Fourth Floor Common Room, Monday evening

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

Charlie had a huge pot of water for spaghetti boiling, tomatoes and onions chopped up, garlic diced into tiny pieces, and hamburger browning.

She was sure she was forgetting something. Anyone who wanted to help her make dinner was more than welcome.

Comments

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

After spending the afternoon in the common room, Isabel had gone to her room for a while. Now she came back, debating what to make for dinner.

"You're cooking? Awesome! Please tell me you're sharing."

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Anybody who wants some can have some! It's a thank you to Ronan, the Nomadic Celtic Chef." She smiled, and ducked her head over the chopping board as she cut up some peppers. "And you. And Dean. And everyone who's been cool, the last week or so."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Ronan, the Nomadic Celtic Chef? Did I miss something?" Isabel pulled up a stool to the counter. "Don't worry about it, I was glad I could help."

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

Charlie grinned, and dumped some more tomatoes in the skillet, then poured in tomato sauce. "He's Irish, and he kept cooking, and, um. We weren't sure where he lived, so Turtle and I came up with this whole thing, of him roaming and making food for people...." She pointed a spoon at Isabel. "No laughing."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel looked innocent. "Who? Me?"

"What can I do to help?"

[not_in_the_book]

Even before it was cooking, Ronan could smell the garlic, even from a floor up. That's how it seemed, anyway, as he made his way down to the fourth floor. "... Food?" he said, plaintively, grinning as he saw Charlie at the stove. "Hey."

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

Charlie snickered. "Umm, oh, sautee the onions? I always forget them until too late. And maybe the garlic with them?" She carefully stirred the tomatoes, and then frowned. "Mushrooms, or not mushrooms? Most people like mushrooms, right?"

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Nomadic Celtic Chef!" Charlie blurted, then covered her face. "I mean, hi, Ronan."

[not_in_the_book]

Ronan looked at Charlie for a very long moment. "... I suppose you'd be one of the fangirls I heard about, then?" he said, grinning, as he stepped towards where she was cooking. "Want some help?" he added, as he gestured at the knife and cuttting board.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I can do that," she nodded, heading for the stove, carefully hip checking Charlie along the way. "Leave them big enough for people to pick out if they're that fussy and it shouldn't be a problem."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Hey Ronan," Isabel smiled. "She's going to feed us!"

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"If I said no, I'd look even more like a stalker, so, yeah. Guilty as charged." Charlie waved spatula at him, looking hopeful. "Thank you for cooking for us? Have some food? And yes! I'd love help, I was thinking I should do a vegetarian sauce, I don't know, maybe melt some cheese and butter?"

[not_in_the_book]

Ronan smiled back. "I can see!" he said, grinning. "And there's garlic!"

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Right," Charlie agreed, carefully melting butter in another pan. "So did you have a class today? I know you told me, and I can't remember. Everyone's classes are melting together in my head, 'cause I don't have any until tomorrow."

[not_in_the_book]

Ronan nodded, gathering up the items necessary. "Do you want a small pot of a cream sauce?" he asked, setting a saucepan on the stove. "If people want that instead of the tomato sauce?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No worries about vampires tonight then," she laughed. "Not that they've been a problem in Fandom in the last year."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Creatures," Isabel smiled. "There was a unicorn. And a Qilin. They were both gorgeous."

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Exactly. I'm putting meat in the tomato sauce in a minute, too, so. I guess if they're vegans they can just put butter on it?" She cocked her head, then admitted, "I've never tried to feed more than three people at a time. I'm glad you guys want to help."

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Ooooo! A unicorn? Seriously? Oh, why didn't I sign up for that?" Charlie said, mixing up spices. "And I don't think I've heard of a Qilin. Did you have class outside?"

[not_in_the_book]

"No butter for vegans, either," Ronan said. "It's still an animal product. Possibly margarine, though? Or if there's any soy cheese or something like that..." He considered. "Or they can just have plain pasta. Oh! Olive oil! And herbs. If they really want it." With butter melting in the pan, Ronan tossed in a bit of chopped garlic.

[not_in_the_book]

"Problem before that?" Ronan asked. "Students, or Fandom weirdness?"

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"See, this is why you're the chef, and I'm the fangirl." Charlie bowed to him, giggling, and then carefully put a bay leaf in to simmer with the tomato sauce. "How long have you been cooking?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"A Qilin is sort of like a Chinese version of a unicorn. Except you don't have to be a virgin to get near it," she explained. "The class was outside, in the preserve. It makes me wonder what else is out there."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Both actually," Isabel shrugged, smiling at the thought of Angel. "The student was a vampire with a soul. Angel, he's a great guy. The weirdness were the vampires in town that tried to eat people."

[not_in_the_book]

Ronan poured some cream into the sauce pan, stirring slowly but constantly as it heated. "As long as I can remember, really," he replied. "My Mum got me started when I was a kid."