"All the more reason!" Jigano teased back. "I bet you'd enjoy reading those dry, stuffy records a lot more if they were written with a bit of humor and clever wordplay!" Not everyone enjoyed knowledge for knowledge's sake, after all. More was the pity.
He raised a brow when she made her odd little face at him, but her outrageous claim had him chuckling as he deftly selected the spices he had in mind - mostly by scent, since nothing was labeled. "I'm afraid you've lost me again. Whatever an 'avant-gourd' is, though, I have no doubt that you have pulled it off with stunning success!"
He bent to his task of sifting nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice into a small bowl. Edy's touch sent a reflexive shiver down his spine, but he managed not to flinch or jerk away from the unfamiliar contact, hiding his unease by reaching for a white powder that he hoped was ground vanilla bean and adding a pinch of that as well. "On the contrary, you're far too spicy for this little mix," he returned smoothly as she illustrated his point with a suitably dramatic gesture towards the stove.
While she searched, he finished his massacre of the pumpkin meat and separated a chunk of it into one of the saucepans she'd found, sprinkling the spice mixture on top. A ladleful of water was added and he set the mixture on the stove as he turned to measure a similar amount of sugar into a bowl and then add it to the pan as well. the ladle served to mix the brew and he slid a sly glance at her from the corner of his eye, grinning mischievously. "Not at all! I've no experience with brewing, but I had a... friend... who liked to cook. Loved sweet things, too, so I... picked up a few things, to keep her happy." Some of the humor fell away, a somber reminder of a past that he'd spent several years running from, and memories he both treasured and resented.
He took a steadying breath, bringing back his smile deliberately as he kept idly stirring his concoction, letting it rise to a boil. "If you'll get us some of that moonshine, however, we'll find out if I can make it a little sweeter - or at least, a little pumpkin-ier! Might as well try splashing it in a little whiskey, too. You never know what'll end up working out."
He raised a brow when she made her odd little face at him, but her outrageous claim had him chuckling as he deftly selected the spices he had in mind - mostly by scent, since nothing was labeled. "I'm afraid you've lost me again. Whatever an 'avant-gourd' is, though, I have no doubt that you have pulled it off with stunning success!"
He bent to his task of sifting nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice into a small bowl. Edy's touch sent a reflexive shiver down his spine, but he managed not to flinch or jerk away from the unfamiliar contact, hiding his unease by reaching for a white powder that he hoped was ground vanilla bean and adding a pinch of that as well. "On the contrary, you're far too spicy for this little mix," he returned smoothly as she illustrated his point with a suitably dramatic gesture towards the stove.
While she searched, he finished his massacre of the pumpkin meat and separated a chunk of it into one of the saucepans she'd found, sprinkling the spice mixture on top. A ladleful of water was added and he set the mixture on the stove as he turned to measure a similar amount of sugar into a bowl and then add it to the pan as well. the ladle served to mix the brew and he slid a sly glance at her from the corner of his eye, grinning mischievously. "Not at all! I've no experience with brewing, but I had a... friend... who liked to cook. Loved sweet things, too, so I... picked up a few things, to keep her happy." Some of the humor fell away, a somber reminder of a past that he'd spent several years running from, and memories he both treasured and resented.
He took a steadying breath, bringing back his smile deliberately as he kept idly stirring his concoction, letting it rise to a boil. "If you'll get us some of that moonshine, however, we'll find out if I can make it a little sweeter - or at least, a little pumpkin-ier! Might as well try splashing it in a little whiskey, too. You never know what'll end up working out."
