Emma
Mallow listened to his suggestions carefully, thinking how each ingredient would change the flavor. When he stopped she looked at him, genuinely waiting for him to continue his explanation. Applin just hopped a few times, unable to reach the top, it then used a step stool to climb onto a countertop.
Nanci
He remains silent for an increasingly uncomfortable amount of time, choosing not to look at Mallow at all. Sylveon, delighted she could now reach Applin, was rapidly bapping it playfully. She was being gentle, of course, as to not actually hurt Applin, but it was definitely a 'I want to play-fight' gesture. He frowns slightly at this, internally debating whether he should stop Sylveon in case she does accidentally hurt Applin.
Emma
She continued looking at him and continued waiting, it took her a minute for her to finally ask, "You were saying about a creamy approach? What did you think about it?". There wasn't a hint of sarcasm to her voice, she genuinely wanted his cooking advice. Applin meanwhile, looked happy to be bapped, bouncing like it was a little toy, her eyes stalks playfully hit Sylveon's paw.
Nanci
He turns to look at her, clearly surprised she wanted him to keep going. "Ah- oh- Since you're already cooking it in a thinner, more water-based broth, it's easier to stay with that rather than trying to thicken it for something creamier. There's a lot more room for error when you change it halfway." He hadn't expected her to actually care or pay attention to his out-of-the-blue cooking advice, especially since he was probably the less skilled cook out of the two. Sylveon chirps excitedly, using both paws now in her playing.
Emma
Mallow did listen and value his advice, considering it as she went to the fridge, ignoring the playing Pokémon to grab some tofu. "Hmm what kind of tofu would be best for this dish?", she looked back at him after she looked at what was available. Applin was confined to her eyestalks as she played.
Nanci
"Firm, versatile tofu is best for soaking up the flavors of the mushroom- You're going to need to dry it out first, though, and it might not work the best for this since you have no time to marinade it- It might work fine if you just throw it in?" He wasn't actually certain on this. He didn't cook with tofu often- rarely did he have any on hand- so he was unfamiliar how to use it in this context. He wandered after Mallow, his urge to leave evaporating once he was properly set on a tangent he was allowed to go on without rejection. He was hesitant to admit he wasn't skilled with tofu, too. He didn't want to mess up her meal, but on the flipside, he didn't want to be looked down on in any way.
Emma
Mallow shrugged and grabbed some tofu, "Hmm yeah... It's probably fine, but we won't know unless we try". She happily added the tofu and stirred the pot a little to let all the flavors mix. She then sniffed the pot, it did certainly smell good, but next was the taste test as she poured two bowls for her and Bede.
Nanci
He watched her finish cooking with mild interest. He also looks somewhat surprised when he's offered a bowl- and he mutters a quiet thanks as he takes it. It smells really good, and he only just realized how *Hungry* He is. He glances at Mallow, wondering if she has something they have to do before eating- he wanted to avoid being rude, but...
Emma
Mallow just gave him a smile and took a sip of her food. This wasn't exactly a proper meal so it was fine to just take a drink of it, which she did and she began to get a glowing smile as she tasted it. "It's great~!" She exclaimed as she drank more.
Nanci
He glances down at it, taking a generous drink from the bowl. He pauses to process the flavor and lights up slightly. Wow, that was good! He starts drinking again almost immediately- he was hungry, who can blame him? He didn't say anything out loud, though. Once the broth was equal with the solid foods, he finally picked up a spoon to eat. Very good.
Emma
Her smile grew seeing Bede enjoy it, what little she had left seeming to taste better from her excitement. "It's great right!", at this point she usually began nitpicking it, but Bede was there to share her joy. She gave herself some more.
Nanci
He gives a curt nod, still focused mostly on finishing the bowl. After he is done, he pauses. "Thank you for giving me some," He offers hesitantly. He wasn't sure how to approach this now. He really liked the food, of course, but he was still hesitant to spend time with Mallow at all. At least Sylveon and Applin seemed to be getting along.
Emma
Mallow smiled, already comfortable spending time with him. "You're welcome! Would you like seconds?" She sounded more excited than before. She began to look for some extra bowls to give Applin and Sylveon some broth too.
Nanci
He hesitates. He would *Love* Seconds, but... Would it be overstepping...? Oh, whatever. "Yes." He deadpans, ignoring his own anxieties. If they offered and didn't follow through, he could get reasonably upset. Nothing to worry about. Besides, it was good food, and he was still a bit hungry.
Emma
She smiled as she refilled his bowl. The rest of it went into Sylveon and Applin's bowls, one she placed on top of the fridge and the other beside Applin. She went to the sink and began cleaning up the pot by hand.
Nanci
Bede finishes the next bowl almost as quickly as the first, using the second sink (TWO SINKS! Insane,) to wash his bowl and the utensils dirtied during cooking. He wasn't about to make Mallow do all the dishes when she had just cooked.
Emma
She smiled as he began cleaning his own bowl and utensils, "Thanks!". She was completely ignoring that there was a very expensive dishwasher available out of pure habit, and believing hand washing was better. Applin quickly at her bowl.
Nanci
It's not like Bede remembered how to use a dishwasher, anyway. The last time he had used one was ages ago, and this model was strange and unfamiliar. It's safer to handwash. Sylveon lapped up most of her bowl, distracted from playing in favor of devouring the food.
Emma
Mallow finished washing off and set them on the side of the sink. "Thanks for helping out with the recipe! I think you saved my broth" She laughed and smiled. "I'll definitely be making this more often, maybe trying out some other mixes with it.