from Northpoint City is this 7-pcs Salmon Mentai Sushi (S$8.90) by Kuriya Japanese Market. Mayonnaise with seasoned cod roe squeezed over the salmon sushi and seared. Topped with orange flying fish roe (tobiko) and scallions with a side of pickled ginger (gari). Yummy delicious!

[jiniakitchen]

Cod roe Rice Bowl with Avocado

Raw cod roe bowl with avocado, fried egg and seasoned seaweed is a delicious and nutritious dish that combines the delicate flavor of fresh cod roe with the creaminess of avocado, the richness of a fried egg and the umami taste of seasoned seaweed. Cod roe is a rich source of protein, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for maintaining a healthy brain and heart. Avocado is…

[ilovelosermen69]

Girls when they see a man in uniform

[writer-of-various]

Bro, I'm not even fucking joking, why the fuck am I obsessed with medics?! Specifically WW2 medics. I'm something else, thanks for coming to my rant.

[mr-spice]

焼きそばとお粥

[mugiwara-shuenobi]

[darksouls2yuri]

i wonder if. the asian market near us has roe

[nothingweirdhere]

y’all oh my god i knew that the most popular onigiri sell out fast, but the other day i went to the konbini early in the day for once and there were SO MANY more flavours than usual??? i’ve been missing out wtf

[sqtorux]

sweeter than sweet!

ꨄ︎ summary. [req!] candy necklaces are meant to be eaten anyway, no matter how pretty.

ꨄ︎ desc. fluffy fluff; hc of jjk boys (yuji, megumi, yuta and toge)

yuji loves the idea when you bring up making candy necklaces; he always adores every intimate time spent with you. colourful rings of candy spawled onto the table, carefully set up according to their colours. the both of you got carried away making the them though— chatting about anything and everything while snacking on several candies which were supposed to go through the string–you find them melting in your mouth instead. in the end, only one necklace was completed and yuji lets you wear it until the both of you decided to just finish eating it altogether. that was why it was made for after all right?

megumi smiled to himself when he saw you wearing a candy necklace you got as a freebie from supporting a little kid's lemonade stand. he asks about it immediately because he notices every detail of you. it might seem innocent—the way his gaze travelled from your eyes to your neck where the necklace rests but he had other plans in mind. his fingers wrap themselves around the necklace, gently tugging on it and bringing your faces just inches apart. "seems sweet. can i have a taste?" you nod but megumi makes no move towards the necklace. his lips land on yours.

yuta was the one who suggested making it yourselves actually. he thought it would be a cute date idea and he was right. he came prepared too, with the colourful candies laid out on a small plate, he strings them together one after the other. his furrowed brows upon concentrating earns a chuckle from you — his expression melts into one of a big shy grin. giggles and soft laughters fill the room. who said playing with candy is just for kids anyway?

toge gives you an unamused look when you ramble on about a very lame joke along the lines of your suggested activity being candies and not rice ball ingredients. "you're not going to hold one of these and say ‘salmon cod roe’ or something right?" your snort only makes his eyes roll. you should really be thankful for his cursed speech because if he could talk, he'd end you in a sentence.

but since toge is so considerate he pops one candy in his mouth instead, savoring the sweet taste. you're not done yet teasing him though, "does it taste... like kelp?" you snicker. he's had enough of your lame puns so he pulls you closer by your arms and without giving you time to think, he crashes his lips into yours, the candy travels from his mouth to yours with an expert ease as he pulls away with a smirk. "tuna" he says at your dumbstruck expression, popping another candy into his mouth.

* if you want the meaning for toge's safe words/onigiri glossary used here, you can read them as follows:

salmon cod roe: to grab attention; "hey look here"

kelp: greeting

tuna: focus

*a/n: this has been in my drafts for far too long, almost a month which also explains the blue theme but i finally FINALLY got around to finishing this. to the anon who requested this, i can't reply to your ask right now since you also requested another one which is an smau. i will link this and that one to your ask when im done with it!! thankyou for requesting and for being so patient with me. im so sorry i made you wait this long.

[wolfiesmoon]

A rare ingredient

Inumaki x gn!reader

sometimes only being able to say onigiri ingredients gets a little tough on our boy :(

@kairiscorner just tagging you since you wanted to read this!!

The upside of having a crush is, well... everything good that comes along with having a crush. Your smile is the most beautiful thing ever to him. He feels oddly happy most of the time and especially happy when you're by his side. He wants to share everything with you, every minute detail of his life.

The issue is, however, that you've only transferred to Jujutsu High recently and can't understand anything he says. Unlike his other classmates who reply with "thanks" and a grateful smile to "spicy cod roe" as is intended, you simply give him a confused smile every time.

And that doesn't even cover the fact that he doesn't have any words to describe his love for you. He wouldn't have them even if he were able to talk normally like everyone else.

"Kelp." he greeted you, waving.

"Ah, hello!" you inferred that he was greeting you, waving back to him. He swears you look better every day and help but gaze upon your amazing face.

He is eternally grateful for the uniform that covers the lower part of his face, because he doesn't think he would have gotten away with blushing so much around you otherwise.

Normally he would surprise you by sneaking up on you from behind but after you told him that freaks you out he stopped. You're the one person he's willing to make that exception for. Maki isn't as lucky, unfortunately.

"...Tuna mayo." he never knows what to tell you, and considering his limited vocabulary, that would be kind of hard to do anyways. It's fair to say that you do most of the talking when alone with him.

"Uhhh, I met up with my non-sorcerer friends today." you always assume the role of storyteller with Toge. He's a good listener. Though you don't know why he always insists on staying by your side.

"I didn't tell them what I've been up to, of course. They wouldn't believe it anyways. But aside from that, we went to our favourite café that we frequented all the time in middle school." you smiled fondly at the memories that flooded your mind at that moment.

"Salmon." he wants to be invited to that café, too. Prefferably just the two of you. On a date.

You smiled awkwardly at him, nodding. You never know what in the world he's trying to tell you so you just "smile and wave" most of the time.

He furrowed his brows slightly, then looked off, seemingly thinking really hard about something. You raised an eyebrow in question.

"...Prawns." ("...I love you.")

His eyes met yours, and your eyes slightly widened. Did it finally get through to you?! Did you somehow understand his little confession?!

"You've never used that one before..." your expression returned to normal, still smiling at him, atlhough a bit intrigued by the rare ingredient now.

"By the way, are you alright? You're making a weird face." you moved closer to him, inspecting the upper half of his face.

"Caviar." he covered his face with his hands.

You're going to be the death of him.

[dee-writes-anime]

Late Night Cravings with Toge Inumaki

FEATURING Toge Inumaki x Reader

SUMMARY It's 3am and you could really go for some nachos

CONTENT WARNINGS pregnancy trope, Toge being the biggest sweetheart, cutie fluffy stuff, I desperately need a nap, DETAILED mansplain of how I like my nachos mmmmm, cod roe :0

AUTHORS NOTE I promise I'm not dead, I've just been a little preoccupied with mental breakdowns and my coursework. ANYWHO, I hope you all enjoy this short little Toge shaped treat as my apology. I promise I will get to your requests soon, I've just been a little busy rotting away.

SERIES MASTERLIST

The clock on your nightstand read 3:24 a.m., and there you were, wide awake with an undeniable craving gnawing at you. It started as a faint whisper in your mind, a vague notion of something savory and warm. But within moments, it was as if your whole body was practically screaming for it. You tried to ignore it, rolling onto your other side and taking a few deep breaths, hoping you might fall back asleep. But the craving just got stronger. It was nachos that you wanted, and not just any nachos—ones with thick, gooey layers of cheese, topped with plenty of spicy jalapeños, all seasoned perfectly.

Sighing, you glanced at Toge, who was fast asleep beside you. You knew waking him up at this hour was ridiculous, but at the same time, there was no way you could satisfy the craving yourself. Your feet were sore, your back ached, and standing in the kitchen for that long just felt out of the question. So, after a moment of consideration, you gently nudged him. “Toge, honey,” you whispered softly, your fingers grazing his arm.

He stirred, his eyes fluttering open, squinting at you in the dim light of the room. “Salmon?” he murmured, his voice groggy but with a hint of concern. He shifted slightly, reaching for your hand with sleepy gentleness.

“I know it’s silly,” you whispered, your cheeks heating. “But I really need some nachos. Like, really cheesy ones, with jalapeños and a little extra salt. And I need them right now.”

There was a moment of silence as Toge took in your words, processing your request in his half-asleep state. And then, in typical Toge fashion, his mouth curved into the smallest, knowing smile, his eyes crinkling with warmth. “Tuna mayo,” he responded in a soft voice, which you knew translated to don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

Slowly, he pushed himself up and stretched, giving you a quick, sleepy peck on your forehead before slipping out of bed. He held out his hand, gesturing for you to come with him. Smiling, you slipped your hand in his, letting him lead you to the kitchen. The quiet warmth of his presence made you feel like waking him up wasn’t such a selfish idea after all.

In the kitchen, he quickly assessed what he’d need, giving you a gentle nudge toward a bar stool at the counter so you could sit and relax. His hand grazed your belly as you settled, and you felt the baby kick lightly, almost as if they were getting excited along with you. Toge noticed the movement too, his eyes lighting up as he pressed a soft palm against your stomach, feeling the tiny kick. He chuckled softly, his expression turning playful as he raised an eyebrow, as if to say, Nachos for both of you, huh?

He went to work with silent efficiency, pulling out a bag of tortilla chips, a block of sharp cheddar, a handful of shredded mozzarella, and a little container of jalapeños. You watched as he grated the cheese with the focus and dedication he brought to everything, making sure each piece was perfectly even. You couldn’t help but admire how his hands moved, steady and precise, as he worked through his drowsiness.

A few minutes later, Toge spread the chips evenly on a baking sheet, layering them carefully with cheese and jalapeños. He added a few special touches he knew you’d love: a sprinkle of smoky paprika, a dash of garlic powder, and a little drizzle of honey, which he knew balanced out the spice and added a unique sweetness. You hadn’t even thought of that last part, but the smell alone made your mouth water.

When the nachos were finally in the oven, he came over to stand beside you, his arm wrapping around your shoulders as you both leaned against the counter. He had this peaceful look on his face, and he squeezed you gently, pressing a light kiss to your temple. You could tell he wasn’t annoyed or even inconvenienced by the request. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself, glad to have a reason to take care of you and, by extension, the baby.

While the nachos baked, you both waited in companionable silence, Toge occasionally glancing at you with a warm look in his eyes, his thumb gently rubbing your shoulder. Eventually, the oven timer beeped, and he moved to pull out the tray. The aroma of melted cheese, spicy jalapeños, and a hint of honey filled the air, and you could practically feel your mouth watering.

Toge carefully plated the nachos, making sure to spread them out so each chip had a balanced mix of toppings. He set the plate in front of you with a soft smile, his eyes filled with affection and pride, as if he’d just finished creating a masterpiece.

You took a deep breath, savoring the smell, then reached for a nacho, giving him a thankful glance before you took your first bite. The mix of salty cheese, spicy jalapeño, and that touch of honey was perfect. Toge had gotten every single element just right, down to the exact amount of salt you were craving. You sighed contentedly, the happiness you felt translating into a soft, grateful smile.

“Mm, this is amazing,” you mumbled around a mouthful of nachos, your eyes half-closed in bliss. Toge watched you with a quiet laugh, his own expression softened, clearly pleased by how happy you looked. He pulled a stool closer, resting his chin on his hand as he watched you eat, every so often reaching over to swipe a chip himself.

As you both continued to munch away, you felt a gentle flutter from your belly, a little kick from the baby, as if they, too, were grateful for the midnight snack. Toge’s eyes darted to your stomach, his smile widening as he placed a gentle hand there, feeling the tiny movements under his palm. He looked up at you, a silent exchange passing between you as he leaned in to press a soft kiss on your forehead, then on your belly.

“Thank you,” you whispered, your voice filled with affection. Toge’s hand found yours, his fingers warm as they laced with yours, his violet eyes soft and full of love. He didn’t need words to tell you how much he cared; it was in every little action, in every quiet smile, and in every nacho he made just the way you liked.

TAGLIST

@makingtimemine @strawbrrycat @soraya-daydreams @shokosbunny @saltypuffin1040 @danilights2021 @startwithrecords @obeythebutler @sparklykeylime @surielstea

[buffetlicious]

Itacho Sushi (板长寿司) is currently holding a Premium Hokkaido Scallop Festival with up to 30 per cent off their range of innovative scallop items. As a seafood lover, I can’t afford to miss this chance to savour the shellfishes. Heading to the branch at ION Orchard on a weekday morning to beat the peak lunch time crowd.

Flipping through the online menu via the tablet, I quickly zoomed in to the Scallop Sushi promotion page and started sending the items to the cart. Took a slightly longer time to decide which are the dishes I wanted as they all look equally delectable. In the meantime, scooped out a small spoonful of wasabi and poured soy sauce over it.

Didn’t have to wait for long before the first plate of sushi was served. From the left are two each of Roasted Salmon Skin Soya Sauce (S$1++ each) and Roasted Salmon Skin Soya Sauce with Cod Fish Caviar Mayo (S$1.20++ each) sushi. The salmon sushi were melt in the mouth soft and so yummy. If not because the restaurant limits each customer to just two pieces per type, I would have order it over and over again.

The three scallop sushi on the right side of the plate are Roasted Scallop Sushi (S$3.50++), Roasted Scallop with Black Truffle Sushi (S$3.90++) and Roasted Scallop with Cod Fish Caviar Sushi (S$3.70++). All three of the scallop items were so fresh and sweet tasting just like those I had in Hokkaido. The toppings on the two of the sushi enhanced the overall flavours to raise it up a notch.

The next plate I ordered is the 3 Kinds Scallop Sushi Set (S$5.80++). The scallops are un-torched and came with different toppings of tobiko mayo (seasoned flying fish roe), black truffle (paste form) and lobster salad with avocado. Again the raw scallops were just so yummy and the toppings complemented the whole package.

The last dish to be served is this Baked Scallop Spicy Salmon Mayo Egg with Rice (S$8.40++). A beautiful dish topped with six scallops, an egg and baked till golden brown. The creamy and spicy salmon mayonnaise completely covered the white rice underneath. The oozing egg yolk added a wholesome goodness to the rice dish. Even as I walked to the cashier to pay the bill, I am already planning on the next trip to try out the other dishes on the menu.

Selected images courtesy of Itacho Sushi.

[hoseokslefteyebrow]

In which you officially become a couple.

Inumaki Toge has a crush on you.

Technically, it's not weird.

Technically he's 'allowed' to. 

You're engaged after all. Even though you're much too young to get married anytime soon, and even though you are arranged by your clans after all.

Still, he can't help but feel nervous around you. His cheeks tinting pink whenever you talk about something passionately, your smile brightening up his days. He's too young to understand actually loving someone yet, but he's well aware that he very much likes you.

However, he has no idea how to tell you, or let you know.

Thinking about telling you has his hands getting sweaty and cause a fierce blush to spread across his face.

Besides, he can't talk to you. Not like a normal person at least. No matter how much he wants to. Apart from saying your name, he still has to stick to onigiri ingredients.

Communication between the two of you has been getting better, but you're learning to understand without him translating on his phone.

He doesn't mind translating. He often types out entire texts of speech for you when you're having a conversation about something interesting. But it does make communicating his feelings harder.

He wants the words to come from him directly, not by him showing you his phone screen and blinking at you nervously. He has to figure something out.

Body language will have to do, he supposes. He can't tell you, but perhaps he can show you.

Or maybe, he just needs to ask a certain someone for advice. Someone who has probably asked out a lot of girls before.

-

Gojo Satoru blinks at his future student in surprise.

" What?" 

He's heard of Toge's engagement to you. How could he not? He's one of the big three clans after all. 

However, of all things, he doesn't understand the hassle. You're already engaged. Why not just immediately get married? Besides, of all things he's expected Toge to ask, this had been the very last one.

" Just ask her- "

Toge has to blink in annoyance for Satoru to understand.

" Oh. Right. Okay, new plan!"

-

A few days later, that plan is finally put into action.

You're not in the same schools, so you're meeting up after school. He's already waiting for you at the park, in the city near your school. In his hands, he holds a chinese lantern plant. Originally, Gojo's plan included flowers, but he didn't necessarily like flowers. They weren't permanent. These were. They'd blossom along with your love. Hopefully for a very long time- Unless you'd reject him.

He swallows, hoping the best.

" Toge!" 

Turning his head from where he had been staring at the plant, he turns to face you, a smile immediately taking over his features. He shifts the plant to one of his arms, using the other to take your palm in his in greeting, his thumb soothing over your skin.

You smile at him, the tips of your ears turning pink like they always do when he has his full attention on you.

" Hi. Oh, that's a pretty plant, what's it for?"

" Salmon cod roe."

' Wait.' 

You blink, watching as he fumbles through his pockets. Eventually, he pulls out an envelope. You're not stupid, nor oblivious. You've caught onto his interest in you since the start. Besides, admittedly, you've grown to like him too.

Nearly a year has passed since you first met him, and you're pleased to say that he's the sweetest person you've ever met. He's considerate, attentive, and kind. (Not to mention extra sweet when you're on your period.) Truthfully, you like spending time with him, and you want to be closer to him too.

He hands you the envelope, his eyes wide as he signals for you to open it.

You do so.

' Dear Y/N,

I know our engagement is arranged and that you were originally not looking forward to spending the rest of your time with someone you couldn't choose yourself. I also know that we originally agreed to see how things go, and to be honest, I like how things are going. I like spending time with you. I like how you're learning my own language, and that it's not holding you back from spending time with me, and I really like who you are as a person. I'd like to spend more time with you. You're always running through my mind, and I want to be with you all the time.You're sweet, but also playful and patient. I'm sorry I can't tell you because of Cursed Speech, but I really like you  and want to be with you, because we want to, and not because we're arranged.

Ps. Please don't feel forced to return my feelings because of our engagement

Pps. The plant is for you. I've been told that pretty girls like pretty flowers, and this one made me think of you : ) '

By the end of his heartfelt letter, Toge is much more nervous than before, and you're grinning widely.

" I'd love to be with you!" You beam, jumping at him and pulling him into a hug.

He lets out a breath of relief, pulling you in close and returning your affection gladly.

Finally, he gets to call you his girl.

Extra:

" Okay, easy, this is what you gotta do!" 

Toge is listening attentively to his future teacher.

" First! Get an airplane. I don't remember where you can get one, but there's one that like flies those banners- Which brings me to two! Which is actually one, but whatever. Get a banner. Or make one. One of those cheese ones that simply says 'go out with me' should do the trick. Three! Which actually could be zero, but- rose petals. Everywhere. Girls love that. You can choose any location, but a beach should be great, even though that's really far away. Might want to drive there. Last, maybe hire a mariachi band. Or like a violin player-"

Toge blinks at Gojo as he continues talking. Toge is only 14. How would he even be able to afford any of that?

" Bonito flakes."

Gojo glances at him, finally shutting up. He rolls his eyes, before shrugging his shoulders.

" Ah right, you're only fourteen. Then maybe go for the easy route. Flowers and ask her out. Maybe you can hold the banner up yourself?" 

Or, maybe a love letter? Girls like that, right?

Liked this? There's more of this au in my Masterlist : )

[mugi-sktch]

Y: promise you’ll be careful out there? T: saaalmon salmon ♡ Y: Toge, i’m serious :( T: salmon spicy cod roe, Yuuta Y: yeah nice try you know i know when you’re speaking nonsense T: …😇 Y: exasperated noises

[redlikerozez]

Tuna Mayo

Summary:

Inumaki Toge tries to make rice balls in the aftermath of Shibuya. Reader helps him out.

Or an Inumaki Toge-centric fic about dealing with the events of Shibuya while also being absolutely whipped for GN!Reader.

Content warnings/tags: Canon typical descriptions of violence, dealing with loss of limb, probably inaccurate description of making rice balls

About 2000 words.

Author’s Note:

For @tsukimefuku ’s JJK Foodies and Goodies Event!! This has been in the works for forever but I just now got around to actually writing it! Sorry for the wait!

divider credits @ thecutestgrotto

Fic under the cut!

Inumaki Toge was caught in the crossfire of Sukuna’s cursed technique. It happened so quickly, he didn’t even have time to comprehend the sudden loss of limb before the world cracked and jolted under his feet like the most sinister of earthquakes he’d ever experienced.

The rubble of newly destroyed buildings quickly toppled him, even with his fast reflexes honed from sparring with Maki. The absence of his arm had left him off balance and unsteady.

Without any way to actually push the large stones off of his rapidly bleeding out body, he tried screaming. Screaming with all his throat had left in the tank, which wasn’t a lot to begin with. He couldn’t even shout the word help. He could only shriek nonsensical ingredients for rice balls, hoping and praying his comrades in arms would find him in the carnage.

He ceased his fruitless attempts at rescue when he began coughing up blood from his thoroughly shot throat. He used his technique too much already. The screaming surely wasn’t helping.

The edges of his vision slowly washed and swirled a comforting shade of black. His body and extremities were feeling numb and cold.

Is this what dying feels like? he wondered to himself.

The only thing he could actually feel was the scratchy aftermath of using his voice so much, the rest felt like floating in a lukewarm pool of water. Maybe dying wasn’t so bad after all.

The rays of moonlight over the city came into view of his drooping and exhausted eyelids and he saw a flash of a familiar white uniform.

Rika was working on lifting up the heaviest stones from off of his body while Yuuta looked like he was shouting something his brain couldn’t comprehend in such a state of blood loss.

His eyes drifted off somewhere behind Yuuta’s form and he laid his violet gaze upon you.

Your face was white as a sheet and you were pointing a trembling finger in his direction from a little further off. You had heard him screaming and went to seek help.

A soft smile spread across his face. If this was the last thing he would ever see, he was glad it was going to be your face.

And with that, he blacked out for several days.

Several rounds of reverse cursed technique later and being treated in Shoko’s infirmary alongside several other brutally injured and similarly maimed sorcerers in the aftermath of Shibuya, Inumaki Toge was forced to cope with the realization that living with one arm was going to have to become the new normal for him.

Shoko had explained to him that you and Yuuta had searched all over for the missing arm in hopes of being able to reattach it, but they couldn’t find it in the destroyed remains of Shibuya.

“Spicy cod roe,” he had said bitterly in return. He liked to use this in place of expletives.

He already had to deal with so little talking and struggling to communicate his thoughts accurately because of his cursed technique, surely it wasn’t going to be so difficult getting used to another such obstacle.

It was days after the trauma of the Shibuya incident and he was back in the dormitory’s kitchenette with the plans of making a small midnight snack.

Phantom limb pain and phantom limb itches had kept him up longer than he intended and he was growing restless just staring up at the ceiling in bed so he figured it would be best to try and occupy himself with something other than sleeping.

He punched the button to open up the rice cooker and reached into a drawer to grab a clean plastic rice paddle. He scooped out a clumsy spoonful of rice and set it on a cooking mat on the counter. He fished open another drawer and got out a sharp knife for cutting up the spare bit of tuna left he had gotten out of the refrigerator before.

He tried several times to get a nice clean cut on the piece of tuna, but without a second arm to brace the thing, the knife kept dragging around the raw fish around the cutting board.

Toge huffed a sigh to himself and looked at the ugly pieces and thought it wouldn’t really matter anyway since the tuna was going to go inside the rice ball. It wouldn’t be visible on the finished product.

Squeezing a good bit of mayonnaise on the cooking mat he started to try and incorporate it into the rice so that it would become sticky so he could form the shape of the rice ball-proper.

Once again, it was an exceedingly awkward and surprisingly challenging experience to try and squish around mayonnaise into rice as he tried to make sure it was at least somewhat evenly coated. The rice was spilling off the cooking mat in his clumsiness and getting all over the counter because, again, he didn’t have that second hand he greatly missed to brace and control the direction of the rice.

When it was good enough to call government work, he just stared at the mess before him and realized that this was a much more difficult task than he initially realized. What had been like second-nature or even as easy as breathing to him before was suddenly a monumentally more complicated endeavor with only one hand to work with.

How on earth was he going to shape the rice balls with only one hand? He hadn’t really thought about it when he originally began on his midnight snack.

He started in earnest, nonetheless, on his seemingly impossible task. He worked a clump of the sticky rice-mayo concoction in his singular hand and undulated it around in an attempt to create some sort of familiar shape. He wasn’t picky if it was a circle or a triangle, but anything that remotely resembled one of the two shapes would be best.

However, the material kept refusing to cooperate in his palm and broke apart. As hard as he tried to reform the clump into something edible, any shape would disintegrate in his hand with one wrong move.

In his frustration, he just squished the entire thing into his fist as the rice-mayo oozed out and stuck to the sides of his aching fingers. He tried to flick off the excess back onto the cooking mat and clean off his hand, but in his fit of anger, it was a fruitless venture. Slamming his rice-riddled fist on the counter, he heaved another frustrated sigh as he suddenly felt his heart and throat tighten just like his solitary fist.

How could something so simple and familiar to him just a few days ago turn impossible after just a few short seconds and being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

“Inumaki-san?”

Your voice felt like a soothing balm to the tightness in his chest and the phantom pain in his no-longer-there hand.

“Are you alright?”

He nodded, and tried to wipe away a tear that was threatening to fall from his eyes in frustration, but he only succeeded in slathering a mess of rice-mayo on his face. And when he realized what he had done, he frantically tried to wipe that off, but his entire hand was covered in the stuff and it just made everything worse.

God, he must look like an idiot in front of you! His mind was filled with curses but he stopped in his tracks when he heard the nearly angelic sound of your laugh. It caught him off guard and he looked up and over in your direction for the first time.

You had the cutest smile plastered on your face and a shy hand was partially obscuring it to hide your burst of sudden laughter.

“Need a hand with that?” you asked him, voice light with laughter.

His entire body felt like it had been dunked in ice water.

Your hand slapped over your mouth in realization.

“Oh, shoot! Oh my god, I’m such an idiot… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, Inumaki-san. Please, forget what I said. I’m so sorry, I swear. I didn’t-” you frantically tried to apologizing. “Here, let me-”

You rushed over to his side and grabbed the kitchen towel that hung off the sink and started to wipe away the mess of rice all over his face. He was still paralyzed, stuck stiff as a board as you worked carefully and methodically at cleaning him up.

He watched you work intently. It was hard not to, being in such close proximity. Up close, your eyes were even more dazzling than they appeared from far away. Toge felt his cheeks heating up at the proximity and he tried to look away to hide his surely lobster-red face, but you caught his cheek and held it in place with a frown on your face.

“Don’t move, I’m trying to help.”

He was trapped. Thoroughly paralyzed under your words. It was like you had his Cursed Technique, the way you spoke with such conviction. It was like he was covered by heavy debris from a destroyed building again, but this time it was only your words trapping him in a daze.

You breathed a sigh and removed your hands and the towel from his face not too long after. You tossed the towel back on the sink.

“There, all done.”

He nodded, finally breaking free from your spell and being able to move again.

“What were you trying to do? Make some rice balls?” you asked, eyes falling to the remains of the midnight snack on the cooking mat.

He nodded again and averted his gaze from the mess on the countertop. It was embarrassing, really, to look at. Toge had always prided himself on being a fairly decent cook. The state of the kitchen counter wasn’t something he wanted anyone to witness, especially not you.

“I’m not really good at shaping them, but if you need some help, I can try my best.”

He stared at you for the longest time, trying to decipher if your words were sincere or if you were mocking him in his weakness. But you didn’t possess a malicious bone in your body. It was probably an earnest offer to help, he decided.

Toge made a “go ahead” motion with his hand and stepped away from the counter.

You nodded to him and stepped up to the mess on the counter and tried to figure out where to begin. His face flushed again and he almost wanted to tear away your shoulder from the countertop and push you out of the kitchenette. He suddenly felt like everything leading up to this moment had been a huge mistake. He never should have gone to make a snack at midnight. Of course someone would end up walking in on him making a huge fool of himself, and of course it just had to be you! It was so stupid, he shouldn’t have-

But any motion in his body that wanted to run away or rip you away from his embarrassing attempt at cooking halted when he heard you start humming to yourself as you took a much-too large clump of rice into your hands and began shaping it clumsily.

He stood there stiff again, stupefied by your jaunty tune and carefree aura radiating from every last cell of your body. It was like you didn’t even see a big mess, just another way to help a friend in need. A hand instinctively covered up his mouth that he only just now realized had fallen open.

Toge watched you gently press an ugly piece of tuna into the far too large, mostly triangle-shaped rice ball and set it on the mat. And you just began to form another. This one had much less rice than the previous one. There was no way they were going to turn out even at this rate, but he was enchanted with watching your hands as they worked their magic.

By the time you finished, you presented him with three unequal sized rice balls on a ceramic plate you had fetched from the top shelf.

“Sorry, they’re all kinda uneven, but they should taste all the same, ahaha,” you said, offering the plate nervously to him.

He nearly forgot to take the plate out of your hands, he was too busy staring at you with eyes swimming with every question and compliment under the sun he wanted to shower you with, but he couldn’t say anything that his brain wanted to.

All that came out of his mouth was, “Salmon.”

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