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Do you realise how many steps it takes to make something as simple as a pancake?
Because Kris certainly didn't.
They didn't realise it took about five different ingredients — not including the ridiculous list of things to buy by Susie — and about ten different steps to get them finished up. They didn't realise they'd be in need of so many utensils, or that they'd have to switch the batter from it's initial bowl, into a pouring jug, then into a frying pan, before finally shoving them atop a serving plate.
And only then, by the time everything's been made and taken so long that no heat remains any longer, are they able to carry them over to the table where Susie resides. She chuckles at them under her breath, tells them they 'took too long,' before stealing the freshest one from the very top of what's available to her.
She throws it onto her own plate, grumbling when she sees how little the size of it looks compared to the radius of the pancake looks compared to the smooth surface. It's probably what prompts her to take another, smoothly followed by yet another, until she ends up with three pancakes under her wing.
They're immediately drowned in topping upon topping. She takes golden syrup and chocolate sauce and she loads it all on. She takes fruit and berries, chocolatey chunks and chips, not taking even a moment's worth of delay before piling that all on top too. A smattering of sprinkles is thrown into the mix — Kris didn't even realise they had sprinkles? — and a hearty amount of that fake, edible sparkly dust accompanies them. Then, very finally, she adds a wad of butter to the very peak of her mountain.
Her glowing eyes shine with delight as she gazes upon her creation, her feet suddenly unable to be stilled against the floor as she processes it all a couple-hundred times. They begin to bounce, tapping against the ground in an excited manner. They're still covered in a crooked pair of shoes, hence the 'pittery-pattery' effect that sounds throughout the room.
The first bite that she takes prompts yet another change in physical movement from her. She begins to rock from side to side as the sliced pile of pancake is pushed into her mouth. The corners of her lips remain tilted upwards all throughout the endeavour, and Kris finds that all they're able to do is stare and smile in anticipation. Their own pancakes are growing cold.
Their own eyes widen in surprise as they take in the way that she continues to shovel her food into her mouth — their lips parted when the pace of her pattering feet increases. To any other normal person, the plate in front of her would probably be deeply unappetising. They'd probably grumble at the prospect of mixing all of those flavours — at how pancakes should be more simple. More delicate.
Yet for Kris, who sees the impact they've had on Susie, they aren't so sure that's completely right. In fact, they're almost half-convinced to reach over and take a bite of their own.
But they don't. They simply stare, their heart growing fond and heavy from within their chest. It continues to increase as Susie takes another bite, only growing with the next that follows, and they reach a point where they don't think it could grow any bigger, and yet—
"Hey, Kris?" Susie asks.
Their snap out of their thoughts. Their head draws over to one side, curious, like a lost little puppy. Susie's smile grows.
"Your pancakes are getting cold, dude," She says, excitement bubbling in each and every word. "If you're not careful, I'll steal them."
That's what makes Kris' back straighten and their eyes grow even wider. They fan their hands out in front of themself, waving rapidly as if to discard such a ridiculous possibility, before dragging over their own plate of pancakes that aren't steaming anymore.
"That's okay," they return. "I'll eat them myself."
They hadn't gone through all of that work for nothing, after all.
There's three there — the exact same amount that Susie had taken — and, under the influence of her gaze, they dive straight in. Their fork is pummelled straight into the fluffy texture of their top pancake, their knife used to slice anything stubborn enough not to move. They cut and they saw, until its eventually freed and loose in their grasp.
They smile politely, raise the piece of pancake to their lips, and—
.. Oh.
That's actually—
That's not as good as they'd expected.
It's bland and somewhat boring, flavourless in a way that Kris wasn't familiar with whenever eating their mother's home cooking. The texture, whilst not bad, just doesn't feel right. It's a little like something is missing. Almost feels like that hour spent on their feet, sorting through ingredients and concocting something they'd thought would be delicious, had gone to waste.
.. Though, then again, that reaction they'd earned from Susie could never be considered a waste.
But then a syrup container is shoved their way. It remains upright as it's slid in their direction, gliding across the table. It's only when it comes to an abrupt pause, subject to Kris' own palms, that it takes a slight tumble. It falls over.
Kris scrambles to pick it up and open the lid, keeping a curious eye on Susie's still-brightened features as they douse their pancakes in the substance. By the time they're finished, they're pretty sure there's more chocolate on their plate than there is pancake, and it makes the idea of the dessert a considerable amount more tempting.
They dip their fork back into the pancake, ensuring to get a healthy dose of chocolate sauce alongside and shove it into their gob. The taste is savoured on their tongue and the texture feels significantly more complete. They swallow, revelling in the way that the delight rolls down their throat, and glance up at Susie with a warm smile.
That's better.