Players:
Summary: Nick has a surprise for Ahmed and both teens show a rare side of themselves.
Date: April 23, 2012
Log Title: Bacon Surprise
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Kitchen
This kitchen was designed to feed large numbers of people, and looks it with its bright white walls and stainless steel appliances. The stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher are all larger than normal. There is an island with stools around it for people to sit and eat around along with a table for twelve by the windows in back. Along the wall is a hole in the wall looking into the dining room so food can be passed back and fourth. Anything you want to cook or eat in the kitchen you will find the food and supplies to do so.
Dragging Ahmed to the kitchen, Nicholas has informed him that he has a surprise for him. The smile on Nick's face either suggests that it's a fate worse than death, or something really good, either way it's the first real smile that Ahmed might have seen from his roommate. "Something just hit me a few weeks ago and I talked to the cooking teacher, Mr. Parker-Mayfair and he helped me with something. Don't worry I didn't try cooking."
Just coming off a Danger Room session when he's grabbed, Ahmed is still in his workout tights… which is to say nothing more than a standard blue and gold bodystocking with the big yellow X up front. As he comes along he can't help but chuckle as he replies, "I never said there was nothing wrong with your cooking. You just don't cook. You throw something frozen in a microwave and CALL it cooking." He smiles back, feline curiousity overcoming human trepidation.
"That's why I throw it in the microwave, because anything other than that I can't cook." Nicholas says as he goes into the fridge. "Close your eyes." It's almost as if he's excited about something as he pulls something out of the fridge, and if Ahmed's eyes are closed or not he pulls out two packages of bacon and holds them out in front of him. "Okay, now you can open them." On one package it's labled turkey bacon, the other beef bacon and on both them them the word Halal can be seen.
Eyes are closed… then eyes are opened… and he looks at the packages with a sort of questioning gaze. His slitted eyes go from Nicholas back to the packages, and then Ahmed reads not the English, but the arabic underneath. It's then that his eyes go wide, and he says, "Holy Sh-…" Stopping himself from swearing, "Are those what I -THINK- they are? The sacred, untouchable, best food in the world?!"
"Well you said you never had it and I was sure it had to exist, so I talked to Mr. Parker-Mayfair and he found some Halal place in…Brooklyn?" Nicholas isn't one hundred sure about that. "Is that in New York City? Anyway, he picked some up for me to give you for you to try. You've been really cool about dealing with me as a roommate so…I figured that I'd try to do something to help you out, even if it is just trying bacon."
Ahmed replies with a nod, "Yeah. Brooklyn's out on the island I think. I haven't been into New York except for once during Hannukah." The words make the brightness in his eyes dim a bit, but it comes back up, as he takes both into his hands, and actually smells them, eyes closing as he takes in the uniqueness, "Seriously… this is…" He pauses, and then slowly walks them to the fridge, and puts them away in the meat cooler area, before coming back over… and HUGGING on Nick so tightly his shoulders tremble.
"What island?" Nicholas asks as he doesn't know anything about New York Geography. "Anywaaah…" He says not able to finish his sentence as the breath of air escapes his lungs at the tight hug. He pats Ahmed on the back with one hand. "Glad you liked it." He gets out as the pats on the back turn into taps. "Having trouble breathing dude."
Pulling away, Ahmed turns around so that the tears threatening to form cannot be seen, and he has to take a couple breaths before saying, "Sorry dude… guess all this gym and health crap is doing me some good." Once he's gotten himself back together, he turns back around to face his room-mate and friend, before saying, "So… if I make burgers with those, will you try them? I'm not too sure on the turkey bacon, but that beef bacon smells awesome."
Nicholas sits down and waits for Ahmed to compose himself, not knowing that he'd made his roommate cry with a simple gift. "Yeah I'll try them, bacon is bacon after all. Also turkey bacon isn't so bad, my Mom used to make it sometimes." He runs a hand through his hair and gives Ahmed a smile. "But seriously, thanks for just putting up with me, it's been a really rough last few months and you've been cool putting up with me. I just really hope it doesn't end up tasteing like crap."
Ahmed shakes his head almost immediately, "It's nothing. In a lot of ways, being here is like being at home. You might live in seperate houses, but everyone makes you feel like family. And everyone's got some tale of hardship, or problems they need help with. It just comes with the turf." Putting up a hand, "Seriously, I had no problem with it. I'm the one who's been the problem child around here. Compared to me, you're golden."
"It's easy for everyone to make you feel like family Ahmed, you cook for everyone and you're nice to most people. Except for Quenton but that's another story. You usually just cat-out and hide from things which makes you even more likable." Nicholas says with a smile as if saying it's a good thing. "Me, I've just been so overwelmed by everything I just let my temper get the best of me and rise to everything. If anyone has been a problem child…it's Quenton." He says joking a bit to keep the mood from becoming depresing. "And I'm far from golden around here. People like Orion not me."
Ahmed snorts out a laugh, "Let's leave the Q-bomb outta this… I honestly think there's gotta be a nice guy under all of that. Shane likes him after all." Winking once, he goes back to the fridge, and starts rummaging, "Seriously… Nick… you had every right to be mad, and take your time sorting it out, I think. I mean c'mon… I'm not going to poke the sore spots, but it's pretty obvious from here." Out comes the turkey bacon, some eggs, and some potato and onion… things to make a breakfast potato hash.
"Actually Quenton's not that bad, he's just got it worse in some ways cause his powers dictate his temper. He convinced me to go with him to resuce Jill before deciding that it was to dangerous." There's a bit of a scowl frim NIck at that. "Of course it's obvious to you, I probably wake you at least once a night with how much I toss and turn. I know I keep myself up most the night." The nightmares that don't exactly seem to fade. "Well I'm glad to know that it was a good gift, you're already starting to cook. I'm just happy that I have you here to keep me from going to crazy."
The wide feline smile comes before Ahmed says, "Why do you think I sleep in cat-mode? Helps me ignore it except when it's bad. And then… I try and make sure to wake you." And already at work, he begins making breakfast for lunch, country style. The turkey bacon is the first thing to go down, "You know… you should go out more into down. Get some air… go to the mall. Do normal kid stuff."
"I've gone over to Salem Center a few times, taken Orion out for a ride. I just always seem to get lost but I'm figuring out the GPS on my phone." Nicholas explains. "I got a handheld GPS from my parents cause I would get lost all the time. It was kind of a joke, but it's kind of embarassing admitting you can't remember how to get places. As for New York City…I keep hearing I should go but I'm kind of scared to." He watches Ahmed for a bit as he walks over to the fridge to grab a can of Spirte. "So is cooking how you deal with things?"
Ahmed has onions, peppers, potato, and several other things on one pan cooking into the breakfast hash, as the bacon begins to look like bacon in another, "Actually, it's how I got most people to leave me alone. I used to be babysat by some older aunts and uncles who lives together in their own home… and they'd watch shows and play card games. It started with getting me to get snacks and drinks. Then it was baking… eventually, I started cooking so they'd stop bugging me. But then I also found out I was good at it. So everyone had me cook for them." Actually blushing a bit, "Victim of my own success. Before the change, Dad was going to send me to a chef's camp… and was going to get me to go over seas to one of the big French schools."
"Who says you still can't go to chef's camp some day? I know you're all cat looking and stuff but who knows, maybe Mr. Parker-Mayfair can help you or something. Or you can just off him and take his job." The last part obvious a joke from Nick. "Both my parents were only brats like me, so I don't have any cousins or aunts or uncles. I have Grandparents in Florida, but noone to really babysit me at home. Usually if anything it was Bodie, he was like a big brother to me. Man I looked up to him and my Dad so much." He says hating that they're both gone. "Only good thing about all this crap happening is, I've met some pretty good people here. I guess you're included in that."
The pause is there, and only someone who knows him well would spot it. But then Ahmed's eyes flick to the door, and then back to Nick before saying, "I've… kinda given up on going out. They gave me this watch thing that makes me look like I did before… but… I dunno. I just…" He then shakes his head, "I'm different. I will never pass for a normal human being ever again, Nick. I don't want to hide it… but at the same time… I can't handle being stared at like some circus animal."
Nicholas stands up and walks over to Ahmed and puts a hand over his shoulders. "I'll tell you what, when one of us has gotten the nerve to leave, not like Salem Center but New York City, we have to drag the other one. That way I know I'm not getting lost in some crazy city and you can have moral support." He then takes a deep breath and his tone turns more serious. "Listen, I know you won't ever pass for a normal human again Ahmed but being stuck in here, it's gotta drive you nuts. At least come to Salem Center with me sometime. Just to get out and…maybe forget that we got handed the biggest slice of dung cake life could manage."
Ahmed snaps out before really meaning to, the actual pain showing for once, "What, so the ones who won't stare at me for being a cat guy and thinking I'm a perv will stare at me because they think I'm Arab and am here to blow up their homes and daughters?" But then he pulls himself back from it, and winces, "Sorry, Nick… I… I didn't… okay, maybe I meant it a bit." And shaking his head once more, he adds, "Can I think about it?"
Instinct takes over from malaise for a moment though he moves off towards the stove, and gets the bacon off to drain, the hash to cool, and begins doing up eggs. Nothing is burned!
Nicholas pulls away from Ahmed the moment he snaps but hesitates before going to sit down. "Now I know how you feel when I snap at you over nothing." He says quietly before sitting back down. "I just…I know I hate being stuck here but that's because most people aggrivate me here. If you were older…yeah, I'd probably think that about the Arab thing…I can't lie." After all Nick is from conservative America. "Just think about it, you're becoming my best friend here Ahmed and just…I'd like to hang out with you outside of here."
Ahmed does eggs over easy, seasoned up, gets the turkey bacon and the hash, and serves it up to his buddy with all the amateur flare he can muster, "Tadah!" But then he moves to sit down across from Nick, and sighs once before adding, "I will, I promise… it's just hard. I see all of you who got these powers and still look like yourselves… and sometimes I get jealous. Even of Quenton. I mean c'mon… He flies, and I sweat goop and turn into a cat. Somedays it seems unfair… other days… I realize that it shouldn't matter. It's just like being born blonde, or cross-eyed. Shit happens."
"In the grand sceme of things it doesn't matter." Nicholas says honestly as he grabs the fork and breaks into the yolk of the sunny side up eggs and starts mixing it with the hash. "I know it's hard, just even though I'm one of the handsome ones looking all normal, it didn't mean shit when it came to my parents life or Bodie's or even mine. I still don't know how I survived." He admits quietly finally taking a bite. "There is no such thing as fair Ahmed, as crappy as it is to say that, but what is fair is saying that what you just cooked tastes awesome."
Ahmed smirks finally as he leans forwards, "The only thing that's fair in life is that everything is unfair…" Reaching a finger over and flicking one of his little clawtips out to swipe off a raw end of the bacon, and taking a nibble of it, "mmmm… not bad. Kinda maple-y."
"Are you not eating any of this?" Nicholas asks Ahmed out of curiosity as he continues eating, obvious that he likes it. "Normally I dump a ton of salt on stuff like this but it doesn't need any." He looks up at Ahmed, right in the eyes. "Listen, I really appricate everything you've done Ahmed, I know things are rough from you and I'm not going to force you out into Salem Center, let alone New York. Promise."
Ahmed taps his lips, "Can't remember? One of my weird mutations is that while this all smells awesome to me? My body rejects most things that are cooked. And it's not pretty. Last thing the dorm needs is to listen to me in the bathroom." And making a face, he reaches up to gently slug the other young man's shoulder, "Dude, stop… you're gonna make me think you're sweet on me or something."
"Hey, you're the one whose cooking for me." Nichoals says with a laugh and nods. "You and Taylor both with the raw foods. Does it at least taste good?" He isn't sure if it would or not or if their tastes buds are altered to make it taste better. "Hey Jill isn't here so I have to flirt with someone right…." He then turns bright red as he realizes what just came out of his mouth. "I mean, cause besides you she's the only person here who makes me feel like life doesn't suck as much as it does."
"HA!" Ahmed barks out with a laugh, "I -KNEW- it! And no one here believed me." Nodding once to the meal, he gives a shrug, "I can spice it up, but it's got to be mostly raw. It's why these days I eat mostly sushi grade fish, and a few meats that can handle just getting a char on them. It's not that it doesn't taste good… I still have my old tastebuds… it's my stomach that rejects it." The explanation done, he then adds, "Finish up, and maybe you can help me with my social studies homework. You know how I am… always trying to rewrite the perverse words of my infidel American dog jailers!"
Nicholas continues to blush and stuffs his face with the food, eating with a speed that only teenage boys seem to manage. He figures his mouth being full of food with excuse his silience. "Sure, I'm okay at social studies. Lemme grab a few cans of soda and we'll head upstairs or to the library or something." He says getting up to wash off the plate and fork he used, he even starts to clean the dishes that Ahmed cooked with. "Shall we get to work on learning about the oppressions by the American scumbags?" He jokes back.
Ahmed does his best ACHmed the Dead Terrorist impression as he replies, "SILENCE! I keeell you." And then gets up to head over and munch on the leftover bacon he only half-cooked and dry the pans being washed, "My old rabbi once said something I always try and keep at heart. Living is a gift we have until the day we die."
