BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AU 1

[enigmaster]

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[enigmaster]

[Oswald smiles at him and that gesture is so foreign, still, that Edward's just staring a moment. Before he kind of nods.] Um... sure. [YEP THAT'S HIM HE'S JUST A HELPER even if he's not sure how all this even happened. He should be trying to get Oswald out, now, and yet... ... Well, that's not something to think about now.] I'll go take a look... [He's not fond of snow, but. Well. Maybe Oswald's right, and there really is something. So he disappears to outside.]

[agoodname]

[apparently yes, Edward, you are very much a helper. Oswald watches him go outside, humming in consideration. Yes, this is very good to know. He turns back to the task at hand, digging around the kitchen until he comes up with a pot, which he fills with some snow from the windowsil and places on the stove. Which is definitely not lit. Well, depending on Edward’s mood when he comes back, he might ask him to do that. In the meantime, he’s going to drain the meat and divide it into separate bowls in the portions he said, before trying to locate a knife and chopping board. When edward comes back, he’ll find Oswald with a rabbit thigh, slowly slicing the meat into thin strips before laying them out on a baking sheet in rows]

[enigmaster]

[Digging through snow isn't what he thought he'd be doing today, but here he is, all the same. It's getting brighter, too, which is... not ideal. The sunrise is not Edward's favorite time of day and he flinches a little as it becomes lighter out. Still, he persists for a bit, managing to scrounge up... not a lot, but a little bit. So, when Edward returns to the kitchen, he puts down some... maybe not amazing looking carrots, but edible enough, as well as a few turnips. Hey, it's something.] There wasn't really a lot out there... [He squints and rubs at his eyes a little. Too bright...]

[agoodname]

[Oswald blinks--and does visibly brighten] Those will be absolutely perfect for the soup. [he offers Edward another smile, this one far more honest, beaming a bit. He is very pleased. For more than one reason.] These are wonderful, Edward, thank you. [he pauses, glancing over as the sun starts to rise] Ah, sunrise. [he glances at Edward] Do you need to sleep again soon? I remember you said the sun hurts your eyes...

[enigmaster]

Oh... Sure. No problem... [Edward... brightens a little himself, at that praise. Ah...] Maybe, yeah... [He rubs at his eyes a little more.] I'm kind of supposed to be nocturnal. But I already slept a lot... [:c]

[agoodname]

Oh. [he glances at the curtains] We should certainly close those curtains at least. I'd hate for the light to hurt your eyes.

[enigmaster]

Mhm... [He nods again. It's getting kind of bad, now, so he's just hiding his face a little to block out the light. He'll head over and close those, though... That's why they're there.]

[agoodname]

[Edward closes the curtains as Oswald half watches him out of the corner of his eye]

If you're not planning on sleeping, would you mind lighting a fire in the stove? We can start boiling the meat, then and get it ready for caning and for the soup.

[enigmaster]

[Edward nods and just... gets to that, without even thinking about it, really.]

[agoodname]

[....very, very biddable, it seems. Which is fascinating. Oswald considers this as he finishes slicing up the meat, then laying down a layer of salt to lay it on on the baking sheet, then another layer over it. He'll then start to inspect the rest of the butchered rabbit for any impurities--humming quietly while he works]

[enigmaster]

[Edward's gonna perch on a stool again, so he can watch. He's very interested, okay. Especially when Oswald starts humming. His ears go up a little at the sound.]

[agoodname]

[lskdhfs that's...far too cute to be reasonable. It shouldn't be cute at all, really.

But he'll focus on the task, managing to wrangle two large pots of snow inside--and he means to put them on the stove, really he does. And normally it wouldn't be a problem but...once he's back inside, he sits down heavily at the table in the kitchen, breathing hard, winded just from that.

Yeah his body really didn't like that]

[enigmaster]

[Edward's ears go back at that, and he tilts his head.] You don't look so good.

[agoodname]

[Oswald swallows, hard]

Just...overexerted myself a little. [considering he did that all on one leg with a crutch....yeah. It was maybe a bit much. He does look a bit pale though] I simply...[he sucks in a breath] I simply need to rest a moment. Then I can get back to work.

[enigmaster]

[Edward huffs.]

You'll pass out again, at this rate.

Then you won't get anything done at all.

[agoodname]

[and at that, he presses his lips together, looking annoyed]

What am I supposed to do; let this meat go bad?

[enigmaster]

It'll go bad anyway if you collapse again. And then your fever might come back, too.

[agoodname]

[he blows out a harsh breath at that, folding his arms, starting to scowl] Well, what do you propose, then?

[enigmaster]

[Edward growls a little under his breath. Wow.] Just. Tell me what to do and I'll do my best. If you keep pushing yourself, you'll end up stuck here forever.

[agoodname]

[So he got a slight growl for that. Oswald makes a note of it. He can't help but tense, slightly, as well, but....Edward's still offering to help. So Oswald just huffs] Right. I suppose you managed the hide on your own, so you'll have no problem with me guiding you for the rest of this.

[enigmaster]

Exactly. [Huff, huff. Gosh, Oswald!] I can handle it.

[agoodname]

[Oswald can't help but quirk a brow at that]

Well. At least your confident. [and he pushes to sit up a bit] So we're going to make the soup and the canned meat at the same time. So the first thing we're going to do is bring both of those pots of snow to a boil--

[and he'll walk Edward through it, step by step, making sure he thuroughly washes and peels all of the vegetables, wraps the rabbit in a cheese cloth so it's easier to pick out the bones, etc, etc. The mean for canning will take longer over a lower heat than the soup, and the meat will go in last for those. But he'll walk Edward through all of it, watching with an eagle eye. And, of course, making sure he washes his...his claws??? before he starts cooking. As well as put on an apron.

Sort of. It can't exactly be tied, but it'll at least keep Edward from getting splashed with hot water and hopefully from any of the fur from falling in.]

[enigmaster]

[It's a little... okay, a LOT awkward. His claws aren't made for this, his wings get in the way, and the apron is... It just feels silly to wear it. He tugs at it a little annoyed, at first, but he accepts it for now. The important thing is he's following Oswald's instructions rather well, difficulties of his body aside.]

[agoodname]

[honestly this all is a very good test of how much Edward's willing to put up with before he snaps. Because that does not look fun or easy in any way. He does seem to be following instructions rather well, despite his limitations, so there's that. Oswald doesn't get too fussed if the pieces are a little bit odd shaped, because who cares really, but he is very particular about the turnips and carrots being properly washed and peeled because he does not want that dirt taste in his soup tyvm]

[enigmaster]

...Preparing food for humans is a lot of work. [Seriously, this is. So much? It's so much.]